The effects of perilla seed oil ointment for atopic dermatitis

近年アトピー性皮膚炎が増加しており,工ゴマ油を使った食事療法がアレルギー抑制に有用であることが報告されている｡そこで今回,エゴマ油を外用剤として使用するため,亜鉛華単軟膏を基剤とした工コマ軟膏を作製し,アトピー性皮膚炎患者3例を対象にその臨床応用を試みた｡その結果,掻痒感の軽減に効果がみられ,また皮膚症状では,丘疹.表皮剥離,苔癬化,落屑などの所見が改善される傾向が見られた｡The perilla seed oil contains rich α-linolenic acid (α-LNA), parent n-3 fatty acid. The dietary intake of n-3 fatty acid, such as perilla seed oil, has been reported to have some clinical effects in patients with allergic disease. In this report, we prepared the perilla seed oil ointment for atopic dermatitis and the effects of the ointment was evaluated in three patients with atopic dermatitis. This ointment suppressed skin itch, and improved papules, excoriation, lichenification and desquamation of the skin. These results suggest that the perilla seed oil ointment has some effectiveness including suppression of inflammatory changes of the skin in patients with atopic dermatitis

子どもを持つ女性乳がん患者が自分の病気を子どもに伝えることの困難とその困難に影響していたこと

市立福知山市民病院京都府立医科大学大学院保健看護学研究科大阪母子医療センターFukuchiyama City HospitalGraduate School of Nursing for Health Care Science Kyoto Prefectural University of MedicineOsaka Women’s and Children’s Hospital本研究の目的は、子どもを持つ女性乳がん患者が子どもに病気を伝えることにどのような困難や困難に影響していたこと、実施していたことがあるのかを明らかにすることである。研究対象者は外来通院中の乳がん診断後1 年以上経過し、診断時に3～18歳の子どもを養育している女性患者19名である。インタビューガイドに基づき半構成的面接を行い、質的記述的に分析した。対象者の平均年齢は48.4±5.4歳、子どもの人数は1～3人で、平均年齢は11.6±3.5 歳であった。子どもを持つ女性乳がん患者が自分の病気を子どもに伝えることの困難は、【がんの罹患による衝撃】、【がんについて伝えざるを得ない】、【子どもへの伝え方が分からない】、【がん罹患が子どもに影響を与える懸念】、【子ども以外の家族との調整】であった。【母親としての子どもへの向き合い方】、【自分と家族のがん闘病の体験】、【子どもの発達段階と特性】、【伝えることにまつわる家族への相談】、【伝えることにまつわる家族以外の励ましや助言】が病気を伝えることに影響していた。がん患者は【家族のために気持ちを保持】、【病気や伝え方の情報収集】、【子どもの発達段階に合わせ不安を与えない伝え方】、【子どもの日常性の保障】をしながら自分の病気を子どもに伝えていた。がん患者はがん告知による衝撃を受けながらも、母親として子どもへの影響を危惧し、病気の伝え方を模索していた。看護師はがん患者が子どもの日常性を保持するために、子どもの発達段階と特性を踏まえた病気の伝え方ができるように支援していく必要性が示唆された

Severe Acute Liver Dysfunction Induces Delayed Hepatocyte Swelling and Cytoplasmic Vacuolization, and Delayed Cortical Neuronal Cell Death

Liver dysfunction is the main cause of hepatic encephalopathy. However, histopathological changes in the brain associated with hepatic encephalopathy remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated pathological changes in the liver and brain using an acute hepatic encephalopathy mouse model. After administering ammonium acetate, a transient increase in the blood ammonia level was observed, which returned to normal levels after 24 h. Consciousness and motor levels also returned to normal. It was revealed that hepatocyte swelling, and cytoplasmic vacuolization progressed over time in the liver tissue. Blood biochemistry also suggested hepatocyte dysfunction. In the brain, histopathological changes, such as perivascular astrocyte swelling, were observed 3 h after ammonium acetate administration. Abnormalities in neuronal organelles, especially mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum, were also observed. Additionally, neuronal cell death was observed 24 h post-ammonia treatment when blood ammonia levels had returned to normal. Activation of reactive microglia and increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were also observed seven days after a transient increase in blood ammonia. These results suggest that delayed neuronal atrophy could be iNOS-mediated cell death due to activation of reactive microglia. The findings also suggest that severe acute hepatic encephalopathy causes continued delayed brain cytotoxicity even after consciousness recovery

