79 research outputs found
Versatile Psychophysiological Potencies of Essential Oils, when Seen as a Function of Behavioral Task Assigned to the Participants after Inhalation
To elucidate the psychophysiological effect of inhaling essential oils, in this paper, we sought to assess the following 12 essential oils: basil, bergamot, cardamom, cinnamon, juniper, lemon, orange, palmarosa, peppermint, sandalwood, spearmint, and ylang ylang. As these being target odors, we focused on the verbal (semantic) and non-verbal (skin temperature) endpoints of the stimuli. In our experimental design, we managed to assign different behavioral tasks to the participants. The Uchida-Kraepelin test was used as a mental arithmetic task and listening to environmental (natural) sounds as an auditory task. In the verbal study, for an example, we conducted the sensory test twice, once before and once after the task. As a measure of the perceived odor quality in participants after inhalation of a given aroma, we employed a sensory evaluation spectrum. It is a bar graph in which the mean of the difference in score between pre- and post-task inquiry (post minus pre) was plotted against the impression descriptors. Taking into account of the obtained skin temperature changes between pre- and post-task inhalations, the subtle nuances between verbal and non-verbal expressions seen as a function of the two behavioral tasks assigned to the participant suggested that essential oils may have versatile psychophysiological potencies by the nature
Endothelin suppresses cell migration via the JNK signaling pathway in a manner dependent upon Src kinase, Rac1, and Cdc42
AbstractCell migration is a complex phenomenon that is stimulated by chemoattractive factors such as chemokines, a family of ligands for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In contrast, factors that suppress cell migration, and the mechanism of their action, remain largely unknown. In this study, we show that endothelin, a GPCR ligand, inhibits cell motility in a manner dependent upon signaling through the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. We further demonstrate that this effect is dependent upon Src kinase and small GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42. These findings provide new insight into GPCR-mediated regulation of cell migration
DNA topoisomerase II interacts with Lim15/Dmc1 in meiosis
Lim15/Dmc1 is a meiosis specific RecA-like protein. Here we propose its participation in meiotic chromosome pairing-related events along with DNA topoisomerase II. Analysis of protein–protein interactions using in vitro binding assays provided evidence that Coprinus cinereus DNA topoisomerase II (CcTopII) specifically interacts with C.cinereus Lim15/Dmc1 (CcLim15). Co-immunoprecipitation experiments also indicated that the CcLim15 protein interacts with CcTopII in vivo. Furthermore, a significant proportion of CcLim15 and CcTopII could be shown to co-localize on chromosomes from the leptotene to the zygotene stage. Interestingly, CcLim15 can potently activate the relaxation/catenation activity of CcTopII in vitro, and CcTopII suppresses CcLim15-dependent strand transfer activity. On the other hand, while enhancement of CcLim15's DNA-dependent ATPase activity by CcTopII was found in vitro, the same enzyme activity of CcTopII was inhibited by adding CcLim15. The interaction of CcLim15 and CcTopII may facilitate pairing of homologous chromosomes
Antiatherogenic effect of pioglitazone in type 2 diabetic patients irrespective of the responsiveness to its antidiabetic effect
WSTĘP. Tiazolidinediony (TZD) to grupa leków zwiększających wrażliwość na insulinę, które stosuje się w leczeniu cukrzycy typu 2. Działają one także przeciwmiażdżycowo. Celem badania było wyjaśnienie zależności między przeciwmiażdżycowym a przeciwcukrzycowym działaniem pioglitazonu, leku z grupy TZD, u chorych na cukrzycę typu 2.
MATERIAŁ I METODY. W badaniu wzięło udział 136 chorych na cukrzycę typu 2 narodowości japońskiej. Uczestników podzielono na 2 grupy: chorych leczonych pioglitazonem w dawce 30 mg na dobę przez 3 miesiące (n = 70) oraz pacjentów niepoddanych leczeniu (grupę kontrolną, n = 66). Podczas badania kontrolowano zmiany metabolizmu
glikolipidów, stężenia w osoczu białka C-reaktywnego (CRP, C-reactive protein), leptyny i adiponektyny oraz prędkość fali tętna (PWV, pulse-wave velocity), aby przeanalizować zależność między przeciwmiażdżycowym a przeciwcukrzycowym działaniem
pioglitazonu.
WYNIKI. U osób leczonych pioglitazonem stwierdzono istotne obniżenie hiperglikemii, hiperinsulinemii i stężenia HbA1c oraz wzrost stężenia adiponektyny w osoczu w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną (p < 0,01). Ponadto, odnotowano istotne obniżenie
stężenia CRP i PWV (p < 0,01). Przeciwmiażdżycowe działanie pioglitazonu zaobserwowano zarówno u pacjentów, u których nie uzyskano poprawy wyrównania cukrzycy, a redukcja stężenia HbA1c wynosiła poniżej 1% (n = 30) (nonresponders, osoby niepodatne na leczenie), jak i u chorych z dobrą odpowiedzią na terapię (responders, osoby podatne na leczenie), u których redukcja stężenia HbA1c przekraczała 1% (n = 40). Stosując model ANCOVA wykazano, że leczenie pioglitazonem wiązało się z niskimi wartościami
CRP i PWV, niezależnie od zmian parametrów związanych z metabolizmem glukozy.
