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We examined the effect of 5.0 g/day of collagen peptide (CP) or collagen peptide fermented with Aspergillus sojae (FCP) on skin pigmentation in healthy participants.In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 44 men and women aged 25-63 years were placed into three groups by stratified random allocation and treated with CP, FCP, or placebo (PL) at 5.0 g/day for 3 months. Their skin condition was measured monthly from baseline to 3 months of intake.No adverse events were identified in any group. The CP group showed a significant reduction in pigmented patches and redness after 1 and 3 months of intake, respectively. In the FCP group, pigmented macules were significantly reduced after 1 month, and pigmented patches after 2 months. Both the all-ages analysis and the hierarchical analysis below 55 years old yielded similar results.Intake of 5.0 g/day of FCP for 3 months is safe. CP and FCP intake is useful for suppressing pigmentation. In addition, CP intake may be useful for reducing redness. These results suggest a new beneficial effect on the skin of CP supplementation.UMIN clinical trials registry system, UMIN000040736.

We show that the class of lattice convolution equivalent distributions is not closed under convolution roots. We prove that the class of lattice convolution equivalent distributions is closed under convolution roots under the assumption of the exponentially asymptotic decreasing condition. This result is extended to the class $$\mathcal {S}_{\Delta }$$ of $$\Delta $$ -subexponential distributions. As a corollary, we show that the class $$\mathcal {S}_{\Delta }$$ is closed under convolution roots in the class $$\mathcal {L}_{\Delta }$$ . Moreover, we prove that the class of lattice convolution equivalent distributions is not closed under convolutions. Finally, we give a survey on the closure under convolution roots of the other distribution classes.

We investigate the asymptotic behaviour of the difference between the tails of a self-decomposable distribution with a two-sided regularly varying density on the real line and its Levy measure. Moreover, we study the second-order asymptotic behaviour of the tail of the t-th convolution power of a self-decomposable distribution with a two-sided regularly varying density.

We show that, under the long-tailedness of the densities of normalized Levy measures, the densities of infinitely divisible distributions on the half-line are subexponential if and only if the densities of their normalized Levy measures are subexponential. Moreover, we prove that, under a certain continuity assumption, the densities of infinitely divisible distributions on the half-line are subexponential if and only if their normalized Levy measures are locally subexponential.

We characterize the second order subexponentiality of an infinitely divisible distribution on the real line under an exponential moment assumption. We investigate the asymptotic behaviour of the difference between the tails of an infinitely divisible distribution and its Lévy measure. Moreover, we study the second order asymptotic behaviour of the tail of the $t$th convolution power of an infinitely divisible distribution. The density version for a self-decomposable distribution on the real line without an exponential moment assumption is also given. Finally, the regularly varying case for a self-decomposable distribution on the half line is discussed.

Although results of recent studies suggest that fermented foods strongly affect the gut microbiota composition and that they relieve inflammatory bowel disease symptoms, some reports have described that fermented foods increase some inflammation markers based on differences in fermented food materials. This study evaluated the effects of fermented plant extract (FPE) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice and the effects on fecal microbiota composition in humans. Mice fed 5% FPE with 3% DSS (FPE group) showed no body weight loss, atrophy of colonic length, or bloody stool, similar to mice fed a basal diet (negative group), whereas mice fed 3% DSS (positive group) exhibited those effects. Concentrations of inflammation markers IL-6 and TNF-α were not significantly different between FPE and negative groups; however, those concentrations became higher in the positive group. 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to characterize fecal microbiota in healthy women before and after 3-month FPE supplementation. The FPE supplementation induced increases in Firmicutes phyla and in Clostridiales order, which play a central role in inflammation suppression. These results suggest that FPE enhances Clostridiales growth in the gut and that it has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Two hypotheses on the class $\mathcal{L}(\gamma)$ in the class $\mathcal{OS}\cap \mathcal{ID}$ are discussed. Two weak hypotheses on the class $\mathcal{L}(\gamma)$ in the class $\mathcal{OS}\cap \mathcal{ID}$ are proved. A necessary and sufficient condition in order that, for every $t >0$, the $t$-th convolution power of a distribution in the class $\mathcal{OS}\cap \mathcal{ID}$ belongs to the class $\mathcal{L}(\gamma)$ is given., Comment: 19 pages

We show that the class of convolution equivalent distributions and the class of locally subexponential distributions are not closed under convolution roots. It gives a negative answer to the classical conjectures of Embrechts and Goldie. Moreover, we establish two sufficient conditions in order that the class of convolution equivalent distributions is closed under convolution roots.

