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Biomedical subjects

Reiko Kishi

Publications and source records attributed to Reiko Kishi.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Circulating cytokines during early pregnancy in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion: decreased TNF-alpha levels in abortion with normal chromosome karyotype.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess whether or not serum cytokine concentrations during early pregnancy are related to the subsequent outcomes in women with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum concentrations of five cytokines--tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-6, and IL-10--were measured by ELISA methods. Sera were collected from 73 RSA women at 6-7 weeks of gestation. Of the 73 pregnancies, 10 subsequently ended in abortion with normal fetal chromosome karyotype (AbNK), 12 ended in abortion with abnormal karyotype (AbAK), and the other 51 pregnancies ended in live birth (Lb). RESULTS: The serum TNF-alpha concentration in women with AbNK (mean 0 pg/ml) was lower than that in women with subsequent AbAK (0.06 pg/ml) (p < 0.05). The TNF-alpha positive percentage among women with AbNK (0%) was also lower than that among women with AbAK (50.0%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Decreased serum TNF-alpha concentration during early pregnancy might be associated with subsequent abortion in RSA women.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed2004

[Health status and socioeconomic factors related to home remedy practices among elderly subjects living in a community in Okinawa].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to clarify health status and socioeconomic characteristics of elderly persons who practice home remedies as complementary alternative medicine. Whether such usage is associated with health-related factors was also assessed. METHODS: The subjects are 243 independent elderly living at home in A-village of Okinawa prefecture, aged 65 years or older. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to all subjects in 2001. Included were questions on socioeconomic indicators, health status, IADL, health habits, social network, social support and home remedy practices. All data were statistically analyzed by Student's t test and the chi-square test. In addition logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios for current practitioners for each of the factors. RESULTS: The present study included 200 subjects who responded and completed all questions. (Table 2). The main results are as follows: The practitioner rate for home remedies was 50.8% in males and 71.9% in females, the difference being significant (P<0.05). Usage was found to be significantly related to hypertension (P<0.05), arthritis and rheumatic disease (P<0.01), some health habits and provision nursing of social support (OR = P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, and income revealed current practitioners of acupuncture to have a significantly higher level of history of hospital admission in the previous year (OR = 0.2 P<0.05), food control habits (OR = 4.3 P<0.05) and provision nursing of social support (OR = 4.2 P<0.05) than non-current practitioners. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that home remedy practices are associated with health-related habit and provision of social support for good quality of elderly life. The purpose is not only physical care but also health maintenance and promotion.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Visual dysfunction in workers exposed to a mixture of organic solvents.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the workers occupationally exposed to a mixture of organic solvents and their visual functions. Here the visual functions included color vision (CV), visual contrast sensitivity (CS) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Test subjects were 182 workers at 53 furniture factories in the same industrial area of Japan. As control, a group consisted of 96 workers without exposure to any organic solvent was also tested. Exposure assessments were made both by the environmental concentration and biological monitoring. CV and CS tests were carried out for all the subjects. VEP was measured for 21 exposed subjects who were considered to have impaired CV and CS. In the results, the color confusion index (CCI) values of the exposed subjects were significantly higher than that of the age-matched controls (P<0.01). Their CS values were significantly lower than those in the controls at spatial frequencies of 6 and 12 cycles per degree (cpd) (P<0.01 and <0.05, respectively). A significant correlation between the concentration of urinary methylhippuric acid and contrast sensitivity was found by a multiple regression analysis (P<0.05). CCI showed a negative correlation at all spatial frequencies of CS in a simple regression analysis, no abnormal data were found by the VEP test in the exposed subjects who were found to have impaired CV and CS. The results suppose that a low concentration of the mixed organic solvents might affect the retina and optic nerve. However, it needs to be further researched if such an impact affects the Brodmann's areas of visual cortex in the brain.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

[A review of epidemiological studies about the incidence and etiological factors of cryptorchidism--relevance to endocrine-disrupting chemicals].

