電車内マナー啓発メッセージがマナー遵守行動意図に与える影響

本研究では電車や駅構内に掲示されているマナー啓発ポスターに着目し，どのようなメッセージが「マナーを守ろう」という行動意図を活性化するのかを明らかにした．まず，掲示されているマナーポスターを観察・収集するとともにそのメッセージタイプを15に分類し，「お願い」「強い禁止」「被害の付加」「呼びかけ」「ユーモア」の5つのタイプを抽出した．その上で，これらの行動意図活性化効果を実証するため，首都圏在住者かつ電車を月1回以上利用する有職者にWEBアンケート調査を行った(n=504)．その結果，「お願い」「被害の付加」のメッセージが他に比べ有意にマナー啓発効果があることが示された．また，マナーを守っていない人のマナー遵守行動意図を活性化するメッセージタイプを明らかにした

交通行動と健康診断データ・心的傾向の関連分析 : 神奈川県大和市職員を対象として

本研究では，交通行動と健康状態，ならびにクルマの運転動機，交通手段への態度，五大性格特性，主観的幸福感等の心的傾向を計測する指標との関係性を把握することを目的に，神奈川県大和市職員を対象としたアンケート調査(n=479)を行った．このうち健康診断データの提供に同意した職員は180名であった．分析の結果，クルマ・バイク通勤者はメタボ該当者がそれ以外の通勤者の倍程度であった．心的傾向については，組織との関係が良好で地域のボランティアに参加しているほど，メタボや高BMIの傾向が示された．この理由としては，勤務先やボランティア等で飲食を伴う交流が盛んであった可能性が考えられる．メタボは危険因子が集積した状態であり，自覚症状が希薄であるため，健康指標として心的傾向と組み合わせた分析を行う際には留意が必要である

International origins of walking school buses and child fatalities in Japan and Canada

The concept of a Walking School Bus (WSB) has existed in Japan for over half a century, but is a relatively new concept in Anglo-Saxon countries, tracing its origins to the early 1990s. In Anglo-Saxon countries the WSB is seen as a safe means of addressing the negative impacts of increased school trips by car. Recently in Japan, a discussion as to the value and appropriateness of the shuudantogeko (the Japanese WSB) has emerged as some suggest that it could reduce safety. This paper introduces and compares the two WSB systems, and then uses traffic fatality data from Canada and Japan to compare travel-to-school in an open choice system with a country where WSB is common practice

地域環境と心身の健康状態に関する因果分析 : BMIと健康関連QOL指標に基づく検討

近年，国民の健康状態を向上させるため，生活習慣病の予防や心身機能の維持・改善に繋がる居住・社会環境の整備が提唱されている．本研究では地域環境等の諸要因と，心身の健康状態の因果関係を明らかにすることを目的する．なおwebアンケート調査を実施し，身体的・心理的健康状態に対する自身の評価の他に，地域環境に対する評価・生活習慣及び個人属性等を質問している．その中でも，BMIと健康関連QOLそれぞれを身体的健康状態・心理的健康状態の代理指標とし，その実態を定量的に把握した．また，地理情報を加えて因果関係モデルを作成した．その結果，地域環境として公共交通と公園の整備が心身の健康状態に間接的に影響を与えることが明らかとなった．また，健康に関する意識が心身の健康状態の向上に間接的な影響があるという結果が得られた． In recent years, policies have been proposed to alleviate lifestyle-related diseases and to extend the human lifespan by improving urban environments. This research specifically analyzes the causal relation between the community environment and residents’ physical and mental health. Therefore, this study applied a questionnaire about self-health awareness and physical health, community environment, daily routine, etc. Additionally, the research uses health indexes such as body mass index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) as evaluation standards. Results suggest the following. 1) An improved community environment, such as satisfactory public transportation system or public garden, tends to be non-obesity and foster a healthy mental state. 2) Health-awareness directly affects residents’ physical and mental health

Studies of the efficacy and safety of methotrexate at dosages over 8 mg/week using the IORRA cohort database

