Milk-based culture of Penicillium camemberti and its component oleamide affect cognitive function in healthy elderly Japanese individuals: a multi-arm randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Dairy products and fermented foods have a reported association with maintained cognitive function. Camembert cheese, a dairy product fermented by the white mold Penicillium camemberti, has also been shown to enhance cognitive function in vivo. Oleamide, derived from the fermentation of the white mold, is a candidate for an active component, and expected to improve both cognitive function and sleep conditions. Thus, this study investigated whether the milk-based culture of white mold (MCW), and oleamide, could improve cognitive function and sleep state clinically. A multi-arm randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in Tokyo, Japan. 60 healthy Japanese individuals aged 50-75 who were aware of their cognitive decline were randomly and equally divided into three groups of 20 participants using computer-generated random numbers. Participants took either MCW (equivalent to 60 µg/day of oleamide), 60 µg/day of oleamide, or placebo capsules for 12 weeks. Serum BDNF, cognitive function by Cognitrax as primary and MCI Screen as secondary outcome, and sleep status using the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-J) were assessed before and after intervention. The participants, outcome assessors and analysts, and research assistants were blinded to the group assignment. Of the 60 participants, 58 completed the study and were analyzed. No adverse events related to test foods were observed. The placebo group showed a negative rate of change in serum BDNF (-10.5% ± 19.7%), whereas the MCW and oleamide groups showed positive changes (2.0% ± 27.1% and 1.3% ± 13.5%, respectively). Cognitrax scores increased after 12 weeks in all groups. Conversely, the MPI score of the MCI Screen demonstrated a significant improvement in the MCW and oleamide groups compared to the placebo group (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001, respectively). The subscales, immediate free recall and delayed free recall, also significantly increased in them compared to the placebo group. Although PSQI-J revealed no significant differences among groups, the MCW and oleamide groups showed significant improvement after intervention in overall score, subjective sleep quality, and sleep latency. Our results suggest that MCW and its component, oleamide, are safe and contribute to maintaining cognitive functions, particularly short-term and working memory, and improving sleep state. Clinical trial registration: https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000054792, identifier UMIN-CTR UMIN000048084.

Analysis of Protein Digestion and Absorption Using a Ussing Chamber to Simulate the Environment in the Digestive Tract.

The Ussing chamber is a tool for analyzing drug absorption. We investigated whether the Ussing chamber can be used to analyze the process from digestion to absorption of protein in the gastrointestinal tract. Mixtures containing infant formula, whole cow's milk, processed soy milk, enteral nutrition, or human breast milk, were placed in the apical membrane side equipped with Caco-2 cells. After the addition of first pepsin then pancreatin, samples from the apical and basal membranes were collected. Infant formula showed the highest digestibility and absorption rate. This may be attributed to the presence of whey protein, which is rapidly digested and absorbed. The digestion and absorption of human breast milk showed different results in each donor, suggesting that digestion and absorption may vary among individuals. We concluded that the Ussing chamber can continuously analyze the process from digestion to absorption of proteins in the gastrointestinal tract.

A Miniature Traveling Wave Ultrasonic Linear Motor Utilizing Bimorph Transducers.

Scaling down linear actuators is crucial for various industrial applications, yet the efficiency of electromagnetic linear actuators decreases significantly as they are miniaturized. Millimeter-scale miniature ultrasonic motors, on the other hand, maintain high efficiency. This paper describes a new approach to facilitate the miniaturization of traveling wave linear ultrasonic motors by attaching bimorph transducers to the ends of the stator beams. To control the resonance frequency and facilitate the generation of a traveling flexural wave in the beam, grooves are incorporated into the bimorph structure. Mechanical output is improved by amplifying the transverse displacement through the addition of teeth to the beam. Utilizing the Finite Element Method (FEM), a prototype measuring 10 mm × 10 mm × 160 mm was designed, fabricated, and tested. It achieved an output speed of 53.7 mm/s and a thrust of 0.83 N at a peak-to-peak voltage of 300 V and a frequency of 32.7 kHz. The results show that the proposed ultrasonic linear motors with small size, simple structure and overall compactness have promising applications in robotics, precision machining, medical equipment and other fields requiring miniature compact linear motions.

