Training resources for parasports are limited, reducing opportunities for athletes and coaches to engage with sport-specific movements and tactical coordination. To address this gap, we developed BRIDGE, a system that integrates a reconstruction pipeline, which detects and tracks players from broadcast video to generate 3D play sequences, with an embodiment-aware visualization framework that decomposes head, trunk, and wheelchair base orientations to represent attention, intent, and mobility. We evaluated BRIDGE in two controlled studies with 20 participants (10 national wheelchair basketball team players and 10 amateur players). The results showed that BRIDGE significantly enhanced the perceived naturalness of player postures and made tactical intentions easier to understand. In addition, it supported functional classification by realistically conveying players' capabilities, which in turn improved participants' sense of self-efficacy. This work advances inclusive sports learning and accessible coaching practices, contributing to more equitable access to tactical resources in parasports.
The 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster affected workers at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. This study examined factors associated with long-term work motivation and the longitudinal association between work motivation and depressive symptoms over a three-year period. A total of 670 workers participated in annual surveys from 2012 to 2014. Work motivation and depressive symptoms were assessed using self-administered questionnaires, including the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Mixed-effects models were used to examine associations of background factors in 2011 with work motivation and depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥16), as well as the relationship between work motivation and depressive symptoms. Higher long-term work motivation was associated with a sense of purpose toward work and local residents and perceived support from colleagues. Experience of discrimination or slurs was associated with increased work motivation over time. Higher baseline motivation was associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms (OR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.96 in 2012; OR=0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.98 in 2013; OR=0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-0.998 in 2014). These findings highlight the potential importance of work motivation and emotional support in understanding occupational mental health during prolonged disaster recovery.
This study investigated mechanisms underlying oral reading of two-character kanji nonwords in Japanese. Unlike alphabetic orthographies, kanji does not permit straightforward grapheme-to-phoneme conversion because individual characters often have multiple readings whose typicality varies across lexical and positional contexts. We compared a lexical-only account with an account in which lexical processing is supplemented by character-based sublexical processing. Twenty-one Japanese-speaking persons with aphasia and 24 healthy controls read aloud two-character kanji words, pseudohomophone nonwords (PSH), and non-pseudohomophone nonwords (NPSH). In persons with aphasia, PSH accuracy exceeded NPSH accuracy but remained below word reading accuracy. Errors included legitimate alternative reading of components (LARC)-type responses, lexicalizations, and phonological nonword errors. Model-informed classification identified phonological dyslexia, surface dyslexia, mixed patterns, and unclassifiable cases. The findings suggest that kanji nonword reading depends on interactions between whole-word lexical activation and character-based candidate reading processes, supporting a dual-route account adapted to the specific properties of Japanese kanji.
The evaluation of similarity between concepts and their categorization are closely related yet distinct processes. For example, marine mammals, including dolphins, are taxonomically classified as mammals, yet they share more biological features with fish than terrestrial mammals. In this study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and a priming paradigm to investigate the neural dynamics of similarity- and category-based processing. Pairs of animal names from four distinct categories were presented sequentially to view the effect of the first name (prime) on processing of the second name (target). Across all animal targets, mean neural activation between 200 ms to 750 ms post-target onset significantly correlated with the semantic distance between the paired animals (showing similarity or category) in the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL) and left inferior frontal cortex (IFC). Although these findings are consistent with previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) results that used identical stimuli, task, and paradigm, a divergence emerged for marine mammal targets. Specifically, the MEG priming effect was larger for fish prime than for terrestrial mammal prime, indicating similarity-based processing in the left IFC. This is in contrast with the category-based processing observed using fMRI. The discrepancy may be attributable to difference in temporal resolution between MEG and fMRI. Our results demonstrate that the category-based processing is not sustained throughout the semantic processing window; rather, they capture a transient, temporal aspect of semantic control that flexibly adapts to context.
ObjectivesChronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) generally has favorable outcomes; however, some patients develop balance and gait impairments, leading to prolonged hospitalization. This study examined the association between Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) scores, and length of hospital stay (LOS) after CSDH surgery.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted at a single acute care hospital in Japan. Patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent burr-hole drainage for CSDH were included. Exclusion criteria were orthopedic disease, psychiatric disease, inability to complete the Mini-BESTest, and premorbid modified Rankin Scale ≥ 4. Variables included age, sex, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Glasgow Coma Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination-Japanese, residual hematoma thickness, premorbid modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Mini-BESTest score, and LOS. Spearman correlation and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed.ResultsOf 49 patients, 32 were analyzed after exclusions due to comorbidities, inability to complete the assessment, or premorbid disability. Twenty-five patients were men and the mean age was 81.8 ± 5.0 years. The median LOS was 8.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 8-11) days, and the Mini-BESTest was 18.5 (IQR 13.8-23.3). LOS was negatively correlated with Mini-BESTest (r = -0.499) and positively with initial NIHSS (r = 0.376). In multivariable regression, Mini-BESTest (β = -0.488) and initial NIHSS (β = 0.377) scores were associated with LOS.ConclusionsEarly postoperative balance function may be associated with LOS in patients with CSDH. Early Mini-BESTest assessment may help identify patients at risk for prolonged hospitalization and guide rehabilitation and discharge planning.
