RESUMEN
To provide diverse in-home services like elderly care, versatile activity recognition technology is essential. Radio-based methods, including WiFi CSI, RFID, and backscatter communication, are preferred due to their minimal privacy intrusion, reduced physical burden, and low maintenance costs. However, these methods face challenges, including environmental dependence, proximity limitations between the device and the user, and untested accuracy amidst various radio obstacles such as furniture, appliances, walls, and other radio waves. In this paper, we propose a frequency-shift backscatter tag-based in-home activity recognition method and test its feasibility in a near-real residential setting. Consisting of simple components such as antennas and switches, these tags facilitate ultra-low power consumption and demonstrate robustness against environmental noise because a context corresponding to a tag can be obtained by only observing frequency shifts. We implemented a sensing system consisting of SD-WiFi, a software-defined WiFi AP, and physical switches on backscatter tags tailored for detecting the movements of daily objects. Our experiments demonstrate that frequency shifts by tags can be detected within a 2 m range with 72% accuracy under the line of sight (LoS) conditions and achieve a 96.0% accuracy (F-score) in recognizing seven typical daily living activities with an appropriate receiver/transmitter layout. Furthermore, in an additional experiment, we confirmed that increasing the number of overlaying packets enables frequency shift-detection even without LoS at distances of 3-5 m.
Asunto(s)
Actividades Cotidianas , Tecnología Inalámbrica , Humanos , Ondas de Radio , Dispositivo de Identificación por Radiofrecuencia/métodosRESUMEN
AIM: Following the coronavirus disease outbreak, a state of public emergency was declared worldwide, which enforced lifestyle changes. This study therefore aimed to investigate the changes in lifestyle, body composition, hepatic steatosis, and fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) under lockdown. METHODS: During the lockdown period, 1344 patients with CLD answered a lifestyle questionnaire. In 298 patients, body composition and liver stiffness measure (LSM)/controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) were analyzed by InBody and FibroScan, respectively, and serial data were obtained in 137 patients. RESULTS: More than half of the CLD patients answered decreases in physical activity and frequency of outings during lockdown, while diet was less affected. Overall, 58% of patients showed elevations in CAP values, which were not different statistically over time. Women, but not men, were more likely to increase CAP values during lockdown. Neither LSM nor serum fibrosis markers were elevated chronologically during lockdown. In men, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and visceral fat area (VFA) were significantly increased, whereas in women, lower-limb muscle mass was significantly decreased. Patients with decreased SMI showed elevations in CAP and VFA values, and patients who exercised less showed increases in BMI. CONCLUSION: In response to lockdown, men tended to increase body fat but the degree of hepatic steatosis was less affected, while women were more likely to exacerbate hepatic steatosis with skeletal muscle loss among CLD patients. Gender-specific approaches need to be established for management of CLD patients to avoid exacerbation or comorbidity of steatotic liver disease.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Periodontal disease (PeD) is a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease and is associated with cognitive decline in older adults. However, the relationships between subitems of neuropsychological tests and PeD have not been fully clarified. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between PeD and subitems of neuropsychological tests. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data of 183 participants (women: 50%, mean age: 79 years) from a clinical study. We enrolled patients who visited our memory clinic and assessed demographics, dementia-related risk factors, neuropsychological tests, brain magnetic resonance images, and a dental screening check. We evaluated the relationships between cognitive function and PeD using multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Participants with dementia were less likely to make periodical visits to the dentist, had fewer teeth, had less frequent tooth brushing habits, and were more likely to have PeD. Impaired cognitive function was significantly associated with an increasing degree of PeD. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, impaired visuospatial function and attention were associated with twice the risk of moderate or severe PeD compared with individuals with preserved visuospatial function and attention (odds ratio: 2.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-4.29, pâ=â0.037). Impaired word recall and recognition and following commands were associated with increased risk of PeD (odds ratio: 2.80, 95% confidence interval: 1.41-5.32, pâ=â0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive decline, such as impaired visuospatial function, attention, word recall and recognition, and inability to follow commands were independently and strongly associated with PeD. These items can be assessed easily on a daily basis.