Vaccination, regular exercise, and prevention of chronic lung disease reduce exacerbation of COVID-19 severity in northern Okinawa, Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Background: As at June 14, 2023, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had affected more than 767 million people and caused more than 6.9 million deaths worldwide. This study aimed to clarify the lifestyle factors that influence the exacerbation of COVID-19 severity.

Association between lifestyle and metabolic syndrome incidence of workers in northern Okinawa, Japan: A cohort study.

In Japan, specific health checkups were implemented to prevent metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular diseases in April 2008. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between lifestyle factors and the MetS incidence to understand how the disease can be prevented and to improve the public health policy. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the specific health checkup data of 2,781 workers.

Survival analysis of patients with interval cancer undergoing gastric cancer screening by endoscopy.

Aims: Interval cancer is a key factor that influences the effectiveness of a cancer screening program. To evaluate the impact of interval cancer on the effectiveness of endoscopic screening, the survival rates of patients with interval cancer were analyzed.

Methods: We performed gastric cancer-specific and all-causes survival analyses of patients with screen-detected cancer and patients with interval cancer in the endoscopic screening group and radiographic screening group using the Kaplan-Meier method.

A case-control study regarding relative factors for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia at a Canadian regional long-term extended care facility: a preliminary report.

Background: Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are prevalent and have an impact on the care of persons with dementia. Previous studies regarding predisposing factors have included pharmacotherapy, but other factors may not have been sufficiently studied. We hypothesized that psychotropic medications, past history, comorbid psychiatric disorders and other factors may be relevant factors related to BPSD.

A community-based, case-control study evaluating mortality reduction from gastric cancer by endoscopic screening in Japan.

Aims: Although the incidence of gastric cancer has decreased in the last 3 decades, it remains the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In Asian countries, the burden of gastric cancer has remained, and cancer screening is normally expected to reduce gastric cancer death. We conducted a community-based, case-control study to evaluate the reduction of mortality from gastric cancer by endoscopic screening.

Impact of the great East Japan earthquake on caregiver burden: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: After the great East Japan earthquake of 2011, residents with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers in Fukushima were evacuated to the prefecture of Chiba. We investigated the impact of the earthquake on the caregivers' burden.

Methods: Between August 2011 and January 2012, 46 caregivers evacuated from Fukushima and 46 caregivers at similar facilities in Chiba who were not forced to evacuate completed a survey including the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and additional questions.

Sensitivity of endoscopic screening for gastric cancer by the incidence method.

Although radiographic screening for gastric cancer has been conducted in Japan, it is anticipated that endoscopy will become a new screening method because of its high detection rate. The sensitivities of endoscopic and radiographic screening were calculated by the detection method and the incidence method based on the results of community-based screening in Japan. There were 56,676 screenings for gastric cancer using endoscopy and radiography from April 2002 to March 2007 in Yonago, Japan.

Association of gene polymorphism of the fat mass and obesity associated gene with metabolic syndrome: a retrospective cohort study in Japanese workers.

To investigate whether gene polymorphism of the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) is associated with metabolic syndrome (MS), we used two MS criteria, the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) definition in 2003 and the Japanese definition in 2005. Subjects were respectively 859 and 865 Japanese workers at a company in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. They were non-MS individuals in 1998 and had regular health checkups between 1998 and 2006.

Mobile phone use does not discourage adolescent smoking in Japan.

Objective: The possibility that smoking prevalence among junior and senior high school students may decrease with increasing mobile phone bill was reported by the mass media in Japan. We conducted a nationwide survey on adolescent smoking and mobile phone use in Japan in order to assess the hypothesis that mobile phone use has replaced smoking.

Methods: A total of 70 junior high schools (response rate; 71%), and 69 high schools (90%) from all over Japan responded to 2005 survey.

Metabolic syndrome and incidence of liver and breast cancers in Japan.

Aim Of The Study: To clarify the relationship between the presence of metabolic syndrome and the incidence of cancer in a general Japanese population.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 8329 male and 15,386 female subjects between 1992 and 2000. The analysis used five definitions of metabolic syndrome.

Influence of beta 3-adrenergic receptor Trp64Arg polymorphism on the improvement of metabolic syndrome by exercise-based intervention in Japanese middle-aged males.

Objectives: To date, there have been few intervention studies concerning the association of metabolic syndrome with beta 3-adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) Trp64Arg polymorphism, although ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism has been reported to be associated with weight gain and insulin resistance by several intervention programs. We examined the influence of ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism on the improvement of metabolic syndrome by an exercise-based intervention program.

Methods: Thirty-six male employees who satisfied the metabolic syndrome criteria participated in a three-month exercise-based intervention program (average age, 49 ± 6 years old).

Effect of the β3-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism Trp64Arg on BMI reduction associated with an exercise-based intervention program in Japanese middle-aged males.

