[in Japanese]

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【Aims】 Biological mechanisms of aging have been attracting attention and several food ingredients have been reported to have suppressive effects on the process of aging. In this study， as a model of aging we used cultured fibroblasts irradiated with ultraviolet. We assayed the production of collagen and gene expression， and analyzed the effects of various food ingredients added to the culture medium. 【Methods】 Cultured fibroblasts were irradiated with ultraviolet A（UVA）350 nm， and resveratrol， epicatechin， collagen peptides and other food ingredients were added to the medium. The secretion of collagen and elastin into the medium and accumulation of collagen bound to the cell surface were assayed by dye staining method， and change of the expression of genes of collagen and genes relevant to aging were analyzed using real-time PCR. 【Results】 Depending on the time of UVA irradiation， secretion of collagen into the medium were decreased， but the addition of collagen peptides recovered the secretion of collagen into medium. By the addition of resveratrol， accumulation of cell-bound collagen was decreased， while secretion of collagen into the medium was increased. Under the condition without irradiation， increase of gene expression was observed in all of Collagen I, II, Elastin and Collagenase by the addition of resveratrol and epicatechin， but in irradiated cells， the increase of gene expression were observed by the addition of collagen tripeptide. 【Conclusion】 It is suggested that collagen tripeptide in the irradiated cells and resveratrol and epicatechin in nonirradiated cells activate the production of collagen and suppress the process of aging in gene expression level.

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【Objective】 To assess the frailty of patients visiting an outpatient clinic. 【Methods】 We examined patients aged 65 years and older （n=257） who visited an outpatient clinic, using a Kihon checklist. Data on body measurements, speaking fluency, tongue pressure, grip strength, and lower limb muscle strength were collected. A dietary survey was also conducted using a brief self-administered diet-history questionnaire （BDHQ）. Furthermore, data on disease status, medication status, and serum albumin levels were collected from the patients’ medical records. 【Results】 Based on the Kihon checklist information, the 257 patients were classified as follows：106（41.2 %），robust （not frail）; 96（37.4%），prefrail; and 55（21.4%），frail. Scores of speaking fluency, tongue pressure, grip strength, and lower limb muscle strength were significantly lower in the frail group than in the robust group （p>0.01）．Energy intake per kg of body weight was also lower in the frail group than in the robust group（p>0.05）． However, the energy-yielding nutrient intake according to food groups did not differ among the three patient groups. 【Conclusion】 This study clarified that approximately 60% of patients aged 65 years and older with prefrailty and frailty visited an outpatient clinic. Oral function, generalized muscle strength, and energy intake are lower in frail individuals than in robust individuals.

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【Aim】 To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia（ broad definition） in male patients with hypopharyngeal cancer at initial diagnosis according to the diagnostic criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia （AWGS） and to examine its characteristics. 【Methods】 This study included 23 men who were 65 years old or older, were diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer between February 2016 and October 2018 at our department, and had InBody and grip strength measurements available. Patients with low skeletal muscle mass and low grip strength were classified as having sarcopenia （Group S），patients with low skeletal muscle mass were classified as having pre-sarcopenia （Group Pre-S），and patients without either condition were classified as having non-sarcopenia （Group Non-S）. Age, cancer stage, Brinkman index, and physical measurements and blood test results at initial diagnosis were compared among the three groups. 【Results】 Eight patients（ 35%） had sarcopenia. At initial diagnosis, Group S had significantly lower weight, muscle mass, serum Albumin （Alb），transthyretin （TTR），and alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and higher C-reactive protein（CRP）. Cancer stage and the presence of double cancer were not different among the three groups, but mortality was significantly higher in Group S. 【Conclusion】 Approximately 40 % of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer presented with broadly-defined sarcopenia, which also affected post-treatment mortality. In patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, weight loss is known to be the chief factor affecting survival, indicating that the assessment of sarcopenia at initial diagnosis may contribute to clinical outcomes.

