Purpose: The review of the published reports was performed with the aim of systematic collection and integration of information related to "signs and symptoms" along with their changes among patients after upper gastroesophageal surgeries. Methods: The PubMed and the Japanese healthcare literature database were searched by the following keywords:"gastric cancer" "esopha∗ cancer" "surgery" and "symptom" As a result, 37 articles related to gastric or esophagus cancer were identified. The data were extracted according to each sign and symptom, and were evaluated and discussed. Results and Conclution: Standardized instruments for gastrointestinal symptoms included evaluations about dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing, reflux etc. The incidence of signs and symptoms, or postsurgical recovery processes are different among individual patients. Healthcare professionals should support patients continuously and systematically so that patients can take appropriate health maintenance behavior according to their signs and symptoms.

The removal of aspiration objects is often required for aspiration, which takes place at the time of a video fluoroscopic examination of swallowing (VF) for the assessment of dysphagia rehabilitation. We report our approach against correspondence for aspiration at VF.　　As subjects for this report, we sampled 6 patients (average age: 78.3±3.0, four males and two females) from 19 patients, who had aspiration of barium sulfate or meal with barium contrast medium at the time of VF form October 1, 2009, to March 31, 2011. For the first step of correspondence for aspiration at VF, we dealt with coughing, huffing, suction and postural drainage under the guidance of a Speech-Language-Hearing Therapist and, depending on the case, a Physical Therapist who dealt with chest physical therapy. When expectoration was found impossible, we checked to see if it was necessary to perform biphasic cuirass ventilation with a clinical engineer. We assessed the chest X-ray films and existence or non-existence of expectoration immediately after aspiration, and fever, inflammatory response, respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal symptoms one week after the examination, and retrospectively checked the influence of aspiration.　　As a result, three patients had residue as revealed on chest X-ray films, and the three remaining patients had none. For the former three patients, we intervened in a team approach and succeeded in removing the residue from two patients (one with initial correspondence, and the other with execution by the Physical Therapist). Though two patients had fever and inflammatory response one week later, It was hardly possible that aspiration at the time of VF became a direct cause. No patient had either the respiratory or gastrointestinal symptom.　　Correspondence for aspiration was attained by establishing a team approach system. Even if a patient had heavy aspiration, it was not reflected on chest X-ray films, depending on the case, and therefore deliberation was required for correspondence.

Purpose: This study aimed at identifying difficulties among post thoracic esophagectomy cancer patients during outpatient follow-up. Methods: Patients who had radical esophagectomy at a cancer center hospital in Japan were prospectively observed and were interviewed by a certified nurse assigned at esophageal surgical outpatient division. Their responses were documented in medical records and were analyzed by content analysis method. This study was approved by the study hospital's research ethics committee. Results: The data from 66 patients were obtained. Content analysis yielded 221 extracts, 25 categories, and 65 codes of difficulties, including: concerns or signs/symptoms associated with dietary intake, physical activity, and anxiety. Implications: The majority of post-thoracoabdominal esophagectomy patients experienced multiple dysfunctions and symptoms after discharge. The results underscore the significance of nurses' role in assessing and instructing patients to address these issues.

Background: Patients having thoracic esophagectomy, a standardized treatment for esophageal cancer patients in Japan, are known to have various postsurgical signs and symptoms for a period of time. The current status of nursing interventions at outpatients need to be clarified. Purpose: This study aimed at identifying the nurses' interventions for cancer patients at the outpatient setting who previously had thoracic radical esophagectomy. Methods: Patients who had esophagectomy at a cancer center hospital in Japan were prospectively observed and interviewed by outpatient nurses between January 2009 and December 2010. Their documented responses in medical record were prospectively investigated and were qualitatively analyzed via content analysis method. This study was approved by the study hospital's research ethics committee. Results and discussion: The data analysis of nursing interventions for 66 patients yielded 372 extracts, 12 categories, and 74 codes. Nurses were assessing patients' signs and symptoms affected by postsurgical changes, and were utilizing patients' active self-monitoring skills. The results also showed the significance of facilitating postsurgical recovery in relation to nutritional intake and physical activity in patients' daily life. Implications: Based upon the study results, the development of a systematic program is underway, which facilitates esophageal cancer patients' postsurgical recovery.

High-quality terminal care cannot be given without good communication and understanding among patients, their family members and health as well as medical professionals.Recently, we have taken a questionnaire survey on new inpatients in our hospital to sound them out on their thinkings about hospital care, and examined the findings along with the validity of survey.Many respondents including those contracting either benign or malignant diseases wished to be keptposted on what they are really up against and to partake in the decision-making process before treatment plans are put into practice. The recent questionnaire survey has proved to be worthwhile as a tool to know the wishes of hospitalized patients and suggested an effective way to promote the practice of obtaining informed consent before specific test and therapautic procedure.

