1.Residue of Organochlorine Pesticide and PCB in Humans
Takeshi Sugaya ; Kazuhiro Watanabe ; Shiro Sasaki
Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine 1984;33(2):140-146
Organochlorine insecticides (BHC, DDT, etc) have been used in massive quatities in Japan. But in 1971, the goverment put a ban on their use as insecticides. We continued the residue analyses of organochlorine insecticide in human bodies from 1971 to 1982. This paper deals with the results of our residue analyses from 1980-1982. In paralel, We have also continued to analyze the residue of PCB.
(1) A total of 264 specimens have been analyzed for human mother milk, the adipose tissue, the liver, the kidney and the spleen.
(2) β-BHC and pp'-DDE were detected from all of these specimens.
(3) Over a span 12 years, the decrease of total-DDT was smaller than that of β-BHC.
(4) In the adipose tissue, there were no signs of a decrease in total DDT.
(5) PCB was detected from all specimens of mother milk, the adipose tissue and the liver.
It is conceivable that the pollution of human bodies by BHC, DDT. PCB, and other chemicals will last for a long time.
There is a need to keep constant surveillance over the tendency of these chemicals in the environment and human bodies.
2.Experimental Studies of Concentration of Organophosphorous Pesticides in the Living Body
Masanori Takahashi ; Hiroko Kasakawa ; Kohzoh Inokuchi ; Shiro Wakai ; Keiko Sasaki ; Ken Sone ; Teiji Iwami ; Masamichi Kimura
Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine 1980;29(2):99-108
In the previous report, we concluded that chances are very slim for Salithion and Sumithion to concentrate in rabbits as these organophosphorous compounds are excreted quickly. This conclusion was inferentially drawn from the results of measurements of concentration of Salithion and Sumithion residues in the blood after experimental exposures of rabbits to the pesticides.
In the present report, we will discuss the same toxicological problem based on our findings in a series of experiments using rabbits with hepatic disturbances induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).
Rabbits were divided into three groups. One consists of rabbits having light hepatic disorder. They were subcutaneously injected with 0.1ml/kg of 20% CCl4 olive oil for three days consecutively. Under the second group come rabbits with moderate liver disturbance caused by the injection of 0.3 ml/kg of 20% CCl4 olive oil. The injection was also made for three days. The remaining group is the control group.
These rabbits were administered orally with 5mg/kg and 20mg/kg of Smithion for three days running.
The examination covered (1) Sumithion residue level in the blood, (2) PNMC level in urine, (3) hepatic function (ChE, GOT, GPT, BSP, Al-P, BUN), (4) urinalysis and (5) histopathological examination of the liver and the kidney. The results of these tests were studied in comparison with those of the control group.
The following is a summary of our conclusion:
1) In the control group, Sumithion residues in the blood disappeared quickly, and could not be detected 72 hours after administration.
2) As far as the disappearance of Sumithion and the excretion of PNMC are concerned, there was no significant difference between the control and the light and moderate liver disturbance groups of rabbits.
3) In the rabbits with CCl4-induced liver disturbances, it was noted that the administration of Sumithion impeded serum and red-cell ChE activities to a remarkable extent, and delayed the recovery of the liver function.
4) However, the liver disturbance did not deteriorate. The histological observation of the liver and the kidney did not reveal any abnormality due to the administration of Sumithion, either.
3.Clinical and Epidemiological Studies of Lifestyle-induced Health Problems in Rural Area. Relationships between Dietary Habits and Results of Health Checkups.
Keiko TAKAHASHI ; Yuko KIRIHARA ; Kazuyuki TERUI ; Tadashi OGIWARA ; Masato HAYASHI ; Shiro SASAKI
Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine 2002;50(5):700-707
Personal lifestyles constitute one of the strategic frontiers of preventive medicine. We carried out a survey of eating habits of people in three rural communities in the southern part of Akita Prefecture, where fundamental health screening programs have been implemented regularly. Differences in eating habits between men and women and between age groups were found. The health status of the examinees was judged by using data on blood pressure, obesity and lipid levels measured at the latest health checkup.
