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COVID-19 has led to an increased use of online consultations in occupational health. We examined experience, satisfaction, and difficulties with online consultations during the first year after the COVID-19 pandemic by surveying a sample of workers.An online survey was conducted in March 2021 among full-time employees of an online panel survey (E-COCO-J: The Employee Cohort Study on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan). Respondents were asked to report whether they had online or face-to-face consultations with occupational health professionals in the past year, their level of satisfaction, and their difficulties and problems related to the online consultations.Of the 1,153 respondents, 1,102 (excluding those who were unemployed or on leave) were included in the analysis. Fifty respondents had had online consultations in the past year and 57 had face-to-face consultations. The proportion of respondents who reported satisfaction with online consultations was high (more than 70%) for general health, follow-ups, and guidance consultations, among others. However, the proportion of satisfaction with online occupational consultations was low (less than 40%) for employees who worked long hours, or took leave or returned to work. Over 30% of the respondents indicated that the difficulties with online consultations were due to incongruence with their expectations ("I preferred a face-to-face consultation instead of an online one"), quality of communication ("I did not feel like I was able to consult sufficiently"), and concerns about confidentiality ("I was worried that someone could hear our conversation").The experience of online consultations was similar to that of face-to-face consultations. Satisfaction with online occupational consultations for those who worked long hours and those who took leave or returned to work was low. In the online consultation for occupational health, the occupational health professional may be required to judge its suitability depending on type of the consultation and take necessary consideration and measures to maintain the quality of the online consultation.

We discuss the modeling of temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) data, time series data appearing in sensory analysis, that describe temporal changes of the dominant taste in the oral cavity. Our aims were to obtain the transition process of attributes (tastes and mouthfeels) in the oral cavity, to express the tendency of dominance durations of attributes, and to specify factors (such as sex, age, food preference, dietary habits, and sensitivity to a particular taste) affecting dominance durations, simultaneously. To achieve these aims, we propose an analysis procedure applying models based on the semi-Markov chain and the negative binomial regression, one of the generalized linear models. By using our method, we can take differences among individual panelists and dominant attributes into account. We analyzed TDS data for milk chocolate with the proposed method and verified the performance of our model compared with conventional analysis methods. We found that our proposed model outperformed conventional ones; moreover, we identified factors that have effects on dominance durations. Results of an experiment support the importance of reflecting characteristics of panelists and attributes.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-021-05260-9.

This prospective study aimed to examine the association of psychosocial working conditions with adverse reactions after receiving COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of employees in Japan.The data were retrieved from an online panel of full-time employees (E-COCO-J). The analysis included participants who were employed and were not vaccinated at baseline (June 2021) but received vaccination at a 4-month follow-up (October 2021). An 11-item scale measured the adverse reactions. Four types of psychosocial working conditions (i.e., job demands, job control, and supervisor and coworker support) were measured using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the psychosocial working conditions and adverse reactions of COVID-19 vaccines, adjusting for socioeconomic variables, chronic disease, the number of vaccination, type of vaccine, anxiety for adverse reactions, fear and worry about COVID-19, and psychological distress at baseline.Overall, 747 employees were included in the analysis. The average number of adverse reactions was 3.8 (standard deviation = 2.2): Arm pain (81.1%), fatigues (64.1%), muscle pains (63.3%), and fever (37.5°C+) (53.5%) were reported more frequently. Coworker support score was significantly and negatively associated with the numbers of adverse reactions (standardized β = -0.100, P = .023). Women, young age, second-time vaccination, Moderna, and high psychological distress were significantly associated with adverse reactions.Employees with low coworker support may be more likely to have adverse reactions after vaccinations. The findings of this study could support that increasing workplace support may reduce adverse reactions.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has spread throughout the world. Poor mental health has been reported among healthcare professionals responding to COVID-19. However, no study has examined the impact of COVID-19-related workplace bullying or patient aggression on the mental health of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study examined the prevalence of COVID-19-related workplace bullying and patient aggression and its association with psychological distress among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from May 22 to 26, 2020, inviting participants (n = 1,421) from an online survey of full-time employees. We limited the sample to healthcare professionals for further analyses. Using an online self-report questionnaire, workplace bullying and patient aggression related to COVID-19 was measured using nine items with dichotomous response options. Psychological distress was measured using the Japanese version of Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Among 1,032 participants (72.6%) who completed the survey, 111 healthcare professionals were identified. Among them, 19 participants (17.1%) had experienced any COVID-19-related workplace bullying or patient aggression: 11 participants (9.9%) had experienced any workplace bullying and 12 participants (10.8%) had experienced any patient aggression. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that any bullying or patient aggression related to COVID-19 significantly correlated with psychological distress. It was suggested that a non-negligible proportion of participants experienced workplace bullying or patient aggression related to COVID-19. Preventing and reducing workplace bullying and patient aggression may be effective in improving mental health of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak.

