Objective evaluation of tongue diagnosis ability using a tongue diagnosis e-learning/e-assessment system based on a standardized tongue image database.

Background: In Kampo medicine, tongue examination is used to diagnose the pathological condition "Sho," but an objective evaluation method for its diagnostic ability has not been established. We constructed a tongue diagnosis electronic learning and evaluation system based on a standardized tongue image database.

Purpose: This study aims to verify the practicality of this assessment system by evaluating the tongue diagnosis ability of Kampo specialists (KSs), medical professionals, and students.

Kampo Medicines for Frailty in Locomotor Disease.

Frailty is a syndrome that includes broad problems of senility and consists of three domains: physical, psychological, and social. Kampo medicine is used for intervention in cases of hypofunction in a mental or physical state. Kampo treatment, using Hojin formulations such as Hachimijiogan and Gosyajinkigan, is useful in patients with "jinkyo," or kidney hypofunction.

Novel mutation in the TMPRSS6 gene with iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia.

Iron-refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by congenital hypochromic microcytic anemia, low transferrin saturation, low serum iron, normal-high serum ferritin, and increased hepcidin. This disease is caused by loss-of-function mutations in TMPRSS6 that lead to high hepcidin and result in severe anemia. We report our experience with an 11-year-old Japanese girl with hypochromic microcytic anemia, low serum iron, and high serum ferritin, with anemia that was refractory to the oral iron that was prescribed frequently from early childhood.

Delayed addition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists inhibits the generation of CD11c+ dendritic cells derived from CD34+ cells exposed to TNF-alpha.

We have developed a method that cells exhibiting typical dendritic cell (DC) characteristics are generated from human CD34(+) cells and phagocytose cogenerating erythroid progenitor cells in the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-3, stem cell factor and erythropoietin. Using this system, we titrated the effects of TNF antagonists, etanercept and infliximab, on TNF-alpha activity. We found that 1 microg/ml etanercept dramatically inhibited the generation of CD11c(+) cells accompanying with a complete recovery of the generation of erythroid progenitors.

Dynamics of human erythroblast enucleation.

How human erythroblasts enucleate remains obscure, and some investigators suspect the effect of mechanical forces on enucleation in vitro. We determined the dynamics of the enucleation process of highly purified human erythroblasts and whether enucleation can occur without external mechanical forces. Highly purified human CD34(+) cells were cultured in liquid phase with interleukin-3, stem cell factor and erythropoietin (EPO) for 7 days and the generated erythroblasts were replaced in the same medium with EPO alone.

Marked difference in membrane-protein-binding properties of the two isoforms of protein 4.1R expressed at early and late stages of erythroid differentiation.

Two major isoforms of protein 4.1R, a 135 kDa isoform (4.1R(135)) and an 80 kDa isoform (4.