Effects of Five Amino Acids (Serine,Alanine, Glutamate,Aspartate, and Tyrosine) on Mental Health in Healthy Office Workers: A Randomized,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Exploratory Trial

Background: The importance of maintaining good mental health with overall well-being has recently drawn attention from various spheres of academics and the working population. Amino acid intake has been reported to reduce depression symptoms and other mental health problems. However, the effectiveness of amino acid intake (i.e., single or combined) remains unknown. In this study, we assessed a combination of five amino acids (serine, alanine, glutamate, aspartate, and tyrosine; SAGAT) reported to regulate mental health. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled exploratory trial was conducted. Participants, aged between 20 and 65 years with fatigue sensation, were randomized to receive either SAGAT or the placebo and ingested them for four weeks. A transient mental work was loaded at day 0 and after four weeks of intervention. As the primary outcomes, the fatigue sensation was assessed. The mood status, cognitive function, work efficiency, and blood marker were also measured as secondary outcomes. Results: The number of participants analyzed for the efficacy evaluation were 20 in SAGAT and 22 in the placebo. There were no significant differences in the primary outcomes. However, as the secondary outcomes, the SAGAT group showed a significant improvement in motivation and cognitive function in the recovery period after mental work loaded in a four-week intervention compared to the placebo. Conclusion: The current findings suggest that SAGAT contributes to maintaining proper motivation and cognitive function. Clinical Trial Registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry (ID: UMIN 000041221).     

Streptozotocin diabetes in rats after acclimation to cold environment

To investigate the effects of acclimation to a cold environment on the alteration of glucose and fat metabolism in diabetes, the levels of blood glucose, triacylglycerol, nonesterified fatty acid, and immunoreactive insulin were measured before and on the 3rd and 14th days after streptozotocin treatment in cold-acclimated (4 degrees C) and warm-acclimated (24 degrees C; control) rats. The cold-acclimated rats showed no hyperglycemia on the 14th day after streptozotocin treatment, whereas the control diabetic rats maintained high blood glucose levels. Triacylglycerol levels did not increase in the cold-acclimated diabetic rats, whereas the control diabetic rats showed markedly high triacylglycerol levels. Immunoreactive insulin levels remained constantly low in both cold-acclimated and control diabetic rats. It was concluded that acclimation to cold changed some of the metabolic consequences of diabetes caused by streptozotocin in rats.     

A preliminary study for clinical pharmacokinetics of oral fluorine anticancer medicines using the commercial MRI system 19F-MRS

These preliminary studies of dynamic natural abundance 19F-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (19F-MRS) on 5-FU based medicines were performed in the human liver using commercial 1.5 T MRI equipment. A single tuned, custom-made circular shape surface coil with a diameter of 15 cm operating at 60 MHz was used for the 19F-MRS study. Localized proton shimming with a whole body coil was performed with adequate volume to include the observing area of the surface coil, and the line width of the water signal was less than 40 Hz. Very different spectroscopic appearance patterns of 5-FU were observed. We examined whether the pharmacokinetics in the liver of orally administered 1-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil (HCFU) differ from those of orally administered 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR). This preliminary study suggested the 19F-MRS technique could be a useful method of evaluating in vivo the metabolism of 5-FU based medicines.     

Determination of diagnostic threshold in harmonization and comparison of clinical utility for five major antiphospholipid antibody assays used in Japan

BackgroundAnticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and anti‐β₂‐glycoprotein I antibodies (aβ₂GPI) are essential in diagnosing antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) according to the international APS guideline. Five commercial assays for aCL and aβ₂GPI are available in Japan, but their test results are quite discordant. For harmonization of diagnosing APS, upper reference limit (URL) and diagnostic accuracy of each assay were evaluated and compared by testing common sets of specimens across all assays.MethodsWe evaluated two manual and three automated assays for aCL and aβ₂GPI of IgG‐ and IgM classes. 99%URL (the upper limit of reference interval: as per guideline) together with 97.5%URL were determined by testing sera from 198 to 400 well‐defined healthy subjects. Both URLs were compared with the cutoff values, which were determined based on ROC analysis by testing 50 each of plasma specimens from patients with/without APS. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated as area under curve (AUC) of the ROC curve.ResultsA variable degree of discrepancy between URLs and the cutoff values was observed, which was partly attributable to between‐year assay variability. 97.5%URLs were set lower and closer to the cutoff values than 99%URLs. For all assays, diagnostic accuracies of both aβ₂GPI‐IgG and aCL‐IgG were generally high (AUC: 0.84−0.93); whereas those for IgM‐class assays were low (AUC: 0.57−0.67), implicating its utility is limited to rare IgG negative APS cases.ConclusionTo ensure harmonized APS diagnosis, the diagnostic thresholds of the five assays were evaluated by common procedures. Contrary to the guideline, 97.5%URL is rather recommended for diagnosing APS, which showed a closer match to the cutoff value.     