ObjectivesThis prospective study aimed to examine the association of job demands, job control, and the lack of supervisor and coworker support with side effects after receiving COVID-19 vaccination in a sample of employees in Japan.MethodsThe data were retrieved from an online panel of full-time employees (E- COCO- J). The analysis included participants who were employed and were not vaccinated at baseline (June 2021) but received vaccination at a four-month follow-up (October 2021). An 11-item scale measured the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Four types of psychosocial working conditions (i.e., job demands, job control, and supervisor and coworker support) were measured using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the psychosocial working conditions and side effects of COVID-19 vaccines, adjusting for gender, age, educational attainment, marital status, occupation, chronic disease, dose of vaccination, anxiety from potential side effects of vaccines, fear and worry about COVID-19, and psychological distress at baseline.ResultsOverall, 747 employees were included in the analysis. The average number of side effects was 3.78 (SD=2.19): Arm pain (81.1%), fatigues (64.1%), muscle pains (63.3%), and fever (37.5 degrees Celsius +) (53.5%) were reported more frequently. Coworker support score was significantly and negatively associated with the numbers of side effects (standardized β=-0.122, p=0.017). Women, young age, second time vaccination, and high psychological distress were significantly associated with several side effects.ConclusionsEmployees with low coworker support may be more likely to have side effects after COVID-19 vaccinations. The findings of this study could inform employees with low coworker support that increasing workplace support may reduce the side effects.Highlights⍰The effect of poor psychosocial working conditions on side effects after COVID-19 vaccinations was unknown.⍰Poor coworker support at baseline was significantly associated with increased side effects after COVID-19 vaccinations.⍰Informing workers with low coworker support about the findings may help them prepare for the side effect and motivate them to improve coworker support to reduce side effects.

Objectives This study investigated the change in suicidal ideation and its risk factors among employees. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted, starting with the baseline online survey in March 2020 (T1), followed by May (T2), and August (T3). The change in suicidal ideation from T2 to T3 and relevant factors associated with suicidal ideation at T3 were examined. Suicidal ideation significantly increased between May and August 2020 among females, younger (under 39 years old), highly educated population, and those without pre-existing mental health conditions. Factors significantly associated with suicidal ideation were younger age, suicidal ideation at T2, and with pre-existing mental health conditions. Loneliness at T2 showed a significant association with suicidal ideation, if adjusting those without pre-existing mental health conditions. National and community support is needed to target people who are likely to be left behind, such as young people and those with pre-existing mental health conditions, in the pandemic. Method A longitudinal study was conducted with a cohort of full-time employees, starting with the baseline online survey in March 2020 (time point 1), followed by May (time point 2) and August (time point 3). The change in suicidal ideation from time point 2 to 3, and relevant factors associated with suicidal ideation at time point 3, were examined. Results Suicidal ideation significantly increased between time points 2 and 3 among women, younger people (aged Conclusions National and community support is needed to target people who are likely to be left behind, such as young people, those with pre-existing mental health conditions and those experiencing loneliness, in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Establishment of the body plan of multicellular organisms by the primary body axis determination and cell-fate specification is a key issue in biology. We have examined the mRNA localization of three Wnt pathway components gsk3β, β-catenin, and disheveled and investigated the effects of four selective inhibitors of these proteins on the early developmental stages of the spiral cleavage embryo of the fresh water snail Lymnaea (L.) stagnalis. mRNAs for gsk3β and β-catenin were distributed uniformly throughout the embryo during development whereas disheveled mRNA showed specific localization with intra- and inter-blastomere differences in concentration along the A-V axis during spiral cleavages. Remarkably, through inhibitor studies, we identified a short sensitive period from the 2- to 4-cell stage in which GSK3β inhibition by the highly specific 1-azakenpaullone (AZ) and by LiCl induced a subsequent dramatic developmental delay and alteration of the cleavage patterns of blastomeres at the fifth cleavage (16- to 24-cell stage) resulting in exogastrulation and other abnormalities in later stages. Inhibition of β-Catenin or Disheveled had no effect. Our inhibitor experiments establish a novel role for GSK3β in the developmental timing and orientated cell division of the snail embryo. Further work will be needed to identify the downstream targets of the kinase.