Recently, it has been reported that the incidence of male genitourinary abnormalities (such as cryptorchidism) has been increasing because of the presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the environment. This report reviews the papers related to cryptorchidism beginning in the 1960s to clarify the trends in incidence of cryptorchidism and to discuss the association between cryptorchidism and risk factors, including EDCs. The incidence of cryptorchidism tended to increase in almost researched countries until the mid-1980s, but has shown regional differences since 1990. In Japan, the trend of the incidence of cryptorchidism is unclear because there is no monitoring system for cryptorchidism. It is necessary to establish both criteria and a monitoring system to research the incidence of cryptorchidism. The risk factors in epidemiological studies include low birth weight, being small for gestational age, a short gestation period, high maternal body weight, the change during pregnancy of maternal hormones (by exposure to diethylstilbestrol DES or estrogen), and exposure to chemicals. However, the associations between children with cryptorchidism and exposure to EDCs as well as between cryptorchidism and exposure to estrogen of the fetus are not clear because very few reports have quantitatively evaluated EDCs. It is known that some EDCs act as estrogen receptor agonists and change hormonal mobility as exogenous estrogen. It has also been suggested that hormonal drugs such as DES affect the maternal endocrine system in pregnancy and are associated with the incidence of cryptorchidism. In the future, epidemiological studies that clarify the association between cryptorchidism and EDCs such as daidzein and genistein and the quantitative evaluation of exposure factors using biological materials are necessary.

Cryptorchidism↗
PubMed2003

Interpersonal conflict, social support, and burnout among home care workers in Japan.

To examine associations between interpersonal relationships in work settings and burnout, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on home care workers in Sapporo, Japan, by using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and scales of interpersonal conflict and social support developed by the authors. Questionnaires were distributed among 303 subjects and returned by 243 subjects (80%). Complete answers were obtained from 106 subjects and were used for analysis. In multiple regression analyses, conflict with clients and their families significantly related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of the MBI (p<.05). Supervisory conflict significantly related to emotional exhaustion (p<.05), whereas coworker conflict significantly associated with depersonalization (p<.01). It is suggested that conflicts with clients' families, as well as clients, are important indicators for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization of home care workers.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Generalized skin reactions in relation to trichloroethylene exposure: a review from the viewpoint of drug-metabolizing enzymes.

The literature was reviewed to study cases of intoxication with systemic dermatitis associated with exposure to trichloroethylene. The average age of patients in the reports reviewed to date was twenty-nine; these diseases were found in relatively young persons and no difference was found according to gender. Many cases occurred within one month after the onset of exposure to trichloroethylene, and were accompanied by hepatitis, jaundice, hepatomegaly or hepatosplenomegaly. Most of the patients had no history of drug abuse or herpes infection. The level of exposure to trichloroethylene was not recorded in many cases, but ranged from less than 9 ppm to 800 ppm. In the severest cases, the lesions involved mucous membranes such as the conjunctiva and oral cavity, and the patients were diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, but the etiology of the disease after trichloroethylene exposure remains unclear. Since several drugs have also been shown to cause systemic dermatitis with hepatitis, susceptibility factors are discussed. Many patients were found to have the slow acetylator genotype of N-acetyltransferase (NAT) 2, suggesting that the NAT2 genotype is a susceptibility factor. This hypothesis may also be applicable to trichloroethylene because NAT is involved in the glutathione-mediated metabolism.

Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase↗
PubMed2003

[Factors associated with participation in medical checkups of the elderly at home comparison of 3 regions with different social backgrounds].

