A case of laparoscopic revision surgery 30 years after vertical banded gastroplasty for morbid obesity.

As the number of bariatric and metabolic surgeries being performed is increasing, the importance of revision surgeries is escalating. In this report, we describe a case of revision surgery performed 30 years after vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), including a review of the surgical techniques. The patient was a male in his 50s who had previously undergone VBG for morbid obesity (body mass index of 72.6 kg/m2 ), resulting in gradual weight loss. Twenty-eight years later, reflux symptoms due to stenosis of the mesh area developed. Despite conservative treatment, the symptoms recurred, and aspiration pneumonia developed. Gastrojejunal and Y-anastomoses were performed laparoscopically. Postoperatively, the patient progressed well with no weight regain. In revision surgery, it is essential to accurately assess the patient's pathophysiology, as the surgical technique must consider improvement in symptoms, risk of weight regain, and the need for observation of the residual stomach.

Peripherally inserted central catheter securement with cyanoacrylate glue and bloodstream infection: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment via a peripherally inserted central venous catheter is important for anticancer treatment, perioperative management, and nutrition management. In this study, we aimed to investigate the usefulness of cyanoacrylate glue (CG) in managing peripherally inserted central venous catheters in adults. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 411 adults requiring a central venous catheter for treatment in the Chiba University Esophageal-Gastro-Intestinal Surgery department between January 2021 and October 2022. The preventive effect of CG in reducing adverse events, including infection, tip migration, and thrombus formation, was evaluated by reviewing electronic medical records, chest radiographs, and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans. RESULTS: CG and other dressings were used in 158 (CG group) and 253 (control group) patients, respectively. The incidence of catheter infection based on the clinical course was lower in the CG group (3.2%) than in the control group (9.1%; P = 0.03). However, cases of infection confirmed by blood or catheter cultures did not differ between the CG (1.3%) and control (1.9%) groups (P = 1.0). Chest radiographs revealed that catheter tip migration (mean ± SD) was lesser in the CG group (8.2 ± 6.7 mm) than in the control group (15.0 ± 15.8 mm; P < 0.01). There were two cases of venous thrombus formation in the control group. CONCLUSION: In a population dominated by esophago-gastroenterological malignancy, peripherally inserted central catheter securement via CG was associated with decreased catheter removal because of suspected catheter infection. Further research on larger cohorts is needed to determine if other adverse events decrease following peripherally inserted central catheter securement via CG.

Inflammatory and Nutritional Indices as Prognostic Markers in Elderly Patients With Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Peripheral blood inflammatory and nutritional indices are independent prognostic factors for various cancers. However, as society's longevity and the demand for surgery in the elderly increase, it remains unclear whether these indices are valuable for patients aged ≥80 years. This study aimed to assess the utility of peripheral blood indices as prognostic markers in elderly patients with gastric cancer (GC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 103 elderly patients (aged ≥80 years) who underwent radical gastrectomy at our hospital between 2008 and 2020. Preoperative systemic inflammatory and nutritional indices, including the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and prognostic and nutritional index (PNI), were evaluated. Prognostic evaluation was performed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in NLR, PLR, and LMR regarding overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). However, patients with low PNI had a markedly worse prognosis (3-year OS: 63.9% vs. 81.2%, p=0.002; 3-year RFS: 55.3% vs. 77.6%, p=0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed that male sex and low PNI were independent predictors of OS (p=0.007p=0.003, respectively) and RFS, with only PNI showing significance (p=0.023). CONCLUSION: Preoperative PNI is an independent prognostic factor for survival in elderly patients with GC who undergo radical gastrectomy.

