The present investigation was undertaken to determine the effects of exposure to noise on reproductive functions in rats.
Wistar rats, aged 9 weeks at the start of the experiments, were exposed to a wide octave-band noise at an intensity of 100dB(C).
Experiment 1: Male rats were divided into subjects and controls during the mating season. Female rats were divided into four groups: rats exposed to noise during mating and controls, and rats exposed to noise during pregnancy and controls. By combining male and female rats, eight experimental groups were obtained. During mating, animals were exposed to noise for four hours just prior to copulation. Pregnancy was ascertained by smear test in the morning after copulation. If the test was negative, copulation was repeated until positive results were obtained. Female rats with negative results after seven copulations were regarded as sterile. Pregnant rats were exposed to noise for four hours every day until delivery. Controls were kept in an environment with a noise level less than 40dB(A). The following measurements were made: copulation period, gestation period, birth rates, numbers of offspring, and birth weights.
Experiment 2: Ninety rats were exposed continuously to noise during the entire mating season of seven days. Pregnant females were exposed continuously throughout gestation. Controls were kept the same environment as the above control group during both periods. Birth rates, numbers of offspring and birth weights were then measured.
The results were as follows;
1. Birth rates decreased significantly for female rats exposed to noise throughout both copulation and pregnancy.
2. The number of offspring by group decreased significantly when the female rats exposed throughout both periods, but the numbers of offspring per delivery did not decrease.
3. No effects of exposure to noise were observed for copulation period, gestation period, the numbers of offspring per delivery and birth weights.

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The relationship between sympathetic neural activity and blood pressure was examined for 167 women living in a rural area in Hyogo Prefecture, under ordinary conditions. In this study, serum Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity and urinary noradrenaline/creatinine (NA/cr) ratio were used as the indices of sympathetic neural activity.
The results obtained are as follows:
1. No significant correlation was observed between serum DBH activity and urinary NA/cr. However, several different subgroups were included in the subjects examined, particularly among the age group of 40-49, one whose urinary NA/cr correlated positively to serum DBH activity and the others without this correlation.
2. The relation of serum DBH activity or urinary NA/cr to blood pressure was not clear when the factors were examined independently for the subjects as a whole.
3. However, when the same subjects were subdivided based on the 33 and 66 percentile values of serum DBH activity and urinary NA/cr and respective blood pressure levels were compared, blood pressure tended to increase with urinary NA/cr in the group with a moderate DBH activity level (20-40 IU).
4. In the subgroup selected from a scatter diagram of serum DBH activity and urinary NA/cr, which fell within±1 standard deviation from the regression line, systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased as serum DBH activity or urinary NA/cr increased. These relations were observed for all age groups.
The results suggest that sympathetic neural activity causally affects blood pressure level in some subjects.

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From the group of men (ages 30-76) who received physical examinations in 1979 and 1980 which used the Automatic Multiphasic Test System to Diagnose Adult Disease at the Kyoto Red Cross Hospital, 390 were selected as completely healthy based on their physical examinations. The various physiological variables measured for these subjects were used as the data in this study.
The physical examination which the subjects had received involved more than 60 tests of physical proportions, respiratory functions, circulatory functions and physical and chemical properties of blood and urine. The correlation matrices of the various physiological variables were submitted to cluster analysis and factor analysis, and age differences for each physiological variable was examined. Nine variables were then chosen as adequate to represent human physical condition accurately and concisely and which can be used to follow the chang in physiological function as the body ages.
The following multiple regression equation was obtained using chronological age as a dependent variable and the nine physiological variables as independent variables:
Age=93.3-1.48X₁-5.22X₂+0.04X₃+0.40X₄-0.09X₅+0.03X₆-2.02X₇-0.08X₈+0.18X₉ (R=0.711). Where X₁ stands for hemoglobin, X₂ albumin, X₃ serum total cholesterol, X₄ urea nitrogen, X₅ GPT, X₆ OGTT(1hr), X₇ vision (left), X₈ forced vital capacity, X₉ systolic blood pressure.
Biological ages were calculated by the above equation. The mean biological age agreed with mean chronological age, but individually the discrepancies between chronological and biological ages were rather great. The standard deviation (SD) of the difference between an individual's chronological (X) and biological age was 7.3 years, and biological ages of about 68% of subjects fell between X±1.0 SD. The biological age thus obtained reflects physical condition well because it is estimated from various physiological variables. Therefore, biological age or the difference between biological and chronological age is considered an accurate means to evaluate the progress of aging.
Biological ages of 63 hypertensive and 65 diabetic patients were calculated by the above multiple regression equation. For both these two groups, the average biological age was significantly higher than the average chronological age, suggesting the validity of using the multiple regression equation to estimate biological age.

