Particulate Matter and Incident Chronic Kidney Disease in Japan: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study (IPHS).

Introduction: Global health hazards caused by air pollution, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), have been gaining attention; however, air pollution-associated CKD has not been explored in Japan.

Methods: We examined 77,770 men and women with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m in the Ibaraki Prefecture who participated in annual community-based health checkups from 1993 at 40-75 years old and were followed up through December 2020.

Long-term spatiotemporal variation of benzo[a]pyrene in Japan: Significant decrease in ambient concentrations, human exposure, and health risk.

Although Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is considered carcinogenic to humans, the health effects of exposure to ambient levels have not been sufficiently investigated. This study estimated the long-term spatiotemporal variation of BaP in Japan over nearly two decades at a fine spatial resolution of 1 km. This study aimed to obtain an accurate spatiotemporal distribution of BaP that can be used in epidemiological studies on the health effects of ambient BaP exposure.

Exposure to ambient fine particulate matter components during pregnancy and early childhood and its association with asthma, allergies, and sensitization in school-age children.

Background: Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) has been associated with allergic diseases, including asthma. However, information about the effects of specific PM components is limited. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of exposure to chemical components of PM during pregnancy and early childhood with the development of asthma, allergies, and sensitization in school-age children.

Association of air pollution exposure during pregnancy and early childhood with children's cognitive performance and behavior at age six.

Background: The impact of air pollution on neurodevelopment in children has attracted much attention in recent times. We aim to clarify the association between prenatal and postnatal air pollutant exposure and children's cognitive performance and behavior at age six.

Methods: This study was conducted based on a birth cohort study in Japan.

Estimating monthly concentrations of ambient key air pollutants in Japan during 2010-2015 for a national-scale birth cohort.

Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with maternal and child health. Some air pollutants exhibit similar behavior in the atmosphere, and some interact with each other; thus, comprehensive assessments of individual air pollutants are required. In this study, we developed national-scale monthly models for six air pollutants (NO, NO, SO, O, PM, and suspended particulate matter (SPM)) to obtain accurate estimates of pollutant concentrations at 1 km × 1 km resolution from 2010 through 2015 for application to the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), which is a large-scale birth cohort study.

Estimating historical PM exposures for three decades (1987-2016) in Japan using measurements of associated air pollutants and land use regression.

Accurate estimation of historical PM exposures for epidemiological studies is challenging when extensive monitoring data are limited in duration. Here, we develop a national-scale PM exposure model for Japan using measurements recorded between 2014 and 2016 to estimate monthly means for 1987 through 2016. Our objective is to obtain accurate PM estimates for years prior to implementation of extensive PM monitoring, using observations from a limited period.

Spatiotemporal land use random forest model for estimating metropolitan NO exposure in Japan.

Adequate spatial and temporal estimates of NO concentrations are essential for proper prenatal exposure assessment. Here, we develop a spatiotemporal land use random forest (LURF) model of the monthly mean NO over four years in a metropolitan area of Japan. The overall objective is to obtain accurate NO estimates for use in prenatal exposure assessments.

A new series of estrogen receptor modulators: effect of alkyl substituents on receptor-binding affinity.

New types of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) were synthesized and evaluated for their binding affinity and biological effect on reproductive cells. A proposed lead structure (B) was derivatized to provide compounds 30 and 44, which showed good estrogen-receptor binding affinity (K(i) values: 6.3 and 10 nM, respectively), as well as minimal impact on mammary and uterine carcinoma cells.