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad de Alzheimer , Trastornos del Conocimiento , Disfunción Cognitiva , Enfermedades Periodontales , Humanos , Femenino , Anciano , Estudios Transversales , Trastornos del Conocimiento/patología , Disfunción Cognitiva/epidemiología , Disfunción Cognitiva/psicología , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/complicaciones , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/diagnóstico por imagen , Enfermedad de Alzheimer/epidemiología , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Enfermedades Periodontales/complicaciones , Enfermedades Periodontales/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Endoscopy is an important form of clinical gastroenterology education because it gives students the opportunity to learn about diagnosis procedures and even treatment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students were observed from outside the endoscopy room due to the risk of airborne infection. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of combining endoscopy education with doctor's-eye-view videos of the procedure obtained using live-action cameras (GoPro®). METHODS: From February to May 2021, endoscopists wore GoPro Hero8 cameras on their heads to display a doctor's-eye view video outside the room. The efficacy of the GoPro videos in combination with endoscopic monitoring was evaluated by 15 participating medical students. The participants rated the efficacy on a 5-point scale and commented on the positive and negative points. RESULTS: A total of 78.6% of participants evaluated the GoPro as good; 57.2% answered that it increased their understanding, with 71.4% stating that it increased their understanding of procedures in particular. A total of 85.7% of the students answered that their interest in endoscopy had increased, and 85.7% evaluated the benefit of the GoPro videos as good. In addition, 64.3% answered that the method was effective in preventing COVID-19 infection. Education using GoPro videos enabled students to feel as if they were conducting the endoscopy themselves and enabled them to concentrate on learning. CONCLUSIONS: Practical endoscopic education using a GoPro is an effective educational tool that not only increases understanding of endoscopic practice but also stimulates students' interest and awareness of their future as doctors.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Estudiantes de Medicina , Humanos , Pandemias/prevención & control , COVID-19/prevención & control , Escolaridad , EndoscopíaRESUMEN
In recent years, the outcomes of the Fontan procedure have been good, but Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD), which causes congestive hepatopathy due to elevated central venous pressure (CVP), has become a serious problem when considering patients' long-term prognosis. A 28-year-old woman with Emanuel syndrome was admitted to our hospital for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). She was diagnosed with pulmonary atresia and underwent a bidirectional pulmonary artery shunt at the age of 1 year and 10 months and the Fontan procedure at 4 years of age. Blood tests showed an increase in γ-glutamyltransferase in her early 20s and a marked increase in alfa-fetoprotein levels at age 27 years. She was diagnosed as having HCC in the S7 region by contrast-enhanced computed tomography and underwent hepatectomy. There were no serious adverse events, and the patient has survived 18 months after surgery without recurrence. In this report, the optimal time for the transition from the pediatrics department to adult healthcare units is also discussed, along with the management system for FALD in our hospital.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-associated/related liver disease (ALD) with metabolic syndrome is increasing globally. Metabolic syndrome and excessive alcohol consumption synergically exacerbate liver pathologies; therefore, drinking-specific serum markers unaffected by liver injury or metabolic syndrome are essential for assessing alcohol consumption. We evaluated the ratio of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin to total transferrin (%CDT) in patients with fatty liver disease, particularly focusing on its correlation with metabolic factors (UMIN000033550). METHODS: A total of 120 patients with fatty liver disease, including ALD and NAFLD, were screened for alcohol misuse using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Associations of metabolic syndrome-related factors and hepatic steatosis/liver stiffness with drinking markers, such as %CDT, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), were assessed using multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: %CDT significantly increased with 3-4 drinks/day. The optimal cutoff value for identifying non- to light drinkers was 1.78% (sensitivity, 71.8%; specificity, 83.7%; and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC], 0.851), which was significantly higher than that for GGT. The cutoff value for identifying heavy drinkers was 2.08% (sensitivity, 65.5%; specificity, 86.8%; and AUROC, 0.815). Multiple regression analysis revealed that this proportion was negatively correlated with body mass index, whereas GGT and MCV were influenced by multiple factors involved in liver injury and dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: %CDT showed a strong correlation with alcohol consumption, independent of liver damage, steatosis/stiffness, or metabolic syndrome-related factors, indicating that it is a useful drinking marker for the accurate diagnosis of NAFLD and ALD.
