Motonobu Miyazaki

Adiponectin levels associated with the development of hypertension: a prospective study.

Adiponectin is a recently discovered protein that seems to be exclusively secreted by adipocytes and is the most abundant adipose tissue–derived protein. While some recent studies have demonstrated an association between adiponectin levels and hypertension, these studies were cross-sectional in design, and the results have been inconsistent. Therefore we performed a prospective study to elucidate the role of adiponectin in the development of hypertension. The results of this study showed that serum adiponectin levels were significantly lower in hypertensive subjects than in normotensive subjects. Moreover, in logistic regression analysis, the subjects in the lowest quartile had a 3.72-fold higher risk than those in the highest quartile. Even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, this association was found to be significant. Low serum adiponectin levels were found to be independently associated with a higher risk for the development of hypertension. Our results therefore suggest that hypoadiponectinemia is a novel predictor of hypertension.

Infectious waste management in Japan: A revised regulation and a management process in medical institutions

Abstract In Japan, the waste management practice is carried out in accordance with the Waste Disposal Law of 1970. The first rule of infectious waste management was regulated in 1992, and infectious wastes are defined as the waste materials generated in medical institutions as a result of medical care or research which contain pathogens that have the potential to transmit infectious diseases. Revised criteria for infectious waste management were promulgated by the Ministry of Environment in 2004. Infectious waste materials are divided into three categories: the form of waste; the place of waste generation; the kind of infectious diseases. A reduction of infectious waste is expected. We introduce a summary of the revised regulation of infectious waste management in this article.

Risk of Lung Cancer among Japanese Coal Miners on Hazard Risk and Interaction between Smoking and Coal Mining

Risk of Lung Cancer among Japanese Coal Miners on Hazard Risk and Interaction between Smoking and Coal Mining: Motonobu Miyazaki, et al. Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University—This article examines whether an association is found between lung cancer and coal mining and also whether a correlation is found between smoking and coal mining that relates to the risk of lung cancer in Japanese coal miners. A cohort study was performed in former coal mine areas. The survey was carried out between 1987 and 1989, and was extended in a follow‐up period to 1995. 5,818 Japanese males (1,796 coal miners and 4,022 non‐coal miners) aged from 40 to 69 yr responded to a mail questionnaire that included occupational history and smoking habits. The data were analysed with Coxs proportional hazards model. Significant differences in hazard ratios for lung cancer were recognized in coal miners with >15yr of work (Hazard ratio=2.08, 95% Cl: 1.01‐4.27) and current smokers with >20 cigarettes/day (Hazard ratio=5.41, 95% Cl: 1.26‐23.28). As regards the interaction of coal mining and smoking, the hazard ratios were 2.04 (95% Cl: 0.13‐32.83) for coal miners who had never smoked, 4.71 (95% Cl: 0.62‐35.56) for non‐coal miners who were ex‐smokers or current smokers, and 6.88 (95% Cl: 0.92‐51.65) for coal miners who were ex‐smokers or current smokers compared with non‐coal miners who had never smoked. The interaction of coal mining and smoking for the risk of lung cancer was likely to be additive rather than synergistic.

Epidemiological characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus type-2 infection in Africa

There are things yet to be clarified about African HIV-2 infection, compared to HIV-1 infection. However, the epidemiological characteristics have gradually been elucidated through various studies. HIV-2 infection is believed to have existed in the 1960s in Africa and is presently epidemic in West Africa. The HIV-2 seropositive rate for the general population is higher in urban regions than in rural areas. The peak age of persons infected with the HIV-2 tends to be higher than that of persons infected with the HIV-1, but no sex difference was recognized between the HIV-2 and HIV-1 seropositive rates. Sexual contact, mother-to-child transmission and blood transfusion have been confirmed as HIV-2 transmission modes. Prostitutes and patients with other STD are recognized as being high-risk groups for the HIV-2 infection. Patients who are infected with both HIV-1 and HIV-2 have also been identified, but it is suggested that the pathogenicity of HIV-2 is lower than that of HIV-1.

Does Elevated High-Sensitivity Serum C-Reactive Protein Associate with Hypertension in Non-Obese Japanese Males?

The object of this study is to assess whether elevated hsCRP levels are independently related to hypertension in non-obese Japanese males. This cross-sectional study comprised 86 hypertensive and 109 normotensive subjects. We defined hypertension as a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg and/or taking antihypertensive therapy. Log-hsCRP levels were significantly higher in hypertensive than normotensive subjects. In logistic regression analysis, subjects in the highest tertile had a two-fold higher risk than those in the lowest tertile. The association between hypertension and hsCRP levels was marginally significant. In addition, there was a significant tendency for hypertension to increase with an increase in CRP level (p < .05). These findings suggest that elevated hsCRP level is an independent risk factor for hypertension in non-obese Japanese males.

Prevalences of and risk factors for sexually transmitted diseases among Japanese female commercial sex workers in middle- and high-class soaplands in Japan.

