Risk Analysis on Organochlorine Pesticides Residue in Potato and Carrot From Conventional and Organic Farms in Citarum Watershed Area, West Java Province, Indonesia

Six samples of carrot and potatoes were collected from conventional and organic farms. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) residue was analyzed using liquid-liquid extraction. The concentration of OCPs residue together with the consumption pattern were used to calculate the potential risk. Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) of OCPs residue in carrots and potatoes both from conventional and organic farms were below the standard given in SNI 7313:2008 and the Maximum Residue Limit (MRLs) from USEPA . Hazard quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) as effect analysis were below the unity, thus there may not be a concern for non-carcinogenic effect. Risk analysis on cancer effects indicated that potatoes samples were above the recommended risk by EPA (10-6). In addition, risk of potatoes samples from organic samples was higher compare to that of the conventional farm. Cancer risk analysis of carrot samples were found below the recommended risk by EPA. Cancer risk effect of carrot samples from conventional farm was slightly higher compare to that of the organic farm

Daily intake of β-cryptoxanthin prevents bone loss by preferential disturbance of osteoclastic activation in ovariectomized mice

AbstractAlthough β-cryptoxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, has been shown to exert an anabolic effect on bone calcification, little attention has been paid thus far to the precise mechanism of bone remodeling. Daily oral administration of β-cryptoxanthin significantly inhibited osteoclastic activation as well as reduction of bone volume in ovariectomized mice. In vitro studies revealed that β-cryptoxanthin inhibited differentiation and maturation of osteoclasts by repression of the nuclear factor-κB-dependent transcriptional pathway. Our results suggest that supplementation with β-cryptoxanthin would be beneficial for prophylaxis and for therapy of metabolic bone diseases associated with abnormal osteoclast activation

Palaeoproteomic investigation of an ancient human skeleton with abnormal deposition of dental calculus

Detailed investigation of extremely severe pathological conditions in ancient human skeletons is important as it could shed light on the breadth of potential interactions between humans and disease etiologies in the past. Here, we applied palaeoproteomics to investigate an ancient human skeletal individual with severe oral pathology, focusing our research on bacterial pathogenic factors and host defense response. This female skeleton, from the Okhotsk period (i.e., fifth to thirteenth century) of Northern Japan, poses relevant amounts of abnormal dental calculus deposition and exhibits oral dysfunction due to severe periodontal disease. A shotgun mass-spectrometry analysis identified 81 human proteins and 15 bacterial proteins from the calculus of the subject. We identified two pathogenic or bioinvasive proteins originating from two of the three "red complex" bacteria, the core species associated with severe periodontal disease in modern humans, as well as two additional bioinvasive proteins of periodontal-associated bacteria. Moreover, we discovered defense response system-associated human proteins, although their proportion was mostly similar to those reported in ancient and modern human individuals with lower calculus deposition. These results suggest that the bacterial etiology was similar and the host defense response was not necessarily more intense in ancient individuals with significant amounts of abnormal dental calculus deposition

Adipose tissue : Critical contributor to the development of prostate cancer

The prostate is surrounded by periprostatic adipose tissue. Although adipose tissue was thought to play limited physiological roles, it has recently been recognized as an active endocrine organ, secreting growth factors and adipokines. Epidemiologically, obesity is associated with prostate cancer progression. A major mechanism to explain the link between obesity and cancer includes the insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 axis, sex steroids, and adipokines. When prostate cancer cells invade periprostatic adipose tissue, adipose tissue contributes to create the tumor microenvironment, mainly via adipokine secretion. Furthermore, direct crosstalk between adipocytes and cancer cells can exist.We showed that fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) released from adipocytes was taken up into prostate cancer cells and may act as a carrier of an energy source for the invasion. Bone is an adipocyte-rich organ and is the common metastatic site of prostate cancer. In the microenvironment of bone metastases, tumor cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, adipocytes, and other stromal cells are interacting with one another and organizing a complex system. Thus, growing evidence implicates adipose tissue as a critical contributor to the development of prostate cancer. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms leads to more effective therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer

Indoor PM₀.₁ and PM₂.₅ in Hanoi: Chemical characterization, source identification, and health risk assessment

This study attempted to provide comprehensive insights into the chemical composition, source identification, and health risk assessment of indoor particulate matter (PM) in urban areas of Vietnam. Three hundred and twenty daily samples of PM₀.₁ and PM₂.₅ were collected at three different types of dwellings in Hanoi in two seasons, namely summer and winter. The samples were analyzed for 10 trace elements (TEs), namely Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, As, Cd, Sn, and Pb. The daily average concentrations of indoor PM₀.₁ and PM₂.₅ in the city were in the ranges of 7.0–8.9 μg/m³ and 43.3–106 μg/m³, respectively. The average concentrations of TEs bound to indoor PM ranged from 66.2 ng/m³ to 216 ng/m³ for PM₀.₁ and 391 ng/m³ to 2360 ng/m³ for PM₂.₅. Principle component analysis and enrichment factor were applied to identify the possible sources of indoor PM. Results showed that indoor PM₂.₅ was mainly derived from outdoor sources, whereas indoor PM₀.₁ was derived from indoor and outdoor sources. Domestic coal burning, industrial and traffic emissions were observed as outdoor sources, whereas household dust and indoor combustion were found as indoor sources. 80% of PM₂.₅ was deposited in the head airways, whereas 75% of PM₀.₁ was deposited in alveolar region. Monte Carlo simulation indicated that the intake of TEs in PM₂.₅ can lead to high carcinogenic risk for people over 60 years old and unacceptable non-carcinogenic risks for all ages at the roadside house in winter

[Article] Aspects of the Jomon Grave System Based on the Burial Attributes of Human Bones and the Results of mtDNA and Dating Analysis at Ebishima Shell Mound, Iwate Pref.