Apparent diffusion coefficient by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography is useful for grading cholecystitis and surgery planning.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a standard procedure for treating cholescytitis, but severe inflammation may cause complications. Our previous study showed that the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values could predict difficult surgery. In the present study, relevance of ADC values in grading the severity of cholecystitis was pathologically investigated. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy or laparotomic cholecystectomy/choledocholithotomy. The degree of inflammation in the neck of the gall bladder was pathologically graded into three tiers (grade 1, mild; grade 2, moderate; grade 3, severe), and ulceration, lymphoid follicle formation, and wall thickness of the gallbladder neck were recorded. All factors were statistically compared with the measured ADC values. RESULTS: The ADC value was significantly lower in the severe inflammation group ( grade 3) than in the weak inflammation group (grades 1 and 2) (1.93 ± 0.22 vs 2.38 ± 0.67, respectively; P = .02). Ulceration and wall thickness in the gallbladder neck were significantly correlated with ADC values (P = .04 and .006, respectively), and lymphoid follicle formation was marginally correlated with ADC values (P = .06). The diagnostic utility of the ADC values decreased as the interval between imaging and cholecystectomy increased. [Correction added on 19 October 2022, after first online publication: [On the first sentence of the Results section, (grades 2 and 3) for weak inflammation group has been changed to (grades 1 and 2).] CONCLUSION: ADC values were inversely associated with the pathologic intensity of cholecystitis. We recommend that the ADC value be measured before surgery, so that the procedure can be accordingly planned.

[A Case of Resection of Overlapping Ascending Colon Cancer and Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Cecum].

The patient was a 90-year-old man. He was referred to our department with a diagnosis of ascending colon cancer after lower gastrointestinal endoscopy for a positive stool occult blood test. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 1 tumor 30 mm in the ascending colon and a type 3 tumor 50 mm in the cecum. Biopsy revealed Group 5(tub1)for the ascending colon lesion, but Group 2 for the cecum lesion. The patient was clinically diagnosed as having overlapping ascending colon cancer and cecum cancer, and a right hemicolectomy of the colon was performed. Histopathological examination revealed ascending colon cancer and primary malignant lymphoma of the cecum.

[A Case of Postoperative Lymph Node Metastatic Recurrence of Ascending Colon Cancer Invading the Primary Branch of Superior Mesenteric Artery during Hemodialysis].

A 58-year-old man with chronic renal disease underwent ileo-cecal resection with lymph node dissection for cancer of the ascending colon at his previous physician. The pathological diagnosis was pT3N0M0, pStage Ⅱa. One year and 7 months after surgery, he was diagnosed with local and lymph node recurrence and referred to our department. Contrast- enhanced CT revealed that an irregular nodal shadow 25 mm in size adjacent to the superior mesenteric artery and the transvers part of duodenum, which was suspicious for lymph node recurrence. We regarded this patient as marginally resectable and neoadjuvant treatment was considered, but because the patient was on dialysis, we decided to operate without pre-operative treatment. Surgical findings showed invasion of a recurrent lymph node into a primary branch of the superior mesenteric artery and vein. We temporarily blocked these vessels and cut off these vessels after checking that blood flow in the intestine was maintained by intravenous injection of ICG. The lymph node was also invading the uncinate process of the pancreas and the transvers part of duodenum, we performed partial resection of those organs. Pathology revealed no tumor exposure on the dissected surface and R0 resection was achieved. The patient received 5 courses of postoperative folinate/ uracil/tegafur therapy and is alive 1 year postoperatively without recurrence.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation suppresses the detraining-induced reduction of mitochondrial content in mouse skeletal muscle.

Exercise training enhances oxidative capacity whereas detraining reduces mitochondrial content in skeletal muscle. The strategy to suppress the detraining-induced reduction of mitochondrial content has not been fully elucidated. As previous studies reported that branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) ingestion increased mitochondrial content in skeletal muscle, we evaluated whether BCAA supplementation could suppress the detraining-induced reduction of mitochondrial content. Six-week-old male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were randomly divided into four groups as follows: control (Con), endurance training (Tr), detraining (DeTr), and detraining with BCAA supplementation (DeTr + BCAA). Mice in Tr, DeTr, and DeTr + BCAA performed treadmill running exercises [20-30 m/min, 60 min, 5 times/week, 4 weeks]. Then, mice in DeTr and DeTr + BCAA were administered with water or BCAA [0.6 mg/g of body weight, twice daily] for 2 weeks of detraining. In whole skeletal muscle, mitochondrial enzyme activities and protein content were decreased after 2 weeks of detraining, but the reduction was suppressed by BCAA supplementation. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) protein content, a master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was decreased by detraining irrespective of BCAA ingestion. Regarding mitochondrial degradation, BCL2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa protein-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), a mitophagy-related protein, was significantly higher in the Tr group than in the DeTr + BCAA group, but not different from in the DeTr group. With respect to mitochondrial quality, BCAA ingestion did not affect oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in isolated mitochondria. Our findings suggest that BCAA ingestion suppresses the detraining-induced reduction of mitochondrial content partly through inhibiting mitophagy.

