Correction: Ingestion of taxifolin-rich foods affects brain activity, mental fatigue, and the whole blood transcriptome in healthy young adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Correction for 'Ingestion of taxifolin-rich foods affects brain activity, mental fatigue, and the whole blood transcriptome in healthy young adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study' by Fumika Shinozaki et al., Food Funct., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2fo03151e.

Ingestion of taxifolin-rich foods affects brain activity, mental fatigue, and the whole blood transcriptome in healthy young adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

The antioxidant properties of polyphenols, which are found in most plants, have been shown to be useful for maintaining health, including enhancing brain function and alleviating stress. We aimed to investigate the effect of a single intake of taxifolin-containing foods on cognitive task performance and whole blood gene expression in healthy young adults. This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial in which healthy young adults were administered a single dose of either a placebo or food containing taxifolin. Cognitive tests (serial 3s, serial 7s, and rapid visual information processing) to examine brain activity and visual analog scale questionnaires to analyze mental fatigue were applied. The set of tests was repeated four times. The findings showed that taxifolin intake improved calculation abilities and reduced mental fatigue. An analysis of whole blood gene expression before and after the test revealed that the expression of foreign substance removal-related genes increased following the ingestion of taxifolin and that most differentially expressed genes were enriched in granulocytes. Taxifolin intake was shown to affect the brain activity of healthy young adults and demonstrated an antifatigue effect, thereby reducing subjective fatigue. A single intake of taxifolin may enhance the removal of foreign substances by strengthening the innate immune system and suppressing the occurrence of injury.

Mouse Model of Weak Depression Exhibiting Suppressed cAMP Signaling in the Amygdala, Lower Lipid Catabolism in Liver, and Correlated Gut Microbiota.

To establish a mouse model of weak depression, we raised 6-week-old C57BL/6N mice in single (SH) or group housing (GH) conditions for 2 weeks. The SH group showed less social interaction with stranger mice, learning disability in behavioral tests, and lower plasma corticosterone levels. The cecal microbiota of the SH group showed significant segregation from the GH group in the principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). Transcriptome analysis of the amygdala and liver detected multiple differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In the amygdala of SH mice, suppression of the cyclic adenine monophosphate (cAMP) signal was predicted and confirmed by the reduced immunoreactivity of phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element-binding protein. In the liver of SH mice, downregulation of beta-oxidation was predicted. Interestingly, the expression levels of over 100 DEGs showed a significant correlation with the occupancy of two bacterial genera, Lactobacillus (Lactobacillaceae) and Anaerostipes (Lachnospiraceae). These bacteria-correlated DEGs included JunB, the downstream component of cAMP signaling in the amygdala, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (Cpt1a), a key enzyme of beta-oxidation in the liver. This trans-omical analysis also suggested that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) synthesis in the liver may be linked to the occupancy of Lactobacillus through the regulation of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and kynureninase (KYNU) genes. Our results suggested that SH condition along with the presence of correlated bacteria species causes weak depression phenotype in young mice and provides a suitable model to study food ingredient that is able to cure weak depression.

The effects of compression load to the trunk on lipid metabolism in an inactive phase.

The effects of compression load to a specific body part, e.g. leg, arm, or trunk, evoke many functions and are applied in various fields including clinical medicine, sports, and general health care. Nevertheless, little is known about the functional mechanism of compression load, especially regarding its effects on metabolic function. We investigated the effects of compression load to the trunk on the metabolism. We designed adjustable compression clothes for mice and attached them to ten-week-old C57BL/6N male mice in a controlled environment. The mice were divided into compression and no-compression groups, the latter only wearing the clothes without added compression. The evoked metabolic changes were evaluated using indirect calorimetry and transcriptomics with liver tissue to investigate the mechanism of the metabolic changes induced by the compression load. The results indicated decreases in body weight gain, food intake, and respiratory exchange ratio in the compression group compared to the no-compression group, but these effects were limited in the "light period" which was an inactive phase for mice. As a result of the transcriptome analysis after eight hours of compression load to the trunk, several DEGs, e.g., Cpt1A, Hmgcr, were classified into functional categories relating to carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, or immune response. Lipid metabolism impacts included suppression of fatty acid synthesis and activation of lipolysis and cholesterol synthesis in the compression group. Taken together, our results showed that activation of lipid metabolism processes in an inactive phase was induced by the compression load to the trunk.