Survey of Transitional Care Between Pediatrics and Obstetrics/Gynecology in Japan.

Purpose: This study's aim was to determine the actual status of transitional care for patients with pediatric cancer (PPCs) in Japan by surveying obstetricians/gynecologists. Methods: A questionnaire survey on transitional medicine was conducted in the form of an online questionnaire at 579 major training facilities nationwide, which were registered with the Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Results: While 40% of the facilities had received referrals for PPCs, only 13% provided transitional care specifically for PPCs. The most common problems with referrals were related to "insufficient explanation." In addition, at facilities with no experience treating PPCs, many respondents commented that they did not know how to follow the progression of the disease. Regarding the necessity of obstetrics/gynecology visits for PPCs, more than half of the respondents at facilities with experience treating PPCs answered that such visits were "necessary"; only 1% answered that they were "unnecessary." On the other hand, 37% of the facilities that had no experience treating PPCs answered that it was "necessary," whereas 4% answered that it was "unnecessary." Conclusions: This survey of the actual status of transitional care between pediatrics and obstetrics/gynecology in Japan identified issues to be addressed for the spread of transitional care. The results suggest that, in the future, health care professionals need education to increase their knowledge, and that patient education that leads to patients' awareness of their own self-management is necessary.

Survey on the implementation status and reproductive outcomes of oocyte and ovarian tissue cryopreservation in Japan: Historical comparison with nationwide surveys.

PURPOSE: To clarify the reproductive outcomes of fertility preservation (FP) treatment. METHODS: We conducted a mailed-in questionnaire survey at institutions certified by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology to investigate the number of oocyte cryopreservations (OC) and ovarian tissue cryopreservations (OTC) performed from December 2016 to the end of 2020. And, we conducted a detailed investigation of cases in which frozen specimens were used during the investigation period, and made historical comparisons with previous nationwide studies. RESULTS: Responses were received from 114 out of 150 facilities (response rate: 76.0%) for OC and 43 out of 51 for OTC (response rate: 84.3%). Breast cancer was the most common disease among patients whose FP specimens were used. During the study period, 1237 OCs and 198 OTCs were performed. In addition, 57 cycles of embryo transfer (ET) using cryopreserved oocytes and 12 cases of ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) were performed. The mean age of patients who underwent ET using cryopreserved oocytes was 34.8 (±5.8) years, with a median age of 36 years. The pregnancy rate per ET using cryopreserved oocytes was 26.3% and the live birth rate (LBR) was 17.5%. Further, the LBR per patient was 43.3%, and the pregnancy rate following OTTs was 33.3%. Also, controlled ovarian stimulation using the random start method or the combination of aromatase inhibitors had no effect on pregnancy outcome. CONCLUSION: Implementation of both OCs and OTCs have markedly increased over time in Japan, with comparable reproductive outcomes as other reports.

The effects of dark chocolate on cognitive performance during cognitively demanding tasks: A randomized, single-blinded, crossover, dose-comparison study.

