Non-contact sensor module for rapid detection of extravasation during intravenous drug administration.

Intravenous drug administration delivers medication directly into the bloodstream, providing rapid and controlled effects, making it highly beneficial for emergencies or when immediate drug action is required. However, several risks are associated with intravenous drug administration, including infiltration and extravasation, which can lead to serious complications due to the rapid absorption of medication to the surrounding tissues. To prevent complications, here we proposed a non-contact sensor module to rapidly detect such events.

Degranulation and expression of cytokines were modulated by diazinon in activated mast cells.

Diazinon is an organophosphorus (OP) insecticides used in agriculture, home gardening and indoor pest control in Japan. It can activate macrophages and induce pro-inflammatory responses and has been reported to cause airway hyper-reactivity, suggesting the possibility of asthma exacerbation from exposure to OP insecticides. Despite the correlation between insecticide use and the pathogenesis of allergic diseases, there have been no reports on the effects of diazinon on mast cell function.

BRAF promotes anchorage-independent growth but inhibits anchorage-dependent growth in hTERT/Cdk4-Immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cells.

Certain oncogenes, including mutant RAS and BRAF, induce a type of senescence known as oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) in normal cells in a cell-type-specific manner. OIS serves as a barrier to transformation by activated oncogenes. Our previous studies showed that mutant KRAS did not efficiently induce OIS in an hTERT/Cdk4-immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line (HBEC3), but it did enhance both anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent growth.

Decrease in cholesterol in the cell membrane is essential for Nrf2 activation by quercetin.

Quercetin is a flavonoid with various cytoprotective effects. We previously reported that quercetin exerts anti-allergic, anti-oxidative, and anti-fibrotic activities via the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1. However, the mechanisms by which quercetin induces HO-1 to exhibit cytoprotective effects are poorly understood.

Correlation of theophylline levels in rat exhaled breath and lung tissue after its intravenous injection.

It is important to know the drug level in the target tissue to determine its dose. Some methods rely on blood levels of a drug to estimate its concentration in the tissues, which can be inaccurate. We thought that drug levels in exhaled breath aerosol (EBA) to give a more accurate value of the level of a test drug in the lung.

Resistance to mutant KRAS-induced senescence in an hTERT/Cdk4-immortalized normal human bronchial epithelial cell line.

Mutant KRAS, the most frequently occurring (∼30%) driver oncogene in lung adenocarcinoma, induces normal epithelial cells to undergo senescence. This phenomenon, called "oncogene-induced senescence (OIS)", prevents mutant KRAS-induced malignant transformation. We have previously reported that mutant KRAS induces OIS in a subset of normal human bronchial epithelial cell line immortalized with hTERT and Cdk4.

Miniaturization of Respiratory Measurement System in Artificial Ventilator for Small Animal Experiments to Reduce Dead Space and Its Application to Lung Elasticity Evaluation.

A respiratory measurement system composed of pressure and airflow sensors was introduced to precisely control the respiratory condition during animal experiments. The flow sensor was a hot-wire thermal airflow meter with a directional detection and airflow temperature change compensation function based on MEMS technology, and the pressure sensor was a commercially available one also produced by MEMS. The artificial dead space in the system was minimized to the value of 0.

Involvement of heme oxygenase-1 in suppression of T cell activation by quercetin.

Aim: Acute rejection is still a major problem in transplantation and one of the most important causes of late graft loss. Cyclosporine and tacrolimus are widely used for suppression of T cell function to avoid graft rejection, but long-term use of these compounds is associated with serious toxicities. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables, has been demonstrated to exhibit cytoprotective effects through the induction of heme oxygenase (HO) -1, an enzyme involved in heme catabolism.

Mouse NC/Jic strain provides novel insights into host genetic factors for malaria research.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and is one of the most life-threatening infectious diseases in humans. Infection can result in severe complications such as cerebral malaria, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, and acute renal injury. These complications are mainly caused by P.

Modulation of immunological activity on macrophages induced by diazinon.

Diazinon is an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide and is widely used not only in agriculture but also homes and garden in Japan. Diazinon has been reported to increase TNF-α production in rat serum and brain, suggesting that it can modify the proinflammatory response. In this study, we investigated the effects of diazinon on macrophage functions, such as cytokine production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expressions, cell-surface molecule expressions, and phagocytosis in RAW264.

The Suppressive Effect of Quercetin on Toll-Like Receptor 7-Mediated Activation in Alveolar Macrophages.

Respiratory viral infections that cause chronic airway and lung disease can result in the activation of the innate immune response. Alveolar macrophages (AMs), one of the first lines of defense in the lung, are abundantly located in alveoli and the respiratory tract. Flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables exhibit cytoprotective effects on various cell types.

Protective effects of intratracheally administered quercetin on lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury.

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can result in a life-threatening form of respiratory failure, and established, effective pharmacotherapies are therefore urgently required. Quercetin is one of the most common flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables, and has potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. Quercetin has been demonstrated to exhibit cytoprotective effects through the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1.

Detection of loci for allergic asthma using SMXA recombinant inbred strains of mice.

Asthma is regarded as a multifactorial inflammatory disorder arising as a result of inappropriate immune responses in genetically susceptible individuals to common environmental antigens. However, the precise molecular basis is unknown. To identify genes for susceptibility to three asthma-related traits, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), eosinophil infiltration, and allergen-specific serum IgE levels, we conducted a genetic analysis using SMXA recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice.