Disrupted local beta band networks in schizophrenia revealed through graph analysis: A magnetoencephalography study.

AIMS: Schizophrenia (SZ) is characterized by psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment, and is hypothesized to be a 'dysconnection' syndrome due to abnormal neural network formation. Although numerous studies have helped elucidate the pathophysiology of SZ, many aspects of the mechanism underlying psychotic symptoms remain unknown. This study used graph theory analysis to evaluate the characteristics of the resting-state network (RSN) in terms of microscale and macroscale indices, and to identify candidates as potential biomarkers of SZ. Specifically, we discriminated topological characteristics in the frequency domain and investigated them in the context of psychotic symptoms in patients with SZ. METHODS: We performed graph theory analysis of electrophysiological RSN data using magnetoencephalography to compare topological characteristics represented by microscale (degree centrality and clustering coefficient) and macroscale (global efficiency, local efficiency, and small-worldness) indices in 29 patients with SZ and 38 healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the aberrant topological characteristics of the RSN in patients with SZ and their relationship with SZ symptoms. RESULTS: SZ was associated with a decreased clustering coefficient, local efficiency, and small-worldness, especially in the high beta band. In addition, macroscale changes in the low beta band are closely associated with negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The local networks of patients with SZ may disintegrate at both the microscale and macroscale levels, mainly in the beta band. Adopting an electrophysiological perspective of SZ as a failure to form local networks in the beta band will provide deeper insights into the pathophysiology of SZ as a 'dysconnection' syndrome.

Effects of glucose ingestion at different frequencies on glycogen recovery in mice during the early hours post exercise.

BACKGROUND: When a high-carbohydrate diet is ingested, whether as small frequent snacks or as large meals, there is no difference between the two with respect to post-exercise glycogen storage for a period of 24 h. However, the effect of carbohydrate intake frequency on glycogen recovery a few hours after exercise is not clear. Athletes need to recover glycogen quickly after physical exercise as they sometimes exercise multiple times a day. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of carbohydrate intake at different frequencies on glycogen recovery during the first few hours after exercise. METHODS: After 120 min of fasting, 6-week-old male ICR mice were subjected to treadmill running exercise (20 m/min for 60 min) to decrease the levels of muscle and liver glycogen. Mice were then given glucose as a bolus (1.2 mg/g of body weight [BW], immediately after exercise) or as a pulse (1.2 mg/g of BW, every 15 min × 4 times). Following this, the blood, tissue, and exhaled gas samples were collected. RESULTS: In the bolus group, blood glucose concentration was significantly lower and plasma insulin concentration was significantly higher than those in the pulse group (p < 0.05). The plantaris muscle glycogen concentration in the bolus group was 25.3% higher than that in the pulse group at 60 min after glucose ingestion (p < 0.05). Liver glycogen concentration in the pulse group was significantly higher than that in the bolus group at 120 min after glucose ingestion (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed that ingesting a large amount of glucose immediately after exercise increased insulin secretion and enhanced muscle glycogen recovery, whereas frequent and small amounts of glucose intake was shown to enhance liver glycogen recovery.

Effects of post-exercise glucose ingestion at different solution temperatures on glycogen repletion in mice.

