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Water chestnut (Trapa japonica) is a thorny aquatic floating plant that contains hydrolyzable polyphenols (WCPs) such as eugeniin, 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucopyranose (TGG), and trapain. Previous studies have revealed that WCPs have antioxidant properties and can suppress postprandial blood glucose elevation in mice and human participants. However, the functionality of WCPs in treating obesity and metabolic syndrome, which have become significant issues in recent years, remains unclear. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of WCPs on lipid metabolism. We initially investigated the effects of WCPs on pancreatic lipase in vitro. Among WCPs, eugeniin and trapain, which contain a hexahydroxybiphenyl group, particularly inhibited lipase activity. We also found that WCPs suppressed fat accumulation in mouse adipose progenitor 3T3-L1 cells. We compared the effects of WCPs on lipid metabolism among groups of mice (n=7 each) fed for four weeks without (standard control and high-fat (HF) diet controls) or with HFWP 0.5 or HFWP 1 supplemented with 0.5 and 1% WCPs, respectively. Subsequently, we examined lipid-related parameters in adipose tissue, liver, and blood. We found significantly lower plasma triacylglycerol content in the HFWP1 than in the HF group. These findings suggest that WCPs may help prevent the onset of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Background & Aims: Many people with dementia frequently experience various health-related problems and are known to have poor nutritional status. However, very few studies have examined the nutritional status of dementia residents in group homes, which play an important role in a society-wide system of support for people with dementia, or the relationship between nutritional status and long-term prognosis. This study was conducted to determine the nutritional status of group-home residents and to examine the relationship between nutritional status and the 5-year survival rate., Methods: Participant characteristic (e.g., age, sex, body mass index, and medical history) and Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Barthel index (BI), and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) data were collected from 79 older people (12 men/67 women; mean age: 88.3 ± 5.5 years) residing in 5 group homes as a baseline survey. Mortality data were obtained from medical records using an endline survey., Results: The nutritional status of the participants using the MNA-SF was normal, at risk of malnutrition, and malnourished in 15.2 % (n = 12), 69.6 % (n = 55), and 15.2 % (n = 12) of participants, respectively. Following the survey, mortality data were collected for 5 years, and the 5-year survival rates were 64.3 % in those with normal nutritional status, 30.4 % in those at risk of malnutrition, and 9.1 % in the malnourished group, with a significant difference observed in the Kaplan-Meier analysis (p < 0.001). The hazard ratio for the MNA-SF scores and survival rates adjusted for sex, age, BI, and CDR were significant 0.80 [0.69-0.93, p = 0.003]., Conclusion: This study showed that 84.8 % of patients with dementia residing in group homes were malnourished or at risk of malnutrition and that low MNA-SF levels were an independent determinant of the 5-year survival rate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Electrical properties estimated from the electrical resistance of the human body can serve as indicators of muscle tissue status and the risk of developing sarcopenia; however, to date, at least to the best of our knowledge, no studies have performed such an assessment in older individuals with advanced dementia. The present study examined the associations between grip strength, body composition and electrical properties using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) in women aged 77-97 years residing in dementia group homes. A total of 33 participants were enrolled with an average age of 88.1±5.2 years; 57.6% of the participants had moderate or severe dementia. The resistance values of the participants were measured in the whole body, upper limbs and lower limbs using BIS, and their body composition, muscle mass index and electrical properties were estimated as indicators of muscle quality. In addition, grip strength was measured and the participants were classified into three groups (high, low and non-measurable) according to their cognitive function. The effect size (partial eta-squared and Cohen's d) was also evaluated. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the distribution of each variable; variables with non-normal distributions were analyzed following log transformation. Continuous variables were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey-Kramer post hoc test was used. The post hoc sample size (statistical power: 1-β) analysis revealed a power of ~80% (i.e., 76.1-88.7%), considering the minimum power for sufficient participants. No differences were found in body composition or muscle mass index among the three grip strength groups. As regards the upper limbs, the electrical properties of the characteristic frequencies were significant (P=0.006; effect size, large), and the membrane capacitance (P=0.005; effect size, large) was significantly higher in the high-dose group than in the other groups. A significant association was detected among grip strength, upper limb characteristic frequency and membrane capacitance. Hence, electrical properties may be an indicator of muscle quality in older women identified as needing care for dementia., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Yasutake et al.)