Effect of Surface Tooling Techniques of Medical Titanium Implants on Bacterial Biofilm Formation In Vitro

The aim of this study was to assess the biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Escherichia coli on titanium implants with CAD-CAM tooling techniques. Twenty specimens of titanium were studied: Titanium grade 2 tooled with a Planmeca CAD-CAM milling device (TiGrade 2), Ti₆Al₄V grade 5 as it comes from CAD-DMLS device (computer aided design-direct metal laser sintering device) (TiGrade 5), Ti₆Al₄V grade 23 as it comes from a CAD-CAM milling device (TiGrade 23), and CAD-DMLS TiGrade 5 polished with an abrasive disc (TiGrade 5 polished). Bacterial adhesion on the implants was completed with and without saliva treatment to mimic both extraoral and intraoral surgical methods of implant placement. Five specimens/implant types were used in the bacterial adhesion experiments. Autoclaved implant specimens were placed in petri plates and immersed in saliva solution for 30 min at room temperature and then washed 3× with 1× PBS. Bacterial suspensions of each strain were made and added to the specimens after saliva treatment. Biofilm was allowed to form for 24 h at 37 °C and the adhered bacteria was calculated. Tooling techniques had an insignificant effect on the bacterial adhesion by all the bacterial strains studied. However, there was a significant difference in biofilm formation between the saliva-treated and non-saliva-treated implants. Saliva contamination enhanced S. mutans, S. aureus, and E. faecalis adhesion in all material types studied. S. aureus was found to be the most adherent strain in the saliva-treated group, whereas E. coli was the most adherent strain in the non-saliva-treated group. In conclusion, CAD-CAM tooling techniques have little effect on bacterial adhesion. Saliva coating enhances the biofilm formation; therefore, saliva contamination of the implant must be minimized during implant placement. Further extensive studies are needed to evaluate the effects of surface treatments of the titanium implant on soft tissue response and to prevent the factors causing implant infection and failure.     

A case of leiomyosarcoma of the spermatic cord

A 44-year-old male was referred to our hospital for further treatment of lung and adrenal metastases from leiomyosarcoma occurring in the left spermatic cord. He had undergone high orchiectomy 5 months before, but no adjuvant therapy was done. Although systemic CYVADIC therapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin hydrochloride, dacarbazine) was performed in our hospital, he died of metastatic disease 10 months after the initial therapy. Leiomyosarcoma arising in the spermatic cord is a rare entity. We present a case of leiomyosarcoma of the spermatic cord, and to our knowledge, this is the 23rd case reported in Japan.     

Determinants of bone strength and fracture incidence in adult Finns: Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (the GENDI pQCT study)

Summary

Peripheral bone strength and fracture risk were studied in young adult Finns. Peripheral bone measures were associated with risk factors of osteoporosis in young adults and discriminated between those with and without low-energy fractures. In men, trabecular bone loss at peripheral bone sites starts before the age of 40 years.

Purpose

This is a cross-sectional study of the determinants of bone strength and fracture risk in young Finns using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and quantitative ultrasound (QUS).

Methods

pQCT scans were performed in 1,884 subjects at distal and shaft sites of non-dominant radius and left tibia, and QUS measures (n?=?1,415) at the left calcaneus. Lifestyle factors and medical conditions affecting bone health were assessed with questionnaires.

Results

In men, the youngest age cohort had the lowest trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) at radius and tibia (difference between the youngest and the oldest, 4.4% and 5.6%, respectively, P?<?0.001) and lowest speed of ultrasound at the calcaneus (difference 0.5%, P?=?0.016). In women, bone traits did not differ by age groups. When sexes were pooled, underweight (relative risk (RR)?=?2.95, P?<?0.001), excess alcohol intake (1.52, P?=?0.036), smoking (1.29, P?=?0.025), Crohn’s disease or inflammatory bowel syndrome (2.43, P?=?0.016), epilepsy (2.54, P?=?0.011), use of corticosteroids (2.01, P?<?0.001) and inactivity (1.34, P?=?0.045) increased the risk of low trabecular vBMD. RRs for low-energy fractures were excess alcohol intake (2.58, P?=?<0.001), anorexia (3.74, P?=?0.041) and hypogonadism (2.08, P?=?0.015). Same risk factors predicted BMD and fractures in both sexes. Trabecular bone mineral content, vBMD and bone strength index showed greatest differences (4–9%; P?<?0.05) between those with and without low-energy fractures.

Conclusions

Peripheral QCT traits are associated with common risk factors of osteoporosis in young Finns and discriminate between those with and without low-energy fractures. In men, trabecular bone loss at peripheral bone sites starts before the age of 40 years.