First the relation between shift self-similar additive sequences and stationary sequences of Ornstein–Uhlenbeck type (OU type) on $$\mathbb {R}^d$$ is shown, and then the rates of escape for shift self-similar additive sequences are discussed. As a corollary, fundamental problems on recurrence of stationary sequences of OU type are solved. Some applications to laws of the iterated logarithm for strictly stable Levy processes on $$\mathbb {R}^d$$ and independent Brownian motions are given.

JAK2 V617F mutant, a gene responsible for human myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), causes not only cellular transformation but also resistance to various anti-cancer drugs. We previously reported that pyrrolidinium fullerene markedly induced the apoptosis of JAK2 V617F mutant-induced transformed cells through the reduction of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1), following inhibition of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. In the current study, we found that the replacement of the 2-hydrogen atom (H) or N-methyl group (CH3) by the butyl group (C4C9) caused the more than 3-fold potent cytotoxic effects on cells transformed by the JAK2 V617F mutant. Strikingly, these chemical modification of pyrrolidinium fullerene resulted in more marked reduction of ASK1 protein and a more potent inhibitory effect on the JNK signaling cascade. On the other hand, when modified with a longer alkyl group, the derivatives lacked their cytotoxicity. These observations clearly indicate that the modification of pyrrolidinium fullerene with a suitable length of alkyl group such as butyl group enhances its apoptotic effect through inhibition of the ASK1-MKK4/7-JNK pathway.

Erdos-Kahane numbers (EK numbers) are introduced in relation to the decay of the Fourier transforms of non-symmetric Bernoulli convolutions. The PV, PS, and EK numbers are characterized by using a certain trigonometric series H b (u). The relations between those numbers and the asymptotic properties of the Fourier transforms of full b-decomposable distributions are shown. A sufficient condition for the absolute continuity of one-dimensional b-decomposable distributions is given. As an application, an open problem on the uniform decay of the Fourier transforms of refinable distributions, raised by Dai et al. (J. Funct. Anal. 250(1):1–20, 2007), is solved. Finally, temporal evolution on continuity properties of distributions of some Levy processes is discussed.

RBL-2H3細胞によるβ－ヘキソサミニダーゼ放出阻害活性が認められたヨモギ熱水抽出物と，同様の方法でヨモギ熱水抽出物をクロロゲン酸エステラーゼで処理したヨモギ酵素分解物を得た．ヨモギ酵素分解物のIC50値は0.447 mg/mlでヨモギIC50値と比較すると脱顆粒抑制活性が7倍強くなった．また，カフェ酸含量はヨモギ酵素分解物の4.65％であった．ヨモギ酵素分解物のHPLC分析で得た1画分にも脱顆粒抑制作用が認められた．HPLC画分を解析した結果，カフェ酸と同定されカフェ酸画分のIC50値23.3 g/mlは，ヨモギ酵素分解物のIC50値（0.447 mg/ml）とカフェ酸含有量（4.65％）から推算される値と一致した．このことより，ヨモギ酵素分解物の主要な脱顆粒抑制作用は，カフェ酸に由来することが示唆された．

The class of exponential tilts of convolution equivalent distributions is determined. As a corollary, the local subexponentiality of one-sided infinitely divisible distributions is characterized. It is applied to the subexponentiality of the densities of a self-decomposable distribution and its Levy measure. Bondesson’s conjecture on the density of the Levy measure of a lognormal distribution is solved as an example. Results of Denisov et al. on the distributions of random sums are extended to the two-sided case. Finally, the local subexponentiality of the distribution of the supremum of a random walk is characterized.