Objectives This study aimed to compare the longitudinal change of the psychological distress of healthcare workers (HCWs) with non‐HCWs during the repeated outbreaks of the COVID‐19 in Japan. Methods The data were retrieved from the Employee Cohort Study in the Covid‐19 pandemic in Japan study. An online survey was conducted on March 2020 (T1), on May 2020 (T2), on August 2020 (T3), and on November 2020 (T4). Psychological distress was measured by the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. A mixed‐model repeated‐measures ANOVA was conducted as an indicator of the group differences. Results A total sample of analysis was n = 996 (HCWs, n = 111; non‐HCWs, n = 885). HCWs consisted of physicians/nurses/midwives and other HCWs (eg, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technicians) in the clinical settings (n = 19; 17% and n = 61; 55%, respectively), and HCWs not working in the clinical settings (n = 31; 28%). Being HCWs were associated with a significant increase in psychological distress from T1 to T2, T3 and T4 (P = .001, P = .002, P

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate workplace measures implemented in response to COVID-19 during the outbreak in Japan from T1 (March 2020) to T2 (May 2020), focusing on the disparities by company size and industry. Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted using a cohort of full-time employees, starting with the baseline online survey on March 19–22, 2020 (T1). An online follow-up survey was conducted on May 22–26, 2020 (T2). The McNemar test was used to assess differences between T1 and T2 in the proportion of implemented measurements. Analysis of covariance was performed to compare the differences in the number of implemented measures across groups classified by company size or industry, adjusting for sex and age. Results: A total of 1,032 participants (response rate: 72.6%) completed the follow-up questionnaire. The final analytic sample comprised n=987. The workplace measures involving the delivery of information on COVID-19 were 88.4% at T2, which significantly increased from T1 (increased 8.6%, p

Objectives: This 2-month cohort study aimed to investigate the changing prevalence and factors associated with COVID-19-related workplace bullying among the general workers in Japan. Methods: A baseline survey was conducted of 4,120 full-time workers at Time 1 (March 2020) and they were invited to a follow-up survey at Time 2 (May 2020) after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Japan. The prevalence of COVID-19-related workplace bullying was compared between Time 1 and Time 2 by using McNemar’s test. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between occupation (health care and non-health care workers), socioeconomic status, living in areas under the national emergency announcement, workplace measures against COVID-19, occupational class, chronic physical comorbidities, chronic mental comorbidities, and COVID-19-related workplace bullying at Time 2, adjusting for that at Time 1. Results: A total of 1,421 responded to the survey at Time 2. Data from 996 respondents after excluding 36 who retired during the follow-up were analyzed. The prevalence of COVID-19-related workplace bullying increased more than double from Time 1 (2.8%) to Time 2 (6.5%). Being a manual worker (OR=3.80), having higher education (OR=2.37), and having chronic physical comorbidity (OR=2.11) was significantly associated with the COVID-19-related workplace bullying at Time 2. Conclusions: COVID-19-related workplace bullying increased during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Japan. A lower-class occupation (manual workers) and having chronic physical comorbidity may be associated with greater victimization of COVID-19-related workplace bullying, while those with high educational attainment may be more sensitive to it.

