To detect the type of contact dermatitis caused due to the handling of Alstroemeria wilhelmina, 1% α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (α-MBL) dissolved in physiological saline and a five-fold diluted saline solution of original extracts of flowers, leaves and stems of the flower were applied to guinea-pigs for induction treatment, and 0.1% α-MBL physiological saline and a ten-fold diluted solution of the original extracts were applied to the animals as the challenge treatment in compliance with the guinea-pig maximization test (GMT). As a consequence, not only primary irritant dermatitis was observed, but also delayed type allergic contact dermatitis due to Alstroemeria wilhelmina was observed. α-MBL determined in the extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was found to be the biochemical material cause of the contact dermatitis. The flower region contained α-MBL in the highest concentrations compared with those of the leaves and stems. Therefore, the quantification of α-MBL in the extracts was concluded as being a useful evaluating method for contact dermatitis due to the handling of Alstroemeria.
Swine ; Dermatitis, Contact ; BUTYROLACTONE ; Saline ; Pulmonary evaluation

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factorial structure of life satisfaction in agricultural workers. One hundred and sixty−five (87 males and 78 females) agricultural workers mainly engaged in plastic greenhouse cultivation in southern Japan, ranging in age from 19 to 72 years (mean = 44.3 years), completed a questionnaire. Scores of life satisfaction showed a higher tendency in males than in females, and those in elders were higher than in younger people. Conversely, females showed higher stress scores than males, and younger people’s score were higher than the elders. Multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the factorial structure of satisfaction. It is suggested that the level of life satisfaction is positively related to social support, and is negatively related to the impact of stressful life events, globally perceived stress and subjective symptoms of ill health. Stress levels depended on factors concerning the psychological demands of work, work posture, work hours and work environment. Different factorial structures were observed between female and male workers. Findings from this study suggest that a strong social support network may assist in enhancing life satisfaction. Furthermore, the ill health and stress experienced in agricultural work were associated with a reduced life satisfaction.
life satisfaction ; seconds ; Agricultural Workers ; Work ; Satisfaction

This study was conducted to determine whether the regional factors were related to the increase in the percentage of low birthweight(LBW: <2, 500g) infants in Kumamoto Pref., and to establish a tentative structure model for predicting low birthweight infants. Analyses for frequency of LBW infants between 1974 and 1997, and a multiple regression model and covariance structure model were conducted using data from the vital statistics between 1992 and 1997 and regional indicators concerned with LBW infants from official registered statistical data between 1992 and 1997. The 72 regional factors were clustered into four groups linked with agricultural areas such as Urban, Flat, Hilly and Mountainous areas. The recent increase in the incidence of LBW infants resulted from the increase in moderate−LBW(MLBW: 2, 000−2, 500g) infants of full term−LBW infants. There was a steady annual increase in the Urban agricultural area LBW infants since 1992. The two structure analyses revealed that the Urban area had a marked effect on the increase in LBW infants, whereas, farm villages in Hilly or Moutainous areas had less effect on the increase in LBW infants. These findings suggest that the regional factors relating to the mothers’ life−style or regional environments play a key role in the etiology and prevention of LBW, and will be a useful in the analyses using official registered material.
Birth Weight ; Urban brand of Al hydroxide/Mg hydroxide/simethicone ; structure ; Models ; Analysis

AIMTo elucidate the effect of CIHH on cellular immunity and humoral immunity in rat by using flow cytometry method, immunohistochemistry method and electron microscopy techniques.

METHODSForty-eight male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control(CON) group, 14 days CIHH (CIHH14) group, 28 days CIHH (CIHH28) group, 42 days CIHH (CIHH42) group. The animals in CIHH groups were exposed to 14, 28 and 42 days hypobaric hypoxia(simulated 3 000 m altitude, 5 h per day), respectively. Half of the animals in each group was treated with normaxia and the other half animals were treated with acute hypoxia for 1 h. CD3, CD4, CD8 T lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, IgG, cortisol, epirenamine and C-reactive protein were examined. The weight and ultrastructure of thymus and spleen were observed.

