If you're fishing for ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, you might start with the seafood-rich diet typically served up in Japan. According to new research, a lifetime of eating tuna, sardines, salmon and other fish appears to protect Japanese men against clogged arteries, despite other cardiovascular risk factors.
The research, published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), suggests that the protection comes from omega-3 fatty acids found in abundance in oily fish. In the first international study of its kind, researchers found that compared to middle-aged white men or Japanese-American men living in the United States, Japanese men living in Japan had twice the blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids—a finding that was independently linked to low levels of atherosclerosis.
"The death rate from coronary heart disease in Japan has always been puzzlingly low," said Akira Sekikawa, M.D., Ph.D, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, PA, and an adjunct associate professor at Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan. "Our study suggests that the very low rates of coronary heart disease among Japanese living in Japan may be due to their lifelong high consumption of fish."
Japanese people eat about 3 ounces of fish daily, on average, while typical Americans eat fish perhaps twice a week. Nutritional studies show that the intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish averages 1.3 grams per day in Japan, as compared to 0.2 grams per day in the United States.
Earlier studies by Dr. Sekikawa's team showed that Japanese men had significantly less cholesterol build-up in their arteries when compared to white men living in the United States—despite similar blood cholesterol and blood pressure readings, similar rates of diabetes and much higher rates of cigarette smoking. It was unclear, however, whether Japanese men were protected by strong genes, a high-fish diet or some other factor.
To answer that question, the ERA JUMP (Electron-Beam Tomography, Risk Factor Assessment Among Japanese and U.S. Men in the Post-World War II Birth Cohort) Study enrolled 868 randomly selected men aged 40 to 49. Of these, 281 were Japanese men from Kusatsu, Shiga, Japan; 306 were white men from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; and 281 were third- or fourth-generation Japanese-American men from Honolulu, Hawaii.
All study participants had a physical examination, completed a lifestyle questionnaire, and had standard blood tests to evaluate cardiovascular health. Laboratory tests also measured total blood levels of fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty acids that come from fish (specifically, eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids).
In addition, researchers used two techniques to measure the level of cholesterol build-up in the arteries. In the first test, ultrasound waves gauged the thickness of the walls of the carotid arteries in the neck, a test known as intimal-medial thickness (IMT). In the second test, an electron-beam CT scanner measured calcium deposits, or "hardened" cholesterol, in the arteries of the heart, a test known as coronary artery calcification (CAC). Both have been shown to identify people at high risk for heart disease.
Dr. Sekikawa and his colleagues found that the total level of fatty acids was similar in the three groups, but the percentage represented by fish-based omega-3 fatty acids was two-fold higher in Japanese men living in Japan (9.2 percent) when compared to white men (3.9 percent) and Japanese-American men (4.8 percent) living in the United States.
The researchers also found that levels of atherosclerosis were similar in Japanese-American and white men, but markedly lower in Japanese men living in Japan. The average IMT was 37 µm less in Japanese than white men after age and cardiovascular risk factors were taken into account, while the average risk-adjusted difference in the proportion of Japanese and white men with positive CAC tests was 11 percent. Both gaps were highly significant, but became statistically insignificant when differences in omega-3 fatty acid levels were taken into account.
In Japanese men living in Japan the investigators also observed that IMT values went down as omega-3 fatty acid levels went up, an inverse relationship that was found to be statistically significant. This relationship between omega-3 fatty acid levels and IMT remained significant even after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. (In Japanese men, CAC also went down as omega-3 fatty acid levels went up, but the relationship was not statistically significant.)
No significant inverse association between omega-3 fatty acid levels and atherosclerosis was observed in whites or Japanese-Americans once cardiovascular risk factors were accounted for.
"Our study clearly demonstrated that whites and Japanese-Americans have similar levels of atherosclerosis, which are much higher than in the Japanese in Japan," Dr. Sekikawa said. "This indicates that much lower death rates from coronary heart disease in the Japanese in Japan is very unlikely due to genetic factors."
The importance of the fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids in reducing risk for heart disease is powerfully underscored by this cross-cultural study, said William S. Harris, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Metabolism and Nutrition Research Center, Sanford Research/University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls. "Japanese men in Japan have equally bad or worse cardiovascular risk profiles as Americans, but less heart disease? How can this be?" said Dr. Harris, who was not involved in the ERA JUMP study. "What really distinguishes the Japanese men from the Americans is the fact that blood levels of the omega-3 fatty acids are twice as high in Japan as they are in the West.
"The take home message from this important study is this: Traditional risk factors lead to traditional amounts of artery-clogging plaque but only when the background diet, perhaps the lifetime diet, is chronically deficient in omega-3 fatty acids. Increase the omega-3 intake and heart disease rates in the West should begin to move closer to those in Japan. While it may take a high omega-3 diet from birth (as opposed to popping a few fish oil pills) to reach this goal, Dr. Sekikawa and his colleagues tell a compelling story that we would do well to heed."
A follow-up study has recently been funded and will test the association of omega-3 fatty acids with the progression of atherosclerosis in white men, Japanese-American men, and Japanese men living in Japan.
