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Since the beginning of the Anthropocene epoch, as a result of human activities strongly affecting the global environment, numerous water-related difficulties such as floods, droughts, and conflicts have emerged worldwide. To understand and predict these effects and difficulties, "socio-hydrology" was established as an empirical discipline to elucidate the dynamics of human–water interaction in an integrated manner. About a decade has passed since this new discipline was established. Although the overall picture and framework of socio-hydrology is gradually emerging, the challenges and possibilities of interdisciplinary water research are becoming apparent through collaboration among hydrologists and humanities and social scientists in the field of socio-hydrology. This study reviews developments of socio-hydrology to date and the challenges and possibilities for interdisciplinary water research identified in this field. The findings provide a perspective for the promotion of interdisciplinary water research in Japan, pointing out challenges of interdisciplinary water research including a "lack of common language," "differences in scientific philosophies among disciplines," and "scale issues of time, space, and organization.” To address these issues, we proposed "value systems," "governance," "culture," and "history" as research frames for advancing interdisciplinary water research in Japan and Asia.

Using observational data from the Program of the Antarctic Syowa Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere/Incoherent Scatter radar (PANSY radar) at Syowa Station (69.0°S, 39.6°E) over seven years, the climatology of gravity wave (GW) characteristics in the troposphere and lower stratosphere in the Antarctic were examined. Our analysis shows that the GW kinetic energy in the lower stratosphere is consistent with previous studies using operational radiosonde observations in the Antarctic, including an enhancement during austral spring. We derive a theoretical formula relating horizontal and vertical wind contributions to the GW kinetic energy with the GW intrinsic frequency and the aspect ratio. The vertical variation of the intrinsic frequency suggests the presence of GW sources near the tropopause in addition to those in the troposphere and near the ground. The GW momentum fluxes estimated from radar data indicate that net GW forcing is eastward in the lower stratosphere in seasons except for summer, which acts to accelerate the lower part of the polar night jet. Furthermore, we present the climatology of Eulerian-mean vertical winds elucidated from the long-term radar observations.

Flower longevity is essential to maintain the quality and value of ornamental crops. The distribution of high-quality ornamental flowers has been established by developing various preservatives, especially for cut flowers. However, genetic improvements to promote flower longevity have not progressed, except for some ornamental crops. This is partly due to a lack of analytical methods to evaluate flower longevity in large-scale trials. This study showed that high-throughput image analysis using deep learning models for computer vision, which has rapidly progressed, can quantify the flower longevity of multiple lines in greenhouses. Seven lines of Portulaca umbraticola, a one-day-flowering crop for summer gardening, were photographed at regular intervals from the top of the greenhouse. Using trained object detection models, including the YOLO series, multiple flowers and pots were accurately detected in each image. The opening degree of flowering was calculated by trained image classification models, such as Densenet and VGG. Although the images generally contained many flowers, multiple object tracking models, such as ByteTrack and StrongSORT, enabled us to track each flower and estimate its longevity. Additionally, video classification sorted the tracked flowers into seven P. umbraticola lines. Each line’s flower longevity could be quantified and it differed each day and within the same flower line. Therefore, applying the proposed method using deep learning models could dramatically accelerate research and breeding of flowers with increased longevity. The applicability of this method to various ornamental crops and traits is also discussed.

Objective: We explored how the effects of obstructive factors changed according to the status of nursing researchers' activities during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This study included two online questionnaires in 2020 and 2021 to explore the effect of COVID-19. Participants were 321 nursing researchers from the universities who answered both surveys. The participants were divided into four groups according to the change in research activity status. We compared the results between the four groups in the first survey and the changes between the two surveys in each group. Results: The 321 participants comprised 9.0%, 18.4%, 6.9%, and 65.7% in the "Well-maintained," "Improved," "Worsened," and "Difficulty-remained" groups, respectively. As a comparison of the scores of obstructive factors in the first survey between the four groups, the "Well-maintained" group's scores including "information and communication technology (ICT) proficiency needs and support for others" tended to be lower than that of the other groups. Furthermore, the "Improved" group's scores showed a statistically significant improvement in the second survey, particularly in ICT-related factors (p <.001). Although the scores for "family role burden and conflicts" tended to improve in the "Well-maintained" and "Improved" groups, the scores in the other two groups remained almost unchanged. Conclusions: The prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative effect on nursing researchers. The results revealed that ICT proficiency, effective use, and managing to balance family roles and work might be key factors in promoting family activities during difficult periods.

