Japanese Journal of Hygiene最新文献

Renal tubular cell death is caused by various extracellular stresses including toxic amounts of cadmium, an occupational and environmental pollutant metal, and is responsible for renal dysfunction. While cadmium exposure disrupts many intracellular signaling pathways, the molecular mechanism underlying cadmium-induced renal tubular cell death has not yet been fully elucidated. We have recently identified two important intracellular signaling pathways that promote cadmium-induced renal tubular cell death: the Notch1 signaling and activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 4/5 signaling (also known as the activin-transforming growth factor β receptor pathways). In this review paper, we introduce our previous experimental findings, focusing on Notch1 and ALK4/5 signaling pathways, which may uncover the molecular mechanisms involved in cadmium-induced renal tubular cell death.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) against the contamination of the water line of dental units and the effects of SAEW on the water line.

Materials and methods: The experimental material was a prototype dental unit equipped with a SAEW generator. SAEW is directly supplied to each device or part of this unit system. Experimental SAEW samples were collected from a high-speed handpiece (HS-1), an ultrasonic scaler, and a cup filler of the prototype dental unit. Control samples were taken before and after the prescribed flushing from another high-speed handpiece (HS-2) that is directly supplied with tap water in the same dental unit. The samples were analyzed for free chlorine and heterotrophic bacteria for 7 years to assess the efficacy and effects of SAEW. The substances eluted in SAEW were examined to investigate the effect of SAEW on the water line. A questionnaire survey was conducted on patients on whom dental uints supplied with SAEW were used.

Results: SAEW always showed a higher free chlorine concentration than tap water during the observation period of 7 years. In HS-2 supplied with tap water, the free chlorine concentration increased significantly owing to the prescribed flushing. SAEW always showed a significantly smaller number of heterotrophic bacteria than tap water. No abnormal levels values of water line components eluted into SAEW were observed. There were few negative comments from patients on whom dental units supplied with SAEW were used.

Conclusions: SAEW continuously used for 7 years was effective for contamination control in the water line of dental units.

Objectives: We investigated the indicators affecting life expectancy at birth and life expectancy at age 65 by multiple regression analysis and principal component analysis, and examined the factors affecting the longevity.

Methods: We set indicators for health status, risk factors, access to care, quality of care and health care resources. Then, we conducted multiple regression analysis with life expectancy at birth and life expectancy at age 65 as the objective variables and 22 indicators as explanatory variables. Principal component analysis was also performed on the 22 indicators.

Results: Men's life expectancy at birth was positively affected by hospital admission ratio and national health insurance costs, and negatively by the rate of requirement of care certification and alcohol consumption. Men's life expectancy at age 65 was positively affected by income-to-medical expenses ratio and hospitalization treatment ratio, and negatively by requiring care certification rate, smoking rate and obesity rate. Women's life expectancy at birth was positively affected by population coverage and hospitalization treatment ratio, and negatively by women's heart disease mortality rate, requiring care certification rate and smoking rate. Women's life expectancy at age 65 was positively affected by late-stage elderly medical costs and the number of doctors, and negatively by requiring care certification rate and air pollution. Principal component 1 indicated "aging high-medical-resource society", principal component 2 indicated "high mortality from heart disease", and principal component 3 indicated the "degree of risk factor".

Conclusions: On the basis of the indicators found to affect life expectancy at birth and life expectancy at age 65, it is necessary to take measures to ensure a long life.

Immunity, which denotes the protection of multicellular organisms against various bacterial and viral infections, is an essential protective mechanism for living organisms. Allergy is a reaction to a foreign substance existing in the environment that is basically not a component of the self. Additionally, autoimmune diseases are associated with the dysfunction in the recognition of self and non-self, and are pathological conditions caused by immune cells attacking their own tissues and cells. In this paper, we outline the current status of immunity with respect to the environment from the epidemiological perspective with regard to the following: (1) evolution and immunity, (2) allergy, (3) autoantibodies, (4) autoimmune diseases, (5) relationships of immunity with the environment, allergy, autoantibodies, and autoimmune diseases, and (6) celiac disease.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the current status of stockpiling of oral care hygiene materials in case of a disaster and to determine methods to support stockpiling during disaster preparation.

Methods: We conducted an Internet questionnaire survey on stockpiling and disaster prevention measures among 300 adults. For statistical analysis, the χ² test, Mann-Whitney U-test and Spearman rank test were employed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to review factors related to stockpiling.

