Yoshiaki Sugawara

Prefectural University of Hiroshima · Department of Health Science

In our previous studies, we examined the relationship between changes in mood, verbal (semantic) behavior, and non-verbal (skin temperature) activity induced by inhalation of essential oil fragrances , as well as linalool and its enantiomers. Sensory evaluation was a key component of these studies. We have found that perceived sensory attributes re...

To elucidate the psychophysiological effect of inhaling essential oils, in this paper, we sought to assess the following 12 essential oils: basil, bergamot, cardamom, cinnamon, juniper, lemon, orange, palmarosa, peppermint, sandalwood, spearmint, and ylang ylang. As these being target odors, we focused on the verbal (semantic) and non-verbal (skin...

Sensory evaluation is used to measure consciousness, and primarily developed in experimental and mathematical psychology. Sensory experiences can be reported using verbal (semantic) me-thods. This paper presents an overview of our semantic research achievements over the past dec-ade, focusing on methodological attempts for substantiating the measur...

Humans can detect and discriminate a vast number of odours. The number perceived as distinguishable is estimated to be more than ten thousand. Humans are capable of distinguishing even slight alterations in the structure of an odorous molecule. A pair of enantiomers of an odorant, which possess the same molecular structures except for the chiral po...

The human hemoglobin (Hb) molecule (α2β2) has two types of α-β interface (i.e., α1-β1 [and α2β2] and α1-β1 [and α2-β2]). The latter α1-β2 (and α2-β1) interface is associated with cooperative O2 binding, and exhibits principal roles if the molecule goes from its deoxygenated to oxygenated quaternary structure. The role of the former α1β1(and α2β2) i...

Cellular life is reliant upon rapid and efficient responses to internal and external conditions. The basic molecular events associated with these processes are the structural transitions of the proteins (structural protein allostery) involved. From this view, the human hemoglobin (Hb) molecule (alpha(2)beta(2)) holds a special position in this fiel...

The endangered anuran species, Odorrana ishikawae, is endemic to only two small Japanese Islands, Amami and Okinawa. To assess the innate immune system in this frog, we investigated antimicrobial peptides in the skin using artificially bred animals. Nine novel antimicrobial peptides containing the C-terminal cyclic heptapeptide domain were isolated...

Heinz bodies are intraerythrocytic inclusions of hemichrome formed as a result of hemoglobin (Hb) oxidation. They typically develop in aged red cells. Based on the hypothesis that hemichrome formation is an innate characteristic of physiologically normal Hb molecules, we present an overview of our previous findings regarding the molecular instabili...

This paper is an overview of our recent findings obtained by the use of human senses as sensors, suggesting that human senses might be indispensable sensors, not only for practical uses but also for gaining a deeper understanding of humans. From this point of view, two kinds of studies, both based on semantic responses of participants, deserve emph...

Normal serum from the hagfish Eptatretus burgeri strongly enhanced the phagocytic activity of homologous peritoneal macrophages against rabbit erythrocytes (RRBC). Such phagocytosis was effectively but incompletely inhibited by rabbit antibodies against hagfish C3 (HC3). However, when RRBC were pretreated with purified HC3 or normal hagfish serum i...

We attempted to examine the relationship between mood change, odour and its physiological effects by focusing on the possible verbal and non-verbal changes in humans induced by smelling the fragrances of peppermint and spearmint essential oils and linalool. The change in perception of a given aroma was assessed by 13 contrasting pairs of adjectives...

原著 Original 国立情報学研究所で電子化 A study was made to develop a sensory evaluation method to determine the deodorizing efficacy of a titanium oxide type (photocatalytic) deodorizer. In our previous study, after placing the deodorizer in the participant's personal refrigerator, the perceptional changes of the participant for odors in the refrigerator were as...

To assess the possible skin temperature changes in humans induced by smelling fragrant compounds, temperature changes were monitored continuously with a multichannel skin thermometer during inhalation of essential oils in a climatic chamber at 20 °C and 60% relative humidity. Sensors were fixed to the tips of the left fingers and left palm of each...

Hagfish, agnathan cyclostome, is the most primitive extant vertebrate and its complement (C) system seems to be a primordial system in comparison with a well-developed C system in gnathostome vertebrates. From a phylogenic perspective of defense mechanisms, we have isolated complement C3 from the serum of hagfish (Eptatretus burgeri). In this study...

To observe hemichrome formation in human haemoglobin A under various buffer conditions. Hemichrome formation of human oxyhaemoglobin A (HbO2) was studied spectrophotometrically in 0.1 m buffer at various temperatures and pH values. Following autoxidation in ferrous HbO2, it was evident that formation of hemichrome, which tends to precipitate, occur...

The effects on humans inhaling the fragrance of essential oils were examined in terms of a sensory test, a multi-channel skin thermometer study and a portable forehead surface electroencephalographic (IBVA-EEG) measurement. The essential oils examined in this study were those of basil and peppermint, because our previous sensory test had indicated...

When the alpha and beta chains were separated from human oxyhemoglobin (HbO(2)), each individual chain was oxidized easily to the ferric form, their rates being almost the same with a very strong acid-catalysis. In the HbO(2) tetramer, on the other hand, both chains become considerably resistant to autoxidation over a wide range of pH values (pH 5-...

