Evaluation of Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity in Kampo Medicine

Antioxidant capacity of food has come to be shown in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) mainly on vegetables or fruit. However, the evaluation of Kampo in terms of ORAC has not yet been accomplished. It is important that such an investigation is also conducted for Kampo medicine. We measured the ORAC value of almost all the available Kampo formulas used in the Japanese National health insurance system and examined the ORAC value both for the daily prescription, and also the crude herb ingredients. The ORAC value of Kampo medicine ranged 4.65–5913 units/day. The ORAC value was high in Kampo formulas including Rhei Rhizoma, and was relatively high in Kampo formulas including anti-inflammatory herbs other than Rhei Rhizoma. The ORAC value was also high in Kampo formulas including crude herbs that have relaxation effects. The ORAC value of a crude herb would seem to not be fixed but be dependent on combination with other crude herbs from the comparison of different herbs added to the basic Kampo medicine. These results suggest variability and complexity of the antioxidant capacity of Kampo medicine within the similar range of food. On the other hand, investigation of the compound changes of various crude herbs with ORAC may lead to the elucidation of the action mechanism of Kampo medicine

Femtosecond Laser-Induced Surface Modification and its Application

In this chapter, we present femtosecond laser micromachining to fiber optics, focusing on surface qualities. Some techniques applied in the field are introduced to date and a review of some of the current applications for this type of technology. Section 2 describes laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs), which are induced in low- and high-fluence regime. Section 3 describes the influences of laser-induced structures for the fabrication of fiber-optic sensors, with experimental techniques and results in our research group. These sections explore ultrashort laser pulses applications, roughly going from lower to higher energy (power, intensity) ones

Laparoscopic fundoplication for neurologically impaired adolescents with severe scoliosis

AbstractLaparoscopic antireflux procedure for patients with severe scoliosis is often challenging, as the esophageal hiatus lies in an extremely deep position and is frequently rotated. Reports regarding the clinical results of laparoscopic fundoplication are scarce, especially in patients with severe scoliosis. In this study, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication was applied to seven adolescent patients aged between 19 and 29 years with neurological impairment and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The scoliosis among them was considerably severe with a median Cobb angle of 131°. Follow-up was conducted with a median period of 7.8 years. There was no intraoperative complication or recurrence of GERD. Two patients required tracheostomy, and one died due to recurrent pneumonia after fundoplication. Our experience suggested the feasibility of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with an arrangement of port layout even in neurologically impaired adolescents with severe scoliosis. As recurrent aspiration pneumonia can persist after fundoplication in some patients, an anti-aspiration procedure may be considered to achieve a higher quality of life