1) We have implemented a portfolio as a learning and assessment tool into clinical clerkship rotation focusing on primary care medicine.
2) We received favorable responses both from students and teachers.
3) It is further required to promote the understanding of portfolio among teachers and students to enhance its utilization.

PA-LA communication is a rare congenital heart disease consisting of direct communication between a branch of the PA and LA through an aneurysmal structure. This disease reveals the central cyanosis with clubbed fingers and surgical repair is needed when symptoms are apparent. Computed tomography is highly recommended for definitive diagnosis. Angiographic catheterization is also recommended to support the diagnosis and decide on the treatment. PA-LA communication is categorized into 4 types. Two types do not need cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) when treated surgically, but the others need CPB. A 16-year-old girl with clubbed fingers was found to have PA-LA communication by 3DCT. She underwent surgery and was discharged in good condition. The surgical procedure was done through median sternotomy without CPB. The anomalous aneurysmal fistula was doubly ligated. No communication was found after ligation by TEE.

A 74-year-old woman was referred to our unit with a chief complaint of dysphagia. Enhanced CT showed a Kommerell diverticulum with a maximum diameter of 46 mm, associated with a right-sided aortic arch and aberrant left subclavian artery. We performed two-staged operations : left subclavian-common carotid artery bypass followed by total arch, and descending aortic replacement by an antero-lateral thoracotomy with partial sternotomy (ALPS). The postoperative course was uneventful. Total arch and descending aortic replacement for a Kommerell diverticulum by an ALPS approach is rare. ALPS approach for Kommerell diverticulum achieves safe surgery with good exposure.

　　We report a case of an epithelioid smooth muscle tumor of low grade malignancy, known as smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP), in a 65-year-old woman. The patient was referred to our hospital because of an abnormal result on screening of the uterus. We initially suspected leiomyosarcoma based on the findings of preoperative medical examinations and tests, so she underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy. The final diagnosis was a tumor with a low malignant potential (STUMP).

We report 2 patients with Graves' disease and psychological disorders. In these patients, treatment did not relieve psychological disorders despite normalization of thyroid function, but kampo therapy was effective. Patient 1 was a 24-year-old female. In 2000, she was diagnosed as having Graves' disease. Treatment with an antithyroid drug normalized thyroid function, but did not relieve psychological disorders such as irritation, anxiety, or despair. In February 2005, the patient consulted our hospital. Patient 2 was a 26-year-old female. After graduating from a high school, she developed Graves' disease. Treatment with an antithyroid drug was started. However, thyroid function was unstable ; mild hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism repeatedly occurred. During this period, irritation, fatigue, malaise, and alopecia deteriorated, and she consulted our hospital in January 2005. In the two patients, keishikanzoryukotsuboreitogohangekobokuto was prescribed (the regimen was changed during follow-up in Patient 1), and their conditions markedly subsided after 16 and 9 weeks of administration, respectively, suggesting the usefulness of kampo therapy in the treatment of Graves' disease associated with psychological disorders.
Therapeutic procedure ; Graves' Disease ; seconds ; Patients ; Mental disorders

The physical work load of farmers and dust conditions in the harvesting process of chrysanthemums were investigated for two households (seven workers for A and three for B household, respectively) at mid March in 1984.
The total working hours a day of each household were 3225 min (460 min as average per a worker) for A and 1954 min (652 min) for B, being allotted more times to males than females. However, all of the house keeping hours were carried out only by females.
The intensity of each working load of farmers was not so heavy, as “light” and “moderately heavy” by Christesen's criteria and energy expenditure a day was calculated 2895-3604 kcal for males and 2155-2295 kcal for females.
In this working process farmers were enforced to keep careful handling with chrysanthemums and fixed body posture for 4 to 6 hours a day. Particulary, the working posture of sorting and bundling chrysanthemums may cause over strained load to the muscle and joint of the lower back and legs.
The dust concentrations of the sorting room were not so high. However, the farmers were exposed a large quantity of cilia of chrysanthemum leaves, calculated 37-259 pieces/cm² on the slide grass a day. The numbers of cilia varied with amounts of handling chrysathemums.
It was suggested that the cilia of chrysanthemums may be the most important allergen to the immediate type of allergy of the chrysanthemum growers.

