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Despite Japan's recent efforts toward inclusive education and increased support for students with disabilities, evidence indicates that many students with developmental disabilities do not receive adequate support in the general classroom. Through a review of the literature, we identified four main potential barriers to successful inclusive education in Japan: (a) policy limitations, (b) limited specialization of school psychology, (c) teacher capacity, and (d) stigmatization. We also proposed Multi-Tier Systems of Support, Universal Design for Learning, and hiring Education Assistants as promising strategies to address the needs of a subset of underserved students in the general classroom. These strategies can promote a more equitable distribution of resources and support systems across the entire education system.

Background and Objectives: Only 10% of Americans with substance use disorders (SUDs) receive treatment with insufficient treatment access and screening practices proposed and potential contributing factors. Methods: This retrospective cross‐sectional study used National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to assess individuals with SUDs receiving treatment between 2016 and 2019 (survey n = 12,111; weighted n = 12,394,214). Demographic, access, and screening characteristics were investigated as predictors of treatment receipt using time‐series logistic regression analyses to test trends and assessed treatment receipt odds, controlling for demographic and treatment characteristics. Results: For those with past‐year SUDs, 13.0% reported receiving past‐year SUD treatment (survey n = 1605; weighted n = 1,612,154). The SUD treatment receipt rate remained statistically stable from 2016 to 2019, with a nonsignificant treatment receipt trend declining from 14% to 12%. Treatment changes were notable among Native Americans (+53.80%), Pacific Islanders (+94.10%), multiracial (−59.96%), ages 65+ (−70.18%), and ages 12−17 (−50.70%). In the regression model, race, sex, age, insurance status, and receiving mental health treatment were associated with SUD treatment receipt. Discussion and Conclusions: The treatment gap remains substantial and stable. Annually, about 87% of Americans with SUDs are not receiving the treatment they need. Asian Americans were less likely and those attending general mental health services were more likely to receive treatment. Scientific Significance: We present an updated SUD treatment gap evaluation, and identify access and screening characteristics associated with SUD treatment receipt. Policymakers, clinicians, and researchers must continue improving access and identification of those in need of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease correlate with infiltration to adipose tissue of different immune cells, with uncertain influences on metabolism. Rats were fed a diet high in carbohydrates and saturated fats to develop diet-induced obesity over 16 weeks. This nutritional overload caused overexpression and secretion of phospholipase A2 group IIA (pla2g2a) from immune cells in adipose tissue rather than adipocytes, whereas expression of adipose-specific phospholipase A2 (pla2g16) was unchanged. These immune cells produce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which influences adipocyte signaling. We found that a selective inhibitor of human pla2g2a (5-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-(4S)-(phenyl-heptanoylamino)- pentanoic acid [KH064]) attenuated secretion of PGE2 from human immune cells stimulated with the fatty acid, palmitic acid, or with lipopolysaccharide. Oral administration of KH064 (5 mg/kg/ day) to rats fed the high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet prevented the overexpression of pla2g2a and the increased macrophage infiltration and elevated PGE2 concentrations in adipose tissue. The treatment also attenuated visceral adiposity and reversed most characteristics of metabolic syndrome, producing marked improvements in insulin sensitivity, glucose intolerance, and cardiovascular abnormalities. We suggest that pla2g2a may have a causal relationship with chronic adiposity and metabolic syndrome and that its inhibition in vivo may be a valuable new approach to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coffee, a rich source of natural products, including caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and diterpenoid alcohols, has been part of the human diet since the 15th century. In this study, we characterized the effects of Colombian coffee extract (CE), which contains high concentrations of caffeine and diterpenoids, on a rat model of human metabolic syndrome. The 8-9 wk old male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Two groups of rats were fed a corn starch-rich diet whereas the other two groups were given a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with 25% fructose in drinking water for 16 wk. One group fed each diet was supplemented with 5% aqueous CE for the final 8 wk of this protocol. The corn starch diet contained -68% carbohydrates mainly as polysaccharides, whereas the high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet contained -68% carbohydrates mainly as fructose and sucrose together with 24% fat, mainly as saturated and monounsaturated fat from beef tallow. The high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats showed the symptoms of metabolic syndrome leading to cardiovascular remodeling and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. CE supplementation attenuated impairment in glucose tolerance, hypertension, cardiovascular remodeling, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease without changing abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia. This study suggests that CE can attenuate diet-induced changes in the structure and function of the heart and the liver without changing the abdominal fat deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]