According to The Asahi Shimbun, a Tokyo-based bio-venture company has developed a simple and effective test for cancer screening that requires just a drop of the subject's urine and a bunch of roundworms known as nematodes.
Hirotsu Bio Science, a venture concern with roots in Kyushu University, announced plans Oct. 1 to start trial tests this month using a urine test kit called N-Nose in conjunction with local governments in Fukuoka Prefecture.
City authorities in Kurume and Ogori will provide urine samples from employees for testing by the company. Participants will be informed of the results.
Hirotsu Bio Science said it intends to put the cancer screening kit into practical use from January.
Nematodes, a type of worm that is about 1 millimeter long and lives in soil, is known to be strongly attracted to the odor of cancer cells.
The technology automatically analyzes the worms' movements after approaching urine.
The company's president, Takaaki Hirotsu, said that even a single drop of urine was enough to detect cancer.
Once a positive diagnosis is made, doctors can examine the cancerous cell to determine what type of cancer is involved.
Hirotsu said 15 kinds of cancers can be detected, including stomach cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. He said even cancer in the early stages can be detected at a higher rate than conventional tests.
A single examination costs just 9,800 yen ($91) as nematodes are cheap to rear.
The company has conducted clinical research at 17 facilities across the nation since 2018.
In the trial test, 100 Kurume and 20 Ogori local officials will participate. The test results of cancer risks will be divided into several stages and shown to the participants.
The test also aims to examine how the results should be conveyed to participants.
Hirotsu Bio Science has contracted with other companies and local governments to receive up to 250,000 samples so it can start full-fledged operations next year.
“If low cost and highly accurate cancer screening is available, the rate of screening will surely increase,” Hirotsu said. “I want to get the message out to people by working with local governments.”
Kurume Mayor Tsutomu Okubo, a staunch supporter of the project, pledged to do his utmost to ensure the kit is put into practical application "as a world-class invention.”
Ogori Mayor Ryoko Kaji, another supporter, noted that if cancer screening can be achieved with just a drop of urine, "more people are bound to take the test as a first step to prevent cancer."
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201910030044.html

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/1963712

According to The Australian Financial Review, Australia is the most desirable market for investment in student accommodation, according to research from real estate agency Savills.
The Savills 2019 Global Living Report ranked how "investable" countries were according to factors such as university rankings, student numbers, average age, migration and affordability.
While student numbers had fallen in other developed countries, Australia was forecast to have the strongest growth in its student-age population, the report said.
Canberra was tipped to become the most youthful city, with people aged 15 to 39 expected to account for 37 per cent of residents by 2029, according to the report.
The value of education as an Australian export to international students has grown 16 per cent year-on-year to June 2019 to $37.7 billion, according to the report.
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https://www.afr.com/property/residential/australia-crowned-best-for-student-accommodation-investment-20191002-p52wvb

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/5166215 
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According to The Asahi Shimbun, dogs in Japan with eye disease may get help sooner thanks to the introduction of a new artificial intelligence service.
Starting in October, veterinarians can access online AI assistance to help them diagnose dogs during eye examinations and identify suitable treatments.
According to leading contact lens manufacturer Menicon Co., 9 million dogs are kept as pets in Japan, where eye disease is the sixth most common disease treated by animal hospitals.
The company's subsidiary Meni-One Co. will offer a service called Fundus AI, which analyzes images of the dogs' eyes filmed during exams and notify veterinarians of diseases they might have.
By comparing images taken in eye checks with stored images of abnormal canine eyes on Fundus AI, veterinarians can reduce their chances of overlooking symptoms.
The service also provides veterinarians with explanations of diseases and reference information, and advice on treatment options. It aims to help veterinarians who do not have specialized knowledge of and skill in dealing with eye diseases.
Meni-One hopes to earn 30 million yen (US$ 277,200) annually after three years through the service, which it will charge veterinarians 15,000 yen per month to use.
It also intends to expand its projects in China, where Menicon has been developing a market.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201910010033.html

