Background: Gastric and colorectal cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Japan. In an attempt to control such cancer-related deaths, gastric and colorectal cancer screenings (GCSs) are readily available in Japan. Despite this, the rate of participation has been lower than expected. Previous studies have reported that some intervention tools can improve participation in cancer screenings and others cannot. Such studies conducted in rural areas are quite rare.
Methods: The subjects were residents of Kozu Island. All subjects were aged 40 and over. In the clinical setting, primary care physicians (PCPs) handed their patients a screening invitation, in an attempt to improve participation in GCSs. We examined participation trends before and after this intervention. In addition, we administered questionnaires to examine subjects' reasons for attendance and relevant characteristics of the subjects.
Results: Following the intervention, participation in GCSs did not significantly improve in the short term. In 2011, the number of participants in gastric cancer screening was 173 (22.1%) and was not significantly different from the 2010 results (P=0.80). Furthermore, the number of participants from year to year (2005-2011) was not significantly different (P=0.07). In addition, the number of participants in colorectal cancer screening was 145 (16.5%) and was not significantly different from the 2010 results (P=0.65). Moreover, the number of participants from year to year (2005-2011) was not significantly different (P=0.17). 172 out of 211 (82%) participants submitted the questionnaire. Results taken from the questionnaires showed that our screening invitation influenced non-elderly people (49.5±3.9 vs. 56.4±6.5, P=0.04) and first-attendance people showed a significant tendency for more gastrointestinal symptoms (4 vs. 2, P=0.03).
Conclusion: On the whole, the screening of invitations from PCPs did not improve participation rates in GCSs in the short term. However, we believe that screening invitations can influence non-elderly people, and this intervention can be effective in increasing the numbers of gastrointestinal-symptomatic people attending for the first time (first-attendance people).

High fat diet consumption induces fat accumulation in the liver. An understanding of when liver fat accumulation begins is important for exploring the mechanisms underlying fatty liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the processes of fat accumulation in the liver during high fat diet consumption with or without exercise using computed tomography (CT). Male 6 week old C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to the normal diet or high fat diet group. After 6 weeks, mice in the high-fat diet group were further divided into voluntary wheel exercise (HFD+Ex) and no exercise (HFD) groups. We measured body weight, food intake and locomotor activity in all mice. Liver fat accumulation was measured by CT scan weekly. Blood and tissue sampling was performed at the end of the experimental period. Following the 6 week exercise period, total body, mesenteric fat and liver weight in the HFD+Ex group were significantly lower than those in the HFD group. Alanine aminotransferase levels improved in HFD+Ex mice compared with those of HFD mice. The hounsfield unit value in HFD mice decreased between 3 and 8 weeks, suggesting that liver fat accumulation accelerated during this period. In contrast this decrease was not observed one week after exercise in HFD+Ex mice. These results suggest that liver fat accumulation estimated by CT was not observed until the 3rd week of high fat feeding while the effects of voluntary wheel exercise appeared immediately.

A 38-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) initiated belimumab treatment. One month later, she presented with a reddish painful swelling on her right lower leg.She was treated with ceftriaxone and vancomycin. However, novel erythematous papules and indurated nodules appeared on both her lower legs. Skin biopsy revealed microabscess formation with mixed cell granuloma surrounded by inflammatory cell infiltration within the dermis with subcutaneous fat tissue. A large number of acid-fast bacilli were observed with Ziehl–Neelsen staining. DNA sequencing of both the hsp65 and the 16S rRNA sequences showed a 100% match with the corresponding region of Mycobacterium haemophilum. Mycobacterial culture revealed satellite growth enhancement on Middlebrook 7H11 agar plates around a paper strip containing hemin. She was treated with levofloxacin, rifabutin, and ethambutol. Within 13 months, her cutaneous lesions improved markedly without any side effects. The B cell-targeted biologic belimumab, a fully humanized IgG1γ monoclonal antibody that inactivates B lymphocyte stimulator, has been considered to be beneficial for active SLE. However, this therapy could increase the risk for the development of biologic therapy-associated mycobacterial infections, both tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria infections.

OBJECTIVETo examine the effectiveness of a drug abuse prevention program focusing on social influences for drug education classes in high school.

METHODSThe social influence program in the experimental group used role-playing led by a pharmacist, a police officer and a teacher. The intervention evaluation used a quasi-experimental design. The subjects were first-year students from 10 high schools assigned to the experimental group (6 schools, 828 students) and the control group (4 schools, 408 students). In the control group, a pharmacist used a conventional information program in a lecture format.

RESULTSRegarding knowledge about drug abuse, in both the experimental and control groups, and for both males and females, a long-term effect was observed immediately after the program and lasted up to 15 months. For three other measures, attitudes toward drug abuse problem, self-efficacy regarding drug abuse prevention, and perception of social support for preventing drug abuse, a short-term effect was generally observed in the experimental group beginning immediately after the program and lasting for 3 months. A long-term effect was evident in high-risk students with positive opinions regarding drugs. In the control group and for both males and females, although an effect was generally evident immediately after the program, neither a short-nor a long-term effect was observed in males, suggesting the difficulty in achieving lasting effects.

CONCLUSIONSThe social influence program in the experimental group showed remarkable effectiveness. Thus, the program may be useful for preventing drug abuse among high school students in Japan.