A cross-sectional study among Japanese female commercial sex workers (CSWs) working in soaplands (massage parlours with baths) was conducted between July 1999 and June 2000. The study subjects included 135 CSWs aged from 20 to 36 years. A questionnaire included sexual characteristics in addition to real name, working name, and date of birth. We serologically or bacteriologically confirmed prevalences of HIV-1, HIV-2, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, syphilis, and trichomonads. Anti-HCV positive was 0.7%. Although anti-HBs positive was 15.6% no HBsAg was confirmed. Seroprevalence of C. trachomatis was 8.9% and of syphilis was 4.4%. The other STDs studied were not detected. A statistically significant difference was observed between middle-class CSWs and high-class ones about condom use (P < 0.01). Prevalences of STDs among Japanese female CSWs working in middle- and high-class soaplands were evidently lower than those reported previously.

Epidemiological characteristics on human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in Japan.

The first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Japan was diagnosed in a homosexual male in 1985. The Ministry of Health and Welfare formed the AIDS Surveillance Committee, which publishes HIV seropositive and AIDS data at 2–month intervals. Excluding persons infected through blood products there were 971 HIV seropositives by April 1993, and 204 reported cases of AIDS. One of the epidemiological characteristics of HIV infection and AIDS in Japan is the rapid increase of cases of transmissioin through heterosexual contact since 1991. Before this, homosexual transmission was the commonest reported mode of transmission. Sporadic cases of mother-to-child transmission and some cases due to injecting drug use were also reported. It is predicted that heterosexual contact will be the primary mode of transmission of HIV in the future. Virtually all the diagnosed AIDS cases so far have been reported to this surveillance network, and it will be an important task of the network to monitor the HIV seropositive cases.

An outbreak of measles in Saitama City in 2007. What is the vaccination strategy to eliminate measles in Japan

In the present study, to elucidate an outbreak of measles in Saitama City, Japan, we analyzed the data for all notified subjects with measles. According to an active surveillance program, a total of 464 subjects were notified in 2007. The clinical criteria for the diagnosis of measles were defined as at least 3 days of a generalized maculopapular rash; a fever of 38.0°C or more; and cough, mucus, or pharyngitis. Two peaks according to age group were recognized: namely, children less than 2 years of age and adolescents from 15 to 19 years of age. The latter peak was associated with the period of time when the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine had become a social problem (40.9% of vaccinees and 41.6% of non-vaccinees in this group). Japan is said to be a developing country regarding its measles vaccination strategy. In addition, no national program against measles has yet been established. Continuous efforts to increase immunization coverage are needed to interrupt indigenous measles transmission. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare should therefore plan and implement a nationwide program to eliminate measles in Japan.

The First Report of Vibrio parahaemolyticus Strain O10:K60 in Japan, a New Combination of O and K Serotypes Isolated from a Patient with Gastroenteritis

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is an important pathogen that causes gastroenteritis in humans, generally associated with the consumption of contaminated seafood, particularly raw shellfish. There are many serotypes in V. parahaemolyticus resulting from a combination of O and K antigens. Among them, O3:K6 and their variants, which represent the pandemic clone, are the most widespread strains worldwide. In this study, we examined V. parahaemolyticus isolated from a gastroenteritis patients stool at a hospital in Saitama City, Japan in 2013. Serotyping of the O and K antigens identified the strain as O10:K60. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a V. parahaemolyticus strain with this antigen combination in Japan. Subsequently, we used PCR to assay for pathogenicity-associated genes, and found that it was positive for tdh, T3SS1, and T3SS2α genes. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that the strain was susceptible to all selected antibiotics except ampicillin. Moreover, we detected specific marker genes for the pandemic clone with two kinds of PCR assay. Our results suggest that the isolate O10:K60 is a newly emerging serotype that belongs to the pandemic clone.

Measurement of high-molecular-weight adiponectin is not useful in assessing coronary stenosis.

Abstract Background: In many studies, high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin has been considered the active form of adiponectin. However, whether HMW adiponectin is a good surrogate marker for coronary artery disease still needs to be elucidated. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study to examine the relationship between total, HMW or non-HMW adiponectin concentrations and coronary stenosis in 83 male patients and 138 male controls. Results: Patients with coronary stenosis had significantly lower total adiponectin concentrations compared with controls. Non-HMW adiponectin concentrations in cases were significantly lower than the controls. However, there were no significant differences between cases and controls in HMW adiponectin concentrations. From the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for total and non-HMW adiponectin was significantly larger than that for HMW adiponectin concentrations. Of the three models, that for non-HMW adiponectin showed the largest AUC (total adiponectin 0.74, HMW adiponectin 0.54, and non-HMW adiponectin 0.79). Conclusions: Despite associations between total adiponectin levels and coronary stenosis, our data go against any apparent association between HMW adiponectin concentrations and coronary stenosis.