Carbohydrate ingestion is essential for glycogen recovery after exercise. Although studies have investigated methods for enhancement of glycogen repletion with regard to nutrients and their amounts, no studies have examined the effect of temperature of the ingested solution on glycogen recovery. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of the temperature of glucose solution ingested after exercise on glycogen recovery. Seven-week-old male ICR mice were fasted for 16 h and subjected to treadmill running exercise (20 m/min for 60 min) to decrease glycogen storage. Then, the mice were administered glucose (1.5 mg/g body weight) at three different solution temperatures: 4°C, cold solution group (Cold); 37°C, mild solution group (Mild); and 55°C, hot solution group (Hot). Our results revealed that blood glucose, plasma insulin, and muscle glycogen concentrations did not differ among the three groups. In contrast, liver glycogen concentration in the Hot group was significantly higher than that in the post-exercise and Cold groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, portal glucose concentration was significantly higher in the Hot group than in the Cold group (p < 0.01). These observations suggest that postexercise muscle glycogen repletion occurs regardless of glucose solution temperature, and that ingesting hot glucose solution after exercise can be an effective means for liver glycogen repletion compared with cold glucose solution ingestion.

High Carbohydrate Diet Increased Glucose Transporter Protein Levels in Jejunum but Did Not Lead to Enhanced Post-Exercise Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Recovery.

We examined the effect of dietary carbohydrate intake on post-exercise glycogen recovery. Male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were fed moderate-carbohydrate chow (MCHO, 50%cal from carbohydrate) or high-carbohydrate chow (HCHO, 70%cal from carbohydrate) for 10 days. They then ran on a treadmill at 25 m/min for 60 min and administered an oral glucose solution (1.5 mg/g body weight). Compared to the MCHO group, the HCHO group showed significantly higher sodium-D-glucose co-transporter 1 protein levels in the brush border membrane fraction (p = 0.003) and the glucose transporter 2 level in the mucosa of jejunum (p = 0.004). At 30 min after the post-exercise glucose administration, the skeletal muscle and liver glycogen levels were not significantly different between the two diet groups. The blood glucose concentration from the portal vein (which is the entry site of nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract) was not significantly different between the groups at 15 min after the post-exercise glucose administration. There was no difference in the total or phosphorylated states of proteins related to glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in skeletal muscle. Although the high-carbohydrate diet significantly increased glucose transporters in the jejunum, this adaptation stimulated neither glycogen recovery nor glucose absorption after the ingestion of post-exercise glucose.

Enhanced skeletal muscle glycogen repletion after endurance exercise is associated with higher plasma insulin and skeletal muscle hexokinase 2 protein levels in mice: comparison of level running and downhill running model.

To identify factors that influence post-exercise muscle glycogen repletion, we compared the glycogen recovery after level running with downhill running, an experimental model of impaired post-exercise glycogen recovery. Male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice performed endurance level running (no inclination) or downhill running (-5° inclination) on a treadmill. In Experiment 1, to determine whether these two types of exercise resulted in different post-exercise glycogen repletion patterns, tissues were harvested immediately post-exercise or 2 days post-exercise. Compared to the control (sedentary) group, level running induced significant glycogen supercompensation in the soleus muscle at 2 days post-exercise (p = 0.002). Downhill running did not induce glycogen supercompensation. In Experiment 2, mice were orally administered glucose 1 day post-exercise; this induced glycogen supercompensation in soleus and plantaris muscle only in the level running group (soleus: p = 0.005, plantaris: p = 0.003). There were significant positive main effects of level running compared to downhill running on the plasma insulin (p = 0.017) and C-peptide concentration (p = 0.011). There was no difference in the glucose transporter 4 level or the phosphorylated states of proteins related to insulin signaling and metabolism in skeletal muscle. The level running group showed significantly higher hexokinase 2 (HK2) protein content in both soleus (p = 0.046) and plantaris muscles (p =0.044) at 1 day after exercise compared to the downhill running group. Our findings suggest that post-exercise skeletal muscle glycogen repletion might be partly influenced by plasma insulin and skeletal muscle HK2 protein levels.