蝦島(えびしま)貝塚は，岩手県一関市花泉町貝鳥に所在し，蝦島とよばれる独立小丘陵上に立地する縄文時代晩期を中心とした内陸部の貝塚である。蝦島貝塚では，1956年以降数次にわたって調査が行われており，一次および二次調査では57体，三次調査では32体の人骨が出土している。これらの人骨の多くは大洞C2式からA式期の事例とされており，晩期中葉から後葉にかけて形成された連続的な墓域と理解できる。今回，これらの人骨の中から埋蔵属性として埋葬地点が近接するもの，すなわち同一の埋葬小群に含まれると考えられるもの，頭位方向が一致するもの，抜歯型式が一致するものなど，これまで縄文時代の社会構造を検討する上で重要とされてきた埋葬属性について，これが共通する事例をピックアップし，それらの人骨のmtDNAについて検討を行った。その結果，今回検討対象とした事例については，mtDNAのハプロタイプが一致しないということがわかった。したがって，今回検討対象とし，mtDNAの分析ができた6体については，少なくとも母系の系譜的関係にはないということになる。この理由の一つとして，各人骨の年代差ということがあげられるだろう。一方で，較正年代が近い人骨同士の位置関係はどうかといえば，相互に近接しているとは言いがたい位置関係にある。蝦島貝塚における人骨の埋葬属性，年代，mtDNAの分析結果から，どのようなことが考えられるだろうか。可能性の一つとしては，埋葬小群の存続期間は数百年間にわたり，これまでの想定以上に長期間であったということである。そして，可能性の二つめとしては，視覚的・かつ空間的に分節できる埋葬小群を，家族や世帯といった血縁関係者を包摂する既知の人間集団の埋葬地点と捉える理解は間違いであり，実際には縄文人は血縁関係者を埋葬するにあたって，埋葬地点にはあまりこだわらなかったということである。The Ebishima Shell Mound is located in Kaitori, Hanaizumi-cho, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture. Since 1956, the Ebishima shell mound has been surveyed several times, and 57 human bones were unearthed in the primary and secondary surveys, and 32 human bones in the tertiary survey. Many of these human bones are considered to be examples of the OoHora C2-type to A-type stage, and are understood to be a continuous burial area formed from the middle to late in latest period of Jomon. Among these human bones, burial attributes such as those with close burial sites, i.e., those that are considered to be included in the same burial subgroup, those that have the same head orientation, and those that have the same tooth extraction type have been examined. Regarding the burial attributes, which have been important in examining the social structure of the Jomon period, we picked up cases that had this in common, and examined the mtDNA of those human bones. As a result, it was found that the mtDNA haplotypes did not match in the cases considered for this study. Therefore, at least the 6 specimens for which mtDNA analysis was possible, which are the subject of this study, do not have a maternal genealogical relationship. One of the reasons for this is the age difference of each human bone. On the other hand, when it comes to the positional relationship between human bones with similar calibrated ages, it is difficult to say that they are close to each other. What can we conclude from the burial attributes, ages, and mtDNA analysis results of the human bones in the Ebishima shell mound? One possibility is that the burial pods lasted for hundreds of years, much longer than previously thought. The second possibility is that the understanding that visually and spatially articulated burial subgroups are burial sites of known human groups that include blood relatives such as families and households is a mistake. In other words, the Jomon people did not pay much attention to the burial site when burying blood relatives.departmental bulletin pape

Paleopathological characteristics of Neolithic early rice farmers in the lower reaches of the Yangtze river

Paleopathological investigations of human remains from the Neolithic Hemudu culture in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in southern East Asia were conducted to clarify the health status of people in early rice-farming societies. Our results show that the occurrence ratios of cribra orbitalia and enamel hypoplasia did not differ significantly between early rice farmers and hunter-gatherers. By contrast, the occurrence ratios of periosteal reactions, dental caries, and antemortem tooth loss in adults were higher among the early rice farmers. Based on these findings and the results of archaeological research on the Hemudu culture, it was suggested that: 1) the Hemudu culture adopted a diversified livelihood strategy that was not overly dependent on rice as a food resource, which did not lead to an extreme decline in health status, 2) the work in the rice fields or the working environment caused stress to the workers, and 3) the rice-farming society’s dietary habits led to a decline in oral health. Our results provide new paleopathological insights into the health status of early rice farmers in East Asia. However, the sample size of early rice farmers used in this study was small, and more data are needed to verify the validity of the views presented here

A partial nuclear genome of the Jomons who lived 3000 years ago in Fukushima, Japan

The Jomon period of the Japanese Archipelago, characterized by cord-marked ‘jomon’ potteries, has yielded abundant human skeletal remains. However, the genetic origins of the Jomon people and their relationships with modern populations have not been clarified. We determined a total of 115 million base pair nuclear genome sequences from two Jomon individuals (male and female each) from the Sanganji Shell Mound (dated 3000 years before present) with the Jomon-characteristic mitochondrial DNA haplogroup N9b, and compared these nuclear genome sequences with those of worldwide populations. We found that the Jomon population lineage is best considered to have diverged before diversification of present-day East Eurasian populations, with no evidence of gene flow events between the Jomon and other continental populations. This suggests that the Sanganji Jomon people descended from an early phase of population dispersals in East Asia. We also estimated that the modern mainland Japanese inherited <20% of Jomon peoples’ genomes. Our findings, based on the first analysis of Jomon nuclear genome sequence data, firmly demonstrate that the modern mainland Japanese resulted from genetic admixture of the indigenous Jomon people and later migrants