The effects of negatively-charged air conditions were analyzed as one of the approaches to improve health and quality of life. We previously reported that the use of a charcoal coating and ...application of an electric voltage yielded predominantly negatively-charged particles in an experimental room, and that 2.5 hours of living in these conditions caused a slight activation of the immune system (slight elevation of serum interleukin (IL)-2), regulated blood flow, and stabilized the autonomic nervous system when compared with control conditions (no dominance of negatively-charged particles). In this study, we expanded the previous study and placed 15 subjects in negatively-charged air conditions for two weeks during the night and analyzed various biological parameters. Although individual biological reactions differed from subject to subject, natural killer (NK) cell activity increased significantly following living in negatively-charged air conditions. Taken together, the results of the previous investigation and those of this study show that repeated elevation of IL-2 (although it immediately returned to the baseline level) causes chronic and recurrent stimulation to NK cells and results in the steady activation of NK cells. Negatively-charged air particles may be a good tool to improve health and quality of life.
Against increasing environmental adverse effects on human health such as those associated with water and ground pollution, as well as out- and indoor air conditions, trials were conducted to support ...and promote human health by improving the indoor air atmosphere. This study was performed to estimate the effect of negatively-charged air conditions on human biological markers related to the psycho-neuro-endocrino-immune (PNEI) network.
After construction of negatively-charged experimental rooms (NCRs), healthy volunteers were admitted to these rooms and control rooms (CTRs) and various biological responses were analyzed.
NCRs were constructed using a fine charcoal coating and applying an electric voltage (72 V) between the backside of walls and the ground. Various biological markers were monitored that related to general conditions, autonomic nervous systems, stress markers, immunological parameters and blood flow.
Regarding the indoor environment, only negatively-charged air resulted in the difference between the CTR and NCR groups. The well-controlled experimental model-room to examine the biological effects of negatively-charged air was therefore established. Among the various parameters, IL-2, IL-4, the mean RR interval of the heart rate, and blood viscosity differed significantly between the CTR and NCR groups. In addition, the following formula was used to detect NCR-biological responses: Biological Response Value (BRV)
=
0.498
+
0.0005 salivary cortisol
+
0.072 IL-2
+
0.003 HRM-SD
−
0.013 blood viscosity
−
0.009 blood sugar
+
0.017 pulse rate.
Negatively-charged air conditions activated the immune system slightly, smoothened blood flow and stabilized the autonomic nervous system. Although this is the first report to analyze negatively-charged air conditions on human biological responses, the long-term effects should be analyzed for the general use of these artificial atmospheres.
As N-glycosylation of tumor cell surface proteins affects metastasis of the cells, it was considered that the suppression of metastasis by staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, is partly ...caused by changes in N-glycosylation. To examine this possibility, we studied the glycosylation of membrane proteins of SW480 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells before and after treatment with staurosporine by lectin blot analysis. The results showed that the reactivity of leuko-agglutinating phytohemagglutinin and
Datura stramonium agglutinin, both of which bind to highly branched N-linked oligosaccharides characteristic of cancer cells, decreases significantly in the staurosporine-treated cells. In accordance with this, the gene expression of the N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V, which synthesizes the GlcNAcβ1
→
6 branch of highly branched N-linked oligosaccharides decreased by 30–40% in the drug-treated cells. Since a decrease in the lectin binding was found in several glycoproteins including fibronectin (FN)-receptor, effect of the changes in N-glycosylation of the cells on cell adhesion to FN-matrix was examined. The results showed that the number of cells attached to FN-matrix increases upon treatment of the cells with staurosporine, indicating that the change of N-glycosylation of the FN-receptor promotes cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix, which may lead to the suppression of metastasis of cancer cells.
