Title: INT 97-28 NSF/Tokyo Report: US-Japan Seminar: Pesticides and the Future - Minimizing Chronic Exposure of Humans and the Environment Date: 6/30/97 The National Science Foundation's offices in Tokyo and in Paris periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the Foundation's mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF policy. Special Scientific Report #97-20 (June 23, 1997) US-Japan Seminar: Pesticides and the Future - Minimizing Chronic Exposure of Humans and the Environment The following report was submitted by Dr. Ronald J. Kuhr, Dept. of Entomology, Box 7613 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7613. Dr. Kuhr, in conjunction with Professor Naoki Motoyama, Faculty of Horticulture, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, helped organize this U.S.-Japan seminar. The workshop was held May 26-30, 1997 in Kisarazu, Japan. The workshop was jointly sponsored by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). This project is one of the joint projects supported under the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science Program. Dr. Kuhr can be reached via email at: ron_kuhr@ncsu.edu Seminar Report A very successful Joint United States-Japan Seminar was held on May 26-30, 1997 at the Okura Akademia Park Hotel and Kazusa Akademia Hall in Kisarazu. The seminar was jointly sponsored by NSF and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and was titled "Pesticides and the Future: Minimizing Exposure of Humans and the Environment". The seminar brought together over 30 speakers from both countries with expertise in a variety of disciplines related to the topic. Although efforts continue toward reduction or elimination of pesticide chemicals in the management of pests in agriculture, public health and the urban arena, chemicals will continue to be one of the main weapons in control of insects, weeds, nematodes, plant diseases, etc. for some time to come. While considerable information is known about the acute toxicity of these compounds, information on the chronic effects from exposure to minute amounts of pesticide residues in food, water, air and soil is often very limited. The seminar approached the topic from several different vantage points including pesticide epidemiology, new modes of action to minimize nontarget exposure, bioremediation of contaminated areas, molecular biology of the modes of action and detoxication of pesticides, and the dynamics of pesticide movement in the environment. As world leaders in the manufacture and use of pesticides, the two countries must cooperate in the search for safer pesticides with minimum chronic effects on humans and the environment. Discussions during the seminar helped to remove the barriers of distance and language and should lead to new cooperative research efforts across country lines and discipline lines. Below is an agenda for the seminar: 1997 UNITED STATES - JAPAN JOINT SEMINAR Pesticides and the Future: Minimizing Chronic Exposure of Humans and the Environment Monday Evening, May 26 - Welcoming Reception 4:00-6:00 Welcoming remarks from Drs. Naoki Motoyama and Ronald J. Kuhr, Seminar Organizers Tuesday Morning, May 27 - Epidemiology of Pesticides 8:30-9:10 Herbicides and Gallbladder Cancer in Japan - Dr. Masaharu Yamamoto, Niigata University, Japan 9:10-9:50 Integrated Method for Evaluating the Cancer Risk and Noncancer Risk due to Pesticides - Dr. Junko Nakanishi, Yokohama National University, Japan 9:50-10:05 Break 10:05-10:45 Pesticides and Cancer - Dr. David F. Goldsmith, Public Health Institute, USA 10:45-11:25 Pitfall of Epidemiology - An Evaluation of the Recent Study on a Pesticide and Cancer Relationship - Dr. Seiya Yamaguchi, University of Tsukuba/Environmental and Occupational Health