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Making several simultaneous measurements with different kinds of sensors at the same location in a solution is difficult because of crosstalk between the sensors. In addition, because the conditions at different locations in plant beds differ, in situ measurements in agriculture need to be done in small localized areas. We have fabricated a multimodal sensor on a small Si chip in which a pH sensor was integrated with electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature sensors. An ISFET with a Si3N4 membrane was used for the pH sensor. For the EC sensor, the electrical conductivity between platinum electrodes was measured, and the temperature sensor was a p-n junction diode. These are some of the most important measurements required for controlling the conditions in plant beds. The multimodal sensor can be inserted into a plant bed for in situ monitoring. To confirm the absence of crosstalk between the sensors, we made simultaneous measurements of pH, EC, and temperature of a pH buffer solution in a plant bed. When the solution was diluted with hot or cold water, the real time measurements showed changes to the EC and temperature, but no change in pH. We also demonstrated that our sensor was capable of simultaneous in situ measurements in rock wool without being affected by crosstalk.

Background: Lifestyle and life-environment factors have undergone drastic changes in Japan over the last few decades. Further, many molecular epidemiologic studies have reported that genetic, epigenetic, and other biomarker information may be useful in predicting individual disease risk. Methods: The Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC-NEXT) was launched in 2011 to identify risk factors for lifestyle-related disease, elucidate factors that extend healthy life expectancy, and contribute toward personalized healthcare based on our more than 20 years’ experience with the JPHC Study. From 2011 through 2016, a baseline survey was conducted at 16 municipalities in seven prefectures across the country. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all registered residents aged 40–74, which mainly asked about lifestyle factors, such as socio-demographic situation, personal medical history, smoking, alcohol and dietary habits. We obtained informed consent from each participant to participate in this long follow-up study of at least 20 years, including consent to the potential use of their residence registry, medical records, medical fee receipts, care insurance etc., and to the provision of biospecimens (blood and urine), including genomic analysis. Results: As of December 31, 2016, we have established a population-based cohort of 115,385 persons (Response rate 44.1%), among whom 55,278 (47.9% of participants) have provided blood and urine samples. The participation rate was slightly higher among females and in the older age group. Conclusion: We have established a large-scale population-based cohort for next-generation epidemiological study in Japan.

Background/objectivesThe association of fermented soy products, separately from total soy products, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total cancer has not been reported. We examined this association in a population-based prospective cohort study in Japan.Subjects/methodsWe studied 79,648 participants (42,788 women; 36,860 men) aged 45–74 years without a history of cancer, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire (1995–1998) and were followed to 2009–2012. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of incidence of CVD and total cancer according to quartiles of total soy products, nonfermented soy products, fermented soy products, miso soup, natto, total isoflavones from soy products, isoflavones from nonfermented soy products, and isoflavones from fermented soy products.ResultsIn women, we observed a significant inverse association between fermented soy product intake and the risk of CVD (multivariate HR in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of fermented soy product intake: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.95; P for trend = 0.010), and also found significant inverse associations for natto and isoflavones among fermented soy products. In site-specific analysis, we observed a similar, significant inverse association between fermented soy product intake and the risk of stroke in women. We found no significant association between any soy product and risk of CVD in men or total cancer in both sexes.ConclusionsIntake of fermented soy products such as natto was inversely associated with the risk of CVD in women.

Background: Short and long sleep durations are associated with mortality outcomes. The association between sleep duration and mortality outcomes may differ according to sex and age. Methods: Participants of the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study (JPHC Study) were aged 40–69 years and had completed a detailed questionnaire on lifestyle factors. Sex- and age-stratified analyses on the association between habitual sleep duration and mortality from all-causes, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer and other causes included 46,152 men and 53,708 women without a history of CVD or cancer. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to determine hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: Mean follow-up time was 19.9 years for men and 21.0 years for women. In the multivariable sex-stratified models, some categories of sleep durations ≥8 hours were positively associated with mortality from all-causes, CVD, and other causes in men and women compared with 7 hours. The sex- and age-stratified analyses did not reveal any major differences in the association between sleep duration and mortality outcomes in groups younger and older than 50 years of age. The only exception was the significant interaction between sleep duration and age in women for mortality from other causes. Conclusions: Sleep durations ≥8 hours are associated with mortality outcomes in men and women. Age may be an effect modifier for the association between sleep duration and mortality from other causes in women.

Skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in the fair‐skinned population. In recent years, the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) has been increasing worldwide. However, there is no epidemiological study on skin cancer in the Asian population. A prospective cohort study including 140 420 participants was initiated in 1990 for cohort Ⅰ and 1993 for cohort Ⅱ at baseline survey from 11 public health center (PHC) areas. Of these participants, 284 NMSC cases were diagnosed during the follow‐up period (through 2012 in the Osaka PHC area and 2013 in the other PHC areas). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for NMSC incidence according to occupational type, lifestyle factors (alcohol consumption, coffee consumption, smoking status, physical activity, and body mass index), and family history of cancer. Among men, compared with indoor workers, outdoor workers were associated with 2.18 (95% CI, 1.17‐4.04) higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) but not of basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Furthermore, men who have a family history of cancer had 1.99 (95% CI, 1.10‐3.62) higher SCC risk. In women, we did not observe any association between occupational type and the risk of SCC (1.26; 95% CI, 0.68‐2.32) or BCC (0.74; 95% CI, 0.42‐1.28). In conclusion, men who are outdoor workers or have a family history of cancer had an increased risk of SCC. We found an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer in men who were outdoor workers and those with a family history of cancer. As UV exposure in outdoor workers is prevalent and could be avoided to some extent, reducing exposure to sunlight could serve as a prevention strategy to reduce the prevalence of nonmelanoma skin cancer in the Japanese population.

Antihypertensive drugs have been reported as both promotors and suppressors of cancers and this relationship has been known for several decades. We examined a large‐scale prospective cohort study in Japan to assess the relationship between long‐term antihypertensive drug use, for 10 y, and carcinogenesis. We divided participants into 4 categories according to the period of antihypertensive drug use, and calculated the hazard ratios (HRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and P trends using the Cox proportional hazard model. In all cancers, there was a significant difference in the medication period and the adjusted HR, as well as a significant difference in the P trend. Furthermore, more than 10 y use of antihypertensive drugs significantly increased the adjusted HR in colorectal cancer (multivariable HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01‐1.37 in the >10 y use group; P for trend = .033) and renal cancer (multivariable HR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.32‐6.10 in the 5‐10 y use group; multivariable HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.29‐3.56 in the >10 y use group; P for trend < .001). The highest adjusted HR in renal cancer among antihypertensive drug users was observed in the analysis performed on patients in which the outcomes were calculated from 3 y after the 10‐y follow‐up survey and by sex. A large‐scale cohort study in Japan suggested that long‐term use of antihypertensive drugs may be associated with an increased incidence of colorectal and renal cancer. Antihypertensive drugs have been reported as both promotors and suppressors of cancers and this relationship has been known for several decades. We found long‐term use of antihypertensive drugs significantly increased the adjusted hazard ratio in all cancers, colorectal cancers, and renal cancers, when examining a large‐scale prospective cohort study from Japan.

Background/objectivesEating a variety of foods has been recommended in the dietary guidelines of many developed nations, as well as global dietary guidelines. We investigated the potential effect of dietary diversity on the risk of total mortality and major causes of mortality in a large-scale cohort study involving the Japanese population.Subjects/methodsFrom 1995 to 2012, 79,904 participants (37,240 men and 42,664 women) aged 45 to 74 years, without histories of ischemic heart disease, stroke, or cancer were followed-up for a median of 14.9 years. We used 133 food and beverage items listed on a 5-year follow-up food frequency questionnaire, and the daily frequency of consumption for each item (excluding five alcoholic beverages) was counted. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to compare the highest and lowest quintiles.ResultsAn inverse association was identified between total dietary diversity and mortality rates in women (highest quintile HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.92; p for trend = 0.002) but the same trend was not observed in men (highest quintile HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.10; p for trend = 0.266). In addition, fruit diversity was associated with lower mortality rates in men (highest quintile HR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.95; p for trend = 0.006), whereas soy diversity was associated with lower mortality rates in women (highest quintile HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.00; p for trend = 0.004). With regard to men, meat and fish diversity were associated with higher mortality rates (highest quintiles of meat and fish diversity HR: 1.15 [95% CI: 1.06, 1.25] and 1.12 [95% CI: 1.02, 1.22], respectively).ConclusionsThese findings indicate that consuming a greater diversity of total foods and increasing the diversity of fruit and soy consumed have considerable public health implications.

