Effect of Dietary Counseling on Patients with Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia.

In Japan, hyperuricemia is on the rise. The guideline for the management of hyperuricemia and gout recommends lifestyle changes before beginning drug therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of dietary counseling following the guideline.

Acute effect of green tea catechins on uric acid metabolism after alcohol ingestion in Japanese men.

Introduction/objectives: Alcohol consumption is associated with hyperuricemia and gout. Previous studies have indicated a role for green tea catechins in uric acid (UA) metabolism. This study aimed to elucidate the acute effect of green tea catechins in terms of enhancing urinary excretion of UA and xanthine/hypoxanthine (Xa/HX; UA precursors) after alcohol ingestion.

Effect of cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate on postprandial glycemia, insulin, and incretin secretion in healthy participants.

Objectives: There is substantial interest in using dark chocolate to prevent postprandial hyperglycemia. We investigated the effects of cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate on postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses and whether cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate increases glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion.

Methods: In a stratified, randomized, crossover study, 48 healthy participants ingested either water (W) or cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate plus water (C) 15 min before a 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

The Effects of Long-Term Dietary Therapy on Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of diet on serum lipids and to assess the effectiveness of long-term dietary therapy for hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients (34 males and 45 females) with hypertriglyceridemia were enrolled and underwent dietary counseling for 12 months based on the following three recommendations: (1) reduce carbohydrate intake, (2) increase n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake, and (3) limit alcohol drinking. We examined the effect of dietary therapy for 6 months on serum triglyceride (TG) levels and also compared the effectiveness of dietary and combined drug therapies on preventing arteriosclerotic disease from 7 to 12 months.

UDP-galactose transporter gene hUGT1 expression in tobacco plants leads to hyper-galactosylated cell wall components.

We reported previously that tobacco plants transformed with the human UDP-galactose transporter 1 gene (hUGT1-transgenic plants) displayed morphological, architectural, and physiological alterations, such as enhanced growth, increased accumulation of chlorophyll and lignin, and a gibberellin-responsive phenotype. In the present study, we demonstrated that hUGT1 expression altered the monosaccharide composition of cell wall matrix polysaccharides, such as pectic and hemicellulosic polysaccharides, which are biosynthesized in the Golgi lumen. An analysis of the monosaccharide composition of the cell wall matrix polysaccharides revealed that the ratio of galactose to total monosaccharides was significantly elevated in the hemicellulose II and pectin fractions of hUGT1-transgenic plants compared with that of control plants.