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A nutritional and hematological survey was conducted on 1001 females from 11 rural districts of Kumamoto Prefecture in 1969. In 1976 195 subjects from 4 of the areas were reexamined. On the basis of the results, a daily dietary recommended iron allowance was tentatively proposed for adult women.
I The results of the surveys were as follows:
1) In 1969, 36.3% of the subjects were anemic (Hb<12g/dl) if all 11 areas were considered and 33.0% if the 4 areas alone were considered. In 1976, only 18.5% were anemic.
2) In 1969, hematological findings of iron deficiency anemia-low serum iron, high total iron-binding capacity, high unsaturated iron-binding capacity-were recognized. But by 1976, these findings had almost completely disappeared.
3) Nutrient intake.
In 1969 protein and iron from animal foods were statistically low in the anemic group and correlated positively with hemoglobin levels. It is noteworthy that no significant correlation was found between total iron and hemoglobin.
All of the essential amino acid levels were statistically low in the anemic group. Lysine, Methionine Cystine and Threonine correlated positively with hemoglobin.
4) Intake from foods by food groups. Both in 1969 and 1976, a very low intake of meat was found in the anemic group.
II Evaluation of the currently recommended iron allowance for adult women in Japan and new proposals.
1) No difference in the occurrence of anemia was seen for the group receiving a total of 12mg. of iron or more and 24g. of animal protein or more which is the current daily dietary recommended iron allowance for adult women in Japan, and the group receiving less iron and protein.
2) With an increase in iron intake, anemia markedly decreases if the iron is from animal sources, indicating that iron from animal foods is superior to total iron as a parameter of the required amount.
3) In 1976, the rate of anemia decreased to 12% in the group which received 5mg. or more of iron from animal foods.
Therefore, from the standpoint of anemia alone, the necessary amount of iron from animal sources can be set at 5mg. per day. However, when taking Japanese dietary habits and expenditures for food into account, a value of 4mg. or more may be more feasible as a norm for adult women in Japan.
4) In conclusion, a dietary plan which would supply 4mg. iron from animal sources is presented.

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Sometimes tissues of organs and teeth are used as biological specimens which should be the index of exposure of living bodies to metal elements. We have so far observed effects of cadmium on living bodies and as a part of the studies we examined the accumulation of Cd in teeth of dogs. Through this examination, we found, although it was slight, differences between maxillary and mandibular teeth, which was reversed for permanent as opposed to deciduous teeth. When Pb was combined with Cd, the same patterns were obtained.
Prior to administration of the metals, the blood flow in the pulp of canines was measured by hydrogen gas clearance. The following results were obtained:
1. Differences were in maxillary and mandibular circulation.
The patterns changed as the dogs aged:
Infant dogs-maxilary<mandiblular circulation,
Adult dogs-maxilary>mandiblular circulation.
2. Dental accumulation of Pb and Cd given by the injection i.p. is similar in condition to blood flow stated in 1.
3. From this fact, it has been made clear that blood flow in dental pulps has effects on accumulation of substances in teeth.
4. There is a difference in the accumulation of poisonous (e. g. Pb and Cd) and essential elements (e. g. Zn) while teeth are growing. Thus essential elements are uptaken in sufficient amounts while the teeth are still developing. The amount depends on blood flow and does not change after the dog has reached adulthood.
5. If teeth are used as biological specimens indices of exposure, it has been suggested that the specimens should be classified as deciduous teeth, permanent teeth, maxillary teeth, and mandibular teeth.
6. Hydrogen gas clearance method is suitable for determining very low levels of local blood flow in very small areas. This method gives only small burden to examinees and is repeatable. Moreover, this method is good in the respect that the procedure is simple and highly reliable.

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The influence of low ambient temperatures on the immune response was studied in mice. Male dd-strain mice weighing about 15g (4 weeks of age), were raised in a climatic chamber, 25±1°C and 60% relative humidity, with light from 0700 to 1900 hours (LD 12:12). After 3 weeks, the mice were randomly divided into control and the experimental groups, and were immunized with a single injection of sheep red blood cells (6.6×10⁷/g body weight). Just after immunization, the experimental groups were transferred into one of the following climatic chambers maintained at 18, 15, 10, 8, 4, 2, or 1°C. The control group was not moved. All mice were sacrificed to collect sera and spleen samples. Changes over time in circulating antibodies, as assayed by hemagglutination (HA) and hemolytic reaction (HR) tests as well as counts of plaque forming cells (PFC) from the spleen were examined. Differences in the immune response were compared.
The following results were obtained:
1) The effects of 25°C and 18°C temperatures were quite similar, an ambient temperature of 15°C suppressed the immune response, suggesting that a critical point exists between 18°C and 15°C.
2) Of the experimental temperatures, 4°C most conspicuously affected the activities of HA and HR as well as the number of PFC.
3) However, when the ambient temperature was lower than 4°C, i.e. 2°C or 1°C, immune responses got nearer toward to the control level.
4) Differences in the immune response based on the number of mice per cage were not obtained in either 2°C or 1°C ambient temperature.
5) The influence of changes in temperature was greatest when the mice were transferred from 25°C to 4°C three days before immunization.

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