Researcher Profile and Settings

Master

Affiliation (Master)

• Faculty of Medicine　Social Medicine　Social Medicine

Affiliation (Master)

• Faculty of Medicine　Social Medicine　Social Medicine

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Profile and Settings

Affiliation

• Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor

Degree

• Doctor of Medicine（2003/01 Graduate School of Medicine, Yamaguchi University）
• Master of Public Health（2006/06 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health）

Profile and Settings

• Profile

  Dr. Kayo Ueda is Professor in Graduate School of Medicine in Hokkaido University, Japan. She started her working career as a clinician  in the treatment of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. After she changed her career as an environmental epidemiologist, she was engaged with studies clarifying the health effects of particulate air pollution and accumulated the evidence in Japan which contributed to environmental policy making. Currently, her works are to characterize human health risks from atmospheric environment including air pollutants and climate change in Asian countries as well as Japan. She has also been involved with multi-disciplinary research projects.  

• Name (Japanese)

  Ueda

• Name (Kana)

  Kayo

• Name

  201301082473369360

Alternate Names

http://kaken.nii.ac.jp/d/r/60444717.ja.html
https://sites.google.com/view/envepi-envhealth-hokudai/hokudai-env-epi?authuser=0

Affiliation

• Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Medicine, Professor

Achievement

Research Interests

• environmental epidemiology   Climate change   vegetation fire, forest fire, peatland fire   air pollution   Environment   Asia   Ambulance transport   Epidemiology   Aerosol   particulate matter   Asian dust   

Research Areas

• Life sciences / Hygiene and public health (non-laboratory)

Research Experience

• 2021/10 - Today Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University Department of Hygiene, Social Medicine Professor
• 2018/04 - 2021/03 Kyoto Univeresity Graduate School of Global Environmental Sciences Associate Professor
• 2014/04 - 2021/03 Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University Department of Environmental Engineering Associate Professor
• 2013/04 - 2014/03 National Institute for Environmental Studies Center for Environmental Health Research Senior Researcher
• 2008/04 - 2013/03 National Institute for Environmental Studies Researcher
• 2006/08 - 2008/03 Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine Assistant Professor

Committee Memberships

• 2018 - Today   Japanese Society of Public Health   Editorial Committee Member
• 2017/12 - Today   Ministry of Environment   Expert Committee on Health Risk Assessment of Hazardous Air Pollutants, Air Noise and Vibration Subcommittee, Central Environment Council
• 2017 - Today   Ministry of Environment   Sectorial Working Group on Climate Change Impacts
• 2017 - Today   Ministry of Environment   Working Group on Assessment of Health Effects of Photochemical Oxidants
• 2017 - Today   Ministry of Environment   Committee for the Evaluation of Health Effects of Photochemical Oxidants
• 2015 - Today   Subcommittee for Promotion of Earth Observation, Subcommittee for Research Planning and Evaluation, Council for Science, Technology and Science
• 2017 -2019   Japanese Society of Atmospheric Environment   Editorial Committee member of Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment

Published Papers

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

  Kei Nagai, Shin Araki, Toshimi Sairenchi, Kayo Ueda, Kazumasa Yamagishi, Masayuki Shima, Kouhei Yamamoto, Hiroyasu Iso, Fujiko Irie

  JMA journal 7 (3) 334 - 341 2024/07/16 

  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 m2 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. The outcome was newly developed kidney dysfunction with eGFR of <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 during follow-up. To assess air pollution, a PM2.5 exposure model was employed to estimate yearly means at 1 × 1-km resolution, converted into means at the municipal level. Hazard modeling was employed to examine PM2.5 concentrations in residential areas as a risk factor for outcomes. RESULTS: Participants were distributed across 23 municipalities in the Ibaraki Prefecture, with PM2.5 concentrations between 16.2 and 33.4 μg/m3 (mean, 22.7 μg/m3) in 1987-1995 as the exposure period. There were 942 newly developed kidney dysfunctions during follow-up. Based on 1987-1995 PM2.5 concentrations as the baseline exposure, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio per 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 for newly developed kidney dysfunction was 1.02 (95%CI, 0.80-1.24) in men and 1.19 (95%CI, 0.95-1.44) in women. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PM2.5 did not represent a significant risk factor for incident CKD in a prefecture in Japan.
• The perception of air pollution and its health risk: a scoping review of measures and methods

  Zeinab Bahrami, Satomi Sato, Zhesi Yang, Monali Maiti, Paoin Kanawat, Tomohiro Umemura, Kazunari Onishi, Hiroaki Terasaki, Tomoki Nakayama, Yutaka Matsumi, Kayo Ueda

  Global Health Action 17 (1) 1654-9716 2024/06/28
• 福岡における越境/局地大気汚染・健康影響に関する研究

  髙島久洋, 原圭一郎, 西田千春, 白石浩一, 林政彦, 伊禮聡, 兼保直樹, 高良太, 小林拓, 丸本幸治, 奥田知明, 長田和雄, 乙部直人, 高見昭憲, 内尾英一, 上田佳代, 山崎明宏, 吉野彩子

  エアロゾル研究 39 (2) 129 - 144 2024/06 [Refereed]
  
• Effects of Coexposure to Air Pollution from Vegetation Fires and Extreme Heat on Mortality in Upper Northern Thailand

  Athicha Uttajug, Xerxes Seposo, Arthit Phosri, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Muhammad Abdul Basit Ahmad Tajudin, Kayo Ueda

  Environmental Science & Technology 0013-936X 2024/05/28
• Interplay of Climate Change and Air Pollution- Projection of the under-5 mortality attributable to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) in South Asia

  Wahida Musarrat Anita, Athicha Uttajug, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Kengo Sudo, Makiko Nakata, Toshihiko Takemura, Hirohisa Takano, Taku Fujiwara, Kayo Ueda

  Environmental Research 2024/05
• A Nationwide Comparative Analysis of Temperature-Related Mortality and Morbidity in Japan.

  Lei Yuan, Lina Madaniyazi, Ana M Vicedo-Cabrera, Yasushi Honda, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Kayo Ueda, Kazutaka Oka, Aurelio Tobias, Masahiro Hashizume

  Environmental health perspectives 131 (12) 127008 - 127008 2023/12 

  BACKGROUND: The impact of temperature on morbidity remains largely unknown. Moreover, extensive evidence indicates contrasting patterns between temperature-mortality and temperature-morbidity associations. A nationwide comparison of the impact of temperature on mortality and morbidity in more specific subgroups is necessary to strengthen understanding and help explore underlying mechanisms by identifying susceptible populations. OBJECTIVE: We performed this study to quantify and compare the impact of temperature on mortality and morbidity in 47 prefectures in Japan. METHODS: We applied a two-stage time-series design with distributed lag nonlinear models and mixed-effect multivariate meta-analysis to assess the association of temperature with mortality and morbidity by causes (all-cause, circulatory, and respiratory) at prefecture and country levels between 2015 and 2019. Subgroup analysis was conducted by sex, age, and regions. RESULTS: The patterns and magnitudes of temperature impacts on morbidity and mortality differed. For all-cause outcomes, cold exhibited larger effects on mortality, and heat showed larger effects on morbidity. At specific temperature percentiles, cold (first percentile) was associated with a higher relative risk (RR) of mortality [1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.39, 1.52] than morbidity (1.33; 95% CI: 1.26, 1.40), as compared to the minimum mortality/morbidity temperature. Heat (99th percentile) was associated with a higher risk of morbidity (1.30; 95% CI: 1.28, 1.33) than mortality (1.04; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.06). For cause-specific diseases, mortality due to circulatory diseases was more susceptible to heat and cold than morbidity. However, for respiratory diseases, both cold and heat showed higher risks for morbidity than mortality. Subgroup analyses suggested varied associations depending on specific outcomes. DISCUSSION: Distinct patterns were observed for the association of temperature with mortality and morbidity, underlying different mechanisms of temperature on different end points, and the differences in population susceptibility are possible explanations. Future mitigation policies and preventive measures against nonoptimal temperatures should be specific to disease outcomes and targeted at susceptible populations. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12854.
• Enhancing health resilience in Japan in a changing climate.

  Yoonhee Kim, Kazutaka Oka, Erin C Kawazu, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Xerxes Seposo, Kayo Ueda, Masahiro Hashizume, Yasushi Honda

  The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific 40 100970 - 100970 2023/11 

  Climate change poses significant threats to human health, propelling Japan to take decisive action through the Climate Change Adaptation Act of 2018. This Act has led to the implementation of climate change adaptation policies across various sectors, including healthcare. In this review, we synthesized existing scientific evidence on the impacts of climate change on health in Japan and outlined the adaptation strategies and measures implemented by the central and local governments. The country has prioritized tackling heat-related illness and mortality and undertaken various adaptation measures to mitigate these risks. However, it faces unique challenges due to its super-aged society. Ensuring effective and coordinated strategies to address the growing uncertainties in vulnerability to climate change and the complex intersectoral impacts of disasters remains a critical issue. To combat the additional health risks by climate change, a comprehensive approach embracing adaptation and mitigation policies in the health sector is crucial. Encouraging intersectoral communication and collaboration will be vital for developing coherent and effective strategies to safeguard public health in the face of climate change.
• Differential Pattern of Cell Death and ROS Production in Human Airway Epithelial Cells Exposed to Quinones Combined with Heated-PM2.5 and/or Asian Sand Dust

  A Honda, KI Inoue, M Higashihara, T Ichinose, K Ueda, H Takano

  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES 24 (13) 10544  1661-6596 2023/07 [Refereed]
  
• Association between greenness and cardiovascular risk factors: Results from a large cohort study in Thailand.

  Kanawat Paoin, Chanathip Pharino, Arthit Phosri, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Matthew Kelly, Sam-Ang Seubsman, Adrian Sleigh

  Environmental research 220 115215 - 115215 2023/03/01 

  BACKGROUND: The risk of cardiovascular diseases may be reduced by residing in green environments. However, there are relatively few longitudinal cohort studies, especially in Southeast Asia, that focused on the health benefits of long-term greenness exposure in young adults. The present study examined the association between long-term exposure to residential greenness and self-reported morbidities in participants of the Thai Cohort Study (TCS) in Thailand from 2005 to 2013. METHODS: The self-reported outcomes, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes, were reported in 2005, 2009, and 2013, where the study participants provided the exact year of disease occurrence. Greenness was assessed by the satellite-based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), with a spatial resolution of 250 m. Long-term exposure to NDVI and EVI of each participant's sub-district was averaged over the period of person-time. We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the association between greenness and health outcomes. Associations with self-reported morbidity were measured using hazard ratios (HRs) per interquartile range (IQR) increase in NDVI and EVI. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed that an IQR increase in NDVI was associated with lower incidence of high blood pressure (HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.97) and high blood cholesterol (HR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.87, 0.92), but not significantly associated with diabetes (HR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.85, 1.01). EVI was also inversely associated with self-reported high blood pressure (HR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.88, 0.96), high blood cholesterol (HR = 0.89, 95%CI: 0.87, 0.91), and diabetes (HR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.85, 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to residential greenness was inversely associated with self-reported high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes in participants of TCS. Our study provides evidence that greenness exposure may reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in adult population.
• Effect modification by temperature on the association between O3 and emergency ambulance dispatches in Japan: A multi-city study.

  Arthit Phosri, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Seposo, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  The Science of the total environment 861 160725 - 160725 2023/02/25 

  Numerous epidemiological studies have reported that ozone (O3) and temperature are independently associated with health outcomes, but modification of the effects of O3 on health outcomes by temperature, and vice versa, has not been fully described. This study aimed to investigate effect modification by temperature on the association between O3 and emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) in Japan. Data on daily air pollutants, ambient temperature, and EADs were obtained from eight Japanese cities from 2007 to 2015. A distributed lag non-linear model combined with Poisson regression was performed with temperature as a confounding factor and effect modifier to estimate the effects of O3 on EADs at low (<25th percentile), moderate (25th-75th percentile), and high (>75th percentile) temperature for each city. The estimates obtained from each city were pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. When temperature was entered as a confounder, the estimated effects of O3 on EADs for all acute, cardiovascular, and respiratory illnesses were largest at lag 0 (current-day lag). Therefore, this lag was used to further estimate the effects of O3 on EADs in each temperature category. The estimated effects of O3 on EADs for all acute, cardiovascular, and respiratory illnesses in all eight Japanese cities increased with increasing temperature. Specifically, a 10 ppb increase in O3 was associated with 0.80 % (95 % CI: 0.25 to 1.35), 0.19 % (95 % CI: -0.85 to 1.25), and 1.14 % (95 % CI: -0.01 to 2.31) increases in the risk of EADs for all acute, cardiovascular, and respiratory illnesses, respectively, when city-specific daily temperature exceeded the 75th percentile. Our findings suggest that the association between O3 and EADs for all acute, cardiovascular, and respiratory illnesses is the highest during high temperature. Finding of this study can be used to develop potential mitigation measures against O3 exposure in high temperature environment to reduce its associated adverse health effects.
• Association between Long-Term Ambient PM2.5 Exposure and under-5 Mortality: A Scoping Review.

  Wahida Musarrat Anita, Kayo Ueda, Athicha Uttajug, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Hirohisa Takano

  International journal of environmental research and public health 20 (4) 2023/02/13 

  Studies have established a link between exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and mortality in infants and children. However, few studies have explored the association between post-birth exposure to PM2.5 and under-5 mortality. We conducted a scoping review to identify relevant epidemiological evidence on the association between post-birth ambient PM2.5 exposure and under-5 mortality. We searched PubMed and Web of Science for articles published between 1970 and the end of January 2022 that explicitly linked ambient PM2.5 and under-5 mortality by considering the study area, study design, exposure window, and child age. Information was extracted on the study characteristics, exposure assessment and duration, outcomes, and effect estimates/findings. Ultimately, 13 studies on infant and child mortality were selected. Only four studies measured the effect of post-birth exposure to PM2.5 on under-5 mortality. Only one cohort study mentioned a positive association between post-birth ambient PM2.5 exposure and under-5 mortality. The results of this scoping review highlight the need for extensive research in this field, given that long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 is a major global health risk and child mortality remains high in some countries.
• Daily temperature effects on under-five mortality in a tropical climate country and the role of local characteristics.

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kazutaka Oka, Yasushi Honda, Yasuaki Hijioka, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Mazrura Sahani, Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin, Yoonhee Kim

  Environmental research 218 114988 - 114988 2023/02/01 

  BACKGROUND: Climate change and its subsequent effects on temperature have raised global public health concerns. Although numerous epidemiological studies have shown the adverse health effects of temperature, the association remains unclear for children aged below five years old and those in tropical climate regions. METHODS: We conducted a two-stage time-stratified case-crossover study to examine the association between temperature and under-five mortality, spanning the period from 2014 to 2018 across all six regions in Malaysia. In the first stage, we estimated region-specific temperature-mortality associations using a conditional Poisson regression and distributed lag nonlinear models. We used a multivariate meta-regression model to pool the region-specific estimates and examine the potential role of local characteristics in the association, which includes geographical information, demographics, socioeconomic status, long-term temperature metrics, and healthcare access by region. RESULTS: Temperature in Malaysia ranged from 22 °C to 31 °C, with a mean of 27.6 °C. No clear seasonality was observed in under-five mortality. We found no strong evidence of the association between temperature and under-five mortality, with an "M-" shaped exposure-response curve. The minimum mortality temperature (MMT) was identified at 27.1 °C. Among several local characteristics, only education level and hospital bed rates reduced the residual heterogeneity in the association. However, effect modification by these variables were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a null association between temperature and under-five mortality in Malaysia, which has a tropical climate. The "M-" shaped pattern suggests that under-fives may be vulnerable to temperature changes, even with a small temperature change in reference to the MMT. However, the weak risks with a large uncertainty at extreme temperatures remained inconclusive. Potential roles of education level and hospital bed rate were statistically inconclusive.
• Long-term trends in mortality risk associated with short-term exposure to air pollution in 10 Japanese cities between 1977 and 2015.

  Hironori Nishikawa, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Lina Madaniyazi, Yoonhee Kim, Aurelio Tobías, Makiko Yamagami, Satbyul Estella Kim, Akinori Takami, Seiji Sugata, Yasushi Honda, Kayo Ueda, Masahiro Hashizume, Chris Fook Sheng Ng

  Environmental research 219 115108 - 115108 2022/12/19 

  BACKGROUND AND AIM: Short-term associations between air pollution and mortality have been well reported in Japan, but the historical changes in mortality risk remain unknown. We examined temporal changes in the mortality risks associated with short-term exposure to four criteria air pollutants in selected Japanese cities. METHODS: We collected daily mortality data for non-accidental causes (n = 5,748,206), cardiovascular (n = 1,938,743) and respiratory diseases (n = 777,266), and air pollutants (sulfur dioxide [SO2], nitrogen dioxide [NO2], suspended particulate matter [SPM], and oxidants [Ox]) in 10 cities from 1977 to 2015. We performed two-stage analysis with 5-year stratification to estimate the relative risk (RR) of mortality per 10-unit increase in the 2-day moving average of air pollutant concentrations. In the first stage, city-specific associations were assessed using a quasi-Poisson generalized linear regression model. In the second stage, city-specific estimates were pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis. Linear trend and ratio of relative risks (RRR) were computed to examine temporal changes. RESULTS: When stratifying the analysis by every 5 years, average concentrations in each sub-period decreased for SO2, NO2, and SPM (14.2-2.3 ppb, 29.4-17.5 ppb, 52.1-20.6 μg/m3, respectively) but increased for Ox (29.1-39.1 ppb) over the study period. We found evidence of a negative linear trend in the risk of cardiovascular mortality associated with SPM across sub-periods. However, the risks of non-accidental and respiratory mortality per 10-unit increase in SPM concentration were significantly higher in the most recent period than in the earliest period. Other gaseous pollutants did not show such temporal risk change. The risks posed by these pollutants were slightly to moderately heterogeneous in the different cities. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality risks associated with short-term exposure to SPM changed, with different trends by cause of death, in 10 cities over 39 years whereas the risks for other gaseous pollutants were relatively stable.
• Effects of Streamer Discharge on PM2.5 Containing Endotoxins and Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Their Biological Responses In Vitro.

  Akiko Honda, Ken-Ichiro Inoue, Shin Tamura, Michitaka Tanaka, Zaoshi Wang, Toshio Tanaka, Seitarou Hirai, Tomoaki Okuda, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  International journal of molecular sciences 23 (24) 2022/12/14 

  Experimental and epidemiological studies have demonstrated that fine particulate matter with a diameter of <2.5 μm (PM2.5) affects both the respiratory and immune systems. However, effective approaches to reduce PM2.5-induced hazardous effects have not been discovered yet. Streamer discharge is a category of plasma discharge in which high-speed electrons collide with oxygen and nitrogen molecules. Although streamer discharge can reportedly eliminate bacteria, molds, chemical substances, and allergens, its ability to decontaminate PM2.5 has not been previously demonstrated. The present study explored whether streamer discharge treatment could reduce PM2.5-induced inflammatory responses by employing an in vitro system. PM2.5 was collected under four conditions (Bangkok (Sep.−Dec.), Bangkok (Dec.−Mar.), Singapore, and Taipei). Airway epithelial cells and antigen-presenting cells exposed to non-treated PM2.5 in several conditions resulted in inflammatory responses. Streamer-discharged PM2.5 (Bangkok (Sep.−Dec.)) decreased the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 compared to non-treated PM2.5. Moreover, composition analysis demonstrated that streamer discharge reduced some compounds, such as endotoxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, included in PM2.5 that can elicit inflammatory responses. Streamer discharge treatment can reduce endotoxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the subsequent inflammatory responses induced by PM2.5 in vitro.
• Role of oxides of nitrogen in the ozone-cardiorespiratory visit association

  Xerxes Seposo, Kayo Ueda, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Lina Madaniyazi, Seiji Sugata, Ayako Yoshino, Akinori Takami

  Environmental Pollution 317 120802 - 120802 2022/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Ozone (O3)-induced health effects vary in terms of severity, from deterioration of lung function and hospitalization to death. Several studies have reported a linear increase in health risks after O3 exposure. However, current evidence suggests a non-linear U- and J-shaped concentration-response (C-R) function. The potential increasing risks with decreasing O3 concentrations may seem counterintuitive from the traditional standpoint that decreasing exposure should lead to decreasing health risks. Tus, the question of whether the increasing risks with decreasing concentrations are truly O3-induced or might be from other C-R mechanisms. If these potential risks were not accounted for, this may have contributed to the risks observed at the low ozone concentration range. In this study, we examined the short-term effects of photochemical oxidant (Ox, parts per billiion) on outpatient cardiorespiratory visits in 21 Japanese cities after adjusting for other air pollutant-specific C-R functions. Daily cardiorespiratory visits from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 were obtained from the Japanese Medical Data Center Co. Ltd. Similar period of meteorological and air pollution variables were obtained from relevant data sources. We utilized a time-stratified case crossover design coupled with the generalized additive mixed model (TSCC-GAMM) to estimate the association between Ox and cardiorespiratory outpatient visits, after adjusting for several covariates. A total of 2,588,930 visits were recorded across the study period, with a mean of 111.87 and a standard deviation of 138.75. The results revealed that crude Ox-cardiorespiratory visits exhibited a U-shaped pattern. However, adjustment of the oxides of nitrogen, particularly nitrogen monoxide (NO), attenuated the lower risk curve and subsequently altered the shape of the C-R function, with a substantial reduction observed during winter. NO- and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)-adjusted Ox-cardiorespiratory associations increased nearly linearly, without an apparent threshold. Current evidence suggests the importance of adjusting the oxides of nitrogen in estimating the Ox C-R risk functions.
• Estimation of hospital visits for respiratory diseases attributable to PM10 from vegetation fire smoke and health impacts of regulatory intervention in Upper Northern Thailand

  Athicha Uttajug, Kayo Ueda, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Scientific Reports 12 (1) 2022/11/02 

  Abstract The air quality in Upper Northern Thailand (UNT) deteriorates during seasonal vegetation fire events, causing adverse effects especially on respiratory health outcomes. This study aimed to quantitatively estimate respiratory morbidity from vegetation fire smoke exposure, and to assess the impact of a burning ban enforced in 2016 on morbidity burden in UNT. We computed daily population exposure to fire-originated PM₁₀ and estimated its health burden during a 5-year period from 2014 to 2018 using daily fire-originated PM₁₀ concentration and the concentration–response function for short-term exposure to PM₁₀ from vegetation fire smoke and respiratory morbidity. In subgroups classified as children and older adults, the health burden of respiratory morbidity was estimated using specific effect coefficients from previous studies conducted in UNT. Finally, we compared the health burden of respiratory morbidity before and after burning ban enforcement. Approximately 130,000 hospital visits for respiratory diseases were estimated to be attributable to fire-originated PM₁₀ in UNT from 2014 to 2018. This estimation accounted for 1.3% of total hospital visits for respiratory diseases during the 5-year period, and 20% of those during burning events. Age-specific estimates revealed a larger impact of PM₁₀ in the older adult group. The number of hospital visits for respiratory diseases attributable to fire-originated PM₁₀ decreased from 1.8% to 0.5% after the burning ban policy was implemented in the area. Our findings suggest that PM₁₀ released from vegetation fires is a health burden in UNT. The prohibition of the burning using regulatory measure had a positive impact on respiratory morbidity in this area.
• Environmental variable importance for under-five mortality in Malaysia: A random forest approach

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kazutaka Oka, Yasuaki Hijioka, Kayo Ueda, Mazrura Sahani, Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin

  Science of The Total Environment 845 157312 - 157312 0048-9697 2022/11
• Effects of Oxidized Pyrenes on the Biological Responses in the Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

  Akiko Honda, Ken-ichiro Inoue, Satsuki Takai, Takayuki Kameda, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 12 (19) 2022/10 

  Although polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are toxic, the effects of oxidized PAHs on health and biological responses remain unclear. In this study, we examined the in vitro effects of varying concentrations of pyrene, a type of PAH, and its quinone forms, namely 4,5-pyrenequinone (PyQ) and 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ, on human lung epithelial (BEAS-2B) cells. We evaluated cell viability, apoptosis, and the production of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Exposure to 1 mu M 4,5-PyQ or 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ increased the cellular activity. At 3 mu M, 4,5-PyQ increased the number of late apoptotic and/or necrotic cells compared with those in the control, whereas 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ increased the number of dead cells. Exposure to 4,5-PyQ at 10 mu M decreased IL-6 production and exposure to both 4,5-PyQ and 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ at 3 or 10 mu M decreased IL-8 production. sICAM-1 production was increased after 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ exposure at 10 mu M. In the presence of cells, 4,5-PyQ and 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ increased ROS production significantly in a concentration-dependent manner; similar results were observed with 1,8-PyQ + 1,6-PyQ without cells. Overall, our results suggest that oxidized PAHs induce stronger respiratory toxicity/inflammatory responses than PAHs.
• A scoping review on the health effects of smoke haze from vegetation and peatland fires in Southeast Asia: Issues with study approaches and interpretation

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Attica Uttajug, Kayo Ueda, Nina Yulianti, Mohd Talib Latif, Daisuke Naito

  PLOS ONE 17 (9) e0274433 - e0274433 2022/09/15 [Refereed]
   

  Smoke haze due to vegetation and peatland fires in Southeast Asia is a serious public health concern. Several approaches have been applied in previous studies; however, the concepts and interpretations of these approaches are poorly understood. In this scoping review, we addressed issues related to the application of epidemiology (EPI), health burden estimation (HBE), and health risk assessment (HRA) approaches, and discussed the interpretation of findings, and current research gaps. Most studies reported an air quality index exceeding the ‘unhealthy’ level, especially during smoke haze periods. Although smoke haze is a regional issue in Southeast Asia, studies on its related health effects have only been reported from several countries in the region. Each approach revealed increased health effects in a distinct manner: EPI studies reported excess mortality and morbidity during smoke haze compared to non-smoke haze periods; HBE studies estimated approximately 100,000 deaths attributable to smoke haze in the entire Southeast Asia considering all-cause mortality and all age groups, which ranged from 1,064–260,000 for specified mortality cause, age group, study area, and study period; HRA studies quantified potential lifetime cancer and non-cancer risks due to exposure to smoke-related chemicals. Currently, there is a lack of interconnection between these three approaches. The EPI approach requires extensive effort to investigate lifetime health effects, whereas the HRA approach needs to clarify the assumptions in exposure assessments to estimate lifetime health risks. The HBE approach allows the presentation of health impact in different scenarios, however, the risk functions used are derived from EPI studies from other regions. Two recent studies applied a combination of the EPI and HBE approaches to address uncertainty issues due to the selection of risk functions. In conclusion, all approaches revealed potential health risks due to smoke haze. Nonetheless, future studies should consider comparable exposure assessments to allow the integration of the three approaches.
• A Case-Crossover Analysis of the Association between Exposure to Total PM2.5 and Its Chemical Components and Emergency Ambulance Dispatches in Tokyo.