Dark chocolate, rich in polyphenols, increases cerebral blood flow and improves cognitive function. This study aimed to determine whether the consumption of chocolate with a high concentration of polyphenols helps to maintain cognitive performance during cognitively demanding tasks. In this randomized, single-blinded, crossover, dose-comparison study, 18 middle-aged adults consumed two types of chocolate (25 g each), one with a high concentration (635.0 mg) and the other with a low concentration (211.7 mg) of cacao polyphenols, and performed a cognitive task requiring response inhibition and selective attention over two time periods (15-30 min and 40-55 min after consumption, respectively). Autonomic nerve function and subjective feelings, such as fatigue and concentration, were measured before food intake and after the second task to assess the participant's state. The results showed that the average reaction time between the first and second sessions was not significantly different for either high- or low-concentration chocolate consumption. However, the percentage of correct responses was similar in the first (96.7 %) and second (96.8 %) sessions for high-concentration chocolate consumption and significantly lower for low-concentration chocolate consumption in the second (96.4 %) session than in the first session (97.3 %). Autonomic nerve function showed a significant increase in sympathetic nerve activity after the second task with high-concentration chocolate consumption, while subjective feelings showed an increase in mental fatigue for both chocolate types but a significant decrease in concentration only after the second task with low-concentration chocolate consumption. These findings suggest that dark chocolate consumption contributes to the maintenance of performance and concentration in continuous and demanding cognitive tasks.

Peripapillary vessel density in eyes with cone-rod dystrophy.

PURPOSE: To compared the vessel density (VD) around the optic nerve head (ONH) in eyes with cone-rod dystrophy (CORD) and healthy control eyes in a sector-wise manner and to investigate the relationship between VD around the ONH and visual function in CORD eyes. METHODS: Twenty-six eyes in 14 CORD patients and 25 eyes in 25 healthy control subjects were examined. Using OCT angiography images, the VDs in the superficial and deep capillary plexus at the macula (sVDm and dVDm) and those around the ONH in the superior, temporal, inferior and nasal region (VDnh_s, VDnh_t, VDnh_i, and VDnh_n, respectively) were measured for each eye. Patient age, visual acuity (VA) and VDs were then compared between two groups. Moreover, the relationships between VA and the VDs were analyzed using a linear mixed model and AICc model selection. RESULTS: No significant difference in age was seen between the CORD and control groups (p = 0.87, Wilcoxon rank sum test), but the VA was significantly lower in the CORD group (p<0.0001). Both sVDm and dVDm were significantly lower in the CORD eyes than in the control eyes (both p<0.0001). Among VDnh_s, VDnh_t, VDnh_i, and VDnh_n, however, only VDnh_t differed significantly between the CORD and control groups (p = 0.035). Among age, VDnh_t, dVDm, and sVDm, the optimal model for VA included only VDnh_t and dVDm. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the VD in the deep capillary plexus at the macula, the measurement of temporal VD around the ONH might be useful for predicting visual function in eyes with CORD.

A mutually communicable external system resource in remote monitoring for cardiovascular implantable electronic devices.

BACKGROUND: Using third-party resources to manage remote monitoring (RM) data from implantable cardiac electronic devices (CIEDs) can assist in device clinic workflows. However, each hospital-acquired data is not used for further analysis as big data. METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed a real-time and automatically centralized system of CIED information from multiple hospitals. If the extensive data-based analysis suggests individual problems, it can be returned to each hospital. To show its feasibility, we prospectively analyzed data from six hospitals. For example, unexpected abnormal battery levels were easily illustrated without recall information. CONCLUSIONS: The centralized RM system could be a new platform that promotes the utilization of device data as big data, and that information could be used for each patient's practice.

Predictive factors for postoperative visual function in eyes with epiretinal membrane.

Our current study aimed to investigate the association of preoperative OCT parameters with visual function after vitrectomy surgery in eyes with epiretinal membrane (ERM). This study enrolled 33 eyes with ERM that underwent vitrectomy surgery. In addition to visual acuity (VA), metamorphopsia was measured pre- and postoperatively for each eye. Using the preoperative horizontal and vertical OCT images, SUKIMA (the gap area between the ERM and retinal surface) was measured respectively and the average of horizontal SUKIMA and vertical SUKIMA was used for the analysis. The associations of baseline parameters (age, axial length, preoperative central retinal thickness [CRT], inner nuclear layer [INL] thickness, ectopic inner foveal layer [EIFL] and SUKIMA) with postoperative VA, the change in VA, postoperative metamorphopsia and the improvement in metamorphopsia were investigated using multivariate regression analysis followed by the model selection. The result suggested that age and INL thickness were related to the postoperative VA, whereas age and preoperative CRT were significantly associated with the change in VA. In contrast, only SUKIMA was correlated with the postoperative metamorphopsia, whilst age, EIFL and SUKIMA were associated with the improvement in metamorphopsia. Measuring SUKIMA might be useful for predicting postoperative metamorphopsia and the improvement in metamorphopsia in ERM eyes.

