[Association between daily lifestyle and the risk of metabolic syndrome among young adults in Japan. An analysis of Kobe city young adult health examination data].

OBJECTIVES: Appropriate lifestyle modifications through health guidance and other methods are known to be effective in preventing lifestyle-related diseases. Furthermore, early intervention is key. To examine the association between daily lifestyle and the risk of metabolic syndrome among young adults in Japan, we analyzed data from the Kobe City Young Adult Health Examination. METHODS: We examined 4,912 adults aged 30 to 39 years to identify the association between daily lifestyle and the risk of metabolic syndrome. Daily lifestyle was assessed from 11 lifestyle-related items in the questionnaire administered during the health exam. The Standard Health Exam and Guidance Program by the Ministry of Health and Labor was used to determine the risks of abdominal obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. Having a risk related to metabolic syndrome was defined as having a risk of abdominal obesity combined with a risk of hypertension, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia. We also evaluated the stages of behavioral change in those who possessed a risk of metabolic syndrome, as well as their willingness to receive health guidance. RESULTS: Eating quickly had a significantly greater association with-risk of metabolic syndrome, for both sexes, than eating slowly or at a normal pace. For women, smoking, skipping breakfast more than three days a week, and eating supper within two hours before going to bed for more than three days a week were associated with risk of metabolic syndrome. A multiple regression analysis showed that skipping breakfast (P < 0.01), eating quickly (P < 0.01), and having a late-night supper (P < 0.01) were independently associated with risk. Of those who did have a risk of metabolic syndrome, 11.7% were in the pre-contemplative/unaware stage of behavior change, and 54.8% were willing to receive health guidance. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that among adults in their thirties in Kobe, irregular eating habits seemed to be associated with risk of metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, their intention to/awareness of the need to change their behavior and their willingness to receive health guidance were rather strong. Thus, for the "Tokutei kenshin (specific national health checkup system)" to achieve its objective of preventing lifestyle-related diseases more effectively than at present, the target population of the Tokutei kenshin must be shifted to a more focused age group in their thirties.

[Polio virus detection in stool by the pathogen surveillance system of Japan. An observational study].

OBJECTIVES: To examine the applicability of data on polio virus detection in stool by the Pathogen Surveillance System of Japan (PSSJ) for the evaluation of polio virus retention status in a regional community after oral polio vaccination (OPV). METHODS: (1) Data for the city of Kobe (part of the PSSJ data): Cases of polio virus detection in stool reported to Kobe City Public Health Center from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2010 were examined regarding time duration from vaccination to detection as well as age and gender. (2) PSSJ data: Cases of polio virus detection in stool reported to PSSJ from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2010 were examined regarding the serological types of the virus as well as age and gender. A logistic regression analysis was used to derive odds ratios for the relationship between age and serological type of polio virus in stool. RESULTS: Thirty-one cases (33 stool samples) were identified in the Kobe city data. Of these, 96.8% were in children two years old or younger and 54.8% were girls. The time duration between vaccination and detection of all the cases was within two months from vaccination. From the PSSJ data, 852 cases were identified. Of these, 97.3% were two years old or younger and 54.6% were girls. The proportion of serological types was different by age group: for those under one year old, the type 1 virus accounted for 33.2%; type 2, 44.8%; and type 3, 22.0%. In the one year old or older age group, these types accounted for 22.8%, 27.6% and 49.6%, respectively. Notably, the type 3 virus was detected more for the older age group. (odds ratio 3.4, 95% confidence interval 2.5-4.6). CONCLUSION: The duration before detection and the serological types of polio virus in stool from the PSSJ and Kobe City data are consistent with the results of the prior studies that have evaluated the shedding of polio virus in stool after the administration of OPV. Since the PSSJ data are collected from a relatively wide range of samples, we conclude that the PSSJ data accurately represent polio virus retention status in a regional community after OPV. The current situation of polio virus shedding in stool cannot be ignored, and further consideration needs to be given to improving the accuracy of the PSSJ data, because Japan is to switch over to inactive polio vaccines in the near future.

Calcium alginate provides a high degree of embolization in aneurysm models: a specific comparison to coil packing.

OBJECTIVE: Although flexible, current coils do not fill intracranial aneurysms to a high degree, and questions remain regarding their thrombogenic capacity. We evaluated the usefulness of calcium alginate as an embolic material for endovascular embolization in aneurysm models. METHODS: We assessed three endovascular methods of instilling calcium alginate into 10-mm sidewall and 7-mm bifurcation glass aneurysm models using a balloon catheter to seal the aneurysm orifice: 1) instillation of alginate and subsequent instillation of the reactive component calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) via a single-lumen catheter, 2) simultaneous instillation of alginate and CaCl(2) via a side-by-side double-lumen catheter, and 3) instillation of alginate mixed with CaCl(2) delivered from a concentric-tube microcatheter. A 13-mm sidewall silicon aneurysm model was used to measure and compare the volume of calcium alginate occupying the aneurysm models. RESULTS: Instillation Method 1 did not achieve optimal filling of the aneurysm with calcium alginate. The percentage volumes of calcium alginate occupying the aneurysm were 69.2 +/- 7.7% and 84.6 +/- 5.4% for instillation Methods 2 and 3, respectively. In Method 3, calcium alginate began gelation upon leaving the catheter, entered the aneurysms in a strand form, and gelled to a mass that filled the aneurysm while conforming to its inner contour. CONCLUSION: Calcium alginate fills aneurysm models to a significantly higher degree than published results of the space filled by coils. Instillation of calcium alginate, especially in strand form, may produce an embolization that better fills and conforms to the contour of aneurysms compared with coils.

CCAAT/enhancer binding proteins are expressed in the gerbil hippocampus after transient forebrain ischemia.

We analyzed CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family protein levels during reperfusion after a single episode of sublethal forebrain ischemia in the gerbil hippocampus to investigate their expression after ischemia and correlation with neuronal cell death. The common carotid arteries were surgically exposed bilaterally and occluded for 10 min to induce forebrain ischemia in adult Mongolian gerbils. C/EBPalpha, beta, delta, epsilon, zeta protein immunoreactivity was expressed in the hippocampal layer of the CA1 region at 72 h after ischemia and peaked at 96 h. These results appear to correlate with neuronal degeneration as shown by hematoxylin and eosin staining and DNA fragmentation in the terminal transferase biotinylated-UTP nick end labeled-method. The present results demonstrate that C/EBP family proteins appear in the selectively vulnerable CA1 pyramidal cell layer in gerbils during neuronal degeneration, and may serve as a signal that neurons are progressing to neuronal cell death and DNA fragmentation.