The maximum dosage of methotrexate (MTX) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) formally approved in Japan is 8 mg/week. We intended to examine the efficacy and safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week in Japanese rheumatoid arthritis patients using the large Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) cohort database. Among 9,122 patients registered in the IORRA database from the October 2000 survey to the October 2007 survey, 5,201 patients who had been treated with MTX were selected. We attempted to overcome the drawbacks innate to nonrandomized studies by using longitudinal analyses and multifactorial logistic regression analyses. Cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from the October 2007 survey indicated that dosages of MTX higher than 8 mg/week were used in 27.5% of patients treated with MTX. Longitudinal analyses based on data from three consecutive phases showed that final Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28) values were significantly lower [n = 260, mean difference 0.563, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.438–0.688, P < 2.2 × 10−22, two-sided paired t test] than initial values when MTX was increased from 8 mg/week or lower to over 8 mg/week. In addition, longitudinal analyses based on data from two consecutive phases indicated decreases in DAS28 values of 0.26 ± 1.04 (n = 690, P = 6.78 × 10−11, two-sided paired t test) when MTX dosages were increased from 8 mg/week or lower to over 8 mg/week, compared with decreases of 0.07 ± 0.89 (n = 2,125, P = 0.000307) when the dosage was maintained at 8 mg/week. The decreases in DAS28 values were significantly larger in the former than the latter (P = 2.27 × 10−6, two-sided unpaired t test). Concerning safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week, we performed logistic regression analysis in which the objective variable was the existence or nonexistence of self-reported side-effects and the explanatory variable was the MTX dosage in the former phase, with adjustments made for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), steroid administration, folic acid administration, concomitant pulmonary diseases, and renal dysfunction. The results indicated that MTX dosages over 8 mg/week did not have any association with either severe or severe + moderate side-effects. These data regarding both efficacy and safety of MTX at dosages over 8 mg/week in Japanese RA patients would provide the basis for use of the drug at dosages currently not formally approved by the Japanese government

Understanding acceptance of autonomous vehicles in Japan, UK, and Germany

This paper investigates the acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) in Japan, the UK and Germany and speculates on the implications for policy and practice. Three on-line surveys of 3,000 members of the public in total, which were conducted in January 2017 (Japan), March 2018 (UK) and November/December 2018 (Germany) were analysed using Principal Component Analysis and then with an Ordered Logit Model. It finds that acceptance of AVs was higher amongst people with higher expectations of the benefits of AVs, those with less knowledge of AVs, and those with lower perceptions of risk. It also finds frequent drivers and car passengers to be more accepting, but that socio-economic factors were mostly insignificant. Finally, there were significant cultural differences between the levels of acceptance between Japan (broadly positive), the UK (broadly neutral) and Germany (broadly negative). These findings suggest that AV promoters should raise (or at least maintain) expectations of AVs among the public; engage with the public to reverse the negative perception of AVs; address AV-generated fears; not bother targeting people by socio-economic group; target frequent car drivers and passengers with information about what AVs could do for them; and target countries where AVs already enjoy a positive image

