Hokkaido University of Science

How Language Affects Attitudes to Engagement with the Recovery Process: A Comparative Study of the Language of Two Step-Based Recovery Programs

This study examines perceptions of the language used in Alcoholics Anonymous’ Twelve Steps (AA12) and Buddhist Eight Step Recovery (B8) among individuals recovering from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Using questionnaire data (N = 29) and Critical Discourse Analysis, participants pr...

RBD-down stabilization of SARS-CoV-2 spike enhances cross-neutralizing antibody responses by redirecting immunodominance toward conserved epitopes

The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has enabled partial escape from neutralizing antibodies, necessitating frequent updates of vaccine antigens. These observations motivate vaccine strategies that can redirect antibody responses toward conserved regions of the spike (...

Predicting the distribution of 16 tick species in Japan and its association with the occurrence of tick-borne diseases

Tick-borne diseases are a significant public health threat. Since the infection risk is directly associated with spatial variations of vector ticks, comprehensive data on their distributions are crucial for disease preparedness. Nevertheless, the difficulty of conducting field su...

Faculty and Staff Program on Generative AI and the Construction of an AI ‐Assisted Knowledge‐Sharing Website

This study examines a faculty and staff program on generative AI at the Hokkaido University of Science and proposes a reusable AI‐assisted workflow for developing a knowledge‐sharing website. The program addressed fundamental concepts, applications, and ethical considerations for...

Comparison of Nationwide Volumes for Five Major Gastrointestinal Surgical Procedures in Japan: Implications From Publicly Available NCD and NDB Open Data

ABSTRACT Aim In Japan, the National Clinical Database (NCD), a clinician‐reported registry, and the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan Open Data (NDB Open Data), an administrative claims database, are both widely used as nationwide...

The parent bodies of Ryugu and Ivuna formed before those of other carbonaceous chondrites

Most carbonaceous chondrite (CC) meteorites contain abundant chondrules, millimeter-scale spherical inclusions of previously molten material. Ivuna-type carbonaceous chondrites (CIs) do not contain chondrules, nor do samples of the carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu. CIs and Ryugu share...

Visualizing electron flow at transition states by natural reaction orbitals

Transition-state analysis in quantum chemistry provides structural and energetic information but does not directly reveal how electron density is redistributed at the onset of bond reorganization. Although frontier-orbital theory is highly effective for predicting reactivity from...

Structure-Guided Enhancement of High-Temperature Thermoelectric Performance in Molten-Salt-Derived Weathered Biotite for Waste-Heat Recovery

Abstract Thermoelectric materials capable of operating at 600–900 °C are attractive for recovering industrial and nuclear waste heat toward a carbon-neutral society. Here, we report the structure-guided enhancement of high-temperature thermoelectric performance in natural weather...

A unified framework for estimating fingertip forces and muscle activations in human grasping with anatomical modeling and soft-finger contact

Abstract We developed a method to estimate fingertip forces, torques, and muscle activations during object grasping with a digital hand model. Grasping an object requires several equilibrium conditions: force and moment balance on the object, consistency between fingertip forces...

Spiderweb‐Inspired Conformable Stretchable Electronic Skin for Tactile Force and Softness Perception

ABSTRACT Electronic skin (e‐skin) that can conformably cover deformable surfaces is essential for robotic perception and wearable human–machine interfaces. However, simultaneously achieving high spatial resolution, multimodal sensing, and mechanical stretchability remains challen...

Dehnel's phenomenon is not a simple reduction of size: seasonal change in skull shape of the long-clawed shrew (Soricidae, Mammalia)

Abstract Dehnel's phenomenon—a reversible seasonal reduction and regrowth of body size, skull, brain and visceral organs—is an extreme adaptive strategy, enabling small mammals to survive winter energetic constraints. First described in the common shrew Sorex araneus, similar sea...

Supramolecular Polymerization and Morphological Transformation of Dynamic Helical Poly(Phenylacetylene)s via Chain‐End Host–Guest Interactions

ABSTRACT Integration of dynamic helical polymers with supramolecular polymerization offers a promising strategy for constructing adaptive hierarchical chiral materials. However, the transformation of molecular‐level conformational changes in dynamic helical polymers into structur...

Development of a Conformational Sampling Method for Transition State Structures With Diverse Active Bond Lengths

We describe TStrail, a transition state (TS) conformational sampling tool that automatically generates TS conformers without fixing the bond forming/breaking distance of an initial TS structure. Conventionally, the conformations of TS structures were searched with the fixed lengt...

Comparative in vivo evaluation of colistin resistance determinants in Escherichia coli clone ST131

Background Colistin is a last-resort antimicrobial for multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative infections. Health risks associated with colistin resistance are commonly inferred from resistance phenotypes, despite limited in vivo evidence linking resistance determinants to pathog...