論文 - 野村　周平

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency declarations on the relative incidence of legionellosis and invasive pneumococcal disease in Japan

Ghaznavi C., Ishikane M., Yoneoka D., Tanoue Y., Kawashima T., Eguchi A., Nomura S.

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy （Elsevier BV）  29 （ 1 ） 90 - 94 2023年01月

査読有り,  ISSN  1341321X

　概要を見る

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of many droplet-transmitted infections decreased due to increased mask-wearing and social distancing. Contrastingly, there has been concern that COVID-19 countermeasures, such as lockdowns, may increase legionellosis incidence via water stagnation. During the pandemic in Japan, four state of emergency declarations were imposed between 2020 and 2021, which makes it particularly suitable to test this hypothesis. Methods: We use country-level surveillance data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases to track the relative incidence of legionellosis compared to invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, with a focus on the periods just after state of emergency declarations were lifted. Results: The absolute number of legionellosis and IPD cases decreased in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years. The average relative incidence of legionellosis as well as the variance of the relative incidence significantly increased during the pandemic compared to previous years. There were no increases in the relative incidence of legionellosis during the periods immediately following emergency declaration liftings, but the relative incidence did increase considerably during the first two states of emergency. Conclusions: COVID-19 countermeasures appear more effective at decreasing the incidence of human-to-human transmitted infections, such as IPD, compared to environmentally-transmitted infections, such as legionellosis. Though no evidence was found to suggest that legionellosis cases increased after state of emergency declarations, public health efforts should continue to emphasize the importance of routine sanitation and water system maintenance to prevent water stagnation and Legionella spp. contamination.

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Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic: trends in development assistance committee countries’ aid allocation, 2011–2021

Nomura S., Ghaznavi C., Shimizu K., Cao A., Sassa M., Uchibori M., Santosh Kumar R., Yamasaki L., Tomoi H., Sakamoto H.

Global Health Action 16 （ 1 ） 2258707 2023年

査読有り

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Background: Official Development Assistance (ODA) significantly aids sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted aid allocation, posing challenges for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Objective: This study explores and underscores the profound implications of shifts in ODA allocation by Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member countries, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of international aid. Methods: Drawing from the gross ODA disbursement data for LMICs by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021, a linear regression analysis assessed the changes in ODA amount, ODA-to-gross national income (GNI) ratio, sectoral aid allocation, and the balance between bilateral and multilateral aid, primarily focusing on the differences pre- and post-COVID-19. For non-specialised multilateral agencies’ core funding, the OECD’s methodology for calculating imputed multilateral ODA was employed to estimate ODA flows. Results: The study found an increasing trend in the total ODA provided by DAC member countries from 2011 to 2021. However, the average ODA/GNI ratio showed a slight but significant decrease before the pandemic, followed by an increase after the COVID-19 pandemic. The health sector received the highest percentage of aid after the pandemic, with a marked increase in both bilateral and multilateral aid. However, other sectors such as humanitarian aid, water and sanitation, and energy experienced a significant decrease in sectoral aid share. Conclusions: Emerging from this analysis is a strong recommendation for DAC members to re-evaluate aid objectives and escalate their financial commitments to reinforce SDGs and sustainable development efforts. While the rise in health aid is essential, other sectors also require equal focus to offset the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the intricacies of aid allocation can improve aid efficacy, culminating in greater, transformative results for recipient countries.

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Comparing the risks of diabetes, psychological distress, and radiation-induced cancer exposure after the Fukushima disaster using the loss of happy life expectancy

M Murakami, A Ozaki, K Ono, S Nomura, Y Takebayashi, M Tsubokura

medRxiv, 2023.05. 01.23289327 2023年

Body mass index and esophageal and gastric cancer: A pooled analysis of 10 population‐based cohort studies in Japan

YN Koyanagi, K Matsuo, H Ito, C Wang, A Tamakoshi, Y Sugawara, I Tsuji, ...

Cancer Science 114 (7), 2961-2972 2023年

The Efficacy of an mHealth App in Facilitating Weight Loss Among Japanese Fitness Center Members: Regression Analysis Study

Eguchi A., Kawamura Y., Kawashima T., Ghaznavi C., Ishimura K., Kohsaka S., Matsuo S., Mizuno S., Sasaki Y., Takahashi A., Tanoue Y., Yoneoka D., Miyata H., Nomura S.

