The role of arterial stiffness in the onset of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy observed with noradrenaline administration and intracranial blood injection in rabbits.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) has been reported to occur after subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the involvement of a critical activity of catecholamines has been mentioned, but the details of its onset have not been fully clarified. Recently, proper arterial stiffness could be measured with cardio-ankle vascular index. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the role of arterial stiffness in onset of TCM using rabbits under infusion of noradrenaline and injection of blood into brain ventricle.

Implication of overexpression of dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (Daam-1) for the pathogenesis of human Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH).

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a rare, fatal disease of unknown pathogenesis. Evidence from our recent study suggests that IPAH pathogenesis is related to upregulation of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway. We used microscopic observation and immunohistochemical techniques to identify expression patterns of cascading proteins-namely Wnt-11, dishevelled-2 (Dvl-2), and dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (Daam-1)-in pulmonary arteries.

Investigation of Spatial Clustering of Biliary Tract Cancer Incidence in Osaka, Japan: Neighborhood Effect of a Printing Factory.

Background: In 2013, an unusually high incidence of biliary tract cancer among current or former workers of the offset color proof printing department of a printing company in Osaka, Japan, was reported. The purpose of this study was to examine whether distance from the printing factory was associated with incidence of biliary tract cancer and whether incident biliary tract cancer cases clustered around the printing factory in Osaka using population-based cancer registry data.

Methods: We estimated the age-standardized incidence ratio of biliary tract cancer according to distance from this printing factory.

Comparison of survival of adolescents and young adults with hematologic malignancies in Osaka, Japan.

The survival gap between adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with hematological malignancies persists in many countries. To determine to what extent it does in Japan, we investigated survival and treatment regimens in 211 Japanese AYAs (15-29 years) in the Osaka Cancer Registry diagnosed during 2001-2005 with hematological malignancies, and compared adolescents (15-19 years) with young adults (20-29 years). AYAs with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) had a poor 5-year survival (44%), particularly young adults (29% vs.

Effects of the Cessation of Mass Screening for Neuroblastoma at 6 Months of Age: A Population-Based Study in Osaka, Japan.

Background: In 2004, the Japanese government halted the 6-month mass screening program for neuroblastoma. We investigated whether its cessation had led to an increase not only in mortality due to this disease but also in the incidence of advanced-stage disease among older children.

Methods: Study subjects were neuroblastoma patients retrieved from the population-based Osaka Cancer Registry.

Tobacco Price Increase and Smoking Cessation in Japan, a Developed Country With Affordable Tobacco: A National Population-Based Observational Study.

Background: Longitudinal assessment of the impact of tobacco price on smoking cessation is scarce. Our objective was to investigate the effect of a price increase in October 2010 on cessation rates according to gender, age, socioeconomic status, and level of tobacco dependence in Japan.

Methods: We used longitudinal data linkage of two nationally representative studies and followed 2702 smokers for assessment of their cessation status.

Maternal and paternal indoor or outdoor smoking and the risk of asthma in their children: a nationwide prospective birth cohort study.

Background: Little is known about the differential impact of combinations of parental smoking behavior (indoor or outdoor smoking, or not smoking) on preventing childhood asthma. Our objective was to examine the association between parental smoking behavior and children's asthma.

Methods: A nationally representative population-based birth cohort of 40,580 babies, aged 0.

Long-term survival and conditional survival of cancer patients in Japan using population-based cancer registry data.

Although we usually report 5-year cancer survival using population-based cancer registry data, nowadays many cancer patients survive longer and need to be followed-up for more than 5 years. Long-term cancer survival figures are scarce in Japan. Here we report 10-year cancer survival and conditional survival using an established statistical approach.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival: a population-based study of adult patients diagnosed in Osaka, Japan, during the period 1993-2004.

Background: Long-term recession of the Japanese economy during the 1990s led to growing social inequalities whilst health inequalities also appeared. The 2007 National Cancer Control Program of Japan targeted "equalisation of cancer medical services", but the system to monitor health inequalities was still inadequate. We aimed to measure socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival in Japan.

Complete workplace indoor smoking ban and smoking behavior among male workers and female nonsmoking workers' husbands: a pseudo cohort study of Japanese public workers.

A pseudo cohort study using national cross-sections (2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010) was conducted to examine differences in smoking prevalence under different smoking ban policies such as a complete workplace indoor smoking ban (early or recent implementation) and a partial smoking ban among male public workers and husbands of female nonsmoking public workers. The effectiveness of smoking bans was estimated by difference-in-differences (DID) with age group stratification. The results varied considerably by age and implementation period.

Descriptive epidemiology of bile duct carcinoma in Osaka.

Objective: An outbreak of bile duct carcinoma has been reported among workers in a certain printing company in Osaka, Japan, where there was no descriptive epidemiological study. We conducted descriptive studies of bile duct carcinoma in Osaka.

Methods: Based on the data from the Osaka Cancer Registry, the incidence and survival rate of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct carcinomas, gallbladder carcinomas and hepatocellular carcinomas were analyzed.

