BCAA catabolism in skeletal muscle is regulated by the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) complex, located at the second step in the BCAA catabolic pathway. The activity of the BCKDH complex is regulated by a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle. Almost all of BCKDH complex in skeletal muscle under normal and resting conditions is in an inactive/phosphorylated state, which may contribute to muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. Exercise activates the muscle BCKDH complex, resulting in enhanced BCAA catabolism. Therefore, exercise may increase the BCAA requirement. It has been reported that BCAA supplementation before exercise attenuates the breakdown of muscle proteins during exercise in humans and that leucine strongly promotes protein synthesis in skeletal muscle in humans and rats, suggesting that a BCAA supplement may attenuate muscle damage induced by exercise and promote recovery from the damage. We have examined the effects of BCAA supplementation on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle fatigue induced by squat exercise in humans. The results obtained showed that BCAA supplementation prior to squat exercise decreased DOMS and muscle fatigue occurring for a few days after exercise. These findings suggest that BCAAs may be useful for muscle recovery following exercise.

The authors examined the effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on squat-exercise-induced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) using 12 young, healthy, untrained female participants. The experiment was conducted with a crossover double-blind design. In the morning on the exercise-session day, the participants ingested either BCAA (isoleucine:leucine:valine = 1:2.3:1.2) or dextrin at 100 mg/kg body weight before the squat exercise, which consisted of 7 sets of 20 squats/set with 3-min intervals between sets. DOMS showed a peak on Days 2 and 3 in both trials, but the level of soreness was significantly lower in the BCAA trial than in the placebo. Leg-muscle force during maximal voluntary isometric contractions was measured 2 d after exercise (Day 3), and the BCAA supplementation suppressed the muscle-force decrease (to ~80% of the value recorded under the control conditions) observed in the placebo trial. Plasma BCAA concentrations, which decreased after exercise in the placebo trial, were markedly elevated during the 2 hr postexercise in the BCAA trial. Serum myoglobin concentration was increased by exercise in the placebo but not in the BCAA trial. The concentration of plasma elastase as an index of neutrophil activation appeared to increase after the squat exercise in both trials, but the change in the elastase level was significant only in the placebo trial. These results suggest that muscle damage may be suppressed by BCAA supplementation.

BACKGROUND Benefits of breast-feeding are not only limited to nutrition and sanitation in developing countries but also extend to cost-saving health care and alleviation of anxiety related to childrearing in developed countries. This study aims to elucidate factors associated with exclusive breast-feeding in Japan and use this information to achieve child-rearing support worldwide by promoting breast-feeding. METHODS This cross-sectional study used data from a survey conducted by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of the Japanese government, the First Longitudinal Survey of Babies in 21st Century. All subjects were infants (n = 53,575) born in Japan in 2001 between January 10 and 17 and between July 10 and 17. According to the data, the exclusive breast-feeding rate in Japan during the first 6 months of life was 21.0%. We examined the factors associated with exclusive breast-feeding using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Among the factors examined, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for exclusive breast-feeding was low for late childbearing, low birth weight infants, multiple births, smoking parents, living with grandparents, and feeling burdened by childrearing. The adjusted OR was high for factors that included sufficient childcare leave and consultation about childrearing with the spouse, a birth attendant and/or nurse, and a peer in a child-rearing circle. CONCLUSIONS Exclusive breast-feeding is associated not only with medical factors but also with social factors. This study clarifies the necessity of social support to reduce the child rearing burden and a political system to promote paternal participation in childrearing and to improve the childcare leave system.

Aim: This systematic review evaluated the effects of telehome monitoring-based telenursing (THMTN) on health outcomes and use of healthcare services and compared them with the effects of conventional treatment in patients with severe and very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: An extensive published work search of several databases was performed in May and October 2011. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled clinical trials were evaluated. Parameters included hospitalization rate, number of visits to the emergency department, exacerbations, mean number of hospitalizations, mean duration of bed days of care, mortality, and health-related quality of life by the duration of THMTN and COPD severity. A random effects model was applied. Risk ratio and mean difference were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistic.Results: Nine original articles involving 550 participants were identified in the meta-analysis. THMTN decreased hospitalization rates, emergency department visits, exacerbations, mean number of hospitalizations, and mean duration of bed days of care in severe and very severe COPD patients. Hospitalization rates and emergency department visits were comparable between patients undergoing THMTN of different durations. In addition, THMTN had no effect on mortality. Conclusion: THMTN significantly decreases the use of healthcare services; however, it does not affect mortality in severe and very severe COPD patients.

Epidemiological surveys have demonstrated that habitual coffee consumption reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this work was to study the antidiabetic effect of coffee and caffeine in spontaneously diabetic KK-A(y) mice. KK-A(y) mice were given regular drinking water (controls) or 2-fold diluted coffee for 5 weeks. Coffee ingestion ameliorated the development of hyperglycemia and improved insulin sensitivity. White adipose tissue mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines (MCP-1, IL-6, and TNFalpha), adipose tissue MCP-1 concentration, and serum IL-6 concentration in the coffee group were lower than the control group. Moreover, coffee ingestion improved the fatty liver. Caffeine ingestion as drinking water also caused an amelioration of hyperglycemia and an improvement of fatty liver. These results suggest that coffee exerts a suppressive effect on hyperglycemia by improving insulin sensitivity, partly due to reducing inflammatory cytokine expression and improving fatty liver. Moreover, caffeine may be one of the effective antidiabetic compounds in coffee.