Protection of Kyo-yasai (heirloom vegetables in Kyoto) from extinction: a case of Sabaka-daikon (Japan's heirloom white radish, Raphanus sativus) in Maizuru, Japan

Takako Nakamura,Yasushi Nakamura,Azusa Sasaki,Masami Fujii,Koji Shirota,Yutaka Mimura,Shigehisa Okamoto 한국식품연구원 2017 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.4 No.2

As a general background, Sabaka-daikon, one of the heirloom vegetables in Kyoto, ceased its commercial cultivation in the late 1960s at north Kyoto, leading to an extinction crisis. We review the activities of the local residents to revive the commercial cultivation of Sabaka-daikon from 2010. We also discuss the significance of the information on the health benefits of local foods in motivating local residents to protect local foods from extinction. For methodology, through field interviews of administrative members, venders, and farmers in Maizuru city, we explore reasons for the success in reviving a local heirloom vegetable, Sabaka-daikon. We also apply chemical analysis to determine individual differences in the anticarcinogenic (cancer preventive) compound, 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, in Sabaka-daikon to guarantee its added health benefits. As a result, the primary factors for the revival of Sabaka-daikon in Maizuru city include the passion of farmers, measures undertaken by the local administration, and the marketing strategies of venders. The secondary factor is the fact that one primary factor (passion of farmers) coincides on a time axis with the other two factors (administrative measures and marketing strategies of venders). Wide individual differences in the anticarcinogenic compound, 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, were observed, likely due to the variable genome of Sabaka-daikon. In conclusion, the results imply that the information on the health benefits of daikon contribute to motivating the local residents (i.e., passion of farmers) in protecting Sabaka-daikon from extinction. Revival of this heirloom vegetable would contribute to the diversification of local foods, and to the preservation of those foods and the cooking knowledge for future generations. As Sabaka-daikon variety has some races in variation of 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate production, a race with a fixed amount of 4-methylthio-3-butenyl isothiocyanate should be established to guarantee added health benefits of Sabaka-daikon.

Nationwide distribution of Kyo-yasai (heirloom vegetables in Kyoto) and the advantages of traditional farming methods with importance of ‘Syun’: a case of mizuna

Nakamura Takako,Nakao Asuka,Watanabe Minami,Ueda Kinji,Matsuda Toshihiko,Matsumoto Seiji,Yamaguchi Toshiharu,Haikata Masaho,Kaneko Asuka,Shirota Koji,Sasaki Azusa,Okamoto Shigehisa,Nakamura Yasushi 한국식품연구원 2022 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.9 No.-

Introduction: This study aimed to review the farming activity and the administrative measure to successfully increase the distribution of heirloom vegetable “mizuna” nationwide by examining the paradigm shift in the use of its young less-branched form for salad. We also discussed that breeding programs of the young form ironically resulted in reduction the flavor and the antimutagenicity of this vegetable. Methods: Through hearing survey, we explored reasons for the successful nationwide distribution of heirloom vegetable, mizuna. Through chemical analysis, the fragrant ingredients in mizuna, their antimutagenicity and the changes in their amount for one year were determined. Results and discussion: The primary factor for commencing the distribution of mizuna includes the new idea of using young less-branched form of mizuna as salad ingredient, which has been recognized by most who were involved in promoting the distribution of mizuna among farmers, distributors, and employees of agricultural extension section at Kyoto Prefecture office. The secondary factor is the fact that the primary factor coincides on a time axis with other two factors: the occurrence of the boom of Kyoto’s heirloom vegetables and the Vegetable Management Stabilization Project found as a measure of Kyoto Prefecture. We determined three fragrant compounds in mizuna, 3-butenyl isothiocyanate, 3-phenylpropionitrile, and phenylethyl isothiocyanate, of which their antimutagenic effects were also identified. Those amounts were highest at the best harvest season called ‘Syun’ in the past because of the cold temperature of Japanese winter in traditional open-field cultivation. Conclusion: It implied that the successful nationwide distribution of mizuna resulted from the administrative measures based on the paradigm shift in the new use of mizuna for salad due to increase in demand of the vegetable in contemporary dishes. The traditional cultivation of mizuna might be suitable if wishing the flavor and antimutagenicity at the best harvest season ‘Syun’.

