Different effects of mechano- and metaboreflex on the central blood pressure waveform.

Introduction: The effect of mechanoreflex on central blood pressure (BP) is unclear, although the influence of metaboreflex has been investigated. A relatively small contribution of the mechanoreflex to the pressor response to exercise has been considered in humans because many studies have failed to isolate the mechanoreflex-mediated pressor response. In a recent study, we successfully isolated a mechanoreflex-mediated pressor response using static passive stretching (SPS) in the forearm.

Summer Nutritional Status and Appetite Are Associated with the Frequency of Hot Meal/Drink Intake among Japanese Older People.

This study examined the relationship between the frequency of consuming cold or hot meal/drink during summer and the nutritional status, appetite, and energy intake among Japanese older people. The cross-sectional study was conducted in August 2021, targeting 60 adults aged 65 y and older. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was used for nutritional status evaluation, the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) for appetite scoring, and food frequency questionnaire to assess energy intake.

Consumption of hot protein-containing drink accelerates gastric emptying rate and is associated with higher hunger levels in older adults.

Meal temperature is known to affect gastric emptying and appetite. While protein intake is recommended for older age, gastric emptying is delayed with age, resulting in loss of appetite. This study aimed to investigate whether adjusting the temperature of protein-containing drinks could improve gastric emptying and appetite in older individuals.

The interaction of breath holding and muscle mechanoreflex on cardiovascular responses in breath-hold divers and non-breath-hold divers.

Cardiovascular responses to diving are characterized by two opposing responses: tachycardia resulting from exercise and bradycardia resulting from the apnea. The convergence of bradycardia and tachycardia may determine the cardiovascular responses to diving. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction of breath holding and muscle mechanoreflex on cardiovascular responses in breath-hold divers (BHDs) and non-BHDs.

Factors explaining seasonal variation in energy intake: a review.

Maintaining a balance between energy intake and expenditure is crucial for overall health. There are seasonal variations in energy intake, with an increase during spring and winter as well as a decrease during summer. These variations are related to a combination of environmental factors, including changes in temperature and daylight hours; social factors, including events and holidays; and physiological factors, including changes in physical activity and emotions.

Muscle stretching induces the mechanoreflex response in human arterial blood pressure.

The muscle mechanoreflex has been considered to make a small contribution to the cardiovascular response to exercise in healthy humans because no pressor response has been observed during stimulation of mechanosensitive receptors, such as static passive stretching, during many human studies. There is room for rethinking this consideration since the pressor response to upper limb exercise is greater than that to lower limb exercise. We examined whether static passive stretching of the forearm muscles causes a muscle mechanoreflex-induced pressor response in humans.

Effects of different temperatures of carbohydrate-protein-containing drinks on gastric emptying rate after exercise in healthy young men: randomized crossover trial.

Background: The present study examined the effects of different temperatures of carbohydrate-protein-containing drinks after exercise on the subsequent gastric emptying rate in healthy young men.

Methods: Twelve healthy young men completed two, 1-day trials in random order. In both trials, the participants completed intermittent cycling exercise for 20 min, consisting of a 120% heart rate peak for 20 s, followed by 25 W for 40 s.

Musical instrumental reading affects middle cerebral blood flow and cognitive function.

Playing a musical instrument includes reading music scores, playing, and listening in parallel. It is unclear which of these activities are responsible for an increase in cerebral blood flow. We investigated the factors increasing middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv) during musical performance, and examined whether playing and reading music affects cognitive function.

Playing a musical instrument increases blood flow in the middle cerebral artery.

Purpose: Studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron-emission tomography suggest that many regions of the brain are activated by such complex muscle activity. Although these studies demonstrated relative increases in blood flow in some brain regions with increased neural activity, whether or not the absolute value of cerebral blood flow increases has yet to be elucidated. It also remains unknown whether playing musical instruments affects cerebral blood flow.

Effects of aging and exercise habits on blood flow profile of the ocular circulation.

Purpose: We examined the effects of aging and exercise habits on the ocular blood flow (OBF) and its profiles throughout the optic nerve head region and choroidal area. We hypothesized that exercise habits reduce the stiffness of vessels in the ocular circulation, which generally increases with aging.

Methods: Participants in a medical checkup program (698 males and 192 females aged 28 to 80 years) were categorized into 2 groups (with and without exercise habits) based on participant self-reporting and the definition of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan (MHLW).

Impact of acute dynamic exercise on vascular stiffness in the retinal arteriole in healthy subjects.

Acute exercise can improve vascular stiffness in the conduit artery, but its effect on the retinal arterioles is unknown. The present study investigated the effects of acute dynamic exercise on retinal vascular stiffness. In , we measured the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), carotid artery intima-media thickness (carotid IMT), and retinal blood velocity by laser speckle flowgraphy in 28 healthy old and 28 young men (69 ± 3 and 23 ± 3 yr, respectively).

Chewing increases postprandial diet-induced thermogenesis.

Slow eating, which involves chewing food slowly and thoroughly, is an effective strategy for controlling appetite in order to avoid being overweight or obese. Slow eating also has the effect of increasing postprandial energy expenditure (diet-induced thermogenesis). It is still unclear whether this is due to oral stimuli; that is, the duration of tasting food in the mouth and the duration of chewing.

