Association between psychomotor function and ALDH2 genotype after consuming barley shochu: A randomized crossover trial.

Sustained exposure to acetaldehyde, the major metabolite of ethanol, may influence psychomotor performance even after the breath ethanol level significantly drops several hours following ethanol consumption. We examined the relationship between psychomotor function and changes in exhaled ethanol and acetaldehyde concentrations after consuming a low dose (0.33 g/kg) of barley shochu, a traditional Japanese distilled alcohol beverage, at the point when the exhaled ethanol concentrations dropped below 78,000 parts per billion (0.15 mg/L), the standard threshold for driving under the influence of alcohol in Japan. We assessed how the genetic polymorphisms of rs671 G/G homozygous (*1/*1) and G/A heterozygous (*1/*2) of ALDH2 influenced the kinetics of ethanol and acetaldehyde in exhaled air and psychomotor dynamics using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Critical Flicker Fusion Test (CFFT), and visual analogue scale (VAS) up to 12 h after shochu or water intake. There was no significant difference in DSST and CFFT scores depending on genotype; however, the time required for the DSST to attain the level prior to drinking was longer in the ALDH2 *1/*2 group than in the *1/*1 group. In the VAS test, facial flushing and mood elevation tended to be higher in the *1/*2 group after shochu consumption. VAS scores for mood elevation and facial flushing correlated with acetaldehyde concentration in exhaled breath. These results indicate that DSST recovery tends to be slower and mood elevation higher in the ALDH2 *1/*2 group even when exposed to a low dose of alcohol.

Association between high psychological distress and poor oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in Japanese community-dwelling people: the Nagasaki Islands Study.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association between psychological distress and oral health status/oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in Japanese community-dwelling people. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Nagasaki Islands Study. A total of 1183 (455 men and 728 women) has been analyzed in this study. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Oral health status was measured by dental examination. The OHQoL was measured using the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). We defined the total score of ≥5 points on the K6 as high psychological distress (high-K6 group). RESULTS: The multiple linear regression analysis to identify the GOHAI showed that gender, K6, the total number of teeth, the number of dental caries, and visiting a dental clinic within the past 6 months significantly associated with the GOHAI. Among all of these variables, high-K6 (≥ 5) was a substantial contributing factor of the GOHAI (ß = - 0.23, 95% Cl - 2.31 to -1.41, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: It is likely that the individual with high psychological distress was strongly related to poor OHQoL even in the general population.

Histological evaluation of nintedanib in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis mice.

AIMS: In addition to potentially progressing to either cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is currently the leading indication for liver transplantation. Nintedanib has been clinically used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for many years, but its effects in an animal model of NASH have not been tested. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of nintendanib on NASH in choline-deficient, l-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD)-fed mice. MAIN METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a CDAHFD for 6 weeks to induce NASH with liver fibrosis, and they were administered nintedanib (60 mg/kg/day) or distilled water orally in the last 2 weeks of the feeding period. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triglyceride, and non-esterified fatty acids concentrations were measured. Serum cytokeratin 18 fragment (CK18) was detected using ELISA. Liver tissue sections from mice were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome to assess the level of steatohepatitis and fibrosis. KEY FINDINGS: CDAHFD-fed mice exhibited higher serum ALT, AST, and ALP levels compared with Control mice. A significant increase in the serum CK18 level was observed in the NASH group compared with the Control group. CDAHFD feeding also enhanced steatohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis pathological features, which were reduced after nintedanib treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: Nintedanib exerted anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in CDAHFD-induced NASH mice.

Alternative translational initiation of ATP sulfurylase underlying dual localization of sulfate assimilation pathways in plastids and cytosol in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plants assimilate inorganic sulfate into sulfur-containing vital metabolites. ATP sulfurylase (ATPS) is the enzyme catalyzing the key entry step of the sulfate assimilation pathway in both plastids and cytosol in plants. Arabidopsis thaliana has four ATPS genes (ATPS1, -2, -3, and -4) encoding ATPS pre-proteins containing N-terminal transit peptide sequences for plastid targeting, however, the genetic identity of the cytosolic ATPS has remained unverified. Here we show that Arabidopsis ATPS2 dually encodes plastidic and cytosolic ATPS isoforms, differentiating their subcellular localizations by initiating translation at AUG(Met1) to produce plastid-targeted ATPS2 pre-proteins or at AUG(Met52) or AUG(Met58) within the transit peptide to have ATPS2 stay in cytosol. Translational initiation of ATPS2 at AUG(Met52) or AUG(Met58) was verified by expressing a tandem-fused synthetic gene, ATPS2 (5'UTR-His12) :Renilla luciferase:ATPS2 (Ile13-Val77) :firefly luciferase, under a single constitutively active CaMV 35S promoter in Arabidopsis protoplasts and examining the activities of two different luciferases translated in-frame with split N-terminal portions of ATPS2. Introducing missense mutations at AUG(Met52) and AUG(Met58) significantly reduced the firefly luciferase activity, while AUG(Met52) was a relatively preferred site for the alternative translational initiation. The activity of luciferase fusion protein starting at AUG(Met52) or AUG(Met58) was not modulated by changes in sulfate conditions. The dual localizations of ATPS2 in plastids and cytosol were further evidenced by expression of ATPS2-GFP fusion proteins in Arabidopsis protoplasts and transgenic lines, while they were also under control of tissue-specific ATPS2 promoter activity found predominantly in leaf epidermal cells, guard cells, vascular tissues and roots.