Acupuncture to Gaohuang carries a risk of causing pneumothorax because it reaches the lungs at deep portion. This study was designed to consider a safe depth for acupuncture to Gaohuang.
1) We inserted a needle to Gaohuang on both sides of a cadaver to examine the location of the needle tip and measure the distance from the body surface of the left Gaohuang to the pleura. The tip was located at the fifth intercostal region on both sides, and the distance was 44 mm with a rib thickness of 10 mm. 2) Using 104 students, we inserted a needle to the left Gaohuang until the tip reached the rib, and measured the distance between the bodysurface and rib. The minimal distance was 14 mm. 3) We inserted a needle to Gaohuang on both sides of two males and took CT-radiographs to examine the location of the needle tip and measure the distance from the body surface of Gaohuang to the pleura. In a man of standard body size, the needle reached the rib on the left and the intercostal region on the right. The thickness of the left rib was 10.9 mm, and the distance from body surface to pleura was 33.6 mm on the left and 28.4 mm on the right. In a man of thin body size, the needle reached the rib on both sides, with the rib thickness was 9.8 mm on the left and 8.8 mm on the right. The distance from body surface to pleura was 29.4 mm on the left and 31.8 mm on the right. The above results showed that needle insertion within 19 mm (the minimal value of the measured distance between the body surface and rib + the half thickness of the rib) is safe.

  Our palliative care team intervened in a patient with sciatica resulting from metastasis to sacral bone after surgery for rectal cancer. Rapid pain control and a change in the route of rescue drug administration from the stoma were needed. Partial opioid rotation was performed. The dose of 25.2 mg in 72 hours in a transdermal fentanyl patch decreased to 16.8 mg in 72 hours, and the dose of 3.6mg in an hour by continuous intravenous injection of morphine was added. The change in the rescue root to intravenous administration by a patient-controlled analgesia pump gave the patient relief from his pain. He was able to attend his daughter's wedding. His family were all pleased with the relief provided. The advantages of this partial opioid rotation are summed up in the following three points: (1) The required time is relatively short; (2) It can be expedient for analgesia due to the addition of different opioids; and (3) The partial opioid rotation produces fewer adverse effects than a full opioid rotation. Adjustment of the amount of drugs for pain relief in cancer patients is important with the situations of the patient and the family taken into consideration fully.

The Research Committee for the Meridian Point held its third workshop at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Kyoto. Evaluations and reports were presented on two topics.

The first topic:Study of PSC in Japan and China.
1) Literature search on PSC in China (Wang):A literature search on major studies on PSC in China since 1979 was conducted. The report introduces the definition, characteristics and the mechanism of PSC development together with meridian phenomena.

2) PSC in reference to the ryodoraku (Morikawa):Development of the reactive ryodo point in patients under hemodialysis or those who have had a total gastrectomy and the cases in which reactive ryodo points or needle sensation developed when specific regions were stimulated were reported. The relationship between reactive ryodo points and PSC was examined.

3) The mechanism by which PSC develops (Yamada):Neurotransmitter substances are released from sensory nerve endings during acupuncture stimulation. Absorbed by lymphatic vessels, these substances stimulate the smooth muscle of these vessels, thus causing the PSC. Based on factors such as transmission velocity and inhibitory factors, the mechanism by which PSC develops was investigated.

The second topic:Specific locations of meridian points and clinical effects of the meridian point.
1) Anatomical regions for GB 30 huantiao (Ozaki and Matsuoka):In establishing the international standard for the meridian points under the guidance of WHO, both Chinese and Japanese proposals were listed for GB 30. The clinical effects-presumably emanating from the subcutaneous structure when acupuncture stimuli are applied to these points in a direction perpendicular to the body surface-were comparatively evaluated.

2) Transition in the regions and main effects of GB 30 (Sakaguchi):As stated above, both Japanese and Chinese definitions were cited in establishing the international standard for GB 30 under the guidance of WHO. By quoting the classic literature from China and Japan, changes in the regions and main effects of GB 30 were comparatively evaluated.

1) We conducted a randomized controlled trial in medical education area and explored practical issues through reflection on the processes.
2) In February 2007, 39 fourth-year medical students in Nippon Medical School listened to the lecture about how to ask key questions for the diagnosis. Shortly after they had medical interview with a standardized patient for measurement purpose. They were randomly allocated to study and control groups. The lecture content for the intervention group corresponded to the interview but the one for the control group did not correspond to the interview.
3) We identified the issues related with ethical review for research, how to mask the information of randomization out of assessors, and equity of educational intervention and assessment offered to both groups.