Niigata Institute of Technology

Exercise therapy is important for exercise tolerance, for the prevention of frailty or sarcopenia, and to improve quality of life (QOL). Previous studies, including systematic reviews, have shown the efficacy of exercise therapy for kidney transplant recipients (KTRs), but the optimal types of exercise remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to synthesize the published evidence and compare the efficacy of types of exercise. We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of exercise therapy in KTRs on PubMed and Ichushi, then performed a meta-analysis. Exercise was categorized as aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT), or AT + RT. The risk of bias was assessed using ROB2 and the certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Twenty-five studies were included in the study and 18 in the meta-analysis. Exercise was associated with significant improvements in QOL (SF-36 physical functioning score), cardiorespiratory function (VO2peak), physical function (performance in the 6-min walk test (6MWT) and sit/stand test (STS)), and a metabolic index (triglyceride concentration). Kidney function tended to be superior in the exercise group, but the difference was not significant. Other indices of glucose and lipid metabolism and the incidence of hospitalization did not differ between the Exercise and Control groups. AT + RT significantly improved VO2peak, 6MWT performance, and the triglyceride concentration, whereas AT alone did not improve VO2peak and RT alone did not improve 6MWT performance or the triglyceride concentration. The certainty of the evidence was generally "low" or "very low". Exercise therapy improved the QOL, cardiorespiratory function, physical function, and triglyceride concentration of KTRs. The AT + RT combination may be the most effective exercise therapy for such patients.

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives Sake, an alcoholic beverage brewed from rice ( Oryza sativa ), contains p ‐hydroxycinnamic acids, taste‐active compounds that are derived mainly from the rice grain cell walls. Currently, the effects of environmental factors on rice grain cell walls and the resulting compounds in sake are not fully understood. To investigate this, we cultivated rice under different temperature and nitrogen (N) fertilization conditions, and then chemically analyzed the grains and sake fermentation products. Findings The ferulic acid (FA) concentrations in brown and white rice grains (431–628 µg g −1 and 98–192 µg g −1 ) were markedly different when the rice plants were grown under outdoor conditions. The results suggested that enrichment of FA occurred at higher temperatures and that this enrichment was alleviated by N supplementation. The concentrations of arabinoxylan and cell‐wall‐bound FA showed similar trends. Sake and sake lees made from grains rich in FA had a higher FA concentration. Conclusions The concentration of feruloyl arabinoxylan fluctuated under different temperature and N fertilization conditions. This was reflected in the variation in the FA concentration found in sake and sake lees. Significance and Novelty Temperature and N fertilization during rice cultivation affect FA concentrations in rice grains, sake, and sake lees.

In piezoelectric-metal bonded structures, stress singularities occur along the material interfaces due to mismatched mechanical and electromechanical properties. This study investigates the development of stress singularities along the interface line approaching the vertex in a three-dimensional bonded structure composed of piezoelectric ceramic layer (PZT-5H) and brass. The developed analytical model incorporates three-real singularity orders, capturing the intricate stress distribution near the junction corner. To characterize both the orders of singularity (λn) and the corresponding stress intensity factors at different points along the interface, a combined numerical framework employing eigenvalue analysis and a conservative area integral is utilized. The results reveal clear variations in the intensity factors as the vertex is approached. The change in the intensity factor for each singular term is distinct, and the behavior deviates significantly from previously reported trends in single singularity cases. The correlation between the intensity factors at the vertex and along the interface line for multi-singularity cases remains unclear and requires further investigation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the stress behavior in piezoelectric interfaces and offer a methodological foundation for analyzing other bonded structures involving multi-singularity terms.

To support Japan’s Nature Positive goal by 2030, biomimetics plays a key role in eco-friendly technology development. The BioTRIZ data warehouse aids in resolving technical contradictions using biological functions, but requires expert knowledge. We propose a novel BioTRIZ system architecture incorporating a large language model (LLM) to allow non-experts to input problems in natural language. The LLM interprets the input, extracts technical ideas and contradictions, and interacts with the BioTRIZ database. It also outputs ELSI (ethical, legal, and social issues) considerations. This enhances accessibility and ethical awareness in biomimetic innovation.

