Emiko Kusanagi

Prof. Emiko Kusanagi

Kokugakuin University Hokkaido Junior College, Takikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

30Years (1997-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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8 January 2018 in Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
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EKEmiko Kusanagi
Emiko Kusanagi
HTHitoshi Takamura
Hitoshi Takamura
SCShing-Jen Chen
Shing-Jen Chen
MAMayumi Adachi
Mayumi Adachi
NHNobuko Hoshi
Nobuko Hoshi

EKEmiko Kusanagi
Emiko Kusanagi
HTHitoshi Takamura
Hitoshi Takamura
NHNobuko Hoshi
Nobuko Hoshi
SCShing-Jen Chen
Shing-Jen Chen
MAMayumi Adachi
Mayumi Adachi
There is growing concern regarding the effects of toxic element exposure on the development of children. However, little is known about the level of toxic elements exposure in Japanese children. The purpose of this study was to assess the concentrations of multiple elements (aluminum, cadmium, lead, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, sodium, zinc) in the hair of 118 Japanese young children and to explore the factors associated with their element levels. The element concentration was analyzed by ICP-MS, and children’s food and water intake were assessed by the questionnaire. Results showed that there were no large differences between the level of elements in the hair of Japanese children and those of children in other developed countries. Girls had significantly higher levels of aluminum, copper, and iron (p = 0.000, 0.014, and 0.013, respectively), and boys had a higher level of sodium (p = 0.006). The levels of calcium, iron, magnesium, and sodium in nursery school children were significantly higher than those in kindergarten children (p = 0.024, 0.001, 0.046, and 0.029, respectively). Multiple regression analyses with controlling the confounding variables showed significant negative associations of frequency of yogurt intake with aluminum and lead levels (p = 0.015 and 0.037, respectively). When the children were divided into three groups based on the frequency of yoghurt consumption, viz. L (≤once a week), M (2 or 3 times a week), and H (≥4 to 6 times a week) group, the mean aluminum concentration (µg/g) in the L, M, and H groups was 11.06, 10.13, and 6.85, while the mean lead concentration (µg/g) was 1.76, 1.70, and 0.87, respectively. Our results suggested the validity of hair element concentrations as an exposure measure of essential elements and frequent yogurt intake as a viable measure for protecting children from toxic elements. However, these findings will need to be confirmed in more detailed studies with larger sample sizes in the future.

1 January 1997 in The Japanese Journal of Educational Psychology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
NHNobuko Hoshi
Nobuko Hoshi
EKEmiko Kusanagi
Emiko Kusanagi
SCShing-Jen Chen
Shing-Jen Chen

1 January 2022 in The Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association
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Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
EKEmiko Kusanagi
Emiko Kusanagi
YTYoshinobu Takahashi
Yoshinobu Takahashi
NHNobuko Hoshi
Nobuko Hoshi
YMYusuke Moriguchi
Yusuke Moriguchi
HTHitoshi Takamura
Hitoshi Takamura