Institute, Japan 11:25-11:40 Lack of Preneoplastic Changes and Induction of CYP2B11 in the Liver of Dogs Treated with CNP - Dr. Yasuo Ohno, Nat.Institute of Health Sciences, Japan 11:40-11:55 Role of Epidemiology in Carcinogenic Risk Assessment - Dr. Naohito Yamaguchi, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Japan 12:15-1:45 Lunch Tuesday Afternoon, May 27 - Chronic Effects of Pesticides on Health 2:00-2:45 Plenary Lecture - Nicotine: Old and New Topic - Dr. Izuru Yamamoto, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Japan 2:45-3:25 Chronic Effects of Exposure to TCDD - Dr. Fumio Matsumura, University of California, Davis, USA 3:25-4:05 Effect of Ingestion of 20 or 40 Pesticides in Combination at ADI Levels on Carcinogenesis in Rats - Dr. Nobuyuki Ito, Nagoya City University, Japan 4:05-4:20 Break 4:20-5:00 Herbicides and Olfactory/Neurotoxicity Responses - Dr. Mary Beth Genter, University of Cincinnati, USA 5:00-5:40 Cancer as a Disease of Environment and a Disease of Genes - Dr. Toshio Kuroki, Showa University, Japan Wednesday Morning, May 28 - Safer Insecticides 8:30-9:10 Biological Properties of Chloronicotinyl Insecticide Imidaclorprid - High Selectivity and Safer Use in the Practice - Dr. Koji Iwaya, Nihon Bayer Agrochem K. K., Japan 9:10-9:50 Spinosad and Related Compounds - Dr. Gary D. Crouse, DowElanco, USA 9:50-10:05 Break 10:05-10:45 Fipronil and Related Compounds - Dr. Daniel B. Gant, Rhone-Poulenc, USA 10:45-11:25 Genetically Engineered Bt Products - Dr. Takashi Yamamoto, Novartis, USA 11:45-1:15 Lunch Wednesday Afternoon, May 28 - Discussion and Tour of Local Area Thursday Morning, May 29 - Bioremediation of Pesticide Residues 8:30-9:10 Use of Insect Genes in Bioremediation - Dr. R. Michael Roe, North Carolina State University, USA 9:10-9:50 Engineering Microorganisms Capable of Efficient Degradation of Chlorinated Environmental Pollutants - Dr. Kensuke Furukawa, Kyushu University, Japan 9:50-10:05 Break 10:05-10:45 Use of Fungi in Bioremediation - Dr. James D. Stahl, Intech One-Eighty Corporation, USA 10:45-11:25 Organic Sorption/Biodegradation of Pesticides - Dr. Donald E. Mullins, VPI&SU, USA 11:45-1:15 Lunch Thursday Afternoon, May 29 - Biochemical and Molecular Biology of Pesticides 1:30-2:15 Plenary Lecture - Potential of Recombinant Baculoviruses as Insect Control Agents - Dr. Bruce D. Hammock, University of California, Davis, USA 2:15-2:55 Molecular Action Mechanism of Nonfungicidal Anti-blast Chemicals - Dr. Isamu Yamaguchi, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Japan 2:55-3:35 Cytochrome P450 and Human Toxicity - Dr. Ernest Hodgson, North Carolina State University, USA 3:35-3:50 Break 3:50-4:30 Molecular Mechanisms of Herbicide Resistance - Dr. Hideo Ohkawa, Kobe University, Japan 4:30-5:10 Oxidative Phosphorylation and Pesticides - Dr. Robert M. Hollingworth, Michigan State University, USA Thursday Evening, May 29 - Banquet Friday Morning, May 30 - Pesticide Ecology/Dynamics 8:30-9:10 Prediction of Pesticide Behavior in Paddy Field Using Simulation Model - Dr. Kazuhiro Takagi, National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences, Japan 9:10-9:50 Long Distance Air Transport of Pesticides - Dr. James N. Seiber, University of Nevada Reno, USA 9:50-10:05 Break 10:05-10:45 Assessing the Side-effects of Pesticides on Soil Ecosystems - Dr. Hiroki Yamamoto, Shimane University, Japan 10:45-11:25 Sustainable Agriculture and Pesticides - Dr. Raymond Forney, Du Pont, USA 11:25-12:05 Assessment of Overall Pesticide Effects on River Ecosystems - Dr. Shigehisa Hatakeyama, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan Friday Afternoon, May 30 - Concluding Luncheon 12:15-1:30 Lunch/Concluding Remarks from Drs. Ronald J. Kuhr and Naoki Motoyama, Seminar Organizers