Effectiveness of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum on Cognitive Function and Sleep Efficiency in Healthy Elderly Subjects in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Parallel-Group Study.

The consumption of functional foods in a daily diet is a promising approach for the maintenance of cognitive health. The present study examines the effects of water-soluble prebiotic dietary-fiber, partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), on cognitive function and mental health in healthy elderly individuals. Participants consumed either 5 g/day of PHGG or a placebo daily for 12 weeks in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and parallel-group study. An assessment of cognitive functions, sleep quality, and subjective mood evaluations was performed at baseline and after 8 and 12 weeks of either PHGG or placebo intake. The visual memory scores in cognitive function tests and sleepiness on rising scores related to sleep quality were significantly improved in the PHGG group compared to the placebo group. No significant differences were observed in mood parameters between the groups. Vigor-activity scores were significantly improved, while the scores for Confusion-Bewilderment decreased significantly in the PHGG group when compared to the baseline. In summary, supplementation with PHGG was effective in improving cognitive functions, particularly visual memory, as well as enhancing sleep quality and vitality in healthy elderly individuals (UMIN000049070).

Association of child-specific and household material deprivation with depression among elementary and middle school students in Japan.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between child-specific and household material deprivation with depression among elementary and middle school students in Japan. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from 10,505 and 10,008 students for fifth-grade elementary school students (G5) and second-grade middle school students (G8), respectively, and their caregivers. The data were collected from August to September 2016 in 4 municipalities of Tokyo and from July to November 2017 in 23 municipalities of Hiroshima prefecture. Caregivers completed questionnaires including household income and material deprivation, and children completed child-specific material deprivation and depression status using the Japanese version of the Birleson depression self-rating scale for children (DSRS-C). To explore the associations, logistic regression was used after conducting multiple imputation for the missing data. RESULTS: 14.2% of G5 students and 23.6% of G8 students had DSRS-C scores of more than or equal to 16, denoting the risk of depression. We found that household equivalent income was not associated with childhood depression in both G5 and G8 students when adjusted for material deprivations. While at least one item of household material deprivation was significantly associated with depression in G8 students (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.00, 1.41), but not in G5 children. Child-specific material deprivation of more than 5 items was significantly associated with depression in both age groups (G5: OR = 1.53, CI = 1.25, 1.88; G8: OR = 1.45, CI = 1.22, 1.73). CONCLUSION: Future research on child mental health needs to consider children's perspectives, especially material deprivation in young children.

Hesperetin-7-O-glucoside/ß-cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex Induces Acute Vasodilator Effect to Inhibit the Cold Sensation Response during Localized Cold-Stimulate Stress in Healthy Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover, and Placebo-Controlled Study.

Hesperetin, a citrus flavonoid, exerts vasodilation and is expected to improve endothelial function and alleviate cold sensation by activating nervous system thermal transduction pathways. In this randomized, double-blind, crossover, and placebo-controlled study, the purpose was to assess the effect of an orally administered highly bioavailable soluble inclusion complex of hesperetine-7-O-glucoside with ß-cyclodextrin (HEPT7G/ßCD; SunActive® HES/HCD) on cold sensation response during localized cold-stimulated stress in healthy humans. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) dose-dependent increase in skin cutaneous blood flow following relatively small doses of HEPT7G/ßCD inclusion complex ingestion was confirmed, which led to a relatively effective recovery of peripheral skin temperature. The time delay of an increase in blood flow during rewarming varied significantly between low- and high-dose HEPT7G/ßCD inclusion complex consumption (e.g., 150 mg and 300 mg contain 19.5 mg and 39 mg of HEPT7G, respectively). In conclusion, the substantial alteration in peripheral skin blood flow observed during local cooling stress compared to placebo suggested that deconjugated hesperetin metabolites may have a distinct capacity for thermoregulatory control of human skin blood flow to maintain a constant body temperature during cold stress exposure via cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction systems.

