A Review of Aging and the Lower Urinary Tract: The Future of Urology

Hisae Nishii 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2021 International Neurourology Journal Vol.25 No.4

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common among elderly people, with significant effects on individuals, caregivers, and the wider health care system. As the elderly population with multiple comorbidities is increasing, the burden of LUTS will increase. This review describes the demographic trends in the aging society, changes in lower urinary tract function with aging, and deterioration of physical and cognitive function in aging, as well as what has been done regarding geriatric urology and what urologists should do to meet the health care needs of the aging population. Frailty and dementia are unmissable factors in the evaluation of elderly patients. Numerous reports have described associations between LUTS and frailty and between LUTS and dementia. Urologists must be aware of the multiplex physical, cognitive, and social characteristics of elderly people. Maintaining a geriatric viewpoint in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of elderly individuals with LUTS will fulfill the unmet needs of elderly people. It is also essential to discuss the treatment and management goals of LUTS with patients and caregivers. Active case identification, appropriate evaluations of LUTS and comorbidities, and a multidisciplinary approach with other health-care professionals are recommended for better treatment and management.

THE EFFECTS OF BACKGROUND COLORS ON CONSUMERS’ HAPTIC EVALUATIONS AND PRODUCT PREFERENCES

Mayuko Nishii,Takeshi Moriguchi 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2018 Global Marketing Conference Vol.2018 No.07

Introduction Can the background colors of products on an online shopping site affect consumers’ haptic perceptions and evaluations? When shopping online, consumers cannot obtain a product’s haptic information by touching it directly and usually rely on visual information such as the product’s image and description. Nevertheless, consumers sometimes use haptic information to judge whether to purchase a product and marketers aim to engage consumers’ haptic preferences. Currently, researchers in the field of sensory-marketing research are interested in the interaction of multiple senses. Although previous research has demonstrated the interaction between visuals and haptic perception (e.g. Xu & Labroo, 2014), there is still considerable opportunity for further research on consumers’ haptic perception of products they cannot touch directly, such as through online shopping. In this study, we focus on how the background colors of product images affect consumer’s haptic perceptions and evaluations of the products. Theoretical Background Krishna & Morrin (2008) indicate that the interaction among plural senses is caused by perceptual transfer. When an individual perceives a sense, it is associated with previous experiences with other senses, which may cause perceptual transfer (Piqueras-Fiszman & Spence, 2015). For instance, Harrar, Piqueras-Fiszman, & Spence (2011) found that the color of the bowl affected consumers’ perceptions of taste when eating popcorn. In this study, when consumers ate popcorn in a red bowl, they associated the color with mature fruit and evaluated the popcorn as sweeter. Consumers who ate popcorn from a blue bowl evaluated the popcorn saltier because they associated the color with the sea. Based on these results, we predict that the background colors of products will affect consumers’ haptic perceptions and product preferences. Babin, Hardesty, & Suter (2013) show that red and orange induce the perception of warmth. Thus, an orange background color causes consumers to perceive products as warmer. Zwebner, Lee, & Goldenberg (2014) demonstrate the influence of physical warmth on consumers’ behavior and they focus on the anthropomorphic characteristics of products. They mention that consumers tend to perceive inanimate products as anthropomorphized so when they percept warmth to products, they feel emotional warmth and it induces their intention to purchase them. From their findings, we predict that the effect of warm background colors is restricted to anthropomorphized products. Additionally, warmth is strongly associated with softness (Tai, Zheng, & Narayanan, 2011). Hence, we also predict that warm background color might affect consumers’ perception of softness of the products. H1: The color orange is perceived as warmer than white (control). H2a:When the background color is orange (vs. white), anthropomorphized products are evaluated with more familiarity. H2b: When the background color is orange (vs. white), anthropomorphized products are evaluated more favorably. H2c: When the background color is orange (vs. white), there is greater intention to purchase anthropomorphized products. H3a:When the background color is orange (vs. white), anthropomorphized products are perceived as warmer. H3b: When the background color is orange (vs. white), anthropomorphized products are perceived as softer. H4: The perception of the warmth of products affects the perception of softness of products. H5: The influence of “H2a” mediates the perception of warmth of products. Methods We conducted two studies to research the hypotheses above. Warm and soft inanimate products are anthropomorphized (Horowits & Bekoff, 2007), and we researched this hypothesis by comparing warm and soft products with cold and hard products in study1. For the purpose of identifying warm and soft products (anthropomorphized products) as well as cold and hard products (non-anthropomorphized products), we conducted a pretest. For the study1 pretest, we chose a teddy bear, futon, and scarf as anthropomorphized products and a garbage can, ice pop, and glass as non-anthropomorphized products. In study2, we used hand watches, which are considered cold and hard. However, a watch indicating 10:10 is recognized as a smiling human (Labroo, Dhar, & Schwarz, 2008). Hence, we compared watches set to 10:10 and 12:00. For study1 and study2, we conduct a 2 (orange vs. white) × 2 (anthropomorphized products vs. non-anthropomorphized products) between-subject test on the participants. Participants answered a questionnaire on a website. They evaluated the color and products on a 7-point Likert scale. For both study1 and study2, we recruited participants via the Internet. They received a point worth 3 JPY (approximately 0.03 USD) for participating in the study. Results Study1 We used a t-test to compare the averages of warmth to the background colors. It showed a significant difference between Group orange and white (t=32.329, df=916.938, p< .001). For H2a to H3b, we conducted the two-way ANOVA of 2 (background color: orange, white)×2(anthropomorphic characteristics of products: anthropomorphized, non-anthropomorphized). The results showed no interactions. Hence, we used t-tests (See Table1). The results supported H2a to H3b. In addition, we conducted a path analysis on the influence of the perception of products’ warmth toward the perception of products’ softness. The influence was significantly positive (β=0.776, p<.001). In comparison, the path from the background colors to the perception of products’ softness was not significant (p= .142). Hence, H4 was supported. Study2 We used a t-test to compare the averages of warmth to the background colors. It showed a significantly positive difference between Groups orange and white (t=22.206, df=323.539, p< .001). Therefore, H1 was supported again. Aside from the above analysis, the results supported H2a to H3b (See Table2). Furthermore, to test H4, we conducted a path analysis on the influence of the perception of products’ warmth towards the perception of products’ softness. Results showed that the influence was significantly different (β=0.823, p<.001). In comparison, the path from the background colors to the perception of products’ softness was not significant (p= .142). Thus, H4 was supported again. Moreover, to test H5, we ran the mediation model by using the PROCESS macro (Model 4, Hayes, 2013). For anthropomorphized products, bootstrapping tests with 2,000 bootstrapped samples revealed that the effect of background colors on familiarity was mediated by the perception of the warmth of the products(a×b=0.09, 95%CI=0.058 to 0.478 excluded 0). The direct effect c’ (0.15) is significant (p= .045), although c (0.06) is not significant (p= .385). On the other hand, for non-anthropomorphized products, the regression analysis revealed that the direct effect c’ (-0.03) is not significant (p=0.711). Hence, H5 was supported. Discussion and Conclusion We demonstrated that warm background colors affect the perception of products’ warmth and softness and increase consumers’ intention to purchase products. We also found that the effect of warm background colors is restricted to anthropomorphized products. This research showed that the effect of warm background colors on the familiarity of anthropomorphized products was mediated by the perception of the products’ warmth. Based on these results, we also demonstrated that the perception of products’ warmth influenced the perception of their softness. Our findings might help to apply Zwebner et al. (2014)’s findings regarding online shopping sites where consumers cannot touch products directly and marketers cannot control consumers’ room temperature.

