Rice farming care as a novel method of green care farm in East Asian context: an implementation research.

BACKGROUND: Green care farms, which offer care for people with dementia in a farm setting, have been emerging in the Netherlands. The aim of this study was to 1) implement green care farms which use rice farming in Japan, 2) explore the positive experiences of rice farming care, and 3) compare the effect of rice farming care to that of usual care on well-being and cognitive ability. METHODS: We developed a new method of green care farm in Japan which uses rice farming, a farming that is practiced all over East Asia. The participants were 15 people with dementia (mean age = 75.6 ± 9.8 years) who participated in a one-hour rice farming care program once a week for 25 weeks. We also collected qualitative data on the positive experiences of study participants after the program. As a reference data, we also collected the corresponding data of the usual care group which included 14 people with dementia (mean age = 79.9 ± 5.8 years) who were attending the near-by day-care. RESULTS: The mean participation rate on the rice farming care group was 72.1%. After the intervention, participants reported experiencing enjoyment and connection during the program. It also changed the staff's view on dementia. The green care farm group showed a significant improvement in well-being but no significant difference in cognitive function compared to the usual care group. CONCLUSIONS: Green care farms by using rice farming is promising care method which is evidence-based, empowerment-oriented, strengths-based, community-based dementia service, which also delivers meaningful experience for the people with dementia in East Asia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN, UMIN000025020 , Registered 1 April 2017.

Comparison of land use regression models for NO2 based on routine and campaign monitoring data from an urban area of Japan.

BACKGROUND: Typically, land use regression (LUR) models have been developed using campaign monitoring data rather than routine monitoring data. However, the latter have advantages such as low cost and long-term coverage. Based on the idea that LUR models representing regional differences in air pollution and regional road structures are optimal, the objective of this study was to evaluate the validity of LUR models for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) based on routine and campaign monitoring data obtained from an urban area. METHOD: We selected the city of Suita in Osaka (Japan). We built a model based on routine monitoring data obtained from all sites (routine-LUR-All), and a model based on campaign monitoring data (campaign-LUR) within the city. Models based on routine monitoring data obtained from background sites (routine-LUR-BS) and based on data obtained from roadside sites (routine-LUR-RS) were also built. The routine LUR models were based on monitoring networks across two prefectures (i.e., Osaka and Hyogo prefectures). We calculated the predictability of the each model. We then compared the predicted NO2 concentrations from each model with measured annual average NO2 concentrations from evaluation sites. RESULTS: The routine-LUR-All and routine-LUR-BS models both predicted NO2 concentrations well: adjusted R2=0.68 and 0.76, respectively, and root mean square error=3.4 and 2.1ppb, respectively. The predictions from the routine-LUR-All model were highly correlated with the measured NO2 concentrations at evaluation sites. Although the predicted NO2 concentrations from each model were correlated, the LUR models based on routine networks, and particularly those based on all monitoring sites, provided better visual representations of the local road conditions in the city. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that LUR models based on routine data could estimate local traffic-related air pollution in an urban area. The importance and usefulness of data from routine monitoring networks should be acknowledged.

Association of maternal age with child health: A Japanese longitudinal study.

Average maternal age at birth has been rising steadily in Western and some Asian countries. Older maternal age has been associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes; however, studies on the relationship between maternal age and young children's health remain scarce. Therefore, we sought to investigate the association of maternal age with child health outcomes in the Japanese population. We analyzed data from two birth cohorts of the nationwide Japanese Longitudinal Survey of Babies in 21st Century (n2001 = 47,715 and n2010 = 38,554). We estimated risks of unintentional injuries and hospital admissions at 18 and 66 months according to maternal age, controlling for the following potential confounders: parental education; maternal parity, smoking status, and employment status; household income; paternal age, and sex of the child. We also included the following as potential mediators: preterm births and birthweight. We observed a decreasing trend in the risks of children's unintentional injuries and hospital admissions at 18 months according to maternal age in both cohorts. In the 2001 cohort, compared to mothers <25 years, odds ratios of hospital admission at 18 months were 0.97 [95% CI: 0.86, 1.09], 0.92 [0.81, 1.05], 0.76 [0.65, 0.90], and 0.71 [0.51, 0.98] for mothers aged 25.0-29.9, 30.0-34.9, 35.0-39.9, and >40.0 years, respectively, controlling for confounders. Our findings were in line with previous findings from population-based studies conducted in the United Kingdom and Canada suggesting that older maternal age may be beneficial for early child health.

