The impact of malnutrition on the effectiveness of intradialytic exercise in hemodialysis patients: amulticenter cohort study.

Purpose: Low physical function can be effectively improved via intradialytic exercise. However, the association between the effects of intradialytic exercise on physical function and malnutrition severity has not been studied extensively. This study aimed to investigate the impact of nutritional status severity on physical function in patients undergoing hemodialysis with low physical function to whom intradialytic exercise was prescribed.

Factors associated with improved health-related quality of life due to improvements in physical function and dialysis-related symptoms following intradialytic exercise in outpatients undergoing haemodialysis.

Purpose: Exercise therapy is a crucial intervention for improving health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients undergoing haemodialysis. However, factors that improve HRQOL by improving physical function and dialysis-related symptoms remain unknown. This study aimed to examine the physical function parameters and dialysis-related symptoms that improve HRQOL following intradialytic exercise.

Age-associated effects of intradialytic exercise on physical function and nutritional status in patients receiving ambulatory hemodialysis: A multicenter cohort study.

Introduction: Intradialytic exercise is essential for improving physical function for older patients. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the effects of exercise therapy and aging.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study included 1176 patients aged 40-89 years, who participated in an intradialytic exercise program, comprising stretching and resistance training, three times per week for 12 months.

The study of exercise therapy using a virtual reality system on healthy subjects assuming hospital use and intradialytic exercise.

This study aimed to investigate the basic data on the effectiveness and safety of the system in healthy subjects using an immersive virtual reality (VR) exercise system specialized for therapeutic exercise therapy during dialysis or hospital use. A total of 15 healthy adult subjects performed four exercises, namely lifting and rowing exercises using VR and each movement exercise without VR (control). The simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ) was administered pre- and post-operatively to assess for VR sickness.

Active role of the protein translation machinery in protecting against stress tolerance in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.

In vivo protein synthesis is crucial for all domains of life. It is accomplished through translational machinery, and a key step is the translocation of tRNA-mRNA by elongation factor G (EF-G). Genome-based analysis revealed two EF-G encoding genes (S0885 and S2082) in the freshwater cyanobacterium model Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.

Influence of Malnutrition on the Improvement of Physical Function by Intradialytic Resistance Exercise in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

Objective: Intradialytic exercise improves physical function. However, malnutrition may be an essential factor affecting the effectiveness of exercise to improve physical function. Few studies of the relationship between malnutrition and the effectiveness of intradialytic exercise to improve physical function exist.

Oral Supplementation with -Isomer-Rich Astaxanthin Inhibits Ultraviolet Light-Induced Skin Damage in Guinea Pigs.

The effect of oral supplementation with astaxanthin of different -isomer ratios on ultraviolet (UV) light-induced skin damage in guinea pigs was investigated. Astaxanthin with a high -isomer content was prepared from the all--isomer via thermal isomerization. Intact (all-)-astaxanthin and the prepared -isomer-rich astaxanthin were suspended in soybean oil and fed to guinea pigs for three weeks.

Effectiveness and safety of rehabilitation on minimal change nephrotic syndrome in remission for elderly patients with low activity of daily living: a case report.

There are few reports on the rehabilitation of elderly patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS). The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rehabilitation for an elderly patient with MCNS in remission. The patient was an 86-year-old woman.

Evaluation and improvement of storage stability of astaxanthin isomers in oils and fats.

Astaxanthin Z-isomers potentially have greater bioavailability and biological activity than (all-E)-astaxanthin. However, the stability of the Z-isomers is lower than the all-E-isomer, which is a serious problem affecting its practical use. In this study, we investigated the impacts of different suspension media (oils and fats) and additives on astaxanthin isomer stability and identified suitable ones for astaxanthin stabilization.

Synergistic Effects of Food Ingredients and Vegetable Oils on Thermal Isomerization of Lycopene.

Recent investigations have demonstrated that some food ingredients and vegetable oils, such as onion, garlic, and sesame oil, enhanced thermal Z-isomerization of (all-E)-lycopene in tomatoes. However, the synergistic effects of these ingredients and oils have not yet been investigated. This study aims at clarifying how the combined use of lycopene Z-isomerization-promoting food ingredients and vegetable oils impacts thermal Z-isomerization of (all-E)-lycopene in tomato puree.

Morphological plasticity of hyperelongated cells caused by overexpression of translation elongation factor P in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.

Translation elongation factors (EFs) are proteins that play important roles during the elongation stage of protein synthesis. In prokaryotes, at least four EFs function in repetitive reactions (EF-Tu, EF-Ts, EF-G, and EF-P). EF-P plays a vital role in the specialized translation of consecutive proline amino acid motifs.

Antioxidative and Antiglycative Properties of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids-Containing Aqueous Extracts Derived from Edible Terrestrial Cyanobacteria.

The terrestrial filamentous cyanobacterium, Nostoc commune, has been used as a food source in many countries, especially countries in Asia. In this study, N. commune-derived aqueous extracts were evaluated with regard to their antioxidative and antiglycative properties.

The Effects of Salts and Osmoprotectants on Enzyme Activities of Fructose-1,6-biphosphate Aldolases in a Halotolerant Cyanobacterium, sp. PCC 7418.