Histogram Analysis of Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging as a Biomarker to Predict Survival of Surgically Treated Colorectal Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Structural abnormality is a well-recognized feature of malignancy. On the other hand, diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) has been reported as a tool that can reflect tumor biology. AIMS: The purpose of this study is to apply histogram analysis to DWI to quantify structural abnormality of colorectal cancer, and evaluate its biomarker value. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 80 (46 men and 34 women; median age: 68.0 years) colorectal cancer patients who underwent DWI followed by curative surgery at the Chiba University Hospital between 2009 and 2011. Median follow-up time was 62.2 months. Histogram parameters including signal intensity of kurtosis and skewness of the tumor were measured on DWI at b = 1000, and mean apparent diffusion coefficient value (ADC) of the tumor was also measured on ADC map generated by DWIs at b = 0 and 1000. Associations of tumor parameters (kurtosis, skewness, and ADC) with pathological features were analyzed, and these parameters were also compared with overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: ADC of the tumor did not have significant associations with any pathological factors, but kurtosis and skewness of signal intensity in the tumor was significantly different between tumors with distant metastases and those without (4.23 ± 1.31 vs. 3.24 ± 1.32, p = 0.04; 1.09 ± 0.39 vs. 0.57 ± 0.58, p = 0.03). Kurtosis of the tumor was significantly correlated with OS and RFS (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, respectively), and skewness was significantly correlated with OS (p = 0.03) in Cox regression analysis. Higher kurtosis or higher skewness of the tumor was associated with worse OS in Kaplan-Meier analysis (p = 0.01, p = 0.009, log-rank). In subset analysis, there were 50 patients (32 men and 18 women) of lymph node-negative colorectal cancers (≤ stage II); skewness of signal intensity in the tumor was associated with OS using univariate Cox regression analysis (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Histogram analysis of DWI can be a prognostic biomarker for colorectal cancer.

Combined Effect of Quercetin and Fish Oil on Oxidative Stress in the Liver of Mice Fed a Western-Style Diet.

To study the combined effect of the flavonoid quercetin and fish oil containing ω-3 fatty acids on preventing diet-induced metabolic syndrome, we fed mice with a control diet, a high-fat, high-sucrose, and high-cholesterol Western-style diet (Western diet), a Western diet supplemented with 0.05% quercetin, a Western diet containing 5% fish oil rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (DHA diet), or a DHA diet supplemented with 0.05% quercetin. After 18 weeks of feeding, fish oil potentiated the suppression of lipid peroxidation by quercetin in the liver but not in the epididymal adipose tissue. Fish oil but not quercetin suppressed the accumulation of non-esterified fatty acids and the expression of fatty acid synthase in the liver of Western-diet-fed mice. Thus, the combination of quercetin and DHA-rich fish oil may partly alleviate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by reducing oxidative stress and suppressing fatty acid synthesis.

Frequency-Specific Resting Connectome in Bipolar Disorder: An MEG Study.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a serious psychiatric disorder that is associated with a high suicide rate, and for which no clinical biomarker has yet been identified. To address this issue, we investigated the use of magnetoencephalography (MEG) as a new prospective tool. MEG has been used to evaluate frequency-specific connectivity between brain regions; however, no previous study has investigated the frequency-specific resting-state connectome in patients with BD. This resting-state MEG study explored the oscillatory representations of clinical symptoms of BD via graph analysis. METHODS: In this prospective case-control study, 17 patients with BD and 22 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state MEG and evaluations for depressive and manic symptoms. After estimating the source current distribution, orthogonalized envelope correlations between multiple brain regions were evaluated for each frequency band. We separated regions-of-interest into seven left and right network modules, including the frontoparietal network (FPN), limbic network (LM), salience network (SAL), and default mode network (DMN), to compare the intra- and inter-community edges between the two groups. RESULTS: In the BD group, we found significantly increased inter-community edges of the right LM-right DMN at the gamma band, and decreased inter-community edges of the right SAL-right FPN at the delta band and the left SAL-right SAL at the theta band. Intra-community edges in the left LM at the high beta band were significantly higher in the BD group than in the HC group. The number of connections in the left LM at the high beta band showed positive correlations with the subjective and objective depressive symptoms in the BD group. CONCLUSION: We introduced graph theory into resting-state MEG studies to investigate the functional connectivity in patients with BD. To the best of our knowledge, this is a novel approach that may be beneficial in the diagnosis of BD. This study describes the spontaneous oscillatory brain networks that compensate for the time-domain issues associated with functional magnetic resonance imaging. These findings suggest that the connectivity of the LM at the beta band may be a good objective biological biomarker of the depressive symptoms associated with BD.