Environment in Toyama Bay where the Clionidae was discovered

Noriko NISHII,Naohiro YAMATANI,Jing ZHANG 제어로봇시스템학회 2019 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2019 No.10

In August 2017, Clionidae was confirmed in Toyama Bay. Toyama Prefecture is known for its rich natural environment, and it has Toyama Bay in the north and the Japan Alps in the south. However, in the study, the acid concentration of rain in Toyama Prefecture was the second highest in Japan, so we suspect the cycle system is disrupted. As a symbol of Toyama Prefecture, it is necessary to maintain the environment in which Clionidae can survive. Therefore, it is important to conduct research of the local community and to investigate changes in its environment, to reduce the environmental impact caused by local residents. The study was conducted by using a CTD observation system installed on a training ship owned by the National Institute of Technology, Toyama College, the salinity and seawater temperature in Toyama Bay was also measured by the institute. Based on the results, this paper propose some countermeasures.

CAN REGULATORY FOCUS INFLUENCE THE JUDGEMENT OF “THESE SUIT ME!” ? A COMPARISON BETWEEN WESTERN AND EASTERN CONSUMERS

Mayuko Nishii 글로벌지식마케팅경영학회 2019 Global Fashion Management Conference Vol.2019 No.07

The Effect of Accessibility Improvement on Tourist Excursion Behaviors

김현,정연식,Kazuo Nishii,정병두 대한토목학회 2011 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.15 No.8

One of the most important issues in the current tourism in Japan is to identify the ways to build attractive cities and/or towns and to provide satisfying experience of tourism products. It is therefore necessary to understand the kind of needs and wants potential tourists can obtain from their touring experience. Particularly effective for this purpose is an Area Marketing and Management Approach (AMMA). This paper introduces a basic framework of the AMMA and proposes a practical procedure for quantitatively measuring the effect of accessibility improvement on tourist travel demand and activity patterns. It discusses a practical method for measuring accessibility improvement effect, focusing on the increase of the number of visitors to the tourism areas where the level of service in accessing transport facilities is planned to be improved. Also added in the paper is an empirical case study with a tourism area in Japan.

