Providing quality recreation experiences in Japan

This paper uses a choice experiment to evaluate the benefits to trekkers of the natural environment and the provision of appropriate recreation experiences in the Uryu-numa Mire, northern Japan. The result, applying a conditional logit model, shows that restoration of the natural environment are positively valued by trekkers, and their respective willingness to pay for one percentage point improvement are JPY 32.6 and 59.6. Likewise, provision of appropriate recreation experiences, setting a limit on the number of trekkers a day, is also positively valued. The results indicate that the optimal number of trekkers is 458, and the willingness to pay for controlling the number of trekkers from 800 to 458 is JPY 1,457. In Japan, importance of the quality of recreation experiences is not well recognized by park managers. However, our results indicate that both restoring the environment and providing excellent recreation experiences are significant challenges for recreation areas.

Musculotendinous junction tear

We report a rare case of a partial thickness tear of the supraspinatus at the musculotendinous junction in a softball catcher. Preoperative magnetic resonance images of the shoulder showed high signal intensity areas at the musculotendinous junction, along with discontinuity of the articular side of the supraspinatus. Arthroscopic examination revealed articular-side partial tear at the musculotendinous junction. The patient was able to return to playing softball 20 weeks after arthroscopic side-to-side repair

前立腺癌細胞におけるFGFR2IIIbの発現回復は化学療法感受性を増強する

広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(医学)Doctor of Philosophy in Medical Sciencedoctora

The integer programing extreme value (IPEV) model: An application for estimation of the leisure trip demand

Natural Resource Economics Discussion Papers are preliminary research reports by members of the GSA-NRE Kyoto University circulated for comments and suggestions. They have not been externally peer-reviewed or been subject to the review by the editorial board.We developed an integer programing extreme value (IPEV) model that accounts the integer property of trip data and has the same advantages as the multiple discrete–continuous extreme value choice (MDCEV) model. The proposed model is consistent with utility theory and provides a single structural framework for simultaneously modeling the choice of alternatives and quantity decisions with the constraint of the integer value of consumption. We demonstrate that the proposed model has a closed-form probability expression. Finally, we apply the proposed model to the recreation demand for national parks in Japan. The empirical results suggest that the proposed model provides a better fit for the data than the previous model and that ignoring the integer property of demand might cause an underestimation of the welfare loss

The influence of decision-making rules on individual preference for ecological restoration: Evidence from an experimental survey

We conduct an experimental survey to analyze how rules for collective decision-making influence individual preferences concerning nature restoration projects. Our study compares two decision-making rules - a consensus rule and a majority rule - wherein participants decide on a plan concerning nature restoration in the Kushiro Wetland, Japan. Our main finding is that the difference between the individual preferences and collective decision-making is less significant under the consensus rule than the majority rule. Furthermore, there is a larger disparity with regard to the marginal willingness to pay between collective and individual decisions when participants are unsatisfied with the results of collective choice.

Characterization of ferret Pit1 as a receptor of feline leukemia virus subgroup B

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that causes immune suppression and immunodeficiency, leading to opportunistic infections and leukemia/lymphoma in cats. Today, a variety of domestic mammals are kept in houses, and it is important to evaluate the possibility of interspecies transmission of FeLV. In this study, we assessed the infectivity of FeLV-B in ferrets that belong to Mustelidae. By pseudotype virus infection assay, we revealed that a ferret cell line, Mpf cells, is resistant to FeLV-B infection. The mRNA expression level of the FeLV-B receptor, Pit-1, was approximately half that of cat FEA cells in ferret Mpf cells. There was no significant difference in receptor usage between ferret’s and cat’s Pit1. These data may indicate the presence of the post-transcriptional modification and/or the restriction factor(s) against the FeLV-B infection in ferrets

Reduction of perioperative blood loss and operating time for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by intravenous administration of tranexamic acid

Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is widely used in hip and knee arthroplasty to reduce perioperative bleeding. Recently, its use has been expanded to arthroscopic surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative use of TXA in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR). Methods: A cohort comprising 129 consecutive patients who underwent arthroscopic primary RCR at our institution was retrospectively investigated according to whether they received TXA (April 2018 to December 2020, TXA group, n = 64) or did not receive TXA (April 2016 to March 2018, non-TXA group, n = 65). TXA was administered at a dose of 1 g intravenously. Rotator cuff tears were repaired by the suture bridge technique. Videos of the arthroscopic procedures were reviewed and rated for visual clarity using a 10-point numeric rating scale. Arthroscopic procedures were divided into glenohumeral, resection of bursal tissue and acromioplasty, and RCR steps. Each step was rated separately. Age, sex, body mass index, hemoglobin level before and on days 1 and 7 after surgery, operating time, mean arterial pressure, tear size, and number of anchors used for cuff repair were compared between the two groups. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the patient demographic data. The operating time was significantly shorter in the TXA group than in non-TXA group (97.8 ± 21.8 min vs 116.2 ± 26.0 min). The clarity of the visual field was similar between the two groups during the glenohumeral phase but was significantly higher in the TXA group during the resection of bursal tissue and acromioplasty and RCR phases. Hemoglobin level was not significantly different between the groups on postoperative day 1 but was significantly higher in the TXA group on day 7. Conclusion: Administration of a single intravenous dose of TXA improved visual clarity in arthroscopic RCR, decreased the total operating time, and reduced hemoglobin loss on postoperative day 7