Effects of Nutrient Intake Timing on Post-Exercise Glycogen Accumulation and its Related Signaling Pathways in Mouse Skeletal Muscle.

We investigated the effects of nutrient intake timing on glycogen accumulation and its related signals in skeletal muscle after an exercise that did not induce large glycogen depletion. Male ICR mice ran on a treadmill at 25 m/min for 60 min under a fed condition. Mice were orally administered a solution containing 1.2 mg/g carbohydrate and 0.4 mg/g protein or water either immediately (early nutrient, EN) or 180 min (late nutrient, LN) after the exercise. Tissues were harvested at 30 min after the oral administration. No significant difference in blood glucose or plasma insulin concentrations was found between the EN and LN groups. The plantaris muscle glycogen concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the EN group-but not in the LN group-compared to the respective time-matched control group. Akt Ser473 phosphorylation was significantly higher in the EN group than in the time-matched control group (p < 0.01), while LN had no effect. Positive main effects of time were found for the phosphorylations in Akt substrate of 160 kDa (AS160) Thr642 (p < 0.05), 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) Thr172 (p < 0.01), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase Ser79 (p < 0.01); however, no effect of nutrient intake was found for these. We showed that delayed nutrient intake could not increase muscle glycogen after endurance exercise which did not induce large glycogen depletion. The results also suggest that post-exercise muscle glycogen accumulation after nutrient intake might be partly influenced by Akt activation. Meanwhile, increased AS160 and AMPK activation by post-exercise fasting might not lead to glycogen accumulation.

Effects of ß-hydroxybutyrate treatment on glycogen repletion and its related signaling cascades in epitrochlearis muscle during 120 min of postexercise recovery.

We investigated the effects of ß-hydroxybutyrate (ß-HB), the most abundant type of ketone body in mammals, on postexercise glycogen recovery in skeletal muscle by using an in vitro experimental model. Male ICR mice swam for 60 min and then their epitrochlearis muscles were removed and incubated with either physiological levels of glucose (8 mmol/L) and insulin (60 µU/mL) or glucose and insulin plus 1, 2, or 4 mmol/L of sodium ß-HB. Four millimoles per liter ß-HB had a significant positive effect on glycogen repletion in epitrochlearis muscle at 120 min after exercise (p < 0.01), while 2 mmol/L of ß-HB showed a tendency to increase the glycogen level (p < 0.09), and 1 mmol/L of ß-HB had no significant effect. We further investigated the effect of 4 mmol/L ß-HB treatment on the signaling cascade related to glycogen repletion in the epitrochlearis muscles throughout a 120-min recovery period. After incubating the muscles in 4 mmol/L of ß-HB for 15 min postexercise, the Akt substrate of 160 kDa Thr642 (p < 0.05) and Akt Thr308 (p < 0.05) phosphorylations were significantly increased compared with the control treatment. At the same time point, 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase phosphorylations were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the epitrochlearis muscle incubated with 4 mmol/L of ß-HB than in the control muscle. Our results demonstrate that postexercise 4 mmol/L ß-HB administration enhanced glycogen repletion in epitrochlearis muscle. Four millimoles per liter ß-HB treatment was associated with alternation of the phosphorylated status of several proteins involved in glucose uptake and metabolic/energy homeostasis at the early stage of postexercise.

Effects of Royal Jelly Administration on Endurance Training-Induced Mitochondrial Adaptations in Skeletal Muscle.

