Dual drivers of polypharmacy in people with HIV: Quantifying the independent associations of aging and long-term antiretroviral therapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to disentangle the independent effects of aging and cumulative antiretroviral therapy (ART) duration on polypharmacy in people with HIV. While successful ART has led to an aging population with HIV, polypharmacy may stem from both aging and ART's cumulaftive toxicity. Quantitative evidence separating these effects is scarce, particularly in Japan.

Therapeutic potential of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis (EC-12) para-probiotic in reversing maternal separation-triggered social deficit in mice.

Early life stress due to maternal separation (MS) disrupts the gut-brain axis (GBA), leading to long-term neurobiological and behavioral deficits, particularly social behavior impairments. Although various probiotics have shown therapeutic potential, the efficacy of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis EC-12 (EC-12) as a para-probiotic remains largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of EC-12 in reversing MS-induced behavioral and molecular abnormalities in mice.

Relationship Between Weight Loss and Problems With Oral Intake in Institutionalised Older Adults: A Japanese Multi-Institutional 1-Year Follow-Up Study.

Aim: To examine the relationship between weight loss and problems with oral intake in institutionalised older adults.

Design: A 1-year longitudinal observational study.

Methods: Data were obtained from a prospective study conducted in three nursing homes and two long-term care facilities in Japan.

Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 8 and its paralog CDK19 develop group 2 innate lymphoid cell-related lung fibrosis by activating STAT5.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) produce large amounts of IL-5, IL-13, and amphiregulin, which are involved in the development of lung fibrosis. Activation of ILC2s is mediated by phosphorylation of STAT5. Although STAT5 has tyrosine and serine phosphorylation sites, the mechanisms responsible for phosphorylating serine residues and their significance in ILC2s remain unclear.

Effects of Blackcurrant Extract and Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Intake on Gut Dysbiosis in Male University Rugby Players.

Our previous study reported that male university rugby players tended to have a gut with a dysbiotic environment, characterized by abundant pathobiont bacteria and an accumulation of succinate, when compared with age-matched, non-rugby playing healthy males. In the present study, we conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled experiment to evaluate the potential of blackcurrant extract and/or partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) to improve the gut environment of university rugby players. Participants were supplemented with blackcurrant extract and/or PHGG or a placebo for 4 weeks.

Alterations in Gut Microbiota and Stool Properties Following Treatment with Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker and Proton Pump Inhibitor.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and potassium-competitive acid blockers (PCABs) have been reported to alter the gut microbiota. However, the relationship between these alterations and stool properties remains unclear. This study aimed to examine changes in the gut microbiota, stool consistency, and subjective symptoms related to defecation after antacid treatment.

Enhancing hydroxytyrosol stability via site-specific glucosylation.

Hydroxytyrosol (HT), a phenolic compound found in olive fruit and oil, has notable biological activity; however, its susceptibility to oxidation limits its application. In plants, HT is naturally glycosylated but the functional relevance of this modification remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of glycosylation positions on HT stability.

Genetic population structure of Japanese freshwater crab, Geothelphusa dehaani species complex using genome wide SNPs.

The Japanese freshwater crab Geothelphusa dehaani species complex is distributed widely across the Japanese Archipelago. Despite its suggested high genetic and morphological diversity, key aspects such as nuclear DNA (nuDNA) population structure and relationship between body color patterns and genetic populations remain unclear. To address these gaps, this study analyzed genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nuDNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) markers in samples from Hokkaido to the Tokara Islands, Japan.

Survey data on the international public's perceptions of child maltreatment and related subjects.

This study explores international differences in public perceptions of child maltreatment and the institutions addressing it based on a dataset collected from 2722 respondents across nine developed countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and the US. By investigating trust, perceived competence, and warmth toward public institutions, as well as perceived causes of child maltreatment, the study offers a comprehensive cross-cultural understanding of public attitudes. The data were collected through a standardized survey method with samples stratified by age, gender, and residence according to national censuses, ensuring representativeness.

Comprehensive Cardiovascular Risk Profiling in People Living with HIV: Insights from the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically improved outcomes for people living with HIV (PLWH), yet concerns about cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain, especially in aging populations. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between ART regimens and CVD events in Japan using a nationwide pharmacovigilance database. We retrospectively analyzed reports from the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database spanning April 2004 to September 2024.

EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTATION ON FECAL MICROBIOTA AND METABOLITES IN CAPTIVE RED KANGAROO ().

The red kangaroo () is a prominent marsupial species native to Australia and is kept in zoos worldwide. Captive red kangaroos are often plagued with several diseases, such as lumpy jaw, incurring high treatment costs. Recent research suggests a significant link between the gut microbiota and various diseases in many species, indicating potential benefits of probiotics in maintaining health.

Combination of fluorescent reagents with 2-(4-aminophenyl) benzothiazole and safranin O was useful for analysis of spore structure, indicating the diversity of species spores.

Background: Safranin O is commonly used for the gram staining of bacteria and fluorescent staining of plant tissues. We aimed to perform a more detailed structural analysis of bacterial spores by analyzing the staining pattern of safranin O, together with a combination of other fluorescence probes, including 2-(4-aminophenyl) benzothiazole (APBT).