Development of efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HERs) is necessary to achieve environmentally friendly and sustainable hydrogen production. To reduce cost and to circumvent the scarcity of platinum, the most efficient catalyst for HER, it is essential to develop catalysts using ubiquitous base metals or minimal amounts of precious metals. Bis(diimino)metal (MDI) coordination nanosheets are potential HER catalysts because their electric conductivities, two‐dimensionality, and porous structures provide large surface areas and efficient mass and electron transfer. In addition, with sparse metal arrangements in their chemical structures, nanosheets can reduce the amount of metal needed. We synthesized bis(diimino)palladium coordination nanosheets (PdDI) as a coordination polymer composed of bis(diimino)palladium, with semiconducting characteristics, using gas‐liquid interfacial synthesis and electrochemical oxidation. These electrochemically synthesized PdDIs exhibit remarkable catalytic performance with overpotential reaching 10 mA cm⁻² of 34 mV, a Tafel slope of 47 mV dec⁻¹, and an exchange current density of 2.1 mA cm⁻² after appropriate activation. This performance is closely comparable to that of metallic platinum. An ex‐situ investigation of the activation process revealed that reduction of the divalent Pd center in bis(diimino)palladium produced a composite of Pd(0) species and PdDI, combining high catalytic activity with smooth electron transfer.

Accurate measurements of the surface free energy （SFE） are essential for determining the interfacial properties of materials, including the adsorption characteristics of solid particles at the water/oil interface in emulsions. The SFE of cellulose nanofibers （CNFs）, which are nanomaterials derived from wood resources, has thus far been evaluated by inverse gas chromatography （IGC）, and the emulsifying capacity of CNFs is effectively explained by the desorption energy calculated from the SFE. However, IGC suffers from a long measurement time and complicated analysis. Among the various methods proposed for measuring the SFE, contact angle measurements have the advantage of simplicity in both measurement and analysis. Here, the SFE of CNFs was evaluated by contact angle measurements. Two types of CNFs with different surface structures were prepared through ion exchange of surface-carboxylated CNFs: one with sodium and the other with tetrabutylammonium ions. The contact angle measurements were performed on the CNF films using a combination of three different probe liquids, and the SFE of the CNFs was determined based on the van Oss‒Chaudhury‒Good theory. However, a substantial decrease in the electron‒donor component of SFE was observed through the ion exchange from sodium to tetrabutylammonium; this result was inconsistent with previous reports. Furthermore, the calculated desorption energies of the CNFs could not explain the emulsification behavior in the experimental system. These discrepancies were attributed to the swelling of the CNF films against the probe liquid. This study showed the limitations of contact angle measurements for accurate SFE determination of CNFs.

The interaction of tumor cells and their microenvironment is thought to be a key factor in tumor development. We present spatial RNA profiles obtained from 30 lung adenocarcinoma patients at the non-invasive and later invasive stages. We use spatial transcriptome sequencing data in conjunction with in situ RNA profiling to conduct higher resolution analyses. The detailed examination of each case, as well as the subsequent computational analyses based on the observed diverse profiles, reveals that significant changes in the phenotypic appearances of tumor cells are frequently associated with changes in immune cell features. The phenomenon coincides with the induction of a series of cellular expression programs that enable tumor cells to transform and break through the immune cell barrier, allowing them to progress further. The study shows how lung tumors develop through interaction in their microenvironments.

Introduction Choroidal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is relatively rare and unresponsive to systemic treatment. Case presentation A man in his eighties with left renal cell carcinoma and pulmonary metastasis developed visual impairment in the left eye during primary treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab followed by secondary treatment with cabozantinib. Consultation with an ophthalmologist revealed choroidal metastasis, which was subsequently treated with local radiotherapy (3 Gy × 10 Fr), resulting in a significant reduction in the metastatic lesions. Conclusion If visual impairment arises while treating renal cell carcinoma, it is essential to consider the possibility of intraocular metastasis. In terms of treatment, local therapies such as radiotherapy should be taken into consideration.

We measured ambient dose rates in a mountainous area in the evacuation zone (Namie town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan) to predict ambient dose rates several decades ahead based on collected data. The survey was conducted on a ridge in a mountainous area that had not been previously decontaminated. Future ambient dose rate projections based on observed dose rates suggest a faster dose rate decline than those based on the physical decay of radiocesium. Specifically, the projections based on observed data indicate that the Japanese decontamination threshold in the area would be reached 15 years earlier than predicted based on physical decay.

Japan has seen an increase in female physicians recently, yet it still lags behind other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. A major barrier has been the historical discrimination against women in medical school admissions. In recent years, female enrolment in medical schools has risen, surpassing 40% in 2024, reflecting a broader societal shift. However, structural problems persist in the Japanese healthcare system. Although the number of doctors per capita is lower in Japan than in other countries, the number of patients is higher than in other countries, leading to overwork for doctors. As a result, only about one-third of female doctors in Japan are able to return to work after interrupting their careers to give birth or raise children. The maldistribution of physicians, both regionally and by specialty, exacerbates this issue. To sustain the rising number of female physicians, Japan must reform its medical system.

