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Recent analysis of all solid cancer incidence (1958–2009) in the Life Span Study (LSS) revealed evidence of upward curvature in the radiation dose response among males but not females. Upward curvature in sex-averaged excess relative risk (ERR) for all solid cancer mortality (1950–2003) was also observed in the 0–2 Gy dose range. As reasons for non-linearity in the LSS are not completely understood, we conducted dose-response analyses for all solid cancer mortality and incidence applying similar methods [1958–2009 follow-up, DS02R1 doses, including subjects not-in-city (NIC) at the time of the bombing] and statistical models. Incident cancers were ascertained from Hiroshima and Nagasaki cancer registries, while cause of death was ascertained from death certificates throughout Japan. The study included 105,444 LSS subjects who were alive and not known to have cancer before January 1, 1958 (80,205 with dose estimates and 25,239 NIC subjects). Between 1958 and 2009, there were 3.1 million person-years (PY) and 22,538 solid cancers for incidence analysis and 3.8 million PY and 15,419 solid cancer deaths for mortality analysis. We fitted sex-specific ERR models adjusted for smoking to both types of data. Over the entire range of doses, solid cancer mortality dose-response exhibited a borderline significant upward curvature among males (P = 0.062) and significant upward curvature among females (P = 0.010); for solid cancer incidence, as before, we found a significant upward curvature among males (P = 0.001) but not among females (P = 0.624). The sex difference in magnitude of dose-response curvature was statistically significant for cancer incidence (P = 0.017) but not for cancer mortality (P = 0.781). The results of analyses in the 0–2 Gy range and restricted lower dose ranges generally supported inferences made about the sex-specific dose-response shape over the entire range of doses for each outcome. Patterns of sex-specific curvature by calendar period (1958–1987 vs. 1988–2009) and age at exposure (0–19 vs. 20–83) varied between mortality and incidence data, particularly among females, although for each outcome there was an indication of curvature among 0–19-year-old male survivors in both calendar periods and among 0–19-year-old female survivors in the recent period. Collectively, our findings indicate that the upward curvature in all solid cancer dose response in the LSS is neither specific to males nor to incidence data; its evidence appears to depend on the composition of sites comprising all solid cancer group and age at exposure or time. Further follow up and site-specific analyses of cancer mortality and incidence will be important to confirm the emerging trend in dose-response curvature among young survivors and unveil the contributing factors and sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To describe the status and results of thyroid disease screening and assessment of reliability of radiation thyroid doses in the Belarusian in utero cohort of 2,965 individuals exposed to Chernobyl (Chornobyl) fallout. Materials and methods. Thyroid screening examinations are currently underway including thyroid palpation by an endocrinologist, ultrasonographic examination by an ultrasonographer and analysis of blood samples for diagnosis of hypo& and hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, thyroid function tests (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], thyroxine [T4], thyroid peroxidase antibody [anti-TPO], and thyroglobulin antibodies [anti-TG]). Reliability of (i) information from 780 pairs of questionnaires obtained during the first and second interviews of the mothers and (ii) thyroid doses, which were calculated for the cohort members using this information, is evaluated. Results. As of 15 August 2021, 1,267 in utero exposed study subjects had been screened. A single thyroid nodule was diagnosed in 167 persons (13.2 % of the total) and multiple thyroid nodules in 101 persons (8.0 %): 189 (14.9 %) persons had nodules detected for the first time at the screening while 79 (6.2 %) persons had nodules detected previously (pre-screening nodules). Fifty-nine out of 268 subjects (22.0 %) with a suspicious thyroid nodule were referred to fine needle aspiration biopsy, and among them 33 (55.9 %) were biopsied. Reasonable agreement was observed for model-based doses calculated for the Belarusian in utero cohort members using data from the two interviews (Spearman’s rank-correlation coefficient rs = 0.74, p < 0.001), while measurement-based doses yielded almost perfect agreement (rs = 0.99, p < 0.001). Conclusions. During the thyroid screening, at least one thyroid nodule was identified in 268 of 1,267 (21.2 %) in utero exposed cohort members. Seven thyroid cancer cases were identified in the cohort, including 5 pre-screening cases and 2 cases detected during the screening. Ongoing research on this unique cohort will provide important information on adverse health effects following prenatal and postnatal exposure to radioiodine and radiocesium isotopes, for which available epidemiological data are scant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological analyses