We investigated the effect of royal jelly (RJ), a natural secretion from worker bees, on the endurance training-induced mitochondrial adaptations in skeletal muscles of ICR mice. Mice received either RJ (1.0 mg/g body weight) or distilled water for three weeks. The mice in the training group were subjected to endurance training (20 m/min; 60 min; 5 times/week). There was a main effect of endurance training on the maximal activities of the mitochondrial enzymes, citrate synthase (CS), and ß-hydroxyacyl coenzyme Adehydrogenase (ß-HAD), in the plantaris and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, while no effect of RJ treatment was observed. In the soleus muscle, CS and ß-HAD maximal activities were significantly increased by endurance training in the RJ-treated group, while there was no effect of training in the control group. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of acute RJ treatment on the signaling cascade involved in mitochondrial biogenesis. In the soleus, phosphorylation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were additively increased by a single RJ treatment and endurance exercise, while only an exercise effect was found in the plantaris and TA muscles. These results indicate that the RJ treatment induced mitochondrial adaptation with endurance training by AMPK activation in the soleus muscles of ICR mice.

Dietary Intake of Curcumin Improves eIF2 Signaling and Reduces Lipid Levels in the White Adipose Tissue of Obese Mice.

White adipose tissue (eWAT) plays a crucial role in preventing metabolic syndrome. We aimed to investigate WAT distribution and gene expression and lipidomic profiles in epididymal WAT (eWAT) in diet-induced obese mice, reflecting a Western-style diet of humans to elucidate the bioactive properties of the dietary antioxidant curcumin in preventing lifestyle-related diseases. For 16 weeks, we fed C57BL/6J mice with a control diet, a high-fat, high-sucrose and high-cholesterol Western diet or Western diet supplemented with 0.1% (w/w) curcumin. Although the dietary intake of curcumin did not affect eWAT weight or plasma lipid levels, it reduced lipid peroxidation markers' levels in eWAT. Curcumin accumulated in eWAT and changed gene expressions related to eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2) signalling. Curcumin suppressed eIF2α phosphorylation, which is induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, macrophage accumulation and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 and leptin expression, whereas it's anti-inflammatory effect was inadequate to decrease TNF-α and IFN-γ levels. Lipidomic and gene expression analysis revealed that curcumin decreased some diacylglycerols (DAGs) and DAG-derived glycerophospholipids levels by suppressing the glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 1 and adipose triglyceride lipase expression, which are associated with lipogenesis and lipolysis, respectively. Presumably, these intertwined effects contribute to metabolic syndrome prevention by dietary modification.

Pre-Exercise High-Fat Diet for 3 Days Affects Post-Exercise Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Repletion.

Previous studies have shown that the short-term intake of a high-fat diet (HFD) impairs glucose metabolism. In this study, we investigated the influences of pre-exercise HFD intake for 3 d on post-exercise glycogen repletion in skeletal muscle in ICR mice. Mice received either an HFD (57% kcal from fat, 23% kcal from carbohydrate; HFD group) or standard laboratory chow (13% kcal from fat, 60% kcal from carbohydrate; Con group) for 3 d before exercise. Mice performed treadmill running at 25 m/min for 60 min and were orally administered a glucose (2 mg/g body weight) solution immediately after and at 60 min after exercise. A negative main effect of pre-exercise HFD intake was observed for skeletal muscle glycogen concentration from the pre-exercise phase to 120 min of post-exercise recovery (p<0.01). Blood glucose concentration in the HFD group was significantly higher than in the Con group at 120 min after exercise (p<0.01). No significant difference was observed in plasma insulin concentration. There were no significant between-group differences in the phosphorylation state of Akt Thr308, AMPK Thr172, AS160 Thr642, or glycogen synthase Ser641 or in glucose transporter 4 protein levels during post-exercise recovery. Our results suggest that the intake of a pre-exercise HFD for 3 d affects post-exercise glycogen repletion in skeletal muscle without impairing the insulin signaling cascade.