This paper specifies the Engel curve for food in Japan as a linear Gaussian state-space model and estimates it on daily time-series data using the Kalman filter. Daily data is more suitable for estimating the demand for frequently purchased non-durables such as food than annual, quarterly, or monthly data, which often have been used in previous studies. The shape of the Engel curve is quadratic logarithmic. The state-space model is more flexible and found to fit the data better than a regression model. The estimated expenditure elasticity is substantially lower than those estimated on monthly data in previous studies, which is the oretically consistent. The estimated effects of time and dummy variables are all significant and consistent with how general consumers will feel about their food demand.

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We evaluated the cultivar differences in dry matter production, yield and yield components, nitrogen accumulation and use efficiency in selected high yielding rice cultivars. Experiments were conducted in the experimental field of Field Science Center, Okayama University during two years 2011 and 2012. Six rice cultivars was used in 2011 and more two cultivars in 2012, respectively. All cultivars were grown at three levels of nitrogen fertilization (0N: 0 gN m^<-2>; 1N: 8 gN m^<-2>; 2N: 16 gN m^<-2>). Dry matter production became larger in all cultivars with higher nitrogen application during two years. Dry matter production at harvest was highest in Takanari and Hokuriku 193. Takanari consistently accumulated the largest amount of N in 2N. The grain yield of Takanari was highest during 2 years (750 g m^<-2> and 731 g m^<-2> at 1N in 2011 and 2012, respectively) followed by Hokuriku 193 (669 g m^<-2> at 1N in 2012). Nitrogen use efficiency for grain yield (YE_N) decreased with the raising of N levels and it was higher in Hokuriku 193 and Takanari. Both cultivars showed the highest yield among 0N plots (589 and 562 g m^<-2>) due to the highest YE_N and sink formation capacity (sink capacity / accumulated N at panicle initiation). This study clearly suggests that the higher yield is determined by the larger sink capacity, higher dry matter production and YE_N for grain due to the lager sink formation capacity at the panicle initiation.

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Approximately 64% of the residents living in the hilly and mountainous areas that we investigated, where the population aging rate is high, had a disease. There was no significant difference in the morbidity rate between the sexes. Older generations showed a significantly higher morbidity rate compared with younger generations (P<0.05). Some of the younger generations had illnesses that might have progressed to lifestyle-related diseases. In contrast, elderly people had age-related physical/sensory dysfunction or lifestyle-related diseases. When performing health promotion activities, it is important to provide appropriate support in an individualized manner according to the participant's health status. We need to improve systems that facilitate public health promotion from various aspects, in interprofessional cooperation with healthcare providers, welfare workers, and administrative bodies.

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