BACKGROUND: Since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), concerns have arisen in Japan regarding the presence of radionuclides in food. Moreover, exposure levels to ⁹⁰Sr and Pu isotopes in adults and those to ¹³⁴Cs+¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, and Pu (where Cs, Sr, and Pu are cesium, strontium, and plutonium, respectively) in children have not been examined. Therefore, this study employed a duplicate portion approach to examine dietary exposure levels of radionuclides in adults and children following the FDNPP accident. METHODS: The study spanned fiscal years 2012-2014 and was conducted in 10 prefectures: Hokkaido, Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Kochi. The participants provided portions of their meals for two non-consecutive days and completed questionnaires on the meal items. The activity concentrations of ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, and ^239+240Pu, which are targets of standard limits for radionuclides in foods in Japan, were determined according to the Radioactivity Measurement Series. The daily intake was calculated based on the radionuclide activity concentrations in the duplicate portion samples, and the committed effective doses were estimated using dose coefficients for the ingestion of each radionuclide provided by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. RESULTS: Approximately 80 duplicate samples were obtained in each fiscal year, and 242 samples were collected. The highest summed activity concentration of ¹³⁴Cs and ¹³⁷Cs was 11 Bq/kg, which was recorded in Date City (child) in 2013; this level was approximately one-ninth of the standard limit for general foods (100 Bq/kg). The committed effective dose from annual ingestion of the sample described above was 74 µSv, approximately 14 times lower than the maximum permissible level of 1 mSv/y. Pu was not detected and the ⁹⁰Sr activity concentrations were similar to those before the FDNPP accident. CONCLUSIONS For the samples examined in the present study, the ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, and ^239+240Pu dietary exposure levels were considerably lower than the regulatory levels and may not pose a health risk.
Fukushima Nuclear Accident ; Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis* ; Humans ; Japan ; Dietary Exposure/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Plutonium/analysis* ; Child ; Food Contamination, Radioactive/analysis* ; Strontium Radioisotopes/analysis* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Child, Preschool ; Radiation Monitoring ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Aged ; Radiation Exposure/analysis*

Objective: To clarify factors related to emotional instability in spouses of cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with spouses of cancer patients receiving palliative chemotherapy, and the obtained data were qualitatively and inductively analyzed. Results: Through analysis, 9 related factors were identified: “realizing the severity of the situation when receiving an explanation of the pathological condition”, “an unclear prognosis”, “fear of losing any treatments”, “being pressed for treatment-related decision-making”, “increased daily burdens by the care”, “collapse the visions of the family future”, “communication with medical professionals”,“candid dialogues with the patient”, and “relationships with others”. Conclusion: It may be important for nurses to help families of cancer patients realistically manage their situation without excessive confusion, even when they experience emotional instability, and spend meaningful time with patients as an outcome of treatment, with an understanding of these related factors on such emotional instability.

We have tried surgical pathologic diagnosis using a still image transmission system. The equipment we used was a medical information network system (Telepathology) developed jointly by Inohara Shokai and NTT. During the 9-month period from April to December in 1995, we performed pathological diagnosis on a total of 63 cases received via this system. The cases included 21 stomach cancers, 13 colorectal cancers, 5 breast tumors, 4 lung tumors, 5 thyroid tumors and 3 ovary tumors. Materials presented for pathologic examination were 44 lymph nodes, 20 stumped sections of the lesions and 13 tumor tissues. The correct diagnosis ratio was as high as 93.7%. Improvement in the specimen-making procedure reduced the time required to arrive at a firm diagnosis. However, the quality of images of low magnification is unsatisfactory. It should also be pointed out that there is much room for improvement in the technical skill and knowledge of the persons concerned. Nevertheless, great expectations could be placed on this system. With progress in data transmissions technology, it will find its use more widely.