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Hirosaki University has regularly offered health support activities to residents of X town in Fukushima, and thus, some interactive benefits are expected as a service-learning experience for nursing students. This study aimed to clarify the experiences of students who participated in service-learning and consider which methods and content were effective. In total, 52 nursing students were recruited into the program, which was held from 2018 to 2021. The roles of students included assisting in health consultations related to a radiation disaster. Questionnaires designed by researchers with experience in risk communication programs were conducted on the students after the program, and included the reasons why they joined, their most memorable experiences, and their opinions regarding required support for residents. The data were analyzed by content analysis. The nursing students thought about the health of residents through health support activities in the affected areas. Furthermore, by communicating with residents via on-site service-learning, they could experience the humanity of the residents and the current status of the affected areas, learn the importance of person-to-person relationships, and think about reconstruction. Thus, service-learning was found to be effective and to offer substantial benefits for both residents and students in affected areas. more...

Background/aim We investigated the beneficial effects of drinking tomato juice (TJ) rich in antioxidant carotenoids on irradiated skin following radiotherapy (RT) in breast cancer patients. Patients/methods Twenty-three patients agreed to drink TJ (160 g/day for six months) after the completion of RT. Early and late adverse events (AEs) of irradiated skin were evaluated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for AEs and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Global Cosmetic Rating System, respectively. Results With regard to early AEs, acute radiodermatitis of grade 1 was observed in most patients (22/23) at the end of RT. However, the grade of radiodermatitis rapidly changed to 0, 1 month after RT and starting TJ consumption. With regard to late AEs, most patients were in good or excellent dermal condition. Conclusion TJ consumption could help in relieving and recovering from early AEs and decreasing the severity of late AEs of irradiated skin. more...

Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, a number of evacuees were forced to live in temporary housing and suffered mental and physical stress. However, few reports have used objective or quantitative indicators to determine the evacuee's level of stress. The aim of the present study was to serially estimate the mental and physical stress of the evacuees from 2013 to 2015 by using the oxidative stress marker, urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). A total of 773 evacuees from Namie town in Fukushima prefecture participated in the study. In the first year, 486 evacuees participated (age, 62.8±18.2 years; male/female, 217/269). Of these, 127 continually participated in the study for 3 years (age, 69.5±13.5 years; males/female 52/75) and 18.1% had no chronic disease after the first year. Urine samples were collected once per year. Urinary 8-OHdG was measured using immunochromatography and corrected by the concentration of urinary creatinine. For all the participants examined each year, mean values of urinary 8-OHdG significantly increased over time. For the 127 continual participants, mean values of urinary 8-OHdG were significantly higher in 2014 and 2015 than those in 2013. Age, gender and presence of chronic disease did not significantly influence the 8-OHdG values, suggesting that the stress level of the evacuees was not associated with these factors. The stress level of the individuals increased with the length of time spent living in the temporary housing. The evacuees in radiation disasters have different stressors from other natural disasters, which may accelerate mental and physical stress. more...

Assessment of skin condition is necessary for providing advice regarding skin self-care to patients with breast cancer who have undergone radiation therapy. Acute and chronic phases of radiodermatitis were analyzed in patients using objective assessment tools in the present study. A total of 18 women who received radiation therapy for breast cancer were enrolled in the present study and their skin surface temperature (SST), hydration level of the skin surface (HL), melanin intensity (MI) and erythema intensity (EI) were measured prior to radiation therapy and six months thereafter. Furthermore, skin condition was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). EI and MI levels at the irradiated site peaked upon the completion of radiation therapy and declined to baseline at 6 months. In contrast, SST levels were elevated at the irradiated site during radiation therapy (P more...

Purpose: To identify factors related to changes in foot status and foot care in patients with diabetes mellitus participating in an exercise program. Methods: The subjects were 21 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (8 males, 13 females). The mean age of the patients was 62.3 ± 12.5 years old. Foot status, physical measurements and daily activities were monitored and several surveys were performed. Results: Changes in foot status were significantly positively correlated with walking at normal speed (r = 0.54, p p p p p more...

BACKGROUND: A severe earthquake occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011. The giant tsunami devastated many coastal communities in eastern Japan and caused the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant incident. The Japanese government conducted a large-scale survey of residents affected by the nuclear and natural disasters in Fukushima prefecture and in response to the government's request, H University dispatched a Radiation Exposure Research Team to Fukushima. PURPOSE: This article explains the activities of the Radiation Exposure Research Team and the role of nurses in a nuclear disaster. CONCLUSION: As a nurse in the field of radiation medicine, our role is to protect the health of those affected and to reduce their anxiety. In addition, as the persons responsible for implementing these projects, it is also necessary that we educate and foster the development of medical care personnel with the appropriate knowledge and skills to carry out the measures required. Language: en more...