Drug Dependence Treatment Awareness among Japanese Female Stimulant Drug Offenders.

Few stimulant drug users receive adequate treatment. This cross-sectional study describes the characteristics of female drug offenders that use stimulants and clarifies the factors related to the awareness of treatment for drug dependencies. We included 80 females imprisoned due to stimulant control law violations from 2012 to 2015. The characteristics of the female prisoners were stratified according to various treatment awareness levels, and associations between each characteristic and treatment awareness were evaluated using logistic regression models. The average period of stimulant drug use was 17.7 years. Participants imprisoned for the second time were significantly more likely to consider treatment compared to those imprisoned only once: odds ratio (OR) = 3.2 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0-10.7). This elevated OR was diluted in repeat offenders. Participants who had experienced multiple aftereffects (≥7) or serious depressive symptoms were also more likely to consider treatment: OR = 6.1 (95% CI: 1.8-20.8) and OR = 2.5 (95% CI: 1.0-6.2), respectively. Second-time stimulant offenders or offenders who had experienced health problems were more likely to consider it important to receive drug dependence treatment. To overcome relapses of stimulant use, it is recommended that stimulant use offenders are encouraged to accept adequate treatment.

Association Between Remoteness to a Health Care Facility and Incidence of Ambulance Calls in Rural Areas of Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Whether traffic remoteness from health care service in rural areas influences usage of ambulance service has not been well investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the relation between remoteness to health care facilities and incidence of ambulance calls in rural areas of Japan. METHODS: We analyzed 155 rural communities of Hiroshima. Data were obtained on all ambulance dispatches from 2010 to 2012. Driving time was calculated from each community to the closest primary/secondary and tertiary health care facility (equivalent to tertiary emergency care centers). We estimated the incidence rate and the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of ambulance calls for each 10-minute increase in the driving time, using generalized log-linear regression models, and evaluated the effect among each specific subgroup of emergency level and season. RESULTS: During the study period, the median incidence rate was 436 per 10 000 people in targeted communities. When driving time to the closest primary/secondary facility increased by an increment of 10 minutes, there was a significant increase in the IRR of ambulance calls, especially during colder seasons (IRR: 1.29 [95% confidence interval: 1.11-1.49]), and this relation was also obtained for most emergency levels. In comparison, there was no such increase in IRRs observed for driving time to a tertiary facility. CONCLUSION: This study indicated a positive association between remoteness to primary/secondary medical facilities and the frequency of ambulance calls. The remoteness to a primary/secondary health care may induce an increase in ambulance calls, particularly during cold seasons.

Cancer and non-cancer excess mortality resulting from mixed exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated dibenzofurans from contaminated rice oil: "Yusho".

PURPOSE: In 1968, rice oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated dibenzofurans caused a severe outbreak of food poisoning in Japan and was termed locally as "Yusho" (oil disease). In our previous study, we found that area-based standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) of some diseases were elevated shortly after the incident. This previous study, however, was unable to determine whether these elevated SMRs were a result of other area-specific factors. To overcome this limitation, we obtained mortality data from the 5 years before the incident and conducted an area-based study using vital statistics records dating from 1963 to 2002. METHODS: The population of Nagasaki Prefecture was set as the reference population for calculating SMRs. We also included data on cause-specific mortality attributable to cancer and expanded the population to encompass two severely exposed areas where contaminated rice oil was distributed (namely Tamanoura and Naru). We also calculated SMRs in the remainder of the Shimo-Goto region, excluding the exposed area, which was used as a comparison area. RESULTS: Even after considering the time trends in mortality before the incident, mortality due to diabetes mellitus and heart disease, as well as all-cause mortality, was found to be elevated shortly afterward. Additionally, mortalities due to uterine cancer in Tamanoura and leukemia were also elevated at 30-34 and 10-59 years after the event in both exposed areas, respectively. SMRs for leukemia in Tamanoura were as high as 3.0 (95% confidence interval 1.4-6.2) and 2.4 (1.2-4.8) 10-19 years later. In this period, SMRs for leukemia in the comparison area were not elevated. CONCLUSIONS: Further epidemiological studies are needed regarding this rice-oil, "Yusho" outbreak, especially with regard to cancer and non-cancer mortality.

