We performed a survey to assess the positions and activities of Japanese women physicians in medical societies. In June 2000, questionnaires were sent to 92 medical societies of the Japanese Association of Medical Science. The response rate was 92.4%. Fifty-four societies (63.5%) failed to provide the number of women physicians. According to the questionnaires that were fully completed and returned, women physicians were more likely to belong to societies of internal medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmology and dermatology. Women physicians were less likely to hold board positions and were underrepresented in leadership positions, even in societies with high percentages of women members. Board positions failed to provide for maternity or child-care leave, and few societies offered childcare facilities at annual meetings. Gender-disaggregated data should be made readily available and additional surveys need to be made to identify obstacles to activities in medical societies.

No abstract available.
Lymph Nodes*

BACKGROUND: Studies reported adverse behavioral development including internalizing and externalizing problems in association with prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates; however, findings were not sufficient due to using different assessment tools and child ages among studies. This study aimed to examine associations between maternal serum levels of BPA and phthalate metabolites and behavioral problems at preschool age. METHODS: The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess behavioral problems at 5 years of age. BPA and phthalate metabolite levels in the first trimester maternal serum was determined by LC-MS/MS for 458 children. Variables used for adjustment were parental ages, maternal cotinine levels, family income during pregnancy, child sex, birth order, and age at SDQ completed. RESULTS: The median concentrations of BPA, MnBP, MiBP, MEHP, and MECPP, primary and secondary metabolites of phthalates, were 0.062, 26.0, 7.0, 1.40, and 0.20 ng/ml, respectively. MECPP level was associated with increase conduct problem risk (OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.36-5.68) overall and the association remained after child sex stratification, and odds ratios were increased with wider confidence interval (OR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.07-7.57 for boys, OR = 4.04, 95% CI 1.31-12.5 for girls, respectively). BPA, ∑DBP (MnBP + MiBP), and ∑DEHP (MEHP+MECPP) levels were not associated with any of the child behavioral problems. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses found no significant association between BPA or summation of phthalate metabolite levels and any of the behavioral problems at 5 years of age but suggested possible association between MECPP levels and increased risk of conduct problems.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Benzhydryl Compounds ; blood ; Child, Preschool ; Environmental Exposure ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Phenols ; blood ; Phthalic Acids ; blood ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; Problem Behavior ; Smoking ; epidemiology ; Socioeconomic Factors