When the α and β chains were separated from human oxyhemoglobin (HbO2), each individual chain was oxidized easily to the ferric form, their rates being almost the same with a very strong acid-catalysis. In the HbO2 tetramer, on the other hand, both chains become considerably resistant to autoxidation over a wide range of pH values (pH 5–11). Moreov...

The reversible and stable binding of dioxygen to the heme iron (II) is the basis of myoglobin and hemoglobin functions. During reversible oxygen binding, however, the oxygenated form of myoglobin or hemoglobin is oxidized easily to the ferric (III) met-form with generation of the superoxide anion. Thus, stability property of each oxygenated form is...

The effects on humans of inhalation of optically active linalools were examined in terms of sensory tests and portable forehead surface electroencephalographic (IBVA-EEG) measurements in order to assess their odor distinctiveness by chiral isomers. (R)-(-)-Linalools with specific rotation of [alpha](D) = -15.1 degrees were isolated by repeated flas...

The perceptional change of fragrance of essential oils is described in relation to type of work, i.e. mental work, physical work and hearing environmental (natural) sounds. The essential oils examined in this study were ylang ylang, orange, geranium, cypress, bergamot, spearmint and juniper. In evaluating change in perception of a given aroma, a se...

The perceptional change of fragrance of essential oils is described in relation to type of work, i.e. mental work, physical work and hearing environmental (natural) sounds. The essential oils examined in this study were ylang ylang, orange, geranium, cypress, bergamot, spearmint and juniper. In evaluating change in perception of a given aroma, a se...

The sedative properties of linalool were examined using the optically active linalools, (R)-(−)-, (S)-(+)- and (RS)-(±)-forms. (R)-(−)-linalool with specific rotation of [α]D= −15.1° was isolated by repeated flash column chromatography from lavender oil, while (S)-(−)-linalool with [α]D= +17.4° and (RS)-(±)-linalool with [α]D=0° and content of (R)-...

The sedative properties of linalool were examined using the optically active linalools, (R)-(−)-, (S)-(+)- and (RS)-(±)-forms. (R)-(−)-linalool with specific rotation of [α]D= −15.1° was isolated by repeated flash column chromatography from lavender oil, while (S)-(−)-linalool with [α]D= +17.4° and (RS)-(±)-linalool with [α]D=0° and content of (R)-...

Earlier, we had developed a new two-dimensional electrophoresis procedure, which could show high resolution for tubulin microheterogeneity. The present study was conducted to characterize this electrophoretic method by comparing its resolution with the common two-dimensional electrophoresis of O'Farrell. The results have shown that our method is su...

Human oxyhemoglobin showed a biphasic autoxidation curve containing two rate constants, i.e. k f for the fast autoxidation due to the α chains, andk s for the slow autoxidation of the β chains, respectively. Consequently, the autoxidation of the HbO2tetramer produces two different curves from the pH dependence ofk f and k s. The analysis of these c...

It is in the ferrous form that myoglobin or hemoglobin can bind molecular oxygen reversibly and carry out its function. To understand the possible role of the globin moiety in stabilizing the FeO2 bond in these proteins, we examined the autoxidation rate of bovine heart oxymyoglobin (MbO2) to its ferric met-form (metMb) in the presence of 8 M urea...

The autoxidation reaction of human hemoglobin A was studied over the pH range of 5.3-10.4 in 0.1 M buffer at 37 degrees C. In the first-order plot, hemoglobin showed a biphasic reaction, which consisted of a rapid initial reaction and was followed by a slower second phase in the acidic or neutral pH range (5.3-8). However, this difference decreased...

The stability properties of the iron(II)-dioxygen bond in myoglobin and hemoglobin are of particular importance, because both proteins are oxidized easily to the ferric met-form, which cannot be oxygenated and is therefore physiologically inactive. In this paper, we have formulated all the possible pathways leading to the oxidation of myoglobin to...

The activation rate of Glu-plasminogen (Glu-plg) by urokinase (UK) was enhanced in the presence of either tranexamic acid or fibrin with an increase in the catalytic rate constant (kcat). The maximum increase in kcat was obtained at 0.5 mM of tranexamic acid and 0.1 microM of fibrin. Km did not change. The addition of fibrin to 1 mM tranexamic acid...

Antiserum was obtained from rabbits immunized with a highly purified preparation of urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI) conjugated with rabbit serum albumin. Anti-UTI antibody did not cross-react with antibody against inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (I alpha I) as determined by immunodiffusion against human plasma. A highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay w...

Nine monoclonal antibodies (Mab) against two chain tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA(W] were obtained. The effects of these Mabs on the enzymatic activities of one chain t-PA (t-PA(TD] and two chain t-PA (t-PA(W] were examined by incubating t-PA and Mabs with S-2288, or with plasminogen (plg) and S-2251 in the presence or absence of fibrin. One of...

Glu-plasminogen (Glu-plg) was degraded by elastase in the presence or absence of tranexamic acid. Glu-plg was degraded faster in the presence of tranexamic acid. Increase in the concentration of tranexamic acid resulted in increase in the appearance of degradation products, reaching a plateau level at 1 mM of tranexamic acid. Fifty percent increase...