Effects of partially hydrolyzed guar gums of different molecular weights on a human intestinal in vitro fermentation model.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gums (PHGGs) are prebiotic soluble dietary fibers. High molecular-weight PHGGs have rapid fermentation and high short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) productivity rates, compared to low molecular-weight PHGGs. Therefore, low molecular-weight PHGGs may have less pronounced prebiotic effects than high molecular-weight PHGGs. However, the effects of PHGGs of different molecular weights on the human intestinal microbiota, as well as their fermentation ability and prebiotic effects, have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two PHGGs of different molecular weights, Sunfiber-R (SF-R; 20 kDa) and Sunfiber-V (SF-V; 5 kDa), on human colonic microbiota and SCFA production. A human intestinal in vitro fermentation model was operated by fecal samples with and without the PHGGs. The addition of 0.2% SF-R or SF-V increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides spp., especially that of Bacteroides uniformis. This increase corresponded to a significant (p = 0.030) and non-significant (p = 0.073) increase in propionate production in response to SF-R and SF-V addition, respectively. Both fibers increased the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium and stimulated an increase in the abundance of unclassified Lachnospiraceae and Bifidobacterium. In conclusion, the low molecular-weight PHGG exerted prebiotic effects on human colonic microbiota to increase SCFA production and bacteria that are beneficial to human health in a manner similar to that of the high molecular-weight forms of PHGG.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum is associated with improvement in gut health, sleep, and motivation among healthy subjects.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum dietary fiber is well recognized for a number of health benefits. In the present study, we aim to investigate the effects of partially hydrolyzed guar gum on constipation, intestinal microbiota as well as mental health in healthy subjects. In the randomized, parallel, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study the enrolled healthy men and women volunteers took either 3 g/day (T3) or 5 g/day (T5) of dietary fiber intakes for eight consecutive weeks compared to placebo (T0). The fecal characteristics, fecal microbiota, defecation characteristics, and quality of life (QOL) questionnaire were investigated. The results revealed a significant suppression in fecal potent harmful mucolytic bacteria in the T3 and T5 groups compared to the T0 group. The defecation frequency, excretory feeling, and scores of sleep and motivation questionnaire were also improved in the dietary fiber intake groups, showing a significant difference in the T5 group compared to the T0 group. In summary, the consumption of partially hydrolyzed guar gum dietary fiber is found effective in suppressing the potent harmful mucolytic bacteria that could be associated with the improvement of constipation-related symptoms including mental health in terms of sleep and motivation among the healthy subjects.

Influence of iron supplementation on fatigue, mood states and sweating profiles of healthy non-anemic athletes during a training exercise: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.

Iron is specifically important to athletes, and attention has grown to the association between sports performance and iron regulation in the daily diets of athletes. The study presents new insights into stress, mood states, fatigue, and sweating behavior among the non-anemic athletes with sweating exercise habits who consumed a routine low dose (3.6 mg/day) of iron supplementation. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, both non-anemic male (N = 51) and female (N = 42) athletes were supplemented either with a known highly bioavailable iron formulation (SunActive® Fe) or placebo during the follow-up training exercise period over four weeks at their respective designated clinical sites. The effect of oral iron consumption was examined on fatigue, stress profiles, as well as the quality of life using the profile of mood state (POMS) test or a visual analog scale (VAS) questionnaire, followed by an exercise and well-being related fatigue-sweat. Also, their monotonic association with stress biomarkers (salivary α-amylase, salivary cortisol, and salivary immunoglobulin A) were determined using spearman's rank correlation coefficient test. Repeated measure multivariate analysis of variance (group by time) revealed that the total mood disturbance (TMD) score was significantly lower (P = 0.016; F = 6.26) between placebo and iron supplementation groups over the four weeks study period among female athletes. Also, a significant reduction in tired feeling/exhaustion after the exercise (P = 0.05; F = 4.07) between the placebo and iron intake groups was noticed. A significant within-group reduction (P ≤ 0.05) was noticed in the degree of sweat among both male and female athletes after 2 and 4 weeks of iron supplementation, while athletes of the placebo intake group experienced a non-significant within-group reduction in the degree of sweat. Overall, the result indicates routine use of low dose (3.6 mg/day) iron supplementation is beneficial for non-anemic endurance athletes to improve stress, mood states, subjective fatigue, and sweating conditions.