To find a correlation between eating habits and physical health status, the frequency of illness was examined according to the number of times of eating various kinds of food. It was found that with age, people take in fish and shellfish, cow's milk, beans, vegetables, Japanese confections and soup more frequently and eat less meat. The incidence of hypertension varied by age and sex, but was higher in those who eat less soup, pickles and milk. Likewise, abnormally high levels of total serum cholesterol were found in women who eat meat, eggs and greasy food less than twice a week. It was thought that those hypertensives and those with high cholesterol values are cuttingdown on their intake of those foods of their own accord. Therefore, we would like to point out that, in the secondary prevention setting, physicians and other health care providers should know in advance whether their patients are putting themselves on a restricted diet or not.
When the average serum lipid values were examined according to the number of times of eating meat or fish and shellfish per day, it was found that men aged 70 years or above who eat those foods more than once every day have high HDL cholesterol values and that these values significantly vary depending on the kind of meat. These findings suggested that persons of advanced age who eat well and who are not particular about their food are full of vitality. This could serve as an important point in the care of the aged with serum lipid abnormalities.
A study of evacuation and its relation to vegetable intake showed that the less the frequency of bowel movements, the smaller the amount of vegetable intake. There was a significant difference in the frequency of evacuation between vegetable eaters and those who do not consume an adequate amount of fiber.
4.Health problems of women in mixed-farm households.
Takeshi SUGAYA ; Masato HAYASHI ; Shunji OKUBO ; Kimio SAITO ; Tomio MATSUOKA ; Shunichi OKABE ; Kazuhiro WATABE ; Shiro SASAKI ; Akira KOTANAGI ; Takashi SATO ; Seiko ISHINARI
Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine 1985;34(2):129-133
Investigations were made into the actual working and living conditions of adults, both men and women, in the families engaged in mixed farming.
The working conditions were analyzed according to the types of crops farmers are growing. The work study was necessary to probe into the causes of farmers' health disturbances.
A questionnaire revealed that farmers are short of sleep during the busiest season. Especially housewives are forced to cut down on their sleeping hours.
It also found that some farmers spray pesticides in quantity and expose themselves to the potentially health injurious chemicals with alarming frequency.
There was evidence to show that some ailments, notably low back pain, had been reduced due to imporovements on farmwork and working environment.
Health checkups showed that the incidences of hypercholesterolemia and obesity remain high. There was imbalance between carolic intake and consumption.
5.Rhodococcus equi distribution in the soil environment of horses in Inner Mongolia,China——An investigation report
Zhuang DING ; Takai SHINJI ; Madarame HIROO ; Shuang CHANG ; Hainan HUANG ; Xiaowei HUO ; Minghua GAO ; Zhongtian TAN ; Shuangcheng GAO ; Hatori FUMIKO ; Sasaki YUKAKO ; Kakuda TSUTOMU ; Tsubaki SHIRO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2008;28(1):40-44
Little is known about the distribution of Rhodococcus equi in the soil environment of native horses in China. One hundred and eight soil samples were collected from native-horse farms in the Hulun Beier grasslands of eastern Mongolia, the Xilin Goler grasslands of southern Mongolia, and Tongliao city in Inner Mongolia of China for investigating the distribution of R. equi in these regions. The isolation rates of R. equi from soil samples from the Hulun Beier and Xilin Goler grasslands ranged from 25.9% to 30.0%. In contrast, isolation rates from soil samples from Tongliao city was as high as 82.3% and the mean number of R. equi in soil samples from Tongliao city was 10 times more than those of samples from the grasslands. The 488 isolates were examined using PCR for the presence of genes that encode virulence-associated 15 000-17 000 antigen protein (VapA) and the 20 000 antigen protein (VapB). All isolates were negative for virulence-associated proteins. Plasmid profiles of these avirulent isolates showed that cryptic plasmids of various sizes were present with an incidence of 13.3% to 21.5%. The results of the present study contrast with those of our recent study, in which we reported that R. equi was absent from Mongolian horses in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It is suggested that the difference between the results of these two studies is due to the mobile pasturing system in Mongolia and nonmobile pasturing system in Inner Mongolia.