Asunto(s)
Alcoholismo , Síndrome Metabólico , Enfermedad del Hígado Graso no Alcohólico , Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas/efectos adversos , Biomarcadores , Humanos , Síndrome Metabólico/diagnóstico , Enfermedad del Hígado Graso no Alcohólico/diagnóstico , Transferrina/análogos & derivados , Transferrina/análisis , gamma-GlutamiltransferasaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Regulation of temperature is clinically important in the care of neonates because it has a significant impact on prognosis. Although probes that make contact with the skin are widely used to monitor temperature and provide spot central and peripheral temperature information, they do not provide details of the temperature distribution around the body. Although it is possible to obtain detailed temperature distributions using multiple probes, this is not clinically practical. Thermographic techniques have been reported for measurement of temperature distribution in infants. However, as these methods require manual selection of the regions of interest (ROIs), they are not suitable for introduction into clinical settings in hospitals. Here, we describe a method for segmentation of thermal images that enables continuous quantitative contactless monitoring of the temperature distribution over the whole body of neonates. METHODS: The semantic segmentation method, U-Net, was applied to thermal images of infants. The optimal combination of Weight Normalization, Group Normalization, and Flexible Rectified Linear Unit (FReLU) was evaluated. U-Net Generative Adversarial Network (U-Net GAN) was applied to thermal images, and a Self-Attention (SA) module was finally applied to U-Net GAN (U-Net GAN + SA) to improve precision. The semantic segmentation performance of these methods was evaluated. RESULTS: The optimal semantic segmentation performance was obtained with application of FReLU and Group Normalization to U-Net, showing accuracy of 92.9% and Mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 64.5%. U-Net GAN improved the performance, yielding accuracy of 93.3% and mIoU of 66.9%, and U-Net GAN + SA showed further improvement with accuracy of 93.5% and mIoU of 70.4%. CONCLUSIONS: FReLU and Group Normalization are appropriate semantic segmentation methods for application to neonatal thermal images. U-Net GAN and U-Net GAN + SA significantly improved the mIoU of segmentation.
Asunto(s)
Regulación de la Temperatura Corporal , Procesamiento de Imagen Asistido por Computador/métodos , Recien Nacido Prematuro/fisiología , Monitoreo Fisiológico/métodos , Semántica , Termografía/métodos , Femenino , Humanos , Recién Nacido , MasculinoRESUMEN
Here we investigated the gender difference in murine cholangitis resembling human primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) caused by synthetic double-stranded RNA, and underlying hepatic innate immune responses. Female C57Bl/6 mice given repeated injections of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) for 24 weeks developed overt cholangitis with positive serum anti-mitochondria-M2 antibody, whereas male mice showed minimal pathological changes without induction in autoantibody. Poly I:C induced hepatic inflammatory cytokines and type-I interferons predominantly in females. Hepatic expression levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) 3 and melanoma differentiation-associated protein (MDA) 5 were equivalent in both genders; however, both mRNA and protein levels of retinoic acid-inducible gene (RIG)-I were nearly doubled in female livers. Following 4-week injections of poly I:C, not only hepatic RIG-I, but also TLR3 and MDA5 showed female-predominance. Moreover, hepatic RIG-I levels were 25% lower in ovariectomized mice, whereas supplementation of 17 ß-estradiol enhanced hepatic RIG-I expression, as well as cytokine induction. These results clearly indicate that hepatic RIG-I expression is potentiated by estrogen, and triggers gender-dependent hepatic innate immune response against double-stranded RNA, which most likely play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune cholangiopathies including PBC.
