Prevalence of gambling disorder and its correlates among homeless men in Osaka city, Japan

Internationally, the prevalence of gambling disorder has been reported to be higher among homeless people than the general population; however, little is known about the factors associated with gambling disorder in this population. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of gambling disorder and its associated factors among homeless men using shelters in Osaka City. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from 30 to 2018 to 4 January 2019, using the 2017 Japanese National Survey of Gambling (JNSG) questionnaire, supplemented with questions about homeless experiences, drinking, and smoking. Using the South Oaks Gambling Screen, the presence of gambling disorder was determined by a score ≥ 5 out of 20. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore factors associated with lifetime gambling disorder. Lifetime and past-year prevalence of gambling disorder among 103 participants was 43.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 34.5–53.3) and 3.9% (95% CI: 1.5–9.6), respectively, which are higher than the 6.7% and 1.5% found among men in the 2017 JNSG. Reasons reported for currently gambling less were primarily financial. Factors associated with lifetime GD included “more than 20 years since the first incidence of homelessness” (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.97, 95% CI: 1.50–16.45) and “more than five incidences of homelessness” (AOR: 4.51, 95% CI: 1.06–19.26). When homeless individuals with gambling disorder try to rebuild and stabilize their lives, the presence or resurgence of gambling disorder may hinder the process and pose a risk of recurring homelessness. Comprehensive support services for homeless individuals with gambling disorder are required. (250 words

Alchemy in the Art of Traditional Japanese Ceramics: Microstructure and Formation Mechanism of Gold-Colored Bizen Stoneware

The microstructure and formation process of the golden color on traditional Japanese Bizen stoneware was investigated through model experiments. The current compositional and structural research of pottery fragments has revealed that the golden color comes from Fe oxide consisting of approximately 100 nm thick agglomerates of Al-substituted hematite (α-(Fe_1–<i>x</i>Al_<i>x</i>)₂O₃, <i>x</i> ≈ 0.05). The color is reproducible in the laboratory by sequential heat treatments of Bizen clay pellets under oxidizing and reducing atmospheres with an amount of potassium supplied as a melting point depressant. Lustrous colors such as silver and gold in Bizen stoneware have generally been attributed to the optical interference in superficial carbon films produced by burning wood fuel. Here, we show that the golden color is caused by the formation of Al-substituted hematite, not by the formation of carbon