Methods: We stained spores from six species, including , and , with safranin O and APBT and observed them using fluorescence microscopy.

Different socialities affect habitat preferences in the coexisting wood-feeding cockroaches Panesthia angustipennis spadica and Salganea esakii.

Wood-feeding cockroaches generally have long nymphal periods and adult lifespans. Especially for social species, stable and durable habitats may be required for taking care of their offspring in the same place. We compared the preferences of habitats, colony composition, and reproduction in two coexisting wood-feeding cockroaches, the gregarious P.

Health transition of Thai migrant women in Japan: a preliminary cross-sectional study in a country with insufficient migrant health data.

Background: Most research on the healthy migrant effect (HME) of migrants and the reduction in such health advantages due to long-term residence has been conducted in countries with a high proportion of migrants. However, in Japan, where there is a low migrant population of 2.0% and a low Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) rating, only limited health data on migrants is available from official statistics, and no residence length data is available.

[Roles of extracellular vesicles in allergen-specific immunotherapy].

The prevalence of allergic diseases has been increasing, and sensitization to allergens such as cedar pollen and house dust mites has become a social issue. Allergic inflammation is primarily driven by type 2 inflammation, which is mediated by interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 produced by Th2 cells and group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). Recent studies have suggested that extracellular vesicle (EV) also plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases.

Genetic resources and pangenome analysis of barley.

Barley () is widely cultivated, ranking fourth in cultivation area among cereal crops worldwide. Many wild and cultivated barley accessions have been collected and preserved in crop genebanks throughout the world. Barley has a large genome (~5 Gbp) that has recently been sequenced and assembled at the chromosome level by the international research community.

The Inverse Association between Alcohol Consumption and Coronary Artery Disease in Japanese Men Undergoing Coronary Angiography.

Several Japanese cohort studies reported that alcohol consumption was inversely associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, these results were inconsistent. We investigated alcohol consumption and CAD in 802 patients undergoing coronary angiography, in whom foods, beverages and alcohol intakes were assessed.

Factors Influencing Foreign-Born Care Workers' Acceptance in Residential Care Facilities in Japan: Work and Organizational Characteristics, Work Conditions, Job Stress, and Work Environment.

Japan, a super-aging society, faces a native care worker shortage and increased demand for foreign-born care workers (FBCWs) in geriatric care facilities. We investigated factors influencing native care workers' concerns and reluctance toward accepting FBCWs in Japan from four areas. Native care workers ( = 1060) in 10 geriatric care facilities (response rate = 71%), recruited using convenience sampling considering the regional job vacancies, responded to a self-report questionnaire survey.

Tomatidine attenuates post-stroke cognitive impairment by reducing neuroinflammation through prevention of M1 microglial polarization via NF-κB signaling.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is a clinical disorder that commonly occurs after a stroke and may persist long-term in most stroke survivors. Neuroinflammation involving proinflammatory M1 microglia, an activated microglial phenotype after stroke injury, is a major risk factor for PSCI. Tomatidine is a steroidal alkaloid of immature green tomatoes that has anti-inflammatory properties.

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum ingestion suppresses atopic dermatitis-like symptoms through prebiotic effect in mice.

Growing knowledge reveals the association between the gut microbiome and skin, rendering the gut microbiome an appealing potential therapeutic target for atopic dermatitis (AD). In this study, we assessed the effect of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on AD-like symptoms induced by topical 1-Chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) in BALB/c mice. Four weeks of PHGG feeding prevented the loss of epidermal barrier integrity and epithelial hyperplasia in the AD lesion (<0.

An unbiased tissue transcriptome analysis identifies potential markers for skin phenotypes and therapeutic responses in atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disease exhibiting clinical and molecular heterogeneity, thereby jeopardizing the development of personalized treatments. Here we pursue a cross-sectional and longitudinal cohort analysis of 951 whole-skin samples, employing an unsupervised decomposition analysis to link gene expression profiles to disease severity, six distinct skin phenotypes, and blood cytokines representative of given endotypes. Specifically, type 2 and type 17 responses are associated with major skin phenotypes such as erythema and induration, while type 1 response is upregulated in lichen amyloidosis of AD patients.

Inter- and intraspecific variation in the degree of marine-derived resources of amphidromous fishes.

Migratory animals often transport allochthonous materials, energy or organisms from donor to recipient ecosystems, thereby affecting the dynamics of consumers, communities and ecosystems in the recipient systems. The biomass of migrants is commonly assumed to be equal to that of the allochthonous materials they transport, with the inherent assumption that migrant bodies are produced purely from allochthonous resources. However, the extent to which the body composition of many migratory animals consists of allochthonous materials [e.

Intestinal D-amino acids content is highly related to intestinal IgA production upon soluble dietary fiber ingestion in mice.

Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) induces intestinal IgA production. Mechanistically, this has primarily been explained by intestinal bacteria producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as metabolites from the SDF. Here, we aimed to identify factors other than SCFAs that contribute to SDF-induced intestinal IgA production.

Identification and structural analysis of new phenylphenalenones from Regel. and Körn.

Phenylphenalenones (PPs) are specialised metabolites found in select plant families, including Strelitziaceae. Despite their structural diversity and potential taxonomic significance, their distribution and variations in this family remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to characterise PPs from Regel.