Structural Investigation of Hesperetin-7-O-Glucoside Inclusion Complex with ß-Cyclodextrin: A Spectroscopic Assessment.

Flavonoids are biologically active natural products of great interest for their potential applications in functional foods and pharmaceuticals. A hesperetin-7-O-glucoside inclusion complex with ß-cyclodextrin (HEPT7G/ßCD; SunActive® HCD) was formulated via the controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of hesperidin with naringinase enzyme. The conversion rate was nearly 98%, estimated using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The objective of this study was to investigate the stability, solubility, and spectroscopic features of the HEPT7G/ßCD inclusion complex using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman, ultraviolet-visible absorption (UV-vis), 1H- and 13C- nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy (LC-MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and powdered X-ray diffraction (PXRD) spectroscopic techniques including zeta potential, Job's plot, and phase solubility measurements. The effects of complexation on the profiles of supramolecular interactions in analytic features, especially the chemical shifts of ß-CD protons in the presence of the HEPT7G moiety, were evaluated. The stoichiometric ratio, stability, and solubility constants (binding affinity) describe the extent of complexation of a soluble complex in 1:1 stoichiometry that exhibits a greater affinity and fits better into the ß-CD inner cavity. The NMR spectroscopy results identified two different configurations of the HEPT7G moiety and revealed that the HEPT7G/ßCD inclusion complex has both -2S and -2R stereoisomers of hesperetin-7-O-glucoside possibly in the -2S/-2R epimeric ratio of 1/1.43 (i.e., -2S: 41.1% and -2R: 58.9%). The study indicated that encapsulation of the HEPT7G moiety in ß-CD is complete inclusion, wherein both ends of HEPT7G are included in the ß-CD inner hydrophobic cavity. The results showed that the water solubility and thermal stability of HEPT7G were apparently increased in the inclusion complex with ß-CD. This could potentially lead to increased bioavailability of HEPT7G and enhanced health benefits of this flavonoid.

Monocaprin Enhances Bioavailability of Fucoxanthin in Diabetic/Obese KK-Ay Mice.

Fucoxanthin is a marine carotenoid found in brown seaweeds and several microalgae. It has been reported that fucoxanthin has health benefits such as anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects. To facilitate fucoxanthin applications in the food industry, it is important to improve its low bioavailability. We attempted the combined feeding of fucoxanthin-containing seaweed oil (SO) and monocaprin in a powder diet and analyzed the fucoxanthin metabolite contents in the liver, small intestine and serum of diabetic/obese KK-Ay mice. After 4 weeks of feeding with the experimental diets, the serum fucoxanthinol concentrations of the mice fed 0.2% SO and 0.5% monocaprin were higher than those of the 0.2% SO-fed mice. Furthermore, fucoxanthinol accumulation in the liver and small intestine tended to increase in a combination diet of 0.2% SO and 0.125-0.5% monocaprin compared with a diet of 0.2% SO alone, although amarouciaxanthin A accumulation was not different among the 0.2% SO-fed groups. These results suggest that a combination of monocaprin with fucoxanthin-containing SO is an effective treatment for improving the bioavailability of fucoxanthin.

Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Suppresses the Development of Sarcopenic Obesity.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a soluble dietary fiber derived through controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of guar gum, a highly viscous galactomannan derived from the seeds of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba. Here, we examined the therapeutic potential of dietary supplementation with PHGG against sarcopenic obesity using Db/Db mice. Db/Db mice fed a normal diet alone or a fiber-free diet, or supplemented with a diet containing PHGG (5%), were examined. PHGG increased grip strength and the weight of skeletal muscles. PHGG increased the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) concentration in feces and sera. Concerning innate immunity, PHGG decreased the ratio of inflammatory cells, while increasing the ratio of anti-inflammatory cells in the small intestine. The present study demonstrated the preventive effect of PHGG on sarcopenic obesity. Changes in nutrient absorption might be involved through the promotion of an anti-inflammatory shift of innate immunity in the intestine accompanied by an increase in SCFA production by PHGG.

Water-soluble dietary fiber alleviates cancer-induced muscle wasting through changes in gut microenvironment in mice.

Cancer cachexia and the associated skeletal muscle wasting are considered poor prognostic factors, although effective treatment has not yet been established. Recent studies have indicated that the pathogenesis of skeletal muscle loss may involve dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and the accompanying chronic inflammation or altered metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the possible effects of modifying the gut microenvironment with partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), a soluble dietary fiber, on cancer-related muscle wasting and its mechanism using a colon-26 murine cachexia model. Compared with a fiber-free (FF) diet, PHGG contained fiber-rich (FR) diet-attenuated skeletal muscle loss in cachectic mice by suppressing the elevation of the major muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases Atrogin-1 and MuRF1, as well as the autophagy markers LC3 and Bnip3. Although tight-junction markers were partially reduced in both FR and FF diet-fed cachectic mice, the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia, and unclassified S24-7 family increased by FR diet, contributing to the retention of the colonic mucus layer. The reinforcement of the gut barrier function resulted in the controlled entry of pathogens into the host system and reduced circulating levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and IL-6, which in turn led to the suppression of proteolysis by downregulating the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy pathway. These results suggest that dietary fiber may have the potential to alleviate skeletal muscle loss in cancer cachexia, providing new insights for developing effective strategies in the future.

DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide technology for regulating lymphocytes in vivo.

Manipulating lymphocyte functions with gene silencing approaches is promising for treating autoimmunity, inflammation, and cancer. Although oligonucleotide therapy has been proven to be successful in treating several conditions, efficient in vivo delivery of oligonucleotide to lymphocyte populations remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate that intravenous injection of a heteroduplex oligonucleotide (HDO), comprised of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and its complementary RNA conjugated to α-tocopherol, silences lymphocyte endogenous gene expression with higher potency, efficacy, and longer retention time than ASOs. Importantly, reduction of Itga4 by HDO ameliorates symptoms in both adoptive transfer and active experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis models. Our findings reveal the advantages of HDO with enhanced gene knockdown effect and different delivery mechanisms compared with ASO. Thus, regulation of lymphocyte functions by HDO is a potential therapeutic option for immune-mediated diseases.

Effects of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Supplementation on the Fecal Microbiotas of Piglets.

Probiotics and prebiotics have become viable alternatives of growth-promoting antimicrobials in animal production. Here, we tested partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) as a possible prebiotic for piglets in the commercial farm. Five hundred and ninety-four piglets were used for the experiments, with 293 given a normal pig feed (control), while the rest the feed plus 0.06% (w/w) of PHGG (PHGG). One and three months post-PHGG supplementation, fecal samples were collected from randomly selected 20 piglets in each group and analyzed for microbiota and organic acid concentrations. Notably, the abundance of Streptococcus, and unclassified Ruminococcaceae were lower (p < 0.05) in PHGG than in control, one-month post-supplementation. Lactobacillus and Prevotella were higher (p < 0.05), while Streptococcus was lower (p < 0.05), in PHGG than in control, three months post-supplementation. The concentrations of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were greater in PHGG than in control, three months post-supplementation. Finally, PHGG grew faster and had fewer deaths until slaughter time (p < 0.05), than control. We concluded that PHGG not only was an effective prebiotic to alter gut microbiota of weanling piglets but also can possibly promote body weight accretion and health.

Short DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide interacting proteins are key regulators of target gene silencing.