Results: Among the questions on stockpiling and disaster prevention (14 of 15 items), seven items on disaster prevention measures and two on disaster prevention experiences significantly differed. Analysis of disaster prevention knowledge revealed that disaster prevention measures and disaster experiences significantly differed in terms of the presence or absence of stockpiling, albeit a positive correlation was noted with stockpiling. Logistic regression analysis was conducted with stockpiling as a dependent variable. As a result, the items 'I am aware about the hazard map of the residential area', 'I am aware about the type of oral care hygiene materials prepared for emergency' and 'Devising the living environment such that large furnitures and cupboards do not collapse during disasters' were effective.

Conclusions: Stockpiling at home is considered necessary for self-sufficiency during a disaster on the basis of the experiences in disaster management, disaster prevention knowledge and disaster prevention measures. Hence, stockpiling is a strong measure against disaster prevention along with provision of appropriate knowledge about the necessity of oral care in daily life. Disaster prevention education that empowers a population to prepare itself by implementing disaster prevention measures, such as improving the home environment, is considered effective. In addition, considering that relying on stockpiling at an individual level is ineffective, it is necessary to create mechanisms and systems that jointly manage disaster situations according to local circumstances.

The term behavioral science was coined in 1946 by a research group at the University of Chicago led by Miller. It is defined as "science that systematically reveals the rules of human behavior". To elucidate human behavior, they proposed combining biological science and social science. In Japan, achievements in behavioral science research have accumulated and have been applied in health education and health policy. In this paper, we describe the current status and future approaches in social medicine through an overview of behavioral science research in Japan with regard to the following five points: 1) representative theories and techniques in health behavior, 2) differences in health awareness, 3) a new approach of behavioral science based on the dual process theory, behavioral economics, and zero-order prevention, 4) diversity in behavioral changes and 5) experimental research in behavioral science.

Asian dust is a phenomenon involving the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants originating from the desert areas of China and Mongolia. In recent years, the health effects of Asian dust have raised public concerns. Numerous studies on the health effects of Asian dust have been published since the last review in 2010. Thus, a literature review was conducted to shed light on the latest epidemiologic findings. PubMed and Science Direct databases were used for the review of epidemiologic studies published between June 2009 and April 2018. We identified 53 epidemiologic studies. Mortality, ambulance transportation, hospitalization/medical examination, changes in symptomatic, functional, and examination findings, as well as birth outcomes have been reported as outcomes. When the outcomes were categorized by disease, the effects of Asian dust on respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic diseases raised concerns. The common evidences of causation between Asian dust and these diseases were the consistency of findings and temporal sequence of association. As results of research on dose-response relationships have become available, and the possibility that the health effects of Asian dust may vary depending on its chemical composition has been pointed out, further research using the exposure level indicators of Asian dust or its chemical composition should be conducted. Furthermore, with focus on the crucial issue of reducing exposure, research related to prevention and raising awareness should be further promoted.

Objectives: In this multicity study, we aimed to elucidate the city-specific factors affecting the association of high ambient temperature with ambulance dispatches due to acute illnesses.

Methods: We used the data of ambulance dispatches in 27 cities in Japan with more than 500,000 population excluding Tokyo, from May to September from 2012 to 2015. We included patients 20 years and older (≥20 years) and stratified them into three age groups (20-59, 60-79, and ≥80 years). We explored the city-specific pattern of the daily relative temperature (in temperature percentiles) and the risk of ambulance dispatches for each age group using a distributed lag nonlinear model and estimated the city-specific relative risks of ambulance dispatches at the 95/99 percentile temperature compared with the 77.6 percentile temperature defined as the reference temperature (T_ref). Then, the estimates were combined by performing meta-analyses for each age group. We also applied meta-regression models to explore whether the city-specific characteristics modified the association of temperature with ambulance dispatches.

Results: The relative risks of the 95th percentile with respect to T_ref were 1.14 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12, 1.16), 1.16 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.20), 1.13 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.16), and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.16), for all-age (≥20) and age-stratified groups (20-59, 60-79, and ≥80 years), respectively. We observed a higher relative risk for the ≥20 years age group in the cities with higher proportions of single-elderly, single-mother, and single-father households. We also found that the relative risk for the 20-59 years age group was higher in the cities with a higher proportion of blue-collar workers.

Conclusions: The present study provides insights into city-specific characteristics modifying heat-related health effects.