Background: Few studies examining the impact for women of employment status on health have considered domestic duties and responsibilities as well as household socioeconomic conditions. Moreover, to our knowledge, no studies have explored the influence of work-family conflict on the association between employment status and health. This research aimed to investigate the cross-sectional associations between employment status (regular employee, non-regular employee, or self-employed) with self-rated health among Japanese middle-aged working women. Methods: Self-report data were obtained from 21,450 working women aged 40–59 years enrolled in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC-NEXT Study) in 2011–2016. Multivariate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for poor self-rated health (‘poor’ or ‘not very good’) by employment status. Sub-group analyses by household income and marital status, as well as mediation analysis for work-family conflict, were also conducted. Results: Adjusted ORs for the poor self-rated health of non-regular employees and self-employed workers were 0.90 (95% CI, 0.83–0.98) and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.75–0.94), respectively, compared with regular employees. The identified association of non-regular employment was explained by work-family conflict. Subgroup analysis indicated no statistically significant modifying effects by household income and marital status. Conclusion: Among middle-aged working Japanese women, employment status was associated with self-rated health; non-regular employees and self-employed workers were less likely to report poor self-rated health, compared with regular employees. Lowered OR of poor self-rated health among non-regular employees may be explained by their reduced work-family conflict.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) , an established risk factor for gastric cancer, is suggested to also play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer; however, the association remains inconclusive. We examined this association among Japanese men and women. H. pylori and atrophic gastritis (AG) status were determined serologically, using blood sample collected during health checkups. A total of 20,116 subjects enrolled in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study Cohort II with available data on H. pylori seropositivity (anti- H. pylori ) and AG were followed until the end of 2010. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), using the information from the baseline survey. During 320,470 person-years of follow-up, 119 cases of pancreatic cancer were identified. No statically significant increase or decrease in pancreatic cancer risk was observed for H. pylori and AG status, independently or in combination. In a multivariable-adjusted model, we observed a non-significant decrease in the risk among those who had AG but were anti- H. pylori seronegative (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.31–1.03). In a stratified analysis, we observed a statistically significant increased risk of pancreatic cancer for AG+ (HR 3.64, 95% CI 1.37–9.66), and AG+/anti- H. pylori − or AG+/anti- H. pylori + (HR 5.21, 95% CI 1.14–23.87) among current smokers. Non-smokers in all categories of AG and anti- H. pylori showed a non-statistical decrease in the risk. There was no statistically significant interaction between H. pylori infection, AG status, and smoking status. Our findings suggest H. pylori seropositivity and AG, individually or in combination, are not associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer in a general Japanese population. Among current smokers, pancreatic cancer risk increased with AG, regardless of H. pylori infection status.

Evidence supporting the association of glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) with the risk of endometrial cancer is controversial and reports from Asia were limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association in Japanese women. We evaluated 52 460 women in the Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study aged 45‐74 years who responded to the 5‐year follow‐up survey. GI and GL were calculated from a validated food frequency questionnaire, and the participants were divided into three groups by GI and GL. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated with the Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for potential confounding factors. As a result, within 15.5 years of follow‐up, 166 new cases of endometrial cancer were identified. Compared with the lowest GI and GL tertile groups, the HR of the risk of endometrial cancer in the highest GI tertile group was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.53‐1.20; Ptrend = .33), and that of the highest GL tertile group was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.52‐1.19; Ptrend = .82). The results were unchanged after stratification by body mass index, coffee consumption, and history of diabetes. In conclusion, we did not find any significant association between GI and GL with the risk of endometrial cancer. Further research is required to clarify the association. In this large‐scale prospective study in Japan, we found null associations among Glycemic Index (GI), Glycemic Load (GL), and the risk of endometrial cancer. The GI/GL were energy‐adjusted values and models were adjusted for potential confounding factors including age, area and body mass index.