The purpose of this study was to investigate heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA expression and bilirubin concentration alteration in humans exposed to acute hypoxia. Fourteen healthy adult males were randomly assigned to a sea level group and a hypoxia group, and then exposed to normoxia (400 m, 20.0 %O₂) and hypoxia (3,000 m, 14.5 %O₂) respectively, in a hypoxic chamber for 3 hours. SpO₂ during hypoxia were significantly lower than those at sea level (P＜0.05). Indirect bilirubin levels after hypoxia were significantly higher than those at sea level (P＜0.05). However, HO-1 mRNA expression was unaltered by hypoxia. In conclusion, our data indicate that an acute exposure to hypoxia at resting state for 3 hours might lead to antioxidative cytoprotective response without any increase in HO-1 gene expression.

The left atrium and left atrial appendage have unique genetic anatomical and physiological features. Recently, advances in diagnostic imaging technology have provided much new knowledge. Clinically, the risk of developing atrial fibrillation increases with age. In order to reduce the public health burden such as cerebral infarction caused by atrial fibrillation, we need to find some predictive risk factors and preventive strategies for cerebral infarction and more effective treatments. The new concept of atrial myopathy has emerged, and animal models and human studies have revealed close interactions between atrial myopathy, atrial fibrillation, and stroke through various mechanisms. Structural and electrical remodeling such as fibrosis and deterioration of the balance of autonomic nerves and complicated interactions between these mechanisms lead to deterioration of atrial fibrillation and a continuous vicious cycle, and finally thrombosis in the left atrial appendage. Although anticoagulant therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation is strongly recommended, it is difficult for many patients to continue optimal treatment. In the nearly future, it will be important to understand the anatomy and physiology of the left atrial appendage and to understand the shape changes, size and the changes of autonomic function, and thrombus formation conditions associated with LAA remodeling during atrial fibrillation, and then we should provide early therapeutic intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the primary treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. We studied prognostic factors for patients treated with CCRT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed records of 85 consecutive patients with cervical cancer who were treated with CCRT between 2002 and 2011, with external beam radiation therapy, intracavitary brachytherapy, and platinum-based chemotherapy. Survival data were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Of the 85 patients, 69 patients (81%) had International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III/IV disease; 25 patients (29%) had pelvic lymph node enlargement (based on magnetic resonance imaging), and 64 patients (75%) achieved clinical remission following treatment. Median maximum tumor diameter was 5.5 cm. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 60.3% and 55.5%, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed tumor diameter >6 cm (hazard ratio [HR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 4.6), pelvic lymph node enlargement (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.5), and distant metastasis (HR, 10.0; 95% CI, 3.7 to 27.0) were significantly and independently related to poor outcomes. CONCLUSION: New treatment strategies should be considered for locally advanced cervical cancers with tumors >6 cm and radiologically enlarged pelvic lymph nodes.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Brachytherapy/adverse effects/methods ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology/*therapy

We retrospectively surveyed and analyzed medical records of 41 effective cases with shigyakusan including shigyakusan decoction and shigyakusan extract. In classics, fullness in chest and hypochondrium and rectus abdominis muscle stiffness along with coldness of the extremities is regarded as important clinical indication of shigyakusan. In this analysis, patients who present fullness in chest and hypochondrium are more than 90%, and patients presenting rectus abdominis muscle stiffness are more than 60%, confirming that these findings are important. On the other hand, although more than half of the patients feel excessive sensitivity to cold, only about 20% of the patients had coldness of the extremities as objective Kampo findings in their medical records. Until now, coldness of the extremities has been considered to be important because shigyaku means Japanese expression of it. But our obtained results show that shigyakusan is used for the patients who do not have cold extremities.

We report three cases of depression, which were effectively treated with oriental medicine. All three patients were employees at the same workplace, which had a total of 17 employees. Case 1 was a 46-year-old, who had worked at the company for 20 years and complained of depression and insomnia. Case 2 was a 28-year-old woman, who had worked at the company for 9 years and complained of nausea and mood disturbance. Case 3 was a 41-year-old man, who had worked at the company for 15 years and complained of restlessness, insomnia, and depression. The three patients were treated with yokukansan and yokukansankachimpihange, which are Kampo formulations, and subsequently showed improvements in symptoms. In choosing prescriptions for these patients, we considered the fact that all three patients worked in the same workplace. Yokukansan is traditionally co-administered to mother and her child. Furthermore, Hoffman (1984) proposed the system of sharing emotional contagion in the field of neuropsychiatry. When considered holistically, medication shared by mother and child is an empirical treatment taking into account emotional contagion. This treatment is also considered applicable within a single community, such as the one in the same workplace. Shared medication that takes into account emotional contagion within the same workplace, could be useful as it was for our patients.

We treated dry eyes and eyestrains successfully with electrothermo-acupuncture and Kampo medicine. The case was a 41-year-old woman who was treated with a few eye drops. She came to our hospital to receive Kampo medicine because her photophobia and eye pain got worse. After taking shimbuto, her complaint got better with improving physical fatigue. Electrothermo-acupuncture was effective for photophobia and eye pain promptly and remarkably. After we added kihito to her, she did not need to use eye drops with improving bloody urine and sleeplessness. Photophobia and eye-ache are thought to be related to the trigeminal nerve system. In this case, we consider that the point of application of electrothermo-acupuncture is the trigeminal nerve system. At the same time, “rikan” and “hikyo” might be involved in this case with the general malaise of eye.