Purpose: To examine the feasibility of the Integrated Palliative care Outcome Scale (IPOS), a comprehensive palliative care scale, for non-cancer patients. Methods: Twenty non-cancer patients and 20 healthcare providers who provide care to the participating patients were asked to complete the IPOS questionnaire, and cognitive interviews were conducted with them. The interviews were analysed using content analysis, a qualitative analysis method. Results: About half to 90% of both patients and healthcare providers answered that they did not find it difficult to answer or understand all items of the IPOS. Therefore, we confirmed its surface validity, and the content validity of the IPOS was confirmed. Conclusion: The surface validity and content validity of the IPOS for non-cancer patients were confirmed, and it became clear that the IPOS can be used as a comprehensive assessment tool for the palliative care of non-cancer patients.

Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital uses an information form created by doctors and pharmacists to provide postoperative information to patients who undergo nephrectomy at the Department of Urology. The form recommends that patients' physicians change prescriptions and adjust medication doses considering post-nephrectomy deterioration of renal function in patients with a single remaining kidney. Of the 7 patients who used this information form, prescription changes were made in 4 patients. An information form jointly created by a physician and pharmacist may affect prescription changes.

Purpose: Palliative care implementation should take into account the perceptions and acceptability of healthcare providers. This study aimed to identify physicians’ perceptions of palliative care and barriers to palliative care practice in the critical care setting. Methods: A nationwide, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to physicians working in intensive care units, and free-text data were qualitatively analyzed. Results: The questionnaire was sent to 873 respondents, and 436 responded (50% response rate). Of these, 95 (11%) who responded to the open-ended sections were included in the analysis. Conclusion: Japanese physicians working in ICUs recognized that palliative care was their role and practiced it as part of their usual care. They felt, however, that the practice was difficult and not sufficient. Barriers to practice included the lack of human resources and availability of palliative care teams, and the lack of uniformity in the perception of palliative care in the critical care setting.

Purpose: To clarify current status of nurses in support of children with parents with cancer in Akita Prefecture. Method: Questionnaire surveys were administered on nurses in Akita prefecture. Their experiences, educational backgrounds, and ability to recognize the need for support were examined. Descriptive statistics were used for the attributes, and chi-square test or Fisher’s exact Test or Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to examine the relationship between the support experience and the attributes (p<0.05). The contents of their open comments were then analyzed using a qualitative integration method. Results: Responses were obtained from 141 nurses at 10 facilities (collection rate: 43.9%). Of the 141 nurses, 135 (96%) recognized the necessity of support for children, and 28 (20%) already had experience supporting them. The contents of support were [direct support for children] [support for children through parents] [support through coordination and coordination with resources]. Most apparent difficulties in support were “Intervene for children” and “to have a connection with children”. Conclusion: The results indicate that nurses recognize that children need support. However, they lack experience in providing such support. It is necessary to enhance support by learning support methods and sharing information with other occupations. Support from parents is important when children cannot be met.

Cryptosporidium is the most common protozoan that can infect a wide range of animals, including mammals and birds. Avian Cryptosporidium spp. can cause enteric and respiratory diseases which can be fatal in birds and some species are zoonotic. Companion birds have the potential as reservoir due to their close contact with humans. Pet shops are the major source of companion birds. However, few reports are available regarding Cryptosporidium spp. infection among companion birds kept in pet shops. The present study reports the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. among companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan. A total of 265 fresh fecal samples were obtained from birds kept in 4 pet shops; these birds belonged to 41 species in 3 bird orders. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the small subunit rRNA gene was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 24 samples (9.1%) were positive, and Cryptosporidium spp. were detected from all pet shops. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in each of the bird orders was 6.5% (10/153) in Psittaciformes, 14.4% (13/90) in Passeriformes, and 4.5% (1/22) in Galliformes. Based on sequence analysis, 13 (54.2%) isolates were classified to C. galli, 8 (33.3%) were avian genotype III, and the remaining 3 (12.5%) were C. baileyi. No infection with zoonotic C. meleagridis and no coinfection with multiple Cryptosporidium spp. and/or genotypes were observed. The zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. infecting companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan is likely to be low.
Animals ; Birds ; Coinfection ; Cryptosporidium ; Friends ; Galliformes ; Genes, rRNA ; Genotype ; Humans ; Japan ; Mammals ; Passeriformes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Psittaciformes ; Sequence Analysis

A 54-year-old female had left femoral incarcerated hernia. One month later, she received a radical operation for it, but was admitted to our hospital twice because of ileus. Various tests showed no mechanical intestinal obstruction, but small-intestinal edema. She was transferred to our department to receive Kampo medicine. She could not eat any food and her weight decreased from 47 to 37.5 kg. We therefore administered intravenous hyperalimentation. She had a cold sweat on her face and was prone to bed rest because of severe abdominal pain as if in labor, and general fatigue. Her skin was dry, her radial pulse was weak and her abdominal tonus was weak. In addition, lower abdominal tension was more intense than upper and we could observe bowel movements from her skin. At first, we administered bushikobeito, but it had no effect. Referring to her abdominal findings, we considered that daikenchuto and tokikenchuto were compatible in her case, and after changing to chukenchutokatoki her abdominal pain disappeared in 5 days. Thus, Kampo medicine was effective for post-operative pseudo-obstruction.