Asunto(s)
Colangitis/patología , ARN Bicatenario/efectos adversos , Caracteres Sexuales , Animales , Autoanticuerpos/sangre , Colangitis/sangre , Colangitis/inmunología , Citocinas/metabolismo , Proteína 58 DEAD Box/metabolismo , Estrógenos/farmacología , Femenino , Helicasa Inducida por Interferón IFIH1/metabolismo , Hígado/metabolismo , Masculino , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Poli I-C/efectos adversos , Receptores de Reconocimiento de Patrones/metabolismo , Receptor Toll-Like 3/metabolismoRESUMEN
The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted sporting activities across the world. However, practical training strategies for athletes to reduce the risk of infection during the pandemic have not been definitively studied. The purpose of this report was to provide an overview of the challenges we encountered during the reboot of high-performance sporting activities of the Japanese national handball team during the 3rd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan. Twenty-nine Japanese national women's handball players and 24 staff participated in the study. To initiate the reboot of their first training camp after COVID-19 stay-home social policy, we conducted: web-based health-monitoring, SARS-CoV-2 screening with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, real-time automated quantitative monitoring of social distancing on court using a moving image-based artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, physical intensity evaluation with wearable heart rate (HR) and acceleration sensors, and a self-reported online questionnaire. The training camp was conducted successfully with no COVID-19 infections. The web-based health monitoring and the frequent PCR testing with short turnaround times contributed remarkably to early detection of athletes' health problems and to risk screening. During handball, AI-based on-court social-distance monitoring revealed key time-dependent spatial metrics to define player-to-player proximity. This information facilitated appropriate on- and off-game distancing behavior for teammates. Athletes regularly achieved around 80% of maximum HR during training, indicating anticipated improvements in achieving their physical intensities. Self-reported questionnaires related to the COVID management in the training camp revealed a sense of security among the athletes that allowed them to focus singularly on their training. The challenges discussed herein provided us considerable knowledge about creating and managing a safe environment for high-performing athletes in the COVID-19 pandemic via the Japan Sports-Cyber Physical System (JS-CPS) of the Sports Research Innovation Project (SRIP, Japan Sports Agency, Tokyo, Japan). This report is envisioned to provide informed decisions to coaches, trainers, policymakers from the sports federations in creating targeted, infection-free, sporting and training environments.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemias , Inteligencia Artificial , Atletas , Femenino , Humanos , Japón/epidemiología , SARS-CoV-2 , TokioRESUMEN
Purpose: Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a major cause of evaporative dry eye. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of a mineral oil-containing ophthalmic solution (MO) in mitigating the evaporative dry eye phenotypes in a mouse model in which fatty acid elongase Elovl1 is disrupted. Methods: Elovl1-deficient mice were assessed in terms of number of plugged meibomian gland orifices, tear film breakup time (BUT), corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) score, tear quantity, and histology. The effects of the MO on the dry eye phenotypes were compared with those in groups not treated or treated with blank ophthalmic solution (BL). Results: Untreated Elovl1-deficient mice exhibited dry eye phenotypes with MGD symptoms such as plugging of meibomian gland orifices (P = 0.002 compared with control mice), high CFS scores (P = 0.002), and shortened BUT (P < 0.001). Among three groups of Elovl1-deficient mice (MO treated, BL treated, and untreated), the MO-treated group exhibited fewer plugged orifices (MO treated, 7.6; BL treated, 10.5 [P = 0.033]; untreated, 13.0 [P < 0.001]), lower CFS scores (MO treated, 1.1; BL treated, 2.7 [P = 0.013]; untreated, 2.5 [P = 0.050]), and improved BUT (MO treated, 19.4 seconds; BL treated, 8.3 seconds [P = 0.098]; untreated, 1.5 seconds [P = 0.008]). Conclusions: Elovl1-deficient mice exhibited multiple MGD symptoms, which were improved by MO. Translational Relevance: Our findings reveal the usefulness of Elovl1-deficient mice as a model for dry eye with MGD and suggest the potential of mineral oil eye drops as a treatment for this condition.
Asunto(s)
Síndromes de Ojo Seco , Disfunción de la Glándula de Meibomio , Animales , Síndromes de Ojo Seco/tratamiento farmacológico , Glándulas Tarsales , Ratones , Aceite Mineral , Soluciones OftálmicasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Fruits and vegetables are generally rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids. Consumption of carotenoids is expected to have benefits on cognitive functions in humans. However, previous randomized controlled trials (RCT) using carotenoids have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, this systematic review (SR) aimed to summarize the effect of carotenoid intake on cognitive functions in humans. METHOD: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PsychoINFO were searched for research papers on carotenoid intake with the criteria that 1) oral carotenoid intake was evaluated using RCTs, 2) participants were healthy young, middle-aged, or older, and 3) cognitive functions were measured using RCTs. RESULTS: Five studies using lutein and two studies using astaxanthin met the inclusion criteria. Consumption of lutein and its isomer showed consistent results in selective improvement of visual episodic memory in young and middle-aged adults while inhibition was observed in middle-aged and older adults. One of the two included astaxanthin studies reported a significant improvement of verbal episodic memory performance in middle-aged adults. CONCLUSION: This SR showed that the 10 mg lutein per day for twelve months can lead to improvement of cognitive functions. Due to the small number of studies, it is difficult to conclude whether astaxanthin would have a positive effect on cognitive functions.
