This study investigated the factors influencing the formation of fishing grounds for the neon flying squid (Ommastrephes bartramii), whose importance has increased due to the recent decline in Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus) resources since around 2015–2016. Using catch data from squid jigging vessels operating from May to July between 2019 and 2022, together with oceanographic data from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), we analyzed the three-dimensional (3D) temperature structure of O. bartramii habitat. Kernel density estimation was applied to characterize temperature distributions and to quantify the presence or absence of thermal frontal structures at specific temperatures. A generalized linear mixed model was then used to examine the relationship between these thermal fronts and catch per unit effort. The results indicated that the presence of frontal structures at 8–10 °C in May, 8 °C in June, and 6–10 °C in July was associated with increased catches. These findings suggest that not only surface temperatures, but also intermediate-water thermal gradients play an important role in the formation of O. bartramii fishing grounds and that incorporating 3D environmental information could improve the accuracy of fishing-ground prediction models.

Public pastures in Japan are intended for cattle grazing. However, they suffer significant damage due to Sika deer intrusion. Our goal is to control the behavior of cattle and Sika deer that coexist on public pastures by using their respective languages. This technology is available to public pasture managers. For example, it can simplify the task of gathering cattle, which traditionally requires significant time and effort, while also potentially preventing deer from entering from outside. However, the acoustic characteristics of their vocalizations remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of acoustic factors on intraspecific variation in the emergency calls of calves and alarm calls of Sika deer. Each vocalization was analyzed using Praat Phonetic Analysis software, and acoustic parameters were quantified using waveform shape and spectrogram analysis. Twenty-nine parameters, including call duration and fundamental frequencies, were compared across intraspecific variations. Individual differences in the emergency calls of calves were examined, while cluster differences in the alarm calls of Sika deer were examined following cluster classification. There were significant differences in the acoustic parameters of emergency and alarm calls. Each voice was discriminated with a 100% correct response rate. The intraspecific variation was 86.7% for calves’ emergency calls and 96.0% for Sika deer alarm calls. Multiple regression analysis identified that parameters such as formants 2, 4, and 5, and the degree of voice breaks, affected intraspecific differences in the emergency calls of calves, whereas parameters such as formants 1 and 2, and bandwidths 2 and 3, affected the alarm calls of Sika deer. The respective coefficients of determination, R2 (adjusted), were 0.58 (P < 0.001) for calves and 0.79 (P < 0.001) for Sika deer. This study suggests that although the acoustic factors affecting intraspecific variation differ between calls with different meanings, formant 2 is common to both.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), poverty, malnutrition, and limited healthcare infrastructure persist, and childhood anemia remains a critical public health issue. Using data from the 2013–2014 Demographic and Health Survey, this study examines how nursing assistance affects anemia among children under 5 years old. Using insights from medical and nutritional interventions, we analyze the extent to which social engagement mitigates pediatric anemia. Propensity score matching was used to estimate the treatment effect of nursing support for mothers on child health outcomes. The results show that children whose mothers received nursing assistance were 7.2% less likely to be anemic. Moreover, micronutrient supplementation and food-based interventions (including tubers and meat) combined with nursing assistance were significantly associated with a reduced prevalence of anemia. Because food-based interventions are less dependent on industrial supply chains, they are encouraged in resource-limited settings. Given the shortage of health professionals in the DRC, establishing a local healthcare capacity with nurses and community health workers could help reduce the prevalence of childhood anemia. Strengthening local health systems, combined with supplementation and a nutritious diet, may be effective in improving child health and supporting long-term human capital development in resource-constrained settings such as the DRC.

Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) is one of the globally cultivated citrus species. The bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas citri pv. citri, which causes citrus canker, is typically managed using sodium hypochlorite-based disinfection in quarantine settings. We assessed whether gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) could be used for postharvest disinfection of Satsuma mandarins. A disinfection system for this purpose was developed using an 80L plastic container, a gaseous ClO₂-generating reagent, and a gas monitoring device. Under baseline conditions, gaseous ClO₂ concentration increased markedly from 0 to 15 min, then gradually increased to around 60 ppm at 60 min. However, gaseous ClO₂ levels were reduced by absorption or degradation due to contact with the plates and fruit. The system completely inhibited pathogen growth on all test plates and effectively disinfected the fruits after 1 h of exposure, with no significant effect on fruit quality. The disinfection efficacy of gaseous ClO₂ was comparable to that of sodium hypochlorite. The CT (concentration × time) values obtained in this study may serve as a useful parameter for scaling up the system under conditions that balance effective pathogen control with the preservation of fruit quality.

Because bamboo shoots elongate and harden rapidly, harvest delays under an aging workforce and labor shortages reduce commercial value and can increase culm density, complicating bamboo forest management. Some elongated shoots that miss the fresh market can still be processed before extensive lignification, but operational decision rules are scarce. We propose a decision-making framework for labor-efficient harvesting that integrates a rapid, non-destructive field indicator (internode hardness) with processing suitability (edibility after processing) and utilizable biomass (edible weight after processing). Elongated Moso bamboo shoots (Phyllostachys edulis) collected from managed stands in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, were assessed; processing suitability was evaluated under a boil–dry procedure used for Japanese menma. Regression analysis identified 4.5 kg/cm² as an operational hardness threshold based on an 80% edibility criterion. Using this threshold, edible weight increased with shoot length and was highest at 200–250 cm, while shoots ≥250 cm showed diminishing returns. Edible portions were concentrated in upper sections, whereas basal sections were largely inedible. These findings provide operational decision rules by combining a hardness threshold, a management-based harvest length, and selective harvesting of upper portions, thereby reducing unnecessary transport of inedible biomass and improve labor efficiency and resource use.