Prevalence of dementia in Japan: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The actual prevalence of dementia in Japan as well as the changes in the prevalence are not well known. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review to collect evidence regarding the prevalence of dementia in Japan. METHODS: For this systematic review, we searched 2 electronic databases to identify cross-sectional or repeated cross-sectional studies with data regarding the study population, study location, diagnostic criteria, and prevalence of dementia. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were selected from 782 references. Sixteen studies surveyed individuals living at home; of these, 5 studies also included hospitalized or institutionalized patients. Most of the studies were conducted using a two-phase survey (phase I: screening, phase II: diagnosis of dementia). The clinical diagnosis of dementia was made based on the guidelines of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in a majority of the studies. The prevalence of all types of dementia ranged from 2.9 to 12.5% and has been gradually increasing over the past few years. CONCLUSION: The results of this systematic review suggest that the prevalence of dementia has recently increased. However, further well-designed studies taking into account factors that affect the prevalence of dementia are needed to clarify the actual prevalence.

Asian dust and daily all-cause or cause-specific mortality in western Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Desert dust, which is included in course particles, is considered to have potential toxicity. The effect modification of desert dust on associations between anthropogenic air pollution and mortality has been evaluated. However, the independent effects of Asian dust are less clear. Thus, we evaluated the effects of Asian dust on mortality independent of particulate matter (PM) in western Japan. METHODS: We obtained daily mean concentrations of Asian dust using Light Detection and Ranging measurements and suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations (approximately PM(8)) during March 2005 to December 2010. We then evaluated city-specific associations of Asian dust and SPM with daily mortality using a time-series analysis targeting 1 379 052 people aged 65 or above living in 47 cities. The city-specific results were then combined with a Bayesian-hierarchical model. RESULTS: Asian dust did not modify the effects of SPM on mortality. Meanwhile, Asian dust was adversely associated with mortality independent of SPM. The excess risk following a 10 µ/m(3) increase in mean of the current to the previous 2 days Asian dust concentration was 0.6% (95% CI 0.1 to 1.1) for heart disease, 0.8% (95% CI 0.1 to 1.6) for ischaemic heart disease, 2.1% (95% CI 0.3 to 3.9) for arrhythmia and 0.5% (95% CI 0.2 to 0.8) for pneumonia mortality. Furthermore, the effects of Asian dust were stronger in northern areas close to the Eurasian continent (source of Asian dust). CONCLUSIONS: Asian dust had adverse effects on circulatory and respiratory mortality independent of PM.

The impact of travel time on geographic distribution of dialysis patients.

BACKGROUNDS: The geographic disparity of prevalence rates among dialysis patients is unclear. We evaluate the association between travel time to dialysis facilities and prevalence rates of dialysis patients living in 1,867 census areas of Hiroshima, Japan. Furthermore, we study the effects of geographic features (mainland or island) on the prevalence rates and assess if these effects modify the association between travel time and prevalence. METHODS: The study subjects were all 7,374 people that were certified as the "renal disabled" by local governments in 2011. The travel time from each patient to the nearest available dialysis facility was calculated by incorporating both travel time and the capacity of all 98 facilities. The effect of travel time on the age- and sex-adjusted standard prevalence rate (SPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at each census area was evaluated in two-level Poisson regression models with 1,867 census areas (level 1) nested within 35 towns or cities (level 2). The results were adjusted for area-based parameters of socioeconomic status, urbanity, and land type. Furthermore, the SPR of dialysis patients was calculated in each specific subgroup of population for travel time, land type, and combination of land type and travel time. RESULTS: In the regression analysis, SPR decreased by 5.2% (95% CI: -7.9--2.3) per 10-min increase in travel time even after adjusting for potential confounders. The effect of travel time on prevalence was different in the mainland and island groups. There was no travel time-dependent SPR disparity on the islands. The SPR among remote residents (>30 min from facilities) in the mainland was lower (0.77, 95% CI: 0.71-0.85) than that of closer residents (≤ 30 min; 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of dialysis patients was lower among remote residents. Geographic difficulties for commuting seem to decrease the prevalence rate.

