Association between animal protein intake, oral frailty and calf circumference in middle-aged and older adults: a cross-sectional analysis from the Shika study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between oral frailty (OF), nutrient intake and calf circumference (CC) in middle-aged and older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Residents of four model districts of Shika town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, using data from November 2017 to February 2018. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and ninety-four residents aged ≥50 years in four model districts of Shika town. The OF total score ≥3 was defined as OF. Participants were divided into OF and non-OF groups and divided into the low-CC/kg and the high-CC/kg groups. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome is to use a two-way analysis of covariance to analyse the interaction between the two CC/kg groups and the two OF groups on nutrition intake. The secondary outcome is to use multiple regression analysis to investigate the nutrients significantly related to CC/kg when stratified by OF, with age, sex, body mass index, drinking status, smoking status and regular exercise as input covariates. RESULTS: A two-way analysis of covariance revealed a significant interaction between the two CC/kg groups and the two OF groups on animal protein intake (p=0.039). Multiple comparisons using the Bonferroni analysis revealed a significantly lower animal protein intake in the OF group than in the non-OF group with a low CC/kg (p=0.033) but not in the group with a high CC/kg. The multiple regression analysis stratified by OF revealed a positive correlation between animal protein intake and CC/kg (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The present results revealed a significantly lower animal protein intake in the OF group than in the non-OF group in the low-CC/kg group, but no such difference was observed in the high-CC/kg group. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate this relationship.

Phytochemistry and Cytotoxic Activity of Aquilaria crassna Pericarp on MDA-MB-468 Cell Lines.

The extracts of Aquilaria crassna pericarp were investigated on the MDA-MB-468, a breast cancer cell line, at desired concentration (1-50 µg/mL). The results showed that the dichloromethane (DCM) extract exhibited the strongest toxicity and was carried out subsequently. A total of nine compounds were isolated from the DCM extract using column chromatography and recrystallization, of which their structures were determined. Intriguingly, in addition to the previously reported compounds, neocucurbitacin A, a cucurbitacin triterpenoid aglycone with a lactone in ring A, was reported for the first time in the Aquilaria genus. Among the isolated compounds, cucurbitacin E highly inhibited MDA-MB-468 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner. Owing to binding abilities with the SH2 domain in the molecular docking study, cucurbitacin E, neocucurbitan A, neocucurbitan B, and cucurbitacin E 2-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside act as STAT3 inhibitors and are suitable for further research. This study suggests thatAquilaria crassnafruits could serve as a promising source of natural compounds with potential anticancer effects, particularly against breast cancer.

Relationships among Depressive Symptoms, Body Weight, and Chronic Pain: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Shika Study.

Although depression and body weight have individually been associated with chronic pain (CP), it currently remains unclear whether the combination of depressive symptoms (DS) and being underweight/overweight is related to CP. Therefore, we herein investigated the relationships among depression, body mass index (BMI), and CP in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly individuals. Participants comprised 2216 inhabitants of Shika town in Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, including 1003 males (mean age of 68.72 years, standard deviation (SD) of 8.36) and 1213 females (mean age of 69.65 years, SD of 9.36). CP and DS were assessed using a CP questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale-15, respectively. The Breslow-Day test indicated that DS positively correlated with lumbar/knee pain in the BMI < 25 group, but not in the BMI ≥ 25 group. Furthermore, lumber/knee pain was related to a higher BMI. These results were confirmed by a logistic analysis with age, sex, BMI, solitary living, the duration of education, no exercise/hobbies, smoking history, alcohol intake, and medical treatment for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or hypertension as confounding factors. The present study indicates the importance of considering DS and BMI in the prevention of CP. Further studies are needed to clarify the causal relationships among depression, BMI, and CP.

Association between Bone Mineral Density and Oral Frailty on Renal Function: Findings from the Shika Study.

The association between oral frailty (OFr) and body action has been investigated, but its association with systemic function remains unclear. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examined the association between OFr with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and renal function in residents of Shika town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan aged ≥40 years. This study included 400 inhabitants. The OFr total score was assessed using three oral domains in the Kihon Checklist (a self-reported comprehensive health checklist), the number of teeth, and brushing frequency per day. Measurements were the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and the osteo-sono assessment index (OSI). Using a two-way analysis of covariance (p = 0.002), significantly lower OSI was indicated in the eGFR < 60 and OFr group than in the eGFR of < 60 and non-OFr group after adjusting for age, body mass index, and drinking and smoking status as confounding factors. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed this relationship (p = 0.006). Therefore, lower BMD seems to be associated with lower renal function only when accompanied by OFr. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these results.

Increased Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis in Children Aged 0-3 Years Highly Exposed to Parabens.

The prevalence of allergic diseases, such as bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, nasal allergies (pollinosis), and food allergies, has been increasing in many countries. The hygiene hypothesis was recently considered from the perspective of exposure to antimicrobial agents and preservatives, such as parabens (CAS number, 94-13-3). It currently remains unclear whether parabens, which are included in many daily consumer products such as cosmetics, shampoos, and personal care products as preservative antimicrobial agents, induce or aggravate allergies. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between exposure to parabens and the prevalence of allergic diseases in Japanese children. The cross-sectional epidemiology of 236 children aged 0-3 years who underwent health examinations in Shika town in Japan assessed individual exposure to parabens using urinary concentrations of parabens. The results obtained showed that the prevalence of atopic dermatitis was significantly higher in children with high urinary concentrations of parabens than in those with low concentrations (p < 0.001). This relationship remained significant after adjustments for confounding factors, such as age, sex, Kaup's index, and passive smoking (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present results from a population study suggested a relationship between atopic dermatitis and exposure to parabens. A longitudinal study using a larger sample number and a detailed examination of atopic dermatitis, including EASI scores and exposure to parabens, will be necessary.