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The health effects of radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout remain unclear. The objective of the present study is to elucidate the association between low-dose radiation exposure from the atomic bomb fallout and cancer mortality among Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. Of 77 884 members in the Nagasaki University Atomic Bomb Survivors Cohort, 610 residents in the terrain-shielded area with fallout were selected for this analysis; 1443 residents in the terrain-shielded area without fallout were selected as a control group; and 3194 residents in the direct exposure area were also selected for study. Fifty-two deaths due to cancer in the terrain-shielded fallout area were observed during the follow-up period from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 2012. The hazard ratio for cancer mortality in the terrain-shielded fallout area was 0.90 (95% confidence interval: 0.65-1.24). No increase in the risk of cancer mortality was observed, probably because the dose of the radiation exposure was low for residents in the terrain-shielded fallout areas of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, and also because the number of study subjects was small.

Objectives: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) function as key metabolites that can impair biological processes. The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the perioperative oxidative changes in lung cancer surgery. Methods: We measured the levels of blood hydroperoxides, a type of ROS, as an index of oxidative injury to cellular components, as well as the plasma ferric-reducing ability as an index of total antioxidant potential in 32 lung cancer patients. Hydroperoxides were measured by the levels of diacron reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs). The antioxidant potential was determined by the biological antioxidant potential (BAP), which represents the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes. Results: Lung cancer patients had slightly affected oxidative stress before surgery. The d-ROM and BAP levels after surgery and were significantly decreased than before surgery (p< 0.001) and the levels recovered preoperatively at third postoperative day. The d-ROM level in video-assisted surgery group (n=17) was significantly decreased than those in thoracotomy group (n=15) at third and seventh post-operative day (p < 0.001, and < 0.02). Conclusions: Lung cancer patients had already exposed oxidative stress before surgery and surgical intervention also generates large amounts of ROS. Video-assisted thoracic surgery can reduce the ROS compared to the standard thoractomy., Acta medica Nagasakiensia, 59(1), pp.19-25; 2014

Objectives: Chest tube insertion seems to be one important factor leading to intercostal nerve impairment. The purpose of this prospective study was to objectively evaluate intercostal nerve damage using current perception threshold testing in association with chest tube insertion. Methods: Sixteen patients were enrolled in this study. Intercostal nerve function was assessed with a series of 2000-Hz (Aβ fiber), 250-Hz (Aδ fiber), and 5-Hz (C fiber) stimuli using current perception threshold testing (Neurometer CPT/C R). Current perception threshold values at chest tube insertion were measured before surgery, during chest tube insertion and after removal of the chest tube. Intensities of ongoing pain were also assessed using a numeric rating scale (0-10). Results: Current perception thresholds at each frequency after surgery were significantly higher than before surgery. Numeric rating scale scores for pain were significantly reduced from 3.3 to 1.9 after removal of the chest tube (p = 0.004). The correlation between current perception threshold value at 2000 Hz and intensity of ongoing pain was marginally significant (p = 0.058). Conclusions: This is the first study to objectively evaluate intercostal nerve damage at chest tube insertion. The results confirmed that chest tube insertion has clearly deleterious effects on intercostal nerve function.

THYROID CANCER IN UKRAINE AFTER CHERNOBYL dosimetry, epidemiology, pathology, molecular biology, pp.109-134; 2014

Atomic bomb survivors have been reported to have an increased risk of some cancers, especially leukemia. However, the risk of prostate cancer in atomic bomb survivors is not known to have been examined previously. This study examined the association between atomic bomb radiation and the incidence of prostate cancer among male Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors. The subjects were classified by distance from the hypocenter into a proximal group (