Association between proximity to a health center and early childhood mortality in Madagascar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between proximity to a health center and early childhood mortality in Madagascar, and to assess the influence of household wealth, maternal educational attainment, and maternal health on the effects of distance. METHODS: From birth records of subjects in the Demographic and Health Survey, we identified 12565 singleton births from January 2004 to August 2009. After excluding 220 births that lacked global positioning system information for exposure assessment, odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for neonatal mortality and infant mortality were estimated using multilevel logistic regression models, with 12345 subjects (level 1), nested within 584 village locations (level 2), and in turn nested within 22 regions (level 3). We additionally stratified the subjects by the birth order. We estimated predicted probabilities of each outcome by a three-level model including cross-level interactions between proximity to a health center and household wealth, maternal educational attainment, and maternal anemia. RESULTS: Compared with those who lived >1.5-3.0 km from a health center, the risks for neonatal mortality and infant mortality tended to increase among those who lived further than 5.0 km from a health center; the adjusted ORs for neonatal mortality and infant mortality for those who lived >5.0-10.0 km away from a health center were 1.36 (95% CI: 0.92-2.01) and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.06-1.90), respectively. The positive associations were more pronounced among the second or later child. The distance effects were not modified by household wealth status, maternal educational attainment, or maternal health status. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that distance from a health center is a risk factor for early childhood mortality (primarily, infant mortality) in Madagascar by using a large-scale nationally representative dataset. The accessibility to health care in remote areas would be a key factor to achieve better infant health.

The differences in the involvements of loci of promoter region and Ile50Val in interleukin-4 receptor α chain gene between atopic dermatitis and Japanese cedar pollinosis.

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis (AD) and Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) are common chronically allergic diseases associated with the activation of T-helper 2 cells. Recent studies have shown that polymorphisms in the genes for IL-4 receptor α chain (IL4RA) may contribute to susceptibility of AD and JCP, although the differences in the involvements of loci of IL4RA gene between AD and JCP are unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of polymorphisms in IL-4RA gene in conferring susceptibility to the development of AD and/or JCP using a family analysis and an association analysis in a Japanese population. METHODS: Five polymorphisms in the IL-4RA gene, C-3223T, T-1914C, T-890C, Ile50Val and Glu375Ala, have been genotyped using PCR-based methods in 75 trios families, including 15 AD families, 30 JCP families, and 30 families with combination of AD and JCP in the family analysis. Forty-five AD, 60 JCP and 125 control children constituted the association study. RESULTS: The transmission disequilibrium test showed that the allele of Ile50 was significantly transmitted to children with JCP alone (p < 0.05). Haplotype analysis showed that the -3223T/Ile50 haplotype was preferentially transmitted to both AD (p < 0.01) and JCP children (p < 0.01), while that the C-3223/Ile50 haplotype was preferentially transmitted to only JCP children (p < 0.01). The association study showed that -3223T and haplotype of -3223T/Ile50 were associated with AD children, but not with JCP. Ile50 was associated with both AD and JCP. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that -3223T and the -3223T/Ile50 haplotype were risk factors for AD. Ile50 allele seems to be involved in both JCP and AD. Interactions of the IL-4RA loci may play a role both conferring susceptibility and modulating severity of AD.

Nationwide cross-sectional population-based study on the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese adults.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common respiratory disease worldwide. However, few reports are available on the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Asian subjects. METHODS: To determine the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese subjects, we performed a nationwide cross-sectional, population-based study on Japanese adults aged 20-79 years. Ten areas spread throughout the country were randomly selected. Door-to-door or postal surveys were performed using a translated version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 23,483 participants. The overall response rate was 70.6%. The prevalences of wheeze and current asthma among all participants aged 20-79 years were 10.1% (95% CI: 9.7-10.5%) and 4.2% (95% CI: 4.0-4.5%), respectively. The prevalences among young adults aged 20-44 years were 9.3% (95% CI: 8.7-9.9%) and 5.3% (95% CI: 4.8-5.8%), respectively. The prevalence of current asthma was highest in females aged 30-39 years in comparison with the other gender and age groups. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide study determined the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese adults. The results provide fundamental information on the respiratory health of Japanese adults.