High sodium, high glucose, and obesity are important risk factors for age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVDs), stroke, and cancer. Coupling factor 6 (CF6) is released from vascular endothelial cells and functions as a circulating peptide that inhibits prostacyclin and nitric oxide generation by intracellular acidosis. High glucose elevates CF6 by activation of protein kinase C and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, whereas CF6 causes type 2 diabetes mellitus, resulting in a high glucose vicious cycle. Low glucose increases inhibitory factor peptide 1, an endogenous inhibitor of CF6. High salt intake increases CF6 through nuclear factor κB signaling, whereas CF6 induces salt-sensitive hypertension and salt-induced congestive heart failure. Oral administration of vitamin C cancels salt-induced increase in CF6, and estrogen replacement leads to the delayed onset of CF6-induced salt-sensitive hypertension and the rescue from cardiac systolic dysfunction. Because CF6 contributes to the onset of CVDs, nutritional regulation of CF6 will shed light on the understanding of preventive strategy and mechanisms for CVDs and a target for therapy. more...

Background: It is important for medical staffs to understand the state of stress of patients with cancer. The authors investigated stress assessment in patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Materials and Method: Salivary cortisol and α-amylase were measured as stress markers before and after chemotherapy in 10 patients. Emotional status was assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, and Quality of Life (QOL) was assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) questionnaire. Results: No significant differences were found between the before and after chemotherapy in salivary levels of cortisol or α-amylase, the POMS and QOL scores. The salivary cortisol levels correlated with the POMS subscales of anger-hostility, and confusion. A negative correlation was observed between the salivary cortisol level and the QOL full score. The FACT-L full score correlated with the POMS subscales of depression-dejection, fatigue, and confusion. Conclusions: Measurements of salivary stress markers are noninvasive and may be useful for assessing the stress state of the patients more...

Purpose: The elderly are often faced with multiple diseases, in particular hemodialysis (HD) which requires many kinds of medication. This study examined the factors influencing the behavior of taking medicine in elderly patients undergoing HD. Subjects and Methods: The subjects comprised 70 outpatients > 65 years undergoing HD (48 male and 22 female). The mean age of the patients was 72.5 ± 4.4 years. The mean duration of dialysis history was 6.1 ± 5.2 years. We performed a questionnaire survey using Medication Assessment Tool, The Kidney Disease Quality of Life (QOL)-Short Form and Acceptance for Dialysis Instrument. Result: Two factors related to poor behavior of taking medicine: dialysis history < 2 years and poor acceptance of dialysis. The multiple regression analysis showed patient satisfaction (β = –0.329, p < 0.01) and symptoms/problems (β = –0.273, p more...

Objective: As it is important for medical staff to understand the stress state of patients with cancer, this study investigated the stress state in patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy using salivary biomarkers and questionnaires. Materials and Methods: The subjects included 19 men and 9 women, with a mean age of 66.1 ± 7.1 years who received chemotherapy for lung cancer. Salivary samples of the participants were collected before and the 7 day after chemotherapy. Simultaneously, they completed the POMS (profile of mood states) and QOL (quality of life) questionnaires. The salivary cortisol and secretory IgA as stress markers were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Results: The salivary secretory IgA level was significantly higher at the 7th day after chemotherapy than before chemotherapy (p < 0.05), although the salivary cortisol level did not change. The tension-anxiety score, which is one of POMS subclasses, and total mood disturbance score were lower at day 7 of chemotherapy than before chemotherapy (p < 0.05), although no correlations were observed between POMS scores and salivary markers. However, a negative correlation was observed between the salivary cortisol level and the QOL full score (r= -0.411, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Measurement of salivary stress markers is noninvasive and may be useful for assessing the stress state of the patients. more...

BACKGROUND High levels of physical activity improve the prognosis and quality of life (QOL) for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). The aims of this study were to measure physical activity using a pedometer and to explain the relationship between physical activity and clinical outcomes in HD patients. METHODS The study population comprised 38 patients (17 men and 21 women; mean age: 56.1 years; range, 41–69 years) who underwent HD 3 days/week. Physical activity was measured with a pedometer. The relationships between the clinical data and levels of physical activity were examined. RESULTS The mean number of steps taken per day for 1 week was 4,157.4 ± 2,068.1, and the mean value for all-consumption calories per day for 1 week was 1,623.0 ± 240.5 kcal. The mean daily value for all-consumption calories showed positive correlations with basal metabolic calorie and serum creatinine levels, as well as the Physical Functioning score in the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form instrument (KDQOL-SF), whereas it showed negative correlations with the levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the cardiothoracic ratio. The mean calorie consumption by action, subtracting basic metabolism calories from all-consumption calories, also showed positive correlations with the number of steps and the Physical Functioning score in the KDQOL-SF, while it showed negative correlations with the total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS The parameter of all-consumption calories per day, measured with a pedometer, is useful for evaluating the levels of physical activity of HD patients and for formulating exercise recommendations. more...