Exploring autistic-like traits relating to empathic attitude and psychological distress in hospital pharmacists

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists are expected to play a key role in modern cancer care. Research suggests that an empathic approach and attitude in medical staff improves the quality of patient care. An empathic attitude and psychological distress are thought to be associated with autistic-like traits, but little is known about such traits. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to clarify the associations among autistic-like traits, empathic attitude in a medical context, and psychological health in hospital pharmacists. SETTING: Eligibility criteria for inclusion were certified pharmacists working at hospitals for patient care who returned their questionnaires. METHOD: Eight hundred and twenty-three hospital pharmacists completed a number of self-administered questionnaires anonymously by mail. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Scores were obtained on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, the General Health Questionnaire-12, and subscales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Perspective Taking, IRI-Empathic Concern, IRIPersonal Distress). We performed correlation and mediation analyses to confirm that the empathy and general health questionnaires were associated with autism-spectrum quotient scores, and with each IRI subscale. RESULTS: Complete responses were obtained from 379 pharmacists comprising 151 males (39.8 %) with a mean age of 37.7 ± 10.8 years (missing data, n = 13) and a median of 11 years after qualification as a pharmacist. Autism-Spectrum Quotient scores were inversely correlated with empathy (r = -0.22, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with general health scores (r = 0.40, p < 0.001). In the models with mediation, the inverse correlation between autism-spectrum quotient and empathy scores was mediated indirectly by IRI-Perspective Taking and IRI-Empathic Concern, and the positive correlation between autism-spectrum quotient and general health was mediated indirectly by IRI-Personal Distress. There were also direct effects, with significant effects of autism-spectrum quotient on empathy and general health scores. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that autistic-like traits affect both empathic attitude in a medical context and the psychological health of pharmacists. We recommend that to improve empathy in those with high levels of autistic-like traits, we may need to develop specialized interventions, such as improving communication skills training

カフェイン酸フェネチルエステル（CAPE）がラット象牙芽細胞様細胞のVEGF発現と産生に与える影響

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), the main component of propolis, has various biological activities including anti-inflammatory effect and wound healing promotion. Odontoblasts located in the outermost layer of dental pulp play crucial roles such as production of growth factors and formation of hard tissue termed reparative dentin in host defense against dental caries. In this study, we investigated the effects of CAPE on the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and calcification activities of odontoblasts, leading to development of novel therapy for dental pulp inflammation caused by dental caries. CAPE significantly induced mRNA expression and production of VEGF in rat clonal odontoblast-like KN-3 cells cultured in normal medium or osteogenic induction medium. CAPE treatment enhanced nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor activation, and furthermore, the specific inhibitor of NF-κB significantly reduced VEGF production. The expression of VEGF receptor- (VEGFR-) 2, not VEGFR-1, was up regulated in KN-3 cells treated with CAPE. In addition, VEGF significantly increased mineralization activity in KN-3 cells. These findings suggest that CAPE might be useful as a novel biological material for the dental pulp conservative therapy

When does facial synkinesis develop?

The objective of this study is to clarify when facial palsy patients with lower value of Electroneurography (ENoG) should begin the rehabilitation to prevent the development of facial synkinesis. For this purpose, we examined the relationship between the value of ENoG measured 10-14 days after facial palsy onset and the onset day of the development of oral-ocular synkinesis. Sixteen patients with facial palsy including 11 with Bell’s palsy and 5 with Ramsay Hunt syndrome (7 men and 9 women ; 15-73 years old ; mean age, 41.6 years) were enrolled in this study. There was no correlation between ENoG value and the onset day of the development of oral-ocular synkinesis (ρ = .09, p = .73). Oral-ocular synkinesis began to develop in 4.0 ± 0.7 months (mean ± SD ; range : 3.1-5.0 months) after facial palsy onset regardless of ENoG value. In conclusion, ENoG value cannot predict when facial synkinesis develops in patients with facial palsy. We recommend that facial palsy patients with a high risk for the development of synkinesis begin the biofeedback rehabilitation with mirror to prevent the development of facial synkinesis 3 months after facial palsy onset

ラムゼイ・ハント症候群症例の前庭蝸牛神経MRI造影効果と前庭蝸牛機能障害との関係

Objective: The correlation between enhancement of the vestibulocochlear nerves on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and vestibulocochlear functional deficits was examined in patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS). Methods: Nineteen patients with RHS who showed herpes zoster oticus, peripheral facial palsy, and vertigo were enrolled. Canal paresis (CP) in the caloric test, abnormal response to ocular and cervical vestibular myogenic potentials (oVEMP and cVEMP), and refractory sensorineural hearing loss were evaluated. MRI images perpendicular to the internal auditory canal were reconstructed to identify the superior (SVN) and inferior vestibular nerves (IVN) and the cochlear nerve (CV). The signal intensity increase (SIinc) of the four-nerve enhancement was calculated as an index. Results: Among RHS patients, 79%, 53%, 17% and 26% showed CP in the caloric test, abnormal responses to oVEMP and cVEMP, and refractory sensorineural hearing loss, respectively. SIinc rates of the SVN were significantly increased in RHS patients with CP in the caloric test, and with abnormal responses to oVEMP and cVEMP. SIinc rates of the SVN tended to increase in RHS patients with refractory sensorineural hearing loss ( p = 0.052). SIinc rates of the IVN were significantly increased in RHS patients with abnormal responses to oVEMP and cVEMP, and refractory sensorineural hearing loss, but not in those with CP in the caloric test. SIinc rates of the CN were significantly increased in RHS patients with CP in the caloric test, abnormal response to oVEMP and refractory sensorineural hearing loss, but not in those with abnormal response to cVEMP. Conclusion: In patients with RHS, the origin of vertigo may be superior vestibular neuritis, which is affected by reactive varicella-zoster virus from the geniculate ganglion of the facial nerve through the faciovestibular anastomosis. The results also suggested that in some RHS patients, inferior vestibular neuritis contributes to the development of vertigo and that the origin of refractory sensorineural hearing loss is cochlear neuritis