RESULTS(1) Compared with CON, both indexes of thymus and spleen in CIHH14 rats were increased significantly. Spleen index, but not thymus index, was increased in CIHH28 and CIHH42 rats. The thymocytes and spleen cytes in rat were injuryed during acute hypoxia, but the damage in CIHH rats was significant slighter than that in CON rats. (2) Compared with CON, CIHH28 and CIHH42, CD8 in CIHH14 rats were decreased, ratios of CD4/CD8 was increased and NK was decreased. (3) The rats of CON during acute hypoxia showed that CD4 was increased, CD8 was decreased, ratio of CD4/CD8 was elevated, and NK was increased. But there were no significant changes of CD3, CD4, CD8 and NK in CIHH28 and CIHH42 animals during acute hypoxia. (4) Compared with CON, CIHH28 and CIHH42, cortisol in CIHH14 rats was increased obviously, Epirenamine, cortisol and C-reactive protein in CON rats were increased, but there were no obvious changes in CIHH rats before and after acute hypoxia.

CONCLUSIONCIHH protects the immune function of rat against acute hypoxia, which is related with the regulation of neuroendocrine.

Altitude Sickness ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Hypoxia ; physiopathology ; Immunity, Cellular ; physiology ; Immunity, Humoral ; physiology ; Male ; Neuroimmunomodulation ; physiology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Spleen ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology ; Thymus Gland ; immunology

To detect the type of contact dermatitis caused due to the handling ofAlstroemeria wilhelmina, 1% α-methylene-λ-butyrolactone (α-MBL) dissolved in physiological alien and a five-fold diluted saline solution of original extracts of flowers, leaves and stems of the flower were applied to guinea-pigs for extracts were applied to the animals as the challenge treatment in compliance with the guinea-pig maximization test (GMT). As a consequence, not only primary irritant dermatitis was observed, but also delayed type allergic contact dermatitis due toAlstroemeria wilhelmina was observed. α-MBL determined in the extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was found to be the biochemical material cause of the contact dermatitis. the flower region contained α-MBL in the highest concentrations compared with those of the leaves and stems. Therefore, the quantification of α-MBL in the extracts was concluded as being a useful evaluating method for contact dermatitis due to the handling ofAlstroemeria.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of cadmium (Cd) on estrogen receptor and to assess its endocrine disrupting action.

METHODSThe estrogen receptor rich supernatant was prepared from the ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats. The effects of cadmium on estrogen binding were performed using a sing-dose ligand-binding assay. Extract from uterus were treated with various concentrations of cadmium (0, 10(-3), 10(-5) or 10(-7) mol/L) for various pre-incubation time (0, 30, 60, 90 min) by means of orthogonal experimental design with orthogonal layout of L16(4(5)) (the experiment was repeated for 5 times). In addition to the radioinert competitor, each assay included a zero tube and a DES standard curve for quality control purpose. Data for cadmium and the DES standard curve were plotted as percent [3H]-E2 bound versus log (molar concentration), and the IC50 for cadmium was determined. The RBA for cadmium was calculated by dividing the IC50 of DES in terms of the IC50 of cadmium.

RESULTSCadmium could not block the binding of estradiol to the receptor because hormone binding did not change with increasing cadmium concentration or increasing preincubation time. The results showed that the binding of [3H]-estradiol to uterine cytosols was not significant (P > 0.05). The Bmax (its unit is pmol/mg protein) of various concentrations of cadmium (0, 10(-3), 10(-5) or 10(-7) mol/L) for pre-incubating 0 min is 203.15 +/- 75.16, 203.41 +/- 22.78, 220.82 +/- 45.35, 209.10 +/- 49.66 respectively; The Bmax of them for pre-incubating 30 min is 215.67 +/- 92.97, 139.79 +/- 53.78, 205.27 +/- 23.60, 172.63 +/- 55.09 respectively. The Bmax of them for pre-incubating 60 min is 197.11 +/- 50.68, 203.24 +/- 66.33, 183.92 +/- 31.89, 183.33 +/- 32.70, respectively. The Bmax of them for pre-incubating 90 min is 229.69 +/- 76.88, 175.70 +/- 70.28, 164.26 +/- 24.46, 150.78 +/- 65.97 respectively. Mean IC50 for cadmium is 10(-4) - 10(-3) M. If the affinities of DES binding to estrogen receptors was taken to be 100%, the relative binding affinities of cadmium was 10(-6) - 10(-7). The results indicated that cadmium had only a very poor affinity with estrogen receptor.

CONCLUSIONIn vitro assay cadmium did not have distinct disrupting effect on binding of estradiol to estrogen receptors from rat uterine.