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【Background】 Constipation is a condition in which feces that should be discharged outside the body cannot be discharged in a sufficient amount and comfortably. The likelihood of constipation increases with aging. Laxatives and enemas are used to reduce constipation. However, the use of such medications can often cause continence, which leads to an increased burden on the elderly and caregivers, resulting in a decline in quality of life. Amazake, which is a fermented food, comes in two different types: malted rice amazake and Sake lees amazake. Although malted rice amazake has been reported to reduce constipation, the mechanism is unknown. In this study, we examine changes in the intestinal environment caused by the ingestion of malted rice amazake. It is expected that the ingestion of malted rice amazake will bring out an improvement in the intestinal environment in the elderly. 【Method】 The subjects were 32 elderly people who took 35 g/day of malted rice amazake for 6 weeks. Before and after the intervention, Bristol stool scale （BSS） and Constipation Assessment Scale （CAS）, collection of feces was conducted. DNA was extracted from the collected samples and relative values were calculated for gut microbiota by quantitative PCR using specific primers. 【Results】 Ingestion of malted rice amazake normalized stool in hard-stool and loose-stool subjects and significantly reduced constipation symptoms in the constipation group. Microbiota showed a significant decrease in the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, with significant decrease in Firmicutes on all subjects. In the constipation group, there was a significant increase in Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia. 【Conclusion】 It was suggested that the intake of malted rice amazake normalized stool and changed gut microbiota, which resulted in the reduction of constipation.

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【Purpose】 This study aims to identify technical words which may be difficult for consumers to comprehend, such as professional terms relating to health research. The focus is technical words in publicly available information regarding efficacy/safety of foods with function claims （FFCs）. 【Methods】 This study used anonymous self-administered questionnaire surveys from consumers via Internet. The pre-survey had a sample size of 100，and was conducted in June 2019，focused on narrowing down the list of 525 survey words to those which had a recognition rate below 80%. These words were then used in the primary survey, with 1000 participants and was conducted in August 2019. This survey detected the jargon words, such as difficult words with a recognition rate below 80%，as well as those words which had a gap of 20 % or more between the recognition and comprehension rate. 【Results】 Out of the 525 medical/clinical research terms in the survey，446 were jargon and one word had a comprehension gap. Most consumers had no familiarity with the jargon words. These words which were the most difficult to recognize （recognition rate 0%） and included the following：PUFA，ECF，SBP，excipient（賦形剤）. Most of them were abbreviations. The only gap word was "design." This word was familiar to most consumers, but they did not understand the real meaning in the context of information of FFCs made by business operators. 【Conclusion】 The use of plain language is important for exchanging clear messages on the risks and benefits of FFCs between business operators and consumers. Understanding the impact of jargon, such as the difficult words detected in this survey, helps professionals, including not only business operators but also regulators/researchers, to provide effective benefit/risk communication to consumers.

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【Objective】 The aging of dialysis patients is progressing, and the relationship between malnutrition and survival has been reported. Low tongue pressure is associated with dysphagia, sarcopenia, and malnutrition in older individuals. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships among tongue pressure, sarcopenia, and nutritional index in patients undergoing hemodialysis. 【Methods】 The survey included 145 patients undergoing hemodialysis（age：68. 2±12. 2 years，69. 2% male，28. 9 % with diabetes）；these patients were undergoing dialysis for more than 6 months and visited the hospital three times a week. The survey items that were compared were tongue pressure, hand grip strength, walking speed， height, body mass index （BMI），food intake, activities of daily living, and the nutritional index. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 standard. 【Results】 The subjects’ average tongue pressure was 29. 6 ± 11. 2 kPa. The tongue pressure was significantly lower in patients with sarcopenia （P=0. 023）．Tongue pressure was significantly positively correlated with grip strength, skeletal muscle mass, energy intake, protein intake, and Mini Nutrition Assessment®-short Form in both men and women （P<0. 05）．There was no significant correlation between dialysis history and walking speed. 【Conclusion】 In patients undergoing hemodialysis, tongue pressure is correlated with sarcopenia index and nutritional status. Lowered tongue pressure could lead to insufficient energy and protein intake.

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