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based therapy is one of the next-generation therapy, especially targeting neurological disorders. Many cases of ASO-dependent gene expression suppression have been reported. Recently, we developed a tocopherol conjugated DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide (Toc-HDO) as a new type of drug. Toc-HDO is more potent, stable, and efficiently taken up by the target tissues compared to the parental ASO. However, the detailed mechanisms of Toc-HDO, including its binding proteins, are unknown. Here, we developed native gel shift assays with fluorescence-labeled nucleic acids samples extracted from mice livers. These assays revealed two Toc-HDO binding proteins, annexin A5 (ANXA5) and carbonic anhydrase 8 (CA8). Later, we identified two more proteins, apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APEX1) and flap structure-specific endonuclease 1 (FEN1) by data mining. shRNA knockdown studies demonstrated that all four proteins regulated Toc-HDO activity in Hepa1-6, mouse hepatocellular cells. In vitro binding assays and fluorescence polarization assays with purified recombinant proteins characterized the identified proteins and pull-down assays with cell lysates demonstrated the protein binding to the Toc-HDO and ASO in a biological environment. Taken together, our findings provide a brand new molecular biological insight as well as future directions for HDO-based disease therapy.

[The association between grandparental poverty and grandchildren's health].

Objective　This study aimed to examine whether there is any remaining association between grandparental poverty and grandchildren's body mass index (BMI) and depression, after controlling for parental poverty and other parental characteristics.Methods　Data used in this study were gathered through the Child Living Standard Survey (Kodomo no Seikatsu Jittai Chosa) conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan government in 2016. The survey questionnaires were mailed to all children in grades five, eight, and eleven who lived in four districts of Tokyo. Data for grades five and eight were used for analysis. First, the children were divided into four groups according to their grandparents' and mothers' poverty status, and their BMI and depression were compared. Then, structural equation modeling was used to fit a model where grandparental poverty was associated with parental poverty and parental BMI and depression, and they, in turn are associated with grandchildren's BMI and depression, as well as directly associated with them. BMI and Birleson Child Depression Scale (DSRS-C) were used for grandchildren, and BMI and K6 depression scale were used for parents.Results　Children whose grandparents were poor but parents were not poor had a higher depression index than those who were not poor at all. However, the result did not hold for BMI. The goodness of fit of the SEM model was CFI=0.907, RMSEA=0.036 for BMI; CFI=0.810, RMSEA=0.037 for depression. The findings indicated that grandparental poverty was associated with grandchildren's BMI only through parental BMI, whereas for depression, grandparental poverty was associated with parental poverty and parental depression, which in turn were associated with grandchildren's depression. Furthermore, an association was found between grandparental poverty and grandchildren's depression even after controlling for parental poverty and parental depression.Conclusion　Grandparental poverty is associated with grandchildren's depression through means other than parental poverty and parental depression. To combat this, it is necessary to not only adopt the "3-generation approach" which focuses on child and parent's current conditions, but also to implement policy to assist children when they become parents in the future. As for BMI, effective policies should be put into place to combat parents' and children's current weight problems.

Mothers' nonstandard work schedules and adolescent obesity: a population-based cross-sectional study in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

