Aromatic oil from lavender as an atopic dermatitis suppressant

In atopic dermatitis (AD), nerves are abnormally stretched near the surface of the skin, making it sensitive to itching. Expression of neurotrophic factor Artemin (ARTN) involved in such nerve stretching is induced by the xenobiotic response (XRE) to air pollutants and UV radiation products. Therefore, AD can be monitored by the XRE response. Previously, we established a human keratinocyte cell line stably expressing a NanoLuc reporter gene downstream of XRE. We found that 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), a tryptophan metabolite and known inducer of the XRE, increased reporter and Artemin mRNA expression, indicating that FICZ-treated cells could be a model for AD. Lavender essential oil has been used in folk medicine to treat AD, but the scientific basis for its use is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of lavender essential oil and its major components, linalyl acetate and linalool, to suppress AD and sensitize skin using the established AD model cell line, and keratinocyte and dendritic cell activation assays. Our results indicated that lavender essential oil from L. angustifolia and linalyl acetate exerted a strong AD inhibitory effect and almost no skin sensitization. Our model is useful in that it can circumvent the practice of using animal studies to evaluate AD medicines

Three-dimensional nanoscale analysis of light-dependent organelle changes in Arabidopsis mesophyll cells

一つの植物細胞を丸ごと3次元で再現 --光依存的なオルガネラの変化をナノスケールで探る--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-10-19.Different organelles function coordinately in numerous intracellular processes. Photorespiration incidental to photosynthetic carbon fixation is organized across three subcellular compartments: chloroplasts, peroxisomes, and mitochondria. Under light conditions, these three organelles often form a ternary organellar complex in close proximity, suggesting a connection with metabolism during photorespiration. However, due to the heterogeneity of intercellular organelle localization and morphology, organelles' responses to changes in the external environment remain poorly understood. Here we used array tomography by field emission scanning electron microscopy to image organelles inside the whole plant cell at nanometer resolution, generating a three-dimensional (3D) spatial map of the light-dependent positioning of chloroplasts, peroxisomes, nuclei, and vacuoles. Our results show, in light-treated cells, the volume of peroxisomes increased, and mitochondria were simplified. In addition, the population of free organelles decreased, and the ternary complex centered on chloroplasts increased. Moreover, our results emphasized the expansion of the proximity area rather than the increase in the number of proximity sites inter-organelles. All of these phenomena were quantified for the first time on the basis of nanoscale spatial maps. In summary, we provide the first 3D reconstruction of Arabidopsis mesophyll cells, together with nanoscale quantified organelle morphology and their positioning via proximity areas, and then evidence of their light-dependent changes

トラウマ ノ コウゾウカ カイジ ガ ガイショウゴ ストレス ハンノウ ト ワーキング メモリ ヨウリョウ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ : ガイショウゴ ストレス ショウガイ ノ ニンチ モデル ニ モトズク ケントウ

The purpose of this study was to compare health and cognitive functioning among disclosure structured to enhance the cognitive restructuring (i.e. structured disclosure), disclosure about emotions and thoughts freely (i.e. free disclosure), and neutral disclosure conditions. Healthy undergraduates (n=41) at 9 or more scores of Impact of Event Scale (IES) , which measures posttraumatic stress reactions (PTSR), were participants. All the participants were asked to write for 20 minutes on 3 days. Participants in the structured disclosure group (n=14) were asked to write adaptive thought of the event. The free disclosure group (n=13) wrote the deepest emotion and thought about the trauma freely. The control group (n=14) wrote their plan after the experiment without emotion. Results indicated that only the structured disclosure condition evidenced significantly increased working memory capacity (WMC), measured by operation span task, from pre assessment to 1month follow-up assessment. All the participants in the groups revealed significantly improvement in IES score from pre assessment to 1 month follow-up assessment. It is suggested that structured disclosure increases cognitive functioning

ネガティブ カンジョウ タイケン ノ コウゾウカ カイジ ガ シンシン キノウ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ : メタ ニンチ ノ カンテン カラ ノ メカニズム ケントウ

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of structured disclosure to enhance cognitive reappraisal of negative emotional experience on health and working memory in a Japanese sample, and to investigate the effects of the structured disclosure in those who can “keep away from thinking and emotion” (distancing). The participants were 75 undergraduates. They were randomly assigned to structured disclosure (n=25), free disclosure, which was developed by Pennebaker, J. W. (n=25), and control groups (n=25). They were asked to disclose through writing for 20 minutes on 3 days. It is suggested that the structured disclosure may improve physical symptoms, because there was a significant trend in interaction between groups and time periods on physical symptoms, and effect size of the structured group was modest. Though all the participants in the groups revealed significantly improvements in other health measures and score of working memory from pre to 2 week, 1 month, and 3 month follow-up assessment times, no interaction effects were obtained. It is showed that those who could keep away from thinking and emotion while writing (high-distanced) can significantly improve scores of posttraumatic stress reactions and pain of the negative emotional experience than those who could not do so (low-distanced). These results and the mechanism of the disclosure were discussed from the view point of metacognition

Overview of polar exhibit tanks and List of the creatures in house

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions : [OB] Polar Biology, Wed. 4 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) , National Institute of Polar Researc