  Takehiro Michikawa, Junichi Sasaki, Shin Yamazaki, Akinori Takami, Keiko Asakura, Haruhiko Imamura, Kayo Ueda, Shinji Saito, Junya Hoshi, Ayako Yoshino, Seiji Sugata, Hiroshi Nitta, Yuji Nishiwaki

  Environmental science & technology 56 (11) 7319 - 7327 2022/06/07 

  A limited number of studies have investigated the association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 components and morbidity. The present case-crossover study explored the association between exposure to total PM2.5 and its components and emergency ambulance dispatches, which is one of the indicators of morbidity, in the 23 Tokyo wards. Between 2016 and 2018 (mean mass concentrations of total PM2.5 13.5 μg/m3), we obtained data, from the Tokyo Fire Department, on the daily cases of ambulance dispatches. Fine particles were collected at a fixed monitoring site and were analyzed to estimate the daily mean concentrations of carbons and ions. We analyzed 1038301 cases of health-based all-cause ambulance dispatches by using a conditional logistic regression model. The average concentrations of total PM2.5 over one and the previous day were positively associated with the number of ambulance dispatches. In terms of PM2.5 components, the percentage increase per interquartile range (IQR) increase was 0.8% for elemental carbon (IQR = 0.8 μg/m3; 95% CI = 0.3-1.3%), 0.9% for sulfate (2.1 μg/m3; 0.5-1.4%), and 1.1% for ammonium (1.3 μg/m3; 0.4-1.8%) in the PM2.5-adjusted models. This is the first study to find an association between some specific components in PM2.5 and ambulance dispatches.
• アレルギーを悪化させるパーソナルケア製品の同定

  本田 晶子, 丹 嵯織, 宮坂 奈津子, 雑賀 大輔, 邱 彬洋, 長尾 慧, 李 銀鵬, 王 造時, 石川 良賀, 上田 佳代, 高野 裕久

  The Journal of Toxicological Sciences (一社)日本毒性学会 47 (Suppl.) S94 - S94 0388-1350 2022/06
• Application of three-dimensional Raman imaging to determination of the relationship between cellular localization of diesel exhaust particles and the toxicity

  Langying Ou, Akiko Honda, Natsuko Miyasaka, Sakiko Akaji, Issei Omori, Raga Ishikawa, Yinpeng Li, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  TOXICOLOGY MECHANISMS AND METHODS 32 (5) 333 - 340 1537-6516 2022/06 [Refereed]
  
• Effect of a vegetation fire event ban on hospital visits for respiratory diseases in Upper Northern Thailand

  Athicha Uttajug, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  International Journal of Epidemiology 0300-5771 2022/02/04 

  Upper Northern Thailand (UNT) has been episodically affected by air pollution from vegetation burning, which causes adverse respiratory health effects. However, no study has evaluated the effect of regulatory actions to prohibit vegetation burning on respiratory morbidity. We examined the effect of a burning ban enforced in May 2016 on hospital visits for respiratory diseases in UNT. This study used data from eight provinces in UNT. Analyses were conducted for January to April of 2014–2016 (before ban enforcement) and January to April of 2017–2018 (after ban enforcement). Particulate matter of 10 microns in diameter or smaller (PM10) concentrations, numbers of satellite fire hotspots and age-standardized rates of hospital visits for respiratory diseases before and after ban enforcement were compared. The effect of the ban on hospital visits for respiratory diseases was evaluated using an interrupted time-series analysis controlled for season-specific temporal trends, day of week, public holiday, temperature, relative humidity, number of hospitals and offset population, with gastrointestinal diseases as a negative control. A meta-analysis was performed to pool province-specific effect estimates. The daily average PM10 concentration and the number of fire hotspots decreased after ban enforcement in all provinces in UNT, with percent changes ranging from 5.3 to 34.3% and 14.3 to 81.5%, respectively. The adjusted pooled effect estimates of hospital visits for respiratory diseases decreased by 9.1% (95% CI: 5.1, 12.9), whereas a null association was observed for gastrointestinal diseases. The burning ban had a positive impact on both air pollution levels and rates of hospital visits for respiratory diseases in UNT.
• Long-term air pollution exposure and decreased kidney function: A longitudinal cohort study in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand from 2002 to 2012.

  Kanawat Paoin, Kayo Ueda, Prin Vathesatogkit, Thammasin Ingviya, Suhaimee Buya, Racha Dejchanchaiwong, Arthit Phosri, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Chagriya Kitiyakara, Nisakron Thongmung, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Piyamitr Sritara, Perapong Tekasakul

  Chemosphere 287 (Pt 1) 132117 - 132117 2022/01 

  BACKGROUND: Kidney dysfunction is considered a cardiovascular risk factor. However, few longitudinal studies have examined the effects of air pollution on kidney function. We evaluated associations between long-term air pollution exposure and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using data from a cohort of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) study in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand. METHODS: This longitudinal study included 1839 subjects (aged 52-71 years in 2002) from the EGAT1 cohort study during 2002-2012. eGFR, based on creatinine, was measured in 2002, 2007, and 2012. Annual mean concentrations of air pollutants (i.e., particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm (PM10), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO)) prior to a measurement of creatinine were assessed with the ordinary kriging method. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to assess associations between air pollutants and eGFR, while controlling for potential covariates. eGFR values are expressed as percent change per interquartile range (IQR) increments of each pollutant. RESULTS: Lower eGFR was associated with higher concentrations of PM10 (-1.99%, 95% confidence interval (CI): -3.33, -0.63), SO2 (-4.89%, 95%CI: -6.69, -3.07), and CO (-0.97%, 95%CI: -1.96, 0.03). However, after adjusting for temperature, relative humidity, PM10, and SO2, no significant association was observed between CO and eGFR. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis that long-term exposure to high concentrations of PM10 and SO2 is associated with the progression of kidney dysfunction in subjects of the EGAT cohort study.
• PM2.5の測定法と動態

  山神 真紀子, 池盛 文数, 久恒 邦裕, 中島 寛則, 上田 佳代, 若松 伸司, 長田 和雄

  大気環境学会誌 (公社)大気環境学会 57 (1) A18 - A20 1341-4178 2022/01
• ケースクロスオーバーデザインによる微小粒子成分と23区内救急搬送との関連性について

  道川 武紘, 佐々木 淳一, 山崎 新, 高見 昭憲, 朝倉 敬子, 今村 晴彦, 上田 佳代, 齊藤 伸治, 星 純也, 吉野 彩子, 菅田 誠治, 新田 裕史, 西脇 祐司

  Journal of Epidemiology (一社)日本疫学会 32 (Suppl.1) 96 - 96 0917-5040 2022/01
• Exposure to PM2.5 and Lung Function Growth in Pre- and Early Adolescent Schoolchildren.

  Toru Takebayashi, Masataka Taguri, Hiroshi Odajima, Shuichi Hasegawa, Keiko Asakura, Ai Milojevic, Ayano Takeuchi, Satoshi Konno, Miki Morikawa, Teruomi Tsukahara, Kayo Ueda, Yasufumi Mukai, Mihoko Minami, Yuuji Nishiwaki, Takesumi Yoshimura, Masaharu Nishimura, Hiroshi Nitta

  Annals of the American Thoracic Society 19 (5) 763 - 772 2021/10/21 

  RATIONALE: Epidemiological evidence indicates ambient exposure to PM2.5 have adverse effects on lung function growth in children, but it is not actually clear whether exposure to low level PM2.5 results in long-term decrements in lung function growth in pre- to early adolescent schoolchildren. OBJECTIVES: To examine long-term effects of PM2.5 within the 4-yr concentration range of 10 to 19 μg/m3 on lung function growth with repeated measurements of lung function tests. METHODS: Longitudinal analysis of 6,233 lung function measurements in 1,466 participants aged 8 to 12 from 16 school communities in 10 cities around Japan, covering a board area of the country to represent concentration range of PM2.5, was done with multilevel linear regression model. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and maximal expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (V50) were used as lung function indicators to examine effects of 10-μg/m3 increases in PM2.5 concentration on relative growth per 10-cm increase in height. RESULTS: Overall annual mean PM2.5 concentration was 13.5 μg/m3 (range: 10.4 to 19.0 µg/m3). We found no association between any of the lung function growth indicators and increases in PM2.5 levels in children of either sex, even after controlling for potential confounders. Analysis with two-pollutant models with O3 or NO2 did not change the null results. CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide longitudinal study suggests that concurrent, long-term exposure to PM2.5 at concentrations ranging from 10.4 to 19.0 μg/m3 has little effect on lung function growth in pre-adolescent boys and pre- to early adolescent girls. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-ncnd/4.0/).
• 子宮内膜症既往と心血管疾患発症の関連 Japan Nurses' Health Studyでの検討

  長井 万恵, 上田 佳代, 清原 裕, 磯 博康, 安井 敏之, 倉林 工, 井手野 由季, 林 邦彦

  日本女性医学学会雑誌 (一社)日本女性医学学会 29 (1) 96 - 96 2185-8861 2021/10
• 粒子状物質がSARS-CoV-2の細胞内侵入に関与するタンパク質の発現に与える影響

  大森 一生, 石川 良賀, 本田 晶子, 佐川 友哉, 上田 佳代, 高野 裕久

  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集 (公社)大気環境学会 62回 312 - 312 2021/09
• PM2.5の測定法と動態

  山神 真紀子, 池盛 文数, 久恒 邦裕, 中島 寛則, 上田 佳代, 若松 伸司, 長田 和雄

  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集 (公社)大気環境学会 62回 88 - 89 2021/09
• Assessment of Respiratory morbidity burden from exposure to vegetation fire-PM2.5 in Upper Northern Thailand for the year 2018

  Athicha Uttajug, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano, Akiko Honda

  ISEE Conference Abstracts 2021 (1) 1078-0475 2021/08/23
• Long-term air pollution exposure and serum lipids and blood sugar: A longitudinal cohort study from the electricity generating authority of Thailand study

  Kanawat Paoin, Kayo Ueda, Prin Vathesatogkit, Thammasin Ingviya, Suhaimee Buya, Arthit Phosri, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Nisakron Thongmung, Teerapat Yingchoncharoen, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Piyamitr Sritara

  Atmospheric Environment 259 118515 - 118515 1352-2310 2021/08
• Effects of long-term air pollution exposure on ankle-brachial index and cardio-ankle vascular index: A longitudinal cohort study using data from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand study

  Kanawat Paoin, Kayo Ueda, Prin Vathesatogkit, Thammasin Ingviya, Suhaimee Buya, Arthit Phosri, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Nisakron Thongmung, Teerapat Yingchoncharoen, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Piyamitr Sritara

  International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 236 113790 - 113790 1438-4639 2021/07 [Refereed]
  
• Investigation of association between smoke haze and under-five mortality in Malaysia, accounting for time lag, duration and intensity

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kayo Ueda, Mazrura Sahani, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Wan Rozita Wan Mahiyuddin, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  International Journal of Epidemiology 0300-5771 2021/06/20 [Refereed]
   

  Studies on the association between smoke haze (hereafter ‘haze’) and adverse health effects have increased in recent years due to extreme weather conditions and the increased occurrence of vegetation fires. The possible adverse health effects on under-five children (U5Y) is especially worrying due to their vulnerable condition. Despite continuous repetition of serious haze occurrence in Southeast Asia, epidemiological studies in this region remained scarce. Furthermore, no study had examined the association accounting for three important aspects (time lag, duration and intensity) concurrently. This study aimed to examine the association between haze and U5Y mortality in Malaysia, considering time lag, duration and intensity of exposure. We performed a time-stratified case-crossover study using a generalized additive model to examine the U5Y mortality related to haze in 12 districts in Malaysia, spanning from 2014 to 2016. A ‘haze day’ was characterized by intensity [based on concentrations of particulate matter (PM)] and duration (continuity of haze occurrence, up to 3 days). We observed the highest but non-significant odds ratios (ORs) of U5Y mortality at lag 4 of Intensity-3. Lag patterns revealed the possibility of higher acuteness at prolonged and intensified haze. Stratifying the districts by the 95th-percentile of PM distribution, the ‘low’ category demonstrated marginal positive association at Intensity-2 Duration-3 [OR: 1.210 (95% confidence interval: 1.000, 1.464)]. We found a null association between haze and U5Y mortality. The different lag patterns of the association observed over different duration and intensity suggest consideration of these aspects in future studies.
• Fine particulate matter and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of respiratory origin.

  Sunao Kojima, Takehiro Michikawa, Kunihiko Matsui, Hisao Ogawa, Shin Yamazaki, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami, Kayo Ueda, Yoshio Tahara, Naohiro Yonemoto, Hiroshi Nonogi, Ken Nagao, Takanori Ikeda, Yoshio Kobayashi

  The European respiratory journal 57 (6) 2021/06
• Association between ambient temperature and intentional injuries: A case-crossover analysis using ambulance transport records in Japan

  Ryusei Kubo, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Seposo, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Science of The Total Environment 774 145511 - 145511 0048-9697 2021/06 [Refereed]
  
• Trends in PM2.5 Concentration in Nagoya, Japan, from 2003 to 2018 and Impacts of PM2.5 Countermeasures

  Makiko Yamagami, Fumikazu Ikemori, Hironori Nakashima, Kunihiro Hisatsune, Kayo Ueda, Shinji Wakamatsu, Kazuo Osada

  ATMOSPHERE 12 (5) 2021/05 [Refereed]
   

  In Japan, various countermeasures have been undertaken to reduce the atmospheric concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We evaluated the extent to which these countermeasures were effective in reducing PM2.5 concentrations by analyzing the long-term concentration trends of the major components of PM2.5 and their emissions in Nagoya City. PM2.5 concentrations decreased by 53% over the 16-year period from fiscal years 2003 to 2018 in Nagoya City. Elemental carbon (EC) was the component of PM2.5 with the greatest decrease in concentration over the 16 years, decreasing by 4.3 mu g/m(3), followed by SO42- (3.0 mu g/m(3)), organic carbon (OC) (2.0 mu g/m(3)), NH4+ (1.6 mu g/m(3)), and NO3- (1.3 mu g/m(3)). The decrease in EC concentration was found to be caused largely by the effect of diesel emission control. OC concentrations decreased because of the effects of volatile organic compound (VOC) emission regulations for stationary sources and reductions in VOCs emitted by vehicles and construction machinery. NO3- concentrations decreased alongside decreased contributions from vehicles, construction machinery, and stationary sources, in descending order of the magnitude of decrease. Although these findings identify some source control measures that have been effective in reducing PM2.5, they also reveal the ineffectiveness of some recent countermeasures for various components, such as those targeting OC concentrations.
• Association between PM10 from vegetation fire events and hospital visits by children in upper northern Thailand

  Athicha Uttajug, Kayo Ueda, Kei Oyoshi, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Science of The Total Environment 764 142923 - 142923 0048-9697 2021/04 [Refereed]
   

  Few studies have focused on the effects of exposure to air pollutants from vegetation fire events (including forest fire and the burning of crop residues) among children. In this study we aimed to investigate the association between PM₁₀ concentrations and hospital visits by children to address respiratory disease, conjunctivitis, and dermatitis. We examined and compared these associations by the presence of vegetation fire events on a given day (burning, non-burning, and mixed) across the upper northern region of Thailand from 2014 through 2018. A vegetation burning was defined when a fire hotspot (obtained from NASA-MODIS) exceeded the 90th percentile of the entire region and PM₁₀ concentration was over 100 μg/m³. To determine the association between hospital visits among children with PM₁₀ concentrations on burning and non-burning days, we performed a time-stratified case-crossover analysis fitted with conditional logistic regression for each province. A random-effects meta-analysis was applied to pool province-specific effect estimates. The number of burning days ranged from 64 to 139 days across eight provinces. A 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀ concentration on a burning day was associated with a respiratory disease-related hospital visit at lag 0 (OR = 1.01 (95% CIs: 1.00, 1.02)). This association was not observed for hospital visits related to conjunctivitis and dermatitis. A positive association was also observed between PM₁₀ concentration on non-burning days and hospital visits related to respiratory disease at lag 0 (OR = 1.03 (95% CIs: 1.02, 1.04)). Hospital visits for conjunctivitis and dermatitis were significantly associated with PM₁₀ concentration at lag 0 on both non-burning and mixed days.
• 大気汚染への長期曝露と腎機能 タイ発電公社による縦断的コホート研究

  パオイン・カナワット, 上田 佳代, ワァチサトキト・プリン, インウィヤ・タマシン, ブヤ・スハイメエ, セポソ・サークセス, キチヤカラ・チャグリヤ, トンムン・ニサコロン, 本田 晶子, 高野 裕久

  日本衛生学雑誌 76 (Suppl.) S144 - S144 0021-5082 2021/03
• タイ、チェンライ県における野焼き禁止が呼吸器疾患による病院訪問に与える影響

  アタッチャ・アティーシャ, 上田 佳代, 本田 晶子, 高野 裕久

  日本衛生学雑誌 76 (Suppl.) S144 - S144 0021-5082 2021/03
• 日本の27都市におけるPM2.5と救急搬送の関係 都市の属性による影響修飾

  梁 雨文, 上田 佳代, 須崎 純一, 楠瀬 智也, 高見 昭憲, 菅田 誠治, 吉野 彩子, 本田 晶子, 高野 裕久

  日本衛生学雑誌 (一社)日本衛生学会 76 (Suppl.) S144 - S144 0021-5082 2021/03
• 気温と意図的な傷害の関係 救急救助統計を使用したケースクロスオーバー解析

  久保 龍征, 上田 佳代, 高野 裕久, 本田 晶子, セポソ・サーザス

  日本衛生学雑誌 (一社)日本衛生学会 76 (Suppl.) S166 - S166 0021-5082 2021/03
• Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Mortality from Cardiovascular Diseases in Japan: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study (IPHS)

  Ayano Takeuchi, Yuji Nishiwaki, Tomonori Okamura, Ai Milojevic, Kayo Ueda, Keiko Asakura, Toru Takebayashi, Shuichi Hasegawa, Toshimi Sairenchi, Fujiko Irie, Hitoshi Ota, Hiroshi Nitta

  Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis 28 (3) 230 - 240 1340-3478 2021/03/01 [Refereed]
  
• Effects of exposure to chemical components of fine particulate matter on mortality in Tokyo: A case-crossover study

  Takehiro Michikawa, Shin Yamazaki, Kayo Ueda, Ayako Yoshino, Seiji Sugata, Shinji Saito, Junya Hoshi, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami

  Science of The Total Environment 755 142489 - 142489 0048-9697 2021/02 [Refereed]
  
• 子宮内膜症既往と循環器疾患発生の関連 Japan Nurses' Health Studyでの検討

  長井 万恵, 上田 佳代, 清原 裕, 磯 博康, 安井 敏之, 井手野 由季, 林 邦彦

  Journal of Epidemiology (一社)日本疫学会 31 (Suppl.) 119 - 119 0917-5040 2021/01
• Long-term air pollution exposure and self-reported morbidity: A longitudinal analysis from the Thai cohort study (TCS)

  Kanawat Paoin, Kayo Ueda, Thammasin Ingviya, Suhaimee Buya, Arthit Phosri, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Sam-ang Seubsman, Matthew Kelly, Adrian Sleigh, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Jaruwan Chokhanapitak, Chaiyun Churewong, Suttanit Hounthasarn, Suwanee Khamman, Daoruang Pandee, Suttinan Pangsap, Tippawan Prapamontol, Janya Puengson, Wimalin Rimpeekool, Yodyiam Sangrattanakul, Sam-ang Seubsman, Boonchai Somboonsook, Nintita Sripaiboonkij, Pathumvadee Somsamai, Benjawan Tawatsupa, Arunrat Tangmunkongvorakul, Duangkae Vilainerun, Wanee Wimonwattanaphan, Chris Bain, Emily Banks, Cathy Banwell, Janneke Berecki-Gisolf, Bruce Caldwell, Gordon Carmichael, Tarie Dellora, Jane Dixon, Sharon Friel, David Harley, Susan Jordan, Matthew Kelly, Tord Kjellstrom, Lynette Lim, Roderick McClure, Anthony McMichael, Tanya Mark, Adrian Sleigh, Lyndall Strazdins, Tam Tran, Vasoontara Yiengprugsawan, Jiaying Zhao

  Environmental Research 192 110330 - 110330 0013-9351 2021/01 [Refereed]
  
• Short-term effects of air pollution on daily single- and co-morbidity cardiorespiratory outpatient visits.

