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Biomedical subjects

M Kuratsune

Publications and source records attributed to M Kuratsune.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Dietary fibre in the Japanese diet.

The low risk of colon cancer among the Japanese suggests their high intake of dietary fibre. Composite diet mixtures for 1959, 1970, and 1979 were prepared utilising the food consumption data from the National Nutrition Survey in Japan and analysed for non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) at the Dunn Clinical Nutrition Centre in Cambridge. The results showed that average intake of NSP by a Japanese in the above years did not exceed 13 g per day, which is as low as the corresponding intake by the Scandinavians and the British whose risk of colon cancer is known to be high. Since all the materials were analysed by the same methods and at the same laboratory, the results are well comparable and indicate that the low risk of colon cancer among the Japanese cannot readily be explained by their intake of NSP alone.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

Mortality among Japanese Zen priests.

A cohort study was done on 1396 deaths seen among 4352 Japanese male Zen priests during a follow up period from 1 January 1955 to 31 December 1978. Standardised mortality ratios were computed for major causes of death by comparing with the counterparts of the general Japanese male population. The SMR for all causes of death was 0.82 (p less than 0.001) and the SMR values for cerebrovascular diseases, pneumonia and bronchitis, peptic ulcer, liver cirrhosis, cancer of the respiratory organs, and cancer of the lung were all significantly smaller than unity. Taking regional mortality differences into account, a similar computation was made dividing the cohort into two subcohorts--that is, the priests living in eastern Japan and those in western Japan. Both subcohorts showed a highly significantly smaller SMR than unity for all causes of death. With the exception of only a few causes of death for which the observed number of deaths was small, they also showed such reduced SMRs for nearly all of the causes of death tested. A questionnaire survey on the current life style of active priests showed that they smoke less, eat less, meat and fish as they follow the more traditional Japanese dietary habits, and live in less polluted areas, but their drinking habits do not differ much from that of the average Japanese adult man. Possible reasons for their reduced mortality are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Mortality from carcinoma after partial gastrectomy.

The mortality from cancer, excluding gastric stump cancer, was examined in 3,827 Japanese patients who had undergone partial gastrectomy for benign gastroduodenal diseases. Although no increase in gastric stump cancer had been found in a previous analysis, the number of deaths from liver, lung and colorectal cancer was significantly greater than expected. The mortality rate was also significantly increased in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Postoperative hepatitis, intestinal stasis and/or increased bacterial growth after Billroth II gastrectomy were considered as possible causes of the high mortality.

Female↗
PubMed1984

A prospective study on primary gastric stump cancer following partial gastrectomy for benign gastroduodenal diseases.

A prospective study was made on 3827 Japanese patients who had undergone partial gastrectomy for benign gastroduodenal diseases to examine whether they are at a high risk of mortality from primary gastric stump cancer (PGSC) and whether the risk is determined by the surgical procedure. The patients were followed up from the time of surgery (from 1948 to 1970) to June 30, 1981. Of 3,701 patients (96.7%), the vital status at the end of observation was determined, the total person-years at risk being 62,286.33. The observed deaths were compared with the expected deaths calculated from the mortality rates of Japan. An elapsed time of 10 years from operation to death was set not only to exclude possible recurrent, remaining, or multiple cancers but also to allow a certain latency period for the development of PGSC. The observed and expected deaths from PGSC were 11 and 52.85, respectively, the ratio being 0.21 (p less than 0.01). The ratios were uniformly less than 1 for both sexes and across three operative groups: Billroth I, Billroth II with Braun's anastomosis; or Billroth II without Braun's anastomosis. No difference was observed between the death rates from PGSC by operation type. The possible role of the postoperative nonphysiological (pathological) environment or duodenogastric reflux in gastric stump carcinogenesis was not detected in the present study.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Nasal cancer mortality in areas with a high proportion of wood and furniture workers in Japan.

To see whether or not death from nasal cancer (ICD 160) increased in the areas where a proportion of woodworkers is high in Japan, two studies were carried out by examining standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) of nasal cancer at a Health Center and in 10 cities selected as wood industry areas. No excess risk of nasal cancer with statistical significance was seen. It would be very difficult to conclude that there is a definite excess risk of nasal cancer among woodworkers in Japan. Further investigation is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Mortality from cancer and other causes among workers at a metal refinery.

Hidden cases of occupational lung cancer among males were revealed by a case-control study in a town. The findings were confirmed by a prospective study on mortality among the employees of a metal refinery. It demonstrated not only a significantly increased mortality from lung cancer among copper smelters but also definite dose-response relationships between mortality from lung cancer and the degree of exposure. A very high excess mortality from lung cancer (0/E = 25.00) was observed among copper smelters who were considered to have been most heavily exposed to arsenic and/or other carcinogenic substances or workers who had been engaged in sintering and blast furnace operations for 15 years or more before 1949. The average latency period of lung cancer was 37.6 years, and unrelated to the level of exposure. Twenty-six of 29 deaths from lung cancer among copper smelters occurred after they had left the company. Other production workers and clerical workers showed no significant excess mortality from any kind of cancer.

