We developed a Handheld Integrating Sphere Snow Grain Sizer (HISSGraS) for field use to measure the specific surface area (SSA) of snow. In addition to snow samples, HISSGraS can directly measure snow surfaces and snow pit walls. The basic measurement principle is the same as that of the IceCube SSA instrument. The retrieval algorithm for SSA from reflectance employs two conversion equations formulated using spherical and nonspherical grain shape models. We observed SSAs using HISSGraS, IceCube and the gas adsorption method in a snowfield in Hokkaido, Japan. Intercomparison of the results confirmed that with HISSGraS direct measurement, SSA profile observations can be completed in just ~1/10 the time required for measurement of snow samples. Our results also suggest that HISSGraS and IceCube have similar accuracy when the same snow samples are measured using the same grain shape model. However, SSAs of near-surface snow layers measured using the three techniques exhibited some biases, possibly due to rapid snow metamorphism or melting during measurement and some technical issues with optical techniques. When excluding SSA data for the surface layer, which metamorphosed remarkably during measurement, IceCube- and HISSGraS-derived SSAs correlated strongly with those obtained by gas adsorption and HISSGraS accuracy is 21–34%.

Background: In healthcare facilities, hand hygiene is important for infection control. The WHO recommends monitoring the consumption of alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) and direct observation of hand hygiene practices to ensure compliance with hand hygiene practices. Monitoring of ABHR is widely used, but direct observation is not widely performed, particularly in small facilities and non–acute-care facilities. We evaluated the effects of direct observation of hand hygiene practices and monitoring of ABHR consumption, with feedback to staff, on ABHR consumption and hand hygiene compliance. Methods: We conducted a prospective intervention study over a 4-year period. Monitoring of ABHR consumption and direct observation of hand hygiene practices, with periodic feedback to staff, was implemented in 17 facilities of varying types: 5 large-scale acute-care facilities, 6 middle-to-small-scale acute-care facilities, and 6 non–acute-care facilities. Statistics for ABHR consumption were calculated before and after the implementation of direct observation of hand hygiene practices, and the change in ABHR consumption was calculated. The paired t test was used to assess the statistical significance of changes. A generalized linear mixed model analysis was performed to assess factors associated with ABHR consumption. Results: The total observation time was 1,225 months (625 months before direct observation, 600 months after direct observation), and the average observation time per facility was 36.0 months (± 27.5). All facilities implemented ABHR consumption monitoring within 1 month of starting the study. However, the mean time required to implement direct observation of hand hygiene practices was 24.7 (±19.1) months. There was a significant increase in ABHR consumption in large and middle-to-small-scale acute-care facilities (P < .0001) after implementing the direct observation. However, there was not a significant increase for ABHR consumption in non–acute-care facilities (P = .14). Multivariable regression analysis showed that the hospital ward type, duration of ABHR consumption monitoring, and duration of direct observation of hand hygiene practices were independently associated with ABHR consumption. Conclusions: ABHR consumption increased in all facilities that implemented direct observation, but the change was not statistically significant in non–acute-care facilities. The generalized linear mixed model analysis showed significant associations between ABHR consumption and hospital ward type and time to monitoring of ABHR consumption and direct observation of hand hygiene practices. Direct observation of hand hygiene practices should be implemented more widely. The effect of intervention intensity should be evaluated in future studies.

Disclosures: None

This paper describes the design and implementation of a 39 GHz 256-element hybrid active phased array antenna system with 16 individual digital transceivers, and its wireless multi-user, multi-input, multi-output verification. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 2021 51st European Microwave Conference and was published in its Proceedings [1]. Using the prototype device, a single carrier transmission test assuming a mobile backhaul link and a MU-MIMO transmission test using a zero-forced orthogonal multi-beam based on channel reciprocity assuming an access link was performed. As a result, an EIRP of 43 dBm and a data rate of 5.5 Gbps in 1 GHz bandwidth single carrier 128QAM operation and an estimated total throughput of 2.4 Gbps by 3GPP TS38.214 [2] in 100 MHz bandwidth OFDM 8 MU-MIMO operation were achieved, respectively. As far as the author knows, this is the first demonstration for integrated access and backhaul (IAB) application that uses the 39 GHz band.

Immiscible and incompressible liquid–liquid flows are considered in a Taylor–Couette geometry and analysed by direct numerical simulations coupled with the volume-of-fluid method and a continuum surface force model. The system Reynolds number $Re \equiv r_i \omega _i d / \nu$ is fixed to $960$, where the single-phase flow is in the steady Taylor vortex regime, whereas the secondary-phase volume fraction $\varphi$ and the system Weber number $We \equiv \rho r_i^2 \omega _i^2 d / \sigma$ are varied to study the interactions between the interface and the Taylor vortices. We show that different Weber numbers lead to two distinctive flow regimes, namely an advection-dominated regime and an interface-dominated regime. When $We$ is high, the interface is easily deformed because of its low surface tension. The flow patterns are then similar to the single-phase flow, and the system is dominated mainly by advection (advection-dominated regime). However, when $We$ is low, the surface tension is so large that stable interfacial structures with sizes comparable to the cylinder gap can exist. The background velocity field is modulated largely by these persistent structures, thus the overall flow dynamics is governed by the interface (interface-dominated regime). The effect of the interface on the global system response is assessed by evaluating the Nusselt number $Nu_{\omega }$ based on the non-dimensional angular velocity transport. It shows non-monotonic trends as functions of the volume fraction $\varphi$ for both low and high $We$. We explain how these dependencies are closely linked to the velocity and interfacial structures.