  Xerxes Seposo, Kayo Ueda, Seiji Sugata, Ayako Yoshino, Akinori Takami

  The Science of the total environment 729 138934 - 138934 2020/08/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Several studies have noted that the existence of comorbidities lead to an increase in the risk of premature mortality and morbidity. Most of the studies examining the effects of air pollution on comorbidity visits were from Northern American countries, with scarce literature from Asia. This study contributes to existing, yet limited understanding of air pollution-comorbidity by examining the effects of daily air pollutants on outpatient single morbidity and comorbid cardiorespiratory visits in Japan. A total of 1,452,505 outpatient cardiorespiratory visits were recorded among the 21 Japanese cities from 2013 to 2016. Daily outpatient cardiorespiratory visit data were obtained from a health insurance claims database managed by the Japan Medical Data Center Co., Ltd. (JMDC). A time-stratified case crossover analysis coupled with Generalized Additive Mixed Model was used to analyze the association of daily air pollutants (particulate matter 2.5 μm or less in diameter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide) on daily single (respiratory and cardiovascular) and comorbidity health outcomes. We further examined single and cumulative effects for 0-3 and 0-14 lag periods. Ozone, NO2, and PM2.5 were positively associated with cardiorespiratory visits in either shorter or longer lags, with more apparent comorbidity associations with NO2 exposure. A 10-unit increase in NO2, after adjusting for ozone, was associated with a 2.24% (95% CI: 1.34-3.15) and 6.49% (95% CI: 5.00-8.01) increase in comorbidity visit at Lag 0 (of Lag 0-3) and cumulative lag 0-3, respectively. Our results contribute to existing evidence suggesting that short-term and extended exposure to air pollution elicit health risks on cardiovascular, respiratory and comorbid clinic visits. Exposure to NO2, in particular, was associated with increase in the risk of single and comorbidity cardiorespiratory visits. Results can be potentially utilized for both individual health (e.g. risk population health management) and health facility management (e.g. health visit influx determination).
• A development of reduction scenarios of the short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) for mitigating global warming and environmental problems

  Teruyuki Nakajima, Toshimasa Ohara, Toshihiko Masui, Toshihiko Takemura, Kei Yoshimura, Daisuke Goto, Tatsuya Hanaoka, Syuichi Itahashi, Gakuji Kurata, Jun-ichi Kurokawa, Takashi Maki, Yuji Masutomi, Makiko Nakata, Tomoko Nitta, Xerxes Seposo, Kengo Sudo, Chieko Suzuki, Kentaroh Suzuki, Haruo Tsuruta, Kayo Ueda, Shingo Watanabe, Yong Yu, Keiya Yumimoto, Shuyun Zhao

  PROGRESS IN EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE 7 (1) 2197-4284 2020/07 

  This study presents the results of the ERTDF S-12 project for searching an optimum reduction scenario of the short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) to simultaneously mitigate the global warming and environmental problems. The study utilized REAS emission inventory, Asia-Pacific Integrated Model-Enduse (AIM/Enduse), MIROC6 climate model, NICAM non-hydrostatic atmospheric model, and models for estimating environmental damages to health, agriculture, and flood risks. Results of various scenario search indicate that it is difficult to attain simultaneous reduction of global warming and environmental damages, unless a significant reduction of CO2 is combined with carefully designed SLCP reductions for CH4, SO2, black carbon (BC), NOx, CO, and VOCs. In this scenario design, it is important to take into account the impact of small BC reduction to the surface air temperature and complex atmospheric chemical interactions such as negative feedback between CH4 and NOx reduction. We identified two scenarios, i.e., B2a and B1c scenarios which combine the 2D-scenario with SLCP mitigation measures using End-of-Pipe (EoP) and new mitigation technologies, as promising to simultaneously mitigate the temperature rise by about 0.33 degrees C by 2050 and air pollution in most of the globe for reducing damages in health, agriculture, and flood risk. In Asia and other heavy air pollution areas, health-care measures have to be enhanced in order to suppress the mortality increase due to high temperature in hot spot areas caused by a significant cut of particulate matter. For this situation, the B1b scenario is better to reduce hot spot areas and high-temperature damage to the public health.
• パーソナルケア製品がアトピー性皮膚炎に及ぼす影響の評価

  丹 嵯織, 本田 晶子, 宮坂 奈津子, 田中 満崇, 田村 紳, 岡野 人士, 王 造時, 長尾 慧, 上田 佳代, 高野 裕久

  The Journal of Toxicological Sciences (一社)日本毒性学会 45 (Suppl.) S104 - S104 0388-1350 2020/06
• Hourly association between ambient PM2.5 and emergency ambulance dispatches in 11 cities in Japan.

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Seposo, Akinori Takami, Seiji Sugata, Ayako Yoshino, Takehiro Michikawa, Shin Yamazaki, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Environmental research 185 109448 - 109448 2020/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Numerous epidemiological studies have demonstrated that short-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 increases mortality and morbidity. Investigating the association using hourly ambient PM2.5 exposure may provide important insights, as current evidence is limited mostly to daily lag term. This study aimed to investigate the hourly association between ambient PM2.5 concentrations and all-cause emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) in 11 cities in Japan. We used a time-stratified case-crossover design and examined the hourly lags of ambient PM2.5 up to 24 h (unconditional distributed lags and moving average lags) using a conditional Poisson regression model. A significant increase in all-cause EAD was observed at lag 0 h [relative risk (RR): 1.0037 (95% CI: 1.0000, 1.0074)] and all moving average lags. The highest RR was observed within the first 6 h (at lag 0-5 h) [RR: 1.0091 (95% CI: 1.0068, 1.0114)], with a slight ascending pattern. This was followed by a descending pattern at lags 0-11, 0-17, and 0-23 h, but significant positive RR was observed even at lag 0-23 h, when the lowest RR was observed [RR: 1.0072 (95% CI: 1.0044, 1.0100)]. Though similar pattern was observed among the elderly, a different pattern was observed among the children (gradually ascending pattern). We conclude that all-cause EAD could be triggered by ambient PM2.5 exposure with very short lags.
• Association of Fine Particulate Matter Exposure With Bystander-Witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest of Cardiac Origin in Japan.

  Sunao Kojima, Takehiro Michikawa, Kunihiko Matsui, Hisao Ogawa, Shin Yamazaki, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami, Kayo Ueda, Yoshio Tahara, Naohiro Yonemoto, Hiroshi Nonogi, Ken Nagao, Takanori Ikeda, Naoki Sato, Hiroyuki Tsutsui

  JAMA network open 3 (4) e203043  2020/04/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Importance: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are a major public health concern and a leading cause of death worldwide. Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increases in morbidity and mortality and has been recognized as a leading contributor to global disease burden. Objective: To examine the association between short-term exposure to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or smaller (PM2.5) and the incidence of OHCAs of cardiac origin and with the development of initial cardiac arrest rhythm. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study used data from cases registered between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016, in the All-Japan Utstein Registry, a prospective, nationwide, population-based database for OHCAs across all 47 Japanese prefectures. These OHCA cases included patients who had bystander-witnessed OHCAs and for whom emergency medical services responders initiated resuscitation before hospital transfer. A case-crossover design was employed for the study analyses. A prefecture-specific, conditional logistic regression model to estimate odds ratios was applied, and a random-effects meta-analysis was used to obtain prefecture-specific pooled estimates. All analyses were performed from May 7, 2019, to January 23, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the association of short-term PM2.5 exposure with the incidence of bystander-witnessed OHCAs of cardiac origin. The differences in the distribution of initial cardiac arrest rhythm in OHCAs among those with exposure to PM2.5 were also examined. Results: In total, 103 189 OHCAs witnessed by bystanders were included in the final analysis. Among the patients who experienced such OHCAs, the mean (SD) age was 75 (15.5) years, and 62 795 (60.9%) were men. Point estimates of the percentage increase for a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at lag0-1 (difference in mean PM2.5 concentrations measured on the case day and 1 day before) demonstrated a statistically significantly higher incidence of OHCA across most of the 47 prefectures, without significant heterogeneity (I2 = 20.1%; P = .12). A stratified analysis found an association between PM2.5 exposure and OHCAs (% increase, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.1%-3.1%). An initial shockable rhythm, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (% increase, 0.6; 95% CI, -2.0% to 3.2%), was not associated with PM2.5 exposure. However, an initial nonshockable rhythm, such as pulseless electrical activity and asystole, was associated with PM2.5 exposure (% increase, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.1%-2.7%). Conclusions and Relevance: Findings from this study suggest that increased PM2.5 concentration is associated with bystander-witnessed OHCA of cardiac origin that commonly presents with nonshockable rhythm. The results support measures to reduce PM2.5 exposure to prevent OHCAs of cardiac origin.
• Health effects of PM2.5 sources on children's allergic and respiratory symptoms in Fukuoka, Japan.

  Taichi Sugiyama, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Ayako Nakashima, Makoto Kinoshita, Hiroko Matsumoto, Fumikazu Ikemori, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Takehiro Michikawa, Hiroshi Nitta

  The Science of the total environment 709 136023 - 136023 2020/03/20 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a potential aggravating factor for respiratory and allergic diseases. However, which PM2.5 sources are associated with such diseases remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association of PM2.5 sources with allergic and respiratory symptoms in schoolchildren. PM2.5 samples were collected in Fukuoka during the spring in 2014 and 2015. Asian dust was observed in 2014. Ion components, elemental components, and organic components were analyzed. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) was conducted to calculate PM2.5 concentrations from each source. Mixed logistic regression analysis with a random intercept for each schoolchild was performed to evaluate the association of components and sources with symptoms. Among 2317 schoolchildren, the mean prevalence was 28.9%, 23.6%, 11.2%, and 11.4% for lower respiratory, nasal, ocular, and skin symptoms, respectively. PMF identified the following six PM2.5 sources "Secondary sulfate and coal combustion", "Secondary nitrate", "Heavy oil combustion", "Sea salt", "Soil" and "Traffic emission". An interquartile range of PM2.5 mass was associated with nasal (Odds ratios 1.08, 95% confidence interval [1.03, 1.13]), ocular (1.10, [1.04, 1.16]), and skin symptoms (1.13, [1.06, 1.20]). Among the source factors, "Heavy oil combustion" was significantly associated with nasal symptom (1.11, [1.05, 1.18]) while "Sea salt" was associated with nasal (1.06, [1.02, 1.11]) and skin (1.073, [1.01, 1.14]) symptoms. We found "Soil", which might be affected by Asian dust, was associated with ocular (1.07, [1.03, 1.10]) and skin (1.05, [1.01, 1.08]) symptoms. Further studies in other seasons or places are needed to clarify the influence of PM2.5 sources on children's health.
• Association between Asian dust exposure and respiratory function in children with bronchial asthma in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

  Takahiro Nakamura, Yuji Nishiwaki, Kunio Hashimoto, Ayano Takeuchi, Tasuku Kitajima, Kazuhiro Komori, Kasumi Tashiro, Hideki Hasunuma, Kayo Ueda, Atsushi Shimizu, Hiroshi Odajima, Hiroyuki Moriuchi, Masahiro Hashizume

  Environmental health and preventive medicine 25 (1) 8 - 8 2020/03/04 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  BACKGROUND: Studies on the adverse effects of Asian dust (AD) on respiratory function in children are scarce. The objective of this study was to examine the association between AD and respiratory function by measuring peak expiratory flow rates (PEFRs) in asthmatic children. METHODS: The study was carried out from March to May from 2014 through 2016. One hundred ten children with bronchial asthma were recruited from four hospitals in the Goto Islands and south Nagasaki area in Nagasaki prefecture. The parents were asked to record their children's PEFRs every morning/evening and clinical symptoms in an asthma diary. AD was assessed from light detection and ranging data, and a linear mixed-effects model was used to estimate the effects of AD on daily PEFR. Time-stratified case-crossover analyses were performed to examine the association between AD and asthma attacks defined by reduction levels in PEFR. RESULTS: AD was detected on 11 days in the Goto Islands, and on 23 days in the south Nagasaki area. After adjusting for age, sex, temperature, and daily oxidants, we found a consistent association between AD and a 1.1% to 1.7% decrease in PEFR in the mornings and a 0.7% to 1.3% decrease in the evenings at a lag of 0 to 5 days. AD was not associated with the number of asthma attacks, respiratory symptoms, or other symptoms at any lag days examined. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to AD was associated with reduced PEFR, although the effects were not large enough to induce clinically apparent symptoms, in clinically well-controlled asthmatic children.
• Association between PM2.5 exposure and heart rate variability for the patients with cardiac problems in Japan

  Kanawat Paoin, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Tesoro Seposo, Junichiro Hayano, Ken Kiyono, Norihiro Ueda, Takashi Kawamura, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health 13 (3) 339 - 347 1873-9318 2020/03/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  © 2020, Springer Nature B.V. A reduction in heart rate variability (HRV) is reportedly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In previous studies, an inverse association was noted between HRV and particulate air pollution, but the sample populations were small and most consisted only of elderly individuals. We examined the association between 24-h HRV and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in a large study population spanning 7 prefectures in Japan from April 2010 through March 2013. Meta-analysis was also performed. In total, 59,493 records of 24-h HRV for patients aged 20–90 years with symptoms/signs suggestive of heart disease were included in this analysis. Air pollution data were obtained from the National Institute for Environmental Studies. Regression models were used to examine the association between daily concentration of PM2.5 and HRV indices (e.g., standard deviation of normal-to-normal (SDNN), SD of average NN internals calculated over short periods (SDANN), very low frequency (VLF), and ultra-low frequency (ULF)). The model was adjusted for age, sex, temperature, and relative humidity. We examined the lagged association for single (up to lag3) and moving average (up to lag03). We found that decreases in HRV indices, especially for SDNN, SDANN, VLF, and ULF, were associated with PM2.5 in Hokkaido, Chiba, Tokyo, and Kanagawa. In contrast, there was no clear association between HRV with PM2.5 in Saitama and Aichi. Meta-analysis revealed significant decreases in SDNN, SDANN, VLF, and ULF were associated with PM2.5. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with lower 24-h HRV in patients with symptoms/signs suggestive of heart disease.
• 黄砂および砂漠由来粒子の健康影響

  上田 佳代

  エアロゾル研究 日本エアロゾル学会 35 (1) 27 - 32 0912-2834 2020 [Not refereed]
  
• Fine Particulate Matter Triggers Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest of Cardiac Origin: A Nationwide Registry-Based Study in Japan

  Sunao Kojima, Takehiro Michikawa, Kunihiko Matsui, Hisao Ogawa, Shin Yamazaki, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami, Kayo Ueda, Yoshio Tahara, Naohiro Yonemoto, Hiroshi Nonogi, Ken Nagao, Takanori Ikeda, Naoki Sato, Hiroyuki Tsutsui

  CIRCULATION 140 (25) E970 - E970 0009-7322 2019/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  0
• 非線形回帰モデルを用いたオゾンの健康影響評価

  長谷川 博史, 上田 佳代, Xerxes Seposo, 板野 泰之, 本田 晶子, 高野 裕久

  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集 (公社)大気環境学会 60回 2D0930 - 2D0930 2019/09
• For making a declaration of countermeasures against the falling birth rate from the Japanese Society for Hygiene: summary of discussion in the working group on academic research strategy against an aging society with low birth rate

  Kyoko Nomura, Kanae Karita, Atsuko Araki, Emiko Nishioka, Go Muto, Miyuki Iwai-Shimada, Mariko Nishikitani, Mariko Inoue, Shinobu Tsurugano, Naomi Kitano, Mayumi Tsuji, Sachiko Iijima, Kayo Ueda, Michihiro Kamijima, Zentaro Yamagata, Kiyomi Sakata, Masayuki Iki, Hiroyuki Yanagisawa, Masashi Kato, Hidekuni Inadera, Yoshihiro Kokubo, Kazuhito Yokoyama, Akio Koizumi, Takemi Otsuki

  ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 24 (1) UNSP 14  1342-078X 2019/03 [Refereed]
  
• Effects of ambient air pollution on daily hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in Bangkok, Thailand

  Arthit Phosri, Kayo Ueda, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Benjawan Tawatsupa, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV 651 1144 - 1153 0048-9697 2019/02 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Toward a Declaration to Address Japan's Aging Society with Low Birth Rate: Summary of the Japanese Society for Hygiene's Working Group on Academic Research Strategy against an Aging Society with Low Birth Rate

  Kyoko Nomura, Kanae Karita, Atsuko Araki, Emiko Nishioka, Go Muto, Miyuki Iwai-Shimada, Mariko Nishikitani, Mariko Inoue, Shinobu Tsurugano, Naomi Kitano, Mayumi Tsuji, Sachiko Iijima, Kayo Ueda, Michihiro Kamijima, Zentaro Yamagata, Kiyomi Sakata, Masayuki Iki, Hiroyuki Yanagisawa, Masashi Kato, Kazuhito Yokoyama, Akio Koizumi, Takemi Otsuki

  Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene 74 2019
• Extract of curry powder and its components protect against diesel exhaust particle-induced inflammatory responses in human airway epithelial cells

  Akiko Honda, Sho Ito, Michitaka Tanaka, Takahiro Sawahara, Tomohiro Hayashi, Wataru Fukushima, Gaku Kitamura, Hitomi Kudo, Pratiti Home Chowdhury, Hitoshi Okano, Toshinori Onishi, Yusuke Kawaryu, Makoto Higashihara, Hideki Nakayama, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  Food and Agricultural Immunology 30 (1) 1212 - 1224 0954-0105 2019/01/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• [Effect of City-Specific Characteristics on Association between Heat and Ambulance Dispatches].

  Kazuya Kotani, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Seposo, Masaji Ono, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene 74 (0) 2019 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  OBJECTIVES: In this multicity study, we aimed to elucidate the city-specific factors affecting the association of high ambient temperature with ambulance dispatches due to acute illnesses. METHODS: We used the data of ambulance dispatches in 27 cities in Japan with more than 500,000 population excluding Tokyo, from May to September from 2012 to 2015. We included patients 20 years and older (≥20 years) and stratified them into three age groups (20-59, 60-79, and ≥80 years). We explored the city-specific pattern of the daily relative temperature (in temperature percentiles) and the risk of ambulance dispatches for each age group using a distributed lag nonlinear model and estimated the city-specific relative risks of ambulance dispatches at the 95/99 percentile temperature compared with the 77.6 percentile temperature defined as the reference temperature (Tref). Then, the estimates were combined by performing meta-analyses for each age group. We also applied meta-regression models to explore whether the city-specific characteristics modified the association of temperature with ambulance dispatches. RESULTS: The relative risks of the 95th percentile with respect to Tref were 1.14 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12, 1.16), 1.16 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.20), 1.13 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.16), and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.16), for all-age (≥20) and age-stratified groups (20-59, 60-79, and ≥80 years), respectively. We observed a higher relative risk for the ≥20 years age group in the cities with higher proportions of single-elderly, single-mother, and single-father households. We also found that the relative risk for the 20-59 years age group was higher in the cities with a higher proportion of blue-collar workers. CONCLUSIONS: The present study provides insights into city-specific characteristics modifying heat-related health effects.
• Effect of global atmospheric aerosol emission change on PM2.5-related health impacts.

  Xerxes Seposo, Kayo Ueda, Sang Seo Park, Kengo Sudo, Toshihiko Takemura, Teruyuki Nakajima

  Global health action 12 (1) 1664130 - 1664130 2019 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Previous research has highlighted the importance of major atmospheric aerosols such as sulfate, through its precursor sulfur dioxide (SO2), black carbon (BC), and organic carbon (OC), and their effect on global climate regimes, specifically on their impact on particulate matter measuring ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Policy regulations have attempted to address the change in these major active aerosols and their impact on PM2.5, which would presumably have a cascading effect toward the change of health risks. Objective: This study aimed to determine how the change in the global emissions of anthropogenic aerosols affects health, particularly through the change in attributable mortality (AN) and years of life lost (YLL). This study also aimed to explore the importance of using AM/YLL in conveying air pollution health impact message. Methods: The Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate was used to estimate the gridded atmospheric PM2.5 by changing the emission of SO2, BC, and OC. Next, the emissions were utilized to estimate the associated cause-specific risks via an integrated exposure-response function, and its consequent health indicators, AM and YLL, per country. Results: OC change yielded the greatest benefit for all country income groups, particularly among low-middle-income countries. Utilizing either AM or YLL did not alter the order of benefits among upper-middle and high-income countries (UMIC/HIC); however, using either health indicator to express the order of benefit varied among low- and low-middle-income countries (LIC/LMIC). Conclusions: Global and country-specific mitigation efforts focusing on OC-related activities would yield substantial health benefits. Substantial aerosol emission reduction would greatly benefit high-emitting countries (i.e. China and India). Although no difference is found in the order of health outcome benefits in UMIC/HIC, caution is warranted in using either AM or YLL for health impact assessment in LIC/LMIC.
• Health impact assessment of PM2.5-related mitigation scenarios using local risk coefficient estimates in 9 Japanese cities.

  Xerxes Seposo, Masahide Kondo, Kayo Ueda, Yasushi Honda, Takehiro Michikawa, Shin Yamazaki, Hiroshi Nitta

  Environment international 120 525 - 534 0160-4120 2018/11 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Previous studies have highlighted the negative effects of PM2.5 on mortality, expressed in terms of attributable deaths and life years lost. However, there are very few studies assessing the health impacts of air pollution in terms of economic burden/benefits. This study assessed the health impact of two hypothetical interventions among sex- and age-specific risk populations using a robust risk estimation and economic valuation process. We utilized the sex- and age-stratified daily all-cause mortality together with the daily PM2.5 of the 9 Japanese cities from 2002 to 2008 in estimating the relative risks. The estimated risks were then utilized for the economic valuation of co-benefits/burden with respect to the two hypothetical PM2.5-related mitigation scenarios, in comparison to status quo, namely: i) decrease to Japanese standards, and ii) decrease to WHO standards. Impact of these interventions on health were assessed using the following HIA metrics: attributable mortality, attributable years life lost, and environmental health impact. A 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 would increase the risk by 0.52% (95% CI: -0.91% to 1.99%) for all-cause mortality, with varying risk estimates per subgroup. High economic burdens were estimated at status quo, with particularly distinct burden difference for age-specific mortality; 0.40 trillion yen (0-64 y.o.) and 1.50 trillion yen (>64 y.o.). If stricter standards, relative to status quo, were to be enforced, i.e. WHO standard, there is a potential to yield economic benefits in the same risk population; 0.26 trillion yen (0-64 y.o.) and 0.98 trillion yen (>64 y.o.). We did not observe any substantial difference with the burden and benefit related to sex-specific mortality. Using the estimated local risk coefficients complemented with the valuation of the risks, policymaking entities will have the opportunity to operate their own HIA to assess the relevant air pollution-related health impacts.
• 教室情報 環境工学現場見学会2018報告

  上田 佳代, 小坂 浩司

  環境衛生工学研究 = Environmental & sanitary engineering research : 京都大学環境衛生工学研究会機関誌 京都大学環境衛生工学研究会 32 (4) 50 - 52 0913-7025 2018/11 [Not refereed]
  
• Japanese Nationwide Study on the Association between Short-term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Mortality.