Animals ; Cadmium ; toxicity ; Female ; In Vitro Techniques ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Estrogen ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Uterus ; drug effects ; metabolism

We collected and analyzed large-scale data concerning the fall of stroke inpatients in convalescent rehabilitation wards. Three hundred seventy-four of 1,107 inpatients experienced one fall or more, and 16 factors associated with falls were clarified by the chi-square test. To extract the significant item from a multifactor, the logistic regression analysis of 16 factors was carried out, and we developed an assessment sheet for the risk degree of first fall prediction in stroke inpatients. We selected eight variables as the items on the assessment sheet : history of previous falls, central paralysis, visual impairment, sensory disturbance, urinary incontinence, use of psychotropic medicines, mode of locomotion, and cognitive impairment. The total score of the assessment sheet was ranged from 0 to 10 and the mean score of fallers (6.4±1.5) among subjects was significantly higher than that of non-fallers (5.1±1.9) (p <0.001). When the subjects were classified into three groups, a significant difference (p<0.001) in the tendency of fall incidence in term of days after admission was found among the three groups on the basis of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve.

OBJECTIVESTo clarify the effect of the female hormone estradiol (Est) on heme biosynthesis in lead-poisoned rabbits, parameters indicating lead exposure, such as free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) level and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activity, were determined.

METHODSTwenty-six male Japanese white rabbits (body weight (BW), 3kg) were divided into four groups: I (control), II (Est), III (Pb), IV (Est+Pb). About 3 weeks after castration, Est (3 mg/kg of BW) was injected intramuscularly, and 2 weeks thereafter, lead (1.2 mg/kg of BW) was injected intravenously. After the initial injection of each of these substances, the same dose of each of these substances was injected once a week until the 9th week.

RESULTSIn groups III and IV, FEP level increased and ALA-D activity in the erythrocytes, bone marrow and liver decreased with an increase in lead concentration in blood. FEP level decreased significantly (p<0.01) in the 8th and 10th weeks after Est injection in group IV compared to with that in group III and was not elevated in group II compared with that in group I. ALA-D activity in the erythrocytes, bone marrow and liver increased significantly in group II compared with that in group I, whereas Ht and Hb levels decreased in group II compared with those in group I, and decreased in group IV compared with those in group III. The level of iron in plasma (Fe-P) was within the normal range during experiment.

CONCLUSIONSIn this study, Est did not increase FEP level. From the above results regarding FEP level and ALA-D activity, Est may prevent an increase in FEP level caused by lead. Ht and Hb levels, which are the parameters of anemia, decreased mainly as a result of Est exposure rather than lead exposure.

Asia ; COVID-19 ; Humans ; Ophthalmologists ; Perception ; SARS-CoV-2

OBJECTIVESTo analyze actual conditions of the quality of life (QOL) in junior high school students, we developed a questionnaire based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, and we conducted a survey by using this questionnaire.

METHODSWe conducted a workshop organized with 29 specialists on school health and community health to develop the questionnaire. The QOL outcome was assessed by the QOL Profile-Adolescent Version (QOLPAV). The subjects of the questionnaire surveys were 1600 general students in four junior high schools. To investigate a correlation between QOLPAV, behaviors and three enhancing factors, two different multiple regression models were constructed.

RESULTSThe question battery for QOLPAV was found to be a high value of Chronbach's α. Among present subjects, 16.5% were categorized as "problematic" or "very problematic" classified by QOLPAV scores. In the first multiple regression model, significantly high odds ratios were obtained between the QOLPAV and 4 questions for behaviors, such as "studying with high motivation" (OR 1.64), "getting along well with my friends" (2.72), "having things I am interested in" (1.70), and "making my own decisions" (1.80). In the second model, significantly high odds ratios were obtained commonly between the above 4 questions about behaviors and 2 questions on enabling factors, such as "easy to understand lessons" (1.32-1.71) and "speaking to friends easily" (1.30-3.22).

CONCLUSIONS1) We developed a questionnaire to analyze the actual condition of QOL in junior high school students with sufficient validity and availability. 2) Among the present subjects, 16.5% were found to be problematic QOLPAV, 3) Among the factors of behaviors, those representing positive willing and high coping ability with the elements of each school life contributed significantly to the QOLPAV. And among enhancing factors, "enabling factors" and "reinforcing factors" were stronger contributors to the behaviors strongly related to the QOLPAV than that of "predisposing factors".