Suppression of Carrageenan- and Collagen II-Induced Inflammation in Mice by Geranium Oil

To obtain experimental evidence on the therapeutic efficacy of essential oils in aromatherapy for inflammatory diseases, we examined the effects of geranium oil on carrageenan-induced and collagen II-induced inflammation in mice, to assess acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activities of the oil. Single intraperitoneal injection of 5 μL of geranium oil clearly suppressed the carrageenan-induced footpaw edema and increase in tissue myeloperoxidase activity, and repeated administration of the oil suppressed collagen-induced arthritis. These results revealed that geranium oil suppressed both acute and chronic inflammatory responses in mice

Suppression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced neutrophil adherence responses by essential oils.

Background: In aromatherapy, essential oils are used as anti-inflammatory remedies, but experimental studies on their action mechanisms are very limited

Eosinophil Cationic Protein Shows Survival Effect on H9c2 Cardiac Myoblast Cells with Enhanced Phosphorylation of ERK and Akt/GSK-3β under Oxidative Stress

Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) is well known as a cationic protein contained in the basic granules of activated eosinophils. Recent studies have reported that ECP exhibits novel activities on various types of cells, including rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Here we evaluated the effects of ECP on rat cardiac myoblast H9c2 cells. Our results showed that ECP enhanced the survival of the cells, in part by promoting the ERK and Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathways. ECP attenuated the cytotoxic effects of H2O2 on H9c2 cells as well as the production of reactive oxygen species, the number of apoptotic cells and caspase 3/7 activity in the cells. In conclusion, ECP activated the ERK and Akt/GSK-3β pathways, resulting in anti-oxidative effects on H9c2 cells that attenuated apoptosis

An Autopsy Case of Drowning Under the Influence of Etizolam: A Case Report

A fatal case of drowning under the influence of etizolam is presented. Quantitative toxicological analysis revealed etizolam concentrations of 0.50 µg/mL and 0.068 µg/mL in femoral venous blood and urine, respectively. According to the autopsy findings, the results of toxicological examinations, and the investigation by the authorities, it is concluded that the cause of death is drowning under the influence of etizolam

Non-Pharmacological Management of Neurocardiogenic Syncope

AbstractNeurocardiogenic syncope is a common disorder. It is diagnosed by obtaining a detailed history and performing a head-up tilt test, with or without drug provocation. Several studies have been performed pertaining to its management. However, no treatment, whether pharmacological or non-pharmacological, except for counterpressure maneuvers and daily orthostatic tilt training, has been proven effective. Randomized studies of therapies for neurocardiogenic syncope are needed

Survey of Uterine Cervix Cancer Screening by Examination Car in Niigata Prefecture from 1995 to 2009

Based on the results obtained from 1995 to 2009, we explored the current activity statuses of the uterine cervix cancer screening by examination car conducted in Niigata Prefecture. A total of 318,580 women between age 20 and 85 (60,215 initial examinees including examinees who received cancer screening at interval of more than 3 or 5 years, and 258,365 re-examinees who received the screening more than twice within the past 3 or 5 years) were screened during this 15-year period. The mean consultation rate (proportion of examinees to the target population) was 4.10%, showing the highest rate 5.50% in 1996 and the lowest rate 1.98% in 2007. By the cancer screening, 255 cancer patients were detected in the 15 years (mean detection rate: 0.08%, range: 0.04% -1.30%). The mean cancer detection rate in the initial examinees (0.28%, 167 cases) was 8.1 times higher than that in the re-examinees (0.03%, 88 cases). Furthermore, the frequency of examinees diagnosed with dysplasia in the initial examinees was 5.7 times higher than that in the re-examinees (0.51% vs. 0.09%). Examinees requiring detailed examination (3.27%), or examinees diagnosed with dysplasia (0.18%), were detected at the highest rate in their twenties. However, the overall cancer detection rate in their twenties (0.17%) was the secondhighest during the study period, after that in their thirties (0.24%). The cancer detection rate leveled off at about 0.08% during the 15 years, and higher detection rates were found in the initial examinees, especially in their twenties and thirties. We believe the increase in cancer screening examinees of these generations is related to the increase in detection rates of dysplasia or cancer, and may be implicated in the future decrease in the cervical cancer death rate

Modulation of Gene Expression by Human Cytosolic tRNase ZL through 5′-Half-tRNA

A long form (tRNase ZL) of tRNA 3′ processing endoribonuclease (tRNase Z, or 3′ tRNase) can cleave any target RNA at any desired site under the direction of artificial small guide RNA (sgRNA) that mimics a 5′-half portion of tRNA. Based on this enzymatic property, a gene silencing technology has been developed, in which a specific mRNA level can be downregulated by introducing into cells a synthetic 5′-half-tRNA that is designed to form a pre-tRNA-like complex with a part of the mRNA. Recently 5′-half-tRNA fragments have been reported to exist stably in various types of cells, although little is know about their physiological roles. We were curious to know if endogenous 5′-half-tRNA works as sgRNA for tRNase ZL in the cells. Here we show that human cytosolic tRNase ZL modulates gene expression through 5′-half-tRNA. We found that 5′-half-tRNAGlu, which co-immunoprecipitates with tRNase ZL, exists predominantly in the cytoplasm, functions as sgRNA in vitro, and downregulates the level of a luciferase mRNA containing its target sequence in human kidney 293 cells. We also demonstrated that the PPM1F mRNA is one of the genuine targets of tRNase ZL guided by 5′-half-tRNAGlu. Furthermore, the DNA microarray data suggested that tRNase ZL is likely to be involved in the p53 signaling pathway and apoptosis

Production of anti-Candida antibodies in mice with gut colonization of Candida albicans.

BACKGROUND: Production of antibodies that are specific for allergens is an important pathological process in inflammatory allergic diseases. These contain the antibodies against antigens of Candida albicans, one of the normal microbial flora in an intestinal tract. We studied the effects of the prednisolone administration on the production of anti-Candida antibodies in the gastrointestinally C. albicans-colonized mice. METHODS AND MATERIALS: BALB/c mice, treated with antibacterial antibiotics to decontaminate indigenous intestinal bacterial flora, were inoculated intragastrically with C. albicans. The mice, in which C. albicans grows intestinally, were administered prednisolone to induce temporary immunosuppression. The Candida growth in their intestinal tract and their antibody response to Candida were examined. RESULTS: Antibiotic treatment allowed establishment of C. albicans gastrointestinal colonization, but did not cause subsequent systemic dissemination of C. albicans in all the animals. When these animals received an additional treatment with prednisolone, they showed a significantly higher population of C. albicans in their feces than those of animals treated with antibiotics alone, and the organisms were recovered even from their kidney. This systemic dissemination by C. albicans appeared to be temporal, because all the mice survived without any symptoms for more than 2 months. Examination of the serum titers of total immunoglobulin (Ig)E antibodies and specific IgE and IgG antibodies against Candida antigens demonstrated that titers of total IgE increased, partially by day 14 and clearly at day 27, in prednisolone-treated Candida-colonized mice. Without prednisolone treatment, an increment of the serum titer was scarcely observed. By day 27, corresponding to the increase of total IgE, the anti-Candida IgE and IgG titer increased in mice of the prednisolone-treated group. CONCLUSION: Administration of prednisolone to Candida-colonized mice can induce production of the IgG, IgE antibodies against Candida antigens, perhaps through temporal systemic dissemination of Candida from the intestinal tract