  T. Michikawa, K. Ueda, A. Takami, S. Sugata, A. Yoshino, H. Nitta, S. Yamazaki

  J Epidemiol. 29 (12) JE20180122 - 477 0917-5040 2018/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• 名古屋市におけるPM2.5の化学成分の長期変動(2003〜2017年度)

  山神 真紀子, 久恒 邦裕, 池盛 文数, 森 健次, 長田 和雄, 上田 佳代

  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集 (公社)大気環境学会 59回 480 - 480 2018/08
• Health impact assessment of PM-related mitigation scenarios using local risk coefficient estimates in 9 Japanese cities

  Seposo, Xerxes, Kondo, Masahide, Ueda, Kayo, Honda, Yasushi, Michikawa, Takehiro, Yamazaki, Shin, Nitta, Hiroshi

  Environment international PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD 120 525 - 534 1873-6750 2018/08 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Previous studies have highlighted the negative effects of PM on mortality, expressed in terms of attributable deaths and life years lost. However, there are very few studies assessing the health impacts of air pollution in terms of economic burden/benefits. This study assessed the health impact of two hypothetical interventions among sex- and age-specific risk populations using a robust risk estimation and economic valuation process. We utilized the sex- and age-stratified daily all-cause mortality together with the daily PM of the 9 Japanese cities from 2002 to 2008 in estimating the relative risks. The estimated risks were then utilized for the economic valuation of co-benefits/burden with respect to the two hypothetical PM-related mitigation scenarios, in comparison to status quo, namely: i) decrease to Japanese standards, and ii) decrease to WHO standards. Impact of these interventions on health were assessed using the following HIA metrics: attributable mortality, attributable years life lost, and environmental health impact. A 10-μg/m increase in PM would increase the risk by 0.52% (95% CI: -0.91% to 1.99%) for all-cause mortality, with varying risk estimates per subgroup. H
• Epidemiological approaches to characterize human health risks from environmental exposure in a watershed

  Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  Environmental Risk Analysis for Asian-Oriented, Risk-Based Watershed Management: Japan and Malaysia 95 - 102 2018/05/07 

  Water quality has impact on human health. Contamination of drinking water by microorganisms and chemicals can cause various diseases, such as diarrhea, infectious diseases, and cancer. Recently, there has been increasing attention in health risk of water-related diseases because climate change is expected to alter rainfall, surface water availability, and water quality. Epidemiological studies have been used to evaluate health risks including water-related diseases at population level. Collecting accurate information on exposure and health outcomes is a key component to obtain valid effect estimates. The section describes basic elements of epidemiological methods, including study design, health outcome measures, and exposure assessment, especially focusing on health risk of water-related diseases.
• Aqueous and organic extract of PM2.5 collected in different seasons and cities of Japan differently affect respiratory and immune systems

  Pratiti Home Chowdhury, Hitoshi Okano, Akiko Honda, Hitomi Kudou, Gaku Kitamura, Sho Ito, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  Environmental Pollution 235 223 - 234 1873-6424 2018/04/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Particulate matter with diameters < 2.5 μm (i.e., PM2.5) has multiple natural and anthropological sources. The association between PM2.5 and the exacerbation of respiratory allergy and asthma has been well studied, but the components of PM2.5 that are responsible for allergies have not yet been determined. Here, we elucidated the effects of aqueous and organic extract of PM2.5 collected during four seasons in November 2014–December 2015 in two cities (Kawasaki, an industrial area and Fukuoka, an urban area affected by transboundary pollution matter) of Japan on respiratory health. Ambient PM2.5 was collected by high-volume air samplers and extracted into water soluble and lipid soluble components. Human airway epithelial cells, murine bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (APC) and splenocytes were exposed to PM2.5 extracts. We measured the cell viability and release of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 from airway epithelial cells, the DEC205 and CD86 expressions on APCs and cell proliferation, and TCR and CD19 expression on splenocytes. The water-soluble or aqueous extracts, especially those from Kawasaki in fall, had a greater cytotoxic effect than the lipid-soluble or organic extracts in airway epithelial cells, but they caused almost no pro-inflammatory response. Extract of fall, especially the aqueous extract from Fukuoka, increased the DEC205 and CD86 expressions on APC. Moreover, aqueous extracts of fall, summer, and spring from Fukuoka significantly increased proliferation of splenocytes. Organic extract of spring and summer from Kawasaki significantly elevated the TCR expression, and organic extract of summer from Kawasaki decreased the CD19 expression. These results suggest that PM2.5 extract samples are responsible for cytotoxicity in airway epithelial cells and for activating APCs and T-cells, which can contribute to the exacerbation of respiratory diseases such as asthma. These effects can differ by PM2.5 components, collection areas and seasons. Respiratory health effects of PM2.5 extracts depend on their components.
• 日本の主要都市における粗大粒子短期曝露と死亡の関連性についての検討

  道川武紘, 上田佳代, 高見昭憲, 菅田誠治, 吉野彩子, 新田裕史, 山崎新

  日本衛生学雑誌(Web) 73 (Supplement) S231  1882-6482 2018/03 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Acute Effects of Ambient PM2.5 on All-Cause and Cause-Specific Emergency Ambulance Dispatches in Japan.

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kayo Ueda, Shunji Kasaoka, Xerxes Seposo, Saira Tasmin, Shinichi Yonemochi, Arthit Phosri, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano, Takehiro Michikawa, Hiroshi Nitta

  International journal of environmental research and public health MDPI 15 (2) 307  1661-7827 2018/02/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Short-term health effects of ambient PM2.5 have been established with numerous studies, but evidence in Asian countries is limited. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of PM2.5 on acute health outcomes, particularly all-cause, cardiovascular, respiratory, cerebrovascular and neuropsychological outcomes. We utilized daily emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) data from eight Japanese cities (2007-2011). Statistical analyses included two stages: (1) City-level generalized linear model with Poisson distribution; (2) Random-effects meta-analysis in pooling city-specific effect estimates. Lag patterns were explored using (1) unconstrained-distributed lags (lag 0 to lag 7) and (2) average lags (lag: 0-1, 0-3, 0-5, 0-7). In all-cause EAD, significant increases were observed in both shorter lag (lag 0: 1.24% (95% CI: 0.92, 1.56)) and average lag 0-1 (0.64% (95% CI: 0.23, 1.06)). Increases of 1.88% and 1.48% in respiratory and neuropsychological EAD outcomes, respectively, were observed at lag 0 per 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5. While respiratory outcomes demonstrated significant average effects, no significant effect was observed for cardiovascular outcomes. Meanwhile, an inverse association was observed in cerebrovascular outcomes. In this study, we observed that effects of PM2.5 on all-cause, respiratory and neuropsychological EAD were acute, with average effects not exceeding 3 days prior to EAD onset.
• Effect of streamer plasma irradiation on ambient PM2.5-induced proinflammatory responses in human bronchial epithelial cells

  Toshio Tanaka, Shin Tamura, Akiko Honda, Michitaka Tanaka, Hitoshi Okano, Toshinori Onishi, Satsuki Takai, Wang Zaoshi, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  15th Conference of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate, INDOOR AIR 2018 2018 

  Epidemiologic studies have reported that particulate matter with aerodynamic dias. ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) affects respiratory diseases. However, effective tool for protecting against PM2.5 has not been established. In this study, bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to PM2.5 particle collected by cyclone method in a Japanese city. We evaluated the inflammatory potential of PM2.5 by measuring indices of respiratory symptoms. Then, we compared two types of PM2.5 particles which mean crude PM2.5 and PM2.5 irradiated by streamer plasma. Crude PM2.5 showed inflammatory response, whereas streamer plasma-irradiated PM2.5 attenuated their changes as compared to crude PM2.5. These results provide the first experimental evidence that streamer plasma technology reduces ambient PM2.5-induced pro-inflammatory responses in human bronchial epithelial cells.
• Ambient fine and coarse particles collected at three locations in Japan using cyclone technique affect upper and lower respiratory tract differently and elicit varying immune response

  Onishi, Toshinori, Honda, Akiko, Tanaka, Michitaka, Chowdhury, Pratiti Home, Okano, Hitoshi, Okuda, Tomoaki, Shishido, Daiki, Terui, Yoshihiro, Hasagawa, Shuichi, Kameda, Takayuki, Tohno, Susumu, Hayashi, Masahiko, Nishita-Hara, Chiharu, Hara, Keiichiro, Inoue, Kozo, Ueda, Kayo, Takano, Hirohisa

  Environmental Pollution 242 (Pt B) 1693 - 1701 2018 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Ambient particulate matter (PM) epidemiologically exacerbates respiratory and immune health, including allergic rhinitis (AR) and bronchial asthma (BA). Although fine and coarse particles can affect respiratory tract, the differences in their effects on the upper and lower respiratory tract and immune system, their underlying mechanism, and the components responsible for the adverse health effects have not been yet completely elucidated. In this study, ambient fine and coarse particles were collected at three different locations in Japan by cyclone technique. Both particles collected at all locations decreased the viability of nasal epithelial cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs), increased the production of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β from bronchial epithelial cells and APCs, and induced expression of dendritic and epithelial cell (DEC) 205 on APCs. Differences in inflammatory responses, but not in cytotoxicity, were shown between both particles, and among three locations. Some components such as Ti, Co, Zn, Pb, As, OC (organic carbon) and EC (elemental carbon) showed significant correlations to inflammatory responses or cytotoxicity. These results suggest that ambient fine and coarse particles differently affect nasal and bronchial epithelial cells and immune response, which may depend on particles size diameter, chemical composition and source related particles types.
• Effects of high ambient temperature on ambulance dispatches in different age groups in Fukuoka, Japan.

  Kazuya Kotani, Kayo Ueda, Xerxes Seposo, Shusuke Yasukochi, Hiroko Matsumoto, Masaji Ono, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  Global health action 11 (1) 1437882 - 1437882 1654-9716 2018 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  BACKGROUND: The elderly population has been the primary target of intervention to prevent heat-related illnesses. According to the literature, the highest risks have been observed among the elderly in the temperature-mortality relationship. However, findings regarding the temperature-morbidity relationship are inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the association of temperature with ambulance dispatches due to acute illnesses, stratified by age group. Specifically, we explored the optimum temperature, at which the relative health risks were found to be the lowest, and quantified the health risk associated with higher temperatures among different age groups. METHODS: We used the data for ambulance dispatches in Fukuoka, Japan, during May and September from 2005 to 2012. The data were grouped according to age in 20-year increments. We explored the pattern of the association of ambulance dispatches with temperature using a smoothing spline curve to identify the optimum temperature for each age group. Then, we applied a distributed lag nonlinear model to estimate the risks of the 85th-95th percentile temperature relative to the overall optimum temperature, for each age group. RESULTS: The relative risk of ambulance dispatches at the 85th and 95th percentile temperature for all ages was 1.08 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.12] and 1.12 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.16), respectively. In comparison, among age groups, the optimum temperature was observed as 25.0°C, 23.2°C, and 25.3°C for those aged 0-19, 60-79, and ≥80, respectively. The optimum temperature could not be determined for those aged 20-39 and 40-59. The relative risks of high temperature tended to be higher for those aged 20-39 and 40-59 than those for other age groups. CONCLUSIONS: We did not find any definite difference in the effect of high temperature on ambulance dispatches for different age groups. However, more measures should be taken for younger and middle-aged people to avoid heat-related illnesses.
• Sensitivities of Simulated Source Contributions and Health Impacts of PM2.5 to Aerosol Models

  Yu Morino, Kayo Ueda, Akinori Takami, Tatsuya Nagashima, Kiyoshi Tanabe, Kei Sato, Tadayoshi Noguchi, Toshinori Ariga, Keisuke Matsuhashi, Toshimasa Ohara

  ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 51 (24) 14273 - 14282 0013-936X 2017/12 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Chemical transport models are useful tools for evaluating source contributions and health impacts of PM2.5 in the atmosphere. We recently found that concentrations of PM2.5 compounds over Japan were much better reproduced by a volatility basis set model with an enhanced dry deposition velocity of HNO3 and NH3 compared with a two-product yield model. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivities to organic aerosol models of the simulated source contributions to PM2.5 concentrations and of PM2.5-related mortality. Overall, the simulated source contributions to PM2.5 were similar between the two models. However, because of the improvements associated with the volatility basis set model, the contributions of ammonia sources decreased, particularly in winter and spring, and contributions of biogenic and stationary evaporative sources increased in spring and summer. The improved model estimated that emission sources in Japan contributed 35%-48% of the PM2.5-related mortality in Japan. These values were higher than the domestic contributions to average PM2.5 concentrations in Japan (26%-33%) because the domestic contributions were higher in higher population areas. These results indicate that control of both domestic and foreign emissions is necessary to reduce health impacts due to PM2.5 in Japan.
• Aerosol Health Effects from Molecular to Global Scales

  Manabu Shiraiwa, Kayo Ueda, Andrea Pozzer, Gerhard Lammel, Christopher J. Kampf, Akihiro Fushimi, Shinichi Enami, Andrea M. Arangio, Janine Froehlich-Nowoisky, Yuji Fujitani, Akiko Furuyama, Pascale S. J. Lakey, Jos Lelieveld, Kurt Lucas, Yu Morino, Ulrich Poeschl, Satoshi Takaharna, Akinori Takami, Haijie Tong, Bettina Weber, Ayako Yoshino, Kei Sato

  ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 51 (23) 13545 - 13567 0013-936X 2017/12 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Poor air quality is globally the largest environmental health risk. Epidemiological studies have uncovered clear relationships of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM) with adverse health outcomes, including mortality by cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Studies of health impacts by aerosols are highly multidisciplinary with a broad range of scales in space and time. We assess recent advances and future challenges regarding aerosol effects on health from molecular to global scales through epidemiological studies, field measurements, health-related properties of PM, and multiphase interactions of oxidants and PM upon respiratory deposition. Global modeling combined with epidemiological exposure response functions indicates that ambient air pollution causes more than four million premature deaths per year. Epidemiological studies usually refer to PM mass concentrations, but some health effects may relate to specific constituents such as bioaerosols, polycyclic aromatic compounds, and transition metals. Various analytical techniques and cellular and molecular assays are applied to assess the redox activity of PM and the formation of reactive oxygen species. Multiphase chemical interactions of lung antioxidants with atmospheric pollutants are crucial to the mechanistic and molecular understanding of oxidative stress upon respiratory deposition. The role of distinct PM components in health impacts and mortality needs to be clarified by integrated research on various spatiotemporal scales for better evaluation and mitigation of aerosol effects on public health in the Anthropocene.
• Asian dust exposure triggers acute myocardial infarction

  Sunao Kojima, Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Tetsuo Sakamoto, Kunihiko Matsui, Tomoko Kojima, Kenichi Tsujita, Hisao Ogawa, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami

  EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL 38 (43) 3202 - 3208 0195-668X 2017/11 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  To elucidate whether Asian dust is associated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to clarify whether patients who are highly sensitive to Asian dust will develop AMI. Twenty-one participating institutions located throughout Kumamoto Prefecture and capable of performing coronary intervention were included in the study. Data for ground-level observations of Asian dust events were measured at the Kumamoto Local Meteorological Observatory. Data collected between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2015 were analysed, and 3713 consecutive AMI patients were included. A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied to examine the association between Asian dust exposure and AMI. The occurrence of Asian dust events at 1 day before the onset of AMI was associated with the incidence of AMI [odds ratio (OR), 1.46; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-1.95] and especially, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction was significant (OR 2.03; 95% CI, 1.30-3.15). A significant association between AMI and Asian dust was observed in patients with age 75 years, male sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, never-smoking status, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, Asian dust events had a great impact on AMI onset in patients with CKD (P < 0.01). A scoring system accounting for several AMI risk factors was developed. The occurrence of Asian dust events was found to be significantly associated with AMI incidence among patients with a risk score of 5-6 (OR 2.45; 95% CI: 1.14-5.27). Asian dust events may lead to AMI and have a great impact on its onset in patients with CKD.
• Synergistic effect of carbon nuclei and polyaromatic hydrocarbons on respiratory and immune responses

  Pratiti H. Chowdhury, Gaku Kitamura, Akiko Honda, Takahiro Sawahara, Tomohiro Hayashi, Wataru Fukushima, Hitomi Kudo, Sho Ito, Seiichi Yoshida, Takamichi Ichinose, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY 32 (9) 2172 - 2181 1520-4081 2017/09 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <= 2.5 mu m (PM2.5) is generally composed of carbon nuclei associated with various organic carbons, metals, ions and biological materials. Among these components, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo(a) pyrene (BaP) and quinones have detrimental effects on airway epithelial cells and immunodisrupting effects, which leads to the exacerbation of respiratory allergies. The effects of PAHs and the carbon nuclei, separately as well as in combination, remain to be established. We investigated the effects of BaP, 9,1'-phenanthroquinone (9,10-PQ), and 1,2-napthoquinone (1,2-NQ) and their combined effects with heated diesel exhaust particle (H-DEP) as carbon nuclei of typical PM2.5. We exposed human airway epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), murine bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (APCs), and murine splenocytes to BaP, 9,10-PQ, or 1,2-NQ in the presence and absence of H-DEP. Several important inflammatory cytokines and cell surface molecules were measured. PAHs alone did not have apparent cytotoxic effects on BEAS-2B, whereas combined exposure with H-DEP induced noticeable detrimental effects which mainly reflected the action of H-DEP itself. BaP increased CD86 expression as an APC surface molecule regardless of the presence or absence of H-DEP. None of the BaP, 9,10-PQ, or 1,2-NQ exposure alone or their combined exposure with H-DEP resulted in any significant activation of splenocytes. These results suggest that PAHs and carbon nuclei show additive effects, and that BaP with the carbon nuclei may contribute to exacerbations of allergic respiratory diseases including asthma by PM2.5, especially via antigen-presenting cell activation.
• Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): a systematic review and meta-analysis

  Yuki Ideno, Kunihiko Hayashi, Yukina Abe, Kayo Ueda, Hiroyasu Iso, Mitsuhiko Noda, Jung-Su Lee, Shosuke Suzuki

  BMC COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 17 (1) 409  1472-6882 2017/08 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Shinrin-yoku (experiencing the forest atmosphere or forest bathing) has received increasing attention from the perspective of preventive medicine in recent years. Some studies have reported that the forest environment decreases blood pressure. However, little is known about the possibility of anti-hypertensive applications of Shinrin-yoku. This study aimed to evaluate preventive or therapeutic effects of the forest environment on blood pressure. Methods: We systematically reviewed the medical literature and performed a meta-analysis. Four electronic databases were systematically searched for the period before May 2016 with language restriction of English and Japanese. The review considered all published, randomized, controlled trials, cohort studies, and comparative studies that evaluated the effects of the forest environment on changes in systolic blood pressure. A subsequent meta-analysis was performed. Results: Twenty trials involving 732 participants were reviewed. Systolic blood pressure of the forest environment was significantly lower than that of the non-forest environment. Additionally, diastolic blood pressure of the forest environment was significantly lower than that of the non-forest environment. Conclusions: This systematic review shows a significant effect of Shinrin-yoku on reduction of blood pressure.
• Interactive effects of specific fine particulate matter compositions and airborne pollen on frequency of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka, Japan

  Arthit Phosri, Kayo Ueda, Saira Tasmin, Reiko Kishikawa, Masahiko Hayashi, Keiichiro Hara, Yamato Uehara, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Shusuke Yasukouchi, Shoko Konishi, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano

  ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 156 411 - 419 0013-9351 2017/07 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Previous studies have revealed the interactive effects of airborne pollen and particulate matter on the daily consultations for pollinosis, but it is uncertain which compositions are responsible. This study aimed to investigate the interactive effects of specific PM2.5 compositions and airborne pollen on the daily number of clinic visits for pollinosis in Fukuoka. Methods: We obtained daily data on pollen concentrations, PM2.5 compositions, PM2.5 mass, gaseous pollutants (SO2, NO2, CO, and O-3), and weather variables monitored in Fukuoka between February and April, 2002-2012. In total, 73,995 clinic visits for pollinosis were made at 10 clinics in Fukuoka Prefecture during the study period. A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied to examine the interactive effects. The concentrations of PM2.5 and its compositions were stratified into low ( < 15th percentile), moderate (15th-85th percentile), and high ( > 85th percentile) levels, and the association between airborne pollen and daily clinic visits for pollinosis was analyzed within each level. Results: We found a significant interaction between specific PM2.5 compositions and airborne pollen. Specifically, the odds ratio of daily clinic visits for pollinosis per interquartile increase in pollen concentration (39.8 grains/cm(2)) at the average cumulative lag of 0 and 2 days during high levels of non-sea-salt Ca2+ was 1.446 (95% CI: 1.323-1.581), compared to 1.075 (95% CI: 1.067-1.083) when only moderate levels were observed. This result remained significant when other air pollutants were incorporated into the model and was fairly persistent even when different percentile cut-off points were used. A similar interaction was found when we stratified the data according to non-sea-salt SO42+ levels. This finding differed from estimates made according to PM2.5 and NO3 levels, which predicted that the effects of pollen were strongest in the lower levels. Conclusions: Associations between airborne pollen and daily clinic visits for pollinosis could be enhanced by high levels of specific PM2.5 compositions, especially non-sea-salt Ca2+.
• Synergic effects of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone and cadmium on pro-inflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells

  Akiko Honda, Pratiti Home Chowdhury, Sho Ito, Hitoshi Okano, Toshinori Onishi, Yusuke Kawaryu, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 52 276 - 279 1382-6689 2017/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  We investigated the synergic effects of components of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters <= 2.5 mu m (PM2.5) on airway inflammation. Co-exposure to cadmium (Cd) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (9,10-PQ) additively/synergistically increased pro-inflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells, whereas co-exposure to Cd and phenanthrene resulted in no acceleration. These results suggest that the combination of metal and a quinone derivative can contribute to the exacerbation of respiratory diseases by PM2.5.
• Biological factor related to Asian sand dust particles contributes to the exacerbation of asthma

  Akiko Honda, Takahiro Sawahara, Tomohiro Hayashi, Kenshi Tsuji, Wataru Fukushima, Mizuki Oishi, Gaku Kitamura, Hitomi Kudo, Sho Ito, Seiichi Yoshida, Takamichi Ichinose, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY 37 (5) 583 - 590 0260-437X 2017/05 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Epidemiologic studies have revealed that Asian sand dust particles (ASDs) can affect respiratory and immune health represented by asthma. Factors responsible for the exacerbation of asthma remain unclear. The fungus Bjerkandera adusta (B.ad) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) have been identified in ASDs collected from the atmosphere when an ASD event occurred. We investigated the effects of B.ad and BaP related to ASDs on respiratory and immune systems. Bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and splenocytes from atopic prone NC/Nga mice and human airway epithelial cells were exposed to the B.ad or to BaP in the presence and absence of heated-ASDs (H-ASDs). B.ad and BaP in both the presence and absence of H-ASDs increased the expression of cell surface molecules on APCs. H-ASDs alone slightly activated APCs. The expressions induced by B.ad were higher than those induced by BaP in the presence and absence of H-ASDs. There were no remarkable effects on the activation of splenocytes or the proinflammatory responses in airway epithelial cells. These results suggest that B.ad rather than BaP contributes to the exacerbation of asthma regardless of the presence or absence of sand particles, particularly by the activation of the immune system via APCs. Copyright (C) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
• Effects of Components of PM2.5 Collected in Japan on the Respiratory and Immune Systems

  Akiko Honda, Wataru Fukushima, Mizuki Oishi, Kenshi Tsuji, Takahiro Sawahara, Tomohiro Hayashi, Hitomi Kudo, Yuji Kashima, Katsuyuki Takahashi, Hideki Sasaki, Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano

  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY 36 (2) 153 - 164 1091-5818 2017/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Epidemiologic studies have reported that particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters 2.5 m (PM2.5) affect respiratory diseases, including asthma. The components and/or factors of PM2.5 that contribute to the exacerbation of asthma have not been identified. We investigated the effects of extracts of PM2.5 collected in Japan on the respiratory and immune systems. PM2.5 was collected from an industrial area and an urban area in December 2013. Airway epithelial cells and immune cells were exposed to aqueous or organic extracts of PM2.5. Exposure to extracts from both areas, especially to organic extracts rather than aqueous extracts, caused a pro-inflammatory response via interleukin (IL) 6 production from airway epithelial cells, and it induced the maturation/activation of bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells via dendritic and epithelial cell (DEC) 205 and cluster of differentiation (CD) 86 expression and proportional changes in the constitution of the splenocytes. The extracts collected from the industrial area tended to show greater effects than those from the urban area. These results suggest that organic components of PM2.5 affect the respiratory and immune systems. These effects can differ by the collection areas. In addition, IL-6, DEC205, and CD86 can be predictive biomarkers for the respiratory and immune effects of ambient PM2.5.
• Short-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter and Risk of Ischemic Stroke

  Ryu Matsuo, Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Tetsuro Ago, Hiroshi Nitta, Takanari Kitazono, Masahiro Kamouchi