トラウマ タイケン ノ ウム ト ソノ コウゾウカ カイジ ガ シンシン キノウ ニ オヨボス エイキョウ

The purposes of this study were to compare health, cognitive functioning, and negative rumination between individuals who have experienced trauma and those who do not, and to examine the effect of structured disclosure of trauma on posttraumatic stress reactions (PTSR), health, and cognitive functioning. In Study Ⅰ, participants were 24 undergraduates at 9 or more scores of Impact of Event Scale(IES), which measures PTSR(the trauma group), and 15 undergraduates with no trauma (the no trauma group). Results showed that the trauma group was more unhealthy and ruminative than the no trauma group. In Study Ⅱ, participants in the trauma group were randomly assigned into three groups: the structured disclosure group(n=9), the free disclosure group(n=8), and the control group(n=7). Participants in the structured disclosure group were asked to write adaptive thought of the event. The free disclosure group wrote the deepest emotion and thought about the trauma freely. The control group wrote their plan after the experiment without emotion. Results showed that all the participants in the groups revealed significantly improvement in PTSR, mental health, and cognitive functioning from pre assessment to 1 month follow-up assessment. Results of this study were discussed in connection with previous studies

Developmental changes and organelle biogenesis in the reproductive organs of thermogenic skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius)

Sex-dependent thermogenesis during reproductive organ development in the inflorescence is a characteristic feature of some of the protogynous arum species. One such plant, skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus renifolius), can produce massive heat during the female stage but not during the subsequent male stage in which the stamen completes development, the anthers dehisce, and pollen is released. Unlike other thermogenic species, skunk cabbage belongs to the bisexual flower group. Although recent studies have identified the spadix as the thermogenic organ, it remains unclear how individual tissues or intracellular structures are involved in thermogenesis. In this study, reproductive organ development and organelle biogenesis were examined during the transition from the female to the male stage. During the female stage, the stamens exhibit extensive structural changes including changes in organelle structure and density. They accumulate high levels of mitochondrial proteins, including possible thermogenic factors, alternative oxidase, and uncoupling protein. By contrast, the petals and pistils do not undergo extensive changes during the female stage. However, they contain a larger number of mitochondria than during the male stage in which they develop large cytoplasmic vacuoles. Comparison between female and male spadices suggests that mitochondrial number rather than their level of activity correlates with thermogenesis. Their spadices, even in the male, contain a larger amount of mitochondria that had greater oxygen consumption, compared with non-thermogenic plants. Taken together, our data suggest that the extensive maturation process in stamens produces massive heat through increased metabolic activities. The possible mechanisms by which petal and pistil metabolism may affect thermogenesis are also discussed

VISUAL-CC system uncovers the role of GSK3 as an orchestrator of vascular cell type ratio in plants

The phloem transports photosynthetic assimilates and signalling molecules. It mainly consists of sieve elements (SEs), which act as "highways" for transport, and companion cells (CCs), which serve as "gates" to load/unload cargos. Though SEs and CCs function together, it remains unknown what determines the ratio of SE/CC in the phloem. Here we develop a new culture system for CC differentiation in Arabidopsis named VISUAL-CC, which almost mimics the process of the SE-CC complex formation. Comparative expression analysis in VISUAL-CC reveals that SE and CC differentiation tends to show negative correlation, while total phloem differentiation is unchanged. This varying SE/CC ratio is largely dependent on GSK3 kinase activity. Indeed, gsk3 hextuple mutants possess many more SEs and fewer CCs, whereas gsk3 gain-of-function mutants partially increase the CC number. Taken together, GSK3 activity appears to function as a cell-fate switch in the phloem, thereby balancing the SE/CC ratio. Tamaki et al. develop VISUAL-CC to study SE-CC (sieve elements-companion cells) complex formation. They show that the balance in the SE/CC ratio is dependent on GSK3 activity using different genetic backgrounds. Their work provides insights on the role of GSK3 as a cell-fate switch in the phloem.Peer reviewe

Biosynthesis and Release of Methylarsenic Compounds During the Growth of Freshwater Algae

金沢大学工学部Arsenic transformations by freshwater algae have been studied under laboratory conditions. By the use of a new analytical method, we identified methylarsenic(III) species in the growth medium of green-alga Closterium aciculare incubated under axenic conditions. The arsenate concentration in the experimental medium began to decrease just after inoculation, and the levels of arsenite and methylarsenicals increased with the growth of C. aciculare. Initially, most of the arsenate was converted into arsenite, which peaked in concentration during the exponential phase. Methylarsenicals accumulated rapidly in the stationary phase. DMAA(V) production was enhanced when the ratio of phosphate to arsenate decreased in the culture medium. The levels of DMAA(V) increased continuously toward the end of the experiment. On the other hand, methylarsenic(III) species remained relatively steady during the stationary phase. Methylarsenic(III) species accounted for 0-35% of methylarsenicals. These results suggest that arsenite and methylarsenicals (containing methylarsenic(III) species) are supplied by phytoplankton, and serve as evidence of the origin of methylarsenic(III) species in natural waters. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd