Polysaccharide-Containing Macromolecules in a Kampo (Traditional Japanese Herbal) Medicine, Hochuekkito: Dual Active Ingredients for Modulation of Immune Functions on Intestinal Peyer's Patches and Epithelial cells.

A traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochuekkito (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang in Chinese, TJ-41) is a well-known Kampo formula, and has been found to enhance antigen-specific antibody response in not only local mucosal immune system in upper respiratory tract, but also systemic immune system through upper respiratory mucosal immune system. Although this immunopharmacological effect has been proposed to express by modulation of intestinal immune system including Peyer's patches and intestinal epithelial cells, active ingredients are not known. TJ-41 directly affected the production of bone marrow cell-proliferative growth factors from murine Peyer's patch immunocompetent cells in vitro.

Serum levels of S-glutathionylated proteins as a risk-marker for arteriosclerosis obliterans.

Background: Oxidative stress plays a role in the development of chronic peripheral arterial disease (PAD) because under these conditions redox regulation is impaired, inducing the S-glutathionylation of proteins. A method of estimating the levels of S-glutathionylated proteins has been developed using biotinylated glutathione S-transferase, which allows the study of their crucial role in the oxidative stress-related progression of PAD.

Methods And Results: The serum levels of S-glutathionylated proteins were examined in 41 patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) and 38 age-matched non-ASO patients using biotinylated glutathione S-transferase.

Aortopulmonary fistula after aortic root replacement.

This report describes a rare case of aortopulmonary fistula in pseudoaneurysm of the left coronary ostial button. A 66-year-old woman suddenly developed congestive heart failure 3 years after aortic root replacement for acute type A aortic dissection. The diagnosis of aortopulmonary fistula was confirmed preoperatively by aortography, heart catheterization, and spiral computed tomography.