  STROKE 47 (12) 3032 - 3034 0039-2499 2016/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background and Purpose-There is a strong association between ambient concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and cardiovascular disease. However, it remains unclear whether acute exposure to fine PM (PM (2.5)) triggers ischemic stroke events and whether the timing of exposure is associated with stroke risk. We, therefore, examined the association between ambient PM (2.5) and occurrence of ischemic stroke. Methods-We analyzed data for 6885 ischemic stroke patients from a multicenter hospital-based stroke registry in Japan who were previously independent and hospitalized within 24 hours of stroke onset. Time of symptom onset was confirmed, and the association between PM (suspended PM and PM (2.5)) and occurrence of ischemic stroke was analyzed by timestratified case-crossover analysis. Results-Ambient PM (2.5) and suspended PM at lag days 0 to 1 were associated with subsequent occurrence of ischemic stroke (ambient temperature-adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] per 10 mu g/m(3): suspended PM, 1.02 [1.00-1.05]; PM (2.5), 1.03 [1.00-1.06]). In contrast, ambient suspended PM and PM (2.5) at lag days 2 to 3 or 4 to 6 showed no significant association with stroke occurrence. The association between PM (2.5) at lag days 0 to 1 and ischemic stroke was maintained after adjusting for other air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide, photochemical oxidants, or sulfur dioxide) or influenza epidemics and was evident in the cold season. Conclusions-These findings suggest that short-term exposure to PM (2.5) within 1 day before onset is associated with the subsequent occurrence of ischemic stroke.
• Asian Dust and Pediatric Emergency Department Visits Due to Bronchial Asthma and Respiratory Diseases in Nagasaki, Japan

  Takahiro Nakamura, Masahiro Hashizume, Kayo Ueda, Atsushi Shimizu, Ayano Takeuchi, Tatsuhiko Kubo, Kunio Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Moriuchi, Hiroshi Odajima, Tasuku Kitajima, Kasumi Tashiro, Kunio Tomimasu, Yuji Nishiwaki

  JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY 26 (11) 593 - 601 0917-5040 2016/11 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: The adverse health effects of Asian dust (AD) on the respiratory system of children are unclear. We hypothesized that AD events may lead to increased visits by children to emergency medical centers due to bronchial asthma and respiratory diseases, including bronchial asthma. Methods: We used anonymized data on children receiving primary emergency treatment at Nagasaki Municipal Primary Emergency Medical Center, Japan between March 2010 and September 2013. We used Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data to assess AD exposure and performed time-stratified case-crossover analyses to examine the association between AD exposure and emergency department visits. The main analysis was done with data collected from March through May each year. Results: The total number of emergency department visits during the study period was 756 for bronchial asthma and 5421 for respiratory diseases, and the number of "AD days" was 47. In school children, AD events at lag day 3 and lag day 4 were associated with increased emergency department visits due to bronchial asthma, with odds ratios of 1.837 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.212-2.786) and 1.829 (95% CI, 1.179-2.806), respectively. AD events were significantly associated with respiratory diseases among preschool children at lag day 0, lag day 1, and lag day 2, with odds ratios of 1.244 (95% CI, 1.128-1.373), 1.314 (95% CI, 1.189-1.452), and 1.273 (95% CI, 1.152-1.408), respectively. These associations were also significant when the results were adjusted for meteorological variables and other air pollutants. Conclusions: The study findings suggested that AD exposure increases emergency department visits by children.
• Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and emergency ambulance dispatch for acute illness in Japan

  Saira Tasmin, Kayo Ueda, Andrew Stickley, Shinya Yasumoto, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Mizuki Oishi, Shusuke Yasukouchi, Yamato Uehara, Takehiro Michikawa, Hiroshi Nitta

  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 566 528 - 535 0048-9697 2016/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to negative health outcomes that require an emergency medical response. However, few studies have been undertaken on this phenomenon to date. The aim of this study therefore was to examine the association between short-term exposure to ambient suspended particulate matter (SPM) and emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) for acute illness in Japan. Daily EAD data, daily mean SPM and meteorological data were obtained for four prefectures in the Kanto region of Japan for the period from 2007 to 2011. The area-specific association between daily EAD for acute illness and SPM was explored using generalized linear models while controlling for ambient temperature, relative humidity, seasonality, long-term trends, day of the week and public holidays. Stratified analyses were conducted to evaluate the modifying effects of age, sex and medical conditions. Area-specific estimates were combined using meta-analyses. For the total study period the mean level of SPM was 23.7 mu g/m(3). In general, higher SPM was associated with a significant increase in EAD for acute illness [estimated pooled relative risk (RR): 1.008, 95% CI: 1.007 to 1.010 per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in SPM at lag 0-1]. The effects of SPM on EAD for acute illness were significantly greater for moderate/mild medical conditions (e.g. cases that resulted in <3 weeks hospitalization or no hospitalization) when compared to severe medical conditions (e.g. critical cases, and cases that led to >3 weeks hospitalization or which resulted in death). Using EAD data, this study has shown the adverse health effects of ambient air pollution. This highlights the importance of reducing the level of air pollution in order to maintain population health and well-being. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• Estimation of excess mortality due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 in Japan using a high-resolution model for present and future scenarios

  Daisuke Goto, Kayo Ueda, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Akinori Takami, Toshinori Ariga, Keisuke Matsuhashi, Teruyuki Nakajima

  ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT 140 320 - 332 1352-2310 2016/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 mu m, known as PM2.5, can affect human health, especially in elderly people. Because of the imminent aging of society in the near future in most developed countries, the human health impacts of PM2.5 must be evaluated. In this study, we used a global-to-regional atmospheric transport model to simulate PM2.5 in Japan with a high-resolution stretched grid system (similar to 10 km for the high-resolution model, HRM) for the present (the 2000) and the future (the 2030, as proposed by the Representative Concentrations Pathway 4.5, RCP4.5). We also used the same model with a low-resolution uniform grid system (-100 km for the low-resolution model, LRM). These calculations were conducted by nudging meteorological fields obtained from an atmosphere-ocean coupled model and providing emission inventories used in the coupled model. After correcting for bias, we calculated the excess mortality due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 among the elderly (over 65 years old) based on different minimum PM2.5 concentration (MINPM) levels to account for uncertainty using the simulated PM2.5 distributions to express the health effect as a concentration response function. As a result, we estimated the excess mortality for all of Japan to be 31,300 (95% confidence intervals: 20,700 to 42,600) people in 2000 and 28,600 (95% confidence intervals: 19,000 to 38,700) people in 2030 using the HRM with a MINPM of 5.8 mu g/m(3). In contrast, the LRM resulted in underestimates of approximately 30% (for PM2.5 concentrations in the 2000 and 2030), approximately 60% (excess mortality in the 2000) and approximately 90% (excess mortality in 2030) compared to the HRM results. We also found that the uncertainty in the MINPM value, especially for low PM2.5 concentrations in the future (2030) can cause large variability in the estimates, ranging from 0 (MINPM of 15 mu g/m(3) in both HRM and LRM) to 95,000 (MINPM of 0 mu g/m(3) in HRM) people. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
• Heat-related mortality: Effect modification and adaptation in Japan from 1972 to 2010

  Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Melanie Boeckmann, Kayo Ueda, Hajo Zeeb, Hiroshi Nitta, Chiho Watanabe, Yasushi Honda

  GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS 39 234 - 243 0959-3780 2016/07 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Excessive heat is a health risk, yet previous studies have observed a general decline in sensitivity to heat despite increasing temperatures. Conclusive evidence is lacking on whether long-term changes of this sensitivity can be attributed to specific adaptation measures, such as air conditioning, or should be linked to societal adaptation, such as improved healthcare systems or socioeconomic well-being. The aim of this study was to assess the variation of the association between heat and daily mortality during summer in Japan since the 1970s and to examine the influence of air conditioning (AC) prevalence, healthcare resources, and socioeconomic developments at the prefecture level on this variation. We analyzed daily total, cardiovascular and respiratory disease mortality and temperature data from 1972 to 2010 for 47 prefectures. We used Poisson generalized linear model to estimate the effect of heat on mortality, random effects model to obtain the mean national effect estimates, and meta-regression to explore the impact of prefecture-level characteristics. Average summer temperature has increased across Japan during the 39-year period. Excess mortality attributable to summer heat has decreased, with a national reduction of 20 (95%CI: 17, 22), 21 (95%CI: 18, 25), and 46 (95%CI: 36, 55) cases of total, cardiovascular, and respiratory deaths (per 1000 deaths). The increase of AC prevalence was not associated with a reduction of excess mortality over time. Prefectures and populations with improved economic status documented a larger decline of excess mortality. Healthcare resources were associated with fewer heat-related deaths in the 1970s, but the associations did not persist in the more recent period (i.e., 2006-2010). Excess mortality due to heat has reduced in Japan, suggesting population adaptation. Yet, heat remains a significant health risk. Socioeconomic developments may play a role in heat adaptation. These findings may have implications for ensuring effective prevention of heat-related health impacts. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• Cross-sectional association between exposure to particulate matter and inflammatory markers in the Japanese general population: NIPPON DATA2010

  Takehiro Michikawa, Tomonori Okamura, Hiroshi Nitta, Yuji Nishiwaki, Toru Takebayashi, Kayo Ueda, Aya Kadota, Akira Fujiyoshi, Takayoshi Ohkubo, Hirotsugu Ueshima, Akira Okayama, Katsuyuki Miura

  ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION 213 460 - 467 0269-7491 2016/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  A suggestive mechanism behind the association between particulate matter and cardiovascular disease is inflammatory response. Earlier population-based studies investigating the association between particulate matter and inflammatory biological markers, in particular C-reactive protein (CRP), showed inconsistent results. In addition, evidence from the Asian population, in which CRP levels are typically lower than those observed in Western populations, was sparse. We examined the cross-sectional association between short- and long-term exposure to particulate matter and inflammatory markers, including high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count, in a representative population of Japanese community dwellers (NIPPON DATA2010). We analysed data from 2360 participants (1002 men and 1358 women), aged 20 years or older, who resided in 300 randomly selected districts (222 public health centre areas) throughout Japan. We used background concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM, defined as particles with a 100% cut-off level at 10 gm aerodynamic diameter) and co-pollutants within the public health centre area. A logistic regression model was applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of elevated hs-CRP (>0.3 mg/dl) or WBC (> 9000/mu l). Since smoking is an important confounding factor, we firstly included this in the models, and additionally conducted the analyses after excluding current smokers. The one-month average concentration of SPM was positively associated with hs-CRP (OR per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in SPM = 1.42, 95% confidence interval = 1.00-2.04), and high exposure to SPM on the day of blood draw was associated with increased WBC count, after excluding current smokers (OR = 1.13, 1.01-1.28). Similar association patterns were observed for ozone. In conclusion, exposure to particulate matter was associated with inflammatory markers in the general Japanese population. Systemic inflammation may play a role in the link between particulate matter and cardiovascular disease. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• Associations Between Fine Particulate Matter Components and Daily Mortality in Nagoya, Japan

  Kayo Ueda, Makiko Yamagami, Fumikazu Ikemori, Kunihiro Hisatsune, Hiroshi Nitta

  JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY 26 (5) 249 - 257 0917-5040 2016/05 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Seasonal variation and regional heterogeneity have been observed in the estimated effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass on mortality. Differences in the chemical compositions of PM2.5 may cause this variation. We investigated the association of the daily concentration of PM2.5 components with mortality in Nagoya, Japan. Methods: We combined daily mortality counts for all residents aged 65 years and older with concentration data for PM2.5 mass and components in Nagoya from April 2003 to December 2007. A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to examine the association of daily mortality with PM2.5 mass and each component (chloride, nitrate, sulfate, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, ammonium, elemental carbon [EC], and organic carbon [OC]). Results: We found a stronger association between mortality and PM2.5 mass in transitional seasons. In analysis for each PM2.5 component, sulfate, nitrate, chloride, ammonium, potassium, EC, and OC were significantly associated with mortality in a single-pollutant model. In a multi-pollutant model, an interquartile range increase in the concentration of sulfate was marginally associated with an increase in all-cause mortality of 2.1% (95% confidence interval, -0.1 to 4.4). Conclusions: These findings suggest that some specific PM components have a more hazardous effect than others and contribute to seasonal variation in the health effects of PM2.5.
• Synergistic effect of Carbon nuclei and Polyaromatic hydrocarbons on respiratory and immune responses.

  P H Chowdhury, G Kitamura, A Honda, T Sawahara, T Hayashi, W Fukushima, H Kudou, S Ito, S Yoshida, T Ichinose, K Ueda, H Takano

  Environmental Toxicology 32 (9) 2172 - 2181 2016/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM₂.₅による健康影響 : 循環器疾患 (特集 微小粒子状物質PM₂.₅ : 基礎を知り,対策を考える)

  上田 佳代

  保健の科学 杏林書院 58 (9) 596 - 600 0018-3342 2016/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effects of Long-term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter on Mortality: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on Assessment of Exposure and Health Effects in Epidemiological Studies

  Ueda Kayo, Tasmin Saira, Takami Akinori, Goto Daisuke, Oishi Mizuki, Ling Hui Phung Vera, Yasukochi Shusuke, Home Chowdhury Pratiti

  Journal of Japan Society for Atmospheric Environment / Taiki Kankyo Gakkaishi 公益社団法人 大気環境学会 51 (6) 245 - 256 1341-4178 2016/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effects of long-term exposure to particulate matter with diameters of less than 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) on mortality. We searched PubMed for epidemiological studies investigating the association of long-term exposure to PM_2.5 with mortality published between January 1990 and December 2015. We applied a random-effects model to calculate the combined effect estimates for PM_2.5 mass. Twenty-four articles were identified (3 from Asia, 6 from Europe, and 15 from North America). It was common to assign the PM_2.5 observations monitored at a fixed-site station to all residents in the corresponding area in the study published during 1990–2000. Recently, PM_2.5 exposure assessment has utilized dispersion models, land use regression models, and satellite remote sensing. The mean or median concentration of PM_2.5 for each study area varied from 8.1 to 35.3 μg/m³. The combined risk ratio was 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 1.04, 1.19) per 10 μg/m³ increase in the PM_2.5 concentration. There was a significant heterogeneity. Further studies are needed in the area where the PM_2.5 level is high.

• Cross-sectional association between exposure to particulate matter and inflammatory markers in the Japanese general population.

  T Michikawa, T Okamura, H Nitta, Y Nishiwaki, T Takebayashi, K Ueda, A Kadota, A Fujiyoshi, T Ohkubo, H Ueshima, A Okayama, K Miura

  Environmental Pollution 213 460 - 467 2016/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM₂.₅による健康影響 : 循環器疾患 (特集 微小粒子状物質PM₂.₅ : 基礎を知り,対策を考える)

  上田 佳代

  保健の科学 杏林書院 58 (9) 596 - 600 0018-3342 2016/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• A register-based study of the association between air pollutants and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy among the Japanese population

  Takehiro Michikawa, Seiichi Morokuma, Kotaro Fukushima, Kayo Ueda, Ayano Takeuchi, Kiyoko Kato, Hiroshi Nitta

  ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 142 644 - 650 0013-9351 2015/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Ambient air pollution is hypothesized to be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, one of the major pregnancy complications. Past studies have reported the supporting evidence, however this mainly referred to the Western population, and results from trimester-specific analysis have been varied. In this study, we focused on exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy (placental development stage), and tested the hypothesis among the Japanese population. Methods: We drew on data from the Japan Perinatal Registry Network database, and studied 36,620 singleton pregnant women without medical complications, in western Japan (Kyushu and Okinawa districts) between 2005 and 2010. In addition, data on ozone, suspended particulate matter (SPM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations were obtained. The nearest monitoring station to the respective birthing hospital was used as a reference point for assigning average concentrations of each pollutant during the first trimester of pregnancy for each woman. The logistic regression model was applied to assess the association between quintiles of each pollutant and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Results: Mean concentrations during the first trimester were 41.3 ppb for ozone, 27.4 mu g/m(3) for SPM, 11.8 ppb for NO2, and 3.2 ppb for SO2. High exposure to ozone was associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (for highest quintile vs. lowest: odds ratio= 1.20, 95% confidence interval=1.01-1.42). With regard to SPM, NO2 and SO2, we did not obtain the results with constant directionality. Conclusions: Ozone exposure during early pregnancy may be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
• A register-based study of the association between air pollutants and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy among the Japanese population

  Takehiro Michikawa, Seiichi Morokuma, Kotaro Fukushima, Kayo Ueda, Ayano Takeuchi, Kiyoko Kato, Hiroshi Nitta

  Environmental Research 142 644 - 650 1096-0953 2015/10/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Ambient air pollution is hypothesized to be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, one of the major pregnancy complications. Past studies have reported the supporting evidence, however this mainly referred to the Western population, and results from trimester-specific analysis have been varied. In this study, we focused on exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy (placental development stage), and tested the hypothesis among the Japanese population. Methods: We drew on data from the Japan Perinatal Registry Network database, and studied 36,620 singleton pregnant women without medical complications, in western Japan (Kyushu and Okinawa districts) between 2005 and 2010. In addition, data on ozone, suspended particulate matter (SPM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations were obtained. The nearest monitoring station to the respective birthing hospital was used as a reference point for assigning average concentrations of each pollutant during the first trimester of pregnancy for each woman. The logistic regression model was applied to assess the association between quintiles of each pollutant and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Results: Mean concentrations during the first trimester were 41.3ppb for ozone, 27.4μg/m3 for SPM, 11.8ppb for NO2, and 3.2ppb for SO2. High exposure to ozone was associated with an increased risk of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (for highest quintile vs. lowest: odds ratio=1.20, 95% confidence interval=1.01-1.42). With regard to SPM, NO2 and SO2, we did not obtain the results with constant directionality. Conclusions: Ozone exposure during early pregnancy may be a risk factor for hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.
• Development of Seamless Chemical Assimilation System and Its Application for Atmospheric Environmental Materials

  Nakajima Teruyuki, Imasu Ryoichi, Takami Akinori, Goto Daisuke, Tsuruta Haruo, Uchida Junya, Dai Tie, Misawa Shota, Ueda Kayo, Ng Chris Fook Sheng, Watanabe Chiho, Konishi Shoko, Sato Yousuke, Higuchi Atsushi, Masutomi Yuji, Murakami Akinobu, Tsuchiya Kazuaki, Kondo Hiroaki, Niwa Yousuke, Yoshimura Kei, Ohara Toshimasa, Morino Yu, Schutgens Nick, Sudo Kengo, Takemura Toshihiko, Inoue Toshiro, Arai Yutaka, Murata Ryo, Yonemoto Ryoma, Trieu Tran Thi Ngoc, Uematsu Mitsuo, Satoh Masaki, Tomita Hirofumi, Yashiro Hisashi, Hara Masayuki

  Journal of the Japan Society for Simulation Technology 小宮山印刷工業 34 (2) 104 - 114 0285-9947 2015/06 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Relationship Between Asian Dust Events and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests in Japan

  Takahiro Nakamura, Masahiro Hashizume, Kayo Ueda, Tatsuhiko Kubo, Atsushi Shimizu, Tomonori Okamura, Yuji Nishiwaki

  JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY 25 (4) 289 - 296 0917-5040 2015/04 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Asian dust events are caused by dust storms that originate in the deserts of China and Mongolia and drift across East Asia. We hypothesized that the dust events would increase incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by triggering acute events or exacerbating chronic diseases. Methods: We analyzed the Utstein-Style data collected in 2005 to 2008 from seven prefectures covering almost the entire length of Japan to investigate the effect of Asian dust events on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Asian dust events were defined by the measurement of light detection and ranging. A time-stratified case-crossover analysis was performed. The strength of the association between Asian dust events and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests was shown by odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals in two conditional logistic models. A pooled estimate was obtained from area-specific results by random-effect meta-analysis. Results: The total number of cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was 59 273, of which 35 460 were in men and 23 813 were in women. The total number of event days during the study period was smallest in Miyagi and Niigata and largest in Shimane and Nagasaki. There was no significant relationship between Asian dust events and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by area in either of the models. In the pooled analysis, the highest odds ratios were observed at lag day 1 in both model 1 (OR 1.07; 95% CI, 0.97-1.19) and model 2 (OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.97-1.20). However, these results were not statistically significant. Conclusions: We found no evidence of an association between Asian dust events and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
• Community trial on heat related-illness prevention behaviors and knowledge for the elderly

  Noriko Takahashi, Rieko Nakao, Kayo Ueda, Masaji Ono, Masahide Kondo, Yasushi Honda, Masahiro Hashizume

  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 12 (3) 3188 - 3214 1660-4601 2015/03/17 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  This study aims to explore whether broadcasting heat health warnings (HHWs), to every household and whether the additional home delivery of bottled water labeled with messages will be effective in improving the behaviors and knowledge of elderly people to prevent heat-related illness. A community trial on heat-related-illness-prevention behaviors and knowledge for people aged between 65 and 84 years was conducted in Nagasaki, Japan. Five hundred eight subjects were selected randomly from three groups: heat health warning (HHW), HHW and water delivery (HHW+W), and control groups. Baseline and follow-up questionnaires were conducted in June and September 2012, respectively. Of the 1524 selected subjects, the 1072 that completed both questionnaires were analyzed. The HHW+W group showed improvements in nighttime AC use (p = 0.047), water intake (p = 0.003), cooling body (p = 0.002) and reduced activities in heat (p = 0.047) compared with the control, while the HHW group improved hat or parasol use (p = 0.008). An additional effect of household water delivery was observed in water intake (p = 0.067) and cooling body (p = 0.095) behaviors. HHW and household bottled water delivery improved heat-related-illness-prevention behaviors. The results indicate that home water delivery in addition to a HHW may be needed to raise awareness of the elderly.
• Coarse particulate matter and emergency ambulance dispatches in Fukuoka, Japan: a time-stratified case-crossover study

  Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Ayano Takeuchi, Kenji Tamura, Makoto Kinoshita, Takamichi Ichinose, Hiroshi Nitta

  ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 20 (2) 130 - 136 1342-078X 2015/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  There is no conclusive evidence of adverse health effects caused by short-term exposure to coarse particulate matter, so in this case-crossover study we looked for an association between exposure and emergency ambulance dispatches (as a proxy of acute health outcomes). We used data on emergency ambulance dispatches in Fukuoka City, Japan between 2005 and 2010. After excluding ambulance dispatches related to external injuries and pregnancy/childbirth, we analyzed data on 176,123 dispatches. Citywide daily mean concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were calculated from ambient monitoring data, and the differences between concentrations of SPM and PM2.5 were used as an exposure surrogate of coarse particulate matter. Using a conditional logistic regression model, we estimated the ambient temperature and relative humidity adjusted odds ratios (ORs) per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in coarse particulate matter. The average daily concentration of coarse particulate matter over the study period was 9.9 mu g/m(3), representing 33 % of the total concentration of SPM. Elevated concentrations of coarse particulate matter were associated with an increase in respiratory disease-related emergency ambulance dispatches for adults aged 65 years or older (9,716 dispatches, OR for lag0-1 = 1.065, 95 % confidence interval = 1.023-1.109). After additional adjustment for exposure to PM2.5, we observed a statistically non-significant increased risk (OR = 1.035, 0.986-1.086). We found weak evidence of adverse effects of short-term exposure to coarse particulate matter on human health.
• 大気汚染と脳梗塞・心血管疾患の発生・増悪 (特集 大気汚染による呼吸器・循環器疾患は増加している)

  上田 佳代

  日本医事新報 日本医事新報社 (4766) 30 - 35 0385-9215 2015/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Application of a global nonhydrostatic model with a stretched-grid system to regional aerosol simulations around Japan

  D. Goto, T. Dai, M. Satoh, H. Tomita, J. Uchida, S. Misawa, T. Inoue, H. Tsuruta, K. Ueda, C. F. S. Ng, A. Takami, N. Sugimoto, A. Shimizu, T. Ohara, T. Nakajima

  GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT 8 (2) 235 - 259 1991-959X 2015 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  An aerosol-coupled global nonhydrostatic model with a stretched-grid system has been developed. Circulations over the global and target domains are simulated with a single model, which includes fine meshes covering the target region to calculate meso-scale circulations. The stretched global model involves lower computational costs to simulate atmospheric aerosols with fine horizontal resolutions compared with a global uniform nonhydrostatic model, whereas it may require higher computational costs compared with the general regional models, because the stretched-grid system calculates inside and outside the target domain As opposed to general regional models, the stretched-grid system requires neither a nesting technique nor lateral boundary conditions. In this study, we developed a new-type regional model for the simulation of aerosols over Japan, especially in the Kanto areas surrounding Tokyo, with a maximum horizontal resolution of approximately 10 km. This model usually reproduces temporal variations and their averages of the observed weather around Japan. This model generally reproduces monthly mean distributions of the observed sulfate and SO2 over East Asia, with high correlations (R > 0.6), but the underestimation of the simulated concentrations by 40% (sulfate) and 50% (SO2). Their underestimation of the simulated sulfate and SO2 concentrations over East Asia are strongly affected by their underestimation in China and possibly by the uncertainty of the simulated precipitation around Japan. In the Kanto area, this model succeeds in simulating the wind patterns and the diurnal transitions around the center of the Kanto area, although it is inadequate to simulate the wind patterns and the diurnal transitions at some sites located at the edge of the Kanto area and surrounded on three sides by mountains, e.g., Maebashi, mainly due to the insufficient horizontal resolution. This model also generally reproduces both diurnal and synoptic variations of the observed and/or a regional aerosol-transport model, WRF-CMAQ, simulated EC, sulfate, and SO2 concentrations in the Kanto area, especially with their high correlation (R > 0.5) at Komae/Tokyo. Although the aerosol module used in this study is relatively simplified compared to the general regional aerosol models, this study reveals that our proposed model with the stretchedgrid system can be applicable for the regional aerosol simulation.
• Impact of short-term exposure to fine particulate matter on emergency ambulance dispatches in Japan

  Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Ayano Takeuchi, Makoto Kinoshita, Hiromi Hayashi, Takamichi Ichinose, Hiroshi Nitta

  JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH 69 (1) 86 - 91 0143-005X 2015/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background Evidence of an association between fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and morbidity is limited in Asia. We used a case-crossover design to evaluate the association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 and emergency ambulance dispatches (as a proxy of acute health outcomes), and to calculate the extent to which a 10 mu g/m(3) decrease in PM2.5 concentrations would reduce the number of ambulance dispatches. Methods We used data on emergency ambulance dispatches in Fukuoka City, Japan between 2005 and 2010. Emergency ambulance services are publicly funded and cover the entire city. After excluding ambulance dispatches related to external injuries and pregnancy/childbirth, we analysed data on the remaining 176 123 dispatches. We also collected records of daily concentrations of PM2.5 from one ambient air pollution monitoring station. ORs per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in PM2.5 were estimated using conditional logistic regression controlled for ambient temperature and relative humidity. Results During the study period, the average daily concentration of PM2.5 was 20.3 mu g/m(3). Exposure to PM2.5 was associated with emergency ambulance dispatches in general (lag0-1; OR=1.008 (95% CI 1.002 to 1.014)) and with dispatches due to respiratory diseases (lag0-1; OR=1.027 (1.007 to 1.048)). No association was observed for dispatches due to cardiovascular diseases. We estimated that a 10 mu g/m(3) decrease in PM2.5 concentrations would have led to approximately 260 (estimated range=70-460) fewer ambulance dispatches in Fukuoka for 2012. Conclusions Providing further evidence on the short-term health effects of PM2.5 exposure, we found that exposure was associated with an increased number of emergency ambulance dispatches. The effect was, however, relatively small.
• 大気汚染と脳梗塞・心血管疾患の発生・増悪 (特集 大気汚染による呼吸器・循環器疾患は増加している)

  上田 佳代

  日本医事新報 日本医事新報社 (4766) 30 - 35 0385-9215 2015/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Particulate matter modifies the association between airborne pollen and daily medical consultations for pollinosis in Tokyo

  Shoko Konishi, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Andrew Stickley, Shinichi Nishihata, Chisa Shinsugi, Kayo Ueda, Akinori Takami, Chiho Watanabe

  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 499 125 - 132 0048-9697 2014/11 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Pollen from Japanese cedar (sugi) and cypress (hinoki) trees is responsible for the growing prevalence of allergic rhinitis, especially pollinosis in Japan. Previous studies have suggested that air pollutants enhance the allergic response to pollen in susceptible individuals. We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study to examine the potential modifying effects of PM2.5 and suspended particulate matter (SPM) on the association between pollen concentration and daily consultations for pollinosis. A total of 11,713 daily pollinosis cases (International Classification of Diseases, ICD-10, J30.1) from January to May, 2001-2011, were obtained from a clinic in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Daily pollen counts and the daily mean values of air pollutants (PM2.5, SPM, SO2, NO2, CO, and O-3) were collected from monitoring stations across Tokyo. The effects of pollen were stratified by the level of PM2.5 and SPM to examine the interaction effect of pollen and particulate pollutants. We found a statistically significant interaction between pollen concentration and PM2.5/SPM. On days with a high level of PM2.5 (>95th percentile), an interquartile increase in the mean cumulative pollen count (an average of 28 pollen grains per cm(2) during lag-days 0 to 5) corresponded to a 10.30% (95%CI: 8.48%-12.16%) increase in daily new pollinosis cases, compared to 8.04% (95%CI: 7.28%-8.81%) on days with a moderate level of PM2.5 (5th-95th percentile). This interaction persisted when different percentile cut-offs were used and was robust to the inclusion of other air pollutants. A similar interaction pattern was observed between SPM and pollen when a less extreme cut-off for SPM was used to stratify the effect of pollen. Our study showed the acute effect of pollen was greater when the concentration of air particulate pollutant, specifically PM2.5 and SPM, was higher. These findings are consistent with the notion that particulate air pollution may act as an adjuvant that promotes allergic disease (i.e. pollinosis). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• Desert Dust Is a Risk Factor for the Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Western Japan

  Ryuichi Matsukawa, Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Hideki Tashiro, Masahiro Mohri, Yusuke Yamamoto

  CIRCULATION-CARDIOVASCULAR QUALITY AND OUTCOMES 7 (5) 743 - U158 1941-7705 2014/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background-Recently, there has been increasing concern about adverse health effects of exposure to desert dust events. However, the association between dust and the incidence of ischemic heart diseases is unknown. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether Asian dust (AD), a windblown sand dust originating from mineral soil in China and Mongolia, is associated with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and Results-We investigated the data regarding hospitalization because of AMI among 3068 consecutive patients from 4 AMI centers in Fukuoka, Japan, and data for AD from April 2003 to December 2010. We applied a time-stratified case-crossover design to examine the association between AD and the incidence of AMI. Using a conditional logistic regression analysis, we estimated the odds ratios of AMI associated with AD after controlling for ambient temperature and relative humidity. The occurrence of AD events 0 to 4 days before the day of admission was significantly associated with the incidence of AMI. In particular, the occurrence of AD 4 days before admission was significantly associated with the onset of AMI. Conclusions-These data suggest that exposure to AD a few days before symptom onset is associated with the incidence of
• Desert dust is a risk factor for the incidence of acute myocardial infarction in Western Japan.

  Matsukawa R, Michikawa T, Ueda K, Nitta H, Kawasaki T, Tashiro H, Mohri M, Yamamoto Y

  Circulation. Cardiovascular quality and outcomes 7 (5) 743 - 748 1941-7713 2014/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Characterizing the effect of summer temperature on heatstroke-related emergency ambulance dispatches in the Kanto area of Japan

  Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Kayo Ueda, Masaji Ono, Hiroshi Nitta, Akinori Takami

  INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 58 (5) 941 - 948 0020-7128 2014/07 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Despite rising concern on the impact of heat on human health, the risk of high summer temperature on heatstroke-related emergency dispatches is not well understood in Japan. A time-series study was conducted to examine the association between apparent temperature and daily heatstroke-related ambulance dispatches (HSAD) within the Kanto area of Japan. A total of 12,907 HSAD occurring from 2000 to 2009 in five major cities-Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kawasaki, and Yokohama-were analyzed. Generalized additive models and zero-inflated Poisson regressions were used to estimate the effects of daily maximum three-hour apparent temperature (AT) on dispatch frequency from May to September, with adjustment for seasonality, long-term trend, weekends, and public holidays. Linear and non-linear exposure effects were considered. Effects on days when AT first exceeded its summer median were also investigated. City-specific estimates were combined using random effects meta-analyses. Exposure-response relationship was found to be fairly linear. Significant risk increase began from 21 A degrees C with a combined relative risk (RR) of 1.22 (95 % confidence interval, 1.03-1.44), increasing to 1.49 (1.42-1.57) at peak AT. When linear exposure was assumed, combined RR was 1.43 (1.37-1.50) per degree Celsius increment. Overall association was significant the first few times when median AT was initially exceeded in a particular warm season. More than two-thirds of these initial hot days were in June, implying the harmful effect of initial warming as the season changed. Risk increase that began early at the fairly mild perceived temperature implies the need for early precaution.
• 日本の大気環境と健康への影響 (特集 最近の大気汚染とアレルギー疾患) -- (大気環境の変化)

  新田 裕史, 上田 佳代

  アレルギー・免疫 医薬ジャーナル社 21 (10) 1475 - 1483 1344-6932 2014/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Environmental pollutants and Allergy

  本田 晶子, 上田 佳代, 高野 裕久

  日本予防医学会雑誌 日本予防医学会 9 (2) 61 - 66 1881-4271 2014/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• C461 都市における大気汚染物質シミュレーションとその健康影響評価(都市における気候変動適応研究の最先端,専門分科会)

  五藤 大輔, 中島 映至, 上田 佳代, Chris-Fook-Sheng Ng, 村田 諒, SALSA project Team

  大会講演予講集 社団法人日本気象学会 105 431 - 431 2014/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Relationship between Asian Dust Exposure and Ischemic Stroke Incidence in High-Risk Patients

  北園 孝成, 上田 佳代, 吾郷 哲朗

  エアロゾル研究 日本エアロゾル学会 29 (1) 207 - 211 0912-2834 2014/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Exposure Assessment by Light Detection and Ranging for Asian Dust Aerosol in Epidemiological Studies to Investigate Its Health Effects

  上田 佳代, 清水 厚, 井上 健一郎

  エアロゾル研究 日本エアロゾル学会 29 (1) 230 - 236 0912-2834 2014/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• C459 大気環境物質のためのシームレス同化システム構築とその応用(都市における気候変動適応研究の最先端,専門分科会)

  中島 映至, 今須 良一, 植松 光夫, 高見 昭憲, 五藤 大輔, 打田 純也, 井上 豊志郎, 鶴田 治雄, 三澤 翔大, 村田 諒, Tie Dai, Nick Schutgens, 上田 佳代, Chris-Fook-Sheng Ng, 佐藤 正樹, 佐藤 陽祐, 村上 暁信, 樋口 篤志, SALSAプロジェクトチーム

  大会講演予講集 社団法人日本気象学会 105 429 - 429 2014/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Impacts of Aerosols on Human Health in East and Southeast Asia

  HONDA Yasushi, NAKAI Satoshi, ONO Masaji, TAMURA Kenji, NITTA Hiroshi, UEDA Kayo

  Earozoru Kenkyu 日本エアロゾル学会 29 (1) s183 - s189 0912-2834 2014 

  In this article, we give an overview of East Asian epidemiological studies, including part P12 of Grant in-Aid for Scientific Research in Innovative Areas: "Impacts of Aerosols in East Asia on Plants and Human Health." In particular, we focus on "health effects of East and Southeast Asian air pollution." The body of research surveyed can be divided into studies on short-term effects and long-term effects.The short-term effect studies can further be divided into studies on local effects and trans-boundary effects. We reviewed research on Japanese cedar pollen diseases and particulate matter for short-term local effects, and Asian dust and particulate matter for trans-boundary effects. For long-term effects, we reviewed critically some research that utilized existing cohort studies.
• Sociogeographic Variation in the Effects of Heat and Cold on Daily Mortality in Japan

  Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Kayo Ueda, Ayano Takeuchi, Hiroshi Nitta, Shoko Konishi, Rinako Bagrowicz, Chiho Watanabe, Akinori Takami

  JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY 24 (1) 15 - 24 0917-5040 2014/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Ambient temperature affects mortality in susceptible populations, but regional differences in this association remain unclear in Japan. We conducted a time-series study to examine the variation in the effects of ambient temperature on daily mortality across Japan. Methods: A total of 731 558 all-age non-accidental deaths in 6 cities during 2002-2007 were analyzed. The association between daily mortality and ambient temperature was examined using distributed lag nonlinear models with Poisson distribution. City-specific estimates were combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Bivariate random-effects meta-regressions were used to examine the moderating effect of city characteristics. Results: The effect of heat generally persisted for 1 to 2 days. In warmer communities, the effect of cold weather lasted for approximately 1 week. The combined increases in mortality risk due to heat (99th vs 90th percentile of city-specific temperature) and cold (first vs 10th percentile) were 2.21% (95% CI, 1.38%-3.04%) and 3.47% (1.75%-5.21%), respectively. City-specific effects based on absolute temperature changes were more heterogeneous than estimates based on relative changes, which suggests some degree of acclimatization. Northern populations with a cool climate appeared acclimatized to low temperature but were still vulnerable to extreme cold weather. Population density, average income, cost of property rental, and number of nurses appeared to influence variation in heat effect across cities. Conclusions: We noted clear regional variation in temperature-related increases in mortality risk, which should be considered when planning preventive measures.
• Seasonal variation in the acute effects of ozone on premature mortality among elderly Japanese

  Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Ayano Takeuchi

  ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 185 (10) 8767 - 8776 0167-6369 2013/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  We conducted a multicity time-series study using monitoring data to assess seasonal patterns of short-term ozone-mortality association among elderly aged 65 years and over in Japan. Daily exposure to ambient ozone was computed using hourly measurements of photochemical oxidants available at multiple monitoring stations in each city. Effects of ozone on daily all-cause non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were estimated using distributed lag linear models, controlling for confounding by temporal, day of the week, temperature, and flu epidemics. City-level effect estimates were combined using inverse variance meta-analysis. In spring and autumn, a 10-ppbv increase of daily maximum 8-h average ozone concentration in the previous 3 days was associated with 0.69 % (95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.27-1.10), 1.07 % (0.34-1.82), and 1.77 % (0.78-2.77) increases in daily all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, respectively. Forward displacement of respiratory mortality was large during the cold season despite lower ozone concentration. Results were generally independent of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide. Findings suggest significant mortality effects of short-term ozone exposure among the elderly during the moderate season. Those with underlying respiratory diseases were susceptible, even during winter.
• An Analysis of High Sulfate Ion Events Observed in Fukuoka and Osaka City in Summer, 2012

  TAKAMI Akinori, IREI Satoshi, KIMOTO Takashi, TAKEMURA Toshihiko, HAYASHI Masahiko, HARA Keiichiro, MIYOSHI Takao, UEDA Kayo, SATO Kei, KANEYASU Naoki, YOSHINO Ayako, HATAKEYAMA Shiro

  Earozoru Kenkyu 日本エアロゾル学会 28 (4) 281 - 286 0912-2834 2013/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  We observed high sulfate ion concentrations in Fukuoka and Osaka city using an aerosol mass spectrometer and an ion chromatograph method in the end of July, 2012. The mass concentration of sulfate ion reached ca. 35 μg m^-3 on 25 July in Fukuoka. The mass concentration of PM_2.5 exceeded 50 μg m^-3 and that of sulfate ion was between 10and 20 μg m^-3 for several hours on 29 July in Osaka. The simulation using Spectral Radiation- Transport Model for Aerosol Species (SPRINTARS) showed that the air mass with a high sulfate ion concentration first covered the Korean peninsula in July 2012 and then spread over the northern part of Kyushu and the Honshu regions of Japan. This indicates that the observed high sulfate ion events were possibly due to the trans-boundary air pollution. Since air pollution with a high sulfate ion concentration potentially causes adverse health effect, the monitoring of trans-boundary air pollution is necessary even in summer.
• S13-4 黄砂が喘息,アレルギー疾患に及ぼす影響評価 : 疫学研究における曝露評価をどのように行うか(黄砂の健康への影響,シンポジウム13,第63回日本アレルギー学会秋季学術大会)

  上田 佳代, 小田嶋 博, 井上 健一郎, 清水 厚, 新田 裕史

  アレルギー 一般社団法人日本アレルギー学会 62 (9) 1204 - 1204 0021-4884 2013/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• The effects of long-term exposure to particulate matter on cardiovascular diseases

  上田 佳代

  医学のあゆみ 医歯薬出版 247 (8) 678 - 683 0039-2359 2013/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Long-range transported Asian Dust and emergency ambulance dispatches

  Kayo Ueda, Atsushi Shimizu, Hiroshi Nitta, Kenichiro Inoue

  INHALATION TOXICOLOGY 24 (12) 858 - 867 0895-8378 2012/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Asian Dust (AD) particles transported from source areas contribute to sharp increases in coarse particles in Japan. We examined the association of exposure to AD events with emergency ambulance dispatches in Nagasaki city. We also examined whether AD transported at different altitude routes from source areas influenced dispatch rates. Using lidar (light detection and ranging), we determined moderate AD days (0.066/km < dust extinction coefficient <= 0.105/km) and heavy AD days (0.105/km < dust extinction coefficient). We applied a time-stratified case-crossover analysis to estimate the association between AD days and emergency ambulance dispatches. There were 9,070 dispatches from March to May during 2003-2007. The heavy AD events at cumulative lag0-3 were associated with an increase in emergency dispatches due to all causes by 12.1% (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.3, 22.9) and an increase for those due to cardiovascular diseases by 20.8% (95% CI: 3.5, 40.9). We categorized 31 AD days based on backward trajectory analyses into AD days with lower altitude routes and those with higher altitude routes. We observed a greater increase in emergency ambulance dispatches on AD days with lower altitude routes compared with those on AD days with higher altitude routes although the difference was not significant (p for interaction 0.49). These results have shown that exposure to high AD particle levels could increase emergency ambulance dispatches due to illnesses such as cardiovascular stress, and that AD traveling through different routes may have different health effects.
• 微小粒子状物質成分が死亡に及ぼす影響 検出下限未満の実測値処理による推定値の違い

  上田 佳代, 山神 真紀子, 池盛 文数, 久恒 邦裕, 新田 裕史

  日本衛生学雑誌 (一社)日本衛生学会 67 (2) 284 - 284 0021-5082 2012/02 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Health effect of photochemical oxidant - results from 20 cities and overseas trend (in Japanese)

  上田 佳代, Ng Chris Fook Sheng, 新田 裕史

  Journal of Japan Society for Atmospheric Environment Japan Society for Atmospheric Environment 47 (1) A9 - A11 1341-4178 2012/01 [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Exposure to Particulate Matter and Long-term Risk of Cardiovascular Mortality in Japan: NIPPON DATA80

  Kayo Ueda, Shin-ya Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nitta, Katsuyuki Miura, Hirotsugu Ueshima

  JOURNAL OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND THROMBOSIS 19 (3) 246 - 254 1340-3478 2012 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Aim: It remains uncertain whether chronic exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with increased mortality in Japan because Japan has a different distribution pattern of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors compared to Western countries. We investigated the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) and cardiovascular mortality risk using a representative Japanese cohort. Methods: A total of 7,250 participants aged 30 years and older from 232 districts throughout Japan were followed from 1980 to 2004. We linked the averaged annual concentrations of PM from 1985 to 2004 to each cohort participant who resided in the district at the time of the baseline survey. Study participants were divided into quintiles of average PM concentration. We applied the Cox proportional hazard model adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, blood glucose, smoking categories, drinking categories, and the municipality population size. Results: During follow-up, there were 1,716 deaths from all causes; 571 from cardiovascular disease, 116 from coronary heart disease, and 250 from stroke. Hazard ratios were not different among the quintiles and those for trend per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in annual PM concentration were 0.98 (95% confidence interval, 0.92-1.04) for all-cause mortality and 0.90 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.00) for cardiovascular mortality. Conclusion: Long-term exposure to PM was not associated with increased cardiovascular mortality risk in this population-based cohort in Japan.
• Short-Term Exposure to Air Pollution and Incidence of Stroke and Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Japanese Population

  Tanvir Chowdhury Turin, Yoshikuni Kita, Nahid Rumana, Yasuyuki Nakamura, Kayo Ueda, Naoyuki Takashima, Hideki Sugihara, Yutaka Morita, Masaharu Ichikawa, Kunihiko Hirose, Hiroshi Nitta, Akira Okayama, Katsuyuki Miura, Hirotsugu Ueshima

  NEUROEPIDEMIOLOGY 38 (2) 84 - 92 0251-5350 2012 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Exposure to high levels of air pollution can increase the risk of cardiovascular events. However, there is no clear information in Japan on the effect of pollution on the incidence of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Therefore, we investigated the effects of air pollution on the incidence of stroke and AMI in a setting where pollutant levels are rather low. Methods: Data were obtained from the Takashima Stroke and AMI Registry, which covers a population of approximately 55,000 in Takashima County in central Japan. We applied a time-stratified, bidirectional, case-crossover design to estimate the effects of air pollutants, which included suspended particulate matter (SPM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and photochemical oxidants (Ox). We used the distributed lag model to estimate the effect of pollutant exposure 0-3 days before the day of event onset and controlled for meteorological covariates in all of the models. Results:There were 2,038 first-ever strokes (1,083 men, 955 women) and 429 first-ever AMI cases (281 men, 148 women) during 1988-2004. The mean pollutant levels were as follows: SPM 26.9 mu g/m(3); SO2 3.9 ppb; NO2 16.0 ppb, and Ox 28.4 ppb. In single-pollutant and two-pollutant models, SO2 was associated with the risk of cerebral hemorrhage. Other stroke subtypes and AMI were not associated with air pollutant levels. Conclusions: We observed an association between SO2 and hemorrhagic stroke; however, we found inconclusive evidence for a short-term effect of air pollution on the incidence of other stroke types and AMI. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel
• Ambient Air Pollutants and Acute Case-Fatality of Cerebro-Cardiovascular Events: Takashima Stroke and AMI Registry, Japan (1988-2004)

  Tanvir Chowdhury Turin, Yoshikuni Kita, Nahid Rumana, Yasuyuki Nakamura, Kayo Ueda, Naoyuki Takashima, Hideki Sugihara, Yutaka Morita, Masaharu Ichikawa, Kunihiko Hirose, Hiroshi Nitta, Akira Okayama, Katsuyuki Miura, Hirotsugu Ueshima

  CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES 34 (2) 130 - 139 1015-9770 2012 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: Apart from the conventional risk factors, cerebro-cardiovascular disease (CVD) are also reported to be associated with air pollution, thus lowering the level of exposure might contribute in prevention activities to reduce the associated adverse outcomes. Though few studies conducted in Japan have reported on the CVD mortality but none have explored the effect of air pollutant exposure on the acute case-fatality of CVD. We investigated the effects of air pollution exposure on acute case-fatality of stroke and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a setting where pollutant levels are rather low. Methods: We leveraged the data from the Takashima Stroke and AMI Registry, which covers a population of approximately 55,000 in Takashima County located in central Japan. The study period of 6,210 days (16 years, leap years also taken into account) were divided into quartiles of daily average pollutant concentration; suspended particulate matter (SPM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and photochemical oxidants (Ox). The stroke and AMI events were categorized to corresponding quartiles based on the pollution levels of the onset day. To study the effects of air pollutants, we estimated the fatality rate ratio across quartiles of the pollutants where the lowest quartile served as the reference. Results: There were 307 (men: 153 and women: 154) fatal stroke cases within 28 days of onset among the 2,038 first ever stroke during 1988-2004. In the same period, there were 142 (men: 94 and women: 54) fatal AMI cases within 28 days of onset among the 429 first ever AMI events. The mean of the measured pollutant levels were as follows: SPM 26.9 mu g/m(3), SO2 3.9 ppb, NO2 16.0 ppb, and Ox 28.4 ppb. Among the pollutants, higher levels of NO2 showed increased fatality risk. In multi-pollutant model, the highest quartile of NO2 was associated with 60% higher stroke case-fatality risk in comparison to lowest quartile of NO2. In the fully adjusted model the fatality-rate ratio was 1.65 (95% CI 1.06-2.57). This association was more prominent among stroke subtype of cerebral infarction. Other pollutant levels did not show any association with stroke or AMI case-fatality. Conclusion: We observed association between NO2 levels, an index of traffic related air pollution, with the acute case-fatality of stroke, especially cerebral infarction in our study population. Further studies are needed in different regions to determine the association between ambient air pollutants and acute cardiovascular fatalities. Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel
• PM2.5各成分が死亡に及ぼす影響評価

  上田 佳代, 山神 真紀子, 池盛 文数, 久恒 邦裕, 新田 裕史

  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集 (公社)大気環境学会 52回 298 - 298 2011/08 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Health Effects of Fine Particulate Matter : Evidence among Japanese populations and trends in epidemiological studies

  UEDA Kayo

  Journal of Japan Society for Atmospheric Environment / Taiki Kankyo Gakkaishi 公益社団法人 大気環境学会 46 (2) A7 - A13 1341-4178 2011/03/20
• Effects of Asian Dust Events on Daily Mortality in Nagasaki, Japan

  Masahiro Hashizume, Yuji Nishiwaki, Takehiro Michikawa, Kayo Ueda, Daisuke Onozuka, Ken-ichi Yokota, Mariko Mine, Atsuko Mori, Atsushi Shimizu, Nobuo Sugimoto, Taro Yamamoto

  EPIDEMIOLOGY 22 (1) S130 - S130 1044-3983 2011/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Health effects of Asian dust events: a review of the literature.