Power-frequency magnetic fields and childhood brain tumors: a case-control study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The strength of the association between brain tumors in children and residential power-frequency magnetic fields (MF) has varied in previous studies, which may be due in part to possible misclassification of MF exposure. This study aimed to examine this association in Japan by improving measurement techniques, and by extending measurement to a whole week. METHODS: This population-based case-control study encompassed 54% of Japanese children under 15 years of age. After excluding ineligible targeted children, 55 newly diagnosed brain tumor cases and 99 sex-, age-, and residential area-matched controls were included in the analyses. The MF exposures of each set of matching cases and controls were measured in close temporal proximity to control for seasonal variation; the average difference was 12.4 days. The mean interval between diagnosis and MF measurements was 1.1 years. The weekly mean MF level was defined as the exposure. The association was evaluated using conditional logistic regression analysis that controlled for possible confounding factors. RESULTS: The odds ratios (95% CI) for exposure categories of 0.1 to 0.2, 0.2 to 0.4, and above 0.4 microT, against a reference category of <0.1 microT, were 0.74 (0.17-3.18), 1.58 (0.25-9.83), and 10.9 (1.05-113), respectively, after adjusting for maternal education. This dose-response pattern was stable when other variables were included in the model as possible confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: A positive association was found between high-level exposure-above 0.4 microT-and the risk of brain tumors. This association could not be explained solely by confounding factors or selection bias.

Perceived stress, severity of asthma, and quality of life in young adults with asthma.

BACKGROUND: People suffering from asthmatic symptoms have a lower quality of life than those without. The aim of this study is to clarify the association of quality of life with the severity of asthma, perceived stress, and other factors such as the comorbidity of allergic diseases among young adults with asthma. METHODS: The study participants were 695 asthma patients, aged 20-44 years, from 29 medical centers in Japan. We excluded from the analysis of the result of the study 116 patients with complications of serious diseases, cough-variant asthma or aspirin-intolerant asthma. The patients completed the 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8), the Airways Questionnaire 20 (AQ20), and the Japanese version of the Perceived Stress Scale (JPSS) and their doctors also provided clinical information including diagnosis, complications, severity of asthma, and results of pulmonary function and immunological tests. RESULTS: There was a weak correlation between the generic quality of life (SF-8) and the disease-specific quality of life (AQ20). The AQ 20 revealed almost no association with the results of pulmonary function and immunological tests, and only a slight association with comorbidity of allergic rhinitis and food allergy. The AQ20 showed a moderate relation with perceived stress (JPSS) but a weak association with the severity of asthma. The multiple logistic models demonstrated that there was no relationship between the severity of asthma and the AQ20 in females, and in the age group of 20-34 years. CONCLUSIONS: A major variable related to the disease-specific quality of life was perceived stress, followed by the severity of asthma. Stress management of patients with asthma may improve their quality of life.

Gene-environment association of an ITGB2 sequence variant with obesity in ethnic Japanese.

Mice lacking the integrin alphaMbeta2 (Mac-1, CD11b/CD18) develop an obese phenotype on western diet rich in fat. However, no association has been found between variations in the human genes encoding the integrin alphaMbeta2 and obesity. This study was aimed to investigate the association between a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs235326) in the gene encoding human integrin beta2 subunit (ITGB2) with obesity. Our subject cohort comprised 651 people of Japanese ethnicity, of which 274 were Japanese Americans living in Hawaii, and the remaining 377 were native Japanese, two populations in the same genetic background with or without westernized life style. We genotyped the rs235326 polymorphism using a TaqMan assay. In the Japanese-American population, the risk of obesity was found to be 3.29-fold higher (a 95% confidence interval of 1.25-8.67, P = 0.02) in TT homozygotes than in C carriers, using a recessive model and logistic regression analysis that had been adjusted for age. This association was not found in native Japanese individuals. These results indicate that the rs235326 polymorphism in the ITGB2 gene is associated with obesity in Japanese living in the United States whose diet has become "westernized."

How valid is the self-administered visual analogue scale for assessing the health status of elderly people?

The population of Japan is aging rapidly, and maintaining the quality of life of elderly people has become an important issue in contemporary Japan. This study was conducted to verify the validity of the self-administered visual analogue scale (VAS) for assessing the health status of elderly people. A survey was conducted in two villages in western Japan in 2003. A total of 2040 participants, aged between 60 and 75 years, completed questionnaires comprising the VAS and six Likert-type items for health status, physical strength, life enjoyment, appetite, sleep, and life satisfaction. Data of the valid participants who properly completed both the VAS and the Likert-type item on health status were analyzed (n=1579, 77.4%). Among the Likert-type items, the VAS score was the most associated with health status (r = 0.532), followed by physical strength (r = 0.509). The VAS score showed a weak negative correlation with age (r = -0.130), but no association with socioeconomic factors such as the number of family members or annual income. The correlations between the VAS and the Likert-type item on health status varied between categories in some attributes. Since the VAS score was moderately correlated with similar questions about health status in the Likert-type health questionnaire, it was considered that the VAS is a valid self-administered instrument for collecting data on the health status of elderly people. However, further investigations need to be conducted to improve the VAS and to establish better explanations for aged respondents.