A serious gap in the Proof of Pakes’s paper on the convolution equivalence of infinitely divisible distributions on the line is completely closed. It completes the real analytic approach to Sgibnev’s theorem. Then the convolution equivalence of random sums of IID random variables is discussed. Some of the results are applied to random walks and Levy processes. In particular, results of Bertoin and Doney and of Korshunov on the distribution tail of the supremum of a random walk are improved. Finally, an extension of Rogozin’s theorem is proved.

The relation between the upper and lower asymptotic estimates of the density and the fractal dimensions on the sphere of the spectral measure for a multivariate stable distribution is discussed. In particular, the problem and the conjecture on the asymptotic estimates of multivariate stable densities in the work of Pruitt and Taylor in 1969 are solved. The proper asymptotic orders of the stable densities in the case where the spectral measure is absolutely continuous on the sphere, or discrete with the support being a finite set, or a mixture of such cases are obtained. Those results are applied to the moment of the last exit time from a ball and the Spitzer type limit theorem involving capacity for a multi-dimensional transient stable process.

カキドオシ抽出物が本態性高血圧自然発症ラット（SHR）への血圧上昇抑制に対してどのような影響を及ぼすかを検討した．カキドオシ全草から熱水抽出することで収率20％のカキドオシ抽出物を得た．この抽出物には灰分が多く含まれ，特にカリウム（K）含量が高かった．カキドオシ抽出物を飼料中へ5％添加し，28日間SHRに自由摂取させると，試験14日後から対照群に比べて有意に血圧の上昇を抑制した．24時間尿を採尿し，ナトリウム（Na）およびK排泄率を算出したところ，カキドオシ抽出物を摂取することでNaおよびK排泄率ともに有意に増加した．これはカキドオシ抽出物に含まれるKの摂取によりSHRのNa排泄効果を促したことで，血圧上昇抑制作用を示したものと考えられた．

The present study investigated the effects of the dietary addition of the protease preparations derived from Aspergillus on the colonic luminal environment. Rats were fed a 30% beef tallow diet with or without the protease preparations, including Amano protease (protease A 'Amano SD', neutral proteases from Aspergillus spp.) or orientase (orientase AY, acid proteases from Aspergillus niger) at the dose of 0.2% for 3 weeks. Cecal Bifidobacterium was significantly elevated in the dietary Amano protease group (194-fold, P

Relations between subexponential densities and locally subexponential distributions are discussed. It is shown that the class of subexponential densities is neither closed under convolution roots nor closed under asymptotic equivalence. A remark is given on the closure under convolution roots for the class of convolution equivalent distributions.

Let LBa be the last exit time from the ball Ba={|x| 0:E[LBaη]

メシマコブ (Phellinus linteus) は, 桑の木に選択的に寄生する多年生の木材腐朽菌である。近年, メシマコブの液体培養技術が確立され, メシマコブ菌糸体は子実体と同様の抗腫瘍活性を有することで知られている。このメシマコブ菌糸体について, 抗糖尿病作用を評価するための試験を行った。in vitro の試験として, メシマコブ菌糸体熱水抽出エキス (Phellinus linteus extract (PLE)) において, α-グルコシダーゼ阻害活性を測定した。その結果, メシマコブ菌糸体は, 子実体と同様酵素活性を阻害した。in vivo の試験として, 正常ラット, STZ糖尿病ラットによる経口糖負荷試験を行ったところ, PLEの投与により, 血糖値上昇を抑制する傾向が認められ, 正常ラットではショ糖負荷30分後, STZ糖尿病ラットではショ糖負荷60分後の血糖値を有意 (p

Let LBa be the last exit time from the ball Ba={|x| 0 or E[LBaη]=∞ for all a>0. Let T be the set of η⩾0 having the former property. The size of T gives an order of transience of {Xt}. A criterion for η∈T is given in terms of the logarithm of the characteristic function of X1. The set T is determined when d=1 and E[|Xt|]