  Hashizume M, Ueda K, Nishiwaki Y, Michikawa T, Onozuka D

  Nippon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene 65 (3) 413 - 421 0021-5082 2010/05 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Asian dust, called 'kosa' in Japan, is the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants originating from the desert areas of China and Mongolia. Although Asian dust has a long history of appearing in Japan, it is only quite recently that there is increasing concern for its possible adverse health effects. We reviewed the epidemiologic evidence of potential health effects of Asian dust events. PubMed was used to search for the following keywords: Asian dust, yellow sand, desert dust, dust storm, sandstorm, mortality, death, morbidity, hospitalization, hospital admission, health, pulmonary and respiratory. The search was limited to the epidemiologic studies published between January 1980 and May 2009. JMEDPlus was used to search for Japanese literature. Seventeen studies were retrieved from PubMed and one study from JMEDPlus. In addition, one study was identified for reviewing from the references of another study. In total, we identified 19 epidemiologic studies (3 for mortality, 13 for hospital visits or admissions and 3 for respiratory functions or symptoms) mainly from Taiwan and Korea. There were many combinations of outcomes and lagged exposures examined, and some suggested possible associations of dust exposure with an increase in mortality and hospital visits and admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, whereas the rest of the studies did not show statistically significant associations. The evidence from these studies was limited because exposure assessments were inadequately described and potential confounders were insufficiently controlled. Well-designed epidemiological studies are required to clarify any potential health effects of Asian dust events in Japan.
• Estimating Mortality Effects of Fine Particulate Matter in Japan: A Comparison of Time-Series and Case-Crossover Analyses

  Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Masaji Ono, Ayano Takeuchi

  JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION 59 (10) 1212 - 1218 1047-3289 2009/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Small particles can reach alveoli without being trapped in the upper respiratory tract and may have a greater impact on health than larger particles. Given the limited knowledge on health effects of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) in Japan, the short-term effects of PM(2.5) on daily mortality using the generalized additive model (GAM), generalized linear model (GLIM), and time-stratified case-crossover analysis were estimated. Daily mortality data were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. Air pollution and meteorological data in 20 areas were obtained from the National Institute for Environmental Studies and the Japan Meteorological Agency, respectively. The three methods were compared, adjusting for meteorological variables and co-pollutants, for area-specific analyses and combined area-specific results using meta-analysis with a random-effects model. Daily mortality for elderly aged 65 and over varied from 0.5 to 127.3 by area. The 24-hr mean concentration of PM(2.5) ranged from 11.8 to 22.8 mu g/m(3). Area-specific analyses revealed regional heterogeneity. Furthermore, combined results showed that a 10-mu g/m(3) increase in PM(2.5) for the single-pollutant model at lag1 was associated with a 0.53, 0.77, and 0.88% increase in all-cause mortality for the GAM, GLIM, and case-crossover analysis, respectively. These findings provide robust evidence for the short-term effects of air pollutants on daily mortality in Japan and suggest that differences in estimates obtained from different statistical models should be considered when multipollutant models are used.
• Effects of Fine Particulate Matter on Daily Mortality for Specific Heart Diseases in Japan

  Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Masaji Ono

  CIRCULATION JOURNAL 73 (7) 1248 - 1254 1346-9843 2009/07 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Background: It is thought that biological responses to air pollutants affect various heart diseases, with the magnitude of the effect dependent on the specific disease. The short-term effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on mortality for heart diseases were examined in 9 Japanese cities from 2002 to 2004. Methods and Results: Mortality data obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and PM2.5 data from the National Institute for Environmental Studies were used in a generalized linear model to evaluate the association between PM2.5 concentration and the mortality, adjusted for ambient temperature, relative humidity, seasonality, and day of the week. The area-specific results were combined using meta-analysis with a random-effects model. Of 67,897 deaths from heart disease, a significantly positive association was observed between heart disease mortality and PM2.5 at lag 0. In the age-stratified analyses, the effect of PM2.5 on acute myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrhythmia and conduction disorders was stronger at lag 0 for the younger population (0-64 years). The associations were not clear in mortality of the elderly. Conclusions: Positive associations between PM2.5 and heart disease mortality in Japan were observed. The effects of PM2.5 may vary by disease and age. (Circ J 2009; 73: 1248-1254)

MISC

• Developing a risk function of PM2.5 and Under 5 Child Mortality: A Review.

  Wahida Musarrat Anita, Ueda Kayo  日本公衆衛生雑誌 第80回日本公衆衛生学会総会  68-  (11)  311  -311  2021/12
• Health risk perception and Awareness of air pollu- tion: Scoping review

  Bahrami Zeinab, Yang Zhesi, Onishi Kazunari, Umemura Tomohiro, Ueda Kayo  日本公衆衛生雑誌 第80回日本公衆衛生学会総会  68-  (11)  311  2021/12
• Face mask use under the COVID-19 pandemic for farmers in Punjab, India

  Yang Zhesi, Ueda Kayo, memura Tomohiro, Onishi Kazunari  日本公衆衛生雑誌 第80回日本公衆衛生学会総会  68-  (11)  196  2021/12
• City-specific modifiers of acute PM2.5 and ozone ef- fects on ambulance dispatches

  Liang Yuwen, Ueda Kayo, Hashizume Masahiro  日本公衆衛生雑誌 第80回日本公衆衛生学会総会  68-  (11)  195  2021/12
• 大気汚染物質による暑熱関連死亡への修飾効果

  久保龍征, 上田佳代, 橋爪真弘  日本公衆衛生雑誌 第80回日本公衆衛生学会総会抄録集  68-  (11)  290  2021/12  [Not refereed]
  
• 超微小粒子の健康影響に関する文献レビュー

  上田佳代, 池田一男, Paoin Kanawat, 梁雨文, 竹川暢之, 伏見暁洋, 藤谷雄二, 桜井博, 村島淑子  第62回大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  217  2021/09
• Public perception of air pollution and stubble burning—a cross-sectional survey study in Punjab, India

  Yang Zhesi, 上田佳代, 梅村朋弘, 大西一成, 寺崎寛章, 松見豊, 中山智喜, 村尾 るみこ, 浅田晴久, 佐藤孝宏, 林田佐智子  第62回大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  184  2021/09
• 日本における感染性胃腸炎の発生と降雨量との関係

  山下 慧, 高野 裕久, 上田 佳代, 本田 昌子, 田中 宏明, 日高 平, ザーゼス・セポ  日本衛生学雑誌  76-  (Suppl.)  S157  -S157  2021/03
• Association between PM[2.5] and Heart rate variability in 3 cities of Japan (京都大学環境衛生工学研究会 第41回 シンポジウム講演論文集)

  PAOIN Kanawat, UEDA Kayo, SEPOSO Xerxes Tesoro, HAYANO Junichiro, KIYONO Ken, UEDA Norihiro, KAWAMURA Takashi, TAKANO Hirohisa  環境衛生工学研究 = Environmental & sanitary engineering research : 京都大学環境衛生工学研究会機関誌  33-  (3)  118  -120  2019/07  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 日本の21都市におけるオゾンと外来患者の非線形な関連

  セポソ サークセス, セポソ サークセス, 上田佳代, 上田佳代, 吉野彩子, 菅田誠治, 高見昭憲  日本衛生学雑誌(Web)  74-  (Supplement)  S118  2019/02  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 学術研究からの少子化対策 日本衛生学会からの提言に向けて 日本衛生学会における少子化対策提言に向けて 日本衛生学会少子化対策ワーキンググループによるとりまとめ

  野村 恭子, 苅田 香苗, 荒木 敦子, 西岡 笑子, 武藤 剛, 岩井 美幸, 錦谷 まりこ, 井上 まり子, 鶴ヶ野 しのぶ, 北野 尚美, 辻 真弓, 飯島 佐知子, 上田 佳代, 上島 通浩, 山縣 然太郎, 坂田 清美, 伊木 雅之, 柳澤 裕之, 加藤 昌志, 横山 和仁, 小泉 昭夫, 大槻 剛巳  日本衛生学雑誌  74-  1of5  -5of5  2019  

  日本衛生学会では、少子化対策ワーキンググループを設置し、少子化対策シンポジウムを開催し、この問題について様々な角度から議論を重ねてきた。主にそのシンポジウムにおける学術的知見を次の様にまとめた。1)未婚化、晩婚化に対する社会環境整備、2)労働衛生領域における環境整備、3)職場の少子化対策、4)環境化学物質による性成熟、生殖能力への影響、5)社会環境および親のストレスと小児の健全な育ちに関する包括的な研究、として述べた。
• 学術研究からの少子化対策 日本衛生学会からの提言に向けて 日本衛生学会における少子化対策提言に向けて 日本衛生学会少子化対策ワーキンググループによるとりまとめ

  野村 恭子, 苅田 香苗, 荒木 敦子, 西岡 笑子, 武藤 剛, 岩井 美幸, 錦谷 まりこ, 井上 まり子, 鶴ヶ野 しのぶ, 北野 尚美, 辻 真弓, 飯島 佐知子, 上田 佳代, 上島 通浩, 山縣 然太郎, 坂田 清美, 伊木 雅之, 柳澤 裕之, 加藤 昌志, 横山 和仁, 小泉 昭夫, 大槻 剛巳  日本衛生学雑誌  74-  1of5  -5of5  2019  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  日本衛生学会では、少子化対策ワーキンググループを設置し、少子化対策シンポジウムを開催し、この問題について様々な角度から議論を重ねてきた。主にそのシンポジウムにおける学術的知見を次の様にまとめた。1)未婚化、晩婚化に対する社会環境整備、2)労働衛生領域における環境整備、3)職場の少子化対策、4)環境化学物質による性成熟、生殖能力への影響、5)社会環境および親のストレスと小児の健全な育ちに関する包括的な研究、として述べた。
• Health Effects of Asian Dust Events: A Literature Review Update of Epidemiological Evidence

  HASUNUMA Hideki, WATANABE Masanari, HASHIZUME Masahiro, ICHINOSE Takamichi, UEDA Kayo, ODAJIMA Hiroshi, KANATANI Kumiko, SHIMIZU Atsushi, TAKAMI Akinori, TAKEUCHI Ayano, NISHIWAKI Yuji  Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi (Japanese Journal of Hygiene)  74-  (0)  n/a  2019  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Asian dust is a phenomenon involving the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants originating from the desert areas of China and Mongolia. In recent years, the health effects of Asian dust have raised public concerns. Numerous studies on the health effects of Asian dust have been published since the last review in 2010. Thus, a literature review was conducted to shed light on the latest epidemiologic findings. PubMed and Science Direct databases were used for the review of epidemiologic studies published between June 2009 and April 2018. We identified 53 epidemiologic studies. Mortality, ambulance transportation, hospitalization/medical examination, changes in symptomatic, functional, and examination findings, as well as birth outcomes have been reported as outcomes. When the outcomes were categorized by disease, the effects of Asian dust on respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic diseases raised concerns. The common evidences of causation between Asian dust and these diseases were the consistency of findings and temporal sequence of association. As results of research on dose-response relationships have become available, and the possibility that the health effects of Asian dust may vary depending on its chemical composition has been pointed out, further research using the exposure level indicators of Asian dust or its chemical composition should be conducted. Furthermore, with focus on the crucial issue of reducing exposure, research related to prevention and raising awareness should be further promoted.

• [Health Effects of Asian Dust Events: A Literature Review Update of Epidemiological Evidence].

  Hideki Hasunuma, Takamichi Ichinose, Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Odajima, Kumiko Kanatani, Atsushi Shimizu, Akinori Takami, Ayano Takeuchi, Yuji Nishiwaki, Masanari Watanabe, Masahiro Hashizume  Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene  74-  1 of 16  -16 of 16  2019  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Asian dust is a phenomenon involving the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants originating from the desert areas of China and Mongolia. In recent years, the health effects of Asian dust have raised public concerns. Numerous studies on the health effects of Asian dust have been published since the last review in 2010. Thus, a literature review was conducted to shed light on the latest epidemiologic findings. PubMed and Science Direct databases were used for the review of epidemiologic studies published between June 2009 and April 2018. We identified 53 epidemiologic studies. Mortality, ambulance transportation, hospitalization/medical examination, changes in symptomatic, functional, and examination findings, as well as birth outcomes have been reported as outcomes. When the outcomes were categorized by disease, the effects of Asian dust on respiratory, cardiovascular, and allergic diseases raised concerns. The common evidences of causation between Asian dust and these diseases were the consistency of findings and temporal sequence of association. As results of research on dose-response relationships have become available, and the possibility that the health effects of Asian dust may vary depending on its chemical composition has been pointed out, further research using the exposure level indicators of Asian dust or its chemical composition should be conducted. Furthermore, with focus on the crucial issue of reducing exposure, research related to prevention and raising awareness should be further promoted.
• 大気中SPMの経時変化と救急車出動との関連性(Hourly variation in ambient SPM and its association with emergency ambulance dispatches)

  Phung Vera Ling Hui, 上田 佳代, Seposo Xerxes, 道川 武紘, 山崎 新, 新田 裕史, 高見 昭憲, 菅田 誠治, 吉野 彩子, 本田 晶子, 高野 裕久  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  59回-  292  -292  2018/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Impact of Global Change in Sulfur Dioxide, Black Carbon and Organic Carbon on PM2.5-Related Premature Mortality and Years Life Lost

  Seposo, XT, Ueda, K, Park, SS, Sudo K, Takemura, T, Nakajima, T  Environmental Health Perspective  2018/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM2.5の健康影響―身近な疑問から最新の研究結果まで―

  上田佳代, XERXES Seposo  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  59th-  204‐205  2018/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effects of ambient PM_2.5 and ozone on outpatient asthma visits in 21 Japanese Cities

  SEPOSO Xerxes, SEPOSO Xerxes, UEDA Kayo, UEDA Kayo, SUGATA Seiji, YOSHINO Ayako, TAKAMI Akinori  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  59th-  359  2018/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effect of streamer plasma irradiation on ambient PM2.5-induced pro-inflammatory responses in human bronchial epithelial cells.

  Tanaka T, Tamura S, Honda A, Tanaka M, Okano H, Onishi T, Takai S, Wang Z, Ueda K, Takano H  IndoorAir2018  2018/07  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Health effect of air pollution in Thailand: Recent research development and challenges.

  Phosri A, Ueda, K, Honda A, Takano H  ISEE-AC  2018/06  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 埼玉県における大量の降雨が感染性胃腸炎の発生件数に与える影響

  金藤一路, 上田佳代, 小谷和也, セポソ サークセス, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  日本衛生学雑誌(Web)  73-  (Supplement)  S227  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 長崎での黄砂が小児気管支喘息患者へ及ぼす影響

  中村 孝裕, 西脇 祐司, 森内 浩幸, 上田 佳代, 清水 厚, 竹内 文乃, 橋爪 真弘  日本衛生学雑誌  73-  (Suppl.)  S268  -S268  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 長崎での黄砂が小児気管支喘息患者へ及ぼす影響

  中村 孝裕, 西脇 祐司, 森内 浩幸, 上田 佳代, 清水 厚, 竹内 文乃, 橋爪 真弘  日本衛生学雑誌  73-  (Suppl.)  S268  -S268  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 長崎での黄砂が小児気管支喘息患者へ及ぼす影響

  中村孝裕, 西脇祐司, 森内浩幸, 上田佳代, 清水厚, 竹内文乃, 橋爪真弘  日本衛生学雑誌(Web)  73-  (Supplement)  S268  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 夏季の高気温が救急搬送数に与える影響：年齢別の検討

  小谷和也, 上田佳代, サークセス セポソ, 安河内秀輔, 松本弘子, 小野雅司, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第88回日本衛生学会学術総会  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 光化学オキシダントと急病による救急搬送との関連：複数都市における疾患別検討

  長谷川博史, 上田佳代, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第88回日本衛生学会学術総会  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 埼玉における極端な降雨が感染性胃腸炎の発生件数に与える影響

  金藤一路, 上田佳代, 小谷和也, Seposo Xerxes Tesoro, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第88回日本衛生学会学術総会  2018/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effects of ambient PM2.5 collected from Asian cities using cyclone technique on human airway epithelial cells

  Chowdhury,P H, Honda,A, Ito,S, Okano,H, Onishi,T, Higashihara,M, Tanaka, T, Hirai,S, Ueda,K, Takano,H  第58回大気環境学会年会  2017/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 福岡におけるPM2.5の化学成分と小学生の症状との関連

  杉山太一, 上田佳代, 中島亜矢子, 木下誠, 小川貴史, 藤本正典, 道川武紘, 新田裕史  第58回大気環境学会年会  2017/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Short-term exposure to air pollution and daily hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction in Bangkok, Thailand

  Phosri A, Ueda K, Phung V.L.H, Yasukouchi S, Sugiyama T, Paoin K, Kotani K, Hasegawa H, Honda A, Takano H  Conference of ISEE 2017  2017/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Association between short-term exposure to ambient ozone and PM2.5 and health effects among Japanese adults in different regions in Japan.

  Phung V.L.H, Ueda K, Phosri A, Hasegawa H, Sugiyama T, Paoin K, Seposo X T, Honda A, Takano H  Conference of ISEE 2017  2017/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Determining the concentration‐response risk function of daily PM_2.5 concentration on daily all‐cause mortality from the 9 cities in Japan: An application of penalized Distribute Lag Non‐Linear Model

  SEPOSO Xerxes, MICHIKAWA Takehiro, NITTA Hiroshi, YAMAZAKI Shin, UEDA Kayo  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  58th-  240  2017/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• トリクロロエチレン健康リスク評価作業部会報告書 トリクロロエチレンに係る健康リスク評価について

  青木 康展, 上田 佳代, 内山 巌雄, 上島 通浩, 祖父江 友孝, 武林 亨, 中杉 修身, 那須 民江, 新田 裕史, 野見山 哲生, 山崎 新, 朝倉 敬子, 苅田 香苗, 塚原 照臣, 中野 真規子, 道川 武紘, 安達 修一, 高野 裕久, 中島 宏, トリクロロエチレン健康リスク評価作業部会  大気環境学会誌  52-  (2)  A24  -A57  2017/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 福岡におけるPM2.5の化学成分濃度と小学生の有症率との関連

  杉山太一, 上田佳代, 中島亜矢子, 木下誠, 小川貴史, 藤本正典, 道川武紘, 新田裕史, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第87回日本衛生学会学術年会  2017/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 気温の救急搬送数に対する影響は年齢により異なる

  小谷和也, 上田佳代, 安河内秀輔, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第87回日本衛生学会学術年会  2017/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 大阪市における光化学オキシダントと救急搬送との関連

  長谷川博史, 上田佳代, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第87回日本衛生学会学術年会  2017/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and emergency ambulance dispatch for acute illness in Japan

  Saira Tasmin, Kayo Ueda, Andrew Stickley, Shinya Yasumoto, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Mizuki Oishi, Shusuke Yasukouchi, Yamato Uehara, Takehiro Michikawa, Hiroshi Nitta  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT  566-  528  -535  2016/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to negative health outcomes that require an emergency medical response. However, few studies have been undertaken on this phenomenon to date. The aim of this study therefore was to examine the association between short-term exposure to ambient suspended particulate matter (SPM) and emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) for acute illness in Japan. Daily EAD data, daily mean SPM and meteorological data were obtained for four prefectures in the Kanto region of Japan for the period from 2007 to 2011. The area-specific association between daily EAD for acute illness and SPM was explored using generalized linear models while controlling for ambient temperature, relative humidity, seasonality, long-term trends, day of the week and public holidays. Stratified analyses were conducted to evaluate the modifying effects of age, sex and medical conditions. Area-specific estimates were combined using meta-analyses. For the total study period the mean level of SPM was 23.7 mu g/m(3). In general, higher SPM was associated with a significant increase in EAD for acute illness [estimated pooled relative risk (RR): 1.008, 95% CI: 1.007 to 1.010 per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in SPM at lag 0-1]. The effects of SPM on EAD for acute illness were significantly greater for moderate/mild medical conditions (e.g. cases that resulted in <3 weeks hospitalization or no hospitalization) when compared to severe medical conditions (e.g. critical cases, and cases that led to >3 weeks hospitalization or which resulted in death). Using EAD data, this study has shown the adverse health effects of ambient air pollution. This highlights the importance of reducing the level of air pollution in order to maintain population health and well-being. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• Short-term exposure to ambient particulate matter and emergency ambulance dispatch for acute illness in Japan

  Saira Tasmin, Kayo Ueda, Andrew Stickley, Shinya Yasumoto, Vera Ling Hui Phung, Mizuki Oishi, Shusuke Yasukouchi, Yamato Uehara, Takehiro Michikawa, Hiroshi Nitta  SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT  566-  528  -535  2016/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Short-term exposure to air pollution may be linked to negative health outcomes that require an emergency medical response. However, few studies have been undertaken on this phenomenon to date. The aim of this study therefore was to examine the association between short-term exposure to ambient suspended particulate matter (SPM) and emergency ambulance dispatches (EADs) for acute illness in Japan. Daily EAD data, daily mean SPM and meteorological data were obtained for four prefectures in the Kanto region of Japan for the period from 2007 to 2011. The area-specific association between daily EAD for acute illness and SPM was explored using generalized linear models while controlling for ambient temperature, relative humidity, seasonality, long-term trends, day of the week and public holidays. Stratified analyses were conducted to evaluate the modifying effects of age, sex and medical conditions. Area-specific estimates were combined using meta-analyses. For the total study period the mean level of SPM was 23.7 mu g/m(3). In general, higher SPM was associated with a significant increase in EAD for acute illness [estimated pooled relative risk (RR): 1.008, 95% CI: 1.007 to 1.010 per 10 mu g/m(3) increase in SPM at lag 0-1]. The effects of SPM on EAD for acute illness were significantly greater for moderate/mild medical conditions (e.g. cases that resulted in <3 weeks hospitalization or no hospitalization) when compared to severe medical conditions (e.g. critical cases, and cases that led to >3 weeks hospitalization or which resulted in death). Using EAD data, this study has shown the adverse health effects of ambient air pollution. This highlights the importance of reducing the level of air pollution in order to maintain population health and well-being. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
• 大気エアロゾル中の水溶性成分濃度と急病による救急搬送数との関連

  上原大和, 上田佳代, 林政彦, 原圭一郎, Saira Tasmin, 大石瑞貴, Arthit Phosri、Vera Phung Ling Hui, 安河内秀輔, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第57回大気環境学会年会  2016/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 暑熱環境下での体感温度と急病による救急搬送数の相関

  安河内秀輔, 上田佳代, Tasmin Saira, 大石瑞貴, Arthit Phosri, Phung Vera Ling Hui, 上原大和, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第57回大気環境学会年会  2016/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Association between PM2.5 and hospitalization due to asthma for children and adolescent: exploring susceptibility factors

  Ueda,K, Oishi,M, Odashima,H, Tasmin,S, Phung,V.L.H, Yasukouchi,S, Uehara,Y, Honda,A, Takano,H  第26回国際喘息学会日本・北アジア部会  2016/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effects of Benzo(a)pyrene, 9,10-phenanthraquinone and 1,2-napthoquinone on respiratory and immune responses.