Propagule Powder of Japanese Yam (Dioscorea Japonica) Reduces High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Stress in Mice through the Regulation of Hepatic Gene Expression.

SCOPE: Japanese yam propagules are supposed to have high potential as a functional food. However, there are almost no studies examining their physiological function. This study aims to elucidate the physiological function of Japanese yam propagules that are heated, freeze-dried, and powdered. METHODS AND RESULTS: A high-fat diet with Japanese yam propagules is administered to mice for 4 weeks. High-fat loading induces a decline in respiratory quotient, and a high-fat diet with propagules reduces it more. This result suggests that propagules increase fat oxidation, indicating fat utilization. The hepatic transcriptome is analyzed using a DNA microarray. Some of the genes affected by high-fat loading are reversed by simultaneous ingestion of propagules. Such genes are mainly involved in the immune system and fat metabolism. High-fat loading induces hepatic inflammation, which is repressed by simultaneous ingestion of propagules. For lipid metabolism, propagules repress an increase in cholesterol biosynthesis and catabolism by high-fat loading. Regarding carbohydrate metabolism, propagules decrease glycolysis and glycogen synthesis and increase gluconeogenesis. Moreover, amino acids are converted into pyruvate and then used for gluconeogenesis. CONCLUSION: Propagules act to delay the occurrence of hepatic disease by suppressing carbohydrate and fat metabolism disorders in high-fat loaded mice.

Therapeutic potential of Bifidobacterium breve strain A1 for preventing cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease.

It has previously been shown that the consumption of probiotics may have beneficial effects not only on peripheral tissues but also on the central nervous system and behavior via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, raising the possibility that treatment with probiotics could be an effective therapeutic strategy for managing neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, we investigated the effects of oral administration of Bifidobacterium breve strain A1 (B. breve A1) on behavior and physiological processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) model mice. We found that administration of B. breve A1 to AD mice reversed the impairment of alternation behavior in a Y maze test and the reduced latency time in a passive avoidance test, indicating that it prevented cognitive dysfunction. We also demonstrated that non-viable components of the bacterium or its metabolite acetate partially ameliorated the cognitive decline observed in AD mice. Gene profiling analysis revealed that the consumption of B. breve A1 suppressed the hippocampal expressions of inflammation and immune-reactive genes that are induced by amyloid-ß. Together, these findings suggest that B. breve A1 has therapeutic potential for preventing cognitive impairment in AD.

Quantitative deviating effects of maple syrup extract supplementation on the hepatic gene expression of mice fed a high-fat diet.

SCOPE: Maple syrup contains various polyphenols and we investigated the effects of a polyphenol-rich maple syrup extract (MSXH) on the physiology of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). METHODS AND RESULTS: The mice fed a low-fat diet (LFD), an HFD, or an HFD supplemented with 0.02% (002MSXH) or 0.05% MSXH (005MSXH) for 4 weeks. Global gene expression analysis of the liver was performed, and the differentially expressed genes were classified into three expression patterns; pattern A (LFD < HFD > 002MSXH = 005MSXH, LFD > HFD < 002MSXH = 005MSXH), pattern B (LFD < HFD = 002MSXH > 005MSXH, LFD > HFD = 002MSXH < 005MSXH), and pattern C (LFD < HFD > 002MSXH < 005MSXH, LFD > HFD < 002MSXH > 005MSXH). Pattern A was enriched in glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, and folate metabolism. Pattern B was enriched in tricarboxylic acid cycle while pattern C was enriched in gluconeogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and endoplasmic reticulum stress-related event. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that the effects of MSXH ingestion showed (i) dose-dependent pattern involved in energy metabolisms and (ii) reversely pattern involved in stress responses.

Maternal high-fat diet during lactation increases Kiss1 mRNA expression in the arcuate nucleus at weaning and advances puberty onset in female rats.

