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Byline: M. Iki (1), S. Kagamimori (2), Y. Kagawa (3), T. Matsuzaki (4), H. Yoneshima (5), F. Marumo (6) Keywords: Key words:Bone mineral density -- Diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis -- DXA -- Japanese women -- Population-based epidemiologic study -- Prevalence rate of osteoporosis Abstract: Low bone mineral density (BMD) is one of the most important elements for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and screening people with higher risk of fractures. To establish the criterion value of BMD for the diagnosis of osteoporosis and to estimate the prevalence rate of osteoporosis in Japanese women, we performed a Japanese population-based osteoporosis (JPOS) study. The subjects were 4550 women aged 15 through 79 years randomly selected from seven municipalities throughout Japan. The sample size was determined to ensure that the observed mean BMD would remain within 2.5% from the real value with a probability of 0.95 in each of the 5-year age groups. The study comprised bone mass measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the spine (L2--4), hip and distal forearm, body size measurements and detailed interviews on medical and gynecologic history. After excluding those subjects with apparent or suggested abnormalities affecting bone mass from 3985 women (87.6%) who completed the study, 3465 women remained and served as the subjects. We present 5-year age-specific mean values of BMD and cut-off values for the diagnosis of osteoporosis according to World Health Organization (WHO) and the Japanese Society of Bone and Mineral Research (JSBMR) criteria. The cut-off levels at the spine and the distal radius proposed in this study were similar to those proposed by the JSBMR but the cut-off level at the femoral neck in this study was 4.7% higher than that of the JSBMR. The prevalence rates of osteoporosis according to WHO criteria in the present subjects aged 50 through 79 years were calculated as 38.0% at the spine, 11.6% at the femoral neck and 56.8% at the distal one-third site of the radius, and those in the Japanese female population of the same age were estimated to be 35.1%, 9.4% and 51.2%, respectively. A fivefold difference was observed among the prevalence rates at different skeletal sites, which suggests that the different definitions of osteoporosis should be established for the different skeletal sites. The prevalence rate diagnosed at the femoral neck seemed to be lower in the present study than those reported for Caucasians. This might account for a lower incidence rate of hip fracture in Japanese women. Author Affiliation: (1) Department of Public Health, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Japan, JP (2) Department of Welfare Promotion and Epidemiology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan, JP (3) Kagawa Nutrition University, Tokyo, Japan, JP (4) Institute of Comprehensive Community Care, Tokyo, Japan, JP (5) Kasukabe Shuuwa Hospital, Kasukabe, Japan, JP (6) Department of Homeostasis Medicine and Nephrology, Graduate School of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo Japan, JP Article note: Received: 6 June 2000 / Accepted: 5 January 2001

Experiments to determine the oxidation-reduction potential to pH relationship of vital water in different foods and human fluids are discussed.

Examines the characteristics of bone turnover in children and adolescents. Biochemical markers of bone turnover in relation to age and puberty development; Measurement of serum bone specific alkaline phosphatase and Cross-laps; Use of the appearance of pubic hair as indicator of puberty development.

BACKGROUND: Short sleeping hours could cause obesity through increased sympathetic activity, elevated cortisol secretion and decreased glucose tolerance. The aim of this study was to clarify parental and lifestyle factors, particularly sleeping habits, associated with obesity in Japanese children. METHODS: Between June and July 1996, 8274 children (4194 males and 4080 females) aged 6-7 years living in Toyama prefecture, Japan, were investigated by questionnaire survey and the collection of anthropometric data. Subjects with a body mass index (BMI; weight in kg divided by square of height in m) greater than the age- and sex-specific cut-off points linked to adulthood overweight (BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more) were defined as obese subjects. Parental obesity was defined as a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or more. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the strength of the relationships between parental obesity or lifestyle factors and childhood obesity, adjusted for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: Parental obesity, long hours of TV watching and physical inactivity were significantly associated with childhood obesity. Although wake-up time was not related to obesity, there was a significant dose-response relationship between late bedtime or short sleeping hours and childhood obesity. Compared with children with 10 or more hours of sleep, the adjusted odds ratio was 1.49 (95% confidence interval 1.08-2.14) for those with 9-10 h sleep, 1.89 (1.34-2.73) for those with 8-9 h sleep and 2.87 (1.61-5.05) for those with <8 h sleep, after adjustment for age, sex, parental obesity and other lifestyle factors. CONCLUSION: A strong inverse association was observed in the relationship between sleeping hours and childhood obesity. Longitudinal research will be required to confirm this causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the promotion of anti-air pollution measures in steam power stations using crude oil, atmospheric concentrations of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and suspended particulates have declined. These changes in atmospheric concentrations were accompanied by a decline in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among schoolchildren living near the power stations. In analysing the correlation between air pollutant concentrations and the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, those with positive skin reactions to house dust extract (the positive group) showed a more significant correlation coefficient compared to those who had never had a positive skin reaction (the negative group). In addition, schoolchildren more heavily exposed to air pollutants showed the higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than the others. With regard to the kind of air pollutants, both sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide were more closely associated with the prevalence of respiratory symptoms than suspended particulates. This study has therefore demonstrated that the positive group is a useful population for monitoring the health effects associated with low-degree air pollution of gaseous agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameters of humoral and cellular immunity were investigated in patients with chronic cadmium (Cd) disease and compared to values in an age matched control group. In the patient group, there was a slight reduction in WBC although T and B lymphocyte ratios were normal. RBC counts were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). No significant differences in serum immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations were found. Blood Cd was significantly raised (P < 0.001) and urine Cd was elevated. In lymphocyte transformation tests, responses to Staphylococcus aureus, PHA and PPD were not impaired and no evidence of Cd hypersensitivity was found. Responses in PHA and ADCC cytotoxicity tests were normal and nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction was only slightly decreased in the patient group. β2-microglobulin (β2M) was significantly raised in serum (P<0.001) and urine (P < 0.001) of patients. Patient 3 day lymphocyte cultures produced significantly more β2M than cultures from the control group (P < 0.01). β2M was increased in lymphocyte cultures, from patient and control groups, containing PHA (P < 0.01), low Cd concentrations (P < 0.01) or PPD. The results indicate that chronic Cd disease is not associated with significant alterations in immunological parameters in vitro. The high β2M levels associated with this disease may not result entirely from kidney damage but may in part be due to an increase in the release of β2M from cells, induced by Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]