Compliance and discontinuation of denosumab treatment in postmenopausal Japanese women with primary osteoporosis or rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis

Takako Suzuki,Yukio Nakamura,Mikio Kamimura,Shota Ikegami,Shigeharu Uchiyama,Hiroyuki Kato 대한골다공증학회 2017 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.3 No.2

denosumab treatment in Japanese women with primary osteoporosis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with osteoporosis. Methods: This retrospective study included 143 patients with primary osteoporosis and 96 patients with RA and osteoporosis who were treated with denosumab. Treatment discontinuation, fracture occurrence, lumbar spine (L1e4) bone mineral density (LS-BMD), and bilateral total hip BMD (TH-BMD) were examined before and at 1 and 2 years after treatment commencement. Results: In the primary osteoporosis group, 32 cases dropped out and no fractures occurred from 0 to 1 year. Eighteen cases were lost to follow-up and no fractures were noted from 1 to 2 years. In the RA with osteoporosis group, 7 cases dropped out and no fracture occurred from 0 to 1 year. Twenty-one cases were lost to follow-up and 2 nonvertebral fractures were noted from 1 to 2 years. In this group, 13 cases dropped out from 1 to 2 years and 16 cases dropped out during the 2-year study period due to economic reasons. LS-BMD and TH-BMD values increased continuously for 2 years of treatment in both primary osteoporosis and RA with osteoporosis groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that during denosumab therapy, the discontinuation rate is expected to remain low during 2 years of treatment in primary osteoporotic patients. In RA patients with osteoporosis, however, the discontinuation rate may increase due to economic reasons from 1 to 2 years of therapy.

Efficacy, safety, and compliance of ibandronate treatment for 3 years in postmenopausal Japanese women with primary osteoporosis

Takako Suzuki,Yukio Nakamura,Hiroyuki Kato 대한골다공증학회 2018 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.4 No.2

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy, safety, and adherence of ibandronate (IBN) treatment with or without vitamin D supplementation for 3 years in Japanese women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Methods: This prospective investigation included 27 patients treated with IBN alone (monotherapy group) and 29 patients receiving IBN and alfacalcidol (ALF) (combination group). Bone metabolism and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured before and at 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of therapy. Treatment discontinuation and fracture occurrence were assessed as well. Results: Lumbar 1e4 BMD (L-BMD) was significantly increased in the monotherapy and combination groups by 3.9% and 7.2%, respectively, at 36 months, with significant gains in total hip BMD (H-BMD) of 3.7% and 4.9%, respectively. There were significant differences in L-BMD improvement between the groups at 18, 24, and 30 months (P < 0.05) and at 36 months (P < 0.01). Compared with pretreatment levels, the percentage changes of L-BMD and H-BMD were significant at all time points in the combination group and at all points apart from L-BMD at 36 months in the monotherapy group. In the monotherapy group, 14 patients dropped out during 3 years and 2 vertebral fractures occurred during the first year. In the combination group, 16 cases dropped out during 3 years and 1 nonvertebral fracture was noted during the first year. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that combination therapy of IBN and vitamin D is superior to monotherapy with regard to L-BMD improvements for 3 years, with both groups showing comparable safety and adherence to treatment.

Effects of monthly minodronate with or without eldecalcitol addition in osteoporosis patients with rheumatoid arthritis: An 18-month prospective study

Takako Suzuki,Yukio Nakamura,Hiroyuki Kato 대한골다공증학회 2019 Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia Vol.5 No.4

Objectives: Increasing bone mineral density (BMD) to reduce fracture risk is a primary goal of osteoporosis treatment. This prospective, observational study evaluates the effects of monthly minodronate (MIN; 50 mg) with or without eldecalcitol (ELD) addition in osteoporosis patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during 18 months. Methods: The cohort was prospectively and randomly split into the MIN monotherapy group (14 cases) and MIN plus ELD group (combination group; 14 cases) due to no reports on the effectiveness and safety of MIN therapy in relation to ELD addition for comparisons of serum tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP)-5b, bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and BMD of the lumbar 1e4 vertebrae (L-BMD), bilateral total hips (H-BMD; the mean value of the right and left hips), and bilateral femoral necks (FN-BMD) at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 months of treatment. Results: Baseline values were comparable between the groups apart from a tendency for higher TRACP- 5b in the combination group. Seven of 14 patients in the combination group had received previous bisphosphonate treatment. BAP was significantly more reduced in the monotherapy group at 6 months, with no other remarkable differences for TRACP5b, L-BMD, H-BMD, or FN-BMD during the observation period. Conclusions: The above findings suggest that regardless of ELD addition, MIN potentially improves BMD during 18 months in osteoporosis patients with RA.

