(13)C NMR-based metabolomics for the classification of green coffee beans according to variety and origin.

(13)C NMR-based metabolomics was demonstrated as a useful tool for distinguishing the species and origins of green coffee bean samples of arabica and robusta from six different geographic regions. By the application of information on (13)C signal assignment, significantly different levels of 14 metabolites of green coffee beans were identified in the classifications, including sucrose, caffeine, chlorogenic acids, choline, amino acids, organic acids, and trigonelline, as captured by multivariate analytical models. These studies demonstrate that the species and geographical origin can be quickly discriminated by evaluating the major metabolites of green coffee beans quantitatively using (13)C NMR-based metabolite profiling.

[Initial report of strontium-89 chloride treatment for painful osseous metastases at Sakai Municipal Hospital].

Strontium-89 chloride has been available at our hospital for painful osseous metastases since October 2008. Of the 17 patients(22 treatments)seen until September 2010, response to initial treatment of 13 patients was analyzed. These included cancers of the lung(5 patients, 6 treatments), breast(4 patients), thyroid(2 patients, 5 treatments), liver, 1, and prostate, 1. Other treatments patients received within 1 month of Sr-89 injection were; chemotherapy, 5 patients; radiotherapy, 3 patients; and bisphosphonate, 9 patients. The treatment effects were assessed 1 month after injection, and for 11 of the 13 patients, pain-relief was obtained in a mild and gradual manner. Transient flare was frequently observed, some of which made assessment of pain-relief in 6 patients difficult. We recognized that the bone marrow function before treatment was well above the 'Optimal Treatment Manual Japan ' criteria. After treatment, bone marrow functions kept above the value of grade 2(CTCAE), and even in 5 patients with recent or concomitant chemotherapy, it remained above grade 3 of the CTCAE criteria. These results led us to the conclusion that the indication and inclusion criteria for strontium-89 chloride treatment should be patients with an earlier bone metastasis burden that is currently manifested, without too much attention to bone marrow function criteria.

Relative validity of a short food frequency questionnaire for assessing nutrient intake versus three-day weighed diet records in middle-aged Japanese.

BACKGROUND: Validation studies on brief food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) for measuring consumption of macro- and micro-nutrients for the general populace are not fully executed in Japan. METHODS: Two hundred and two middle-aged Japanese (73 males and 129 females) in Aichi Prefecture, Japan completed an FFQ and 3day-weighed diet records (3d-WDRs) in February 2004. We compared intakes of energy and 26 nutrients computed with the FFQ against those with the 3d-WDRs as a reference. RESULTS: Mean daily intakes of selected nutrients determined with the FFQ were generally less than those with 3d-WDRs. The ratios assessed with the FFQ vs. 3d-WDRs (minimum-median-maximum) were distributed from 0.57-0.79-1.09 for males, and 0.61-0.86-1.04 for females. De-attenuated, log-transformed and energy-adjusted Pearson's correlation coefficients between intakes of selected nutrients quantified with both devices were distributed from 0.12-0.45-0.86 and energy-adjusted Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were from 0.13-0.35-0.76, for males. The respective values for females were 0.10-0.38-0.66, and 0.11-0.34-0.47. Median percentages for exact agreement, agreement within adjacent categories, and disagreement according to quartile classification of the energy-adjusted nutrient intakes measured with both methods were 33, 74, and 5 for males, and 35, 76, and 7 for females, respectively. CONCLUSION: Satisfactorily high relative validity indices of most nutrient intakes computed with the FFQ were attained against those with the 3d-WDRs. The questionnaire therefore appears applicable for categorizing individuals according to consumption of energy and selected nutrients in dietary studies of middle-aged Japanese.

Associations between physical strength, cerebral function and mental health in independent-living elderly Japanese women.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the physical strength, cerebral function, and mental health conditions in elderly persons, and to examine the correlation between these functions. METHODS: The subjects were 151 independent-living elderly Japanese women, mean age 70 +/-5 years (+/-SD; range, 60 to 80 years), with normal abilities in daily life. The health check-up was conducted from April to May 1997. Physical strength was estimated by measuring seven activities. Cerebral functions were assessed by six sub-tests of the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). Their mental health status was measured by four sub-scales of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-28. RESULTS: The physical strenght and almost all of the cerebral functions decreased with age. Social dysfunction and severe depression on the GHQ sub-scales also worsened with age. Physical strength was strongly correlated with cerebral functions after adjusting for the confounding effect of aging. There were also interrelations between physical strength and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided important information on the correlation between physical and mental status in elderly women. Future longitudinal studies with the intervention of physical training are required to determine whether a causal relationship exists between these factors.