Systematic-error suppression in low-coherence Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry.

Brillouin optical correlation-domain analysis (BOCDA) utilizing low-coherence light sources offers high-resolution distributed strain and temperature sensing. However, conventional BOCDA requires dual-end injection of pump and probe light into the sensing fiber. To overcome this limitation, low-coherence Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry (BOCDR) based on spontaneous Brillouin scattering has emerged, enabling single-end light injection. While a pilot demonstration has shown a spatial resolution of 19 cm, a comparison of its measurement accuracy with standard BOCDR systems is yet to be explored. This study presents a distributed measurement with ~ 3 cm spatial resolution and demonstrates that low-coherence BOCDR eliminates systematic errors caused by direct sinusoidal modulation, offering enhanced measurement precision.

The study of the efficiency of in vitro maturation of ovarian tissue oocytes in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: Although recent in vitro maturation (IVM) studies in pediatric patients have demonstrated successful retrieval and maturation of oocytes, the studies included only a small number of premenarchal patients. In the present study, we examined the potential use of oocyte retrieval and maturation for pediatric patients who undergo ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC). METHODS: We retrospectively examined the clinical records of pediatric patients who underwent OTC at our institution between October 2015 and December 2022. Data on the age, primary disease, menstrual history, pre-procedure chemotherapy, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level, number of oocytes collected ex vivo from ovarian tissue, and number of mature oocytes from IVM were examined. RESULTS: Data of 60 pediatric patients (aged 1 to 17 years) were included for analysis. Oocytes were retrieved from 36 patients; the oocytes of 18 of these patients could be cryopreserved. The IVM rate was significantly lower in the premenarchal patients than in the postmenarchal patients. The number of mature oocytes retrieved from IVM was higher in the no-chemotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group. A significant positive correlation was observed between the AMH level and the IVM outcomes. CONCLUSION: Oocyte retrieval and maturation in pediatric patients undergoing OTC is particularly useful in those not receiving chemotherapy. In patients receiving chemotherapy, the AMH level may be useful for predicting the IVM outcome. Activation of the oocyte maturation process in vivo in pediatric patients and better understanding of the major regulators of oocyte maturation are necessary to improve the utility of the IVM procedure.

Ketogenic effects of medium chain triglycerides containing formula and its correlation to breath acetone in healthy volunteers: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single dose-response study.

The efficacy of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets, such as ketogenic diets, for cancer patients is of research interest. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in a case study in which medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or MCT-containing formula (ketogenic formula) was used as a supplement to increase blood ketone bodies. However, little is known about the amounts needed to induce ketogenic effects and about the usefulness of monitoring of breath acetone. To investigate the pharmacokinetics of MCTs and their metabolites, blood ketone bodies and breath acetone, 24 healthy subjects received one of four single oral doses of the ketogenic formula (equivalent to 0, 10, 20, and 30 g of MCTs) under fasting conditions. Total blood ketone bodies, ß-hydroxybutyrate, octanoic acid, and decanoic acid were increased in a dose-dependent manner. The ketogenic effect was considered to depend on octanoic and decanoic acids, because a positive correlation was observed between them. A strong positive correlation was also observed between total serum ketone bodies and breath acetone at each time points. Therefore, monitoring breath acetone levels seems a less invasive method to predict blood concentrations of ketone bodies during ketogenic diet therapy. Clinical trial registration:https://rctportal.niph.go.jp/en/detail?trial_id=UMIN000032634, UMIN-CTR UMIN000032634.

