Thyroid Cancer Detection by Ultrasound Among Residents Ages 18 Years and Younger in Fukushima

Background: After the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011, radioactive elements were released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Based on prior knowledge, concern emerged about whether an increased incidence of thyroid cancer among exposed residents would occur as a result. Methods: After the release, Fukushima Prefecture performed ultrasound thyroid screening on all residents ages <=18 years. The first round of screening included 298,577 examinees, and a second round began in April 2014. We analyzed the prefecture results from the first and second round up to December 31, 2014, in comparison with the Japanese annual incidence and the incidence within a reference area in Fukushima Prefecture. Results: The highest incidence rate ratio, using a latency period of 4 years, was observed in the central middle district of the prefecture compared with the Japanese annual incidence (incidence rate ratio = 50; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 25, 90). The prevalence of thyroid cancer was 605 per million examinees (95% CI = 302, 1,082) and the prevalence odds ratio compared with the reference district in Fukushima Prefecture was 2.6 (95% CI = 0.99, 7.0). In the second screening round, even under the assumption that the rest of examinees were disease free, an incidence rate ratio of 12 has already been observed (95% CI = 5.1, 23). Conclusions: An excess of thyroid cancer has been detected by ultrasound among children and adolescents in Fukushima Prefecture within 4 years of the release, and is unlikely to be explained by a screening surge

Type D Personality Is Associated with Psychological Distress and Poor Self-Rated Health among the Elderly: A Population-Based Study in Japan

We investigated the association between Type D personality, psychological distress, and self-ratings of poor health in elderly Japanese people. In August 2010, questionnaires were sent to all residents aged >= 65 in three municipalities (n = 21232) in Okayama Prefecture, Japan, and. 13929 questionnaires were returned (response rate: 65.6%). To assess mental and physical health outcomes, we used the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and a single item question regarding perceived general health. We analyzed 9759 questionnaires to determine odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for several health outcomes, adjusting for sex, age, smoking status, frequency of alcohol consumption, overweight status, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, and number of cohabiters. The multiple imputation method was employed for missing data regarding Type D personality. The prevalence of Type D personality in our sample was 46.2%. After adjusting for covariates, we found that participants with Type D personality were at 4-5 times the risk of psychological distress, and twice the risk of poor self-rated health. This association was stronger in participants aged 65-74 years (psychological distress; OR: 5.80, 95% CI: 4.96-6.78, poor self-rated health; OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 2.38-3.38) than in those aged over 75 years (psychological distress; OR: 4.54, 95% CI: 3.96-5.19, poor self-rated health; OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.79-2.34). Type D personality is associated with adverse health status among Japanese elderly people in terms of mental and physical risk; therefore, further research into the implications of this personality type is warranted

Diarrhea and related personal characteristics among Japanese university students studying abroad in intermediate- and low-risk countries

Despite an increasing number of students studying abroad worldwide, evidence about health risks while they are abroad is limited. Diarrhea is considered the most common travelers' illness, which would also apply to students studying abroad. We examined diarrhea and related personal characteristics among Japanese students studying abroad. Japanese university students who participated in short-term study abroad programs between summer 2016 and spring 2018 were targeted (n = 825, 6-38 travel days). Based on a 2-week-risk of diarrhea (passing three or more loose or liquid stools per day) among travelers by country, the destination was separated into intermediate- and low-risk countries. After this stratification, the associations between personal characteristics and diarrhea during the first two weeks of their stay were evaluated using logistic regression models. Among participants in intermediate-risk countries, teenagers, males and those with overseas travel experience were associated with an elevated risk of diarrhea; the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.42 (1.08-5.43) for teenagers (vs. twenties), 1.93 (1.08-3.45) for males (vs. females) and 2.37 (1.29-4.33) for those with overseas experience (vs. none). Even restricting an outcome to diarrhea during the first week did not change the results substantially. The same tendency was not observed for those in the low-risk countries. Teenage students, males and those with overseas travel experience should be cautious about diarrhea while studying abroad, specifically in intermediate-risk countries

Group involvement and self-rated health among the Japanese elderly: an examination of bonding and bridging social capital

Background: To date, only a small amount of research on bonding/bridging social capital has separately examined their effects on health though they have been thought to have differential effects on health outcomes. By using a large population-based sample of elderly Japanese people, we sought to investigate the association between bonding and bridging social capital and self-rated health for men and women separately. Methods: In August 2010, questionnaires were sent to all residents aged >= 65 years in three municipalities in Okayama prefecture (n = 21232), and 13929 questionnaires were returned (response rate: 65.6%). Social capital was measured from survey responses to questions on participation in six different types of groups: a) the elderly club or sports/hobby/culture circle; b) alumni association; c) political campaign club; d) citizen's group or environmental preservation activity; e) community association; and f) religious organization. Participant perception of group homogeneity (gender, age, and previous occupation) was used to divide social capital into bonding or bridging. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for poor self-rated health were calculated. Results: A total of 11146 subjects (4441 men and 6705 women) were available for the analysis. Among men, bonding and bridging social capital were inversely associated with poor self-rated health (high bonding social capital; OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31-0.99; high bridging social capital; OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.48-0.81) after adjusting for age, educational attainment, smoking status, frequency of alcohol consumption, overweight, living arrangements, and type-D personality. The beneficial effect among women was more likely limited to bonding social capital (high bonding social capital; OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12-1.00), and the association between bridging social capital and self-rated health was less clear (high bridging social capital; OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.44-1.07). Conclusions: Bonding/bridging social capital could have differential associations with self-rated health among the Japanese elderly depending on the individual's sex. Considering the lack of consensus on how to measure bonding and bridging social capital, however, we need to carefully assess the generalizability of our findings. Further research is warranted to identify health-relevant dimensions of social capital in different cultural or economic settings