Nutrition has significant influences on the development of reproductive functions. Post-weaning manipulation of nutritional status has been shown to alter puberty onset accompanied by changes in the expression of kisspeptin, a neuropeptide encoded by the Kiss1 gene which plays important roles in pubertal development. However, information about the influence of overnutrition during early development is sparse. In this study, we examined pubertal development and Kiss1 mRNA expression in female pups reared by dams fed a high-fat diet (HFD) during lactation. Maternal HFD significantly increased body weight and accelerated puberty onset of female offspring. The number of Kiss1-expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) at weaning was significantly greater in pups of HFD-fed dams than in pups of dams fed a normal diet (ND), whereas no significant difference was observed in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus, the other Kiss1-expressing nucleus. Because adipocyte size and serum leptin level were increased in HFD offspring, we examined the effects of exogenous leptin during the pre-weaning period on Kiss1 expression. Unexpectedly, exogenous leptin had no effect on Kiss1 expression. In summary, we demonstrate that a maternal HFD during the early postnatal period induces increased Kiss1 expression in the ARC and early puberty onset in female offspring.

[A case of gastric cancer with peritoneal dissemination and massive ascites successfully treated with S-1/docetaxel therapy].

A 49-year-old woman who complained of abdominal bloating and numbness in the bilateral lower limbs was diagnosed as advanced scirrhous gastric cancer with massive ascites. The biopsy specimen showed a poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma. She was therefore treated with combined chemotherapy of tri-weekly docetaxel(40mg/m2, day 1, 22)and S-1(60mg/m2, day 1-14 with 1-week rest)for unresectable gastric cancer. After 5 courses, computed tomography showed no ascites. Furthermore, after 31 courses, the loss of ascites continued, and the thickening of the stomach walls was reduced. These findings suggested that a complete response in terms of Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(RECIST)was obtained. The side effects throughout chemotherapy were Grade I anemia and Grade I alopecia. Docetaxel and S-1 chemotherapy may well be one of the effective treatments for advanced scirrhous gastric cancer.

Temporal and Spatial Cellular Distribution of Neural Crest Derivatives and Alpha Cells during Islet Development.

Recent studies have revealed that signals from neural crest (NC) derivatives regulate the mass, proliferation, and maturation of beta cells in developing fetal pancreas. However, little is known about the cellular distribution of NC derivatives during pancreatic development or the process whereby the developing islets are enclosed. We studied the temporal and spatial distribution of NC derivatives and endocrine cells at each developmental stage. At embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5) of mouse embryo, NC derivatives that migrated to the prospective pancreatic region were distributed in close proximity to pancreatic epithelial cells. As development advanced, most NC derivatives progressively surrounded endocrine rather than exocrine cells, and were distributed in closer proximity to alpha cells rather than to beta cells. At E20, approximately 70% of the NC derivatives enclosing endocrine cells were distributed in close proximity to alpha cells. Moreover, the expression of SynCAM, a Ca(2+)-independent homophilic trans-cell adhesion molecule, was confirmed from E16.5 on and was more remarkable at the cell boundaries of alpha cells and NC derivatives. These findings suggest that NC derivatives might be distributed in close proximity to alpha cells as a result of homophilic binding of SynCAM expressed by alpha cells and NC derivatives during islet development.

Novel hormonal delivery method using the ink-jet technology: application to pulmonary insulin therapies.

BACKGROUND: A device developed based on ink-jet printer technology can precisely control the size and volume of droplets ejected. Here, we evaluated the application of this technology to the pulmonary administration of insulin mist as a therapeutic measure for diabetes. METHODS: Insulin ejected from the ink-jet device was initially characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry. Its effects on D-glucose uptake rate by L6 cells were then investigated. Next, different insulin solutions (with or without additives or ink-jet processing) were subcutaneously administered, and their pharmacodynamic features were evaluated. Finally, decreases in plasma glucose level in rats were examined after ventilator-assisted pulmonary administration of insulin mist. RESULTS: Neither the HPLC nor the mass spectrometry profile of insulin was altered by the ink-jet process. The D-glucose uptake rate by L6 cells that received the recovered aerosolized insulin solution was similar to that of cells treated with control insulin, at 107%. Neither the addition of additives nor the ink-jet process used for insulin aerosolization impaired the plasma glucose-lowering action of subcutaneously injected insulin. Similarly, the efficacy of pulmonary insulin administration was not affected by the additives or the ink-jet process. Plasma glucose levels showed a trend towards decreasing after ventilator-assisted pulmonary administration of insulin mist. Plasma insulin level increased 30 min after the inhalation. CONCLUSIONS: The ink-jet process did not affect the quality or biological activity of insulin, suggesting the potential use of the ink-jet device for insulin inhalation therapy for diabetes.