Movement and nutrition in COVID-19

Movement and nutrition appear to play important roles in the management of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Moderate physical exercise has a positive impact on immune function, can counteract age-associated immune deficiency and is capable of reducing the incidence of respiratory diseases. Exercise can also mitigate the negative effects of home confinement due to quarantine and of other preventive measures, which may lead to an increase in sedentary behaviours and a reduction in physical activity. Regular physical exercise may have benefits in regard to infection risk, mental problems, such as anxiety and depression, and maintenance of body weight as well as the prevention and management of chronic disease. Since evidence evaluating dietary supplementation in COVID-19 is lacking, a reliance on supplements to prevent or treat COVID-19 would be premature. A balanced diet containing sufficient amounts of macronutrients and diverse micronutrients is required for an optimally functioning immune system. High-energy diets and obesity are major risk factors for a more severe course of COVID-19. Population-wide body weight control is therefore an important preventive measure. Other lifestyle-related factors, such as reducing smoking rates and limiting alcohol intake, are also important in decreasing disruptive effects on immune functioning and improving ability to overcome infection

The role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in mental disorders

While the role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in physical health is well established, it is becoming increasingly evident that they are also important for mental health. A decrease in the intake of omega-3 PUFAs in Western countries over recent decades may have affected the prevalence of mental disorders. Omega-3 PUFAs play fundamental roles in the development, functioning and aging of the brain. In humans, dietary deficiencies of omega-3 PUFAs, such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, have been associated with an increased risk of various mental disorders. However, the findings of randomised clinical trials investigating therapeutic effects of omega-3 PUFAs in psychiatric disorders are inconclusive, which limits their use in clinical practice. High-quality clinical trials need to be conducted in order to assess the efficacy of omega-3 PUFAs in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders. Unwanted side effects of omega-3 PUFA supplementation should be considered. These may become apparent many years after administration and therefore elude detection

Conjugated linoleic acid modulation of risk factors associated with atherosclerosis

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been the subject of extensive investigation regarding its possible benefits on a variety of human diseases. In some animal studies, CLA has been shown to have a beneficial effect on sclerotic lesions associated with atherosclerosis, be a possible anti-carcinogen, increase feed efficiency, and act as a lean body mass supplement. However, the results have been inconsistent, and the effects of CLA on atherogenesis appear to be dose-, isomer-, tissue-, and species-specific. Similarly, CLA trials in humans have resulted in conflicting findings. Both the human and animal study results may be attributed to contrasting doses of CLA, isomers, the coexistence of other dietary fatty acids, length of study, and inter-and/or intra-species diversities. Recent research advances have suggested the importance of CLA isomers in modulating gene expression involved in oxidative damage, fatty acid metabolism, immune/inflammatory responses, and ultimately atherosclerosis. Although the possible mechanisms of action of CLA have been suggested, they have yet to be determined

Clinical Evaluation of Adenosine Triphosphate Disodium Hydrate (ATP-2Na) for Asthenopia

To investigate the effect and the safety of Adenosine triphosphate disodium hydrate (ATP-2Na) for asthenopia. 40 subjects [35 females and 5 males, 25~87 years old (average: 62.5 years old)] with asthenopia ingested 200~300 mg/day ATP-2Na for 3 months. Before and after 1 and 3 months ingestion, subjects completed a questionnaire to determine their asthenopia symptom and fatigue symptom by visual analog scale (VAS). The scores were compared between before and after ingestion. 31 subjects completed a questionnaire for 1 month. The scores of asthenopia symptom before ingestion, 1 and 3 months were 4.05 ± 3.22, 2.67 ± 2.19 and 2.41 ± 2.16, respectively. The scores of fatigue symptom were 4.76 ± 3.05, 3.08 ± 2.93 and 3.10 ± 3.19, respectively. Both scores were significantly decreased (p < 0.005) at 1 month compared before ingestion. Three subjects had side effects (diarrhea for two, nausea for one), and all subjects improved by oral discontinuation. These results suggest that ATP-2Na is relatively early effective in improving asthenopia and accompanying fatigue symptoms

Combined Use of a Solid-Phase Hexapeptide Ligand Library with Liquid Chromatography and Two-Dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis for Intact Plasma Proteomics

The intact plasma proteome is of great interest in biomarker studies because intact proteins reflect posttranslational protein processing such as phosphorylation that may correspond to disease status. We examined the utility of a solid-phase hexapeptide ligand library in combination with conventional plasma proteomics modalities for comprehensive profiling of intact plasma proteins. Plasma proteins were sequentially fractionated using depletion columns for albumin and immunoglobulin, and separated using an anion-exchange column. Proteins in each fraction were treated with a solid-phase hexapeptide ligand library and compared to those without treatment. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis demonstrated an increased number of protein spots in the treated samples. Mass spectrometric studies of these protein spots with unique intensity in the treated samples resulted in the identification of high- and medium-abundance proteins. Our results demonstrated the possible utility of a solid-phase hexapeptide ligand library to reveal greater number of intact plasma proteins. The characteristics of proteins with unique affinity to the library remain to be clarified by more extensive mass spectrometric protein identification, and optimized protocols should be established for large-scale plasma biomarker studies

Distribution and densitometry mapping of L1-CAM Immunoreactivity in the adult mouse brain – light microscopic observation

BACKGROUND: The importance of L1 expression in the matured brain is suggested by physiological and behavioral studies showing that L1 is related to hippocampal plasticity and fear conditioning. The distribution of L1 in mouse brain might provide a basis for understanding its role in the brain. RESULTS: We examined the overall distribution of L1 in the adult mouse brain by immunohistochemistry using two polyclonal antibodies against different epitopes for L1. Immunoreactive L1 was widely but unevenly distributed from the olfactory bulb to the upper cervical cord. The accumulation of immunoreactive L1 was greatest in a non-neuronal element of the major fibre bundles, i.e. the lateral olfactory tract, olfactory and temporal limb of the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, stria terminalis, globus pallidus, fornix, mammillothalamic tract, solitary tract, and spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve. High to highest levels of non-neuronal and neuronal L1 were found in the grey matter; i.e. the piriform and entorhinal cortices, hypothalamus, reticular part of the substantia nigra, periaqueductal grey, trigeminal spinal nucleus etc. High to moderate density of neuronal L1 was found in the olfactory bulb, layer V of the cerebral cortex, amygdala, pontine grey, superior colliculi, cerebellar cortex, solitary tract nucleus etc. Only low to lowest levels of neuronal L1 were found in the hippocampus, grey matter in the caudate-putamen, thalamus, cerebellar nuclei etc. CONCLUSION: L1 is widely and unevenly distributed in the matured mouse brain, where immunoreactivity was present not only in neuronal elements; axons, synapses and cell soma, but also in non-neuronal elements