To elucidate the association between epilation and cancer mortality in Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors, cancer mortality was determined for a total of 9,356 survivors (3,591 males and 5,765 females) from 1 January 1970 to 31 December 1997. The subjects included individuals other than those in the Life Span Study (LSS) cohort of ABCC-RERF. Information on acute injury was obtained from a survey that was conducted at the time of application for a health handbook. The association between epilation and cancer mortality was evaluated by the Cox proportional hazards model, including factors such as gender, age at the time of the bombing, attained age, radiation dose and epilation. Epilation was found in 81 (2.3%) males and 148 (2.6%) females. No significant difference in the frequency of epilation was observed by gender or age at the time of the bombing. The hazard ratio of cancer mortality in those with epilation compared to those without epilation was 1.06 (95% confidence interval: 0.72-1.54). Similar to the study of the LSS cohort, no significant effects of epilation on cancer mortality were observed in the present study. The results indicated that the cancer mortality was significantly higher in those exposed to atomic bombing younger as was reported by LSS studies. However, the effects of radiation dose on cancer mortality have not been observed in the present study., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 2005, 50(2), p.73-76

Human blood feeding activity was examined in females of hybrids between Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus during long photoperiod at 25℃. Blood feeding rates of hybrids were lower than in Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus and Culex pipiens pallens, and higher than in Culex pipiens pipiens, because no females fed on human blood in Culex pipiens pipiens., 保健学研究. 2007, 20(1), p. 91-93

Blood feeding activity was examined in females of hybrids (F1) between Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus in long and short photoperiods at 2l℃ to examine the effect of photoperiod on blood feeding rate. Blood feeding rates (F1) were lower in short photoperiods than in long photoperiods. From this, it seems that the hybrids show diapause., 長崎大学医学部保健学科紀要 = Bulletin of Nagasaki University School of Health Sciences. 2004, 17(1), p.15-17

The positive rate of dogs with Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae among house dogs was examined for 27 years from 1968 to 1994 in the southern and northern parts of Nagasaki City. Roles of the number of the main vector, Culex plpiens pallens and of RPSS (rate of population utilizing a sewage system) were analyzed statistically in relation to the annual changes in microfilarial prevalence. In the southern and northern parts, there was a clear correlation among three parameters of the positive rate in the dogs, the number of Cx. p. pallens and RPSS. The present study proved that the decrease in the positive rate of dogs in both the southern and northern parts is mainly attributable to a decrease in the number of Cx. p. pallens. which resulted from the decrease of the breeding places of this mosquito following the spread of the public sewage system and the improvements in the use of roads and open roadside ditches., 日本熱帯医学会雑誌, vol.23(2), pp.133-137; 1995

Female mosquitoes including Culex pipiens pallens, the main vector of Dirofilaria immitis, and some secondary vectors, were collected at 4 to 10 sites in Nagasaki City from 1983 to 1989 using light traps, and the number of the mosquitoes and the natural infection rate with D.immitis were compared between the southern and the northern parts of the city. In 1983, Cx. p.pallens was extremely prevalent in the southern part but not in the northern part. After 1986, the prevalence of Cx. p.pallens became very low in both the parts. The rapid decrease of prevalence of this species may be attributable to the decrease in breeding sites by improvement of roads and open roadside ditches in parallel with spread of sewage systems. On the basis of the number of infected mosquitoes in Nagasaki City, it was suggested that, Cx. tritaeniorhynchus and Ae. albopictus are important vectors in addition to Cx.p.pallens, but Ae. togoi does not play a significant role in the transmission of D.immitis., 日本熱帯医学会雑誌, vol.22(4), pp.199-206; 1994

This paper reports the results of an epidemiological study of senile dementia with elderly people over 65 years old residing in Nagasaki City and rural districts of Nagasaki Prefecture and compares them to those of studies conducted in Japan. The prevalence rate of senile dementia at home in Nagasaki City is 2.88%, which is lower than that in the other areas. The prevalence rate of the rural districts in Nagasaki Prefecture is 4.3% and is close to the national average (4.38%). Looking at diagnostic classification of dementia, the ratio of multi-infarct dementia to the Alzheimer type is 0.93 in Nagasaki City and 0.61 in rural districts. They are lower than those in the other studies., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1993, 38(2-4), p.211-215