Equimolar concentrations of Lys-plasminogen (Lys-PLG) and streptokinase (SK) were mixed with various concentrations of fibrin, fibrinogen, fragment D or E (potentiating agents). The activity of the mixture was measured by the hydrolysis of S-2251. Kinetic analyses indicated that catalytic rate constant (kcat) of the hydrolysis of S-2251 increased i...

Kinetic analyses were made for the activation of Glu-plasminogen (Glu-Plg) by tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) obtained from various sources. We compared kinetic parameters for three t-PA preparations. t-PA(M) was obtained from cultured melanoma cell line, and t-PA(W) and t-PA(TD) were obtained from cells with recombinant DNA. t-PA(W) had two ch...

Glu-plasminogen (Glu-plg), Lys-plg and Val442-plg (mini-plg) were activated by urokinase (UK), streptokinase (SK) or tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Their activation rates were kinetically analyzed. UK activated Lys-plg with smaller Km and nearly identical Vmax as Glu-plg. Mini-plg was activated by UK with higher Vmax but with the same Km as G...

A positive correlation between age and the occurrence of thrombosis has been suggested. We studied the relationship between age and fibrinolytic activities; namely levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PA inhibitor) activity, and plasminogen activator activity (PA activity). A dramatic increase in b...

The conversion of C3 and B in the mixture of C3, B, D and Mg++ ions was inhibited in the presence of arginine and lysine, but not in the presence of glutamic acid and aspartic acid among other amino acids. Application of dialyzed plasma to a lysine-Sepharose column resulted in elution of B and a part of D in pass-through fractions, and C3 and the o...

When human serum was incubated at 45 degrees C for 30 min, C3 and B were converted to C3b and Bb. Molecular weights of purified C3 and B were shown not to change after incubation at 50 degrees C. Spectropolarimetry indicated that the secondary structures of C3 and B changed after incubation at higher temperature. The titration of SH groups in the C...

Studies were performed on the activation of a native form of human plasminogen (Glu-plg) or its degraded form (Lys-plg) by streptokinase (SK) in the presence of fibrin, fibrinogen, SK-potentiator, fragment D or E. When Glu-plg (0.1 microM) was activated by 0.5 u/ml of SK in the presence of 100 micrograms of S-2251 and 0.1 microM of fibrin, fibrinog...

Glu- and Lys-plasminogen (plg) were mixed with fibrinogen or fibrinogen plus thrombin in the presence of various units of urokinase (UK) and S-2251 (H-D-Val-Leu-Lys-pNA). Time course of the hydrolysis of S-2251 and the increment of OD405/min were monitored by using a spectrophotometer. Glu-plg was activated better by UK in the presence of fibrinoge...

Glu-plasminogen I (Glu-plg I: with two carbohydrate chains) and Glu-plg II(with one carbohydrate chain) were separated by a gradient elution of 6 aminohexanoic acid (6AHA) through lysine-Sepharose. Each preparation was excited with ultraviolet light of wave length at 291 nm. The intensity of fluorescence was measured at 340 nm. The intensity of flu...

Conformational changes of two isozymes of Glu-plasminogen(Glu-plg I and II) induced by ω-aminoacids were studied by using fluorescence polarization and spectropolarimetry. The rotational relaxation times (Ph) of FITC labeled Glu-plg I and II decreased in the presence of 6-aminohexanoic acid (6AHA) or tranexamic acid (t-x), which may mean increase i...

Unlike mammalian myoglobins, Aplysia myoglobin contains a single histidine residue that most likely corresponds to the heme-binding proximal one, its oxygenated form is extremely unstable and its CD magnitude is about two-thirds that of sperm whale myoglobin. A structural prediction also indicates that Aplysia myoglobin has an unusual heme environm...

A complete kinetic description has been made on the pH profile for the autoxidation rate in terms of displacement of superoxide anion, O–2, from MbO2 by the entering water molecule or hydroxyl ion. Using the equation, the effect of temperature on the autoxidation rate has been studied over the pH range 4.8–12.6 in 0.1 M buffer at 15°, 25° and 35°C....

In response to the recent increasing need for highly purified human myoglobin for radioimmunoassay and enzyme immunoassay, this communication deals with the isolation and characterization of oxymyoglobin from human muscle. In contrast to the classical preparations of myoglobin in the met-form, modern procedures for isolating oxymyoglobin directly f...

In the present paper, we describe first a useful extension of the isolation procedure of native MbO2 from bovine heart muscle, and then we have measured the rate constants for the autoxidation with some refinements and controls over a wide range of pH 4.8 to 12.6 in 0.1 M buffer at 25°C to present the pH-profile of autoxidation rates on native MbO2...

The rate of autoxidation of native oxymyoglobin to metmyoglobin has been examined over the pH range of 4.8--12.6 in 0.1 M buffer at 25 degrees C, and some 40 values of the observed first-order rate constant, kobs, are plotted against pH of the solution. In order to understand the kobs--pH profile thus obtained, some mechanistic models are proposed...