JMIR Formative Research （JMIR Publications Inc.）  7 （ 1 ） e48435 - e48435 2023年

ISSN  2561-326X

　概要を見る

Background: Self-tracking smartphone apps have emerged as promising tools to encourage healthy behaviors. In this longitudinal study, we used gym use data from members of a major fitness club that operates gyms throughout Japan from January 2014 to December 2019. Objective: Our objective was to assess the extent to which a health and fitness self-tracking mobile app introduced to gym members on January 1, 2018, contributed to their weight loss. The app allows users to input information regarding diet, sleep, weight, and gym exercise so that they can receive personalized feedback from an artificial intelligence chatbot to improve their health behaviors. Methods: We used linear regression to quantify the association between app use and weight loss. The primary outcome of the study was the weight loss achieved by each gym user, which was calculated as the difference between their initial and final weights in kilograms, as recorded in the app. Individuals who did not attend the gym or failed to use the mobile app at least twice during the study period were excluded from the analysis. The model accounted for age, gender, distance between the gym and the member’s residence, average weekly number of times a member used the gym, user’s gym membership length in weeks, average weekly number of times a member input information into the app, and the number of weeks that the app was used at least once. Results: Data from 26,589 participants were analyzed. Statistically significant associations were detected between weight loss and 2 metrics related to app use: the average weekly frequency of use and the total number of weeks in which the app was used at least once. One input per week was found to be associated with a loss of 62.1 (95% CI 53.8-70.5) g, and 1 week of app use was associated with 21.7 (95% CI 20.5-22.9) g of weight loss from the day of the first input to that of the final input to the app. Furthermore, the average number of times that a member used the gym weekly was also shown to be statistically significantly associated with weight loss: 1 use per week was associated with 255.5 (95% CI 228.5-282.6) g of weight loss. Conclusions: This empirical study demonstrated a significant association between weight loss among gym members and not only the frequency of weekly gym use but also the use of a health and fitness self-tracking app. However, further work is needed to examine the mechanisms through which mobile apps affect health behaviors and to identify the specific app features that are most effective in promoting weight loss.

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Public transportation network scan for rapid surveillance

Tanoue Y., Yoneoka D., Kawashima T., Uryu S., Nomura S., Eguchi A., Makiyama K., Matsuura K.

Biostatistics and Epidemiology （Informa UK Limited）  7 （ 1 ） 1 - 15 2023年

査読有り,  ISSN  24709360

　概要を見る

As people move around using public transportation networks, such as train and airplanes, it is expected that emerging infectious diseases will spread on the network. The scan statistics approach has been frequently applied to identify high-risk locations, and the results are widely used for making a clinical decisions in a timely manner. However, they are not optimally designed for modeling the spread and might not effectively work under the emergency situation where computational time is essentially important. We propose a new scan statistics approach for the public transportation network, called PTNS (Public Transportation Network Scan). PTNS utilizes the available network structure to construct potential candidates of clusters, and thus it can work well especially in situations where public transportation is the main medium of the infection spread. Further, it is designed for rapid surveillance. Lastly, PTNS is generalized to detect space-time clusters by customizing the iteration for potential clusters creation. Using the simulation data generated with a real railway network, we showed that, PTNS outperformed the conventional methods, including Circular- and Flex-scan approaches in terms of the detection performance, while the computational time is feasible.

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Age-Related Differences in Side Walls of Maxillary First Molar Pulp Cavities in Japanese Using Micro-Computed Tomography

S Nomura, S Matsunaga, M Yamada, N Kasahara, S Abe, M Furusawa

Journal of Hard Tissue Biology 32 (3), 191-196 2023年

Perceptions and responses to COVID-19 through wastewater surveillance information and online search behavior: A randomized controlled trial