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https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/-ai2326339 
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According to The Asahi Shimbun, on this remote southern island in Japan where cats are said to outnumber humans, self-cleaning toilets powered by the sun would seem like a no-brainer.
But the facilities are not for the convenience of the felines. They're for the many visitors who come to check out the creatures.
The flush toilet facilities equipped with power sources to treat human waste started operating last month at a port on Yushima island.
With more tourists visiting the so-called island of cats, the lack of public restrooms became a concern.
The Towailet mobile flush toilet was developed by Fukuoka-based Nishimu Electronics Industries Co., a group company of Kyushu Electric Power Co.
The device breaks down excrement so that feces and urine can dissolve in the toilet's special unit using microorganisms within several hours. After the process, colon bacillus and other harmful substances are removed from the treated waste with special filtering technology, making flush water odorless.
As the processed water is circulated within the system, almost no sludge is generated, and the inclusion of a solar panel and battery makes it unnecessary for the device to be connected to outside power sources.
In the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster off Japan's northeastern coast, the Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital in Kumamoto, which was involved in related rescue activities, and Kyushu Electric started research to develop a toilet and other products that could be used at evacuation centers and elsewhere both during emergencies and under normal circumstances.
Taking over the project, Nishimu Electronics Industries completed the new bathroom and is now applying for a patent for its purification technology.
The restroom still in development was introduced on a trial basis at a volunteer center after torrential rain devastated the northern Kyushu region in July 2017, receiving positive responses.
Two Towailet units--one for females and the other for use by both sexes--were recently installed on Yushima at a cost of 20 million yen (US$ 185,300).
While Towailet has been set up on the island and several other areas across Japan prior to the beginning of sales, the company plans to make the product available for municipalities and businesses in the second half of this fiscal year.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201910020001.html

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https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/5373010 
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According to The Australian Financial Review, large batteries are successfully helping remote townships and mine sites lift renewable energy use and cut fossil fuel consumption, signalling a likely broader use within the National Electricity Market in future than is currently appreciated.
Warrick Stapleton, LG Chem’s head of grid-scale batteries in Australia, said the performance of a battery installed in Onslow in Western Australia in May made the project "a blueprint for how remote communities and miners can balance traditional generation with very high penetration of renewables in a scalable way".
The Onslow project by WA's regional utility Horizon Power involves a 1 megawatt/500 kilowatt-hour battery system installed alongside a 1 MW solar farm at a substation, working alongside an existing gas and diesel-fired generator. The equipment, partly funded by US energy major Chevron, supports a self-supporting local grid that supplies a 900-person remote coastal township, gas plant workers and a salt mine.
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https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/remote-towns-provide-blueprint-for-battery-use-lg-chem-20190930-p52w8a

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https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/5066745 
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According to the Asahi Shimbun, Japanese researchers said they have developed artificial blood that can be transfused into patients regardless of their blood type and can vastly improve the chances for survival of seriously injured people.
The artificial blood created by a team of scientists primarily from the National Defense Medical College has proved effective in experiments on rabbits.
For possible applications on humans, the artificial blood gets around problems with identifying blood types in emergency situations and overcomes limits on storing real blood from donors.
A severe loss of blood platelets that stop bleeding and red blood cells that carry oxygen to body cells will lead to death.
Platelets can be stored for four days if shaken to prevent solidification, while red blood cells can be kept for 20 days at low temperatures.
A large amount of platelets and red blood cells from donors of all blood types must be secured for emergencies.
The team’s artificial blood consists of platelets and red blood cells. Each component is put in tiny bags known as liposome derived from the cell membrane to stop bleeding and transfer oxygen.
The artificial blood can be stored at normal temperatures for more than a year.
“It is difficult to stock a sufficient amount of blood for transfusions in such regions as remote islands,” said Manabu Kinoshita, an associate professor of immunology at the National Defense Medical College and a member of the team. “The artificial blood will be able to save the lives of people who otherwise could not be saved.”
When the artificial blood was tested on 10 rabbits suffering from serious blood loss, six of them survived, a ratio comparable to that among rabbits treated with real blood, according to the team.
No negative side effects, such as blood clotting, were reported, the researchers said.
The blood types of patients must be confirmed before they can receive transfusions, so emergency medical technicians and other health care workers are prohibited from transfusing blood in ambulances.
Since blood type is not an issue with the artificial blood, injured patients can be treated before they arrive at hospitals, resulting in a higher survival rate, the team said.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201909290001.html

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/-17227747
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According to The Australian Financial Review, Aussie investors have flocked behind renewable energy start-up Amber Electric with $2.5 million in seed funding, as it aims for rapid expansion across the eastern coast.
In a shot across the bow of entrenched electricity providers, Amber is looking to sign up more than a million customers to its $10-a-month service, which offers consumers access to wholesale energy prices.
Square Peg capital led the funding round with a $2 million endowment, and contributions from Black Sheep Capital and Impact Investment Group made up the remaining $500,000.
This business model centres on access to the wholesale electricity market for general consumers who have traditionally been serviced by energy retailers.
These retailers mark up their prices with high premiums and margins, but Mr Adams said Amber avoids that pitfall, so can keep its prices relatively low.
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https://www.afr.com/technology/renewable-energy-start-up-attracts-funding-for-east-coast-expansion-20190906-p52oqe