  Chowdhury,PH, Kitamura,G, Honda,A, Sawahara,T, Hayashi,T, Fukushima,W, Kudou,H, Ito,S, Ueda,K, Takano,H  第38回 京都大学環境衛生工学研究会シンポジウムプログラム  30-  (3)  180  -183  2016/07  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Short-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on emergency ambulance dispatches due to acute illnesses in Japan: A multi-city study

  Phung,V.L.H, Ueda,K, Tasmin,S, Ooishi,M, Yasukouchi,S, Uehara,Y, Phosri,A, Honda,A, Takano,H  Conference of ISEE-ISES AC2016  2016/06  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Specific fine particulate matter compositions enhanced the association between airborne pollen and daily consultations for pollinosis in Fukuoka, Japan

  Phosri,A, Ueda,K, Tasmin,S, Ooishi,M, Phung,V.L.H, Yasukouchi,S, Uehara,Y, Honda,A, Takano,H  Conference of ISEE-ISES AC2016  2016/06  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 黄砂が小児気管支喘息患者へ及ぼす影響に関する研究(第一報 研究デザイン)

  中村孝裕, 西脇祐司, 橋本邦生, 森内浩幸, 北島翼, 小森一広, 田代香澄, 上田佳代, 清水厚, 竹内文乃, 久保達彦, 小田嶋博, 橋爪真弘  Journal of Epidemiology (Web)  26-  (Supplement 1)  141  2016/01/21  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Health effects of long-term exposure to PM2.5 and mortality: a systematic review

  Ueda,K, Tasmin,S, Oishi,M, Phung,V.L.H, Yasukochi,S, Uehara,Y, Honda,A, Takano,H  第26回日本疫学会学術総会  2016/01  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Seasonal modification in the effects of acute exposure to outdoor particulate matter on emergency ambulance dispatch due to acute illness in Japan

  Tasmin,S, Ueda,K, Phung,V.L.H, Ooishi,M, Yasukouchi,S, Honda,A, Takano,H  Third International Conference on Global Public Health 2015  2015/12  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 九州北部におけるPM2.5の化学成分別分析

  三澤健太郎, 吉野彩子, 高見昭憲, 小島知子, 村野健太郎, 畠山史郎, 坂本哲夫, 上田佳代, 道川武紘, 新田裕史  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  56th-  154  -155  2015/09/04  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM2.5の短期曝露と急病による救急搬送との関連 複数都市における検討

  上田 佳代, 笠岡 俊志, Tasmin Saira, 道川 武紘, 新田 裕史, 吉野 彩子, 三澤 健太郎, 高見 昭憲  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  56回-  462  -462  2015/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 食品成分がDEPによる気道炎症に及ぼす影響の評価

  伊藤翔, 澤原隆紘, 林智裕, 福嶋渉, 北村岳, 工藤仁美, 本田晶子, 上田佳代, 高野裕久  第22回日本免疫毒性学会  2015/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 黄砂に付着する生物的・化学的成分が呼吸器・免疫系に及ぼす影響

  本田晶子, 澤原隆紘, 林智裕, 辻堅志, 福嶋渉, 大石瑞貴, 北村岳, 工藤仁美, 伊藤翔, 吉田成一, 市瀬孝道, 上田佳代, 高野裕久  第22回日本免疫毒性学会  22nd-  2015/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 福岡におけるPM2.5濃度と小児の喘息による入院との関連

  大石瑞貴, 上田佳代, 小田嶋博, Tasmin Saira, Phung Vera Ling Hui, 安河内秀輔, 上原大和, 本田晶子, 高野裕久  第56回大気環境学会  2015/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Acute Illnesses due to the Lagged Effects of Ambient Particulate Matter.

  Phung,V.L.H, Ueda,K, Tasmin,S, Ooishi,M, Yasukouchi,S, Uehara,Y, Honda,A, Takano,H  37th Symposium of The Association of Environmental & Sanitary Engineering Research  29-  (3)  31  -34  2015/07  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Emergency Ambulance Dispatches due to Acute Illness and Ambient Particulate Matter

  Vera Ling Hui Phung, Kayo Ueda, Saira Tasmin, Mizuki Ooishi, Yasukouchi Shusuke, Akiko Honda, Hirohisa Takano  9th Asian Aerosol Conference  2015/06  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Journal of Epidemiology

  Kayo Ueda, Makiko Yamagami, Fumikazu Ikemori, Kunihiro Hisatsune, Hiroshi Nitta  第25回日本疫学会学術総会講演集  25-  (Sup1)  88  2015/01  [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Asian Dust Has an impact on the Incidence of Acute Myocardial Infarction similar to a Time-stratified Case-crossover Study

  Sunao Kojima, Kunihiko Matsui, Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Hisao Ogawa  CIRCULATION  130-  2014/11  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 気温が急病による救急搬送数に及ぼす影響：6都市における検討

  上田佳代, 道川武紘, 新田裕史  第73回日本公衆衛生学会総会抄録集  61-  (10)  608  2014/11  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM2.5成分が呼吸器系・免疫細胞に及ぼす影響の検討

  福嶋渉, 大石瑞貴, 本田晶子, 辻堅志, 澤原隆紘, 林智裕, 工藤仁美, 上田佳代, 高野裕久  第21回日本免疫毒性学会学術年会  2014/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 微小粒子状物質(PM2.5)が死亡に及ぼす影響の季節変動

  上田佳代  第55回大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  351  2014/09  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• PM2.5成分が免疫担当細胞に及ぼす影響

  本田晶子, 辻堅志, 大石瑞貴, 工藤仁美, 澤原隆紘, 林智裕, 福嶋渉, 上田佳代, 高野裕久  第23回日本臨床環境医学会  2014/06  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 関東におけるオゾン関連死亡数の推定

  上田佳代, Ng Chris Fook Sheng, 五藤大輔, 有賀敏典, 松橋啓介, Tasmin Saira, 高見昭憲  第85回日本衛生学会学術総会講演集  70-  S202  2014/05  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Future prediction of ambulance dispatches due to heatstroke in Kanto region

  Kayo Ueda  Japanese Journal of Hygiene  69-  (Supplement)  S235  2014/05  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Association between Asian Dust and Mortality

  橋爪真弘, 西脇祐司, 道川武紘, 上田佳代, 横田賢一, 三根眞理子, 森淳子, 清水厚, 杉本伸夫  エアロゾル研究  29-  (S1)  S225-S229 (J-STAGE)  -s229  2014  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  There is increasing concern for possible adverse health effects of Asian dust. In this paper, we reviewed the epidemiological evidence of potential effects of Asian dust events on mortality, from six studies retrieved from PubMed. In addition, one study was identified through a manual search of conference proceedings and reports. Three studies were conducted in Seoul, two in Taipei, and the remaining two in Japan. In Seoul, statistically significant effects of Asian dust on all-cause and circulatory mortality among people 65 years of age or over and respiratory mortality among general population were reported.In Taipei, one study reported a significant effect on cardiovascular mortality and another study reported no significant effect on all-cause and cause-specific mortality. A study of 47 cities in western Japan reported a significant increase in circulatory and respiratory mortality with the increase in Asian dust particles, while no evidence of effects on mortality was reported in the study conducted in Nagasaki.
• 長崎県五島市における熱中症予防ランダム化地域比較介入研究

  古尾谷法子, 中尾理恵子, 上田佳代, 近藤正英, 本田靖, 橋爪真弘  日本公衆衛生学会総会抄録集  72回-  610  -610  2013/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 夏季における気温と室内温度との関係:空調使用の影響

  上田佳代, 小野雅司, 本田靖, 橋爪真弘, 山本太郎  日本衛生学雑誌  68-  (Suppl.)  S203  -S203  2013/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• ウツタイン統計を用いた黄砂の健康影響に関する調査研究

  西脇祐司, 上田佳代, 久保達彦, 清水厚, 橋爪真弘, 岡村智教  J Epidemiol  23-  (Supplement 1)  106  2013/01/24  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 熱中症予防情報の家庭配信による行動意識変容―長崎県五島市における介入研究―

  古尾谷法子, 中尾理恵子, 上田佳代, 近藤正英, 小野雅司, 本田靖, 橋爪真弘  日本国際保健医療学会学術大会プログラム・抄録集  27th-  131  2012/11/02  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 長崎県五島市における熱中症予防ランダム化地域比較介入研究

  古尾谷法子, 中尾理恵子, 上田佳代, 近藤正英, 小野雅司, 本田靖, 橋爪真弘  日本公衆衛生学会総会抄録集  71回-  577  -577  2012/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 地球温暖化に伴う熱中症の被害予測 (2010年夏 日本の猛暑) -- (予測)

  小野 雅司, 上田 佳代  気象研究ノート  (225)  177  -182  2012/05
• 1G1600-4 Health effects of fine particles and its composition: Assessment using epidemiological methods and challenges(Generation of particles in the urban atmosphere and its health effects,7: Health Effect Subcommittee and Urban Aerosol Subcommittee,Subcommittee Meetings)

  UEDA Kayo  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  (53)  167  -167  2012
• 1A1039 A study design of 3-year cohort study of air pollution and lung function growth among school children(3 Effect-1 biology,General Presentations)

  UEDA Kayo  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  (53)  180  -180  2012
• P-90 A study design of 3-year cohort study of air pollution and lung function growth among schoolchildren(Poster session)

  TAKEBAYASHI Toru, ASAKURA Keiko, NITTA Hiroshi, TAKEUCHI Ayano, UEDA Kayo, ODAJIMA Hiroshi, HASEGAWA Shuichi, TSUKAHARA Teruomi, KONNO Satoshi, MORIKAWA Miki, MUKAI Yasufumi, YOSHIMURA Takesumi  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  (53)  320  -320  2012
• PM_<2.5>の健康影響と環境基準

  上田 佳代, 新田 裕史  ファルマシア  47-  (3)  253  -258  2011/03/01
• 黄砂の短期曝露による死亡への影響:6市における検討

  上田佳代, 橋爪真弘, 西脇祐司, 清水厚, 西川雅高  日本衛生学雑誌  66-  (2)  386  -386  2011/02  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Effect of Asian Dust Aerosol on Emergency Visits

  Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Kenichiro Inoue  EPIDEMIOLOGY  22-  (1)  S221  -S222  2011/01  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Long-term Exposure to Particulate Matter and Cardiovascular Mortality in a Representative Japanese Cohort: NIPPON DATA80

  Kayo Ueda, Shinya Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nitta, Katsuyuki Miura, Hirotsugu Ueshima  EPIDEMIOLOGY  22-  (1)  S79  -S79  2011/01  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• The effects of weather, air pollutants, and Asian dust on hospitalization for asthma in Fukuoka

  UEDA Kayo, NITTA Hiroshi, ODAJIMA Hiroshi  Environ Health Prev Med  15-  (6)  350  -357  2010/11/01
• 黄砂の健康影響 疫学文献レビュー

  橋爪 真弘, 上田 佳代, 西脇 祐司, 道川 武紘, 小野塚 大介  日本衛生学雑誌  65-  (3)  413  -421  2010/05  [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  黄砂のヒトへの健康影響について明らかにするため、PubMedを用いて1980〜2009年5月迄の文献を検索し、19件(台湾12、韓国4、中国1、日本1、カナダ1)の文献レビューを行った。近隣諸国の研究報告では黄砂曝露の短期影響として、呼吸器疾患および循環器疾患による死亡や受診・入院患者数増加が報告されているが、統計学的に有意差がみられない文献も多かった。長期影響を検討した文献はなかった。
• 大気中粒子の長期曝露と心血管疾患死亡との関連 NIPPON DATA80による検討

  上田 佳代, 長澤 晋哉, 新田 裕史, 三浦 克之, 上島 弘嗣  日本衛生学雑誌  65-  (2)  305  -305  2010/04  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 黄砂の健康影響―疫学文献レビュー

  橋爪真弘, 上田佳代, 西脇祐司, 道川武紘, 小野塚大介  日本衛生学雑誌  65-  (2)  306  -306  2010/04  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Specific Chemical Components of Particulate Matter and Daily Mortality in a Japanese Urban City

  Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Norio Ito, Akua Mizohata  EPIDEMIOLOGY  20-  (6)  S146  -S146  2009/11  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effects of Fine Particulate Matter on Daily Mortality for Specific Heart Diseases in Japan (vol 73, pg 1248, 2009)

  Kayo Ueda, Hiroshi Nitta, Masaji Ono  CIRCULATION JOURNAL  73-  (10)  1972  -1972  2009/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• P-46 Specific chemical components of particulate matter and daily mortality in Sakai(Poster session)

  UEDA Kayo, NITTA Hiroshi, ITO Norio, MIZOHATA Akira  大気環境学会年会講演要旨集  (50)  338  -338  2009

Books etc

• Vegetation Fire and Its Health Effects in Asia

  (Editor)
  AIRIES 2024/03
• Chapter 7. Epidemiological approaches to characterize human health risks from environmental exposure in a watershed. In Environmental Risk Analysis for Asian Oriented Risk Based Watershed Management

  Kayo Ueda, Hirohisa Takano (Joint work)
  Springer, Singapore 2018
• Annual Review 呼吸器2015 II. 4. PM2.5と呼吸器疾患

  上田佳代, 新田裕史 (Contributor)
  中外医学社 2015/01
• Overcoming Environmental Risks to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals Lessons from the Japanese Experience

  (ContributorYokkaichi Asthma: Health Effects of Air Pollutants in Japan)
  Springer (ISBN: 9789811662492)

Presentations

• 成分データを活用した疫学研究：国内知見と今後の展開  [Invited]

  上田佳代

  第62回大気環境学会年会  2021/09
• Health Effect of Air Pollution: A case study from Japan

  Kayo Ueda

  IAPSMCON2021, CME on Basics of Health Risk Assessment  2021/03
• Global Health Benefit by Reducing PM2.5 Level  [Invited]

  Ueda K, Seposo X, Nakata M, Hanaoka T, Sudo K, Takemura T

  2019 Conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and International Society of Exposure Science- Asia Chapter

Association Memberships

• International Society of Environmental Epidemiology   JAPANESE SOCIETY OF PUBLIC HEALTH   THE JAPANESE SOCIETY OF INTERNAL MEDICINE   The Japanese Circulation Society   JAPAN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION   THE JAPANESE SOCIETY FOR HYGIENE   JAPAN SOCIETY FOR ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT   

Research Projects

• 難病データベースとイオンビーム工学技術を応用した全身性強皮症の病態解明

  日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業

  Date (from‐to) : 2024/04 -2028/03 

  Author : 古賀 康彦, 木田 節, 熊谷 貴美代, 石見 拓, 上田 佳代
• Air Pollution from Peatland Fires and Effects on Cognitive and Pulmonary Function for Highly Exposed Population

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2023/09 -2027/03 

  Author : 上田 佳代, 戸野倉 賢一, 松島 理明, 大橋 勝文, アタッチャ アティーシャ, 内藤 大輔
• Epidemiological and toxicological studies to evaluate the spatio-temporal distribution of ultrafine particles and their acute effects on olfaction and the central nervous system

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)

  Date (from‐to) : 2024/04 -2027/03 

  Author : 高見 昭憲, 吉野 彩子, 藤谷 雄二, 伏見 暁洋, 菅田 誠治, 森野 悠, Tin・Tin Win・Shwe, 宇田川 理, 道川 武紘, 上田 佳代, 本間 明宏
• Health effects of low-concentration, non-urban air pollution: health impacts of ship emission controls

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2023/04 -2026/03 

  Author : 上田 佳代, 須崎 純一, 橋爪 真弘, ウン クリス・フック・シェン, SEPOSO XERXES, 木村 優介
• Research on the effects of extreme events on heat health and adaptation measures

  Environmental Restration and Conservation Agency of Japan：Environment Research and Technology Development FUnd

  Date (from‐to) : 2023/04 -2026/03
• Health impacts assessment of short-lived climate forceres

  Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency：Environment Research and Technology Development Fund

  Date (from‐to) : 2021/04 -2026/03 

  Author : Karo Ueda, Seposo Xerxes, Muhammad Abdul Basit Ahmad Tajudin
• An Interdisciplinary Study toward Clean Air, Public Health and Sustainable Agriculture: The Case of Crop Residue Burning in North India

  Research Institute for Humanity and Nature Research Project：Research Institute for Humanity and Nature Research Project

  -2025/03
• Spatio-temporal assessment of the health effects of air pollution and its related effect modifiers using satellite data

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

  Date (from‐to) : 2020/04 -2023/03 

  Author : 上田 佳代, 橋爪 真弘, 須崎 純一, ウン クリス・フック・シェン, SEPOSO XERXES
• 国際民間航空機関の規制に対応した航空機排出粒子状物質の健康リスク評価と対策提案

  Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency：環境研究総合推進費

  Date (from‐to) : 2019/04 -2023/03 

  Author : 竹川 暢之
• Health effects of PM2.5 and its composition on arrhythmia and heart rate variability

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2016/04 -2020/03 

  Author : Ueda Kayo

   

  In order to evaluate the effects of PM2.5 exposure on autonomic nervous system, we used the data of Allostatic State Mapping by Ambulatory ECG Repository （ALLSTAR）study which includes the data of heart rate variability(HRV) obtained by Holter ECG in the several prefectures, and combined with PM2.5 concentration. HRV reflects the balance of autonomic nervous system. In the statistical analysis, we found that higher PM2.5 concentration was associated with lower HRV indices, which could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and sudden deaths. The association persisted for a few days. This study elucidated the mechanism by which exposure to ambient particulate air pollution trigger cardiovascular disease through autonomic nervous system by epidemiological approaches.
• インドネシア熱帯泥炭火災からの大気汚染物質曝露による健康インパクトの包括的評価

  文部科学省：国際共同研究加速基金(国際共同研究強化(B))

  Date (from‐to) : 2018 -2020 

  Author : 戸野倉賢一
• 微小(PM2.5)及び粗大粒子状物質が脳卒中発症や死亡に及ぼす短期曝露影響に関する研究

  環境再生保全機構：環境研究総合推進費

  Date (from‐to) : 2017 -2019 

  Author : 高見昭憲
• 粒子状物質成分曝露が心電図変化と生命予後に及ぼす影響に関する研究

  文部科学省：科学研究費補助金・基盤研究(C)

  Date (from‐to) : 2016 -2019 

  Author : 早野順一郎、植田典浩、清野健
• 短寿命大気汚染物質による気候変動に伴う健康へのインパクト評価

  環境再生保全機構：環境研究総合推進費・委託費S12-3-3

  Date (from‐to) : 2014 -2019 

  Author : 上田佳代
• The effects of transboundary particulate matter components on the ncidence of cardiovascular diseases

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2012/04 -2015/03 

  Author : NITTA hiroshi, TAKAMI Akinori, MORINO Yu, KITAZONO Takanari, KAMOUCHI Masahiro, UEDA Kayo, MICHIKAWA Takehiro, YAMAMOTO Yusuke, YOSHINO Ayako

   

  We observed chemical composition of fine aerosol in Fukuoka City and Fukue Island, and classified them with PM2.5 mass concentration and oxygenated state of organic aerosol. In Fukuoka City, local aerosol was significant under low PM2.5 condition, while long-rage transported aerosol was significant under high PM2.5. Fukuoka City is influenced by both long-range transported and local aerosol. We also conducted atmospheric simulation to estimate contributions of transboundary pollution to PM2.5 concentrations in northern Kyusyu in 2012 and found that foreign emission sources had higher contributions than domestic sources. Finally, we combined the information on the onset of cardiovascular diseases and air pollutants data obtained from monitoring and simulation to conduct epidemiological studies. We found that exposure to particles and Asian dust increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• 大陸に由来するアジアンスモッグ(煙霧)の疫学調査と実験研究による生体影響解明

  文科省：科学研究費補助金・基盤研究(A)

  Date (from‐to) : 2013 -2015 

  Author : 市瀬孝道
• Environmental epidemiologic investigation of the influence of Asian sand on allergy symptoms

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2011 -2013 

  Author : AKAHANE Manabu, IMAMURA Tomoaki, TAKANO Hirohisa, UEDA Kayo, SHIMIZU Atsusi

   

  Using the health survey system through the Internet which we established, allergic symptoms were collected every day and analyzed relation with Asian sand quantity. We analyzed the relation of each symptom and Asian sand quantity by generalized estimating equations with the existence or non-existence of each symptom as dependent variable and sexuality of the object, age and the highest temperature, humidity, pollen quantity, Asian sand quantity on each investigation day as covariant. The present study revealed that frequency of allergic symptoms such as snot, cough, sneeze and itch of eyes were 25, 8, 16 and 17%, respectively. The Asian sand quantity was strongly related to the symptom such as the snot, the cough and itch of eyes. It was also proved that the pollen quantity was related to the sleeplessness among pollinosis patients.
• Impacts of aerosols in East and Southesst Asia on human health

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2008 -2012 

  Author : HONDA Yasushi, NAKAI Satoshi, ONO Masaji, TAMURA Kenji, NITTA Hiroshi, UEDA Kayo

   

  This study aimed to evaluate the impact of aerosol on East Asia, especially on mortality with epidemiological method. We collected data on particulate matter concentration in major cities in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. We observed the influence of transboundary pollution on the particulate matter concentration in Kyushu area such as Fukuoka, but the influence was small in Tokyo. Effect on mortality was not significant, but Fukuoka tended to have higher mortality.
• 黄砂エアロゾルが救急外来受診に及ぼす影響の疫学的検討

  文部科学省：科学研究補助金 新学術領域研究（公募研究）

  Date (from‐to) : 2009 -2010 

  Author : 上田佳代

   

  本研究は、黄砂の健康に対する急性影響を評価するために、長崎において、越境汚染の指標である黄砂飛来と救急外来受診との関連について明らかにすることを目的とした。 予備調査として、文献レビューおよび、福岡における呼吸器疾患のデータを用いた解析を行い、それらの結果を論文として学術雑誌に投稿した。文献レビューにおいては、黄砂の健康影響に関するエビデンスが十分でなく、今後の課題として論じた。 本調査として、平成22年度には、長崎市救急実態調査の救急搬送データ、長崎市内の5か所から得た大気汚染物質濃度データ、を用いた解析を行ったところ、SPM濃度上昇により、呼吸器疾患による救急搬送との間に有意な正の関連を認めた。 一方、黄砂の健康影響評価にあたり、黄砂日について異なる指標を用いた解析を行った。目視による黄砂判定を用いた解析では、救急搬送の前日、2日前、3日前が黄砂日であった場合のリスクは上昇し、救急搬送当日から3日前までの間いずれかの日に黄砂日があった場合の救急搬送リスク変化率は、4.3%(95%CI : -0.7,9.5)であった。ライダー観測による黄砂消散係数に基づいて判定された黄砂日における救急搬送リスクを評価するために、高度120mにおける黄砂消散係数の値が閾値(0.13/km)を越えた日を黄砂日とし、非黄砂日に比較した黄砂日の救急搬送リスクの変化率を算出したところ、黄砂曝露による救急リスクは10.2%(95%CI : 0.6,20.6)上昇したことを見出し、黄砂消散係数を用いた黄砂判定による健康影響評価の有用性を明らかにした。さらに、後方流跡線解析の結果により黄砂日を分類し、救急搬送リスクの大きさについて比較したところ、工業地帯を通過した黄砂粒子の曝露により、救急搬送リスクが上昇する可能性を示した。