Sika deer (Cervus nippon) invade farmlands and grazing areas, causing agricultural damage through feeding. We aimed to create an effective technology that utilizes the natural communication patterns of sika deer to regulate behavior and encourage escape responses. However, the vocalization characteristics of sika deer, particularly those related to alertness and escape, have not been fully clarified. This study examined how the acoustic characteristics of sika deer alarm calls differed according to the presence or absence of escape behaviors during alert states. Alarm calls were collected from mixed herds of male, female, and juvenile sika deer and analyzed. Vocalizations were converted into spectrograms using the acoustic analysis software Praat and analyzed based on 27 acoustic parameters, including call duration. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were revealed in the fundamental frequency (mean, minimum, and maximum), intensity (mean), formants 1 and 3, number of pulses, number of periods, fraction of locally unvoiced frames, number of voice breaks, and degree of voice breaks between groups with and without escape behavior. In particular, an increase of at least 280 Hz in the fundamental frequency (mean) of alarm calls increased by at least 280 Hz when escape behavior accompanied the alarm call.

This review summarizes the findings of previous research by Takamoto et al. on the effects of liming materials on soybean growth and yield in paddy-upland rotation fields in Japan. A wide survey, encompassing 456 fields in 16 prefectures, revealed that excessive exchangeable magnesium (Mg) was associated with lower yields. Further pot and field experiments using liming materials showed that, in fields with excessive exchangeable Mg, increased exchangeable calcium (Ca) significantly enhanced soybean yield, but this positive effect was offset when exchangeable Mg also increased. Comparative analysis of the effects of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and dolomite [CaMg(CO₃)₂] demonstrated that both materials significantly increased soil pH, exchangeable Ca content, and soybean yield compared with the control (no lime). However, CaCO₃ improved soybean yield more than dolomite did by enhancing soybean shoot growth. These findings highlight the importance of managing both soil pH and exchangeable cation contents for soybean production in paddy-upland rotation fields. Further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms underlying these dynamics and optimize liming strategies under varying soil conditions.

We investigated differences in interior canopy microclimate between first filial generation (F₁) plants and their parental lines. Our findings suggested genotype-dependent variations in the interior canopy air temperature (T_{a_in}), interior canopy relative humidity (RH_{_in}), and interior canopy vapor pressure deficit (VPD_{_in}). The magnitude and patterns of these differences varied annually and seasonally, with F₁ plants demonstrating lower T_{a_in}, higher RH_{_in}, and lower VPD_{_in} than their parental lines. Similarly, we investigated the interior canopy absolute humidity (AH_{_in}) and interior canopy humidity deficit (HD_{_in}). AH_{_in} showed no clear difference between the F₁s and parental lines, but the F₁ plants exhibited a lower HD_{_in}. Consequently, heterosis may have indirectly influenced sugar beet growth. We hypothesized that these microclimatic factors were associated with differences in the leaf area index (LAI) among genotypes. We assessed the relationships between LAI and T_{a_in}, AH_{_in}, and HD_{_in} and found a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between HD_{_in} and LAI at 78 d after transplanting (DAT), but not for Ta_{_in} (p = 0.11) or AH_{_in} (ns) at 79–81 DAT in 2017. No significant relationships were observed between any of these parameters at 97–99 DAT in 2018; however, T_{a_in} showed a slight correlation (p = 0.12). Two factors may explain this year-to-year difference. First, the LAI at 97 DAT in 2018 was lower than that at 78 DAT in 2017, suggesting differences in canopy closure, which likely made vertical exchange easier in 2018. Second, it is possible that wind speeds differed on the observation days. Analysis of wind speeds during the same period revealed that the average wind speed in 2018 was higher than that in 2017. Further research is required to explore the interrelationships among the other factors.

In this study, we investigated the fat depot- specific expression of immune cell marker genes of regulatory T- cells (FOXP3), T lymphocytes (CD3E), B lymphocytes (CD79A), and macrophages (CD68) in fattening Wagyu cattle at three anatomical sites (subcutaneous, intramuscular, and visceral adipose tissue). The expression of the FOXP3 gene in subcutaneous adipose tissue was significantly higher than in intramuscular and visceral adipose tissue. In contrast, the expression of CD3E, CD79A, and CD68 genes in visceral adipose tissue was significantly higher than in subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue. These results indicate that the anatomical location of bovine adipose tissue influences immune cell populations in a fat depot- specific manner.

We present a high-quality genome assembly of the Japanese peach cultivar Akatsuki, a leading commercial and breeding parent. Using PacBio long-read sequencing and Bionano optical mapping, we generated chromosome-scale sequences totaling 241.9 Mbp, anchored to the reference Lovell genome. The Akatsuki genome assembly demonstrated excellent completeness, with a complete BUSCO score of 99.3%, comparable to the high-quality Lovell assembly. Comparative analysis of 38 Japanese cultivars identified genome-wide polymorphisms, which have been incorporated into the TASUKE+ database to facilitate public access and comparative genomic studies. Transcriptome profiling of twelve tissues revealed distinct gene expression patterns associated with fruit development, ripening, and organ identity, providing insights into the molecular basis of tissue-specific functions. Together, these genomic and transcriptomic resources offer a valuable foundation for understanding agronomically important traits in Japanese peaches and will accelerate marker-assisted breeding and cultivar improvement.