Here, we report a case of adolescent woman with secondary amenorrhea complicated with polycystic ovary syndrome, which had a normal menstrual period after prescribed shokenchuto under the therapy based on Kampo diagnosis. The case is 14-year-old woman, who had already hormonal therapy due to the secondary amenorrhea, and was difficult to treat because of edema and weight gain. Secondary amenorrhea, multiple cysts in the ovary, and hypertestosteroneemia were confirmed, and the patient was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. Abdominal pattern was weak and the abnormalities of the abdominal strength were prominent. Therefore, we administered her shokenchuto. After two weeks, menstruation began, and thereafter the menstruation had progressed without any irregularities. Blood examination also showed normal testosterone level. It was suggested that it would be important to focus on the preparation for digestive function and to treat the secondary amenorrhea of adolescent women.

Objective: The worldwide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic since 2020 led to a lack of information even at Japanese pharmacies, which are at the forefront of community medicine. Therefore, the Kyoto University Graduate School of Public Health Pharmacy Information Group has developed information materials related to COVID-19 for pharmacies0and released them on the COVID-19 countermeasure website, which was launched in haste. However, these days in the information society, the amount of information distributed is explosively expanding. Therefore, it is not possible to reach the target people just by publishing the countermeasure website. Therefore, we set up a public relations team to carry out publicity activities for pharmacists and analyzed the effectiveness of these activities by focusing on changes in the number of page views (PV) on the countermeasure website.Methods: PV and public relations(Facebook, industry media , e-mail) activities during the first 18 days(EARLY period), which is half of the total PV, and the remaining 164 days(MIDDLE period), covering 182 days from the day before the countermeasure website was opened. The changes in quantity were compared. Furthermore, we also compared the changes in the level of interest in the new coronavirus during the target period using Google Trends.Results: PV was remarkably large in the EARLY period, and the amount of public relations activity was generally concentrated in the EARLY period and PV. The number of searches for related words on Google Trends was almost the same as PV except for some. Conclusion: The study revealed the importance of establishing a pandemic countermeasure website for pharmacists at an appropriate time and conducting intensive public relations activities in the early stages.

The purpose of this study was to examine epidemiology of injury in a male collegiate volleyball team in Japan during 2019 season. Thirty-six collegiate male volleyball players were followed during 2019 season. Injuries that required more than 24 hours to recover were classified as Time Loss (TL) injury, and those that required less than 24 hours were classified as Non-Time Loss (NTL) injury. Exposure was calculated by total number of players and hours of participation. Then, we computed injury rate per 1000 Player Hour (PH) and 1000 Athlete Exposure (AE) as outcome measures. A chi-square test was utilized to statistically compare. Eighteen injuries occurred and the overall injury rate was 1.28/1000PH and 2.05/1000AE, respectively. Of which, 11 cases were NTL injuries (0.78/1000PH, 1.26/1000AE) and 7 cases were TL injuries (0.50/1000PH, 0.80/1000AE). Within the 7 TL injuries, 5 (0.36/1000PH, 0.57/1000AE) were of minor severity. Most TL injury were classified as chronic in nature (n=5, 0.36/1000PH, 0.57/1000AE). There was no statistically significant difference between injury rate of match (n=2, 1.33/1000PH, 2.88/1000AE) and training (n=16, 1.27/1000PH, 1.98/1000AE). The most frequently injured body part in training was lower back (n=7, 0.56/1000PH, 0.87/1000AE). In match, highest injury rate was observed in ankle (n=2, 1.33/1000PH, 2.88/1000AE). In conclusion, our results showed relatively low injury rate, and majority of reported injuries were categorized as minor severity. Our study also demonstrated injury characteristics of Japanese male collegiate players that lower back injuries were prevalent in training, and acute ankle injury rate was highest in match.

The purpose of this study is to clarify factors related to the effect of daikenchuto on constipation during pregnancy. The subjects were 21 patients who had constipation during pregnancy and received 15 g/day of daikenchuto. Based on the constipation score that was created independently, the score values before administration, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after administration were retrospectively investigated. Furthermore, from the outcome of the oral status at 4 weeks, we divided the patients into 2 groups (12 in the improvement group and 11 in the non-improvement group), and attempted to extract factors that were considered to be related to efficacy. The total constipation score decreased significantly before and after administration of daikenchuto, and the concomitant symptoms of constipation scores were low, especially such as abdominal distension and abdominal pain. A comparison of the backgrounds of the improved group and the non-improved group revealed that the proportion of the patients with a history of surgery (laparotomy or laparoscopic surgery) was significantly higher in the improvement group. In addition, there were no particular problems with the pregnancy and delivery course of the 23 patients. Daikenchuto was considered to be highly effective against constipation during pregnancy, especially in pregnant women with a history of surgery.