PURPOSE: Annual medical checkups are presumed to be important with the well-being of aged individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to participation in medical checkups of elderly persons at home. METHODS: A survey was performed targeting so-called young elderly persons living at home in 3 regions in Hokkaido Prefecture, a large city (Sapporo), an ex-coalmining town (Yubari) and a small farming town (Takasu). The study populations were asked about medical checkups, economic status, self-rated health status, activities of daily living (ADL) and basic characteristics such as age, sex and occupation. We used the Mantel-Haenszel method for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 1) Elderly males who received medical checkups within the last 1 year (participants) had a shorter period of education, were less likely to have or to have had the smoking habit, undertook more physical activity, had better eating habit, more often rated their own health as good or normal, and had a better physical ADL & instrumental ADL, than those who had never received medical checkups (non-participants). Regionally, the items that showed significant differences included: "live with the spouse", "do not smoke" and "do not have physical pain or disabilities" in Sapporo; "enjoy physical activity", "have good eating habit" and "have good instrumental ADL" in Yubari; and "engaged in agriculture/fishery work" and "had outpatient visits in the last three months" in Takasu. 2) Elderly female participants who had outpatient visits in the last three months had anxiety about their own health, significantly different from non-participants. Regionally, the items that showed significant differences included: "often drink alcohol" in Sapporo; "still working right now", "was engaged in agriculture/fishery work in the past" and "had outpatient visits in the last three months" in Yubari; and "have own house", "do not smoke" and "pay attention to eating habit" in Takasu. 3) The item which showed a significantly high rate both for male and female participants was "still working right now". CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that medical checkups should be recommended to the elderly, taking into account not only their basic characteristics such as sex and occupation, but also lifestyle, self-rated health status and ADL, which are associated with medical checkup participation.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2003

[Job characteristics and problems related to home care services for the elderly. A comparison among employment categories in Sapporo].

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to describe job characteristics for daytime and shift workers in home care services for the elderly and to clarify health care in the work setting, social support, and job satisfaction and possibilities. METHODS: A self-reported questionnaire was given to 433 home care workers, both full time and part time (more than 15 hours), at 35 institutions that provide home care services to residents of Sapporo (return rate; 80.2%). The following issues were investigated: job content (physical care, assistance with housework, and advice), specialty, job satisfaction, possibilities, job training, health care and social support. The results were compared among employed types: full-time and part-time daytime and shift workers using the t-test or the Fisher's test. RESULTS: The participants demonstrated high dissatisfaction with wages, physical uneasiness themselves and limited social support from their supervisors. Especially full-time workers were dissatisfied with the payment, whereas part-time workers complained about insufficient attention to the prevention of lumbago. It was found that part-time daytime workers were given insufficient on-job-training and education for prevention of infection, and that full-time shift workers greatly wished to leave the employment. However, the home care workers were satisfied with their job itself and expected to continue their work. Furthermore, half of the part-time workers hoped to work full time. CONCLUSIONS: Health management and educational training for part-time workers may be necessary to improve the quality of care services and protection of health. Promotion of full time employment and reconsideration of working condition might be necessary to provide sufficient home care services.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Exposure to asbestos and lung and pleural cancer mortality among pulp and paper industry workers.

We studied the mortality from lung and pleural cancers in a cohort of 62,937 male workers employed for at least 1 year in the pulp and paper industry in 13 countries during 1945 to 1996. Mill departments were classified according to probability and level of exposure to asbestos on the basis of available dust measurements and mill-specific information on exposure circumstances. Thirty-six percent of workers were classified as ever exposed to asbestos. Standardized mortality ratios of lung cancer were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90 to 1.08) among unexposed and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.11) among ever exposed workers. The number of pleural cancer deaths among unexposed workers was 10; that among exposed workers was 14, most of which occurred among maintenance workers. In internal analyses, a trend in mortality from either neoplasm was suggested for estimated cumulative exposure to asbestos, weighted for the individual probability of exposure within the department and for duration of exposure (relative risk for lung cancer for 0.78+ f/cc-years, as compared with < or = 0.01 f/cc-years: 1.44; 95% CI, 0.85 to 2.45; corresponding relative risk for pleural cancer: 2.43; 95% CI, 0.43 to 13.63). Despite a possible nondifferential misclassification of exposure and outcome, this study suggests that the carcinogenic effect of asbestos can be detected among workers employed in industries such as the pulp and paper industry, in which it is not considered to be a major hazard.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2002

Mortality from lung cancer in workers exposed to sulfur dioxide in the pulp and paper industry.