Female↗
PubMed1983

A comparative study of polychlorinated dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase inducing potency in rats.

The aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) inducing potency of toxic chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons such as polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was studied in the young male Wistar rats. Alternatively, a technical PCDF mixture, 15 individual PCDF isomers or TCDD were administered i.p. in doses of 5 micrograms/kg; a PCB mixture was given in a dose of 50 mg/kg. The order of AHH inducing ability was TCDD greater than PCDFs much greater than PCBs in kidney, lung, and liver. In the prostate, thymus, and spleen, only TCDD enhanced the AHH activity. The AHH inducibility in the lung and liver, induced by 15 pure PCDF isomers with varying chlorine substitutions was also examined. Only 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran (2,3,7,8-tetra-CDF) and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofurans (2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF) significantly induced the hepatic AHH activity (4- and 2-fold, respectively), while eight PCDF isomers, including these two, significantly enhanced the pulmonary AHH activity (6- to 30-fold). Taking into account both the potent AHH inducibility and the high bioaccumulation of these compounds, 2,3,7,8-tetra- and 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDF should be given due attention with regard to environmental-related factors and the possibility of involvement in the etiology of "yusho" disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

The relationship between alcohol and mortality among Japanese physicians.

Based on the survey in 1965 on smoking and drinking habits of physicians in western Japan, the mortality pattern among 5139 male Japanese physicians over 12.7 years was examined in terms of drinking habit. Among six groups with different drinking habits: ex-drinker, non-drinker, occasional drinker and daily drinker whose intake of alcohol was equivalent to below 1, 1-1.9 or 2 and more go of sake (1 go of sake congruent to 27 ml of alcohol), ex-drinkers had the highest risk of dying. Mortality from all causes among non-drinkers was higher than that among occasional drinkers or the lowest daily drinkers, but the differences were not significant. Among daily drinkers, total mortality was significantly increased with the amount of alcohol. As for cause-specific mortality, cancer and stroke showed a significant positive association with alcohol. No significant inverse relationship was noted for heart disease or coronary heart disease, although non-drinkers had higher mortality than occasional or daily drinkers. There was no obvious effect of alcohol on mortality from either liver cirrhosis or accidents, but deaths from these causes were few.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Cancer and other causes of death among female beauticians.

A retrospective cohort study was done of the mortality between 1953 and 1977 among 7,736 Japanese female beauticians who were registered from 1948 to 1960 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Mortalities from tuberculosis, heart disease, accidents, and all causes were significantly decreased as compared with the mortalities of general population in the prefecture. Observed deaths from all cancers combined were almost equal to those expected (148 observed vs. 139.26 expected). Among site-specific cancers studied, only slightly increased mortality from stomach cancer was statistically significant (61 observed vs. 45.59 expected). No measurable excess mortality was observed for the other sites of cancer.

Beauty Culture↗
PubMed1983

A cohort study on the possible association between broiled fish intake and cancer.

To examine the possible carcinogenic effects of frequent intake of mutagenic pyrolysates of proteins and amino acids, 7,553 adult subjects whose personal characteristics had been examined were followed-up for about 11 years. The stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that frequent consumption of broiled fish was significantly positively associated with mortality from cancer at all sites, as well as from cancer of the stomach. Among the 11 independent variables tested, consumption of broiled fish ranked high as a variable associated with cancer mortality (all sites, and stomach). Similar analyses done by sex and city (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) showed a consistently positive association of this variable with mortality from cancer at all sites, in both sexes and cities, but, with a few exceptions, the association was not statistically significant. Broiled fish consumption also showed a consistently positive but not statistically significant association with mortality from gastric cancer classified by sex and city. The relative risks of cancer mortality associated with frequent (twice or more weekly) consumption of broiled fish, as compared to less frequent consumption, were 1.3 (P less than 0.05) for cancer at all sites and 1.7 (P less than 0.05) for gastric cancer. The frequency of consumption of dried fish was hardly associated with deaths from cancer at all sites and from gastric cancer, but was significantly positively associated with deaths from cancer of the liver.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Cancer and other causes of death among leprosy patients.

A follow-up study was done on the mortality from 1956 to 1975 among 2,383 Japanese patients with leprosy who were admitted to a leprosarium in Japan. The leprosy was classified into two types: lepromatous and tuberculoid. Irrespective of the type of leprosy or the sex of leprosy patient, mortalities were increased from tuberculosis, pneumonia and bronchitis, nephritis and nephrosis, and from total causes. The suicide rate was high among female patients. Deaths from total malignant neoplasms were higher than expected among patients with lepromatous leprosy for both sexes (49 observed vs. 44.02 expected), whereas they were lower than expected among patients with tuberculoid leprosy (35 observed vs. 36.83 expected); however, the differences were not statistically significant. Mortalities from cancers of the cervix and the esophagus among females with lepromatous leprosy were significantly higher. The risk of lymphoreticular cancers was not increased.

Age Factors↗