Acute and Chronic Periocular Massage for Ocular Blood Flow and Vision: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: The ocular blood flow (OBF) is responsible for supplying nutrition to the retina, which plays a fundamental role in visual function. Massage is expected to improve the blood flow and, consequently, vascular function. The aim of this study was to determine the short-term and long-term effects of periocular massage on OBF and visual acuity.

Long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin as add-on therapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: final results of a 3-year post-marketing surveillance.

Background: We investigated the long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin in Japanese type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients starting linagliptin add-on therapy in routine clinical practice.

Research Design And Methods: This 3-year prospective, observational, post-marketing surveillance (PMS) was conducted in Japanese patients starting linagliptin add-on therapy. The primary outcome was the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Facial Blood Flow Responses to Dynamic Exercise.

We reported previously that a static handgrip exercise evoked regional differences in the facial blood flow. The present study examined whether regional differences in facial blood flow are also evoked during dynamic exercise. Facial blood flow was measured by laser speckle flowgraphy during 15 min of cycling exercise at heart rates of 120 bpm, 140 bpm and 160 bpm in 12 subjects.

Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness of Linagliptin in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Renal Dysfunction: a Post-Marketing Surveillance Study.

Introduction: International clinical trials have shown that linagliptin significantly improves glycemic control and can be used at a single dose regardless of renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, to date, no studies have evaluated the use of linagliptin in Japanese patients with T2D by renal function in routine clinical care.

Methods: This was a subgroup analysis of data from a prospective observational post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study of linagliptin conducted in Japan that evaluated the safety and effectiveness of linagliptin in routine clinical care for 3 years in Japanese patients with T2D.

Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness of Linagliptin in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A 3-Year Post-Marketing Surveillance Study.

Introduction: Clinical trials of linagliptin in Japanese patients conducted to date have had limited observational periods; therefore, there is a need for additional longer-term real-world data. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term safety and effectiveness of linagliptin in routine clinical practice.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational, post-marketing surveillance study conducted over 156 weeks in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who started linagliptin monotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Empagliflozin in Japan Based on Results From the Asian subpopulation in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME Trial.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of empagliflozin in Japan based on the Asian subpopulation in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial.

Methods: The trial has shown a reduction in the risk for cardiovascular (CV) and renal events with empagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established CV disease. A cost-effectiveness analysis based on the overall population of the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial was reported previously by using a lifetime discrete event simulation model.

Altered metabolic regulation owing to gsp1 mutations encoding the nuclear small G protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Nutrient metabolism is regulated for adaptation to, for example, environmental alterations, cellular stress, cell cycle, and cellular ageing. This regulatory network consists of cross-talk between cytoplasmic organelles and the nucleus. The ras-like nuclear small G protein, Ran, functions in nuclear-cytosolic transport and regulatory signal transmission.

Regional differences in facial skin blood flow responses to thermal stimulation.

Purpose: The facial skin blood flow (SkBF) shows regional differences in the responses to a given stimulation. The facial SkBFs, especially in the eyelid and nose exhibit unique response to physiological and psychological stimuli, but the mechanisms inducing those regional differences remain unclear. To investigate whether the regional differences in the local control of vasomotion in facial vessels correspond to the regional differences in facial SkBF response, we monitored the relative change of facial SkBF to regional thermal stimulation.

Short- and long-term effects of using a facial massage roller on facial skin blood flow and vascular reactivity.

Massage rollers are commonly used for beauty care, but their effects on skin blood flow (SkBF) and vascular reactivity remain unclear. We hypothesized that the short-term usage of a massage roller increases the SkBF, while a long-term massage intervention improves vascular dilatation. We measured the facial SkBF change to 5 min massage roller to the right cheek in 12 subjects.

Aging decreases CO2 reactivity in the retinal artery, but not in the ocular choroidal vessels; a cross-sectional study.

Background: The CO2 reactivity is often used to assess vascular function, but it is still unclear whether this reactivity is affected by aging.

Objective: To investigate the effects of aging on the CO2 reactivity in ocular and cerebral vessels, both of which are highly sensitive to hypercapnia, we compared the CO2 reactivity in the retinal artery (RA), retinal and choroidal vessels (RCV), optic nerve head (ONH), and middle cerebral artery (MCA) between young and middle-aged subjects.

Methods: We measured the CO2 reactivity in 14 young and 11 middle-aged males using laser-speckle flowgraphy during a 3-min inhalation of CO2-rich air.

Fluid intake restores retinal blood flow early after exhaustive exercise in healthy subjects.

Purpose: It remains unclear whether rehydration restores retinal blood flow reduced by exhaustive exercise. We investigated the effect of fluid intake on retinal blood flow after exhaustive exercise.

Methods: Blood flow in the inferior (ITRA) and superior temporal retinal arterioles (STRA) was measured before and after incremental cycling exercise until exhaustion in 13 healthy males.

Brachial artery blood flow dynamics during sinusoidal leg cycling exercise in humans.

To explore the control of the peripheral circulation of a nonworking upper limb during leg cycling exercise, blood flow (BF) dynamics in the brachial artery (BA) were determined using a sinusoidal work rate (WR) exercise. Ten healthy subjects performed upright leg cycling exercise at a constant WR for 30 min, followed by 16 min of sinusoidal WR consisting of 4-min periods of WR fluctuating between a minimum output of 20 W and a maximum output corresponding to ventilatory threshold (VT). Throughout the protocol, pulmonary gas exchange, heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), blood velocity (BV), and cross-sectional area of the BA, forearm skin BF (SBF), and sweating rate (SR) were measured.