Asunto(s)
Cognición/efectos de los fármacos , Luteína/uso terapéutico , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Memoria Episódica , Persona de Mediana Edad , Ensayos Clínicos Controlados Aleatorios como Asunto , Xantófilas/uso terapéuticoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Aging is an independent risk factor for the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Here, we investigated the role of age-related alterations in fatty acid metabolism in dietary steatohepatitis using lipidomics analysis. METHODS: Male 8-week and 55-week-old C57BL/6 J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 8 weeks. The quality and quantity of lipid molecular species in the liver were evaluated using the lipidomics approach. RESULTS: Elder mice fed an HFD developed more severe steatohepatitis than young mice. Oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines in the liver were exacerbated following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice. In elder mice, de novo fatty acid synthesis was promoted, whereas ß oxidation was blunted following HFD feeding, and lipid secretion from the liver was reduced. The expression of sirtuin 1 was not only reduced with age as expected but also significantly decreased due to intake of HFD. In the lipidomics analysis, the concentrations of diacylglycerol and TAG molecular species containing monounsaturated fatty acids were markedly increased following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice. In contrast, the concentration of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine molecular species containing polyunsaturated fatty acids were remarkably decreased following HFD feeding in elder mice compared with young mice, and the expression of fatty acid desaturase was blunted. CONCLUSIONS: Aging-dependent alterations in lipid metabolism under excessive lipid supply most likely enhance hepatic lipotoxicity, thereby exacerbating metabolic steatohepatitis in elderly.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento/metabolismo , Dieta Alta en Grasa/efectos adversos , Hígado Graso/etiología , Hígado Graso/metabolismo , Metabolismo de los Lípidos , Hígado/metabolismo , Animales , Diglicéridos/metabolismo , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Ácidos Grasos Monoinsaturados/metabolismo , Ácidos Grasos Insaturados/metabolismo , Masculino , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Estrés Oxidativo , Fosfatidilcolinas/metabolismo , Fosfatidiletanolaminas/metabolismo , Sirtuina 1/metabolismoRESUMEN
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely known as painkillers. The analgesic action of NSAIDs is attributable to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis that occurs in response to blocking cyclooxygenase activity. The effective dose of NSAIDs can vary depending on pain intensity and administration timing; however, there are few studies on this. This study aimed to elucidate whether the analgesic effect of NSAIDs changes depending on the situation in which they are taken and we focused on the NSAID, aspirin (ASP). In a rat model of brewer's yeast-induced inflammation, pain caused by 20% (w/v) brewer's yeast-treatment was defined as "strong pain" and that caused by 2.5% (w/v) was defined as "weak pain". The analgesic effect of ASP (low-dose; 44 mg/kg or high-dose; 66 mg/kg) against strong pain was dose-dependent, but that against weak pain was the same. Furthermore, we defined drug administration after 3 h of brewer's yeast-treatment as "late administration" and that after 20 min as "early administration". In the case of strong pain, the analgesic effect of "late ASP administration" was dose-dependent, but that of "early ASP administration" was the same. These results suggest that low-dose NSAIDs have an analgesic effect against weak pain or when taken early.
Asunto(s)
Analgésicos , Aspirina/administración & dosificación , Aspirina/farmacología , Dolor/tratamiento farmacológico , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Femenino , Ratas Wistar , Índice de Severidad de la Enfermedad , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
Low-molecular-weight (LMW) aggregate is a critical determinant of subsequent protein aggregation, but the aggregate growth kinetics of solid proteins have not been fully characterized. In this study, the high-molecular weight (HMW) aggregate formation process for solid-state proteins and the relationship between aggregation and physical properties of tablets were evaluated using proteins with various initial aggregate ratios. Quantitative changes in monomers, LMW aggregates, and HMW aggregates during storage were measured. The monomer amount decreased uniformly for all proteins. Proteins with low initial LMW aggregates showed remarkable increases in LMW aggregates but little increases in HMW aggregates during storage. Proteins with high initial LMW aggregates showed decreases in LMW aggregates but remarkable increases in HMW aggregates. A correlation analysis and logistic regression indicated that HMW aggregate formation depended on the initial quantity of LMW aggregates. Furthermore, the initial LMW aggregate ratio was related to the disintegratability of protein-containing tablets after storage. These results provide novel insight into solid-state protein aggregation and may guide the prediction of the long-term quality of solid protein-containing pharmaceuticals and foods without storage.