of 183 specimens of Japanese common carp Cyprinus carpio (171 from Lake Biwa and 12 from nursery ponds) using genetic hybrid indices demonstrated that the typical native Japanese strain of C. carpio has a more elongate body, more branched dorsal-fin rays, fewer and shorter gill rakers, more developed pneumatic bulb, more coiled pneumatic duct, longer posterior swimbladder and shorter intestine than the typical introduced C. carpio. These results provide a basis for a better understanding of the ecological characteristics and taxonomic status of the endangered Japanese strain of C. carpio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extremely high levels of column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of atmospheric methane (XCH4) were detected in August and September 2013 over Northeast Asia (~20 ppb above the averaged summertime XCH4 over 2009-2012, after removing a long-term trend), as being retrieved from the Short-Wavelength InfraRed (SWIR) spectral data observed with the Thermal And Near-infrared Sensor for carbon Observation- Fourier Transform Spectrometer (TANSO-FTS) onboard Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). Similar enhancements of XCH4 were also observed by the groundbased measurements at two Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) sites in Japan. The analysis of surface CH4 concentrations observed at three monitoring sites around the Japan islands suggest that the extreme increase of XCH4 has occurred in a limited area. The model analysis was conducted to investigate this anomalously high XCH4 event, using an atmospheric transport model. The results indicate that the extreme increase of XCH4 is attributed to the anomalous atmospheric pressure pattern over East Asia during the summer of 2013, which effectively transported the CH4-rich air to Japan from the strong CH4 source areas in East China. The two Japanese TCCON sites, ~ 1000 km east-west apart each other, coincidentally located along the substantially CH4-rich air flow from East China. The GOSAT orbiting with three-day recurrence successfully observed the synoptic-scale XCH4 enhancement in the comparable accuracy to the TCCON data. This analysis demonstrates the capability of GOSAT to monitor an XCH4 event on a synoptic scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:A strong, consistent association between childhood irradiation and subsequent thyroid cancer provides an excellent model for studying radiation carcinogenesis.Methods:We evaluated gene expression in 63 paired RNA specimens from frozen normal and tumour thyroid tissues with individual iodine-131 (I-131) doses (0.008-8.6 Gy, no unirradiated controls) received from Chernobyl fallout during childhood (Ukrainian-American cohort). Approximately half of these randomly selected samples (32 tumour/normal tissue RNA specimens) were hybridised on 64 whole-genome microarrays (Agilent, 4 × 44 K). Associations between I-131 dose and gene expression were assessed separately in normal and tumour tissues using Kruskal−Wallis and linear trend tests. Of 155 genes significantly associated with I-131 after Bonferroni correction and with 2-fold increase per dose category, we selected 95 genes. On the remaining 31 RNA samples these genes were used for validation purposes using qRT−PCR.Results:Expression of eight genes (ABCC3, C1orf9, C6orf62, FGFR1OP2, HEY2, NDOR1, STAT3, and UCP3) in normal tissue and six genes (ANKRD46, CD47, HNRNPH1, NDOR1, SCEL, and SERPINA1) in tumour tissue was significantly associated with I-131. PANTHER/DAVID pathway analyses demonstrated significant over-representation of genes coding for nucleic acid binding in normal and tumour tissues, and for p53, EGF, and FGF signalling pathways in tumour tissue.Conclusion:The multistep process of radiation carcinogenesis begins in histologically normal thyroid tissue and may involve dose-dependent gene expression changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: : Radiation exposure is an established cause of clinical thyroid cancer, but little is known about radiation effects on papillary microcarcinoma (PMC) of the thyroid, a relatively common subclinical thyroid malignancy. Because the incidence of these small thyroid cancers has been increasing, it is important to better understand them and their relation to radiation.Methods: : PMCs were identified in a subset of 7659 members of the Life Span Study of atomic bomb survivors who had archived autopsy or surgical materials. We conducted a pathology review of these specimens and evaluated the histological features of the tumors and the association between PMCs and thyroid radiation dose.Results: : From 1958 to 1995, 458 PMCs were detected among 313 study subjects. The majority of cancers exhibited pathologic features of papillary thyroid cancers. Overall, 81% of the PMCs were of the sclerosing variant and 91% were nonencapsulated, psammoma bodies that occurred in 13% and calcification was observed in 23%. Over 95% had papillary or papillary-follicular architecture and most displayed nuclear overlap, clear nuclei, and nuclear grooves. Several of these features increased with increasing tumor size, but no association was found with radiation dose. A significant