Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between the dose of tumor cell inoculation (especially the doses less than minimum required to evoke tumor growth) and the anti-tumor immune system, particularly lymphoblast formation and cytotoxic activity of lymphcytes.
Method: We inoculated rats with various doses of SST-2 tumor cells and examined natural killer (NK) cell activity and lymphoblast formation in vitro.
Result: The results showed that the cytotoxicities against SST-2 cells and lymphoblast formation of lymphocytes were enhanced by small dose inoculation of tumor cells that could not induce tumor growth.
Conclusion: It was suggested that was lymphocutes play an important role as an anti-tumor immune system at small doses of tumor inoculation, which appears to reflect an early stage of tumor growth in vivo. It was also suggested that SST-2 tumor inoculation might be a useful model for studying the anti-tumor immune response in SHR rats.

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Objectives: Cytokines are critical regulatory molecules that circulate in blood at measurable levels. However, the epidemiology of serum cytokine levels in healthy populations is still limited, particularly for Japanese populations. The objective of this study was to examine the relation between serum cytokine levels and common laboratory tests in a healthy Japanese population.
Methods: We studied serum levels of six cytokines (interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)) in a healthy Japanese population using a sensitive chemiluminescence ELISA (CL-ELISA). We examined the relations between serum cytokine levels and common laboratory tests using multiple regression analysis. We were particularly interested in potential relations between serum cytokine levels and C-reactive protein (CRP) in light of its relation to the risk of cardiovascular events. We also investigated the relation between cytokine levels, alcohol consumption and smoking.
Results: After adjusting for the influence of other cytokines and laboratory tests, the serum level of IL-4 was associated with IL-5 and GM-CSF. In addition to IL-4, IL-5 was also associated with IL-10 and IFN-γ. IL-6 was associated with IL-10 and IFN-γ, and IL-10 and IFN-γ were associated with GM-CSF. CRP was significantly negatively associated with serum IL-4 level. IL-6 was weakly correlated with alcohol consumption level in this population. IL-5 among smokers tended to be lower than that among nonsmokers.
Conclusions: Close relations among serum cytokine levels were observed in a healthy population. It is interesting that the level of IL-4, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was inversely related to CRP level, suggested to be a marker of inflammation.

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Objectives: We investigated whether exposure to biomass fuel is a potential risk factor for chronic bronchitis and asthma among females in rural area in Van (east Turkey).
Methods: The effect of indoor pollution producing various respiratory symptoms was studied in 177 females. Of these, 90 were those who used biomass fuel and 87 were nonusers of biomass fuel. A part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey quastionnaire and British Medical Research Council questionnaire were used.
Results: Asthma related symptoms (AS) (wheezing, and combination of wheezing without a cold and wheezing with breathlessness) were reported in 63.3% of those who used biomass fuel, and in 12.9% of nonusers (p<0.0001). The use of asthma medication was reported as 3.3% of biomass fuel users, and in 2.7% of nonuser (p>0.05). Long term cough and/or morning cough together with sputum (chronic bronchitis symptoms (BS) was reported as 58.9% in the user group, and 29.4% in the nonuser group (p<0.0001). Significant differences in AS and BS were found between biomass fuel user and nonuser groups in the rural area.
Conclusions: The results of this study showed a significant association between symptoms of chronic bronchitis-asthma and biomass fuel usage in females living in a rural area.

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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between exercise intensity and immune function.
Methods: Ten healthy young males underwent a constant work rate exercise of three levels, 90%, 80% and 70% ventilatory threshold (VT) work rate, for 20 min on a bicycle ergometer. These work rates were calculated for each individual based on his VT work rate obtained by the incremental exercise tests. Blood samples were collected before and after the exercise, and immune function indices were measured.
Results: Compared with the obtained Vo₂ at VT (VTVo₂) in the incremental test, the Vo₂ with the exercise of 70% VT work rate was at a similar level and the one with the exercise of 90% or 80% VT work rate had a significantly greater value. The numbers of leukocytes and neutrophils significantly increased in the 90% and 70% VT work rate groups. In 80% VT work rate group, the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly depressed. The CD16⁺CD57⁻ (%), natural killer cell populations, had a tendency to increase at 80% VT work rate, and also the CD16⁺CD57 ⁺ (%) had a similar tendency at 90% or 80% VT work rate.
Conclusions: This study shows that moderate exercise reaching or exceeding the VT level acutely affects T cell and NK cell subsets.

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Objectives: Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent a significant occupational issue for most nursing home staff, few epidemiological studies have been conducted in Korea.
Methods: We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, MSD within South Korea’s largest nursing home using a previously validated, self-reporting questionnaire.
Results: From a total of 130 registered employees, 91 (70.0%) successfully completed questionnaires were obtained. The majority were female (80.2%, n=73), with an age range of 27 to 62 years and an average age of 47.0 years (SD 8.0). MSD occurred in varying amounts and was classified into distinct categories depending on body site. The most commonly affected region was the shoulder (reported by 35.2%), followed by the arm (22.0%), knee (20.9%) and lower back (19.8%). Three statistically significant risk factors were consistently identified among all 4 MSD sites: manually handling patients (OR 5.1 to 20.8), changing a patient's clothes (OR 6.7 to 30.1) and working as a nursing aide (OR 3.7 to 74.3).
Conclusions: Overall, the present results suggest that employment within a South Korean nursing home incurs certain hazards depending on job description and daily work tasks. The MSD prevalence differed from other occupations within South Korea and previous nursing home studies.

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Objectives: To use the evaluation of a specific brain function obtained by optical topography. This system uses a non invasive method to measure brain function, unlike other major systems.
Methods: Twelve optical fibers were attached to the subject's head. Hemodynamic changes in the motor cortex were measured during finger tapping before and after alcohol intake for each ALDH2 genotype.
Results: Different hemodynamic changes in the motor cortex were observed among the ALDH2 genotypes.
Conclusions: Optical topography is a useful tool for evaluating specific brain functions. Further research is needed on the relations between various environmental factors and brain functions by optical topography.

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