The prevalence of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis has increased all over the world during the last two decades. Dietary change is supposed to be associated with this increase. If it is the case, an appropriate intake of foods or drinks with anti-allergic functions is expected to stop the increase. Flavonoids, ubiquitously present in vegetables, fruits or teas possess anti-allergic activities. Flavonoids inhibit histamine release, synthesis of IL-4 and IL-13 and CD40 ligand expression by basophils and mast cells. Analyses of structure-activity relationships of representative flavones showed that luteolin, apigenin and fisetin were the strongest inhibitors of IL-4 production with an IC₅₀ value of 2–5 μM and determined a fundamental structure for the inhibitory activity. Quercetin and kaempferol showed a substantial activity with an IC₅₀ value of 15–18 μM. The inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 and CD40 ligand expression were thought to be mediated through their inhibitory action on activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells and AP-1. Administration of flavonoids into atopic dermatitis-prone mice prevented the onset of dermatitis and serum IgE elevation and ameliorated the severity of dermatitis even after the onset. In addition a preliminary trial of flavonoids for adult patients with atopic dermatitis showed a significant effect. Recent epidemiological studies reported that a low incidence of asthma was significantly observed by population with a high intake of flavonoids. Thus, these evidences will be helpful for the development of low molecular compounds for allergic diseases and it is expected that an appropriate daily intake of flavonoids may be an effective complementary and alternative medicine and a preventative strategy for allergic diseases.

Fatal intestinal necrosis developed following off-pump CABG and implantation of a bifurcated vascular prosthesis in a 70-year-old man with unstable angina pectoris and abdominal aortic aneurysm. A CT scan with three-dimensional reconstruction (3D-CT), showed no narrowing or obstruction of the SMA. The patient was scheduled to undergo an extensive resection of the intestine on the 23rd postoperative day. The pathological diagnosis was nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI). He died of multiple organ failure on the 38th postoperative day. Early diagnosis of NOMI is essential to lower mortality and postoperative morbidity. Invasive angiography is the gold standard in diagnosis. 3D-CT, a non-invasive method, is an increasingly useful technique, which may allow identification of vascular anatomy and pathology with sufficient detail for diagnosis. Several other causes of acute abdomen, other than mesenteric ischemia, can be ruled out. Therefore, 3D-CT might be useful in screening for NOMI.

A 56-year-old man was admitted with fever of unknown origin and congestive heart failure. Blood cultures grew Streptococcus gordonii. An echocardiographic examination showed vegetation attached to the bicuspid aortic valve and severe aortic regurgitation. Despite the aggressive therapy, an emergency operation had to be performed because it was otherwise impossible to control heart failure. Vegetation was attached to the aortic valve leaflets. There was no noticeable lesion on the aortic annulus, but a myocardial abscess was noted in the left atrial wall. Aortic valve replacement was performed after the myocardial abscess was drained. It was assumed that the myocardial abscess was due to the septic state from Infective endocarditis because it was recognized at a distant zone from the active valvular infection.

Objective To discuss the treatment and prevention of bile duct complications after living donor liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 84 cases of living donor liver trans-plantation including 56 adult recipients and 28 pediatric recipients were analyzed. Amongst the 84 pa-tients, 66 had benign end-stage liver diseases and 18 hepatocellular carcinoma. Duct-to-duct biliary re-construction was performed in 50 cases. One recipient received an end-to-end and end-to-side anasto-mosis of hepatic duct of donor and hepatic duct and common bile duct of recipient and another under-went end-to-end anastomosis of hepatic duct of donor and hepatic duct and cystic duct of recipient while the other 32 cases hepaticojejunostomy. 4Fr or 6Fr stent was routinely inserted into bile duct af-ter biliary reconstruction and elicited from the anterior wall of common bile duct or lateral wall of jeju-nal caecum of recipient in all the 84 cases. Results Twenty-four cases had biliary complications and the incidence was 28.5 %. The incidence of biliary leakage was significantly different between duct-to-duct reconstruction and hepaticojejunostomy (8.3% νs 16.7%, P＜0.05). The incidence of biliary stricture was markedly different between duct-to-duct reconstruction and hepaticojejunostomy (50% νs 16.7%, P＜0.05). The biliary complication was remarkably different between single hepatic duct and multiple hepatic duct (20.8% νs 79.2, P＜0.05). Four cases of biliary leakage were cured with con-servative treatment and the other 4 need reoperation. Four cases of biliary stricture were cured by way of endoscopic dilation and nose-biliary drainage, 2 cases turned to be better. Six cases were cured by conversion of hepaticojejunostomy and 4 turned to be better by way of percutaneous transhepatic biliar-y dilation and drainage. The recipients didn't die of biliary complications. Conclusion It is necessary to decrease the biliary complications after living donor liver transplantation, to be satisfactory blood supply and anastomotic technigue and select appropriato biliary reconstruction.

