発酵肉における香辛料の抗菌効果

Garlic and coriander were examined to determine their antibacterial and promotional activity against various bacteria. By paper disc diffusion, was admitted some inhibition of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Garlic revealed its antibacterial activity against in order of Staphylococcus aureus. Bacillus subtilis. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fragi. While coriander demonstrated an antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis. Sta-phylococcus aureus. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fragi in orderly. Neither spice showed any inhibitory effect against Lactobacillus plantarum and ediococcus pentosaceus. In liquid medium, they promoted the growth of both Lactic acid bacteria cultures, but there was inhibition of the growth of some spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. In beef patties, the addition of both spices resulted in the inhibition of some spoilage bacteria, however, there was activation of the growth of Lactic acid bacteria. The results indicate that the use of garlic and coriander in fermented meat could encourage an optimal fermentation process and depress the presence of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria

リンショウ ケンサ ブンヤ エノ マイクロ チップ デンキ エイドウ ノ オウヨウ

Microfabricated devices are forecast to be fundamental to the postgenome era, especially in the field of genetics and medicine. Microchip electrophoresis has recently attracted much attention in the field of nuclear acid analysis due to the high efficiency, low consumption of sample and reagent, relatively low costs, and ease of operation. DNA fragments are separated by capillary electrophoresis in a microchip with microfabricated channels, with automated detection as well as on-line data evaluation. However, although there are many reports of the use of these instruments to evaluate standard DNA, DNA ladders, PCR products, and commercially available plasmid digests, little information is available their use with biological material. In this report, we showed the accuracy of sizing and quantification of endonuclease-digested pUC118. We also showed the feasibility of onchip endonuclease treatment of pUC118 and subsequent analysis as an additional application for DNA analysis. Furthermore, to evaluate the possibility of microchip electrophoresis for clinical laboratory, the results of the examination of blood glucose in human plasma and mitochondrial membrane potential were shown

Eosinophilic Granuloma in a Patient with Marked Improvements of Social Activity as well as Clinical Manifestations

A twenty-year-old male started to have low-back pain. On X-ray survey, unusual shadows of the right humerus and sacrum were found. An open biopsy confirmed a histological diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma in the 5th lumbal spine and sacrum, followed by the second biopsy of the same diagnosis on the right humerus. A local radiation therapy was performed with 2 Gy for 3 times on the right humerus, along with low-dose continuous cyclophospamide administration for about 17 months. As to pain and performance status (PS) of the patient, there are complete disapperarance of pain and a marked improvement of PS, producing a great success in the therapy and an excellent social life i.e. a good quality of life (QOL) in the present patient

hDbr1 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein with a protein phosphatase-like motif essential for debranching activity.

In higher eukaryotes most genes contain multiple introns. Introns are excised from pre-mRNAs by splicing and eventually degraded in the nucleus. It is likely that rapid intron turnover in the nucleus is important in higher eukaryotes, but this pathway is poorly understood. In order to gain insights into this pathway, we analyzed the human lariat RNA debranching enzyme1 (hDbr1) protein that catalyzes debranching of lariat-intron RNAs. Transfection experiments demonstrate that hDbr1 is localized in a nucleoplasm of HeLa cells through a bipartite type nuclear localization signal near carboxyl-terminus. The conserved GNHE motif, originally identified in protein phosphatase protein family, is critical for hDbr1 to dissolve lariat structure in vitro. Furthermore, heterokaryon experiments show that hDbr1 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein, suggesting novel role(s) of hDbr1 in the cytoplasm

Detection of miRNA in Cell Cultures by Using Microchip Electrophoresis with a Fluorescence-Labeled Riboprobe