Quercetin protects against pulmonary oxidant stress via heme oxygenase-1 induction in lung epithelial cells.

The lung is a primary target for oxygen toxicity because of its constant exposure to high oxygen levels and environmental oxidants. Quercetin is one of the most commonly found dietary flavonoids, and it provides cytoprotective actions via activation of specific transcriptional factors and upregulation of endogenous defensive pathways. In the present study, we showed that quercetin increased the levels of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression and protected against hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cytotoxicity in lung epithelial cell lines.

CD40/CD40 ligand interactions in immune responses and pulmonary immunity.

The CD40 ligand/CD40 pathway is widely recognized for its prominent role in immune regulation and homeostasis. CD40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, is expressed by antigen-presenting cells, as well as non-immune cells and tumors. The engagement of the CD40 and CD40 ligands, which are transiently expressed on T cells and other non-immune cells under inflammatory conditions, regulates a wide spectrum of molecular and cellular processes, including the initiation and progression of cellular and humoral adaptive immunity.

Comparison of salivary cortisol, heart rate, and oxygen saturation between early skin-to-skin contact with different initiation and duration times in healthy, full-term infants.

Background: There are few studies that compare the physiological and biological efficacies between different early skin-to-skin contacts (SSC) post birth.

Aim: To investigate physiologically and biochemically how early SSC with different initiation and duration time influence the stress post birth for full-term infants.

Study Design: Non-experimental study.

Attenuation of transforming growth factor-β-stimulated collagen production in fibroblasts by quercetin-induced heme oxygenase-1.

Quercetin is a flavonoid with a wide variety of cytoprotective and modulatory functions. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an inducible enzyme. Its reaction product, carbon monoxide (CO), confers cellular protection in a number of conditions and diseases associated with oxidative or inflammatory lung injury.

Ghrelin and obestatin promote the allergic action in rat peritoneal mast cells as basic secretagogues.

Ghrelin is an endogenous ligand of the type 1a growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR1a) that regulates energy balance. Ghrelin and obestatin, derived from the post-translational processing of preproghrelin, are involved in a diverse range of biological activities, yet their effect on the immune system is not fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the roles of ghrelin and obestatin on mast cell degranulation and found that both ghrelin and obestatin induce the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells.

Hemoglobin induces the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in dendritic cells through the activation of PI3K, PKC, and NF-kappaB and the generation of reactive oxygen species.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the kynurenine (Kyn) pathway of tryptophan (Trp) metabolism. IDO is immunosuppressive and is induced by inflammation in macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Previous studies have shown the serum Kyn/Trp levels in patients with hemolytic anemia to be notably high.

Peptide array-based analysis of the specific IgE and IgG4 in cow's milk allergens and its use in allergy evaluation.

Cow's milk (CM) is one of the major causes of food allergies in children. We constructed a peptide array consisting of a linear 16-mer peptide library with an offset of 3-mer, which corresponds to the primary sequences of six major CM allergens. The immune reactivity to cow's milk proteins diminishes with age and clinical tolerance commonly occurs.

Heme oxygenase-1 mediates the anti-allergic actions of quercetin in rodent mast cells.

Objective And Design: We investigated the involvement of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the anti-allergic action of quercetin against degranulation of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells, rat peritoneal mast cells, and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells.

Methods: The strength of allergic reaction was evaluated by the extent of degranulation in mast cells sensitized with various stimulants. The levels of HO-1, HO-2, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expressions were determined by quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting, or immunocytochemistry.

Development of peptide arrays for detection of IgE-binding epitopes in cow's milk allergens.

Peptide arrays have become versatile tools for high throughput screening assays in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. In this study, we constructed a peptide array that contained linear peptide fragments reported as IgE-binding epitopes for cow's milk allergy (CMA). Various peptides with different solubility in aqueous solutions were dissolved in the buffer solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulfate, and we achieved a consistent spotting of peptide solutions using a piezoelectric ceramic micropump.

Involvement of heme oxygenase-1 in kaempferol-induced anti-allergic actions in RBL-2H3 cells.

Kaempferol is one of the most commonly found dietary flavonoids. The exposure to kaempferol is known to inhibit degranulation from mast cells, but the inhibitory mechanism of degranulation has not been clarified yet. In this study, we investigated the involvement of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the anti-allergic action of kaempferol against degranulation in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells.

The expression of mRNA for calcitonin receptor-like receptor/receptor-activity modifying proteins in rat peritoneal mast cells.

Adrenomedullin is a hypotensive peptide secreted from various cells. Recently, we found that adrenomedullin, but not calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), stimulates histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells. In the present studies, we investigated the expression of mRNA for calcitonin-receptor-like receptor (CRLR) and receptor-activity modifying proteins (RAMPs), the components of proposed adrenomedullin receptors, in rat peritoneal mast cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Increased plasma concentration and brain penetration of methamphetamine in behaviorally sensitized rats.

Exposure to methamphetamine causes behavioral sensitization in experimental animals. However, the precise mechanism of this behavioral sensitization has not yet been fully elucidated. Accordingly, we evaluated the pharmacokinetic properties of methamphetamine in rats behaviorally sensitized to methamphetamine following its repeated administration (6 mg/kg, i.