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

Association of dietary fiber intake with subsequent fasting glucose levels and indicators of adiposity in school-age Japanese children

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the relationships of fiber intake with subsequent body mass index SD-score, waist-to-height ratio, and serum fasting glucose levels among school-age Japanese children. Design: A prospective study of school-age Japanese children. Participants were followed from 6–7 to 9–10 years of age (follow-up rate: 92.0%). Fiber intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Serum fasting glucose was measured by a hexokinase enzymatic method. Using a general linear model, the associations between dietary fiber intake at baseline and body mass index SD-score, waist-to-height ratio, and serum levels of fasting glucose at follow-up were evaluated after considering potential confounding factors. Setting: Public elementary schools in a city in Japan Participants: A total of 2,784 students. Results: The estimated means for fasting glucose at 9–10 years of age were 86.45, 85.68, 85.88, and 85.58 mg/dl in the lowest, second, third, and highest quartile of fiber intake at 6–7 years of age, respectively (p= 0.033, trend p= 0.018). Higher fiber intake at 6–7 years of age was associated with lower waist-to-height ratio at 9–10 years of age (trend p= 0.023). The change in fiber intake was inversely associated with concurrent change of body mass index SD-score (trend p= 0.044). Conclusion: These results suggest that dietary fiber intake may be potentially effective to limit excess weight gain and lower glucose levels during childhood

ドッキョウ イカ ダイガク ニ オケル チイキ ホウカツ イリョウ ジッシュウセイ ノ イシキ チョウサ ノ ケントウ ショウライ ノ チイキ イリョウ オ オコナ ウ ジカク ト フアン ニ カンレン スル インシ オ チュウシン ニ

目的:獨協医科大学では2010年度より地域枠入学制度が導入された.そこで2013年に,地域枠入学者の意識調査を施行し,「将来地域医療を行うという自覚」と「自分の将来についての不安」に着目してその調査結果を検討した.方法:対象は,地域枠入学者全員を含む地域包括医療実習生70名である.内訳は,第1学年20名,第2学年20名,第3学年18名,第4学年12名である.68名は学習支援システムを利用して記名式のWebアンケート調査に回答し,2名は自記式で同一調査に回答した.結果:「将来地域医療を行うことを大変自覚している・自覚している」ものは,第1学年85.0%,第2学年90.0%,第3学年77.8%,第4学年100%となった.また「将来地域医療を行うことを大変自覚している」ことは,「将来の自分のめざす医師像をもっている」ことと関与することが示唆された.自分の将来に不安があるものは,第1学年は60%,第2学年は55%,第3学年は50.0%,第4学年は50%であり,全体の半数以上が不安を持っていた.「不安がある」ものは有意に「地域包括医療実習以外にもっと地域医療について勉強の機会を与えてほしい」と考えていた.結論:地域医療教育はカリキュラムを越えてさらに発展する必要があることが示唆された.Objective:Four years have passed since Dokkyo Medical University first introduced an admission system for community medicine?oriented students. Therefore, a survey of community-mindedness among these students was held, and based on this survey, we examined the associated factors of willingness toward future engagement and present anxiety.Methods:Participants were 70 students(20 first-year students, 20 second-year students, 18 third-year students, and 12 fourth-year students)who took the comprehensive community medicine practice course. A total of 68 students answered the questionnaire using the learning medical system website and 2 students answered the questionnaire by hand.Results:Willingness to engage in community-oriented medicine was reported by 85.0% of first-years, 90.0% of second-years, 77.8% of third-years, and 100% of fourthyears, and willingness for future engagement was significantly associated with students\u27 possessing an ideal image of the doctor that they want to be. Present anxiety was reported by 60% of first-years, 55% of second-years, 50%of third-years, and 50% of fourth-years;over 50% of all students had some level of anxiety. Additionally, students who wanted to study more about community medicine beyond this practice course were significantly more likely to have present anxiety.Conclusion:Results suggested that education in community medicine was expected further developments

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Enamel Microcracks Induced by Simulated Occlusal Wear in Mature, Immature, and Deciduous Teeth

Enamel wear, which is inevitable due to the process of mastication, is a process in which the microcracking of enamel occurs due to the surface contacting very small hard particles. When these particles slide on enamel, a combined process of microcutting and microcracking in the surface and subsurface of the enamel takes place. The aim of this study was to detect microscopic differences in the microcrack behavior by subjecting enamel specimens derived from different age groups (immature open-apex premolars, mature closed-apex premolars, and deciduous molars) to cycles of simulated impact and sliding wear testing under controlled conditions. Our findings indicated that the characteristics of the microcracks, including the length, depth, count, orientation, and relation to microstructures differed among the study groups. The differences between the surface and subsurface microcrack characteristics were most notable in the enamel of deciduous molars followed by immature premolars and mature premolars whereby deciduous enamel suffered numerous, extensive, and branched microcracks. Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that enamel surface and subsurface microcracks characteristics are dependent on the posteruptive age with deciduous enamel being the least resistant to wear based on the microcrack behavior as compared to permanent enamel

Association between exposure to household smoking and dental caries in preschool children: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background We aimed to examine the association of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke with dental caries among preschool children. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke was assessed in terms of urinary cotinine concentrations and pack-years of exposure to smoking by parents and other family members at home. Methods This cross-sectional study included 405 preschool children aged 3–6 years from two preschools in Japan in 2006. Information on the smoking habits of family members living with the child was obtained from parent-administered questionnaires. Dental examination was conducted to assess dental caries, that is, decayed and/or filled teeth. Urinary cotinine levels were measured using first-void morning urine samples. Results Overall, 31.1% of the children had dental caries, and 29.5% had decayed teeth. Exposure to current maternal and paternal smoking was positively associated with the presence of dental caries after controlling for covariates. More than three pack-years of exposure to maternal smoking and more than five pack-years of exposure to smoking by all family members were significantly associated with the presence of dental caries as compared with no exposure (odds ratio [OR] = 5.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.17–14.22, P for trend < 0.001 and OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.12–3.58, P for trend = 0.004, respectively). These exposure variables were similarly associated with the presence of decayed teeth (OR = 2.92, 95% CI = 1.23–6.96, P for trend = 0.01 and OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 0.96–3.20, P for trend = 0.03, respectively). As compared with lowest tertile of the urinary cotinine level, the highest tertile of the urinary cotinine level was significantly associated with the presence of dental caries as well as decayed teeth; the ORs for the highest vs. lowest tertile of urinary cotinine levels were 3.10 (95% CI = 1.71–5.63, P for trend = 0.012) and 2.02 (95% CI = 1.10–3.70, P for trend = 0.10), respectively. Conclusions These data suggest that exposure to tobacco smoke may have a dose-dependent influence on the development of caries