Beige adipocytes derived from white adipocytes are known to be involved in energy expenditure, whereas white adipocytes provide energy storage. Irisin, which is known as a myokine, contributes to the generation of beige adipocytes in adipose tissue, referred to as beiging, by binding to the αV /β5 integrin (ITGAV/ITGB5) receptor in white adipocytes. Focusing on this action of irisin, we searched for natural dietary components that enhance adipocyte beiging. As a result, we found that the mRNA and protein expression of fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5), a precursor protein of irisin, were increased after treatment with acerola in C2C12 myotubes, and the mRNA expression of ITGB5 was increased after treatment with mango ginger in 3T3–L1 adipocytes. Moreover, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) mRNA in 3T3–L1 adipocytes, which is considered a beiging marker of the adipocytes, was increased when cultured with mango ginger and the supernatant from acerola-treated C2C12 myotube cultures. This indicates that the enhanced production of irisin in C2C12 myotubes by acerola and the promotion of ITGB5 expression in 3T3–L1 adipocytes by mango ginger lead to the increased expression of UCP1 mRNA in 3T3–L1 adipocytes. Overall, our results suggest that acerola and mango ginger can promote the beiging of white adipocytes via irisin, suggesting that these natural dietary components are promising candidates for obesity therapy.

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Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of the Loving-Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation (LKM) therapy in improving mood states of hematologic malignancy patients in a sterile isolation room. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, with the POMS2 Japanese version used to assess mood state improvement.
Methods: The final number of participants in this study was nine (intervention group n=4, control group n=5). Patients in a sterile isolation room were provided with a tablet containing a video of the LKM. The intervention group watched the 20-minute video. POMS2 factor scores were measured before the intervention and again one and two weeks after the intervention. The data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the scores across time points.
Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups for each factors; however, a trend of nonlinear change was observed in the Vigor-Apathy (VA) factor(p=0.054).
Conclusion: In this pilot study, LKM did not show a significant effect on the mood state of patients, which is suggested to be due to the insufficient number of cases. It seems necessary to increase the number of subjects in future research.

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Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing neuropathic pain and improving the quality of life in affected patients.
Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.
Methods: Four eligible studies were selected, comprising a total of 160 patients with neuropathic pain. The intervention group received aromatherapy, while the control group received standard care. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated to assess the effectiveness of the intervention.
Results: The aromatherapy group showed a significant reduction in pain scores, with an SMD of -1.69 (95% confidence interval: -2.04 to -1.34). In addition to pain relief, aromatherapy was also effective in alleviating associated symptoms such as fatigue and numbness.
Conclusion: Aromatherapy is an effective non-pharmacological intervention for reducing neuropathic pain and its associated symptoms, as well as improving the quality of life. It should be considered as a complementary treatment for patients with neuropathic pain.

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of cacao polyphenol（CP） intake on liver and kidney tissue in obese type 2 diabetes model rats. Five-week-old male obese type 2 diabetes model rats were fed for 4 weeks. The experimental diet consisted of a high-fat diet (control group, n=6) and a CP-supplemented diet (CP group, n=6). Liver lipids concentration and oxidative stress were measured in liver tissue. The control group had many lipid droplets of various sizes, but the CP group had almost no lipid droplets. In kidney tissue, the control group had a slightly wider Bowman's space and lobulated glomeruli. In the CP group, the glomeruli were almost normal in size, and there was little increase in mesangial cells and matrix. When CP was administered to obese type 2 diabetes model rats, the liver cholesterol concentration and oxidative stress were reduced (p<0.01, p<0.01). It was also suggested that cocoa polyphenols suppress fat accumulation in liver tissue and damage to mesangial cells in kidney tissue. These results suggest that cocoa polyphenol intake may suppress the early stages of obesity-related type 2 diabetic nephropathy and may be useful in preventing obesity and diabetes.

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