BACKGROUND: Many wage earners in developed countries have irregular shift patterns and work evenings, nights, and weekends. Some studies have demonstrated that the nonstandard work schedules of parents have adverse effects on their children's weight, specifically leading to or worsening obesity. However, no such study has been conducted in adolescents of high school age. This study examined the association between mothers' nonstandard work schedules and adolescent obesity. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of adolescents aged 16-17 years (n = 1743) used paired matches of self-administered questionnaires for adolescents and their mothers from Tokyo, Japan. Obesity was defined by International Obesity Task Force cut-offs. Nonstandard work schedules were defined as working early mornings, nights, overnights, or weekends. Chi-square tests were conducted to examine the association between the mothers' work schedules and their adolescent children's poor lifestyles, overall and stratified by income levels. Then, logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between mothers' work schedules and obesity of their adolescent children, overall and stratified by income levels. RESULTS: Overall, 6.5% of adolescents had obesity. The prevalence of obesity was higher among adolescents from low-middle income groups (8.2%) than that among those from high-income groups (5.9%). No clear patterns were found between mothers' work schedules and adolescents' poor lifestyles when stratified by income levels. Mothers' nonstandard work schedules were significantly associated with adolescent obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-2.40). However, this association was not significant after adjustment for confounders. After stratification by income levels, mothers' nonstandard work schedules significantly associated with their children's obesity (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.45-5.92) only in high-income groups. This association remained after adjustment of the adolescents' lifestyles and their mothers' working hours. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that mothers' nonstandard work schedules have adverse effects on adolescent obesity only in high-income families. Low-middle income families experienced higher levels of adolescent obesity, regardless of the mothers' work schedules. Policy makers should consider mothers' work schedules as a factor in preventing adolescent obesity.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) attenuates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via modulating the interaction between gut microbiota and bile acids.

The spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranges from simple hepatic steatosis commonly associated with obesity, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, which can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recent reports have indicated the crucial role of gut microbiota and their metabolites in the progression of NAFLD. In the present review, we demonstrated the influence of oral administration of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the gut microbiota, serum bile acid profile, and gene expression in the liver in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). EGCG significantly inhibited the increase in histological fatty deposit and triglyceride accumulation in the liver induced by HFD, and improved intestinal dysbiosis. One of important findings is that the abundance of Proteobacteria and Defferibacteres phylums increased markedly in the HFD group, and this increase was significantly suppressed in the EGCG group. Interestingly, taurine-conjugated cholic acid (TCA) increased in the HFD group, like the mirror image against a marked decrease in the cholic acid (CA) value, and this increase was markedly inhibited in the EGCG group. TCA is not a simple serum biomarker for liver injury but TCA may be a causal factor to disturb lipid metabolism. The distribution of correlation coefficients by Heatmap analysis showed that the abundance of Akkermansia and Parabacteroides genus showed a positive correlation with CA and a negative correlation with TCA, and significantly increased in the EGCG group as compared with the HFD group. In addition, nutrigenomics approaches demonstrated that sirtuin signaling, EIF2 pathway and circadian clock are involved in the anti-steatotic effects of EGCG. In the present paper, we summarized recent update data of EGCG function focusing on intestinal microbiota and their interaction with host cells.

Characterizing the gut microbiota in females with infertility and preliminary results of a water-soluble dietary fiber intervention study.

Despite the advances in assisted reproductive technology, approximately 8-12% of the individuals worldwide who are willing to conceive are unable to do so. Fertility depends on a receptive state of the endometrium and hormonal adaptations as well as the immune system. Local and systemic immunities are greatly influenced by the microbiota. The aim of the present study was to compare the gut microbiota in female patients with that in infertility with fertile control subjects and to evaluate the effect of prebiotic partially hydrolyzed guar gum supplementation on gut dysbiosis and the outcome of pregnancy in patients treated with assisted reproductive technology. Dietary fiber can reconstitute the host intestinal microbiota and modify the immune function; however, clinical data regarding the effect of dietary fiber treatment on the success of assisted reproductive technology is lacking. To investigate the gut microbiota in fertile and infertile females, we conducted 16S metagenomic analysis of fecal samples. In total 18 fertile female subjects and 18 patients with infertility matched by age were recruited, and fecal samples were obtained to analyze the gut microbiome using 16S rRNA V3-V4 sequencing. The unweighted and weighted principal coordinate analyses showed a trend indicating microbial structural differences in ß-diversity between these two groups. The abundance of the phylum Verrucomicrobia was higher in patients with infertility. At the genus level, a decrease in the abundance of the genera Stenotrophomonas, Streptococcus, and Roseburia and an increase in the abundance of the genera Unclassified [Barnesiellaceae] and Phascolarctobacterium was observed in patients with infertility. Twelve patients agreed to receive the combined therapy comprising embryo transfer by assisted reproductive technology and oral supplementation with partially hydrolyzed guar gum. The success of pregnancy by this combined therapy was 58.3% (7/12), and the failure was 41.7% (5/12). Predictive factors for pregnancy before treatment were characterized by a decrease in the abundance of Paraprevotella and Blautia and an increase in the abundance of Bifidobacterium. Predictive factors for pregnancy before treatment were characterized by a decrease in the abundance of Paraprevotella and Blautia and an increase tendency in the abundance of Bifidobacterium. In conclusion, the present study showed differences in the abundance of gut microbiota between fertile and infertile groups; moreover, partially hydrolyzed guar gum supplementation helped improve gut dysbiosis and the success of pregnancy in females with infertility.