Our objective in this study was to evaluate the mortality of workers exposed to sulfur dioxide in the pulp and paper industry. The cohort included 57,613 workers employed for at least 1 year in the pulp and paper industry in 12 countries. We assessed exposure to SO(2) at the level of mill and department, using industrial hygiene measurement data and information from company questionnaires; 40,704 workers were classified as exposed to SO(2). We conducted a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) analysis based on age-specific and calendar period-specific national mortality rates. We also conducted a Poisson regression analysis to determine the dose-response relations between SO(2) exposure and cancer mortality risks and to explore the effect of potential confounding factors. The SMR analysis showed a moderate deficit of all causes of death [SMR = 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87-0.96] among exposed workers. Lung cancer mortality was marginally increased among exposed workers (SMR = 1.08; 95% CI, 0.98-1.18). After adjustment for occupational coexposures, the lung cancer risk was increased compared with unexposed workers (rate ratio = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.14-1.96). There was a suggestion of a positive relationship between weighted cumulative SO(2) exposure and lung cancer mortality (p-value of test for linear trend = 0.009 among all exposed workers; p = 0.3 among workers with high exposure). Neither duration of exposure nor time since first exposure was associated with lung cancer mortality. Mortality from non-Hodgkin lymphoma and from leukemia was increased among workers with high SO(2) exposure; a dose-response relationship with cumulative SO(2) exposure was suggested for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. For the other causes of death, there was no evidence of increased mortality associated with exposure to SO(2). Although residual confounding may have occurred, our results suggest that occupational exposure to SO(2) in the pulp and paper industry may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Cranial computed tomography associated with development of functional dependence in a community-based elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether changes at computed tomography (CT) imaging in the ageing brain are associated with future risks for functional dependence. SUBJECTS: 160 residents aged 69 years and older at the cranial CT and were independently living in a rural community in Hokkaido, Japan. METHODS: Cranial CT was performed between 1991 and 1993, graded for ventricular enlargement, sulcal enlargement, white matter change, and small infarction. Functional status was reassessed in 1998 in each participant. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association of CT changes in the ageing brain with development of functional dependence over six years. RESULTS: Functional dependence was found in 19 residents at the second survey. After adjusting for age, sex, medical conditions, and cognitive functioning, small infarction and ventricular enlargement were significantly associated with development of functional dependence (adjusted odds ratio = 9.27 and 4.62). CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for age, the age-related changes on cranial CT have significant association on development of functional dependence.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Work-related reproductive, musculoskeletal and mental disorders among working women--history, current issues and future research directions.

According to the recent changes of working environments and socio-economical conditions, the proportion of working women are increasing in Japan. Characteristics of occupational workload and stress of Japanese working women are consistent with those in many industrialized countries except man-dominant culture. In this review we describe the history, current issues, and future research directions on occupational health of working women, especially focused on reproductive health, work-related musculo-skeletal disorders (WMSDs), and mental disorders. In the reproductive health survey, traditionally main concern was about pregnancy outcomes, then fecundity studies, such as time to pregnancy, became topics recently. Future research will be shifted to outcomes not only during pregnancy but also disorders of hormonal balance and climacterium or health conditions after menopause. WMSDs are reviewed on mainly gender difference and its causative factors. Historically, mental health of working women in Japan has focused on the job stress of nurses. We compare results with a lot of recent researches in Europe and U.S.A., where interaction between occupational stress and family roles were studied. It is not easy to predict the prospective status of female workers in Japan, but social, workplace and familial supports will enhance their health promotion.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Maternal serum and amniotic fluid bisphenol A concentrations in the early second trimester.

To assess human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) over a 10-year period, BPA concentrations in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF) obtained at early second trimester were determined. ELISA was used to measure BPA in 200 MS/AF pairs in women carrying fetuses with normal karyotypes (Group I) and in 48 pairs with abnormal karyotypes (Group II). In Group I, BPA concentrations in AF (median: 0.26 ng/ml) were lower (P<0.01) than in MS (2.24 ng/ml). Over a 10-year period, yearly BPA concentrations in MS decreased from 5.62 to 0.99 ng/ml (P<0.001). Eight of the Group I AF samples had relatively high concentrations of BPA (2.80-5.62 ng/ml). In Group II, BPA concentrations in AF (0 ng/ml) were lower (P<0.01) than in MS (2.97 ng/ml). MS BPA concentrations in Group II were higher (P<0.01) than in Group I.

Adult↗