Asunto(s)
Almacenaje de Medicamentos , Almacenamiento de Alimentos , Lactoferrina/química , Modelos Químicos , Agregado de Proteínas , Cinética , Modelos Logísticos , Peso Molecular , ComprimidosRESUMEN
Exacerbation of alcoholic hepatitis (AH) with comorbid metabolic syndrome is an emerging clinical problem, where microbiota plays a profound role in the pathogenesis. Here, we investigated the effect of rifaximin (RFX) on liver injury following chronic-binge ethanol (EtOH) administration in KK-Ay mice, a rodent model of metabolic syndrome. Female, 8-wk-old KK-Ay mice were fed Lieber-DeCarli diet (5% EtOH) for 10 days, following a single EtOH gavage (4 g/kg body wt). Some mice were given RFX (0.1 g/L, in liquid diet) orally. Small intestinal contents were collected from mice without binge. Intestinal microbiota was quantified using aerobic and anaerobic culturing techniques and further analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing in detail. EtOH feeding/binge caused hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress, and induction of inflammatory cytokines in KK-Ay mice, which were markedly prevented by RFX treatment. Hepatic mRNA levels for cluster of differentiation 14, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, TLR2, and NADPH oxidase 2 were increased following EtOH feeding/binge, and administration of RFX completely suppressed their increase. The net amount of small intestinal bacteria was increased over threefold after chronic EtOH feeding as expected; however, RFX did not prevent this net increase. Intriguingly, the profile of small intestinal microbiota was dramatically changed following EtOH feeding in the order level, where the Erysipelotrichales predominated in the relative abundance. In sharp contrast, RFX drastically blunted the EtOH-induced increases in the Erysipelotrichales almost completely, with increased proportion of the Bacteroidales. In conclusion, RFX prevents AH through modulation of small intestinal microbiota/innate immune responses in obese KK-Ay mice.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here we demonstrated that rifaximin (RFX) prevents chronic-binge ethanol (EtOH)-induced steatohepatitis in KK-Ay mice. Chronic EtOH feeding caused small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, with drastic alteration in the microbiota profile predominating the order Erysipelotrichales. RFX minimized this EtOH induction in Erysipelotrichales with substitutive increases in Bacteroidales. RFX also prevented EtOH-induced increases in portal lipopolysaccharide, and hepatic cluster of differentiation 14, toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, and TLR4 mRNA levels, suggesting the potential involvement of microbiota-related innate immune responses.
Asunto(s)
Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Fármacos Gastrointestinales/uso terapéutico , Microbioma Gastrointestinal/efectos de los fármacos , Hepatitis Alcohólica/tratamiento farmacológico , Rifaximina/uso terapéutico , Transcriptoma , Animales , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Femenino , Fármacos Gastrointestinales/farmacología , Hepatitis Alcohólica/complicaciones , Hepatitis Alcohólica/prevención & control , Intestino Delgado/metabolismo , Intestino Delgado/microbiología , Ratones , NADPH Oxidasa 2/genética , NADPH Oxidasa 2/metabolismo , Obesidad/complicaciones , ARN Ribosómico 16S/genética , Rifaximina/farmacología , Receptores Toll-Like/genética , Receptores Toll-Like/metabolismoRESUMEN
Thermal images are widely used for various healthcare applications and advanced research. However, thermal images captured by smartphone thermal cameras are not accurate for monitoring human body temperature due to the small body that is vulnerable to temperature change. In this paper, we propose ThermalWrist, a dynamic offset correction method for thermal images captured by smartphone thermal cameras. We fully utilize the characteristic that is specific to thermal cameras: the relative temperatures in a single thermal image are highly reliable, although the absolute temperatures fluctuate frequently. To correct the offset error, ThermalWrist combines thermal images with a reliable absolute temperature obtained by a wristband sensor based on the above characteristic. The evaluation results in an indoor air-conditioned environment shows that the mean absolute error and the standard deviation of face temperature measurement error decrease by 49.4% and 64.9%, respectively. In addition, Pearson's correlation coefficient increases by 112%, highlighting the effectiveness of ThermalWrist. We also investigate the limitation with respect to the ambient temperature where ThermalWrist works effectively. The result shows ThermalWrist works well in the normal office environment, which is 22.91 °C and above.