Objectives It is unclear how many workplace COVID‐19 preventive measures were maintained during repeated outbreaks. The aim of this study was to investigate a longitudinal change of implementation of workplace preventive measures responding to COVID‐19 in Japan. Methods An online longitudinal study was conducted using a cohort of full‐time employees in Japan, starting in March 2020 (T1), with follow‐up surveys in May (T2), August (T3), and November (T4) 2020. A repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to compare the difference among the four surveys in the mean number of 23 predetermined items of the measures implemented. Results The final sample comprised 800 employees. The mean number of the implemented measures increased from T1 to T2, but did not change from T2 to T3, then decreased from T3 to T4. The number of workplace preventive measures significantly increased from T1 to T2 for 21 items (P

The freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis has a long research history, but only relatively recently has it emerged as an attractive model organism to study molecular mechanisms in the areas of developmental biology and translational medicine such as learning/memory and neurodegenerative diseases. The species has the advantage of being a hermaphrodite and can both cross- and self-mate, which greatly facilitates genetic approaches. The establishment of body-handedness, or chiromorphogenesis, is a major topic of study, since chirality is evident in the shell coiling. Chirality is maternally inherited, and only recently a gene-editing approach identified the actin-related gene Lsdia1 as the key handedness determinant. This short article reviews the natural habitat, life cycle, major research questions and interests, and experimental approaches.

BACKGROUND Downloading a COVID-19 contact tracing app may be effective in reducing users’ worry about COVID-19 and psychological distress. OBJECTIVE This 2.5-month prospective study aimed to investigate the association of downloading a COVID-19 contact tracing app, the COVID-19 Contact Confirming Application (COCOA), released by the Japanese government, with worry about COVID-19 and psychological distress in a sample of employed adults in Japan. METHODS A total of 996 full-time employed respondents to an online survey conducted May 22-26, 2020 (baseline), were invited to participate in a follow-up survey August 7-12, 2020 (follow-up). A high level of worrying about COVID-19 and high psychological distress were defined by baseline and follow-up scores on a single-item scale and the Kessler 6 (K6) scale, respectively. The app was released between the two surveys, on June 17. Participants were asked at follow-up if they downloaded the app. RESULTS A total of 902 (90.6%) of 996 baseline participants responded to the follow-up survey. Among them, 184 (20.4%) reported that they downloaded the app. Downloading of the contact tracing app was significantly negatively associated with psychological distress at follow-up after controlling for baseline variables, but not with worry about COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS This study provides the first evidence that using a government-issued COVID-19 contact tracing app may be beneficial for the mental health of employed adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the number of workplace measures implemented to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic reported by employees and their association with company size and industry among employees in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted of full-time employees in Japan from March 19–22, 2020. Questions were about announcements by the company of measures taken and 23 items of workplace measures. Associations of company size and industry with the announcements and the number of workplace measures were analyzed. Results: The final sample consisted of 1,379 respondents. The mean number of implemented preventive measures for COVID-19 among 23 items was 11.2 (standard deviation, 5.9). Proportions of respondents who reported receiving announcement of measures taken was high (79.9%), as were proportions of respondents reporting implementation of some of the workplace measures, while the less than half reported implementation of most of the workplace measures. The announcement of measures and the number of workplace measures that were implemented in the workplace were generally lower/smaller among respondents in smaller companies and in retail, wholesale, and transportation industries. Conclusions: While most respondents reported receiving information about measures by their companies/organizations, it may be a further challenge to implement workplace measures in smaller companies and companies in retail, wholesale, and transportation industries.

Objectives The study investigated the links between workplace measures implemented in response to COVID‐19 with mental health and work performance of employees in Japan. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study of a sample from a cohort study of full‐time employees. Participants (n = 1448) completed an online self‐report questionnaire on March 19‐22, 2020. Multiple linear regression was conducted to ascertain their fear of and worry associated with COVID‐19, psychological distress, and work performance. Results The number of workplace measures correlated positively with respondents' fear of and worry associated with COVID‐19 (adjusted standardized β = 0.123, P

In 2016, we reported the use of genetic and positional cloning approaches to identify a frameshift mutation in one of two closely related diaphanous (formin) genes we termed Lsdia1 and Lsdia2 associated with left-right asymmetry in the snail Lymnaea stagnalis ([Kuroda et al., 2016][1]). Both alleles

Organicpigment, 2-Methyl-3-(4-fluorophenylthio)-1,4-naphthalenedione (2), that is a new Vitamin K derivative bearing a fluorine group, did not show any polymorphism disregard of three different solvents. For comparison, its naphthoquinone analogue with a bromine group (1) showed clearly polymorphism susceptible to these solvents.

