Ryo Okubo

Bio: Ryo Okubo is an academic researcher from Hokkaido University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Medicine & Breast cancer. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 42 publications receiving 284 citations. Previous affiliations of Ryo Okubo include Tohoku University.

Association of Use of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids With Changes in Severity of Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abstract: Importance No systematic review or meta-analysis has assessed the efficacy of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for anxiety Objective To evaluate the association of anxiety symptoms with omega-3 PUFA treatment compared with controls in varied populations Data Sources PubMed, Embase, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, ClinicalKey, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrialsgov databases were searched up to March 4, 2018 Study Selection A search was performed of clinical trials assessing the anxiolytic effect of omega-3 PUFAs in humans, in either placebo-controlled or non–placebo-controlled designs Of 104 selected articles, 19 entered the final data extraction stage Data Extraction and Measures Two authors independently extracted the data according to a predetermined list of interests A random-effects model meta-analysis was performed and this study was conducted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines Main Outcomes and Measures Changes in the severity of anxiety symptoms after omega-3 PUFA treatment Results In total, 1203 participants with omega-3 PUFA treatment (mean age, 437 years; mean female proportion, 550%; mean omega-3 PUFA dosage, 16057 mg/d) and 1037 participants without omega-3 PUFA treatment (mean age, 406 years; mean female proportion, 550%) showed an association between clinical anxiety symptoms among participants with omega-3 PUFA treatment compared with control arms (Hedgesg, 0374; 95% CI, 0081-0666;P = 01) Subgroup analysis showed that the association of treatment with reduced anxiety symptoms was significantly greater in subgroups with specific clinical diagnoses than in subgroups without clinical conditions The anxiolytic effect of omega-3 PUFAs was significantly better than that of controls only in subgroups with a higher dosage (at least 2000 mg/d) and not in subgroups with a lower dosage ( Conclusions and Relevance This review indicates that omega-3 PUFAs might help to reduce the symptoms of clinical anxiety Further well-designed studies are needed in populations in whom anxiety is the main symptom

Increase in Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Association with Mental Health: Findings from the JACSIS 2020 Study.

Abstract: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is assumed to have caused an increase in the number of socially isolated people. However, the prevalence of social isolation during the pandemic has not been well studied, particularly among Asian populations. This study investigated changes in the prevalence of social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and examined its association with mental health among the general Japanese population. Data were obtained from a large-scale, web-based nationwide survey conducted from August to September 2020 (n = 28,000; aged 15-79 years). Social isolation was defined as less frequent contact with people other than co-residing family members. We assessed the participants' frequency of contact in January (before the pandemic) and August 2020 (during the pandemic). Mental health outcomes included psychological distress, suicidal ideation, loneliness, and fear of COVID-19. We analyzed the data of 25,482 respondents. The weighted prevalence (95% confidence interval) of social isolation was 21.2% (20.7-21.7%) and 27.9% (27.3-28.4%) before and during the pandemic, respectively. The prevalence of social isolation increased by 6.7 (6.3-7.0) percentage points during the pandemic. Older people and men had the greatest increase in the prevalence of social isolation. People who became socially isolated during the pandemic had greater loneliness and fear of COVID-19 than those who were consistently not socially isolated since before the pandemic. This study suggested that social isolation had increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Our findings highlight the importance of developing immediate measures against social isolation to maintain good mental health.

C-H Carboxylation of Aromatic Compounds through CO2 Fixation.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) represents the most abundant and accessible carbon source on Earth. Thus the ability to transform CO2 into valuable commodity chemicals through the construction of C-C bonds is an invaluable strategy. Carboxylic acids and derivatives, the main products obtained by carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles by reaction of CO2 , have wide application in pharmaceuticals and advanced materials. Among the variety of carboxylation methods currently available, the direct carboxylation of C-H bonds with CO2 has attracted much attention owing to advantages from a step- and atom-economical point of view. In particular, the prevalence of (hetero)aromatic carboxylic acids and derivatives among biologically active compounds has led to significant interest in the development of methods for their direct carboxylation from CO2 . Herein, the latest achievements in the area of direct C-H carboxylation of (hetero)aromatic compounds with CO2 will be discussed.