M Murakami, S Nomura, H Ando, M Kitajima

medRxiv, 2023.10. 20.23297297 118 2023年

ISSN  22124209

　概要を見る

An influence of wastewater surveillance during infectious disease outbreak on public perception and behavior remains unclear. Here, we used a randomized controlled trial to analyze the influence of wastewater surveillance-based information on “understanding of,” “interest in,” “relief regarding,” “preventive behavioral intention against,” and “subsequent online search behavior related to” COVID-19. Valid responses were obtained from 1000 individuals in both control and intervention groups from Yahoo! JAPAN crowdsourcing users aged ≥18 years in Japan. This survey was conducted from August 4 to August 7, 2023, just before the common Japanese tradition of returning to hometowns. The questionnaire not only collected personal attributes but also gauged responses to COVID-19 information. This information highlighted the early detection capabilities and representativeness of wastewater surveillance compared with sentinel surveillance at medical institutions. At one-week post-survey, we obtained the survey participants’ online search history for key words such as “bullet train,” “highway,” “airplane,” and “wastewater.” Wastewater surveillance-based information did not notably elevate “understanding” or “specific intentions” regarding COVID-19, such as wearing masks and receiving vaccination. However, it significantly increased “interest in,” “relief concerning the infection status,” and “general preventive behavioral intentions.” Heightened “interest” and “general preventive intentions” did not depend on prior interest or behavior. However, those who previously engaged in preventive behavior or who were less interested in COVID-19 exhibited more “relief” after exposure to wastewater surveillance-based information. Furthermore, this information could slightly influence online searches, such as highways. In conclusion, information from wastewater surveillance effectively shapes individual perceptions of and responses to infections.

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High Sodium Intake and its Public Health Impacts: Perspectives from the Global Burden of Disease Study and the Global Nutrition Report

S NOMURA

イルシー (Web), 23-34 2023年

Glass substrate, semiconductor device, and display device

S Nomura, K Ono

US Patent 11,554,983 2023年

Glass substrate, semiconductor device, and display device

S Nomura, K Ono

US Patent App. 18/054,667 2023年

Glass substrate, liquid crystal antenna and high-frequency device

S Nomura, K Ono

US Patent App. 18/157,213 2023年

Glass substrate, liquid crystal antenna and high-frequency device

S Nomura, K Ono

US Patent 11,594,811 2023年

Glass substrate for high-frequency device and circuit board for high-frequency device

K Ono, S Nomura, N Kidera, N Takeshita

US Patent 11,708,294 2023年

Glass substrate and laminated substrate

Y Hanawa, S Sawamura, S Nomura, K Ono, N Takeshita, K Hanashima

US Patent 11,715,673 2023年

Estimation of the time of exposure based on interval and censored data using the ε‐accelerated EM algorithm

D Yoneoka, T Kawashima, Y Tanoue, S Nomura, A Eguchi

Statistics in Medicine 42 (25), 4542-4555 2023年

Salt intake reduction using umami substance-incorporated food: a secondary analysis of NHANES 2017–2018 data

S Nomura, S Tanaka, A Eguchi, T Kawashima, H Nakamura, KS Lwin, ...

Public Health Nutrition 26 (2), 488-495 2023年

Distributed lag interrupted time series model for unclear intervention timing: effect of a statement of emergency during COVID-19 pandemic

Yoneoka D., Kawashima T., Tanoue Y., Nomura S., Eguchi A.

BMC Medical Research Methodology （Springer Science and Business Media {LLC}）  22 （ 1 ） 202 - 202 2022年12月

ISSN  1471-2288

　概要を見る

Background: Interrupted time series (ITS) analysis has become a popular design to evaluate the effects of health interventions. However, the most common formulation for ITS, the linear segmented regression, is not always adequate, especially when the timing of the intervention is unclear. In this study, we propose a new model to overcome this limitation. Methods: We propose a new ITS model, ARIMAITS-DL, that combines (1) the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model and (2) distributed lag functional terms. The ARIMA technique allows us to model autocorrelation, which is frequently observed in time series data, and the decaying cumulative effect of the intervention. By contrast, the distributed lag functional terms represent the idea that the intervention effect does not start at a fixed time point but is distributed over a certain interval (thus, the intervention timing seems unclear). We discuss how to select the distribution of the effect, the model construction process, diagnosing the model fitting, and interpreting the results. Further, our model is implemented as an example of a statement of emergency (SoE) during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Japan. Results: We illustrate the ARIMAITS-DL model with some practical distributed lag terms to examine the effect of the SoE on human mobility in Japan. We confirm that the SoE was successful in reducing the movement of people (15.0–16.0% reduction in Tokyo), at least between February 20 and May 19, 2020. We also provide the R code for other researchers to easily replicate our method. Conclusions: Our model, ARIMAITS-DL, is a useful tool as it can account for the unclear intervention timing and distributed lag effect with autocorrelation and allows for flexible modeling of different types of impacts such as uniformly or normally distributed impact over time.