6.Evaluation of the results of oral food challenges conducted in specialized and general hospitals
Kazunori SAKAI ; Kemal SASAKI ; Tomoko FURUTA ; Shiro SUGIURA ; Yukari WATANABE ; Takae KOBAYASHI ; Takashi KAWABE ; Masashi MORISHITA ; Kumiko NAKANISHI ; Komei ITO
Asia Pacific Allergy 2017;7(4):234-242
BACKGROUND: Oral food challenge (OFC) tests are conducted in both specialized institutions and general hospitals. We aimed to compare the severity of the conditions of the patients between these 2 types of institutions in order to consider the role of such institutions in society. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the results of OFC tests for hen's egg, cow's milk, and wheat that were conducted in a specialized institution (Aichi Children's Health and Medical Center [ACHMC], n = 835) and in 4 general hospitals (n = 327) in Aichi prefecture, Japan. METHODS: The symptoms provoked were scored using the total score (TS) of the Anaphylaxis Scoring Aichi scoring system in combination with the total ingested protein dose (Pro) before the appearance of allergic symptoms. RESULTS: The total ingested dose of the challenge-positive patients in ACHMC was significantly less than that in the general hospitals (p < 0.01). The median TS of the provoked symptoms in ACHMC and the general hospitals did not differ to a statistically significant extent in the hen's egg or cow's milk challenges; however, the median TS in ACHMC was significantly lower than that in the general hospitals for the wheat challenge (p = 0.02). The median TS/Pro values in ACHMC were almost identical to the upper 25% of the TS/Pro values in the general hospitals, suggesting that the specialized institution usually managed more severe patients. CONCLUSION: The specialized institution performed OFC tests at a lower threshold dose, but provoked similar TSs to the general hospitals. This evaluation may help in optimizing the distribution of patients to general hospitals and specialized institutions.
Anaphylaxis
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Child Health
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Hospitals, General
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Hospitals, Special
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Humans
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Japan
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Milk
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Ovum
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Severity of Illness Index
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Triticum
7.Predicting outcomes to optimize disease management in inflammatory bowel disease in Japan: their differences and similarities to Western countries.
Taku KOBAYASHI ; Tadakazu HISAMATSU ; Yasuo SUZUKI ; Haruhiko OGATA ; Akira ANDOH ; Toshimitsu ARAKI ; Ryota HOKARI ; Hideki IIJIMA ; Hiroki IKEUCHI ; Yoh ISHIGURO ; Shingo KATO ; Reiko KUNISAKI ; Takayuki MATSUMOTO ; Satoshi MOTOYA ; Masakazu NAGAHORI ; Shiro NAKAMURA ; Hiroshi NAKASE ; Tomoyuki TSUJIKAWA ; Makoto SASAKI ; Kaoru YOKOYAMA ; Naoki YOSHIMURA ; Kenji WATANABE ; Miiko KATAFUCHI ; Mamoru WATANABE ; Toshifumi HIBI
Intestinal Research 2018;16(2):168-177
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract, with increasing prevalence worldwide. IBD Ahead is an international educational program that aims to explore questions commonly raised by clinicians about various areas of IBD care and to consolidate available published evidence and expert opinion into a consensus for the optimization of IBD management. Given differences in the epidemiology, clinical and genetic characteristics, management, and prognosis of IBD between patients in Japan and the rest of the world, this statement was formulated as the result of literature reviews and discussions among Japanese experts as part of the IBD Ahead program to consolidate statements of factors for disease prognosis in IBD. Evidence levels were assigned to summary statements in the following categories: disease progression in CD and UC; surgery, hospitalization, intestinal failure, and permanent stoma in CD; acute severe UC; colectomy in UC; and colorectal carcinoma and dysplasia in IBD. The goal is that this statement can aid in the optimization of the treatment strategy for Japanese patients with IBD and help identify high-risk patients that require early intervention, to provide a better long-term prognosis in these patients.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group
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Colectomy
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Colitis, Ulcerative
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Colorectal Neoplasms
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Consensus
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Crohn Disease
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Disease Management*
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Disease Progression
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Early Intervention (Education)
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Epidemiology
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Expert Testimony
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Gastrointestinal Tract
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Hospitalization
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Humans
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Inflammatory Bowel Diseases*
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Japan*
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Prevalence
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Prognosis