Patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) often experience insufficient physical activity, leading to osteoporosis. The active form of vitamin D is commonly prescribed for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis. We observed four cases of kidney injury believed to be associated with the administration of 1α-OH vitamin D (alfacalcidol) preparations. This study employed a case series design to investigate change in kidney function in SMID patients following administration or discontinuation of alfacalcidol. We retrospectively analyzed data of 23 SMID patients (sex: 10 males, 13 females; age range: 27 to 74 y), and assessed kidney function, serum calcium, and albumin levels. Data was grouped into A: 16 cases collected both before starting alfacalcidol administration and during alfacalcidol administration; and into B: 11 cases collected during alfacalcidol administration and after discontinuation of alfacalcidol administration. Of the 23 patients, four were assigned into both group A and group B. Of the 16 cases in group A, six showed ≥30% decreased kidney function. Of the 11 cases in group B, the median values of modified Cr-eGFR were 43.0 and 65.1 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively (p=0.008), indicating a significant improvement in kidney function. It is essential for practitioners to understand that osteoporosis may ordinarily occur in SMID patients due to reduced bone stimulation. Thus caution must be exercised when administering active vitamin D preparations to this population, as they carry a risk of kidney organ damage despite having no direct effect on bone health.

Edamame and chamame (brown edamame) are immature soybeans that contain abundant protein, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Edamame has a different nutrient composition compared with mature soybeans, as evidenced by its higher content of vitamins and folic acid. Recent studies have shown that proteins in mature soybeans, such as β-conglycinin, and dietary fiber influence the metabolism of lipids such as triglyceride and cholesterol. However, the effect of edamame on lipid metabolism has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated whether oral consumption of edamame or chamame affects lipid metabolism. We focused on the analysis of hepatic lipids, serum cholesterol, and fecal lipids in rats after feeding them a normal or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) diet containing edamame or chamame for 6 wk. We found that the consumption of dietary edamame and chamame significantly lowered hepatic triglyceride and serum cholesterol levels compared with those in the control groups fed with normal and NAFLD diets. Intake of edamame and chamame improved the NAFLD-like fatty liver. Finally, intake of edamame and chamame resulted in a significantly higher amount of fecal lipids and bile acid than in the control, suggesting the stimulation of lipid excretion. Together, dietary edamame and chamame decrease hepatic and serum cholesterol by promoting lipid excretion, not by the regulation of hepatic gene expression, leading to the improvement of lipid metabolism in both normal and NAFLD model rats.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of breakfast intervention on autonomic nerve function in healthcare workers who skip breakfast. This cross-sectional, interventional study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2021. All participants were full-time healthcare workers who completed a self-administered questionnaire on fatigue and subjective symptoms and underwent noninvasive autonomic nerve function tests. “Skippers” were defined as individuals who ate breakfast <4 times per week, and “eaters” were those who ate breakfast >4 times per week. We introduced a cereal, Frugra (Calbee, Inc.), to skippers who opted for the breakfast intervention. Subsequently, they completed the questionnaire again and repeated the autonomic nerve function tests. Among 196 participants (age [mean±SD]: 29.8±7.8 y; 177 women and 19 men), 120 were categorized as skippers and 76 as eaters. In the skipper group, more participants were nurses, lived alone, and worked the night shift than in the eater group. The Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS) score in the skipper group was higher than that in the eater group, although not significantly. Regarding autonomic nerve function, no significant differences were observed between the groups. In 50 skippers who opted for the breakfast intervention, the CFS score significantly decreased after 4 wk. Log low frequency and log coefficient of component variance total power significantly increased, whereas log high frequency increased, but not significantly, after the intervention. In conclusion, for healthcare workers who were breakfast skippers, the consumption of breakfast cereal reduced their fatigue level and improved their autonomic nervous system activity.