Objectives: The β3-Adrenergic receptor gene polymorphism Trp64Arg (ADRB3 Trp64Arg) may be associated with weight gain, especially in the East Asian populations. To date, however, the results of various investigations aimed at determining whether ADRB3 Trp64Arg has any effect on weight reduction after intervention have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of ADRB3 Trp64Arg on weight reduction in a non-pharmacological intervention program.

The current status of hand washing and glove use among care staff in Japan: its association with the education, knowledge, and attitudes of staff, and infection control by facilities.

Objective: Hand hygiene is a basic measure to prevent infections. The purpose of this study was to obtain suggestions for the improvement of hand hygiene by evaluating the education, knowledge, and attitudes of care staff at facilities for the elderly in regard to hand washing and glove use, as well as infection control policies by those facilities.

Methods: Among a total of 147 special nursing homes and health service facilities for the elderly in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, questionnaires were sent from October to November 2007 to 56 facilities which had agreed to participate in this survey.

Relation of the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the nitric oxide synthase gene to hypertension and serum cholesterol in Japanese workers.

Objective: To assess whether the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene possibly mediates the relation of blood pressure and serum cholesterol.

Method: Regular health examination in 2003 of 1,694 Japanese workers from the Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

Results: The frequencies of the Glu/Glu, Glu/Asp, and Asp/Asp genotypes were 85.

Polymorphism of Trp64Arg in beta3-adrenergic receptor gene and serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations in healthy Japanese.

Background: Polymorphism of Trp64Arg in the beta(3)-adrenergic receptor (beta(3)-AR) gene may play a critical role in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism by mediating lipolysis and thermogenesis. Since the frequency of Arg alleles of the beta(3)-AR gene is generally low among many populations, studies on the Arg/Arg genotype in relation to lipid and lipoprotein metabolism are required in countries such as Japan which has a relatively high frequency of the Arg allele.

Methods: We genotyped 275 clinically healthy Japanese (male/female, 134/141, mean 45.

Retrospective cohort study of smoking and lung cancer incidence in rural prefecture, Japan.

Objectives: We conducted an epidemiological study of the relationship between lung cancer incidence and smoking, with special reference to the benefits of smoking cessation for reducing lung cancer incidence, to promote a local smoking control program.

Methods: The study was a retrospective cohort study. The population studied was 16,383 male examinees of lung cancer health examinations in 1995 in Tottori Prefecture, Japan.

Insufficient smoking restrictions in restaurants around junior high schools in Japan.

Controls for second hand smoke (SHS) and adolescent smoking have been still sociomedical concerns in Japan. Restaurant smoking restrictions are associated with community social norms affecting adolescent smoking behavior, and the status in areas around Junior high schools (JHSs) in the community could be a sign of community practices on regulating SHS for adolescents. To examine whether restaurant smoking restrictions are seen especially in areas around JHSs in Japan, a survey using the direct inspection of a total of 163 restaurants (64 restaurants within and 99 outside a 1-km radius from the nearest JHSs) was conducted in May 2003 in Yonago city, Japan.

[Prevalence of the homebound in the elderly population within a community determined by using three measurement scales].

Objectives: In this cross-sectional study, we examined the prevalence of the homebound among community-dwelling elderly people who were independent in daily living and similarity in the criteria of three measurement scales of homebound.

Methods: Of all residents aged 65 and older residing in Kishimoto town, Tottori Prefecture (n = 1,383), 1,316 (95.2%) who were living at home participated in a baseline survey in October 2001.

A survey of restaurant smoking restrictions in a Japanese city.

Japan has been behind the times in terms of promoting smoking control. The health-promotion law, which included the aim of preventing environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in public places, was newly introduced in Japan in 2003. The community-based survey on the present state of restaurant smoking restrictions and restaurant owners' concern of smoking is important as it is a reflection of the community's desire to prevent ETS.

eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism and hypertension in a cohort study in Japanese.

Background: Some recent case-control association studies have suggested negative and positive relationship between Glu298Asp (the substitution of aspartic acid for glutamic acid at amino acid position 298) polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and hypertension. To investigate whether the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the eNOS gene affects the incidence of hypertension, a retrospective cohort study was performed.

Methods: The baseline data among Japanese workers in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, were obtained at regular health examination in 1992, and a retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the influence of Glu298Asp polymorphism on the incidence of hypertension in 1998.

The lack of relationship between an endothelin-1 gene polymorphism (Ala288ser) and incidence of hypertension: a retrospective cohort study among Japanese workers.

Background: Some case-control association studies revealed the relationship between some endothelin-1 (ET-1) gene polymorphisms and blood pressure. Because no report was available about the relationship between any ET-1 gene polymorphism and incidence of hypertension, we examined the relationship between novel ET-1 gene polymorphism (G862T / Ala288Ser in exon 5) and incidence of hypertension by a retrospective cohort study.

Methods: The subjects were Japanese workers at a company in Shimane Prefecture in Japan.