Tobacco smoking and the risk of subsequent primary cancer among cancer survivors: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Smoking is a well-known risk factor for cancer; however, there is little evidence as to whether the smoking status of cancer survivors has any risk for subsequent primary cancer (SPC) incidence, regardless of the first cancer sites.

Patients And Methods: In total, 29,795 eligible patients with a first cancer between 1985 and 2004 were examined for SPC until the end of 2006, using a record linkage between hospital-based and population-based cancer registries. The association between smoking at the time of the first cancer diagnosis and three SPC groups (i.

Conditional survival for longer-term survivors from 2000-2004 using population-based cancer registry data in Osaka, Japan.

Background: We usually report five-year survival from population-based cancer registries in Japan; however these survival estimates may be pessimistic for cancer survivors, because many patients with unfavourable prognosis die shortly after diagnosis. Conditional survival can provide relevant information for cancer survivors, their family and oncologists.

Methods: We used the period approach to estimate the latest 10-year survival of 38,439 patients with stomach, colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancer diagnosed between 1990 and 2004 and followed-up from 2000-04 in Osaka, Japan.

Incidence of soft tissue sarcoma focusing on gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma in Osaka, Japan, during 1978-2007.

To clarify the incidence of soft tissue sarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal sarcoma in Osaka, Japan, we analyzed Osaka Cancer Registry's data. We identified a total of 6998 cases, except for those of bones and joints, during 1978-2007. The age-adjusted incidence rate of those sarcomas was 2.

Does removal of out-of-pocket costs for cervical and breast cancer screening work? A quasi-experimental study to evaluate the impact on attendance, attendance inequality and average cost per uptake of a Japanese government intervention.

Reducing out-of-pocket costs is known to improve mammography attendance, but an evidence gap remains concerning Pap smear testing. The Japanese government implemented a politically determined intervention to remove out-of-pocket costs for Pap smear tests and mammography attendance, costing US$148 million, in 2009. It targeted women when they reached the first year of a 5-year age group (i.

Cancer incidence and mortality in Osaka, Japan: future trends estimation with an age-period-cohort model.

In previous studies we predicted future trends in cancer incidence for each prefecture in order to plan cancer control. Those predictions, however, did not take into account the characteristics of each prefecture. We therefore used the results of age-period-cohort analysis of incidence and mortality data of Osaka, and estimated the incidence and mortality of cancers at all sites and selected sites.

Trends in 'cure' fraction from colorectal cancer by age and tumour stage between 1975 and 2000, using population-based data, Osaka, Japan.

Since the 1960s, Japan has experienced a striking increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer, now the second most common cancer in the country. Meanwhile, the management of colorectal cancer has changed dramatically with the implementation of, for example, screening, endoscopy and adjuvant chemotherapy. It is therefore of interest to monitor the long-term trends in population 'cure' in Japan.

Incidence of metachronous second primary cancers in Osaka, Japan: update of analyses using population-based cancer registry data.

Cancer survivors are at excess risk of developing second primary cancers, but the precise level of risk in Japanese patients is not known. To investigate the risk of survivors developing second primary cancers, we conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Osaka Cancer Registry. The study subjects comprised all reported patients aged 0-79 years who were first diagnosed with cancer between 1985 and 2004 in Osaka and who survived for at least 3 months, followed-up through to December 2005.

Role of age and tumour stage in the temporal pattern of 'cure' from stomach cancer: a population-based study in Osaka, Japan.

Objectives: To evaluate progress in stomach cancer care in Japan since 1975.

Design: Population-based study of data extracted from the Osaka Cancer Registry.

Setting: Population-based cancer registry in the area of Osaka Prefecture.

Trend analysis of cancer incidence in Japan using data from selected population-based cancer registries.

Population-based cancer registries are operated by over 80% of prefectures in Japan. However, only a limited proportion of the registries can provide long-term incidence data. Here, we aimed to establish a method for monitoring cancer incidence trends in Japan using data from selected prefectures.

Comparison of trends in cancer incidence and mortality in Osaka, Japan, using an age-period-cohort model.

Background: We aimed to estimate the effects of age, period and birth cohort on trends in cancer incidence and death for all sites and selected sites of cancer in Osaka using an age-period-cohort model.

Methods: Cancer incidence data during 1968-2003 were obtained from the Osaka Cancer Registry, and cancer mortality with population data in Osaka during 1968-2007 were obtained from vital statistics departments. We estimated age, period and birth cohort effects for incidence and mortality using Nakamura's Bayesian Poisson age-period-cohort model.

Trends in the incidence of primary intracranial tumors in Osaka, Japan.

We analyzed the trends in the age-standardized incidence rates of 10,460 cases of primary intracranial tumors diagnosed during 1975 and 2004, Osaka, Japan using the Joinpoint regression analysis. During the period 1975-2004, the age-standardized incidence rates of total intracranial tumors increased until 1987 at 3.1% per year and then decreased significantly at -1.

Clinical utility of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in patients with prostate cancer: can ADC values contribute to assess the aggressiveness of prostate cancer?

Purpose: To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and Gleason score (GS) in prostate cancer.

Methods: A total of 60 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer were selected for this study. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained using a 1.