Fecal microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from intestinal epithelial cells have been suggested to influence gut microbiota homeostasis. We recently showed that supplementing murine fecal small RNAs, most likely miRNAs, alters the structure of cultured fecal microbiota in a sequence-dependent manner. The present study investigated the effect of consuming fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on the action of fecal small RNAs in altering the structure of cultured fecal microbiota. Female C57BL/6J mice were allowed free access to AIN-93G diet, and tap water supplemented with or without 4% (w/v) FOS for 2 wk. As assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis in cecal contents, the gut microbiota structure differed between mice supplemented with and without FOS. Fecal bacteria isolated from the cecal contents of mice without FOS supplementation were cultured for 24 h under anaerobic conditions. The structure of cultured microbiota differed between the cultures supplemented with small RNAs isolated from the cecal contents of mice supplemented with and without FOS. Microarray analysis showed that the miRNA profile in the cecal contents differed between mice supplemented with and without FOS. We propose that FOS consumption influences the action of intestinal epithelial cell-derived miRNAs in altering the structure of cultured gut microbiota, and such FOS action is associated with changes in the profile of miRNAs. It may be possible that intestinal epithelial cell-derived miRNAs contribute, at least in part, to diet-induced alteration of gut microbiota.

Vegetable and fruit intake has been reported to be associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. To date, however, no study has examined the association between vegetable and fruit intake and LOX-index, which reflects the progression of atherosclerosis and is a predictive biomarker of stroke and coronary heart disease. Here, we examined the cross-sectional association between vegetable and fruit intake and LOX-index in Japanese municipal workers. Participants were 338 workers (166 men and 172 women aged 19–71 y) with no history of serious disease who participated in a health and nutrition survey. Vegetable and fruit intake was assessed using a validated brief self-administered diet history questionnaire. LOX-index was calculated by multiplying serum concentrations of the soluble form of lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 by those of LOX-1 ligands containing apolipoprotein B. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the geometric mean of LOX-index according to tertile of vegetable and/or fruit intake. Total vegetable and fruit intake was associated with a trend toward decreased LOX-index after adjustment for covariates (p for trend=0.067). In stratified analyses by sex, a significant inverse association between total vegetable and fruit intake and LOX-index was observed in women (p for trend=0.023), whereas such association was not observed in men (p for trend=0.70). None of the intakes of vegetables, fruit, green and yellow vegetables, or other vegetables was associated with LOX-index. Our results suggest that higher intake of total vegetables and fruit is associated with a lower LOX-index in Japanese women.

The study aimed at analyzing the therapeutic effect of salmon calcitonin on patients with lumbar spine fracture after operation. Eighty-eight cases with lumbar spine fracture who underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) in The Huichang People’s Hospital from February 2020 to February 2023 were separated into two groups. The 44 cases in the control group were treated with calcium carbonate and Vitamin D3 tablets, on the basis, the salmon calcitonin was applied to treat the 44 cases in study group. The pain degree, bone metabolism index and matrix metalloproteinase levels were determined and compared between two groups. Lumbar function and daily living activity ability in two groups were evaluated, and adverse reactions during treatment were observed. The pain degree in study group was alleviated after treatment for 3 mo compared with the control group (p<0.05). The bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) and osteocalcin (OC) levels were increased, while beta C-terminal cross-linked telopeptides of type I collagen (β-CTX) levels were decreased in study group after treatment for 3 mo compared with control group (p<0.05). After treatment for 3 mo, the serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels in study group were lower than those in control group (p<0.05). Three months after treatment, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score was lower and Barthel Index (BI) score was higher in study group than those of control group (p<0.05). No severe adverse reactions were observed in both groups during treatment (p>0.05). Salmon calcitonin can relieve the pain degree, improve the levels of bone metabolism and matrix metalloproteinase, and improve the lumbar spine function and ability of daily living activity in patients with lumbar spine fracture.

Modern agriculture allows for the production of foods that are high in n-6 linoleic acid and low in n-3 α-linolenic acid (LA^high/ALA^low), which are suggested to be associated with an increased risk for the onset of anxiety disorders. However, there is not sufficient evidence to understand its underlying brain mechanism. Given that mouse offspring derived from mothers fed a LA^high/ALA^low diet during gestation and early lactation showed increased anxiety-related behaviors and that rodents exposed to a LA^high/ALA^low diet are more vulnerable to stress, in this study, we investigated the effects of maternal LA^high/ALA^low diet consumption on stress-induced anxiety-related behavior and the brain structures involved in the expression of negative emotional states in mouse offspring. In a standard environment, offspring exposed to either the control diet or the LA^high/ALA^low diet in utero showed similar stay times in the center zone in the open field test. On the other hand, under stressful environments, offspring exposed to the LA^high/ALA^low diet in utero showed decreased stay times in the center zone compared to those exposed to the control diet. We further found that the number of a subpopulation of pyramidal neurons in the basolateral amygdala, which can regulate negative emotional behaviors, was greater in the offspring exposed to the LA^high/ALA^low diet compared to those exposed to the control diet. These data suggest that maternal dietary imbalance between n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids confers stress vulnerability to offspring during the process of brain development.