radiation-dose response was found for the prevalence of PMCs (estimated excess odds ratio/Gy = 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-1.55), with the excess risk observed primarily among women.Conclusions: : Exposure to low-to-moderate doses of ionizing radiation appears to increase the risk of thyroid PMCs, even when exposure occurs during adulthood. Cancer 2010. (c) 2010 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primers were developed for single-tube genotyping of four genera, Cyprinus, Carassius, Gnathopogon, and Ischikauia. Most of the six species in Lake Biwa belonging to these four genera (one is a native Japanese common carp) are endangered, and two of the six are important fisheries resources. However, many aspects of their reproductive ecology are unclear, because these species spawn similar looking eggs on similar substrates during the same time of year. The molecular method developed here enabled efficient and cost-effective genus-level identification of such eggs, providing a breakthrough for developing effective conservation strategies for these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological and behavioural traits of a feral strain of the common carp Cyprinus carpio from Lake Biwa in Japan were compared with those of two domesticated strains reared in Japan (one commercial strain and one ornamental koi). To compare genetically inherited traits, all fish were reared from eggs under similar environmental conditions. Using these fish, the following five traits were compared among the three strains: body shape, consumption rate of two types of free-swimming shrimp, medaka Oryzias latipes and bottom-dwelling chironomid larvae prey items, preference for a bottom habitat, feeding skills in detecting prey and escape response to predator attack. The feral strain of fish had more streamlined bodies, higher consumption rates for free-swimming prey, a greater preference for a bottom habitat, possessed greater skill in detecting prey and were more cautious of predator attacks, compared with the fish of the two domesticated strains. These characteristics shown by the feral fish are probably adaptive to the natural environment. A genetic analysis based on five nuclear single nucleotide polymorphism markers, however, suggested that the feral strain was relatively recently derived from domesticated stocks. Considering this, the present results appear to indicate the possibility that domesticated C. carpio could re-adapt to the wild environment during a short evolutionary period, although further research using more feral strains is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild common carp ( Cyprinus carpio) are probably suffering from biological invasions of conspecific domesticated strains. However, such invasions may be largely camouflaged by morphological similarities between introduced and native strains. We conducted a large survey of mitochondrial DNA sequences (complete D-loop region) from 11 localities in Japan. From a total of 166 individuals, 28 haplotypes were determined to fit into six divergent clades. One of the six clades included 19 closely related haplotypes with moderate nucleotide differences; however, the remaining five clades each included either a single haplotype or two almost identical haplotypes. Phylogenetic analysis together with the previously published Eurasian haplotypes further demonstrated that the ‘monotypic’ clades were sisters to various Eurasian lineages, whereas the 19 related haplotypes formed a monophyletic group apart from the whole Eurasian clade. Given their monophyly and genetic diversity, the 19 related haplotypes were thought to originate from the Japanese native strain. Conversely, their phylogenetic affinities to Eurasian lineages and unnaturally low genetic diversities caused the haplotypes of the five monotypic clades to be considered as domesticated strains introduced from Eurasia. These hypotheses were supported by further evidences; i.e. the probable non-native haplotypes were frequently found from Japanese domesticated strains, and the probable native population structure was rescued when the probable non-native haplotypes were excluded from the analyses. This study revealed that almost half or more of the haplotypes in all of the locations studied originated from domesticated strains introduced from Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inconsistent epidemiologic findings on cigarette smoking and female breast cancer risk may reflect insufficient assessment of smoking onset and amount relative to reproductive events. To determine the risk of breast cancer associated with smoking during different periods of reproductive life, the authors evaluated 906 incident breast cancer cases in a nationwide cohort of 56,042 female US radiologic technologists (1983-1998) who responded to two questionnaire surveys. After they accounted for age, birth cohort, and established breast cancer risk factors, smoking-related breast cancer risks differed by smoking during three reproductive time periods (p = 0.003), with a statistically significant 3% increase per pack-year of smoking between menarche and first childbirth (relative risk = 