Natural disasters such as earthquakes can cause substantial damage and trauma, especially to children. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of disaster experience on psychological ...symptoms, suicide risk, and associated factors in junior high school students 5 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). The hypothesis of this study was that psychological symptoms and suicide risk of junior high school students are associated with disaster experience.
A cross-sectional survey consisting of questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with students at two junior high schools in Ishinomaki city, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, about psychological symptoms, disaster situations, and their current environment 5 years after the GEJE was conducted. In total, data from 264 (117 boys 44.3% and 147 girls 55.7%) students were analyzed.
There were no associations between disaster experience and PTSSC-15, DSRS-C, and SCAS scores. Those with evacuation experience and still living in temporary housing had significantly higher scores on the oppositional defiant behavior inventory (ODBI). Of these students, 29 (11.0%) were considered to have suicide risk 5 years after the GEJE. The presence of depressive symptoms was the only factor related to suicide risk; no associations were found with sex, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, or other factors reported in previous studies, including disaster experience.
Disaster experience was not associated with psychological symptoms (PTSD, depression, anxiety) and suicide risk in junior high school students 5 years after the GEJE. The suicide risk appears to be the same as that in the general population in Japan. However, attention should be paid to externalization problems and depressive symptoms, an important suicide risk factor, even 5 years after the GEJE.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of C18 and C20 long chain fatty acids on tight junction permeability in a model of intestinal epithelium. Methods: Confluent Caco-2 cells on porous ...filters with double chamber system were used to measure fluorescein sulfonic acid (FS) permeability and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). Lactate dehydrogenase release and ultrastructure were evaluated. Effect of 200 μM eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, C20:5 n-3), arachidonic acid (AA, C20: 4 n-6), α -linoleic acid (ALA, C18: 3 n-3), linoleic acid (LA, C18: 2 n-6), or oleic acid (OA, C18: 1 n-9) enrichment in the culture medium during 24 hours were compared. The effect of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, lipoxygenase inhibitors, NDGA or AA861, and antioxidant, BHT, was evaluated as a mechanism to change tight junction permeability. Results: Caco-2 cells formed polarized columner epithelial cells with densely packed microvilli and well developed junctional complexes. Addition of EPA enhanced FS permeability to 3.0±1.6-fold and lowered TEER to 0.59±1.2-fold vs. control with concentration dependency without cell injury (P<0.01–0.05). OA, AA or LA did not change, but ALA enhanced tight junction permeability. Indomethacin and AA861 normalized the changes mediated by EPA.Conclusions: EPA affects tight junction permeability in intestinal monolayer cells specifically and concentration dependently via cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products.
Objective: Hormone therapy for prostate cancer has empirically prevailed in Japan. We planned to evaluate the trends and outcome of hormone therapy for establishing an adequate guideline. Methods: ...Patients with prostate cancer who were initially treated by hormone therapy were registered through the J-CaP registration system. This report summarizes the background factors. Results: From January 2001 to October 2003, 17 872 patients were registered from 395 institutes throughout Japan. The background factors of 17 312 patients were analyzed. The 17 872 patients were estimated as composing more than half of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients in Japan. Of these, 22.9, 35.1, 32.9 and 8.6% belonged to T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. For the purposes of hormone therapy, 77.5% was primary hormone therapy. Neoadjuvant setting and adjuvant setting were 18.1 and 4.3%, respectively. About 60% of the hormone therapy was combined hormone therapy with LH-RHa plus anti-androgens. Conclusion: Irrespective of patients’ age, TNM, stage of illness, or histological background, the majority of prostate cancer patients in Japan are receiving hormone therapy. It is necessary to evaluate whether this trend is merely a continuation of past experience of Japanese urologists or if there is a difference in the profile of effect and side-effect in the case of Japanese patients compared to therapy given in Westerners.
To investigate potential differences in zibotentan pharmacokinetics between Japanese and Caucasian patients with hormone-resistant prostate cancer (HRPC) following single and multiple dosing.
In the ...Japanese study, 18 patients received a single dose of zibotentan 5, 10 or 15 mg followed by 72 h washout before 26 days' once-daily dosing. In the Caucasian study, 21 patients received a single dose of zibotentan 5, 10 or 15 mg followed by 72 h washout before 12 days' once-daily dosing.
Pharmacokinetic parameters were similar between populations. Absorption of zibotentan was rapid with maximum plasma concentrations typically achieved within 3 h of dosing. Mean clearance, 17.9 and 18.7 ml/min in Japanese and Caucasian patients, respectively (range 7.0 - 36.3 ml/min in Japanese patients and 7.8 - 29.5 ml/min in Caucasian patients) and volume of distribution, 14.0 and 15.6 l for Japanese and Caucasian patients, respectively (range 7.9 - 29.1 l in Japanese patients and 9.6 - 23.8 l in Caucasian patients) were relatively low, and t1/2 was approximately 12 h (range 5.7 - 18.8 h in Japanese patients and 5.0 - 22.9 h in Caucasian patients) following single dosing. Little accumulation was observed following daily dosing and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics were predictable. Exposure levels achieved in some Japanese patients receiving zibotentan 15 mg were higher than those observed in Caucasian patients, however, this may be due to differences in body weight, as exposure levels were similar when data were normalized for body weight. Zibotentan was well tolerated in both populations.
There are no clinically relevant differences in the disposition and pharmacokinetics of zibotentan between Japanese and Caucasian patients with HRPC.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of ultrasound irradiation when used alongside standard care in the treatment of pressure ulcers; outcome measures were reduction in wound size and exudate weight.
...Method:
Five patients (two male and three female, age range: 76–92 years) with seven ulcers participated in this study. They had National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) stage III or IV pressure ulcers. We conducted an ABABA study (A: standard treatment with dressings that promote a moist wound healing environment; B: ultrasound irradiation administered to the pressure ulcer through the same dressing used in period A; each period lasted 2–4 weeks). Six ulcers each were randomised to either the treatment group or control group. One ulcer was not randomised, but was the first to receive ultrasound in the BABA sequence, with a view to determining if the pilot was feasible. The control group received sham ultrasound in period B. Pulsed ultrasound (20% duty cycle, 0.5W/cm2 on the wound surface, 1MHz or 3MHz, for 10 minutes) was applied five times weekly.
Results:
In the treatment group, two ulcers markedly decreased in size after 3–4 weeks of US treatment, one ulcer decreased in size soon after initiation of treatment and one ulcer showed no clear reduction in size. The volume of exudate was greater in period B than A in two ulcers that reduced markedly in size after 3–4 weeks of US treatment. None of the ulcers in the control group decreased markedly in size.
Conclusion:
This pilot study suggests that US used alongside standard treatment might promote the healing of pressure ulcers. However, larger studies are required to determine the effi cacy and mechanism of US treatment for PUs.
Declaration of interest:
None.
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