The left-tailed unit-root tests of the panel analysis of nonstationarity in idiosyncratic and common components (PANIC) proposed by Bai and Ng (2004, Econometrica 72, 1127–1177) have standard local asymptotic power. We assess the size and power properties of the right-tailed version of the PANIC tests when the common and/or the idiosyncratic components are moderately explosive. We find that, when an idiosyncratic component is moderately explosive, the tests for the common components may have considerable size distortions, and those for an idiosyncratic component may suffer from the nonmonotonic power problem. We provide an analytic explanation under the moderately local to unity framework developed by Phillips and Magdalinos (2007, Journal of Econometrics 136, 115–130). We then propose a new cross-sectional (CS) approach to disentangle the common and idiosyncratic components in a relatively short explosive window. Our Monte Carlo simulations show that the CS approach is robust to the nonmonotonic power problem.

We explore how tax evasion by firms affects the growth- and welfare-maximizing rates of corporate income tax (CIT) in an endogenous growth model with productive public service. We show that the negative effect of CIT on growth is mitigated in the presence of tax evasion. This increases the benefit of raising the CIT rate for public service provision. Thus, in contrast to Barro [(1990) Journal of Political Economy 98, 103–125], the optimal tax rate is higher than the output elasticity of public service. Through numerical exercises, we demonstrate that the role of tax evasion by firms is quantitatively significant.

Emergency evacuation during disasters may have significant health impacts on vulnerable populations. The Japanese Government issued evacuation orders for surrounding residents of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) immediately after the March 11, 2011, nuclear accident. Little is known of difficulties associated with the disaster-specific evacuation from health care facilities located in this area. Among the 338 patients hospitalized at Futaba Hospital, located 4.6 km west of FDNPP, at the time of the accident, 39 patients (11.5%), predominantly critically ill patients who were bedridden or disabled, died before the evacuation was completed. The shortage of hospital staff and disruption of infrastructure resulted in a lack of adequate care provision, such as infusion therapy or sputum suctioning, leading to premature death of some hospitalized patients during the emergency hospital evacuation. As hospital evacuation is sometimes unavoidable during disasters, potential health impacts of hospital evacuation should be recognized and reflected in disaster preparedness plans.

This essay proposes that “milk kinship,” which upper-class individuals in premodern Japan formed with their milk kin—a menoto (wet nurse) and a menotogo (foster sibling)—occupies the core of an institutionalized erotic fosterage. In this “menoto system,” the surrogate mother's lactating body and erotic-affective labor became the connective tissue to bind two interclass families, creating a symbiosis that fortified the existing sociopolitical power structures. Around the tenth century, many vernacular tales started to feature menoto characters. While a typical menoto is the protagonist's homely, asexual, motherly confidante, her derivative construct—the menotogo of the protagonist—is often cast in an erotic light. In the four texts examined in this essay, menotogo valorize their erotic agencies to benefit their charges through sexual-affective labor or through an indirect method. The latter entails the formation of a “love square” in which two menotogo become lovers and then help their respective charges do the same.

Finite-amplitude hydromagnetic Rossby waves in the magnetostrophic regime are studied. We consider the slow mode, which travels in the opposite direction to the hydrodynamic or fast mode, in the presence of a toroidal magnetic field and zonal flow by means of quasi-geostrophic models for thick spherical shells. The weakly nonlinear long waves are derived asymptotically using a reductive perturbation method. The problem at the first order is found to obey a second-order ordinary differential equation, leading to a hypergeometric equation for a Malkus field and a confluent Heun equation for an electrical wire field, and is non-singular when the wave speed approaches the mean flow. Investigating its neutral non-singular eigensolutions for different basic states, we find the evolution is described by the Korteweg–de Vries equation. This implies that the nonlinear slow wave forms solitons and solitary waves. These may take the form of a coherent eddy, such as a single anticyclone. We speculate on the relation of the anticyclone to the asymmetric gyre seen in the Earth's fluid core, and in state-of-the-art dynamo direct numerical simulations.

After Japan’s major nuclear accident in 2011, approximately 150,000 Fukushima residents were ordered to evacuate. Beginning in 2015, the evacuation orders have been systematically lifted. However, the health impacts of allowing residents to return to homes in areas previously uninhabitable due to nuclear radiation remain poorly understood.

Declaring radiation levels to be safe does not necessarily eliminate the concerns of residents about the effects of radiation exposure. Rebuilding medical, welfare, and commercial infrastructure and services takes time. Nontangible community elements, such as mutually dependent social networks, also require time to be re-established. Nevertheless, the Japanese government prioritizes policies that encourage evacuees to return home as soon as it is safe to do so.

Post-disaster evacuation situations and subsequent return home pose substantial—and as yet relatively unknown—mental and physical health threats for those affected, especially those in vulnerable groups, such as the sick, the elderly, and children.

Here we report a case of an elderly female evacuee with dementia, who was prevented from returning home after her hometown evacuation order was lifted, began exhibiting marked behavioral abnormalities. Loss of emotional ties that were created while she was housed in temporary accommodation appeared to be a critical contributing factor.