Background We prospectively examined the association of diabetes risk with the number of metabolic abnormalities, as well as their combinations, according to the presence or absence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in a large-scale Japanese working population. Methods Participants included 55,271 workers at 11 companies who received periodic health check-ups between 2008 and 2013. The metabolic syndrome (MetS) components were defined using the 2009 Joint Interim Statement. IFG was defined as fasting plasma glucose 5.6–6.9 mmol/L. Diabetes newly diagnosed after the baseline examination was defined according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. We calculated the hazard ratios (HRs) for diabetes incidence using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results During the follow-up period (median 4.95 years), 3183 subjects developed diabetes. In individuals with normal fasting glucose levels, the risk of diabetes increased steadily with the increasing number of MetS components; the multivariable-adjusted HRs for incident diabetes for the number of MetS components were 2.0, 4.3, 7.0, and 10.0 for one, two, three, or four MetS components, respectively, compared with the absence of components. A similar association was observed among individuals with IFG; the corresponding HRs were 17.6, 23.8, 33.9, and 40.7. The combinations that included central obesity appeared to be more strongly associated with diabetes risk than other combinations with the same number of MetS components within the same glucose status. Conclusions Our findings indicate that risk stratification of individuals by the presence or absence of IFG and the number of MetS components can detect individuals with a high risk of diabetes., Highlights • We examined diabetes risk by the number and combination of metabolic abnormalities. • Diabetes risk increased with the number of abnormalities for a given glucose status. • The combinations that included central obesity were strongly associated with diabetes.

The establishment of left-right body asymmetry is a key biological process that is tightly regulated genetically. In the first application of CRISPR/Cas9 to a mollusc, we show decisively that the actin-related diaphanous gene Lsdia1 is the single maternal gene that determines the shell coiling direction of the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Biallelic frameshift mutations of the gene produced sinistrally coiled offspring generation after generation, in the otherwise totally dextral genetic background. This is the gene sought for over a century. We also show that the gene sets the chirality at the one-cell stage, the earliest observed symmetry-breaking event linked directly to body handedness in the animal kingdom. The early intracellular chirality is superseded by the inter-cellular chirality during the 3rd cleavage, leading to asymmetric nodal and Pitx expression, and then to organismal body handedness. Thus, our findings have important implications for chiromorphogenesis in invertebrates as well as vertebrates, including humans, and for the evolution of snail chirality. This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether a causative relationship exists between the development of liver damage and increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HsCRP) levels by long-term follow-up in Japanese workers. Methods: The target participants comprised 7830 male workers in a Japanese steel company. The prospective cohort study was performed over a 6-year period, and annual health screening information was analyzed by pooled logistic regression. The endpoint, regarded as the development of liver damage, was defined as aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≥ 40 IU/L. Results: A significant relationship between the development of liver damage and increased HsCRP levels was observed after adjusting for confounding factors such as various physiological and blood chemistry parameters and lifestyle factors. The odds ratio of a 1.5-fold increase in HsCRP was 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.10, p &lt, 0.001). Conclusions: The results suggested that an increase of HsCRP is associated with the development of liver damage.

