Naomasa Sakamoto

To clarify the effect of farm work time on blood pressure and blood cells status, 27 male and 29 female aged healthy farmers (70-86 years old) were asked weekly farm work times, measured forearm blood pressures and collected venous bloods. They were categorized by sex, by age (70-79 y and 80- y) and by weekly farm work hours (0; no-N, s 28; moderate-M, >28 h/w; heavy farm work time group H-FW). Systolic blood pressures of male and female H-FW were significantly lower than those of MFW, and diastolic blood pressures, hemoglobin concentrations, hematocrit values, mean cell volumes and mean cell hemoglobin concentrations of red blood cells showed same tendency in 70- 79 y. White blood cell numbers also tended to decrease by farm work in 80- y males and females, and platelet numbers tended to be high in females and M-FW. These results suggested that farm work time effects on blood pressure, anemic tendency, and blood cells status.

To clarify the effect of farm work time on blood pressure and blood cells status, 27 male and 29 female aged healthy farmers (70-86 years old) were asked weekly farm work times, measured forearm blood pressures and collected venous bloods. They were categorized by sex, by age (70-79 y and 80- y) and by weekly farm work hours (0; no-N, s 28; moderate-M, >28 h/w; heavy farm work time group H-FW). Systolic blood pressures of male and female H-FW were significantly lower than those of MFW, and diastolic blood pressures, hemoglobin concentrations, hematocrit values, mean cell volumes and mean cell hemoglobin concentrations of red blood cells showed same tendency in 70- 79 y. White blood cell numbers also tended to decrease by farm work in 80- y males and females, and platelet numbers tended to be high in females and M-FW. These results suggested that farm work time effects on blood pressure, anemic tendency, and blood cells status.

[Objective] Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a major n-3 strain polyunsaturated fatty acid and suggested to be involved in the human immunosystem and behavior. To clarify the effects of daily EPA intake on the human body, the following trials were designed.<br>[Materials and Methods] The Cornell Medical Index (CMI) test was applied to twenty healthy young men, who were then administered for 2 weeks (EPA 1.125g/day) commercial EPA tablets containing EPA (24%), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (13%), linoleic acid (1%), α-linolenic acid (1%), arachidonic acid (AA) (1%) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DHLA) (0.2%), . Blood samples were collected before and after the trial and assessed as to fatty acid concentration in red blood cell membrane, interleukin-6 (IL-6) level, and acute phase protein concentration in blood.<br>[Result and Discussion] Levels of all fatty acid components in red blood cells were increased by 2 weeks' EPA tablet intake. IL-6, haptoglobin and C-reactive protein levels were also increased. Significant correlations were observed between DHLA and some CMI items. These results indicate that:<br>1. Two weeks' intake of moderate dose of EPA effectively increased fatty acid concentrations in red blood cell membrane.<br>2. EPA intake elevated levels of IL-6, which might promote hepatic production of acute phase proteins.<br>3. Changes in DHLA were significantly related to the physical or mental complaints of CMI, which may be explained by AA metabolism or n-3/n-6 balances in brain phospholipids.

[Objective] Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a major n-3 strain polyunsaturated fatty acid and suggested to be involved in the human immunosystem and behavior. To clarify the effects of daily EPA intake on the human body, the following trials were designed.<br>[Materials and Methods] The Cornell Medical Index (CMI) test was applied to twenty healthy young men, who were then administered for 2 weeks (EPA 1.125g/day) commercial EPA tablets containing EPA (24%), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (13%), linoleic acid (1%), α-linolenic acid (1%), arachidonic acid (AA) (1%) and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DHLA) (0.2%), . Blood samples were collected before and after the trial and assessed as to fatty acid concentration in red blood cell membrane, interleukin-6 (IL-6) level, and acute phase protein concentration in blood.<br>[Result and Discussion] Levels of all fatty acid components in red blood cells were increased by 2 weeks' EPA tablet intake. IL-6, haptoglobin and C-reactive protein levels were also increased. Significant correlations were observed between DHLA and some CMI items. These results indicate that:<br>1. Two weeks' intake of moderate dose of EPA effectively increased fatty acid concentrations in red blood cell membrane.<br>2. EPA intake elevated levels of IL-6, which might promote hepatic production of acute phase proteins.<br>3. Changes in DHLA were significantly related to the physical or mental complaints of CMI, which may be explained by AA metabolism or n-3/n-6 balances in brain phospholipids.

In order to assess the effect of passive smoking at home, 39 female junior college students and their mothers were surveyed concerning paternal smoking habits and asked to provide early morning urine samples in which the concentrations of cotinine (COT) and hydroxyproline (HOP) were measured. The concentration of urinary COT per gm creatinine (COT/Cr) of smoker was 1, 000 μg/g or more. There was no correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day by the father and the concentration of COT/Cr of either the mother or daughter. Their levels of COT/Cr remained 0-30μg/g irrespective of the father's smoking. The cases in which no COT was detected in either daughters or mothers were actually more frequent with heavier paternal smoking. There was also no relationship between the father's smoking and the concentration of HOP/Cr of the daughters and their mothers. One possible explanation of these findings may be that fathers who smoke at home do so outside of the room. Smoking by mothers was also found to not increase the concentration of COT/Cr of their daughters or rather low level of 5 μg/g. Thus, passive smoke at home did not show any effects on nicotine metabolite of daughters and mothers. The COT/Cr levels of daughters did increase significantly by 61 percent from 11.0 μg/g, as the result of a one hour exposure to heavy smoke in a meeting room.

In order to assess the effect of passive smoking at home, 39 female junior college students and their mothers were surveyed concerning paternal smoking habits and asked to provide early morning urine samples in which the concentrations of cotinine (COT) and hydroxyproline (HOP) were measured. The concentration of urinary COT per gm creatinine (COT/Cr) of smoker was 1, 000 μg/g or more. There was no correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per day by the father and the concentration of COT/Cr of either the mother or daughter. Their levels of COT/Cr remained 0-30μg/g irrespective of the father's smoking. The cases in which no COT was detected in either daughters or mothers were actually more frequent with heavier paternal smoking. There was also no relationship between the father's smoking and the concentration of HOP/Cr of the daughters and their mothers. One possible explanation of these findings may be that fathers who smoke at home do so outside of the room. Smoking by mothers was also found to not increase the concentration of COT/Cr of their daughters or rather low level of 5 μg/g. Thus, passive smoke at home did not show any effects on nicotine metabolite of daughters and mothers. The COT/Cr levels of daughters did increase significantly by 61 percent from 11.0 μg/g, as the result of a one hour exposure to heavy smoke in a meeting room.