Plain Language Summary To ensure a robust assessment of precipitation physics within global climate and numerical weather prediction models, it is imperative to diagnose the precipitation process using satellite observations on a global scale. Here, we propose a new methodology to address this requirement using multisensor satellite measurements to extend our previously developed method for warm liquid‐phase rain into more general ice‐containing mixed‐phase precipitation. For this purpose, satellite‐based information on the cloud thermodynamic phase obtained from the lidar and imager was exploited to statistically classify the vertical profile characteristics of precipitation observed by radar. The results showed that precipitation tended to occur more efficiently with an increasing ice‐phase fraction of the cloud‐column and the cloud‐top particle size. The statistics derived from observations provide a benchmark for evaluating model precipitation physics, facilitating process‐oriented assessments of numerical models.

Quality control of translation is crucial for maintaining cellular and organismal homeostasis. Obstacles in translation elongation induce ribosome collision, which is monitored by multiple sensor mechanisms in eukaryotes. The E3 ubiquitin ligase Znf598 recognizes collided ribosomes, triggering ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) to rescue stalled ribosomes and no-go decay (NGD) to degrade stall-prone mRNAs. However, the impact of RQC and NGD on maintaining the translational homeostasis of endogenous mRNAs has remained unclear. In this study, we investigated the endogenous substrate mRNAs of NGD during the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) of zebrafish development. RNA-Seq analysis of zebrafish znf598 mutant embryos revealed that Znf598 down-regulates mRNAs encoding the C2H2-type zinc finger domain (C2H2-ZF) during the MZT. Reporter assays and disome profiling indicated that ribosomes stall and collide while translating tandem C2H2-ZFs, leading to mRNA degradation by Znf598. Our results suggest that NGD maintains the quality of the translatome by mitigating the risk of ribosome collision at the abundantly present C2H2-ZF sequences in the vertebrate genome.

Background Anticholinergic burden, reflecting the cumulative impact of medications with anticholinergic properties, significantly predicts adverse drug reactions and geriatric syndromes in older adults. Although anticholinergic risk scales (ARS) have been developed and validated in various countries, none have been tailored specifically for Japan. The Japanese Anticholinergic Risk Scale (JARS) was developed to adapt the existing ARS frameworks to the Japanese context, considering unique medication profiles and cultural factors. Process First, a systematic review was performed to follow the protocol registered in PROSPERO (CRD42017076510). A PubMed search from October 2017 to March 2023 was conducted to identify ARS publications post‐September 2017. Based on two algorithms, average scores from the existing scores were used to develop JARS. The Delphi method, an expert consensus approach, was applied to determine the scores for medications that were not established by the algorithms. Sixteen articles identified in our systematic review contributed to JARS development. JARS categorizes 158 medications into three potency groups: 37 drugs scored as 3 (strong), 27 as 2 (moderate), and 94 as 1 (weak). Conclusion JARS, the newly developed ARS, could be a critical tool for anticholinergic burden assessment in older Japanese populations. Developed through a systematic review and Delphi‐based expert consensus, it encompasses 158 medications, offering a comprehensive anticholinergic burden assessment. Future studies and updates should be conducted to improve the accuracy and clinical applicability of this scale. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••–•• .

This study reports a method for enhancing the functions and properties of traditional organic macrocyclic hosts by fully encapsulating them within a large M9L6 cage to form host‐in‐host complexes. Within the cage host, the macrocyclic organic hosts with electron‐rich aromatic rings, such as cyclotriveratrylene and calix[8]arene, adopt specific orientations enhancing their inherent molecular recognition abilities. Due to the high crystallinity of the M9L6 cage, the guest encapsulation behavior of the host‐in‐host complexes can be observed by X‐ray structural analysis.

SARS-CoV-2’s rapid global transmission depends on spike RBD’s strong affinity to hACE2. In the context of binding hot spots well defined, the work investigated how interfacial subregions of SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD to hACE2 affect intermolecular affinity and their potential distinct roles involved in association and dissociation kinetics due to their local structural characteristics. Three spatially consecutive subregions of SARS-CoV-2 RBD were structurally partitioned across RBD’s receptor binding motif (RBM). Their impacts on binding affinity and kinetics were differentiated through a comprehensive SPR measurement of hACE2 binding by chimeric swap mutants of respective subdomains from SARS-CoV-2 VOCs & phylogenetically close sarbecoviruses, and further compared with those of included single mutations across RBM and around the RBD core. The data supports that the intermediate interfacial subregion of RBD involving key residue at 417 is the rate-limiting effector of association kinetics and the subregion encompassing residues at 501/498/449 is the key binding energy contributor dictating dissociation kinetics, both of which relate to SARS-CoV-2’s adaptive mutational evolution and host tropism closely. The kinetic data and structural analysis of local mutations’ impact on spike RBD’s binding and thermal stability provide a new perspective in evaluating SARS-CoV-2 evolution and other sarbecoviruses’ evolvable binding to hACE2. The inherent binding mode offers direct clues of valid epitope in designing new antibodies that the coronavirus can’t elude.