Publications by authors named "Hiroaki Okano"

Liquid marble (LM), a non-stick drop coated with micro- or nano-scale particles, has great potential in a wide range of applications. LMs have an advantageous feature in which gas or vapor can freely transport through their particle shell; therefore, it makes them an ideal candidate to be utilized as microbioreactor containing aerobic microorganisms. In this study, safer and more biocompatible LMs were successfully prepared using a food-grade calcium stearate microparticle as a stabilizer.

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Background: A high level of house dust mite (HDM) allergens in a living environment is a risk factor for both sensitization to these allergens and asthmatic attacks. We previously showed that plasma cluster ions (PCIs) impaired the IgE-binding capacity of atomized crude allergens prepared from Japanese cedar pollen and fungus under experimental conditions.

Objective: We evaluated the capacity of PCIs to impair the IgE-binding capacity of airborne HDM allergens under a simulated indoor environmental condition.

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Mite antigens play important roles in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). We recently developed a novel air cleaner (KC-850U) using charged plasma cluster ions to eliminate a variety of allergens from house environments. The present work demonstrates the ability of KC-850U to decrease the symptoms of AD induced by mite allergens.

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