The indirect hemagglutination (HA) test using tanned formalinized sheep erythrocytes sensitized with deoxycholate-extracted antigens of Leptospira was evaluated in the diagnosis of leptospirosis.
The results of studies using five strains of Leptospira and sera from cases of human leptospirosis representing three different serotypes showed the genus-specificity of this test.
Titers obtained by the HA test using hebdomadis antigen and the microscopic agglutination (MA) test using homologous antigens in 52 sera from patients with leptospirosis showed fairly good correlation. However, four sera with MA titers of 1:30 or less gave high HA titers of 1:12, 800 to 1:409, 600.
HA titers in 15 out of 16 sera obtained 15 to 21 days after onset ranged from 1:25, 600 to 1:409, 600. Out of 52 sera from healthy individuals (MA titer:<1:30), only one gave a HA titer of more than 1:800.

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A study of the in vitro and in vivo effects of cadmium on rat liver enzymes showed:
1) The addition of cadmium (10^-4 M) to liver homogenate resulted in a marked inhibition of Na-K-Mg-dependent ATPase, but had no effect on Mg-dependent ATPase or transketolase.
2) When 2.5 or 5 μg of cadmium was administered to rats twice a week for three months, their liver Na-K-Mg-dependent ATPase activity decreased significantly, but there was no significant change in Mg-dependent ATPase or transketolase activity.
3) Separation of the livers of cadmium treated rats into subcellular fractions (i.e. nuclei, mitochondria, microsomes and supernatant) showed that about 80% of the cadmium was in the acid soluble fraction of the supernatant.

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Dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, and di-n-butyl phthalalate were added to fibroblast cultures from newborn rat cerebellar tissue.
1. Dimethyl phthalate in a concentration of 30.5×10^-4 M had no visible effect on the growth of fibroblasts.
2. Diethyl phthalate inhibited the growth of fibroblasts at about 2.6×10^-4 M; in a concentration of 25.5×10^-4 M it markedly inhibited growth and caused atrophy of the cells.
3. Di-n-butyl phthalate inhibited the growth of fibroblasts at about 3.9×10^-4 M; at 11.7×10^-4 M it caused marked inhibition of growth and degenerative changes such as granulation, vacuole formation, and oval change of the cells.
These results indicate that phthalate ester with larger molecular weight and lower water-solubility has a higher toxicity.

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Lead, cadmium and iron concentrations in the air in an area of heavy traffic and in a residential area in Yokohama city were measured with high-volume air samplers. The mean value of lead was 0.63μg/m³, of cadmium 0.01μg/m³, and of iron 6.5μg/m³ from March, 1970, to January, 1971, in the residential area. In the heavy traffic area the highest atmospheric lead level was about 10μg/m³. The lead concentration indoors was 60-70% of that outdoors, and the amount of lead in rain water paralleled the lead concentration in the air. In the soil around Yokohama, 20-40ppm of lead was found in an almost insoluble state.
The lead concentration in the urine of primary school boys was 1-136μg/l (average 37.5μg/l) with a standard deviation of 17.87. It appeared that lead concentration in the urine did not parallel that in the air.

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Animals immunized with tumor cells treated with allicin contained in fresh garlic extract showed resistance to subsequently injected corresponding tumor cells: DDD mice to Ehrlich ascites tumor, DDD male mice to 20-methylcholanthrene-induced tumor from a male DDD mouse, Donryu rats to Yoshida sarcoma, and C3H mice to Spontaneous mammary tumor from a C3H mouse.

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Pregnant and non-pregnant rats were given 10 ppm or 50 ppm cadmium for 41 weeks, and levels of calcium and phosphorus in bone and serum were examined.
(1) The concentrations of serum calcium and phosphorus were not affected by cadmium intake in either the multipara or the nullipara group.
(2) The concentration of femur calcium and phosphorus were not affected by cadmium intake in non-pregnant rats, but were decreased in pregnant rats.
(3) The concentration of bone calcium in newborn rats of mothers fed 10 ppm or 50 ppm was normal, but the concentration of phosphorus was decreased, causing the calcium-phosporus ratio to rise.
(4) The concentration of bone cadmium in the 50 ppm group was significantly higher than that in the control and 10 ppm group, with the concentration in multipara three times that in nullipara receiving 50 ppm.

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Junior high school pupils were divided into three groups on the basis of urinary concentrations of hippuric acid, and the epidemiological factors in the group suspected of glue sniffing were investigated.
1. Among 685 pupils 4.4% were glue sniffers (3.2% of the boys and 5.8% of the girls).
2. There were statistically significant differences between sniffers and non-sniffers in regard to some subjective symptoms, physical fitness and body-build, but in the results of hematological examinations or urinalysis.
3. There was no significant difference between sniffers and non-sniffers as to such sociological factors as school attendance, grades, history of deliquency, expectation to go on to high school, economic deprivation, level of education of parents, etc.
4. Glue sniffing did, however, seem to be related to such circumstances as fatherlessness, defiance of parents, being left alone by parents among the girls; and absence of a feeling of parental affection and trust among the boys.

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Mice were fed four different cadmium compounds in six concentrations for various lengths of time.
1) Cadmium accumulation in the liver and kidneys was the same after ingestion of cadmium chloride, cadmium sulfate and cadmium stearate, but lower after that of cadmium sulfide.
2) Cadmium accumulation in the liver gradually increased as the period of ingestion lengthened.
3) In the kidneys cadmium accumlated rapidly during the first month, but the rate of incrase showed to reach almost a steady state.
4) The total body burden depended on the length of the period of administration, rather than the concentration of food ingested.
5) The amount of accumulation of cadmium in the organs increased linearly up to about 5ppm of cadmium in the food and became almost steady at 50, 100, and 200ppm showing an asymptote curve. Thus, the relationship between cadmium concentration in food and accumulation in organs is not necessarily linear.

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From the examinees in the previous report, 214 (181 males and 33 females) were screened by the first examination, and their urinary Cd excretion was determined.
The median value was 4.7μg/l in males and 4.1μg/l in females. It was above 10μg/l in 29 males (16.0%) and females (15.2%).
The physical complaints were generally more frequent in those excreting more than 10μg/l in those excreting less; and “leg cramps” “tinnitus”, “diarrhea” and “low back pain” were significantly more frequent (P<0.01).
A significant correlation was also found, though of low degree, between urinary Cd excretion and years of work (r=0.330, P<0.01). Almost all those excreting more than 10μg/l had worked with Cd.
The concentration of Cd as dust in the air of the work room in 1972 was under 0.2mg/m³ at the maximum, or well under the threshold value. In 1967 we recorded 0.73mg/m³, though we don't have any previous data, it was higher than in 1972.

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