Daily ingestion of catechin-rich beverage increases brown adipose tissue density and decreases extramyocellular lipids in healthy young women.

Purpose: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) contributes to the regulation of non-shivering thermogenesis and adiposity. Increasing BAT has recently attracted much attention as a countermeasure to obesity. Animal studies have shown that prolonged catechin treatment increases uncoupling protein 1, a thermogenic protein in BAT.

Incidence and clinical background of hepatitis B virus reactivation in multiple myeloma in novel agents' era.

There are some reports regarding hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients with myeloma who are HBV carriers or who have had a resolved HBV infection, and there is no standard prophylaxis strategy for these patients. We performed a retrospective multicenter study to determine the incidence and characteristics of HBV reactivation in patients with multiple myeloma. We identified 641 patients with multiple myeloma who had been treated using novel agents and/or autologous stem cell transplantation with high-dose chemotherapy between January 2006 and June 2014 at nine Japanese hospitals.

New ultrasonography-based method for predicting total skeletal muscle mass in male athletes.

[Purpose] This study aimed 1) to assess whether a prediction model for whole body skeletal muscle mass that is based on a sedentary population is applicable to young male athletes, and 2) to develop a new skeletal muscle mass prediction model for young male athletes. [Subjects and Methods] The skeletal muscle mass of 61 male athletes was measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and estimated using a previous prediction model (Sanada et al., 2006) with B-mode ultrasonography.

Effects of fertility education on knowledge, desires and anxiety among the reproductive-aged population: findings from a randomized controlled trial.

Study Question: What are the effects of fertility education on knowledge, childbearing desires and anxiety?

Summary Answer: Providing fertility information contributed to greater knowledge, but increased anxiety.

What Is Known Already: Past studies have found that exposure to educational material improved fertility awareness and changed desires toward childbearing and its timing. Existing educational websites with evidence-based medical information provided in a non-judgmental manner have received favorable responses from reproductive-aged men and women.

Assessment of human brown adipose tissue density during daily ingestion of thermogenic capsinoids using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (FDGPET/CT) is widely used as a standard method for evaluating human brown adipose tissue (BAT), a recognized therapeutic target of obesity. However, a longitudinal BAT study using FDG-PET/CT is lacking owing to limitations of the method. Near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (NIR(TRS)) is a technique for evaluating human BAT density noninvasively.

Effects of Cold Stimulation on Mitochondrial Activity and VEGF Expression in vitro.

We aimed to clarify the effects of cold stimulation at various temperatures on mitochondrial activity and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in vitro. Human fibroblast, human mesenchymal stem cell, and rat skeletal muscle myoblast cell lines were used. For each cell type, cells were divided into 4 groups and stimulated in various cold temperatures (0, 4, 17 and 25°C) 3 times for 15 min each by placement on crushed ice or floating on cold water set at each temperature.

Help-seeking intentions for early signs of mental illness and their associated factors: comparison across four kinds of health problems.

Background: Failure and delay in initial treatment contact for mental disorders has been recognized as an important public health problem. According to the concept of mental health literacy, recognition of symptoms is crucial to making decisions to seek or not seek professional help. The aims of this study were to investigate the types of health problems for which Japanese adults intend to seek help, their preferred sources of help, and the factors associated with help-seeking intentions.

Different training status may alter the continuous blood glucose kinetics in self-paced endurance running.

The main purpose of the systemic energy metabolism is to provide a source of energy, mainly glucose, for the brain; therefore, blood glucose levels would be expected to correlate with exercise performance. The individual training status may also affect the blood glucose levels. The aim of the present study was to assess the association between blood glucose levels and running velocity during prolonged running in athletes with different training statuses.

The effects of moderate exercise on secretory IgA production in mice depends on dietary carbohydrate intake.

Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) is produced from intestinal mucosa and is essential in preventing infection. We analyzed the influence of moderate exercise on intestinal sIgA production and antioxidative function under different carbohydrate nutritional conditions. Thirty-six mice were fed an experimental diet for 10 weeks-a high-carbohydrate (HC) diet, a low-carbohydrate (LC) diet, or a control (C) diet.

Relationship between health literacy, health information access, health behavior, and health status in Japanese people.

Objective: To examine the relationship between health literacy (HL), health information access, health behavior, and health status in Japanese people.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted at six healthcare facilities in Japan. Eligible respondents aged 20-64 years (n=1218) were included.

A cross sectional study on fertility knowledge in Japan, measured with the Japanese version of Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale (CFKS-J).

Background: A recent survey of 79 countries showed that fertility knowledge was lower in Japan than in any other developed country. Given the fertility decline in Japan and the importance of fertility knowledge, we conducted an online survey to examine fertility knowledge and the related factors for effective public education.

Methods: We studied people aged 18-59 years old, n = 4,328 (the "General" group), and also people who had been trying to conceive for at least six months, 18-50 years old, n = 618 (the "Triers" group).

Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the Newest Vital Sign: a preliminary study.

Health literacy (HL) refers to the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services, and is thus needed to make appropriate health decisions. The Newest Vital Sign (NVS) is comprised of 6 questions about an ice cream nutrition label and assesses HL numeracy skills. We developed a Japanese version of the NVS (NVS-J) and evaluated the validity and reliability of the NVS-J in patients with chronic pain.

Pharmaceutical company perspectives on current safety risk communications in Japan.

In 1987, a group infection of hepatitis in patients receiving a contaminated fibrinogen product was first reported to the Japanese regulatory agency. Eventually, this serious drug incident involved more than 10,000 cases of infection. In response, the Government of Japan established a responding inspection committee in 2008 to make recommendations for the restructuring of drug regulatory administration.

Factors Related to Furniture Anchoring: A Method for Reducing Harm During Earthquakes.

Objective:  Fatalities and injuries during an earthquake can be reduced by taking preemptive measures beforehand, and furniture anchoring is an important safety measure for all residents. This study sought to clarify the factors associated with furniture anchoring within the home. Methods:  A self-administered mail survey was completed from July to August 2010 by 3500 men and women between the ages of 20 and 69 years who were chosen at random from an official government resident registry of 2 cities in Japan.

Supplemental cellular protection by a carotenoid extends lifespan via Ins/IGF-1 signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Astaxanthin (AX), which is produced by some marine animals, is a type of carotenoid that has antioxidative properties. In this study, we initially examined the effects of AX on the aging of a model organism C. elegans that has the conserved intracellular pathways related to mammalian longevity.

Dysregulation of iron metabolism in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Dysregulation of iron metabolism has been observed in patients with neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Utilization of several importers and exporters for iron transport in brain cells helps maintain iron homeostasis. Dysregulation of iron homeostasis leads to the production of neurotoxic substances and reactive oxygen species, resulting in iron-induced oxidative stress.

SOD-1 deletions in Caenorhabditis elegans alter the localization of intracellular reactive oxygen species and show molecular compensation.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme that catalytically removes the superoxide radical (*O2-) and protects organisms from oxidative damage during normal aging. We demonstrate that not only the cytosolic *O2- level but also the mitochondrial *O2- level increases in the deletion mutants of sod-1 gene encoding Cu/Zn SOD in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans).

[Epidemiological study of fractures in Japanese children and adolescents].

We reviewed our previous population-based survey regarding fractures in 55,464 Japanese children, conducted in 2001. (total : 773 fractured cases [prevalence 1.4%] , males : 527 casesc [1.

Hyperoxia exposure induced hormesis decreases mitochondrial superoxide radical levels via Ins/IGF-1 signaling pathway in a long-lived age-1 mutant of Caenorhabditis elegans.

The hormetic effect, which extends the lifespan by various stressors, has been confirmed in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We have previously reported that oxidative stress resistance in a long-lived mutant age-1 is associated with the hormesis.