Outbreak of Salmonella Braenderup Infection Originating in Boxed Lunches in Japan in 2008

There have been only 2 reports of a large-scale foodborne outbreak arising from Salmonella enterica serotype Braenderup infection worldwide. On August 9, 2008, an outbreak originating in boxed lunches occurred in Okayama, Japan. We conducted a cohort study of 786 people who received boxed lunches from a particular catering company and collected 644 questionnaires (response rate:82%). Cases were defined as those presenting with diarrhea (≧4 times in 24h) or fever (≧38℃) between 12 am on August 8 and 12 am on August 14. We identified 176 cases (women/men:39/137);younger children (aged＜10 years) appeared to more frequently suffer severe symptoms. Three food items were significantly associated with higher risk of illness;tamagotoji (soft egg with mixed vegetables and meat) (relative risk (RR):11.74, 95% confidence interval (CI):2.98-46.24), pork cooked in soy sauce (RR:3.17, 95% CI:1.24-8.10), and vinegared food (RR:4.13, 95% CI:1.60-10.63). Among them, only the RR of tamagotoji was higher when we employed a stricter case definition. Salmonella Braenderup was isolated from 5 of 9 sampled cases and 6 food handlers. It is likely that unpasteurized liquid eggs contaminated by Salmonella Braenderup and used in tamagotoji caused this outbreak

Environmental Factors and Seasonal Influenza Onset in Okayama City, Japan: Case-Crossover Study

Seasonal influenza infection is a major challenge in public health. The term "seasonal influenza" refers to the typical increase in the number of influenza patients in the winter season in temperature zones. However, it is not clear how environmental factors within a single flu season affect influenza infection in a human population. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of temperature and humidity in the 2006-7 flu season on the onset of seasonal influenza using a case-crossover study. We targeted patients who attended one pediatric clinic in Okayama city, Japan and who were diagnosed as being infected with the seasonal influenza virus. Using 2 references (time-stratified and symmetric bidirectional design), we estimated the effects of average temperature and relative humidity from the onset day (lag0) to 10 days before (lag10). The total number of subjects was 419, and their onset days ranged from 26 December 2006 to 30 April 2007. While the onset was significantly associated with lower temperature, relative humidity was not related. In particular, temperatures before the 3-day incubation period had higher-magnitude odds ratios. For example, the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for average temperature at time lag 8 was 1.12 (1.08-1.17) per 1.0℃ decrease. Low environmental temperature significantly increased the risk of seasonal influenza onset within the 2006-7 winter season

Spontaneous Cardiac Hypertrophy in a Crl:CD(SD) Rat

Cardiac hypertrophy was observed in a 9-week-old Crl:CD(SD) rat that died unexpectedly. The animal was allocated to the control group of a toxicity study, and no abnormalities in its general conditions, body weight or food intake were observed. Necropsy revealed an increase in heart weight. Gross examination indicated cardiac enlargement with thickening of the right and left ventricular walls. Histopathological examination revealed hypertrophy of the cardiomyocytes in the right and left ventricular walls and the interventricular septum. Electron microscopic examination indicated bizarre nuclei and accumulation of an increased number of various sizes of mitochondria in the perinuclear region of the hypertrophied myocytes. Hypertrophied myocytes connected by intensely folded intercalated disks were also observed. Based on these findings, the animal was diagnosed with cardiac hypertrophy. This is the first case report of cardiac hypertrophy in this strain

Comparative histopathological studies in the early stages of acute pathogenic and nonpathogenic SHIV-infected lymphoid organs

AbstractTo clarify the early pathological events in simian and human immunodeficiency chimeric virus (SHIV)-infected lymphoid organs, we examined rhesus macaques infected with an acute pathogenic SHIV (SHIV89.6P) or a nonpathogenic SHIV (NM-3rN) by sequential biopsies and serial necropsies. In the SHIV89.6P-infected monkeys, acute thymic involution as shown by increased cortical tingible-body macrophages and by neutrophilic infiltrates without follicular aggregation in the medulla began within 14 days postinoculation (dpi). Cells that were strongly positive for the virus were identified in the thymic medulla. SHIV89.6P-infected lymph nodes showed severe paracortical lymphadenitis with scattered virus-positive cells at 14 dpi and they developed paracortical depletion without the obvious follicular involution. In contrast, NM-3rN-infected monkeys showed no signs of thymic dysinvolution and the lymph nodes exhibited only follicular hyperplasia. NM-3rN-infected monkeys showed much fewer virus-positive cells in these lymphoid tissues than did SHIV89.6P-infected monkeys during the same period. These differences clearly reflect the difference in the virulence of these SHIVs