Kyoto University · Environmental Science
Professor Kayo Ueda's research lab specializes in environmental health epidemiology, focusing on the short- and long-term health impacts of air pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM), in the Japanese population. The lab investigates the associations between ambient air pollutants—such as PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, and Asian Dust (AD)—and adverse health outcomes, including asthma hospitalizations, emergency ambulance dispatches, and cardiovascular and respiratory mortality. Using advanced epidemiological methods such as time-stratified case-crossover analysis and generalized additive models, the lab examines how pollutant components and meteorological factors contribute to seasonal and regional variations in health effects. The research also explores the role of particle size, chemical composition, and atmospheric transport pathways in determining health risks.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
This study showed that temperature fluctuation, SPM, and NO(2) were associated with an increased risk of hospitalization of children for asthma.
Asian Dust (AD) particles transported from source areas contribute to sharp increases in coarse particles in Japan. We examined the association of exposure to AD events with emergency ambulance dispatches in Nagasaki city. We also examined whether AD transported at different altitude routes from source areas influenced dispatch rates. Using lidar (light detection and ranging), we determined moderate AD days (0.066/km <dust extinction coefficient ≤0.105/km) and heavy AD days (0.105/km <dust extin
These findings suggest that some specific PM components have a more hazardous effect than others and contribute to seasonal variation in the health effects of PM2.5.
Positive associations between PM (2.5) and heart disease mortality in Japan were observed. The effects of PM(2.5) may vary by disease and age.
Small particles can reach alveoli without being trapped in the upper respiratory tract and may have a greater impact on health than larger particles. Given the limited knowledge on health effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Japan, the short-term effects of PM2.5 on daily mortality using the generalized additive model (GAM), generalized linear model (GLIM), and time-stratified case-crossover analysis were estimated. Daily mortality data were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labor,
Long-term exposure to PM was not associated with increased cardiovascular mortality risk in this population-based cohort in Japan.
Long-term exposure to air pollution, especially for PM<sub>10</sub> and SO<sub>2</sub> was associated with self-reported high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes in subjects of TCS. Our study supports that exposure to air pollution increases cardiovascular disease risk factors for younger population.
Short-term health effects of ambient PM<sub>2.5</sub> have been established with numerous studies, but evidence in Asian countries is limited. This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of PM<sub>2.5</sub> on acute health outcomes, particularly all-cause, cardiovascular, respiratory, cerebrovascular and neuropsychological outcomes. We utilized daily emergency ambulance dispatches (EAD) data from eight Japanese cities (2007-2011). Statistical analyses included two stages: (1) City-lev
We did not find any definite difference in the effect of high temperature on ambulance dispatches for different age groups. However, more measures should be taken for younger and middle-aged people to avoid heat-related illnesses.
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