The halotolerant cyanobacterium, sp. PCC 7418, possesses two classes of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA): H2846 and H2847. Though class I (CI)-FBA H2846 is thought to be associated with salt tolerance, the regulatory mechanisms, molecular characteristics, and expression profiles between H2846 and class II (CII)-FBA H2847 have scarcely been investigated.

The evolutionarily conserved HtrA is associated with stress tolerance and protein homeostasis in the halotolerant cyanobacterium Halothece sp. PCC7418.

The HtrA protein family represents an important class of serine proteases that are widely distributed across taxa. These evolutionarily conserved proteins are crucial for survival and function as monitors of protein synthesis during various stresses. Here, we performed gene expression analysis of the entire set of putative serine protease genes in Halothece sp.

Isomerization of Commercially Important Carotenoids (Lycopene, β-Carotene, and Astaxanthin) by Natural Catalysts: Isothiocyanates and Polysulfides.

Effects of natural catalysts, isothiocyanates and polysulfides, on -isomerization and decomposition of (all-)-carotenoids (lycopene, β-carotene, and astaxanthin) after heat treatment were investigated. When isothiocyanates were added to (all-)-carotenoid solutions and heated, -isomerization and decomposition of carotenoids were enhanced and the degree differed depending on the isothiocyanate type. Interestingly, when polysulfides were applied in the same manner, in addition to promoting the -isomerization reaction, they markedly improved the thermal stability of carotenoids.

Humidity Driven Transition from Insulator to Ionic Conductor in Portland Cement.

This work aims to assess ionic conduction in anhydrous cement particles and hydrated cement pastes with aging periods of 5-25 days. When a cement sample was humidified (relative humidity = 100%) over the range of 50-100 °C, it exhibited bulk conductivities of 10-10 S cm, regardless of the hydration level, whereas the interfacial conductivities varied in the range of 10-10 S cm, depending on the structural defects or conduction pathways of the sample. Both the bulk and interfacial conductivities were increased to 0.

Fuel cell and electrolyzer using plastic waste directly as fuel.

The effective utilization of plastic waste, including its use as an energy or chemical resource, has attracted much attention. Nevertheless, energy recovery from plastics via incineration generates air pollutants and toxic compounds, while chemical conversion requires significant energy inputs, especially in the case of gasification. Herein, we report the electrochemical conversion of plastics into electricity or hydrogen without the use of special procedures.

Overexpressing the HD-Zip class II transcription factor EcHB1 from Eucalyptus camaldulensis increased the leaf photosynthesis and drought tolerance of Eucalyptus.

Alteration in the leaf mesophyll anatomy by genetic modification is potentially a promising tool for improving the physiological functions of trees by improving leaf photosynthesis. Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are candidates for anatomical alterations of leaves through modification of cell multiplication, differentiation, and expansion. Full-length cDNA encoding a Eucalyptus camaldulensis HD-Zip class II transcription factor (EcHB1) was over-expressed in vivo in the hybrid Eucalyptus GUT5 generated from Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus urophylla.

A class I fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase is associated with salt stress tolerance in a halotolerant cyanobacterium Halothece sp. PCC 7418.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) is a key metabolic enzyme, which is involved in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis and the Calvin cycle. The distinct physiological roles of FBAs in various organisms have been reported; however, in cyanobacteria, the functional characterization of FBAs and investigation of the intracellular dynamics of FBAs largely remains unknown. Here, we utilized a two-step chromatographic technique to identify a class I FBA (CI-FBA), which we named H2846.

Improved Carotenoid Processing with Sustainable Solvents Utilizing -Isomerization-Induced Alteration in Physicochemical Properties: A Review and Future Directions.

Carotenoids-natural fat-soluble pigments-have attracted considerable attention because of their potential to prevent of various diseases, such as cancer and arteriosclerosis, and their strong antioxidant capacity. They have many geometric isomers due to the presence of numerous conjugated double bonds in the molecule. However, in plants, most carotenoids are present in the all--configuration.

A Method for the Isolation and Characterization of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids from Cyanobacteria.

This report provides a broadly applicable and cost-effective method for the purification of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) from cyanobacteria. As MAAs are known to have multiple bioactivities for health and beauty, a universal isolation method of MAAs from biomass is attractive. In particular, the biomass of photosynthetic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria is of interest as a natural source of useful compound production, because of their photoautotrophic property.

Enhanced Z-isomerization of tomato lycopene through the optimal combination of food ingredients.

In tomatoes, most lycopene is present in the all-E-configuration and shows very low bioavailability, whereas the Z-isomers show higher bioavailability. Hence, for health reasons, it is expected that the ingestion of lycopene Z-isomers is preferable. Very recently, it was reported that onion and possibly garlic promoted thermal Z-isomerization of (all-E)-lycopene but there are no reports for other food ingredients.

Expression of a stress-responsive gene cluster for mycosporine-2-glycine confers oxidative stress tolerance in Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942.

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a class of well-documented UV-screening compounds produced by taxonomically diverse organisms. Extensive studies revealed that a rare MAA, mycosporine-2-glycine (M2G), possesses unique biological activities and functions. M2G is not only a potent antioxidant, but also suppresses protein glycation in vitro, and production of inflammatory mediators in RAW 264.