Background Downloading a COVID-19 contact tracing app may be effective in reducing users’ worry about COVID-19 and psychological distress. Objective This 2.5-month prospective study aimed to investigate the association of downloading a COVID-19 contact tracing app, the COVID-19 Contact Confirming Application (COCOA), released by the Japanese government, with worry about COVID-19 and psychological distress in a sample of employed adults in Japan. Methods A total of 996 full-time employed respondents to an online survey conducted May 22-26, 2020 (baseline), were invited to participate in a follow-up survey August 7-12, 2020 (follow-up). A high level of worrying about COVID-19 and high psychological distress were defined by baseline and follow-up scores on a single-item scale and the Kessler 6 (K6) scale, respectively. The app was released between the two surveys, on June 17. Participants were asked at follow-up if they downloaded the app. Results A total of 902 (90.6%) of 996 baseline participants responded to the follow-up survey. Among them, 184 (20.4%) reported that they downloaded the app. Downloading of the contact tracing app was significantly negatively associated with psychological distress at follow-up after controlling for baseline variables, but not with worry about COVID-19. Conclusions This study provides the first evidence that using a government-issued COVID-19 contact tracing app may be beneficial for the mental health of employed adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a self-controlled vocal exercise in elderly people with glottal closure insufficiency. Design: Parallel-arm, individual randomized controlled trial. Methods: Patients who visited one of 10 medical centers under the National Hospital Organization group in Japan for the first time, aged 60 years or older, complaining of aspiration or hoarseness, and endoscopically confirmed to have glottal closure insufficiency owing to vocal cord atrophy, were enrolled in this study. They were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group. The patients of the intervention group were given guidance and a DVD about a self-controlled vocal exercise. The maximum phonation time which is a measure of glottal closure was evaluated, and the number of patients who developed pneumonia during the six months was compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 543 patients enrolled in this trial, 259 were allocated into the intervention group and 284 into the control; 60 of the intervention group and 75 of the control were not able to continue the trial. A total of 199 patients (age 73.9 ±7.25 years) in the intervention group and 209 (73.3 ±6.68 years) in the control completed the six-month trial. Intervention of the self-controlled vocal exercise extended the maximum phonation time significantly ( p < 0.001). There were two hospitalizations for pneumonia in the intervention group and 18 in the control group, representing a significant difference ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: The self-controlled vocal exercise allowed patients to achieve vocal cord adduction and improve glottal closure insufficiency, which reduced the rate of hospitalization for pneumonia significantly. Clinical Trial.gov Identifier-UMIN000015567

This erratum concerns table 1. There was an error in the resuls reported for Education among healthcare workers. The results were incorrectly reported as: Education 16 years 72 (64.9) The correct numbers are in reverse: Education 16 years 39 (35.1) Download the PDF to view the table.

Background Previous reports showed that oral administration of Leuconostoc mesenteroides strain NTM048 increases IgA levels and CD4+ T cell population in feces and mice, respectively, as revealed by flow cytometric analysis of splenocytes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of chocolate supplemented with L. mesenteroides strain NTM048 (> 1.00 × 109 CFU/day, NTM048) on the immune parameters of healthy subjects, using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study design. Methods Participants (mean age: 46.3 years) ingested 28 g of test food daily, at a time of their own choice, for 4 weeks. The immunological parameters of all participants were evaluated two times (pre- and post- ingestion). At the end of the study, various immunological parameters of the participants were measured and scoring of immunological vigor (SIV) was performed using a comprehensive algorithm. Results Ingestion of NTM048-supplemented chocolate significantly improved SIV in the NTM048 group (18.6 ± 1.6) compared to that in the placebo group (17.8 ± 2.0) after 4 weeks (p = 0.049). Several immunological parameters (CD8+T cells, CD8+CD28+ T cells, and memory T cells) were significantly elevated in the NTM048 group as compared to the placebo group (all p

Introduction The aims of the periodical health examination have been changed in accordance with social conditions and necessities in the ages. In past, the main aim was the prevention the occupational disease and work-related disease. In recent years, they are the prevention the metabolic syndrome and cardiac or cerebrovascular diseases. However, it is unclear the next step. Therefore, we investigated a concept of the periodical health examination for workers. Methods We conducted reviews on the usability of the items of the periodical health examination and focus group discussions with the professional occupational health physicians. The first procedure was reviews of the items of the periodical health examination. The second procedure was the focus group discussion on the usability of the periodical health examination. Then we classified the issues into 5 groups. Each group made a concept of the health examination by focus group discussion. Results Most of the items of the health examination were not effective to predict the onset the disease by the results of the literature reviews. However most of the occupational health physicians utilised each item in the health management activities. As the results of the focus group discussions, it was pointed out that the development the productivities and reduction the accidents at work should be adopted in the aims in the future, the fitness at work and the improvement the workers’ health literacy should be used as the outcome, the prevention the cancers should be conducted as not the screening but the risk assessment. Conclusion The health examination until now is the screening of the target diseases, but it should be developed into the evaluation the risk of the disease and working conditions, and the aims should be not only the workers’ health but the development the productivities and the workers’ health literacy.