Possible effects of whole body vibration on bone properties in growing rats

Akira Minematsu,Yasue Nishii,Hidetaka Imagita,Susumu Sakata 대한골다공증학회 2019 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.5 No.3

Objectives: To examine the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) on bone properties in growing rats, and to explore the optimal conditions for enhancing bone properties. Methods: Thirty-six 4-week-old male rats were divided into 1 control and 5 experimental groups. Each experimental group underwent WBV at 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 Hz (0.5 g, 15 min/d, 5 d/wk) for 8 weeks.We measured bone size, muscle weight and bone mechanical strength of the right tibia. Trabecular bone mass and trabecular bone microstructure (TBMS) of the left tibia were analyzed by micro-computed tomography. Serum levels of bone formation/resorption markers were also measured. Results: WBV at 45 Hz and 60 Hz tended to enhance trabecular bone mass and TBMS parameters. However, there was no difference in maximum load of tibias among all groups. Serum levels of bone resorption marker were significantly higher in the 45-Hz WBV group than in the control group. Conclusions: WBV at 45e60 Hz may offer a potent modality for increasing bone mass during the period of rapid growth. Further studies are needed to explore the optimal WBV conditions for increasing peak bone mass and TBMS parameters. WBV modality may be a potent strategy for primary prevention against osteoporosis.

Spectral behavior of long-period fiber gratings written in NTT type disperison shifted fiber

Byeong Ha Lee,Junji Nishii 대한전자공학회 1998 대한전자공학회 학술대회 Vol.1998 No.1

Spectral Behavior of Long-Period Fiber Gratings Written in NTT Type Dispersion Shifted Fiber

Byeong Ha Lee,Junji Nishii 한국통신학회 1998 광전자공학회 학술회의 Vol.5 No.1

How to Generate a Secure Composite Order Ordinary Pairing-friendly Curve of Embedding Degree 3

Yasuyuki Nogami,Kazushi Nishii,Yumi Sakemi,Hidehiro Kato,Yoshitaka Morikawa 대한전자공학회 2009 ITC-CSCC :International Technical Conference on Ci Vol.2009 No.7

This paper proposes an efficient method for generating secure composite order ordinary pairing?friendly elliptic curves of embedding degree 3. It averagely takes about 22 minutes on Core 2 Duo (3.0㎓).

Genetic association of swine leukocyte antigen class II haplotypes and body weight in Microminipigs

Tatsuya Matsubara,Masaki Takasu,Noriaki Imaeda,Naohito Nishii,Satoshi Takashima,Takashi Nishimura,Toshiaki Nishimura,Takashi Shiina,Asako Ando,Hitoshi Kitagawa 아세아·태평양축산학회 2018 Animal Bioscience Vol.31 No.2

Objective: Microminipigs are a novel animal model with extensive applications in laboratory studies owing, in part, to their extremely small body sizes. In this study, the relationship between swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class II haplotype and body weight was evaluated in the Microminipig population. Methods: A total of 1,900 haplotypes, covering SLA class II haplotypes Lr-0.7, Lr-0.23, Lr-0.17, Lr-0.37, Lr-0.16, Lr-0.11, Lr-0.13, and Lr-0.18, were analyzed in 950 piglets. Birth weights and weights on postnatal day 50 were examined in piglets with eight different SLA class II haplotypes. Results: The mean birth weight of piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype (0.415 kg, n = 702) was significantly lower than that of piglets with Lr-0.17 (0.445 kg, n = 328) and Lr-0.37 (0.438 kg, n = 383) haplotypes. At postnatal day 50, the mean body weight of piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype (3.14 kg) was significantly lower than that of piglets with the Lr-0.13 haplotype (3.46 kg, p<0.01). There were no significant differences in daily gains (DGs) among the eight haplotypes. However, piglets with the Lr-0.11 and -0.18 haplotype combination or any heterozygous haplotype combinations containing Lr-0.23 had significantly lower DGs than those of piglets with the Lr-0.18, 0.37 haplotype combination. Conclusion: Piglets with the Lr-0.23 haplotype had relatively low body weights at birth and on postnatal day 50 and slightly lower DGs than those of piglets with other haplotypes. Therefore, the Lr-0.23 SLA class II haplotype may be a suitable marker for the selective breeding of Microminipigs with small body sizes.