The analysis of a microRNA (miRNA), miR-222 isolated from the PC12 cell line, was performed by use of the ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay, cyanine 5 (Cy5)-labeled miR-222 riboprobe, and a Hitachi SV1210 microchip electrophoresis system, which can be used to evaluate the integrity of total RNA. The fluorescence intensity corresponding to the protected RNA fragment increased in a dose-dependent manner with respect to the complementary-strand RNA. More highly sensitive detection of miRNA by microchip electrophoresis than by conventional method using fluorescence-labeled riboprobe could be obtained in 180 s. An obvious increase in miR-222 expression induced by nerve growth factor in PC12 cells could be observed. These results clearly indicate the potential of microchip electrophoresis for the analysis of miRNA using RNase protection assay with a fluorescence-labeled riboprobe

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

Rapid and Highly Sensitive Detection of Malaria-Infected Erythrocytes Using a Cell Microarray Chip

BACKGROUND: Malaria is one of the major human infectious diseases in many endemic countries. For prevention of the spread of malaria, it is necessary to develop an early, sensitive, accurate and conventional diagnosis system. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A cell microarray chip was used to detect for malaria-infected erythrocytes. The chip, with 20,944 microchambers (105 µm width and 50 µm depth), was made from polystyrene, and the formation of monolayers of erythrocytes in the microchambers was observed. Cultured Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7 was used to examine the potential of the cell microarray chip for malaria diagnosis. An erythrocyte suspension in a nuclear staining dye, SYTO 59, was dispersed on the chip surface, followed by 10 min standing to allow the erythrocytes to settle down into the microchambers. About 130 erythrocytes were accommodated in each microchamber, there being over 2,700,000 erythrocytes in total on a chip. A microarray scanner was employed to detect any fluorescence-positive erythrocytes within 5 min, and 0.0001% parasitemia could be detected. To examine the contamination by leukocytes of purified erythrocytes from human blood, 20 µl of whole blood was mixed with 10 ml of RPMI 1640, and the mixture was passed through a leukocyte isolation filter. The eluted portion was centrifuged at 1,000×g for 2 min, and the pellet was dispersed in 1.0 ml of medium. SYTO 59 was added to the erythrocyte suspension, followed by analysis on a cell microarray chip. Similar accommodation of cells in the microchambers was observed. The number of contaminating leukocytes was less than 1 on a cell microarray chip. CONCLUSION: The potential of the cell microarray chip for the detection of malaria-infected erythrocytes was shown, it offering 10-100 times higher sensitivity than that of conventional light microscopy and easy operation in 15 min with purified erythrocytes

Detection Chip for Malaria

Background: Malaria is one of the major human infectious diseases in many endemic countries. For prevention of the spread of malaria, it is necessary to develop an early, sensitive, accurate and conventional diagnosis system. Methods and Findings: A cell microarray chip was used to detect for malaria-infected erythrocytes. The chip, with 20,944 microchambers (105 µm width and 50 µm depth), was made from polystyrene, and the formation of monolayers of erythrocytes in the microchambers was observed. Cultured Plasmodium falciparum strain 3D7 was used to examine the potential of the cell microarray chip for malaria diagnosis. An erythrocyte suspension in a nuclear staining dye, SYTO 59, was dispersed on the chip surface, followed by 10 min standing to allow the erythrocytes to settle down into the microchambers. About 130 erythrocytes were accommodated in each microchamber, there being over 2,700,000 erythrocytes in total on a chip. A microarray scanner was employed to detect any fluorescence-positive erythrocytes within 5 min, and 0.0001% parasitemia could be detected. To examine the contamination by leukocytes of purified erythrocytes from human blood, 20 µl of whole blood was mixed with 10 ml of RPMI 1640, and the mixture was passed through a leukocyte isolation filter. The eluted portion was centrifuged at 1,000×g for 2 min, and the pellet was dispersed in 1.0 ml of medium. SYTO 59 was added to the erythrocyte suspension, followed by analysis on a cell microarray chip. Similar accommodation of cells in the microchambers was observed. The number of contaminating leukocytes was less than 1 on a cell microarray chip. Conclusion: The potential of the cell microarray chip for the detection of malaria-infected erythrocytes was shown, it offering 10–100 times higher sensitivity than that of conventional light microscopy and easy operation in 15 min with purified erythrocytes