Enhanced biological activity of polymeric osteopontin.

Osteopontin is a multifunctional glycoprotein with roles in immunomodulation, inflammatory response, tissue mineralization, and tissue remodeling, which are mediated primarily through integrins. Transglutaminase 2 selectively cross-links proteins by isopeptide bonding. Osteopontin is one of the substrates of this enzyme and undergoes polymerization; however, the biological meaning of this polymerization remains unknown. Using recombinant osteopontin polymerized with purified transglutaminase 2, we examined cell adhesion, spreading, focal contact formation, and migration of SW480 or HUVE cells. All of these cellular behaviors were dramatically enhanced with polymeric osteopontin. These enhancements of cellular functions imply that polymerization might modulate physiological and pathological functions of osteopontin.

The integrin alpha5beta1 regulates chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation induced by GTP-bound transglutaminase 2.

Soluble GTP-bound transglutaminase 2 (TG2) induces hypertrophic differentiation in chondrocyte cultures in a beta1 integrin-dependent fashion. beta1 integrin subfamily consists of 12 heterodimers with 12 different alpha subunits and a beta1 subunit. To identify the specific integrin heterodimer(s) responsible for this process, we specifically blocked individual beta1 integrins on the CH-8 immortalized human chondrocytes during hypertrophic differentiation. Blockade of alpha5beta1 inhibited matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13), type X collagen expression, alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix calcification by 30-50% associated with weak effects of anti-alpha3beta1 and -alpha4beta1. Anti-alpha1beta1, -alpha2beta1 and -alpha6beta1 had no effect. To examine whether the dominant effect of integrin alpha5beta1 was due to a direct interaction with TG2, we incubated the chondrocytic cells on plates coated with GTP-bound TG2. The immobilized GTP-bound TG2 induced hypertrophic differentiation to the same extent as the soluble GTP-bound TG2, which was also inhibited by anti-alpha5beta1. CH-8 cells grown on plates coated with GTP-bound TG2 demonstrated adherence associated with focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation. These properties were inhibited by anti-alpha5beta1. Furthermore, engagement of alpha5beta1 on CH-8 cells via anti-alpha5beta1 antibody did, in fact, induce differentiation. Although CH-8 cells adhered to GTP-free TG2 via integrin alpha5beta1, the cells failed to undergo hypertrophic differentiation. Thus, integrin alpha5beta1 is critical for the chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation induced by GTP-bound TG2, and this induction is ligand dependent.

[Association between occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and meteorological factors].

OBJECTIVES: The association between the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and meteorological factors was examined in five cities of the Chugoku area in Japan. METHODS: This study used the emergency admission data for acute myocardial infarction in Yamaguchi, Matsue, Tottori, Okayama (from April 2000 to March 2005), and Hiroshima (from January 1993 to December 2002). Daily meteorological data was obtained from The Japan Meteorological Agency. The Poisson regression model was used to examine the association between acute myocardial infarction and daily average temperature and pressure. RESULTS: In Hiroshima, Okayama, Yamaguchi and Matsue City, daily average events of acute myocardial infarction were 30%, 30%, 33% and 40% higher in winter than those in summer (p < 0.05). Daily average events increased as atmospheric temperature decreased. In Hiroshima, Okayama and Yamaguchi City, daily average events in the low temperature group (T < 10 degrees C) were significantly higher than those in the high temperature group (T > or =20 degrees C) (p < 0.05). In Hiroshima City, a significant interaction was found between temperature and pressure. Daily events in the low temperature and low pressure group (1.38/day) was significant and 37% larger than in the high temperature and moderate pressure group (0.94/day; risk ratio = 1.37, 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.86, p < 0.05). Days with low temperature and low pressure were characterized by rain and/or snow. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of acute myocardial infarction was associated with low temperatures, especially daily average temperature lower than 10 degrees C. The risk was high on days with low temperature and low pressure in Hiroshima City.