Qualitative Research on the Primary Effect of Fish Pet Ownership Using the Bottleium, a Bottle-Type Aquarium, on Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan: A Potential Preventive Measure Towards Social Isolation.

Aging increases the risk of social isolation, which could lead to conditions such as depressive mood. Pet ownership is known to reduce social isolation. However, previous studies have mainly focused on mammals as pets, which could be difficult at old age. A small ornamental fish is relatively easy to culture and might be a suitable alternative. In this research, we aimed to elucidate the possible effects of fish ownership on the psychological state of community-dwelling older adults in Japan. A Bottleium, a bottle-type aquarium, was selected to lower the burden of fish ownership. A workshop was hosted in 2019 and participants brought home their own Bottleium, with fish and water snail inside. Nineteen participants gave consent to the follow-up interview a month later. Five themes, "observation of fish and water snail," "interaction between the fish and the owner," "taking care of the fish as pet owner," "facilitation of interpersonal interaction," and "development of support system," emerged from thematic analysis. The promotion of animal-to-human, and human-to-human interaction and development of responsibility could relate to a sense of social inclusion and ikigai-kan, a purpose of life. Fish ownership, when using equipment that suits the physical capability of older adults, could act as a positive stimulus.

Selective alpha-glucosylation of eugenol by alpha-glucosyl transfer enzyme of Xanthomonas campestris WU-9701.

For one-step enzymatic synthesis of eugenyl alpha-glucoside as a promising pro-drug for a hair restorer and a derivative of spices, selective alpha-glucosylation of eugenol was carried out using the alpha-glucosyl transfer enzyme of Xanthomonas campestris WU-9701. When 130 micromol eugenol and crude enzyme showing 1.0 unit of alpha-glucosyl transfer activity were shaken in 2 ml of 10 mM H3BO3-NaOH-KCl buffer (pH 8.0) containing 1.2 M maltose as a glucosyl donor at 40 degrees C, only one form of eugenyl glucoside was selectively obtained as a product and identified as eugenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside (alpha-EG) by 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, and two-dimensional heteronuclear multiple-bond coherence analyses. In the reaction, no other glucosylated products such as maltotriose or eugenyl maltoside were detected in the reaction mixture. The reaction at 40 degrees C for 48 h under the above conditions yielded 68 mumol alpha-EG in 2 ml suspension, and the maximum molar conversion yield based on the amount of eugenol supplied reached 52%.

Enzymatic synthesis of alpha-arbutin by alpha-anomer-selective glucosylation of hydroquinone using lyophilized cells of Xanthomonas campestris WU-9701.

Alpha-arbutin, a useful cosmetic ingredient, was selectively synthesized by alpha-anomer-selective glucosylation of hydroquinone with maltose as a glucosyl donor using lyophilized cells of Xanthomonas campestris WU-9701 as a biocatalyst. When 45 mM hydroquinone and 120 mg of lyophilized cells showing 11 nkat of alpha-glucosyl transfer activity were shaken in 2 ml of 10 mM H3BO3NaOHKCl buffer (pH 7.5) containing 1.2 M maltose at 40 degrees C, only one form of hydroquinone glucoside was selectively obtained as a product and identified as hydroquinone 1-O-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (alpha-arbutin) by 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR and two-dimensional HMBC analysis. Although hydroquinone has two phenolic -OH groups at the para position in its structure, only one -OH group, but not both -OHs, was glucosylated and no other glucosylated products such as maltotriose were detected in the reaction mixture. The reaction at 40 degrees C for 36 h under optimum conditions yielded 42 mM alpha-arbutin, and the maximum molar conversion yield based on the amount of hydroquinone supplied reached 93%.