Background
The Pacific Islands is an area with one of the world's highest prevalence of obesity and diabetes. The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is an independent country of the Micronesian that extends along latitude 4 to 18 degrees north. In the past, several studies reported regarding the prevalence of diabetes among the people of the Pacific Islands. However, there is no report yet with respect to diabetes in Majuro, the capital of RMI. In RMI, diabetes and obesity are also recognized to be a serious problem, but the present state of affairs prevents an understanding of the situation.
Objectives
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the present situation and the prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Majuro.
Methods
The participants were Marshallese visited our thyroid cancer-screening program. Among those participants who undertook thyroid cancer screening, the Body Mass Index (BMI) and hemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) levels were taken of 850 participants. Participants with an HbA1c level of 6.5% or more were put into the diabetes group and participants with a BMI of 30 and over were the obese group. Prevalence was adjusted using the Majuro population based on 1999 national census and using world standard population of Segi.
Results
The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes in aged 20 years and over in Majuro was 22.1%. After standardization, the prevalence was 31.0%.
Conclusion
The results suggest there is a high rate of diabetes in RMI similar to other pacific islands. It could be concluded, based on this research, that there is a crisis situation with regards to diabetes in the RMI. There is also a need for epidemiological research to be on a random sample of the population.

Objective To explore the mutation of RET gene exon 11 in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma and to clarify the relationship between RET mutation and sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from 17 sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma tissues. Exon 11 of RET gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, analyzed by automated DNA sequencer after purification and results were compared with normal sequence. Results RET mutation was detected in 1 of 17 cases and the mutation revealed the wrong base at the position 15165(G→A) and the missense codon at 691 (ser 691 →lys). Conclusion The low rate of RET exon 11 mutation in sporadic medullary thyroid carcinomas indicate that the key gene mutations may locate on other exons of RET gene or other genes.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences between first-year (n=97) and second-year medical students (n=102) in their reactions to a community-based early clinical exposure program. Questionnaires completed after their participation in the program showed that first-and second-year students did not differ in their interest in practical training in nursing homes and wards of the university hospital or in a presentation given by a family member of a cancer patient who had died in the hospital (Chi square test, p<0.05). However, second-year students were more likely to report that they understood the family's presentation well, whereas first-year students were more likely to report they could communicate with elderly or disabled persons. Several facilities in the community criticized the students' attitudes toward practical training. We believe the reason for the criticism was insufficient advance preparation.