Usefulness of fecal calprotectin by monoclonal antibody testing in adult Japanese with inflammatory bowel diseases: a prospective multicenter study

( Shiro Nakamura ),( Hirotsugu Imaeda ),( Hiroki Nishikawa ),( Masaki Iimuro ),( Minoru Matsuura ),( Hideo Oka ),( Junsuke Oku ),( Takako Miyazaki ),( Hirohito Honda ),( Kenji Watanabe ),( Hiroshi Nak 대한장연구학회 2018 Intestinal Research Vol.16 No.4

Background/Aims: Noninvasive objective monitoring is advantageous for optimizing treatment strategies in patients inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fecal calprotectin (FCP) is superior to traditional biomarkers in terms of assessing the activity in patients with IBD. However, there are the differences among several FCP assays in the dynamics of FCP. In this prospective multicenter trial, we investigated the usefulness of FCP measurements in adult Japanese patients with IBD by reliable enzyme immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody. Methods: We assessed the relationship between FCP levels and disease or endoscopic activity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC, n=64) or Crohn’s disease (CD, n=46) compared with healthy controls (HCs, n=64). Results: FCP levels in UC patients strongly correlated with the Disease Activity Index (r_s=0.676, P<0.0001) and Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES; r_s=0.677, P<0.0001). FCP levels were significantly higher even in patients with inactive UC or CD compared with HCs (P=0.0068, P<0.0001). The optimal cutoff value between MES 1 and 2 exhibited higher sensitivity (94.1%). FCP levels were significantly higher in active UC patients than in inactive patients (P<0.001), except those with proctitis. The Crohn’s Disease Activity Index tended to correlate with the FCP level (rs=0.283, P=0.0565). Conclusions: Our testing method using a monoclonal antibody for FCP was well-validated and differentiated IBD patients from HCs. FCP may be a useful biomarker for objective assessment of disease activity in adult Japanese IBD patients, especially those with UC. (Intest Res 2018;16:554-562)

Increasing Needs of National Policy for Nicotine Dependence Treatments as a Part of Tobacco Control

Masakazu Nakamura,Takako Morita,Akira Oshima 대한암예방학회 2006 Journal of cancer prevention Vol.11 No.2

Tobacco use is the single most important preventable health risk in developed countries, and a major cause of premature death and disability worldwide. In 2000, tobacco smoking accounted for an estimated 113,000 of the total 962,000 deaths in Japan. In the Article 14 of the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), countries are requested to take effective measures to promote cessation of tobacco use and adequate treatment for tobacco dependence. The essence of tobacco use is nicotine dependence. Nicotine dependence is a chronic disease that often requires repeated intervention. Environmental change strategies for tobacco control, such as tobacco taxation and smoking restriction in public places, can be effective in reducing tobacco use, but smokers often find it difficult to overcome their dependence without help. Effective treatments to promote smoking cessation need to be implemented in various health care settings as part of a comprehensive tobacco control measure. Lack of insurance coverage serves as barriers to use nicotine dependence treatment services. In countries where publicly funded health insurance exists, consideration should be given to making evidence-based tobacco dependence treatments reimbursable. (Cancer Prev Res 11, 85-88, 2006)

Electrochemical Deposition of Fe/FeOOH Forest for Oxygen Evolution Catalysts

Asako Taniguchi,Takako Nakamura,Toyohiko J. Konno 한국표면공학회 2023 한국표면공학회 학술발표회 초록집 Vol.2023 No.11-1

A new strategy to protect Katsura-uri (Japan's heirloom pickling melon, Cucumis melo var. conomon) from extinction

Azusa Sasaki,Yasushi Nakamura,Yukiko Kobayashi,Wataru Aoi,Takako Nakamura,Koji Shirota,Noboru Suetome,Michiaki Fukui,Tomoaki Shigeta,Tomoaki Matsuo,Shigehisa Okamoto,박은영,Kenji Sato 한국식품연구원 2017 Journal of Ethnic Foods Vol.4 No.1

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery and breast reconstruction in a Japanese university hospital setting

Dai Shibata,Takahiko Kawate,Takako Komiya,Itaru Nakamura,Takashi Ishikawa,Hajime Matsumura 대한성형외과학회 2022 Archives of Plastic Surgery Vol.49 No.1