The positive rate of Dirofilaria immitis infection was studied in the eastern, western, southern and northern parts of Nagasaki City 3 times between 1968 and 1983. Chronological changes in the positive rate of dogs for microfilariae in these 4 parts and the roles of epidemic factors in the changes of the positive rate were evaluated. The positive rate decreased in the northern part, where houses and buildings increased annually, whereas the number of dog owners and the density of dogs decreased. Improvements in the drainage such as side ditches, which are primary breeding sites of vector mosquitoes (Culex p. pallens), are assumed to have led to a decrease in the mosquito density, resulting in a decrease in the positive rate of dogs. However, the positive rate increased in the eastern, western, and southern parts. The density of dogs decreased also in these parts, but it remained higher than in the northern part as the number of houses was smaller, and more people kept dogs. Also, as the sewage system did not seem to be so well developed as in the northern part, more mosquitoes might be present. The high positive rates in these parts may be ascribed to these conditions., 日本熱帯医学会雑誌, vol.21(4), pp.231-237; 1993

The relative risk of cancer in A-bomb survivors increased with radiation dose. In a dose range of 300-599 cGy, the relative risk of cancer was above 1 (p, Acta Medica Nagasakiensia. 1992, 37(1-4), p.116-119

The Scientific Data Center for Atomic-Bomb Disasters at Nagasaki University was established in 1974. The database of atomicbomb survivors has been in operation since 1977. The database is composed of following 6 physical database : (1) Fundamental information database. (2) Atomic-Bomb Hospital database, (3) Pathological database, (4) Household reconstruction database, (5) Second generation database, and (6) Address database. We review the current contents of the database for its further application., Acta Medica Nagasakiensia. 1992, 37(1-4), p.52-65

アカイエカやコガタアカイエカでは吸血欲を欠き，未成熟濾胞を持った，いわゆる休眠雌が越冬する．休眠状態は短日条件により誘起される．他のイエカ類でも休眠雌が越冬に入ると推測される．そこで，長崎産のカラツイエカ，ミナミハマダラウスカ，トラフカクイカ，スジアシイエカと沖縄産ネッタイイエカの4令幼虫を21℃の長日または短日条件下で飼育羽化させて雌の第1濾胞の発育状態を調べた．長日条件下では，いずれの種類もよく発達した濾胞を持ったが，短日条件下では前4種のほとんどの雌は未成熟濾胞を保有した．野外ではミナミハマダラウスカとコガタクロウスカの休眠雌が採集された．したがって，これらのイエカも休眠状態に入って越冬するものと思われる．また，ネッタイイエカでも短日条件下で未成熟濾胞保有雌が，少数ではあるが，出現した．しかし，ネッタイイエカは短日条件下でもよく吸血するので，未成熟濾胞の雌は休眠状態にあるとしても，極めて浅いものと思われる．, The mosquito of Culex pipiens pallens mosquito overwinters in diapausing females which have undeveloped follicles and do not feed on animals blood. To determine the state of such diapause, follicular development was examined using the 1st follicles of unfed females in the Culex mosquitoes, Culex bitaeniorhynchus, Cx. halifaxii, Cx. mimetics. Cx. p. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. vagans reared from 4th instar larvae to adulthood under long or short photoperiods. Under a long photoperiod,the females had well-developed follicles, and under a short photoperiod they had undeveloped follicles in 4 mosquito species besides Cx, p. quinquefasciatus. In the field, diapausing females of Cx, hayashii and Cx. mimetics were collected. This suggests that these mosquitoes overwinter in the diapausing females with undeveloped follicles and that do not feed on blood. In Cx. p. quinquefasciatus, a few females with undeveloped follicles appeared under the short photoperiod, but this diapause will be extremely light., 長崎大学医療技術短期大学部紀要 = Bulletin of the School of Allied Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University. 1992, 5, p.135-142