Transcoronary mapping using a guidewire during transcoronary ethanol ablation for ventricular tachycardia with a deep intramural substrate: a case report.

Background: Transcoronary ethanol ablation is effective in treating ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the deep myocardium. The selection of the target coronary artery plays an important role in the success of transcoronary ethanol ablation. Transcoronary mapping, using a guidewire, may be effective for identifying the target coronary artery. Case summary: A 72-year-old man, who had undergone thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction 40 years ago, was admitted to the emergency department with a chief complaint of syncope. Five years ago, a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator was implanted for a left bundle branch block (QRS duration 153 ms), with New York Heart Association Class Ⅲ and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30%.Due to VT, he experienced a critical deterioration in his vital parameters, leading to shock. The first VT ablation was performed on the 3rd day of hospitalization. Activation mapping showed that the earliest activation site was located in the mid-anterior septum of the left ventricle. Mapping from the endocardial surface showed no mid-diastolic potential around the VT. Radiofrequency catheter ablation therapy was performed at the targeted site, resulting in transient termination of VT. However, the VT showed recurrence the next day. A transcoronary ethanol ablation was performed on the 10th day of hospitalization. A 0.014 inch guidewire and microcatheter were advanced into the target coronary septal branch, and the myocardial septum was mapped. The guidewire-assisted transcoronary mapping showed a potential 43 ms ahead of QRS onset during VT. The coronary septal artery branch was considered the target artery, and 0.5 mL of ethanol was injected. No further VT was observed for 12 months after the transcoronary ethanol ablation. Discussion: Transcoronary ethanol ablation is considered in cases where a deep intramural substrate is suspected or when early activation at the interventricular septum is identified. Guidewire-assisted transcoronary mapping allows mapping of VT with deep intramural substrates and may be useful in selecting target coronary arteries while performing transcoronary ethanol ablation.

Inverse Association between Cheese Consumption and Lower Cognitive Function in Japanese Community-Dwelling Older Adults Based on a Cross-Sectional Study.

Diet modification may contribute to the prevention of age-related cognitive decline. The association between dairy product consumption and cognitive function in older people remains unknown. We investigated whether cheese intake is associated with lower cognitive function (LCF) in community-dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional study included 1503 adults aged over 65 years. The analyzed data were obtained through face-to-face interviews and functional ability measurement. Cognitive function was assessed using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), and a score ≤23 was defined as LCF. The prevalence of LCF was 4.6%, and this group had smaller calf circumference, slower usual walking speed, and a more frequent history of anemia than subjects with MMSE scores >23. After adjusting for confounding factors, logistic regression analysis revealed cheese intake (odds ratio (OR) = 0.404, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.198-0.824), age (OR = 1.170, 95% CI = 1.089-1.256), usual walking speed (OR = 0.171, 95% CI = 0.062-0.472) and calf circumference (OR = 0.823, 95% CI = 0.747-0.908) to be significant factors associated with LCF. Although the present study was an analysis of cross-sectional data of Japanese community-dwelling older adults, the results suggest that cheese intake is inversely associated with LCF.

IMPACT OF GAS/AIR TAMPONADE ON REFRACTIVE OUTCOMES AFTER FLANGED INTRASCLERAL INTRAOCULAR LENS FIXATION.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the postoperative refractive outcomes in eyes that underwent the flanged intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation combined with vitrectomy with or without gas/air tamponade. METHODS: The eyes were divided into two groups (Group A; eyes that underwent flanged intrascleral IOL fixation with gas/air tamponade, and Group B; eyes that underwent flanged intrascleral IOL fixation without gas/air tamponade). The predicted spherical equivalent (SE) refraction values were calculated using the Sander-Retzlaff-Kraff Theoretical formula. Then, the prediction error was calculated by subtracting the predicted SE refraction from the postoperative objective SE refraction and the absolute prediction error was calculated as the absolute value of the prediction error for each eye. RESULTS: A total of 68 eyes were included in the current study. There was a significant correlation between the predicted and postoperative SE refraction in both groups (Group A, r = 0.968, P < 0.0001, Group B, r = 0.943, P < 0.0001, linear regression analysis). The prediction error demonstrated a mild myopic shift after the flanged intrascleral IOL fixation in both groups (Group A, -0.40 ± 0.96 diopter, Group B, -0.59 ± 0.95 diopter). There was no significant difference in prediction error and absolute prediction error between the two groups ( P = 0.44, P = 0.70, Wilcoxon rank sum test). CONCLUSION: The postoperative SE refraction after flanged intrascleral IOL fixation was not influenced by gas/air tamponade.