A 64-year-old man who underwent aortic valve replacement with a 25mm Bjork-Shiley valve in 1993 began to have severe anemia and required repeated transfusions by November 2003. Doppler echocardiography showed only mild aortic regurgitation, but revealed turbulent flow around the mechanical valve. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) was diagnosed and he was treated with prednisolone (PSL) starting May 2004. Because of unremitting hemolysis requiring multiple transfusions and the occurrence of renal dysfunction, he underwent rereplacement of the aortic valve with a 25-mm Freestyle valve. His hemolysis and general condition immediately improved. This case suggests the possibility that mild regurgitant jet and turbulent jet stress can cause severe hemolysis when AIHA develops.

We describe a 52 year old woman who had an aneurysm involving the common hepatic artery directly originating from the aorta. It was successfully treated by aneurysmectomy without needing the arterial reconstruction. An aneurysm of the common hepatic artery that has an anomalous origin from the aorta is very rare and only 4 cases including the present case were reported in Japanese literature on our survey. The features and management of hepatic aneurysm are discussed.

Objective: The physiological changes of the respiro-circulatory functions between skilled subject and unskilled subjects during the practice of Up-right Standing Posture of Shaolin Internal Qigong were compared. Method: The heart rate (HR), maximum oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory efficiency (RE), and respiratory rate (RR), blood pressure, and lactic acid in the blood were measured.Results: The high correlations between the HR and the VO2 values obtained from the exhaustion test were observed in all subjects. The higher values than at the rest were observed in the average HR and the average VO2 during practicing the Up-right Standing Posture both in the skilled subject and unskilled subjects. However, both HR and VO2 levels were almost constant during the practice in both the skilled subjectand unskilled subjects. The RE values changed in the time course of the practice, whereas the RR values were almost constant during the practice. The average RE showed different patterns between the skilled subject and unskilled subjects, the former increased and the latter decreased their RE levels.In addition, the average values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the skilled subject increased each 10 mmHg approximately at pre- and post- Up-right Standing Posture, and the increasing tendency was also recognized in the unskilled subjects. The values of the lactic acid in the blood of the skilled subject increased slightly, whereas the average values of the unskilled subjects increased by 3.4 mmol/1. Conclusion: Shaolin Internal Qigong could improve respiratory efficiency by the maximum isometric muscle contraction while the skilled subject maintained natural breathing. In addition, Shaolin Internal Qigong was considered to influence the reflex system because it inhibited both blood pressure increase and respiratory rate change. Shaolin Internal Qigong fit very well with Tuina doctor training course for promoting the physical ability and manipulation abilities of them.

Left ventricular thrombus is a complication of left ventricular dysfunction, including acute myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, and severe valvular heart disease. Surgical removal should be considered when a thrombus is mobile, when thromboembolism occurs, and when cardiac function has the potential to improve. Two patients with left ventricular thrombus underwent totally thoracoscopic transatrial thrombectomy. A thrombus developed in the apex of the left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction in one patient (Case 1) and during treatment for congestive heart failure in the other (Case 2). The minimally-invasive transatrial approach requires no sternotomy or left ventriculotomy and is thus particularly beneficial for treating left ventricular dysfunction. Moreover, totally endoscopic surgery confers the advantage of a deep and narrow visual field. Therefore, we consider that this strategy is highly effective for treating left ventricular thrombus.

The prevalence of gastric cancer after eradication (GCAE) is increasing dramatically in Japan. GCAE has characteristic features, and we must understand these features in endoscopic examinations. Differentiated cancer types were frequently found after eradication and included characteristic endoscopic features such as reddish depression (RD). However, benign RD can be difficult to distinguish from gastric cancer because of histological alterations in the surface structures (nonneoplastic epithelium or epithelium with low-grade atypia [ELA]) as well as multiple appearances of RD. Recently, we clarified similar alterations in genetic mutations between ELA and gastric cancer, suggesting that ELA is derived from gastric cancer. Clinically, submucosal invasive cancer was frequently found in patients after eradication therapy even if they received annual endoscopic surveillance. We can improve the diagnostic ability using image-enhanced endoscopy with magnified observation.

The prevalence of gastric cancer after eradication (GCAE) is increasing dramatically in Japan. GCAE has characteristic features, and we must understand these features in endoscopic examinations. Differentiated cancer types were frequently found after eradication and included characteristic endoscopic features such as reddish depression (RD). However, benign RD can be difficult to distinguish from gastric cancer because of histological alterations in the surface structures (nonneoplastic epithelium or epithelium with low-grade atypia [ELA]) as well as multiple appearances of RD. Recently, we clarified similar alterations in genetic mutations between ELA and gastric cancer, suggesting that ELA is derived from gastric cancer. Clinically, submucosal invasive cancer was frequently found in patients after eradication therapy even if they received annual endoscopic surveillance. We can improve the diagnostic ability using image-enhanced endoscopy with magnified observation.