Here, we report a case of severe tooth wear associated with a patient's inappropriate efforts to reduce oral malodor. A 72-year-old male patient visited our breath clinic complaining of strong breath odor. Former dentists had performed periodontal treatments including scaling and root planing, but his oral malodor did not decrease. His own subsequent breath odor-reducing efforts included daily use of lemons and vinegar to reduce or mask the odor, eating and chewing hard foods to clean his teeth, and extensive tooth brushing with a hard-bristled toothbrush. Oral malodor was detected in our breath clinic by several tests, including an organoleptic test, portable sulphide monitor, and gas chromatography. Although patient's oral hygiene and periodontal condition were not poor on presentation, his teeth showed heavy wear and hypersensitiving with an unfitted restoration on tooth 16. Radiographic examination of the tooth did not reveal endodontic lesion, but when the metal crown was removed, severe pus discharge and strong malodor were observed. When this was treated, his breath odor was improved. After dental treatment and oral hygiene instruction, no further tooth wear was observed; he was not concerned about breath odor thereafter.

In 1945, an atomic bomb was exploded on Nagasaki. The Scientific Data Center for the Atomic Bomb Disaster was founded in Nagasaki University to analyse radiation effects on atomic bomb survivors. There were about 110,000 victims registered living in Nagasaki as of 1968. Since then, data of 2,000,000 items of health examination has been stored in the computer in the Scientific Data Center. The analysed results of the mortality, the survival and the risk estimation were presented., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1991, 36(1-4), p.199-205

A review of the medical effects of the Nagasaki atomic bomb explosion encountered between 1945 and 1990 was conducted. In the early stage, severe and various manifestations due to a combination of heat rays, blast and radiation were detected, but the accurate number of deaths among victims during this early period remains obscure. Keloid scars, cataract, leukemia, thyroid cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer have been established as diseases related to the atomic bomb explosion. Recent epidemiologic investigations show that the incidence of other diseases such as gastric cancer and skin cancer are also relatively high among atomic bomb survivors in Nagasaki., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1991, 36(1-4), p.191-198

Radiation has been applied widely to clinics, researches and industries nowadays. Irradiation by atomic bomb produced many victims in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Radiation effects on animals and human belings have been reported extensively, especially at a dose range of high amount of radiation. As radiation effects at low dose have not been well studied, it is believed that even a small amount of radiation produces hazardous effects. However, it might not be true. Beneficial effects of a low dose of radiation are summarized here., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1991, 36(1-4), p.206-212

種々の系統のアカイエカ群の雌の個眼数を調べた。チカイエカの個眼数は一般に8個であるが、イランとエジプト系のそれはかなり変異した。日本産のチカイエカでは変異の幅は小さかった。ネッタイイエカ、アカイエカ及びトビイロイエカでは9個の個眼を持ったものが多かったが、8個のものもあった。したがって、日本産チカイエカとその他のアカイエカ群を区別することは可能であろう。, The number of ommatidia in compound eyes of females of Culex pipiens molestus, Cx. p. pipiens, Cx. p. pallens, and Cx. p. quinquefasciatus was counted. The ommatidial number varied with the strain, but the females of Japanese strain of Cx. p. molestus could be distinguished from those of Cx. p. pipiens, Cx. p. pallens and Cx. p. quinquefasciatus from the difference in ommatidial number., 長崎大学医療技術短期大学部紀要 = Bulletin of the School of Allied Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University. 1990, 3, p.73-78

From the analysis of questionnaires to elderly A-bomb survivors of over 65 years old, we analysed factors which determined satisfaction with daily life. Analysed categories were housing condition, life style, occupational status, health condition and family status. From the analysis, to be an A-bomb survivor was not a factor for satisfaction with daily life, and it became clear that living in a rented room, not satisfying one's job and low income were serious factors which kept elderly people from the satisfaction with daily life. It must be necessary to improve these factors for the satisfaction of elderly people., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1993, 38(2-4), p.71-73

Medical records of A-bomb survivors include numerical data and non-numerical data such as handwritten description. We have been storing the numerical data in medical records into a data base. We started to store the nonnumerical data on optical disks. We analyzed the significance and usefulness of storing them. The nonnumerical data of symptoms can not be evaluated by but can be analyzed with the numerical data. It was concluded that storing non-numerical data in the medical records on the optical disks would be worthy., Acta medica Nagasakiensia. 1993, 38(2-4), p.161-163