自己消化処理によりγ-アミノ酪酸(GABA)を蓄積させたアガリクス茸が軽症高血圧者の血圧に対してどのような影響を及ぼすかを検討したところ,以下のことが明らかとなった.(1) オープン試験として軽症高血圧者の男性10人にAG-GABAカプセルを摂取させたところ,収縮期血圧では摂取1週間後で,拡張期血圧では摂取3週間後で開始時に比べて有意に血圧降下作用を示した.AG-GABAの摂取をやめると収縮期および拡張期血圧はほぼ元の状態に戻り,これは紅麹GABAが高血圧者の血圧に及ぼす現象とよく一致していた.(2) 二重盲検クロスオーバー比較試験として軽症高血圧者の男性14人をA群(1∼4週:AG-GABA摂取;6∼9週:プラセボ摂取)およびB群(1∼4週:プラセボ摂取;6∼9週:AG-GABA摂取)の2群に分けて試験評価したところ,AG-GABA摂取期間中に収縮期血圧および拡張期血圧とも観察期間に比べて有意な血圧の降下を示すことが明らかとなった.これは本人または看護師のいずれが血圧を測定しても同様の結果を示した.(3) 採血検査(血清生化学検査・血液学的検査)の値では大きな変化は認められず,これは被験者の血中脂質が正常域にあったことに起因すると考えられ,むしろ長期間にわたる被験者の生活様式がほぼ一定していたことが示唆された.(4) 以上のことからAG-GABAには軽症高血圧者の血圧値を降下させるが,必要以上に降圧させることはなく,また,摂取をやめても強いリバウンドを示さないこのような働きはGABAの特異的な降圧機能として安全に作用することを印象づけることができた.

本実験ではFolin-Denis法の抽出溶媒の比較検討をおこなった.抽出溶媒には,蒸留水,各種濃度の含水メタノール,含水ェタノール,含水アセトン,およびDMSOを用いた.結果は各試料ごとに異なり,赤ワイン抽出物では含水エタノール,緑茶抽出物では含水メタノール,イチョウ葉抽出物では含水アセトンが高い値を示したが,DMSOで抽出すると,いずれの試料を用いた場合でも最も高い値を示した.また添加回収実験では,DMSOで抽出した場合に添加した(+)-カテキンが最も効率よく回収できた.このことより,Folin-Denis法における抽出溶媒にはDMSOが最も適していることがわかった.

アガリクス茸の新しい機能性を見いだすことを目的としてγ-アミノ酪酸(GABA)の蓄積をおこない,それが本態性高血圧自然発症ラット(SHR)への血圧上昇抑制に対してどのような影響を及ぼすかを検討し,次の結果を得た. (1) アガリクス茸を自己消化させることにより効率良くアガリクス茸にGABAを蓄積させることができた. (2) 飼料中へ5%アガリクス茸を添加した場合では,GABAを蓄積したアガリクス茸(AG-GABA)とGABAをほとんど含まないアガリクス茸(AG-M)のいずれもSHRに対して有意に血圧を降下させた,また2%アガリクス茸を添加した場合では,AG-GABA投与群はAG-M投与群よりも有意に降圧作用を示した. (3) AG-GABAおよびAG-Mには アンジオテンシンーI変換酵素(ACE)活性阻害効果が確認されたが,GABAにはその効果が認められなかった.このようにアガリクス茸が本来持っている血圧降下作用とGABAの血圧降下作用とがお互い協働してAG-GABAの血圧降下作用に寄与していることが支持された. (4) AG-GABAおよびAG-Mを食餌成分としてSHRに与えた結果,血清総コレステロール(特に(VLDL+LDL)-C),トリグリセライド,動脈硬化指数の値が低下した.

Natural examples of increasing shift self-similar additive random sequences are constructed, which are associated with supercritical branching processes. The rate of growth and the distributional properties of them are studied in terms of the offspring distributions of the supercritical branching processes. The results are applied to two types of laws of the iterated logarithm for a Brownian motion on the unbounded Sierpinski gasket. An extension of the Bingham–Doney–de Meyer theorem on the limits of supercritical branching processes is also proved.