Evaluation of mutant huntingtin and neurofilament proteins as potential markers in Huntington’s disease

Abstract: Huntington’s disease (HD) is a genetic progressive neurodegenerative disorder, caused by a mutation in the HTT gene, for which there is currently no cure. The identification of sensitive indicators of disease progression and therapeutic outcome could help the development of effective strategies for treating HD. We assessed mutant huntingtin (mHTT) and neurofilament light (NfL) protein concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood in parallel with clinical evaluation and magnetic resonance imaging in premanifest and manifest HD mutation carriers. Among HD mutation carriers, NfL concentrations in plasma and CSF correlated with all nonbiofluid measures more closely than did CSF mHTT concentration. Longitudinal analysis over 4 to 8 weeks showed that CSF mHTT, CSF NfL, and plasma NfL concentrations were highly stable within individuals. In our cohort, concentration of CSF mHTT accurately distinguished between controls and HD mutation carriers, whereas NfL concentration, in both CSF and plasma, was able to segregate premanifest from manifest HD. In silico modeling indicated that mHTT and NfL concentrations in biofluids might be among the earliest detectable alterations in HD, and sample size prediction suggested that low participant numbers would be needed to incorporate these measures into clinical trials. These findings provide evidence that biofluid concentrations of mHTT and NfL have potential for early and sensitive detection of alterations in HD and could be integrated into both clinical trials and the clinic.

A brief diet intervention can reduce symptoms of depression in young adults - A randomised controlled trial.

Abstract: There is strong epidemiological evidence that poor diet is associated with depression. The reverse has also been shown, namely that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and lean meat, is associated with reduced risk of depression. To date, only one randomised controlled trial (RCT) has been conducted with elevated depression symptoms being an inclusion criterion, with results showing that a diet intervention can reduce clinical levels of depression. No such RCTs have been performed in young adults. Young adults with elevated levels of depression symptoms and who habitually consume a poor diet were randomly allocated to a brief 3-week diet intervention (Diet Group) or a habitual diet control group (Control Group). The primary and secondary outcome measures assessed at baseline and after the intervention included symptoms of depression (Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; CESD-R; and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale– 21 depression subscale; DASS-21-D), current mood (Profile of Mood States), self-efficacy (New General Self-Efficacy Scale) and memory (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test). Diet compliance was measured via self-report questionnaires and spectrophotometry. One-hundred-and-one individuals were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to the Diet Group or the Control Group. Upon completion of the study, there was complete data for 38 individuals in each group. There was good compliance with the diet intervention recommendations assessed using self-report and spectrophotometry. The Diet group had significantly lower self-reported depression symptoms than the Control Group on the CESD-R (p = 0.007, Cohen’s d = 0.65) and DASS-21 depression subscale (p = 0.002, Cohen’s d = 0.75) controlling for baseline scores on these scales. Reduced DASS-21 depression subscale scores were maintained on follow up phone call 3 months later (p = .009). These results are the first to show that young adults with elevated depression symptoms can engage in and adhere to a diet intervention, and that this can reduce symptoms of depression. The findings provide justification for future research into the duration of these benefits, the impacts of varying diet composition, and their biological basis.

C-H Bond Carboxylation with Carbon Dioxide.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide is a nontoxic, renewable, and abundant C1 source, whereas C-H bond functionalization represents one of the most important approaches to the construction of carbon-carbon bonds and carbon-heteroatom bonds in an atom- and step-economical manner. Combining the chemical transformation of CO2 with C-H bond functionalization is of great importance in the synthesis of carboxylic acids and their derivatives. The contents of this Review are organized according to the type of C-H bond involved in carboxylation. The primary types of C-H bonds are as follows: C(sp)-H bonds of terminal alkynes, C(sp2 )-H bonds of (hetero)arenes, vinylic C(sp2 )-H bonds, the ipso-C(sp2 )-H bonds of the diazo group, aldehyde C(sp2 )-H bonds, α-C(sp3 )-H bonds of the carbonyl group, γ-C(sp3 )-H bonds of the carbonyl group, C(sp3 )-H bonds adjacent to nitrogen atoms, C(sp3 )-H bonds of o-alkyl phenyl ketones, allylic C(sp3 )-H bonds, C(sp3 )-H bonds of methane, and C(sp3 )-H bonds of halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons. In addition, multicomponent reactions, tandem reactions, and key theoretical studies related to the carboxylation of C-H bonds are briefly summarized. Transition-metal-free, organocatalytic, electrochemical, and light-driven methods are highlighted.

Therapeutic approaches to Huntington disease: from the bench to the clinic.

Abstract: The 25 years since the identification of the gene responsible for Huntington disease (HD) have stood witness to profound discoveries about the nature of the disease and its pathogenesis. Despite this progress, however, the development of disease-modifying therapies has thus far been slow. Preclinical validation of the therapeutic potential of disrupted pathways in HD has led to the advancement of pharmacological agents, both novel and repurposed, for clinical evaluation. The most promising therapeutic approaches include huntingtin (HTT) lowering and modification as well as modulation of neuroinflammation and synaptic transmission. With clinical trials for many of these approaches imminent or currently ongoing, the coming years are promising not only for HD but also for more prevalent neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, in which many of these pathways have been similarly implicated.