RESUMEN
Several food constituents augment exercise-induced muscle strength improvement; however, the detailed mechanism underlying these combined effects is unknown because of the lack of a cultured cell model for evaluating the contraction-induced muscle protein synthesis level. Here, we aimed to establish a new in vitro muscle contraction model for analyzing the activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. We adopted the tetanic electric stimulation of 50 V at 100 Hz for 10 min in L6.C11 myotubes. Akt, ERK1/2, and p70S6K phosphorylation increased significantly after electrical pulse stimulation (EPS), compared to untreated cells. Next, we used this model to analyze mTORC1 signaling in combination with exercise and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB), an l-leucine metabolite. p70S6K phosphorylation increased significantly in the EPS+HMB group compared to that in the EPS-alone group. These findings show that our model could be used to analyze mTORC1 signaling and that HMB enhances muscle contraction-activated mTORC1 signaling.
Asunto(s)
Diana Mecanicista del Complejo 1 de la Rapamicina/metabolismo , Músculo Esquelético/efectos de los fármacos , Transducción de Señal , Valeratos/administración & dosificación , Animales , Línea Celular , Estimulación Eléctrica , Técnicas In Vitro , L-Lactato Deshidrogenasa/metabolismo , Contracción Muscular , Músculo Esquelético/citología , Músculo Esquelético/enzimología , Músculo Esquelético/fisiología , RatasRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Co-occurrence of metabolic syndrome and chronic alcohol consumption is increasing worldwide. The present study investigated the effect of the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA)-which has been shown to alleviate dietary steatohepatitis caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-on chronic-plus-binge ethanol (EtOH)-induced liver injury in a mouse model of obesity. METHODS: Male KK-Ay mice (8 weeks old) were fed a Lieber-DeCarli diet (5% EtOH) for 10 days. Some mice were given PBA intraperitoneally (120 mg/kg body weight, daily) during the experimental period. On day 11, mice were gavaged with a single dose of EtOH (4 g/kg body weight). Control mice were given a dextrin gavage after being pair-fed a control diet. All mice were then serially euthanized before or at 9 hours after gavage. RESULTS: Chronic-plus-binge EtOH intake induced massive hepatic steatosis along with hepatocyte apoptosis and inflammation, which was reversed by PBA treatment. Administration of PBA also suppressed chronic-plus-binge EtOH-induced up-regulation of ER stress-related genes including binding immunoglobulin protein (Bip), unspliced and spliced forms of X-box-binding protein-1 (uXBP1 and sXBP1, respectively), inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Further, it blocked chronic-plus-binge EtOH-induced expression of the oxidative stress marker heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and 4-hydroxynonenal. Chronic EtOH alone (without binge) increased Bip and uXBP1, but it did not affect those of sXBP1, IP3R, CHOP, or HO-1. PBA reversed the prebinge expression of these genes to control levels, but it did not affect chronic EtOH-induced hepatic activity of cytochrome P450 2E1. CONCLUSIONS: Binge EtOH intake after chronic consumption induces massive ER stress-related oxidative stress and liver injury in a mouse model of obesity through dysregulation of the unfolded protein response. PBA ameliorated chronic-plus-binge EtOH-induced liver injury by reducing ER and oxidative stress after an EtOH binge.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/prevención & control , Etanol/efectos adversos , Fenilbutiratos/farmacología , Animales , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Consumo Excesivo de Bebidas Alcohólicas/patología , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/metabolismo , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/patología , Citocromo P-450 CYP2E1/metabolismo , Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Obesos , Estrés Oxidativo/genética , Regulación hacia Arriba/efectos de los fármacosRESUMEN
The isoleucine conjugate of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA-Ile), a new member of the jasmonate family, was recently identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and might be a signaling molecule in plants. However, the biosynthesis and function of OPDA-Ile remains elusive. This study reports an in vitro enzymatic method for synthesizing OPDA-Ile, which is catalyzed by reactions of lipoxygenase (LOX), allene oxide synthase (AOS), and allene oxide cyclase (AOC) using isoleucine conjugates of α -linolenic acid (LA-Ile) as the substrate. A. thaliana fed LA-Ile exhibited a marked increase in the OPDA-Ile concentration. LA-Ile was also detected in A. thaliana. Furthermore, stable isotope labelled LA-Ile was incorporated into OPDA-Ile. Thus, OPDA-Ile is biosynthesized via the cyclization of LA-Ile in A. thaliana.