自己消化処理したシイタケが本態性高血圧自然発症ラット(SHR)の血圧に対してどのような影響を及ぼすかを検討した.シイタケを自己消化させることにより遊離アミノ酸含量が増加した.また,γ-アミノ酪酸(GABA)についても自己消化によりその含量が増加した.自己消化処理したシイタケ(AutolyzedLE)および処理前のシイタケ(LE)を飼料中へ2%添加した場合では,SHRに対してAutolyzed-LE投与群がコントロール群に比べて有意に血圧を降下させた.しかし,LE群はコントロール群に比べて血圧降下作用を示さなかった.AutolyzedLEおよびLEにはエリタデニンやアデノシンが存在することが確認された.次にAutolyzedLEとLEについてアンジオテンシン-I変換酵素(ACE)活性阻害効果を調べたところ,LEに比べてAutolyzedLEのACE阻害活性は5倍高かった.これによりAutolyzed-LEの血圧降下作用はGABA,アデノシン,ACE阻害活性成分などの相互作用により起こっていることが考えられた.AutolyzedLEおよびLEを食餌成分としてSHRに与えた結果,血清総コレステロール(TC),特に(VLDL+LDL)-C,トリグリセリド(TG),動脈硬化指数,リン脂質(PL)の値が有意に低下した.これはシイタケに含まれるエリタデニンの作用であることが考えられた.

The Amphibacillus xylanus NADH oxidase, which catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide with β-NADH, can also reduce hydrogen peroxide to water in the presence of free flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or the small disulfide-containing Salmonella enterica AhpC protein. The enzyme has two disulfide bonds, Cys128-Cys131 and Cys337-Cys340, which can act as redox centers in addition to the enzyme-bound FAD (K. Ohnishi, Y. Niimura, M. Hidaka, H. Masaki, H. Suzuki, T. Uozumi, and T. Nishino, J. Biol. Chem. 270:5812–5817, 1995). The NADH-FAD reductase activity was directly dependent on the FAD concentration, with a second-order rate constant of approximately 2.0 × 10 6 M −1 s −1 . Rapid-reaction studies showed that the reduction of free flavin occurred through enzyme-bound FAD, which was reduced by NADH. The peroxidase activity of NADH oxidase in the presence of FAD resulted from reduction of peroxide by free FADH 2 reduced via enzyme-bound FAD. This peroxidase activity was markedly decreased in the presence of oxygen, since the free FADH 2 is easily oxidized by oxygen, indicating that this enzyme system is unlikely to be functional in aerobic growing cells. The A. xylanus ahpC gene was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli . When the NADH oxidase was coupled with A. xylanus AhpC, the peroxidase activity was not inhibited by oxygen. The V max values for hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide reduction were both approximately 150 s −1 . The K m values for hydrogen peroxide and cumene hydroperoxide were too low to allow accurate determination of their values. Both AhpC and NADH oxidase were induced under aerobic conditions, a clear indication that these proteins are involved in the removal of peroxides under aerobic growing conditions.

P.S. numbers are introduced in relation to absolute continuity of some infinite Bernoulli convolutions. Absolute continuity and continuous singularity of some semi-selfdecomposable distributions are studied as marginal distributions of subordinators. It is shown that these properties are widely different according as their spans are P.V. numbers or the reciprocals of P.S. numbers. A simple example of a subordinator whose distribution is continuous singular for small time and absolutely continuous for large time is given. Absolute continuity of convolutions of multidimensional homogeneous self-similar measures are also discussed.

Relationships between marginal and joint distributions of selfsimilar processes with independent increments are shown in terms of the Urbanik–Sato-type nested subclasses of the class of selfdecomposable distributions. Similar results are also shown for semi-selfsimilar processes with independent increments.

