The Association between Utilization of Media Information and Current Health Anxiety Among the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster Evacuees

The 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima was not only a health disaster, but also an information disaster. Although media can promote health communication following disasters, studies have revealed associations between media information and negative psychological reactions. To clarify the relationship between media utilization and current health anxiety due to radiation exposure, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in Fukushima. We selected 2000 subjects from evacuation (i.e., 500) and non-evacuation (i.e., 1500) areas by two-stage stratified random sampling. As the independent variable, participants were asked about current health anxiety due to radiation exposure at the time of answering the questionnaire. For utilization of media about radiation exposure, local media, national media, Internet media, public broadcasts, and public relations information from local government were set as the dependent variables. Questionnaire data were analyzed by evacuation type (i.e., forced/voluntary). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, the use of public relations information was significantly associated with lower anxiety for the forced evacuees (odds ratio: 0.72; 95% confidence interval: 0.56–0.93). Our findings highlight the importance of public relations information from local government in terms of it being associated with lower current health anxiety, and this could potentially aid in preparing for future disasters

Clinicostatistical survey on oral condition of aged people at special nursing home

本論文の要旨は平成9年9月の日本障害者歯科学会総会および学術大会において発表した

A case of Dental Treatment of a Bedridden Handicapped Patient under Intravenous and Nitrous oxide inhalation Sedation

本論文の要旨は平成8年10月の日本障害者歯科学会において発表した

Association between Health Literacy and Radiation Anxiety among Residents after a Nuclear Accident: Comparison between Evacuated and Non-Evacuated Areas

Following the accident at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011, both experts and the national government provided insufficient information on radiation, leading to widespread distrust in the community. This study aimed at clarifying the association between anxiety about radiation and health literacy among residents in evacuation and non-evacuation areas in Fukushima. A questionnaire survey was sent to randomly sampled residents between August and October 2016, and data from 777 responses (38.9% valid response) were analyzed. The questionnaire assessed current radiation anxiety and discrimination and prejudice based on radiation exposure through seven items and communicative and critical health literacy through five items. Multiple regression analysis of the association between radiation anxiety and health literacy showed that the level of health literacy was significantly negatively associated with radiation anxiety in the evacuation areas (marginally in the non-evacuation areas) and marginally negatively associated with discrimination and prejudice in the evacuation areas but not in the non-evacuation areas. Therefore, improving health literacy could alleviate radiation anxiety

Recovery from radiation anxiety and posttraumatic growth among community dwellers after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima

Objective This study examined (1) the current status of posttraumatic growth (PTG) and (2) the relationship between recovery from radiation anxiety and PTG among community dwellers five years after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Design This was a cross-sectional study with 796 residents of Fukushima Prefecture (367 men and 429 women). A questionnaire survey assessed PTG with one question (“Have you gained anything through the disaster experience?” [yes/no]), and current and past radiation anxiety on a 5-point Likert-type scale. These two anxiety measures were combined to generate a new item “recovery from radiation anxiety” with three values (“no anxiety,” “recovered,” and “unrecovered”). Results Approximately half of participants experienced PTG (55.4%). Women were more likely to experience PTG than men. Multiple logistic regression showed that individuals who “recovered” from radiation anxiety were more likely to experience PTG (odds ratio (OR) = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34–2.85), and that higher level of education (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.28–3.49 for secondary education; OR = 3.95, 95% CI: 2.26–6.88 for higher education) and health literacy (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.09–1.63 for one point increase) were also associated with the experience of PTG.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that during the period of recovery from radiation anxiety, a positive psychological adjustment may occur and PTG might emerge as a result; our findings may be practically used to support sufferers of traumatic events in their recovery

Dual function of histone H3 lysine 36 methyltransferase ASH1 in regulation of Hox gene expression.

Hox genes play important roles in haematopoietic development in mammals. ASH1 is a member of the trithorax group (trxG) that is required for proper expression of Hox genes and is preferentially expressed in haematopoietic stem cells. We have recently reported that ASH1 methylates histone H3 at lysine 36 (K36) but its biological function has remained elusive. Here we show that ASH1 regulates Hox gene expression positively and negatively in a leukemic cell line K562 and is required for myelomonocytic differentiation of murine haematopoietic stem cells. ASH1 binds to endogenous Hox loci in K562 cells and its knockdown causes reduced expression of Hox genes. In addition, ASH1 and MLL1 induce more than 100-fold activation of Hox promoters in HeLa cells if expressed simultaneously but not individually. Notably, ASH1 harbouring a point mutation that kills methyltransferase activity is more efficient than wild type ASH1 in Hox gene activation, indicating that K36 methylation is not a prerequisite for Hox gene expression. Moreover, tethering wild type or catalytically inactive methyltransferase domain of ASH1 to a heterologous promoter causes downregulation or upregulation, respectively, of transcription, supporting a hypothesis that K36 methylation imparts repression. Knockdown of ASH1 in K562 cells in vitro causes increased expression of ε-globin gene and reduced expression of myelomonocytic markers GPIIb and GPIIIa, whereas knockdown of ASH1 in murine haematopoietic stem cells in vivo results in decreased number of macrophages and granulocytes, a phenotype similar to that induced by loss of mll1 function. Taken together, our data suggest that ASH1 and MLL1 synergize in activation of Hox genes and thereby regulate development of myelomonocytic lineages from haematopoietic stem cells