A novel behavioral science-based health checkup program and subsequent metabolic risk reductions in a workplace: Checkup championship

The effectiveness of general health checkups and lifestyle counseling has been questioned. This study examined whether a workplace health promotion program implemented during a health checkup was associated with metabolic syndrome-related indicators. Hakuhodo DY group, one of Japan's largest advertising agencies, implemented a behavioral science-based program called "Checkup Championship" (Kenshin-sen in Japanese) in 2019, in which all employees could voluntarily participate. We studied 3697 employees (2818 men and 879 women, mean age: 40.7 years), consisting of 1509 program participants and 2188 non-participants. The characteristics of participants and non-participants were balanced using inverse probability weighting. We used their data from the health checkups in 2018 and 2019 together with other covariates and performed a difference-in-differences analysis using a linear mixed model. After program implementation, greater reductions were observed among participants compared with non-participants in weight (-0.66 kg, 95% confidence interval: -0.84 to -0.47), body mass index (-0.23 kg/m², -0.29 to -0.16), waist circumference (-0.67 cm, -0.91 to -0.43), systolic blood pressure (-1.13 mmHg, -2.10 to -0.16), and diastolic blood pressure (-0.84 mmHg, -1.53 to -0.15). In addition, we observed greater reductions in weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol among participants who were with two or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome than other participants. We found that participation in a health checkup program based on behavioral science was associated with reduced metabolic syndrome-related indicators. There may be room for improvement in the effectiveness of general health checkups

A comparison between the adductor pollicis muscle and the abductor digiti minimi muscle using electromyography AF-201P in rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block: a prospective comparative study

Background: The AF-201P, a new electromyography (EMG)-based neuromuscular monitor has been developed recently. The aim of this clinical study was to compare two ulnar nerve innervated muscles: the adductor pollicis (AP) muscle and the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscle during the recovery from rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block by using EMG AF-201P. Methods: Twenty patients undergoing surgery with general anesthesia were enrolled in the study. During total intravenous general anesthesia, train-of-four (TOF) and post-tetanic counts (PTC) responses following 0.9 mg/kg rocuronium administration were concurrently monitored at the AP and the ADM muscles with EMG AF-201P on the opposite arms. At the end of the surgery, sugammadex 2 mg/kg was administered when TOF counts of 2 (TOFC2) was observed at both muscles. The primary outcome of the study was time from administration of rocuronium to first appearance of PTC response (first PTC). The secondary outcomes of the study were time from administration of rocuronium to TOF count of 1 (TOFC1), time from first PTC to TOFC1 (PTC-TOF time), time to TOFC2, and time from administration of sugammadex to TOF ratio ≥ 0.9. Agreement between the two muscles was assessed using the Bland-Altman analysis. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Results: Nineteen patients were included in the analysis. Time to first PTC was significantly faster at the ADM muscle than the AP muscle (24.4 ± 11.4 min vs 32.4 ± 13.1 min, p = 0.006). PTC-TOF time was significantly longer with the ADM muscle than the AP muscle (19.4 ± 7.3 min vs 12.4 ± 10.6 min, p = 0.019). There were no significant differences in time to TOFC2 and sugammadex-facilitated recovery between the two muscles. Bland-Altman analyses showed acceptable ranges of bias and limits of agreement of the two muscles. Conclusions: The ADM muscle showed a good agreement with the AP muscle during rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block but faster recovery of PTC response when using EMG

Research on the factors impact on “IBASHO” consciousness, self-affirmation and life satisfaction in adolescents. : From attitude survey for youth in Tokushima

Cognition, social skill and environment are associated with mental health in adolescents. It is an important task to improve their cognition, social skill and environment in their adaptation. In this study, we examined the factors impact on “IBASHO (existential place)” consciousness, self-affirmation and life satisfaction in middle and high school students. One thousand one hundred and forty-five(study I), one thousand one hundred and eighty-two(study II) adolescents completed the questionnaire “attitude survey for youth in Tokushima”. In the study I, we analyzed the relation between “IBASHO” consciousness in the family and presence or absence of the experience at home. In study II, we analyzed the relation between the self-affirmation, life satisfaction and the question of history of life. Multiple regression analyses resulted rejected or regulative parenting had negative influence on “IBASHO” consciousness in the family. Accepted parenting had positive influence on “IBASHO” consciousness in the family. Existential destress decreased self-affirmation and life satisfaction in middle and high school students. We concluded it will be necessity to improve “IBASHO” consciousness, self-affirmation and life satisfaction in middle and high school students by means of cultivating parenting and stress coping skills

Emerging Roles of Cardiotrophin-1 in the Pathogenesis and Biomarker of Atherosclerosis

Cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), an interleukin-6 family cytokine, is known as an active inducer capable of cardiac hypertrophy and vascular stiffness in hypertensive heart disease. CT-1 is expressed at high levels in the heart, vascular endothelial cells (ECs), and adipocytes. CT-1 stimulates inflammatory and proatherogenic molecule expression in human monocytes and ECs, as well as monocyte-EC adhesion. CT-1 enhances oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced foam-cell formation in human monocyte-derived macrophages. CT-1 stimulates the migration, proliferation, and colloagen-1 production in human vascular smooth muscle cells. Chronic CT-1 infusion into Apoe−/− mice accelerates the development of aortic atherosclerotic lesions. CT-1 is expressed at high levels in ECs and macrophage foam cells within atheromatous plaques in Apoe−/− mice. A blockade of CT-1 using anti-CT-1 neutralizing antibody results in the prevention of atherogenesis in Apoe−/− mice. Plasma CT-1 concentrations are elevated in patients with hypertensive heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and metabolic syndrome, and are positively associated with the severity of cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, and atherosclerosis. Increased plasma concentration of CT-1 is a predictor of death and heart failure following acute myocardial infarction. Therefore, CT-1 serves a novel therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and related diseases. Plasma CT-1 may be a reliable biomarker for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases

DNMT3A and TET2 in the pre-leukemic phase of hematopoietic disorders

In recent years, advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology have provided the opportunity to detect putative genetic drivers of disease, particularly cancers, with very high sensitivity. This knowledge has substantially improved our understanding of tumor pathogenesis. In hematological malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, pioneering work combining multi-parameter flow cytometry and targeted resequencing in leukemia have clearly shown that different classes of mutations appear to be acquired in particular sequences along the hematopoietic differentiation hierarchy. Moreover, as these mutations can be found in normal cells recovered during remission and can be detected at relapse, there is strong evidence for the existence of pre-leukemic stem cells (pre-LSC). These cells, while phenotypically normal by flow cytometry, morphology, and functional studies, are speculated to be molecularly poised to transform owing to a limited number of predisposing mutations. Identifying these pre-leukemic mutations and how they propagate a pre-malignant state has important implications for understanding the etiology of these disorders and for the development of novel therapeutics. NGS studies have found a substantial enrichment for mutations in epigenetic/chromatin remodeling regulators in pre-LSC, and elegant genetic models have confirmed that these mutations can predispose to a variety of hematological malignancies. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of pre-leukemic biology in myeloid malignancies and how mutations in two key epigenetic regulators, DNMT3A and TET2, may contribute to disease pathogenesis

Production of two recombinant insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 subtypes specific to salmonids

Salmonids have four subtypes of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-1, termed -1a1, -1a2, -1b1 and 1b2, owing to teleost- and a lineage-specific whole-genome duplications. We have previously produced recombinant proteins of masu salmon IGFBP-1a1 and -1b2 and conducted functional analysis. To further characterize salmonid-specific IGFBP-1s, we cloned cDNAs encoding mature proteins of IGFBP-1a2 and -1b1 from the liver of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou). IGFBP-1a2 and -1b1 shared a 56% amino acid sequence homology whereas their homologies with their counterparts (i.e. -1a1 and -1b2) were 77% and 82%, respectively. We next expressed recombinant masu salmon (rs) IGFBP-1a2 and -1b1 with fusion partners thioredoxin (Trx) and a His-tag using the pET-32a(+) vector system in Escherichia coli. Trx.His.rsIGFBP-1s were detected in the insoluble faction, solubilized in a buffer containing urea, and isolated by Ni-affinity chromatography. They were refolded by dialysis and cleaved from the fusion partners by enterokinase. rsIGFBP-1a2 and -1b1 were purified by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Purified rsIGFBP-1a2 and -1b1 had the ability to bind digoxigenin-labeled human IGF-I on ligand blotting. We then examined the effects of rsIGFBP-1a1, -1a2, -1b1 and -1b2 in combination with human IGF-I on growth hormone (GH) release from cultured pituitary cells of masu salmon. IGF-I alone reduced GH release while the addition of rsIGFBP-1a1, -1b1 or -1b2, but not rsIGFBP-1a2, diminished the suppressive effect of IGF-I. Addition of rsIGFBP-1s without IGF-I had no effect on GH release. These results show that rsIGFBP-1b1, along with rsIGFBP-1a1 and -1b2, inhibits IGF-I action on the pituitary in masu salmon. The lack of the effect by rsIGFBP-1a2 suggests that salmon IGFBP-1 subtypes underwent subfunction partitioning and have different degrees of IGF-inhibitory action