Introduction Obesity is a major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and some cancers, and this is preventable. Not only sleep duration or chronotype have been associated with body mass index (BMI), but also circadian misalignment ‘social jetlag’ may be possibly associated in recent studies. We investigated whether social jetlag were associated with obesity, independent from sleep duration or chronotype. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1357 male workers who works at an electrical manufacturer from April 2014 to January 2015. Body height and weight, smoking status and frequency of alcohol drinking were collected via annual medical check-up. Sleep duration, chronotype, and other work- or life- related factor were collected through an additional questionnaire. Social jetlag (SJ) was calculated as the absolute difference between mid-sleep time on weekdays and weekends and were categorised into four groups. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for 1) obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and 2) abdominal obesity (Waist circumference ≥90 cm) for each SJ category (SJ Results Extreme SJ category (≤3 hours) had significant high OR (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 1) obesity and 2) central obesity after controlling for age, presence of night shift work, chronotype, sleep duration. OR (95% CI) were 3.68 (1.49–9.11), and 2.48 (1.28–4.79), respectively. We found no impact of SJ on BMI or abdominal obesity after controlling for additional other variables. Conclusion It was found that extreme social jetlag possibly associated with high OR of obesity or abdominal obesity, independent from sleep duration and chronotype. However, there were no associations between social jetlag and BMI or abdominal obesity, when we considered other life-style variables.

The gastropod Lymnaea has unique features, that is, chirality, sinistrality, or dextrality, is displayed externally as well as internally, and is hereditary, being determined by a single-locus that functions maternally at the very early embryonic stage. Both sinistral and dextral snails exist in nature with the dextral one being dominant. Thus, the genus Lymnaea is an ideal target for studying chiromorphogenesis. This article gives a brief overview of the current state of research on chiromorphogenesis of Lymnaea (L.) stagnalis, mainly focusing on our own studies. Breeding experiments were performed and embryonic development was closely observed for the both chiralities. By fluorescently labeling filamentous actin and microtubules, cytoskeletal dynamics of spiral cleavages for the sinistral and dextral embryos were shown not to be mirror images of each other at the critical third-cleavage. The spiral deformation and spindle inclination were uniquely observed only in the dominant dextral embryos, and they were shown to be strongly linked to the gene determining the direction of chirality. Based on these findings, we created fertile snails of situs inversus by micromanipulation at the third-cleavage. Surprisingly, the arrangement of the blastomere regulates asymmetric expression of nodal-Pitx genes in later development. The expression patterns display interesting similarity and dissimilarity with those of the vertebrates. Thus, study of L. stagnalis has given an insight into "how a single gene twists a snail."

The handedness of gastropods is genetically determined, but the molecular nature of the gene responsible and the associated mechanisms remain unknown. In order to characterize the chiromorphogenesis pathway starting from the gene to the left-right asymmetric body plan, we have closely analyzed the cytoskeletal dynamics of the Physa (P.) acuta embryo, a fresh water non-dimorphic sinistral snail, during the early developmental stage by mechanically altering the handedness of the embryos at the critical spiral third cleavage. A fertile situs inversus was created and the nodal-Pitx gene expression patterns were completely mirror imaged to the wild type at the trochophore stage. Together with our previous work on Lymnaea (L.) stagnalis, we could show that chirality is established at the third cleavage, as dictated by the single handedness-determining gene locus, and then chirality information is transferred via subsequent spiral fourth and fifth cleavages to the later developmental stage, dictating the nodal-Pitx expression pathway. The cytoskeletal dynamics of manipulated and non-manipulated embryos of sinistral P. acuta and dextral dominant L. stagnalis are compared.