Theaflavin and its derivatives exert antibacterial action against Bacillus coagulans through adsorption to cell surface phospholipids.

Aims: To investigate the antibacterial effects of tea theaflavins and catechins against Bacillus coagulans and the underlying mechanism of antibacterial action.

Methods And Results: Bactericidal activities of theaflavin and its analogues were evaluated and compared with that of epigallocatechin gallate. Theaflavin derivatives exhibited high bactericidal activity at 50 μmol L , whereas epigallocatechin gallate did not, even at 500 μmol L .

Carob pod polyphenols suppress the differentiation of adipocytes through posttranscriptional regulation of C/EBPβ.

Obesity is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer; hence, there is an urgent need for an effective strategy to prevent this disorder. Currently, the anti-obesity effects of food ingredients are drawing attention. Therefore, we focused on carob, which has high antioxidant capacity and various physiological effects, and examined its anti-obesity effect.

Effect of epigallocatechin gallate on gene expression of Staphylococcus aureus.

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is an important nosocomial pathogen that produces various extracellular toxins. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) is a polyphenol that is abundant in green tea. EGCg displays strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria.

Serum MicroRNA-Based Risk Prediction for Stroke.

Background and Purpose- Numerous studies have shown that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as noninvasive biomarkers of various diseases. This study aimed to identify serum miRNAs that predict the risk of stroke. Methods- The cases were individuals who had been diagnosed with cerebrovascular disorder by brain imaging.

Integrated extracellular microRNA profiling for ovarian cancer screening.

A major obstacle to improving prognoses in ovarian cancer is the lack of effective screening methods for early detection. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as promising biomarkers that could lead to clinical applications. Here, to develop an optimal detection method, we use microarrays to obtain comprehensive miRNA profiles from 4046 serum samples, including 428 patients with ovarian tumors.

Evaluation of repetitive-PCR and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for rapid strain typing of Bacillus coagulans.

In order to establish rapid and accurate typing method for Bacillus coagulans strains which is important for controlling in some canned foods and tea-based beverages manufacturing because of the high-heat resistance of the spores and high tolerance of the vegetative cells to catechins and chemicals, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and repetitive-PCR (rep-PCR) were evaluated. For this purpose, 28 strains of B. coagulans obtained from various culture collections were tested.

Development of a ubiquitous healthcare monitoring system combined with non-conscious and ambulatory physiological measurements and its application to medical care.

The demand for ubiquitous healthcare monitoring has been increasingly raised for prevention of lifestyle-related diseases, acute life support or chronic therapies for inpatients and/or outpatients having chronic disorder and home medical care. From these view points, we developed a non-conscious healthcare monitoring system without any attachment of biological sensors and operations of devices, and an ambulatory postural changes and activities monitoring system. Furthermore in this study, in order to investigate those applicability to the ubiquitous healthcare monitoring, we have developed a new healthcare monitoring system combined with the non-conscious and the ambulatory measurements developed by us.