各種産地のウコン中のクルクミノイドを高精度かつ迅速に定量することを目的として,HPLC及びMEKCの測定条件を検討し,次の結果を得た.(1) ウコン乾燥物からの超音波によるクルクミノイド抽出には,溶媒として99.5%エタノールが最も適当であった.(2) HPLCによるクルクミノイドの分離は,グラジエント溶出による方法が最も短時間に分析できた.また,BBMAによるMEKCでは,更に短時間に分析することができた.定量においてもHPLC及びMEKC共に高い相関の検量線が得られた.(3) 産地の異なる8種のウコン乾燥物中のクルクミノイドについて定量した結果,MEKCはHPLCとほぼ同様の精度で分析することができた.MEKCはHPLCに比べ,短時間に,しかも少ない溶媒量で分析ができ,品質管理分析に適用できることを示した.

Absolute continuity and smoothness of distributions in the nested subclasses ~Lm(B), m = 0, 1, 2,..., of the class of all B-decomposable distributions are studied. All invertible matrices are classified into two types in terms of P.V. numbers. The minimum integer m for which all full distributions in ~Lm(B) are absolutely continuous and the minimum integer m for which all absolutely continuous distributions in ~Lm(B) have the densities of class Cr for 0 ≤ r ≤ ∞ are discussed according to the type of the matrix B related to P.V. numbers.

A simple and rapid method is described for analyzing the Monascus pigment-mediated degradation of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4, 3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)). We used the in-capillary micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). During the electrophoresis, the mutagen and the pigment, due to their different migration velocities, mix for a certain period of time to interact, and then they are separated and quantified. Using this technique, we were able to demonstrate that Trp-P-2(NHOH) is degraded by the pigment. The degradation was pigment-dose dependent, and because the pigment was recovered unchanged, it was deduced that the pigment acted catalytically for the degradation. The entire MEKC procedure takes 8 min.

正常ラットにおけるカキドオシ抽出物の経口糖負荷試験では，ショ糖負荷30分後から60分後にかけての血糖値で，カキドオシ抽出物群は対照群と比べて有意（p＜0.01）な上昇抑制効果を示した．また，ストレプトゾトシン糖尿病ラットにおける経口糖負荷試験では，ショ糖負荷60分後から90分後にかけての血糖値で，カキドオシ抽出物群は対照群と比べて有意（p＜0.05）な上昇抑制効果を示した．さらに，カキドオシ抽出物を固相抽出カラムでシリカゲル担体吸着画分と非吸着画分に分けたところ，非吸着画分に血糖値上昇抑制作用が認められた．

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was applied to the simultaneous analysis of tyrosol, tryptophol and ferulic acid in sake, using an uncoated fused-silica capillary with sodium dodecyl sulfate solutions in borate buffers at pH 8.5 and UV detection at 280 nm. Compared to HPLC, the MEKC method is advantageous due to its low running cost, and shorter analysis time requirements. Several commercial sake samples were analyzed by the developed technique for quantitation of the three compounds.

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-protein complexes using a nongel sieving matrix (CE-SDS) has been applied to the simultaneous analysis of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase activity in sake rice koji which is employed for the brewing of sake. Alpha-amylase and glucoamylase in sake rice koji extracts were successfully analyzed by CE-SDS. Alpha-amylase and glucoamylase were found to have molecular masses of 53000 and 63000 Da, respectively, as determined by the migration times of eight standard proteins. These values agree with those determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The results of CE-SDS method were compared with those achieved by the official method. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of the alpha-amylase and glucoamylase activities by CE-SDS were less than 5.0% in both intra-day and inter-day experiments. An electrophoretic analysis of products of an enzyme reaction of a substrate by in-capillary reaction was also useful for the activity measurement of glucoamylase in sake rice koji. p-Nitrophenyl-beta-D-maltoside (PNP-Mal) was employed as a substrate and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (PNP-Glu) was the product of the enzyme reaction. The glucoamylase activity of sake rice koji samples gave the good linear relationship with the peak area observed in the in-capillary enzyme reaction method. The glucoamylase activity in sake rice koji was measured by either CE-SDS or the in-capillary enzyme reaction more easily than by the official method. Both methods can be applied to the routine quality control of alpha-amylase and glucoamylase activities in sake rice koji.