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/5296955
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According to The Asahi Shimbun, an easier-to-use road bike was developed for elderly people hoping to get back in the saddle of cycling and women who are hesitant to buy the ubiquitous “mamachari” (mom’s bike).
The new bike produced by Koumei Co., which makes and sells bicycles here, eliminates the often troublesome and potentially painful top tube that connects the handlebars and the seat post.
The new model also features sports-type wheels and components so cyclists can enjoy speedy rides.
Named Mamachari Road, the road bike was designed in the image of a mamachari, the popular bicycle that features baskets for grocery shopping, seats for transporting small children and other practical parts.
According to Koumei, road bikes are growing in popularity among elderly individuals who are increasingly conscious of their health and weight.
But typical road bikes force cyclists to raise one leg over the top tube for mounting or dismounting. Many elderly people are reluctant to buy road bikes out of concerns about “collapsing and breaking bones,” a Koumei official said.
“The innovative bicycle will provide an opportunity for those who once gave up riding road bikes to enjoy the sports vehicles,” Hiroaki Arimoto, 53, president of Koumei, said. “I definitely want people to try it.”
Koumei began developing the new road bike half a year ago.
Removing the top tube made Mamachari Road weaker than ordinary road bikes. So the company used an aluminum pipe 1.5 times thicker than that of normal road bikes for part of its frame.
Knowing that lightness is vital for speed, the designers created the road bike with a weight of 13 kilograms, similar to other sports models made of similar materials.
“It was difficult to keep a balance between the weight and strength,” Arimoto said.
The prototype model completed in July uses the same drop handlebar, derailleur, brakes, wheels, pedals and saddle as standard road bikes designed for beginners.
When the company promoted Mamachari Road on the Internet in early August, 30 individuals came forward within 20 days to place orders.
“I have been waiting for such a bicycle to be released,” one individual posted online.
Another online user said, “I will enjoy cycling with this with my wife.”
But how does Mamachari Road perform on the road?
One person who test-rode the model expressed great admiration, describing it as “very comfortable to ride,” according to Koumei.
Sales of Mamachari Road are expected to start around December.
The aluminum-frame bicycle will be available in one size for both male and female cyclists. The height of the saddle can be easily changed and a rack can be added.
Mamachari Road is expected to carry a price tag of 55,000 yen (US$ 509) including tax. The derailleur and other parts can be replaced with more expensive ones.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201909270001.html

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/8468851

According to The Asahi Shimbun, there is always a risk of one's valuables being misplaced or stolen while traveling, but these special bags won't get very far without you knowing.
Panasonic Corp. and leading bag maker Samsonite have teamed to market briefcases equipped with transmitters that allow users to locate them via smartphone.
The companies plan to market the special Seekit suitcases in 15 countries, including Japan and China.
The included transmitters are about the size of a postage stamp and as thin as 3 millimeters. They can be attached to a suitcase or bag like a key ring and transmit its location by radio to a smartphone with a dedicated app installed.
When a transmitter-equipped bag is within 30 meters of a user's smartphone, its location can be checked. If the device goes outside the radius, both the smartphone and transmitter will sound an alarm.
The alarm can be turned off manually when luggage is checked in at airports and on other occasions.
The transmitter can also be put in wallets and other items to prevent personal belongings other than luggage from being stolen.
Panasonic is seeking to expand its sales network by collaborating with additional companies.
An Indian subsidiary of Panasonic developed the device following a string of child kidnappings in India, providing parents an easy way to locate their children.
"We'll lead a company-wide innovation based on technology from India," said a Panasonic official.
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http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201909280003.html

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/9184259 
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According to The Japan times, Airliner Virgin Australia has applied for the allocation of a landing and departure slot at Haneda Airport.
The airline submitted the application to the International Air Services Commission, the Australian government organ said. If it wins the slot, the Australian carrier would achieve entry to Japan’s aviation market.
The number of daily slots at Haneda for flights to and from Australia will be increased by four from March 2020.
According to the commission, Virgin Australia filed to operate flight services between Haneda and Brisbane.
Virgin Australia is vying with Qantas Airways, which has applied for both slots. The commission will reach a decision by the end of October, after seeking comments from the public.
For Haneda-Brisbane services, Virgin Australia plans to cooperate with Japan’s All Nippon Airways through code-sharing flights. It is considering using A330-200 model aircraft, produced by European aircraft maker Airbus, for the route.
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https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/09/25/business/corporate-business/budget-carrier-virgin-australia-applies-haneda-slot/#.XY1I525uKUk

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/2215430 
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