This study clarifies the association between disaster knowledge levels and beginning to stockpile food at home as a disaster preparedness. This survey was conducted between 18–20 December 2019 using a self-administered web-based questionnaire. The participants were recruited from panel members of an online survey company. A total of 1,200 adults living in the five Japanese prefectures with the highest predicted food shortages after the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquake, took part in the study. Multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between disaster knowledge level and beginning food stockpiling (p for trend <0.001). Compared with those who had a low level of disaster knowledge, participants who had a medium level of knowledge were 2.11 times more likely to begin stockpiling food (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.11, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.49–2.97), whereas those with the highest knowledge level were 2.52 times more likely to begin stockpiling food (adjusted OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.79–3.56). Beginning food stockpiling can be the first step toward disaster preparedness. It is considered that people with low disaster knowledge levels are more likely to have no beginning food stockpiling and are at high risk for disasters. These findings suggest ways to approach prioritizing people facing high disaster risk.

The impact of long-term soy peptide consumption on mood-related behavior in adult male mice was studied under normal housing conditions. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a modified AIN-93M diet containing 7% soy peptide for 70 d. Sucrose preference and tail suspension tests were conducted to evaluate anhedonia and despair, respectively. Mice fed soy peptide consumed more sucrose than those in the control group fed AIN-93M in the sucrose preference test. However, no significant difference was observed in the total immobility time between the two groups in the tail suspension test. These findings suggest that chronic soy peptide intake may attenuate anhedonia, a hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder characterized by decreased sensitivity to reward and pleasure.

Obesity, a factor increasing the risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, can be reduced by the intake of soy isoflavones. In this study, we investigated whether skeletal muscle PGC1α, a transcriptional activator known to promote a variety of exercise-related metabolic processes, is involved in the anti-obesity effects of soy isoflavones using skeletal muscle-specific PGC1α knockout mice. The results showed that the intake of soy isoflavones reduced white adipose tissue weight and increased expression of energy metabolism-related genes such as mitochondrial function, lipolysis, and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. However, these effects were not observed in skeletal muscle-specific PGC1α knockout mice. In C2C12 myoblasts with overexpressing PGC1α, soy isoflavone treatment increased energy-metabolism related genes. Therefore, PGC1α of skeletal muscle is likely to be involved in the anti-obesity effects of soy isoflavones.

Dietary nitrate (NO₃⁻) supplementation can offer health benefit and improve exercise performance by increasing nitric oxide (NO) through NO₃⁻-nitrite (NO₂⁻)-NO pathway. Individuals may benefit from dietary NO₃⁻ supplementation by monitoring blood [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻], although a simple and practical method for assessing blood [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] has not been established. We examined whether fingertip serum samples could substitute for venous plasma samples in assessing [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻]. Ten young adults consumed 140 mL of nitrate-rich beetroot juice. Fingertip serum and venous plasma samples were collected at baseline and every hour for up to 4 h after ingestion. [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] were similar between samples at baseline, whereas they were higher in fingertip serum throughout the post-ingestion periods. Significant correlations existed between fingertip serum vs. venous plasma for both [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] throughout post-drink periods, except [NO₃⁻] assessed at 2 and 4 h after ingestion of beetroot juice. We show that although fingertip serum [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] overestimate those measured by venous plasma after dietary NO₃⁻ intake (125–141% and 156–183% of venous values), [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] in fingertip serum samples may be utilized for assessing blood [NO₃⁻] and [NO₂⁻] levels, although [NO₃⁻] assessment may lack precision compared to [NO₂⁻].