Decreased circulating branched-chain amino acids are associated with development of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment

BackgroundNutritional epidemiology has shown that inadequate dietary protein intake is associated with poor brain function in the elderly population. The plasma free amino acid (PFAA) profile reflects nutritional status and may have the potential to predict future changes in cognitive function. Here, we report the results of a 2-year interim analysis of a 3-year longitudinal study following mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participants.MethodIn a multicenter prospective cohort design, MCI participants were recruited, and fasting plasma samples were collected. Based on clinical assessment of cognitive function up to 2 years after blood collection, MCI participants were divided into two groups: remained with MCI or reverted to cognitively normal (“MCI-stable,” N = 87) and converted to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (“AD-convert,” N = 68). The baseline PFAA profile was compared between the two groups. Stratified analysis based on apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) allele possession was also conducted.ResultsPlasma concentrations of all nine essential amino acids (EAAs) were lower in the AD-convert group. Among EAAs, three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), valine, leucine and isoleucine, and histidine (His) exhibited significant differences even in the logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and APOE ε4 possession (p &lt; 0.05). In the stratified analysis, differences in plasma concentrations of these four EAAs were more pronounced in the APOE ε4-negative group.ConclusionThe PFAA profile, especially decreases in BCAAs and His, is associated with development of AD in MCI participants, and the difference was larger in the APOE ε4-negative population, suggesting that the PFAA profile is an independent risk indicator for AD development. Measuring the PFAA profile may have importance in assessing the risk of AD conversion in the MCI population, possibly reflecting nutritional status.Clinical trial registration[https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000025322], identifier [UMIN000021965]

HCHL expression in hairy roots of Beta vulgaris yields a high accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (pHBA) glucose ester, and linkage of pHBA into cell walls.

As part of a study to explore the potential for new or modified bio-product formation, Beta vulgaris (sugar beet) has been genetically modified to express in root-organ culture a bacterial gene of phenylpropanoid catabolism. The HCHL gene, encoding p-hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA hydratase/lyase, was introduced into B. vulgaris under the control of a CaMV 35S promoter, using Agrobacterium rhizogenes LBA 9402. Hairy root clones expressing the HCHL gene, together with non-expressing clones, were analysed and revealed that one expression-positive clone accumulated the glucose ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (pHBA) at about 14% on a dry weight basis. This is the best yield achieved in plant systems so far. Determination of cell-wall components liberated by alkaline hydrolysis confirmed that the ratio of pHBA to ferulic acid was considerably higher in the HCHL-expressing clones, whereas only ferulic acid was detected in a non-expressing clone. The change in cell-wall components also resulted in a decrease in tensile strength in the HCHL-expressing clones

Calcineurin Interacts with PERK and Dephosphorylates Calnexin to Relieve ER Stress in Mammals and Frogs

Background: The accumulation of misfolded proteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers a cellular process known as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). One of the earliest responses is the attenuation of protein translation. Little is known about the role that Ca 2+ mobilization plays in the early UPR. Work from our group has shown that cytosolic phosphorylation of calnexin (CLNX) controls Ca 2+ uptake into the ER via the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+-ATPase (SERCA) 2b. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we demonstrate that calcineurin (CN), a Ca 2+ dependent phosphatase, associates with the (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK), and promotes PERK auto-phosphorylation. This association, in turn, increases the phosphorylation level of eukaryotic initiation factor-2 a (eIF2-a) and attenuates protein translation. Data supporting these conclusions were obtained from co-immunoprecipitations, pull-down assays, in-vitro kinase assays, siRNA treatments and [ 35 S]-methionine incorporation measurements. The interaction of CN with PERK was facilitated at elevated cytosolic Ca 2+ concentrations and involved the cytosolic domain of PERK. CN levels were rapidly increased by ER stressors, which could be blocked by siRNA treatments for CN-Aa in cultured astrocytes. Downregulation of CN blocked subsequent ER-stress-induced increases in phosphorylated elF2-a. CN knockdown in Xenopus oocytes predisposed them to induction of apoptosis. We also found that CLNX was dephosphorylated by CN when Ca 2+ increased. These data were obtained from [c 32 P]-CLN

ショヒョウ ヨシムラノリコ チョ ウィリアム ド モーガン ト ヴィクトリアン アート

淡交社，2017年４

ショヒョウ ヨシムラノリコ チョ ウィリアム ド モーガン ト ヴィクトリアン アート

淡交社，2017年４