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Green tea and coffee consumption and risk of kidney cancer in Japanese adults

Chen Y., Abe S.K., Inoue M., Yamaji T., Iwasaki M., Nomura S., Hashizume M., Tsugane S., Sawada N., Sawada N., Tsugane S., Iwasaki M., Inoue M., Yamaji T., Katagiri R., Miyamoto Y., Ihira H., Tanaka S., moriya T., Minamizono T., Shirai Y., Kuniyoshi H., Yoshimi T., Sonoda H., Tagami T., Ando T., Kimura T., Kokubo Y., Yamagishi K., Mizoue T., Nakamura K., Takachi R., Ishihara J., Iso H., Kitamura T., Saito I., Yasuda N., Mimura M., Sakata K., Noda M., Goto A., Yatsuya H., Mimura M., Hanaoka T., Hidaka A., Sasazuki S., Charvat H., Shimazu T., Budhathoki S., Muto M., Imatoh T., Ogata J., Baba S., Mannami T., Okayama A., Miyakawa K., Saito F., Koizumi A., Sano Y., Hashimoto I., Ikuta T., Tanaba Y., Sato H., Roppongi Y., Takashima T., Suzuki H., Sugie T., Miyajima Y., Suzuki N., Nagasawa S., Furusugi Y., Nagai N., Ito Y., Komatsu S., Sanada H., Hatayama Y., Kobayashi F., Uchino H., Shirai Y., Kondo T., Sasaki R., Watanabe Y., Miyagawa Y., Kobayashi Y., Machida M., Kobayashi K., Tsukada M., Kishimoto Y., Takara E., Fukuyama T., Kinjo M., Irei M., Sakiyama H., Imoto K., Yazawa H., Seo T., Seiko A., Ito F.

Scientific Reports （Springer Science and Business Media LLC）  12 （ 1 ） 20274 - 20274 2022年12月

査読有り

　概要を見る

The study aimed to evaluate the association between green tea and coffee consumption and the risk of kidney cancer using data from a large prospective cohort study in Japan (the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study: JPHC Study). A total of 102,463 participants aged 40–69 were followed during 1,916,421 person-years (mean follow-up period, 19 years). A total of 286 cases of kidney cancer (199 in men, 87 in women) were identified. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) while adjusting for potential confounders. No statistically significant association between green tea intake and kidney cancer risk was found in the total population. Among women who consumed more than five cups of green tea per day, a statistically significant decreased risk was shown with a HR of 0.45 (95% CI: 0.23–0.89), compared to women who rarely consumed green tea. For coffee consumption, the association of kidney cancer risk was not statistically significant. This large prospective cohort study indicated green tea intake may be inversely associated with kidney cancer risk in Japanese adults, particularly in Japanese women.

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Preventive Behaviors and Information Sources during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

Uchibori M., Ghaznavi C., Murakami M., Eguchi A., Kunishima H., Kaneko S., Maruyama-Sakurai K., Miyata H., Nomura S.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19 （ 21 ） 14511 2022年11月

査読有り,  ISSN  16617827

　概要を見る

Background: individual preventive behaviors are one of the key measures needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This study sought to identify the factors associated with the adoption of COVID-19 preventive measures, focusing specifically on information sources. Methods: we conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 30,053 Japanese adults in February 2021. The survey asked about socioeconomic, health-related, and psychological characteristics, attitudes toward immunization, and the use of information sources regarding COVID-19. We have constructed multivariable logistic regression to estimate the factors associated with the adoption of three preventive measures: 3Cs avoidance, hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. Results: socioeconomic variables, psychological variables, and the use of information sources are significantly associated with the adoption of preventive measures. The more information sources one uses, the more likely one is to adopt preventive measures. Trust in healthcare professionals is positively associated with adopting preventive measures. On the other hand, negative correlations between trust in social media and preventive behaviors were observed. Conclusions: encouraging access to multiple information sources, utilizing communication channels, and modifying messaging according to target groups are essential to promote COVID-19 preventive measures.

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