Nutrient adequacy of Japanese schoolchildren on days with and without a school lunch by household income.

BACKGROUND: Evidence for whether the nutrient intakes of Japanese schoolchildren differ according to household income is sparse. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the role of school lunches for nutrient adequacy among Japanese primary school children using dietary reference intakes in a cross-sectional survey. DESIGN: Participants were 10- to 11-year-old (5th grade) children from 19 public primary schools in four prefectures of East Japan, and 836 children were analyzed. The participants completed 24-h dietary records with photographs of their meals for 4 consecutive days, composed of 2 days with and 2 days without a school lunch. -Children's household income was obtained from questionnaires that were completed by the participants' guardians and divided into the following three categories: low (0.2236-2.2361 million yen; n = 319), middle (2.3333-2.8868 million yen; n = 194), and high (3.1305-6.3640 million yen; n = 323). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios for whether participants had poor nutrient intakes, with adjustment for confounders. RESULTS: On days without a school lunch, the prevalence of nutrient shortages was significantly higher compared with those on days with a school lunch for most macro- and micronutrients among all three levels of household income. Children from low-income households had higher rates of nutrient shortages for vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, K, Mg, P, Fe, and Zn than those from middle-income households on days without a school lunch (P = 0.004, 0.001, 0.001, 0.006, 0.037, <0.001, and 0.015, respectively), but those differences were not significant on days with a school lunch. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that school lunches are important for achieving adequate nutrient intakes in schoolchildren and reduce disparities of adequate nutrient intake by household income levels.

Association between parents' work hours and nutrient inadequacy in Japanese schoolchildren on weekdays and weekends.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence is sparse concerning whether the nutrient intake in schoolchildren differs according to parents' work hours. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parents' work hours and nutrient inadequacy among Japanese primary schoolchildren using dietary reference intakes on days with and without a school lunch. METHODS: Participants included 10- to 11-y-old children in grade 5 from 19 public primary schools in four prefectures of east Japan. Data for 699 children were analyzed. Participants completed 24-h dietary records with photographs of their meals for 4 d consecutively, which included of 2 d of weekdays and 2 d of weekends. Their mothers' and fathers' work hours were obtained from questionnaires that were completed by the participants' guardians. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios for whether participants had poor nutrient intake, with adjustment for confounders. RESULTS: Children whose mothers worked ≥40 h/wk had significantly higher rates of nutrient shortages for vitamins A, E, K, and B6, pantothenic acid, potassium, magnesium, and iron (P = 0.007, 0.003, 0.007, 0.023, 0.021, 0.045, 0.004, and 0.009, respectively) than those in the 0 h/wk group. These differences were not significant based on fathers' working hours, with the exception of vitamin A (≥40 versus 0-39 h/wk, P = 0.032). Additionally, nutrient shortages for children were more pronounced on weekdays than on weekends. CONCLUSIONS: This evidence revealed the necessity to improve nutrition intake in children whose mothers work more than statutory working hours, which would enable children to have adequate nutrient intake, especially on weekdays.