　　The aim of this study was to examine topophilia in the elderly living in mountainous areas. Topophilia, which is the geographical concept invented by Yi-Fu Tuan in 1999, is defined as the affective bond between people and place or environmental setting. A total of 120 elderly subjects living in a mountainous area responded to a standardized, validated 9-item Life Satisfaction Index K (subjective well-being) developed by Wataru Koyano and a new structured 6-item questionnaire on topophilia. Factor analyses revealed two domains of topophilia (public emotion and private emotion toward the living place). Public emotion was the emotion of being hard to leave the living place. Private emotion was the emotion of not loving the living place. There were areas where the elderly had a lesser degree of attachment toward the present state of the elderly could hardly have a sense of well-being and attachments to the current domicile. It is considered that not only physical but also mental approach is necessary to support the daily life of the elderly living in the mountainous area. Also, we examined the influences of aging and the living place on a subjective well-being and topophilia. There was no significant correlation between age and subjective well-being, but there was significant positive correlation between age and the degree of topophilia (r＝0.234, p‹0.01). On the other hand, the degree of subjective well-being by the place of residence was significantly different (p‹0.001; ANOVA), and the degree of topophilia by the place of residence was not significantly different. These findings suggest that subjective well-being is not influenced by age but influenced by the place of residence, and topophillia is not influenced by the place of residence but influenced by age.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a nursing intervention program for use in enhancing the self-care abilities of cancer patients receiving treatment on an outpatient basis. Method: Four-week-long combined group therapies were conducted on 15 subjects. The effects of these therapies were then examined. Results: Subjects' mean age was 56.86±11.52 years; mean duration of disease was 28.6±18.14 months. Between before and after the intervention, two scales showed significant improvements: EORTC QLQ-C30 Global health status (p<0.023) and STAI state anxiety scale (p<0.022). As a result of field note data analysis, "change of attitude toward cancer treatment at home" and "response to the program" were identified. Conclusion: Because the subjects were highly motivated individuals, with substantial self-care ability from the beginning, their ESCA scores did not show any change between before and after intervention. Nevertheless, the inner changes that occurred to the subjects indicated that their self-care ability had improved. Palliat Care Res 2009; 4(1): 201-206

We have limited evidence as to the clinical indications for Kampo medicines, especially as they relate to gastrointestinal function. Thus, we investigated the efficacy of the Kampo medicine hangekobokuto (HKT) on patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), with special reference to its clinical indications for gastrointestinal function, including gastric emptying and bowel gas volume.Gastric emptying rate (GER) in FD patients was significantly facilitated by HKT. HKT also improved the gastrointestinal symptoms of the patients. Among these, patients who had inchuusharen, or a symptom of globus sensation, and a representative indication for HKT, showed significant improvement of both their GER and gastrointestinal symptoms compared with patients who did not have inchuusharen. As for bowel gas, the bowel gas volume calculated from a plain abdominal radiogram (gas volume score, GVS) in FD patients decreased significantly, after administration of HKT. Patients who had fukuman, or a feeling that one's stomach is full or bloated, and another representative indication for HKT, showed significant decrease of their GVS to normal levels, compared with patients who did not present with fukuman.These results suggest that the presence of clinical indications, such as inchuusharen or fukuman, are strongly related to HKT efficacy in patients with FD, and that these are useful, scientifically validated markers for the efficient use of HKT.
Clinical ; Final diagnosis (discharge) ; Gases ; seconds ; Volume

We report a case of serous gonarthritis with nonproductive cough successfully treated with Eppikajutsuto. A 37-year-old Japanese man developed a right genicular arthrocele with nonproductive cough, in October X. Over 100 ml of serous synovial fluid was drained via an arthrocentesis puncture procedure. Although he was treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents by an orthopedist, under a diagnosis of serous gonarthritis, his symptoms did not improve. Laboratory findings suggested inflammatory conditions (serum CRP 3.4 mg/dl, ESR 76 mm/h). At the time of his first visit in January X+1, orthopedic examinations revealed that rheumatoid arthritis was unlikely, based on negative physical and laboratory findings. A contrast MRI knee joint scan did not demonstrate any tumor-like mass of synovium which would indicate pigmented villonodular synovitis. And orthopedists found it difficult to specify the cause of his serous gonarthritis. After a common cold in December X, cough stimulated by cold exposure was superimposed on serous gonarthritis.We utilized Eppikajutsuto under the interpretation that both his genicular arthrocele and nonproductive cough were due to a “sui” disturbance. This Eppikajutsuto therapy reduced his genicular arthrocele and nonproductive cough in1month. His symptoms and inflammatory reactions were completely improved in 3 months, regardless of gradual withdrawal of his medication.
Coughing ; Upper case ecks ; symptoms <1> ; Serous ; Treated with