WNIOSKI. W omawianym badaniu po raz pierwszy przedstawiono przeciwmiażdżycowe działanie pioglitazonu zarówno u chorych podatnych, jak i niepodatnych na przeciwcukrzycowe działanie leku. Wyniki badania sugerują, że pioglitazon może wywierać efekt przeciwmiażdżycowy
niezależnie od wpływu na glikemię.INTRODUCTION. Thiazolidinediones (TZD), a class of
insulin-sensitizing agents used clinically to treat type 2
diabetes, are also antiatherogenic. This study was
designed to elucidate the relationship between the
antiatherogenic and antidiabetic effects of pioglitazone,
a TZD, in type diabetic patients.
MATERIAL AND METHODS. A total of 136 Japanese
type 2 diabetic patients were included and divided
into two groups: the pioglitazone-treated group
(30 mg daily 3 months) (n = 70) and the untreated
control group (n = 66). The changes in glycolipid
metabolism as well as plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive
protein (CRP), leptin, adiponectin, and pulse
wave velocity (PWV) were monitored to analyze the
relationship between the antiatherogenic and antidiabetic
effects of pioglitazone.
RESULTS. The pioglitazone treatment significantly
reduced hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and HbA1c
levels and increased plasma adiponectin concentrations
relative to the control group (P < 0.01). It also
significantly decreased CRP and PWV (P < 0.01). The
antiatherogenic effect was observed in both the nonresponders
showing < 1% of reduction in HbA1c
(n = 30) and responders showing > 1% of reduction
(n = 40). ANCOVA revealed that treatment with
pioglitazone was associated with a low CRP and
PWV, independent of the changes in parameters
related to glucose metabolism.
CONCLUSIONS. This study represents the first demonstration
of the antiatherogenic effect of pioglitazone
in both nonresponders and responders with
respect to its antidiabetic effect and suggests that
pioglitazone can exert its antiatherogenic effect independently
of its antidiabetic effect
The global catalogue of microorganisms 10K type strain sequencing project: closing the genomic gaps for the validly published prokaryotic and fungi species
Genomic information is essential for taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional studies to comprehensively decipher the characteristics of microorganisms, to explore microbiomes through metagenomics, and to answer fundamental questions of nature and human life. However, large gaps remain in the available genomic sequencing information published for bacterial and archaeal species, and the gaps are even larger for fungal type strains. The Global Catalogue of Microorganisms (GCM) leads an internationally coordinated effort to sequence type strains and close gaps in the genomic maps of microbes. Hence, the GCM aims to promote research by deep-mining genomic data.This work was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program
of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant XDA19050301),
the Bureau of International Cooperation of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences (grants 153211KYSB20160029 and
153211KYSB20150010), the National Key Research Program
of China (grants 2017YFC1201202, 2016YFC1201303, and
2016YFC0901702), the 13th Five-year Informatization Plan of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences (grant XXH13506), and the
National Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China
(grant 31701157).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Gene-environment Interactions in Psychiatric Disorders: Focus on DNA Methylation of the Serotonin Transporter Gene as an Epigenetic Factor
Risk factor analysis for taxane-associated acute pain syndrome under the dexamethasone prophylaxis
Purpose Taxane-associated acute pain syndrome (T-APS) reportedly occurs in approximately 70% of patients undergoing therapy. We have previously reported that additional dexamethasone (DEX) administration attenuates T-APS. The aim of this study was to reveal risk factor(s) associated with the incidence of T-APS under prophylactic DEX administration. Methods In total, 143 patients with breast cancer who received docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) or paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2))-containing treatment regimens were enrolled. DEX (4-8 mg) was orally administered on days 2-4. Risk factors for the incidence of >= G2 and all-grade T-APS, as well as T-APS incidence between taxane-containing regimens in the first cycle, were retrospectively evaluated. Results Approximately 90% of the patients received taxanes for adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Overall, 55% of patients administered 4 mg DEX, whereas 45% received 8 mg DEX. Pegfilgrastim was administered in 27% of patients. Incidence of >= G2 and all-grade T-APS was 23.8%, and 69.2%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that administration of pegfilgrastim is an independent risk factor for the incidence of >= G2 and all-grade T-APS; age younger than 55 years is also a risk factor for all-grade T-APS. Moreover, the incidence of >= G2 and all-grade T-APS was 45.5% and 81.8% in a paclitaxel regimen, and 22.0% and 68.2% in docetaxel-including regimens, respectively, revealing increased tendency with paclitaxel administration, with no significant differences. Conclusion Pegfilgrastim co-administration is an independent risk factor for >= G2 and all-grade T-APS, and age younger than 55 years is a risk factor of all-grade T-APS under prophylactic DEX administration
Aripiprazole and haloperidol suppress excessive dopamine release in the amygdala in response to conditioned fear stress, but show contrasting effects on basal dopamine release in methamphetamine-sensitized rats.
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