Sex Plays a Multifaceted Role in Asthma Pathogenesis

Sex is considered an important risk factor for asthma onset and exacerbation. The prevalence of asthma is higher in boys than in girls during childhood, which shows a reverse trend after puberty—it becomes higher in adult females than in adult males. In addition, asthma severity, characterized by the rate of hospitalization and relapse after discharge from the emergency department, is higher in female patients. Basic research indicates that female sex hormones enhance type 2 adaptive immune responses, and male sex hormones negatively regulate type 2 innate immune responses. However, whether hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women increases the risk of current asthma and asthma onset remains controversial in clinical settings. Recently, sex has also been shown to influence the pathophysiology of asthma in its relationship with genetic or other environmental factors, which modulate asthmatic immune responses in the airway mucosa. In this narrative review, we highlight the role of sex in the continuity of the asthmatic immune response from sensing allergens to Th2 cell activation based on our own data. In addition, we elucidate the interactive role of sex with genetic or environmental factors in asthma exacerbation in women

Influence of the Charge Ratio of Guanine-Quadruplex Structure-Based CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides and Cationic DOTAP Liposomes on Cytokine Induction Profiles

Cationic liposomes, specifically 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) liposomes, serve as successful carriers for guanine-quadruplex (G4) structure-based cytosine-guanine oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODNs). The combined benefits of CpG ODNs forming a G4 structure and a non-viral vector carrier endow the ensuing complex with promising adjuvant properties. Although G4-CpG ODN-DOTAP complexes show a higher immunostimulatory effect than naked G4-CpG ODNs, the effects of the complex composition, especially charge ratios, on the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and interferon (IFN)-α remain unclear. Here, we examined whether charge ratios drive the bifurcation of cytokine inductions in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Linear CpG ODN-DOTAP liposome complexes formed micrometer-sized positively charged agglomerates; G4-CpG ODN-DOTAP liposome complexes with low charge ratios (0.5 and 1.5) formed ~250 nm-sized negatively charged complexes. Notably, low-charge-ratio (0.5 and 1.5) complexes induced significantly higher IL-6 and IFN-α levels simultaneously than high-charge-ratio (2 and 2.5) complexes. Moreover, confocal microscopy indicated a positive correlation between the cellular uptake of the complex and amount of cytokine induced. The observed effects of charge ratios on complex size, surface charge, and affinity for factors that modify cellular-uptake, intracellular-activity, and cytokine-production efficiency highlight the importance of a rational complex design for delivering and controlling G4-CpG ODN activity

Age-Specific Profiles of Antibody Responses against Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most prevalent causative agents of lower respiratory tract infections worldwide, especially in infants around 3 to 4 months old. Infants at such a young age have maternally-transferred passive antibodies against RSV but do not have active immune systems efficient enough for the control of RSV infection. In order to elucidate age-specific profiles of immune responses against RSV protection, antibody responses were examined by using blood samples in both acute and convalescent phases obtained from child patients and adult patients. In addition to the serum neutralization activity, antibody responses to the RSV fusion protein (F protein) were dissected by analyzing levels of total IgG, IgG subclasses, the binding stability, and the levels of antibody for the neutralization epitopes. It was suggested that children's antibody responses against RSV are matured over months and years in at least 5 stages based on 1) levels of the neutralization titer and IgG3 for F protein in the convalescent phase, 2) geometric mean ratios of the neutralization titers and levels of IgG1 and IgG2 for F protein in the convalescent phase compared to those levels in the acute phase, 3) the affinity maturation of IgG for F protein and the cross reactivity of IgG for RSV glycoproteins of groups A and B, 4) levels of neutralization epitope-specific IgG, and 5) augmentation of overall antibody responses due to repetitive RSV infection

Periodontal Tissue Regeneration by Transplantation of Autologous Adipose Tissue-Derived Multi-Lineage Progenitor Cells With Carbonate Apatite

We have developed an autologous transplantation method using adipose tissue-derived multi-lineage progenitor cells (ADMPCs) as a method of periodontal tissue regeneration that can be adapted to severe periodontal disease. Our previous clinical study confirmed the safety of autologous transplantation of ADMPCs and demonstrated its usefulness in the treatment of severe periodontal disease. However, in the same clinical study, we found that the fibrin gel used as the scaffold material might have caused gingival recession and impaired tissue regeneration in some patients. Carbonate apatite has a high space-making capacity and has been approved in Japan for periodontal tissue regeneration. In this study, we selected carbonate apatite as a candidate scaffold material for ADMPCs and conducted an in vitro examination of its effect on the cellular function of ADMPCs. We further performed autologous ADMPC transplantation with carbonate apatite as the scaffold material in a model of one-wall bone defects in beagles and then analyzed the effect on periodontal tissue regeneration. The findings showed that carbonate apatite did not affect the cell morphology of ADMPCs and that it promoted proliferation. Moreover, no effect on secretor factor transcription was found. The results of the in vivo analysis confirmed the space-making capacity of carbonate apatite, and the acquisition of significant new attachment was observed in the group involving ADMPC transplantation with carbonate apatite compared with the group involving carbonate apatite application alone. Our results demonstrate the usefulness of carbonate apatite as a scaffold material for ADMPC transplantation