With respect to the transport properties of conduction electrons in liquid metals; two theories are available to explain electrical resistivity of liquid metals. In 1961, Ziman proposed “how the conduction electrons are scattered by ions” which is known as the Ziman theory. In 1962, Takeuchi and Endo proposed “how the fluctuation of ion’s assembly, in other words, the density fluctuation of component ions, affects to the scattering of conduction electrons.” The Ziman theory was widely accepted by many researchers, but Takeuchi-Endo theory was very limited. Are there appreciable differences between two theories?

Introduction and Objective: Periodontitis, a major inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa, is associated with increased systemic inflammation and insulin resistance, and is epidemiologically associated with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Recently, the measurement of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), a periodontopathogenic bacterium, and PgII, with high periodontal pathogenicity, by PCR has been introduced in dental practice. Although the association between Pg bacteria and NCDs has been assessed in small-scale studies, that between PgII, T2D, glycemic control, and other NCDs remains unclear. Thus, we examined the association between PgII, T2D, HbA1c levels, and hypertension (HT). Methods: Of 1,500 participants who underwent dental and physical examinations and dietary surveys, 1,015 (mean age 42 ± 13 y, 79% male) with data on T2D, HT, and periodontal disease were included in our study. PgII was detected by PCR. T2D was defined as FPG ≥ 7.0 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% or taking medication for diabetes. HbA1c ≥6.5% was defined as poor glycemic control, and SBP ≥140 mmHg, DBP ≥90 mmHg, or the use of HT medication was defined as HT, respectively. The association between T2D, poor glycemic control, and HT, and PgII was examined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: Of participants, 65, 36, 203, and 100 had T2D, poor glycemic control, HT, and PgII positivity, respectively. The prevalence of T2D, poor glycemic control, and HT was 10.0%, 8.0%, and 32.0%, and 6.0%, 3.1%, and 18.7% in PgII-positive and PgII-negative groups, respectively. In multivariate analysis, ORs (95% CI) for T2D, poor glycemic control, and HT in the PgII-positive group were 1.48 (0.72-3.06), 2.39 (1.03-5.57), and 1.75 (1.08-82), respectively. Conclusion: We found PgII was a significant and independent factor of poor glycemic control and HT. This suggests measuring PgII may predict high HbA1c in T2D and HT and lead to the early detection and treatment of these diseases. Disclosure K. Fujihara: None. M.H. Yamada: None. K. Tajima: Employee; Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. S. Usugi: None. T. Osawa: None. M. Yamamoto: None. Y. Matsubayashi: None. T. Yamada: None. S. Kodama: None. H. Sone: Research Support; Novo Nordisk, Astellas Pharma Inc, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd, HITACHI, NEC, NTT, KDDI, Healthbit, Niigata Prefecture, Agano City, JMDC. Funding JSPS(21K11569)

Abstract Photon upconversion via triplet‐triplet annihilation (TTA‐UC) is a well‐known process that converts low‐energy light into higher‐energy light. This process has attracted attention for its potential in various fields, including light‐emitting devices, power generation and medical applications. It is desirable to develop TTA‐UC materials of TTA emitters with large TTA rate constants (kTTA). However, molecular design to accelerate the bimolecular rate constant of kTTA has not been considered. We present a strategy to manipulate kTTA by assembling multiple chromophores linked to a boron in a rotationally symmetric manner, causing asymmetric motions by a localized triplet exciton. We have studied tri(9‐anthryl)borane, which consists of three anthracenes linked via boron, as a TTA emitter. Time‐resolved luminescence measurements confirmed that kTTA is improved compared to the conventional TTA‐UC system using DPA, an anthracene‐based monomer. Time‐resolved electron paramagnetic resonance measurements showed that the improvement in kTTA is due to fast intramolecular triplet exciton hopping coupled with vibrational motions in the trimer molecule, which extends the reactivity at the collision distance between the excitons through the pseudo‐rotational motions. This molecular design that enhances TTA reactivity is expected to contribute to the future development of TTA‐UC materials for sensing fluid environment.