1.03, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.05) and no significant association for smoking after first childbirth. Risk also increased with younger age at smoking initiation (p-trend = 0.06), after adjustment for pack-years of smoking before and after first childbirth, indicating an independent effect of age at smoking initiation. The findings from this study suggest that sensitivity of the female breast to tobacco carcinogens is increased during adolescence and early adulthood but decreases after first childbirth, when most breast tissue has terminally differentiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited data on risks of haematopoietic malignancies associated with protracted low-to-moderate dose radiation. Aims: To contribute the first incidence risk estimates for haematopoietic malignancies in relation to work history, procedures, practices, and protective measures in a large population of mostly female medical radiation workers. Methods: The investigators followed up 71 894 (77.9% female) US radiologic technologists, first certified during 1926-80, from completion of a baseline questionnaire (1983-89) to return of a second questionnaire (1994-98), diagnosis of a first cancer, death, or 31 August 1998 (731 306 person-years), whichever occurred first. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compute risks. Results: Relative risks (RR) for leukaemias other than chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (non-CLL, 41 cases) were increased among technologists working five or more years before 1950 (RR = 6.6, 95% CI 1.0 to 41 .9, based on seven cases) or holding patients 50 or more times for x ray examination (RR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.4). Risks of non-CLL leukaemias were not significantly related to the number of years subjects worked in more recent periods, the year or age first worked, the total years worked, specific procedures or equipment used, or personal radiotherapy. Working as a radiologic technologist was not significantly linked with risk of multiple myeloma (28 cases), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (118 cases), Hodgkin's lymphoma (31 cases), or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (23 cases). Conclusion: Similar to results for single acute dose and fractionated high dose radiation exposures, there was increased risk for non-CLL leukaemias decades after initial protracted radiation exposure that likely cumulated to low-to-moderate doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MtDNA sequence data( c. 2100 bp of complete D-loop + cytochromebgene regions) showed a principal phylogenetic split within common carpCyprinus carpiobetween the Lake Biwa wild form( n = 3) and‘Eurasian’ wild( n = 18) and domesticated( n = 35) forms. This supports the idea of the ancient origin of the Lake Biwa wild form, as well as the East Asian origin of wild common carp, previously proposed on the basis of fossil data. In addition, a possible multiple origin of koi carp was indicated by the polyphyletic distribution of five mtDNA haplotypes of koi carp within the‘Eurasian’ clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of tactile sensor using pressure-conductive rubber with stitched electrical wires is presented. The sensor is thin and flexible and can cover three-dimensional objects. Since the sensor adopts a single-layer composite structure, the sensor is durable with respect to external force. In order to verify the effectiveness of this tactile sensor, we performed an experiment in which a four-fingered robot hand equipped with tactile sensors grasped sphere and column. The sensor structure, electrical circuit, and characteristics are described. The sensor control system and experimental results are also described. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: Laboratory and animal studies have shown a protective effect of green tea on cancer of different sites, but epidemiological evidence is limited and inconclusive. This prospective study in Japan examined the association between green tea consumption and cancer incidence.Methods: Subjects were 38,540 people (14,873 men, mean age 52.8 years; 23,667 women, mean age 56.8 years) who responded to a mail survey carried out between 1979 and 1981. A self-administered questionnaire ascertained consumption frequency of green tea using precoded answers (never, once per day, twice to four times per day, and five or more times per day). Follow-up continued until 31 December 1994. The study analyzed solid cancers (n = 3881); hematopoietic cancers (188); cancers of all sites combined (4069); and cancer of specific sites with more than 100 cases, i.e. stomach (901), colon (432), rectum (193), liver (418), gallbladder (122), pancreas (122), lung (436), breast (281), and bladder (122). Poisson regression was used to allow for city, gender, age, radiation exposure, smoking status, alcohol drinking, body-mass index, education level, and calendar time.Results: Green tea consumption was virtually unrelated to incidence of cancers under study. The relative risks of all cancers for those consuming green tea twice to four times per day and five or more times per day were 1.0 (95% confidence interval 0.91-1.1) and 0.98 (0.88-1.1), respectively, as compared with those consuming green tea once per day or less.Conclusion: Our findings do not provide evidence that regular green tea consumption is related to reduced cancer risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relation between anthropometric factors and thyroid cancer risk in a pooled analysis of individual data from 12 case-control studies conducted in the US, Japan, China and Europe.Methods: 2056 female and 417 male cases, 3358 female and 965 male controls were considered. Odds ratios (OR) were derived from logistic regression, conditioning on age, A-bomb exposure (Japan) and study, and adjusting for radiotherapy.Results: Compared to the lowest tertile of height, the pooled OR was 1.2 for females for the highest one, and 1.5 for males, and trends in risk were significant. With reference to weight at diagnosis, the OR for females was 1.2 for the highest tertile, and the trend in risk was significant, whereas no association was observed in males. Body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis was directly related to thyroid cancer risk in females (OR = 1.2 for the highest tertile), but not in males. No consistent pattern of risk emerged with BMI during the late teens. Most of the associations were observed both for papillary and follicular cancers, and in all age groups. However, significant heterogeneity was observed across studies.Conclusions: Height and weight at diagnosis are moderately related to thyroid cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The relations between oral contraceptives (OC), hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopause, and other female hormone use and thyroid cancer risk was analyzed using the original data from 13 studies from North America, Asia and Europe.Methods: Based on 2,132 cases and 3,301 controls, odds ratios (OR) and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were obtained by conditional regression models, conditioning on study and age at diagnosis, and adjusting for age, radiation exposure and parity.Results: Overall, 808 (38%) cases versus 1,290 (39%) controls had ever used OCs, corresponding to an OR of 1.2 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.4). There was no relation with duration of use, age at first use, or use before first birth. The OR was significantly increased for current OC users (OR = 1.5, 95% 1.0 to 2.1), but declined with increasing time since stopping (OR = 1.1 for > 10 years since stopping). The association was stronger for papillary cancers (OR = 1.6 for current users) than for other histologic types. No significant heterogeneity was observed across studies or geographic areas. Eight studies had data on HRT, for a total of 1,305 cases and 2,300 controls: 110 (8%) cases and 205 (9%) controls reported ever using HRT (OR = 0.8; 95% CI 0.6 to 1.1). The ORs were 1.6 (95% to 0.9 to 2.9) for use of fertility drugs, and 1.5 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.1) for lactation suppression treatment.Conclusions: The studies considered in these analyses include most of the epidemiological data on the role of exogenous hormone use in the etiology of thyroid cancer, and they provide reassuring evidence on the absence of an association of practical relevance. The moderate excess risk in current OC users, if not due to increased surveillance for thyroid masses among OC users, is similar to that described for breast cancer, and would imply a role of female hormones on thyroid cancer promotion. There was no indication of increased thyroid cancer risk 10 or more years after discontinuing OC use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between soya foods and breast cancer risk was investigated in a prospective study of 34 759 women in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Women completed dietary questionnaires in 1969-1970 and/or in 1979-1981 and were followed for incident breast cancer until 1993. The analysis involved 427 cases of primary breast cancer in 488 989 person-years of observation. The risk for breast cancer was not significantly associated with consumption of soya foods: for tofu, relative risks adjusted for attained age, calendar period, city, age at time of bombings and radiation dose to the breast were 0.99 (95% CI 0.80-1.24) for consumption two to four times per week and 1.07 (0.78-1.47) for consumption five or more times per week, relative to consumption once a week or less; for miso soup, relative risks were 1.03 (0.81-1.31) for consumption two to four times per week and 0.87 (0.68-1.12) for consumption five or more times per week, relative to consumption once a week or less. These results were not materially altered by further adjustments for reproductive variables and were similar in women diagnosed before age 50 and at ages 50 and above. Among 17 other foods and drinks examined only dried fish (decrease in relative risk with increasing consumption) and pickled vegetables (higher relative risk with higher consumption) were significantly related to breast cancer risk; these associations were not prior hypotheses and, because of the large number of comparisons made, they may be due to chance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]