Autologous Synovial Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Suppresses Inflammation Caused by Synovial Harvesting and Promotes Healing in a Micro Minipig Repaired Meniscus Model.

PURPOSE: Allogeneic synovial mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) effectively promote meniscus healing in micro minipigs. We investigated the effect of autologous synovial MSC transplantation on meniscus healing in a micro minipig model of meniscus repair showing synovitis after synovial harvesting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Synovium was harvested from the left knee of the micro minipigs after arthrotomy and used to prepare synovial MSCs. The left medial meniscus in the avascular region was injured, repaired, and transplanted with synovial MSCs. First, synovitis was compared after 6 weeks in knees with and without synovial harvesting. Second, the repaired meniscus was compared for the autologous MSC group and the control group (in which synovium was harvested but MSCs were not transplanted) 4 weeks after transplantation. RESULTS: Synovitis was more severe in knees subjected to synovium harvesting than in knees not subjected to harvesting. Menisci treated with autologous MSCs showed no red granulation at the tear of the meniscus, but menisci not treated with MSCS showed red granulation. Macroscopic scores, inflammatory cell infiltration scores, and matrix scores assessed by toluidine blue staining were all significantly better in the autologous MSC group than in the control group without MSCs (n = 6). CONCLUSION: Autologous synovial MSC transplantation suppressed the inflammation caused by synovial harvesting in micro minipigs and promoted healing of the repaired meniscus.

Datasets for training and validating a deep learning-based system to detect microfossil fish teeth from slide images.

In this paper, we describe the three datasets that were used to train, validate, and test deep learning models to detect microfossil fish teeth. The first dataset was created for training and validating a Mask R-CNN model to detect fish teeth in the images taken using the microscope. The training set contained 866 images and one annotation file; the validation set contained 92 images and one annotation file. The second dataset was created for training and validating EfficientNet-V2 models; it included 17,400 images of teeth and 15,036 images that contained only noise (particles other than teeth). The third dataset was created to evaluate the performance of a system that combines a Mask R-CNN model and an EfficientNet-V2 model; it contained 5177 images with annotation files for the locations of 431 teeth within the images.

Acoustic-responsive carbon dioxide-loaded liposomes for efficient drug release.

The role of liposomes as drug carriers has been investigated. Ultrasound-based drug release methods have been developed for on-demand drug delivery. However, the acoustic responses of current liposome carriers result in low drug release efficiency. In this study, CO2-loaded liposomes were synthesized under high pressure from supercritical CO2 and irradiated with ultrasound at 237 kHz to demonstrate their superior acoustic responsiveness. When liposomes containing fluorescent drug models were irradiated with ultrasound under acoustic pressure conditions that are safe for the human body, CO2-loaded liposomes synthesized using supercritical CO2 had 17.1 times higher release efficiency than liposomes synthesized using the conventional Bangham method. In particular, the release efficiency of CO2-loaded liposomes synthesized using supercritical CO2 and monoethanolamine was 19.8 times higher than liposomes synthesized using the conventional Bangham method. These findings on the release efficiency of acoustic-responsive liposomes suggest an alternative liposome synthesis strategy for on-demand release of drugs by ultrasound irradiation in future therapies.