Background: Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cell (hiPSC-NS/PC)-based cell transplantation has emerged as a groundbreaking method for replacing damaged neural cells and stimulating functional recovery, but its efficacy is strongly influenced by the state of the injured spinal microenvironment. This study evaluates the impact of a dual therapeutic intervention utilizing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation on motor function restoration following spinal cord injury (SCI)., Methods: Severe contusive SCI was induced in immunocompromised rats, followed by continuous administration of recombinant human HGF protein into the subarachnoid space immediately after SCI for two weeks. Acute-phase histological and RNA sequencing analyses were conducted. Nine days after the injury, hiPSC-NS/PCs were transplanted into the lesion epicenter of the injured spinal cord, and the functional and histological outcomes were determined., Results: The acute-phase HGF-treated group exhibited vascularization, diverse anti-inflammatory effects, and activation of endogenous neural stem cells after SCI, which collectively contributed to tissue preservation. Following cell transplantation into a favorable environment, the transplanted NS/PCs survived well, facilitating remyelination and neuronal regeneration in host tissues. These comprehensive effects led to substantial enhancements in motor function in the dual-therapy group compared to the single-treatment groups., Conclusions: We demonstrate that the combined therapeutic approach of HGF preconditioning and hiPSC-NS/PC transplantation enhances locomotor functional recovery post-SCI, highlighting a highly promising therapeutic strategy for acute to subacute SCI., (© 2023. Japanese Society of Inflammation and Regeneration.)

While rapid advancements in regenerative medicine strategies for spinal cord injury (SCI) have been made, most research in this field has focused on the early stages of incomplete injury. However, the majority of patients experience chronic severe injury; therefore, treatments for these situations are fundamentally important. Here, we hypothesized that environmental modulation via a clinically relevant hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-releasing scaffold and human iPS cell-derived neural stem/progenitor cells (hNS/PCs) transplantation contributes to functional recovery after chronic complete transection SCI. Effective release of HGF from a collagen scaffold induced progressive axonal elongation and increased grafted cell viability by activating microglia/macrophages and meningeal cells, inhibiting inflammation, reducing scar formation, and enhancing vascularization. Furthermore, hNS/PCs transplantation enhanced endogenous neuronal regrowth, the extension of graft axons, and the formation of circuits around the lesion and lumbar enlargement between host and graft neurons, resulting in the restoration of locomotor and urinary function. This study presents an effective therapeutic strategy for severe chronic SCI and provides evidence for the feasibility of regenerative medicine strategies using clinically relevant materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: A patent application is currently pending for HGF therapy for chronic spinal cord injury (11/03/2022, PCT/JP2022/10976) and SH, NN, MN, and HO are listed as an inventor on the patent., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Underreporting is a problem in dietary surveys, and data on Japanese individuals with obesity are lacking. In addition, in dietary surveys of individuals with obesity, underreporting and extreme energy restrictive practices for short periods of time have been reported, and blood total ketone levels (ketone bodies) may be able to distinguish between these factors. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between underreporting [energy intake (EI)/basal metabolic rate estimate (BMR)] and ketone bodies in obese Japanese women. The participants included 91 women with obesity aged 47±9 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 29.8±3.9 kg/m² who met the exclusion criteria out of 164 individuals who participated in an institutional cohort study baseline survey between September 2006 and September 2015. The current study defined the relationship between EI/BMR, BMI and the participants' ketone body levels. EI/BMR <1.35 and ketone body level <1.0 mmol/l was defined as underreporters, while EI/BMR <1.35 and ketone body level ≥1.0 mmol/l was defined as energy-restricted reporters based on previous research. The EI/BMR of the participants was 1.44±0.32, and 25.3% had an abnormally high level of ketone bodies. Multiple regression analysis indicated that ketone bodies were explanatory variables for EI/BMR. Analysis using EI/BMR and ketone bodies estimated that 26.4% were underreporters and 12.1% were energy-restricted reporters. There were no significant differences in reported energy intake, carbohydrate intake (g/day), and percentage carbohydrate (%) between the underreporters and energy-restricted reporters. In conclusion, low EI/BMR was associated with high ketone body levels in Japanese women with obesity. The combination of EI/BMR and ketone bodies may distinguish between or screen for underreporters and energy-restricted reporters during a dietary survey., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2020, Spandidos Publications.)