地震災害が地域に及ぼす経済的影響 : 直接被害額推定法の提案

The type and intensity of the effects of an earthquake disaster is influenced by the social and economic development patterns prevailing in the region. Thus, it becomes of particular relevance to evaluate the damage caused by such disasters from social and economic perspectives，that is，as part of the development process. Namely，it is important to collect and to analyze the amount of direct and indirect of socioeconomic damages caused by earthquakes for the enhancement of the seismic safety environment in the course of regional development. This study，first of all，develops an experimental equation for estimation of the total amount of direct damage caused by an earthquake in Japan. The evaluation of direct economic loss by the experimental equation is carried out through the use of statistical data “MINRYOKU” which is a database of an accumulated social and economical information in each prefectures and/or cities.1964年新潟地震が発生し、新潟市内では液状化による被害が多発した。この「液状化」現象は世界的に有名になり、地盤工学の分野で発生メカニズムの解明・対策などの技術が飛躍的に進歩した。しかし、新潟市で1,048億円(1994年換算で約1.6兆円)、新潟県で1,300意円(1994年換算で約2.0兆円)の直接被害額が発生し、この直接被害総額は1964年新潟市税収入の約40年分に相当する規模であった。しかし、このような経済的視点からの被害の考察や地震防災の必要性を指摘した事実は見当たらない。同様に、1995年阪神・淡路大震災による被害は、高架橋の横転や大規模な地震火災など、物的被害がセンセーショナルに報道された。しかし、兵庫県における直接被害総額約10兆円の被害規模や、この被害額が震災後も被災地域の社会経済活動に大きく圧し掛かっている事実を詳細に調査・研究しているとは言い難い。今まで、の地域防災計画は、地震発生直後の救急・消火、被災者への対応など救急・応急対応を主眼として構成されていた。もちろん、こうのような緊急・応急対策は重要な対策であるが、他方、地震発生後から始まる地域の復旧・復興、再建、特に、経済活動の早期立ち直りに関する具体な対策が不十分で、あったと推察される。地震後の地域再建過程で問題となるのは、地域経済を如何に速やかに再建させるかである。そのための事前の準備として、経済的被害(直接・間接被害を含む)に関する予測やそれに対する地域経済への影響予測が必要になってくる。しかし、既往の地震災害事例調査を概観すると、そのほとんどが、地震学的観点からの分析・考察、一方、工学分野では物的・人的被害発生の原因究明と対策に限定されていたと言える。物的・人的被害の軽減は地震防災に与えられた究極の課題であるが、同様に、経済的視点からの災害規模の把握・考察さらに経済的対応・対策も必要であると言える。本研究は既往の地震災害を経済的損失面から整理するとともに、直接被害額推定の開発を試みたものである。本論では、1964年以後の被害地震(7地震:表1、2参照)による直接被害額の情報収集・整理を行い、さらに地域固有の「社会経済力」の評価を民力総合指数を用いて行い、両者を対応させることで経験的な直接被害総額推定式(本論の7式)を開発した。この推定式には震度補正項と被害の直接的起因となる地震動、液状化、津波補正の3項目が考慮されている。しかし、社会経済力評価に用いた民力総合指数はストックとフローを合算した指標を用いており、元来、直接被害額とは資本ストックの被災量(額)であるから、この総合指数の中からストックに関連する指標のみを抽出し適切に評価することが重要である。今後の課題として、社会経済力評価の改善とさらに間接被害額も直接被害額と同じかあるいはそれを上回る規模になるとの報告や予測が出ており、それらを今後の研究課題とするものである

Essential Role of the Zinc Transporter ZIP9/SLC39A9 in Regulating the Activations of Akt and Erk in B-Cell Receptor Signaling Pathway in DT40 Cells

The essential trace element zinc is important for all living organisms. Zinc functions not only as a nutritional factor, but also as a second messenger. However, the effects of intracellular zinc on the B cell-receptor (BCR) signaling pathway remain poorly understood. Here, we present data indicating that the increase in intracellular zinc level induced by ZIP9/SLC39A9 (a ZIP Zrt-/Irt-like protein) plays an important role in the activation of Akt and Erk in response to BCR activation. In DT40 cells, the enhancement of Akt and Erk phosphorylation following BCR activation requires intracellular zinc. To clarify this event, we used chicken ZnT5/6/7-gene-triple-knockout DT40 (TKO) cells and chicken Zip9-knockout DT40 (cZip9KO) cells. The levels of Akt and ERK phosphorylation significantly decreased in cZip9KO cells. In addition, the enzymatic activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) increased in cZip9KO cells. These biochemical events were restored by overexpressing the human Zip9 (hZip9) gene. Moreover, we found that the increase in intracellular zinc level depends on the expression of ZIP9. This observation is in agreement with the increased levels of Akt and Erk phosphorylation and the inhibition of total PTPase activity. We concluded that ZIP9 regulates cytosolic zinc level, resulting in the enhancement of Akt and Erk phosphorylation. Our observations provide new mechanistic insights into the BCR signaling pathway underlying the regulation of intracellular zinc level by ZIP9 in response to the BCR activation

Mechanical homeostasis of liver sinusoid is involved in the initiation and termination of liver regeneration

Organogenesis and regeneration are fundamental for developmental progress and are associated with morphogenesis, size control and functional properties for whole-body homeostasis. The liver plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis of the entire body through various functions, including metabolic functions, detoxification, and production of bile, via the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of hepatic lobules and has high regenerative capacity. The regeneration occurs as hypertrophy, which strictly controls the size and lobule structure. In this study, we established a three-dimensional sinusoidal network analysis method and determined valuable parameters after partial hepatectomy by comparison to the static phase of the liver. We found that mechanical homeostasis, which is crucial for organ morphogenesis and functions in various phenomena, plays essential roles in liver regeneration for both initiation and termination of liver regeneration, which is regulated by cytokine networks. Mechanical homeostasis plays critical roles in the initiation and termination of organogenesis, tissue repair and organ regeneration in coordination with cytokine networks