Rapid senescence was induced into human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells by transforming growth factor-β1. Lectin blot analysis of membrane glycoprotein samples showed that the binding of
Ricinus ...communis agglutinin-I to protein bands increased markedly while those of other lectins together with protein components did not change significantly with senescence. This indicates that the β-1,4-galactosylation of N-linked oligosaccharides is stimulated by rapid senescence. Analysis of the enzymatic background of senescence showed 1.5 times higher β-1,4-galactosyltransferase (β-1,4-GalT) activity and 2–5 times higher expression levels of β-1,4-GalT II, III, V, and VI genes are associated with rapid senescence. Incubation of the cells on RCA-I-coated plates in the absence of fetal calf serum showed that the viability of the senescent cells is half that of the control cells. Therefore, it is hypothesized that galactose residues expressed by rapid senescent can induce a lethal signal in cells if they interact with appropriate receptors.
Primary prevention of premature death is a public health concern worldwide. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been described as potential diagnostic biomarkers for diseases as cancer and ...cardiovascular disease (CVD). This case-cohort study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between circulating miRNAs and the risk of premature death. A total of 39,242 subjects provided baseline serum samples in 1988-1990. Of these, 345 subjects who died of intrinsic disease (< 65 years old) and for which measurable samples were available were included in this study. We randomly selected a sub-cohort of 879 subjects. Circulatring miR-21, miR-29a, and miR-126 were determined using qRT-PCR. Conditional logistic regression models were used to analyse the data with respect to stratified miRNA levels. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that subjects with high circulating miR-21 and miR-29a individual levels had a significantly higher risk of total death, cancer death, and CVD death than those with medium miR-21 and miR-29a individual levels. Conversely, subjects with low circulating miR-126 levels had a significantly higher risk of total death than those with medium levels. This suggests that circulating miRNAs are associated with the risk of premature death from cancer and CVD, identifying them as potential biomarkers for early detection of high-risk individuals.
The indicators of healthy life expectancy that are used in the national health promotion program Health Japan 21 (the second term) are the "average period of time spent without limitation in daily ...activities," "average period of time individuals consider themselves as healthy," and "average period of time spent without requiring assistance for activities of daily living." It has been confirmed that there are large differences in definitions and calculation methods among these three indicators. From 2010 to 2019 (the evaluation period for achieving the target of healthy life expectancy), the expected number of healthy years for each indicator increased nationwide. The expected number of unhealthy years for the "average period of time spent without requiring assistance for activities of daily living" increased slightly; however, those for the other two indicators decreased. The definitions and calculation methods of the indicators, and their nationwide trends from 2010 to 2019 are important for interpreting healthy life expectancy at the prefecture and municipality levels.
Objectives: Employment support for working age people with disease is important. We investigated the intention to work among outpatients with malignant neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, and ...cerebrovascular disease.Methods: We used anonymous data from the 2007, 2010, and 2013 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan, a self-administered nationwide questionnaire survey. Data for 154,445 participants (76,059 men and 78,386 women) aged 20–64 years were analyzed using logistic regression models adjusted for covariates.Results: The number of outpatients with malignant neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease was 851, 1,037, and 716, respectively. The adjusted odds ratio for not working in people with the intention to work was significantly higher among outpatients with the three diseases than among non-outpatients, for both men and women. The adjusted odds ratio for intention to seek permanent work in unemployed people with the intention to work was lower among outpatients with cerebrovascular disease than among non-outpatients for men (p=0.093), and was significantly higher among outpatients with malignant neoplasms than among non-outpatients for women (p=0.007).Conclusions: This study identified a high proportion of unemployed people with the intention to work among outpatients with these three diseases, and suggests that there are disease-associated differences in employment type sought.
The effect of natural disasters on secondary sex ratio (SSR) and perinatal outcomes has been suggested. This study aimed to examine effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on perinatal outcomes ...using vital statistics of Japan.
Birth registration data from vital statistics of Japan between March 2010 and March 2012 were used. Pregnant women who experienced the earthquake were categorized according to their gestational period as of March 11, 2011, as follows: gestational weeks 4-11, 12-19, 20-27, and 28-36 (2011 group). Similarly, pregnant women who did not experience the earthquake were categorized according to their gestational period as of March 11, 2010 and used as controls (2010 group). We also categorized prefectures as "extremely affected", "moderately affected", and "slightly or unaffected" regions. SSR, birth weight, and gestational period were compared between both groups.
The number of singleton births was 688,479 in the 2010 group and 679,131 in the 2011 group. In the extremely affected region, the SSR among women at 4-11 weeks of gestation was significantly lower in the 2011 group compared with the 2010 group (49.8% vs 52.1%, P = 0.009). In the extremely affected region, children born to women who experienced the earthquake at 28-36 weeks of gestation had significantly lower birth weights.
The SSR declined among women who experienced the earthquake during early pregnancy, particularly in the extremely affected region. However, no apparent negative effect of the earthquake on perinatal outcomes was observed, although birth weight of infants who were born to women who experienced the earthquake at 28-36 weeks of gestation were lower.
Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disease primarily characterized by inflammation in the salivary and lacrimal glands. Activated T cells contribute to disease pathogenesis by producing ...proinflammatory cytokines, which leads to a positive feedback loop establishment. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of secreted factors derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) or bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) on hyposalivation in SS and to investigate the mechanism involved.
Eighty percent confluent stem cells were replenished with serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and incubated for 48 h; following which, conditioned media from DPSCs (DPSC-CM) and BMMSCs (BMMSC-CM) were collected. Cytokine array analysis was performed to assess the types of cytokines present in the media. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to evaluate the number of activated T cells cultured in DPSC-CM or BMMSC-CM. Subsequently, DPSC-CM or BMMSC-CM was administered to an SS mouse model. The mice were categorized into the following groups (n = 6 each): non-treatment, Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (-), BMMSC-CM, and DPSC-CM. Histological analysis of the salivary glands was performed. The gene and protein expression levels of cytokines associated with T helper subsets in the submandibular glands (SMGs) were evaluated.
DPSC-CM contained more secreted factors with tissue-regenerating mechanisms, such as cell proliferation, anti-inflammatory effects, and immunomodulatory effects. DPSC-CM was more effective in suppressing the activated T cells than other groups in the flow cytometric analysis. The stimulated salivary flow rate increased in SS mice with DPSC-CM compared with that in the other groups. In addition, the number of inflammation sites in SMGs of the mice administered with DPSC-CM was lower than that in the other groups. The expression levels of interleukin (Il)-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 were upregulated in the DPSC-CM group, whereas those of Il-4 and Il-17a were downregulated. The DPSC-CM-administered group presented with a significantly increased percentage of regulatory T (Treg) cells and a significantly decreased percentage of type 17 Th (Th17) cells compared with the other groups.
These results indicated that DPSC-CM ameliorated SS by promoting Treg cell differentiation and inhibiting Th17 cell differentiation in the mouse spleen.
The resistivities of P+-implanted 4H-SiC samples, each prepared at different implantation and annealing temperatures, were measured using terahertz time-domain spectroscopic ellipsometry and compared ...with the results of the previously reported Raman spectra. The 4H-SiC samples of one group were implanted with P+ at 30 °C, 150 °C, 300 °C, and 500 °C, respectively, and annealed at 1600 °C. The resistivity was found to be approximately 8 mΩ·cm for the samples implanted at 30 and 150 °C and approximately 2 mΩ·cm for the remaining two samples. The 4H-SiC samples of the other group were implanted at 500 °C followed by annealing at 1200 °C, 1400 °C, 1600 °C, and 1800 °C, respectively. The resistivity was measured as 10 mΩ·cm for the sample annealed at 1200 °C and 3.0−1.8 mΩ·cm for the remaining three samples. These resistivity values are correlated with the Raman peak widths that reflect the lattice disorder.
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