Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate whether body fat rate (BFR) and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) are associated with estimated fentanyl absorption in patients treated with the fentanyl transdermal matrix patch for moderate to severe cancer pain, by measuring the residual content of fentanyl in used matrix patches. Methods: Adult Japanese inpatients experiencing chronic cancer-related pain and receiving treatment for the first time with a transdermal fentanyl matrix patch (Durotep®MT patch) were included in the present study. During the initial application period, BFR was measured using a body fat scale, and TSF was measured by an experienced nurse with an adipometer. One patch was collected from each patient. The residual fentanyl content in used matrix patch was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The transdermal fentanyl delivery efficiency was estimated based on the fentanyl content of the used matrix patches. Results: Fifteen adult patients (5 males and 10 females) were included in this study. Nine patches with a release rate of 12.5μg/h and 6 patches with a release rate of 25μg/h were collected. The application site was the chest or upper arm. BFR and TSF both showed a significant positive correlation with delivery efficiency. Conclusion: In malnourished or low-body fat patients receiving DMP, pain intensity should be more carefully monitored, and fentanyl dose adjustment may be required. Additional parameters, such as nutritional status including body fat change, the degree of dry skin, and plasma fentanyl concentration, also require detailed evaluation. Palliat Care Res 2010; 5(2): 206-212

In 1989 the Japan Acupoints Committee decided upon standard locations for acupoints based upon a rational method of proportional distribution and points of the same names but different locations were expressed by attaching the location indicator before the name such as _??__??__??_. However as study of the naming of points of the same names and different locations is yet incomplete it remains as a topic for further investigation. As one aspect of this investigation I examined related literature from ancient China through the Edo Period in Japan to determine how points of the same names but different locations were expressed and named in an effort to consider how they should be called hereforth.
An analysis of the modes of expression in the investigated literature showed that in Japan through the Edo Period for the most part the location of the point was read using the Japanese reading of the Chinese character and the helper article “NO” (meaning of or belonging to) was inserted between the location and the point name, however methods of expression in many cases were not unified. No tendency toward an effort for unified nomenclature was observed, rather points seemed to be named independently.
Now that nomenclature is being unified, when we consider the expressions for points of the same names but different locations I propose that we should consider the reading of the special anatomical name, the reading adopted by WHO and the reading of the names of other acupoints compositely, and name the points according to the tonal reading of the Chinese character, for example “Shusanri” for what we have heretofore referred to as Te No Sanri (LI10).