Japanese Diet Rich In Fish May Hold Secret To Healthy Heart: Omega-3 Fatty Acids From Fish Appear To Prevent Clogged Arteries
When It Comes To Emotions, Eastern And Western Cultures See Things Very Differently
A team of researchers from Canada and Japan have uncovered some remarkable results on how eastern and western cultures assess situations very differently.
Across two studies, participants viewed images, each of which consisted of one centre model and four background models in each image. The researchers manipulated the facial emotion (happy, angry, sad) in the centre or background models and asked the participants to determine the dominant emotion of the centre figure.
The majority of Japanese participants (72%) reported that their judgments of the centre person's emotions were influenced by the emotions of the background figures, while most North Americans (also 72%) reported they were not influenced by the background figures at all.
"What we found is quite interesting," says Takahiko Masuda, a Psychology professor from the University of Alberta. "Our results demonstrate that when North Americans are trying to figure out how a person is feeling, they selectively focus on that particular person's facial expression, whereas Japanese consider the emotions of the other people in the situation."
This may be because Japanese attention is not concentrated on the individual, but includes everyone in the group, says Masuda.
For the second part of the study, researchers monitored the eye movements of the participants and again the results indicated that the Japanese looked at the surrounding people more than the westerners when judging the situation.
While both the Japanese and westerners looked to the central figure during the first second of viewing the photo, the Japanese looked to the background figures at the very next second, while westerners continued to focus on the central figure.
"East Asians seem to have a more holistic pattern of attention, perceiving people in terms of the relationships to others," says Masuda. "People raised in the North American tradition often find it easy to isolate a person from its surroundings, while East Asians are accustom to read the air "kuuki wo yomu" of the situation through their cultural practices, and as a result, they think that even surrounding people's facial expressions are an informative source to understand the particular person's emotion."
These findings are published in the upcoming issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and the results are replicated in a collaborative study between Huaitang Wang and Takahiko Masuda (University of Alberta, Canada) and Keiko Ishii (Hokkaido University, Japan)
http://www.ualberta.ca/
Second time a charm for reunited couple
Michael Claxton, 61, and his wife, Rieko, 43, are living proof of the saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
After a falling out, the career-minded couple decided to separate when their daughter, Kasumi, was just 3. Though they remained married they lived half a world apart — in Tokyo and Sweden. Nine years later — last December — all three reunited in Tokyo.
Rieko, who has lived in Hachioji, Tokyo, since she was 13, calls it a miracle they are back together. A Briton born and raised in London, Michael has lived and worked in four countries. But he decided it was time to live in Japan to be with his daughter, now 13, with happy results for all.
Michael is a freelance portrait, fashion and model photographer and Rieko, whose maiden name is Makino, is now a busy freelance translator following a long career at a travel magazine and a translation agency. The three share a house with Rieko's parents.
Michael has a son, 25, in Sweden from a previous marriage.
Why did you come to Japan?
Michael: There is no short answer, but I grew up with some Japanese things in my aunt's home. I was fascinated by Japanese art when I was in art school and Japanese philosophy, the holistic approach. The fascination with Japan since I was a child grew and grew over the years.
I came to Japan in July 1991. I had come to a watershed in my life and career in Sweden and the only thing that I had not done in my life, and very much wanted to do, was to come to Japan. I secured a one-year contract at a language school in Akasaka, Tokyo, and came over!
How did you two meet?
Michael: A good friend, an English guy working here, held a party at his house in Yokohama. We met there.
When did you get married?
Rieko: We got married on Dec. 24, 1992, when we went to the Kitano branch of Hachioji City Hall to submit a marriage certificate. We had a great party at the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture) on Jan. 15. We did not do anything outside Japan.
Who from your family came to the party?
Michael: No one. My mother had long since passed on and my father was too old for the trip. Many of my friends did, however.
Did your father support your marriage?
Michael: Yes, although he never liked Japan. At some point during World War II, he was stationed in Malaysia. He and I had many heated discussions about Japan's pros and cons, but once he met Rieko for the first time, in Copenhagen, he had no problem. He would probably never have gone to Japan or bought a Japanese car, but he was never against Rieko.
Rieko: My parents were OK. When I was studying, I brought many foreigners to my house, so my parents were pretty used to it. And my father was always interested in foreign culture. My mother does not interfere with me. She told me 'It'll be fine' when Michael left — and he returned to us.
When and why did you leave your wife and daughter?
Michael: I went back to Sweden in 1999 and originally the plan was for me to take Kasumi with me. However, things didn't turn out that way.
Rieko: One of the points was that he was unhappy with me working so much. But we had other basic disagreements as well.
Michael and Rieko: We can tell you this much. No third person was involved!
How did your feelings change during the separation?
Michael: Rieko and I understood each other better when we were apart. We met occasionally, in places like Paris and Tokyo. Each time I talked to Kasumi, on the phone or face to face, we got on so well I felt like it was only just a few weeks since we had last met, even though it was actually months or years.
Rieko: At first, I felt really good because I could work as much as I wanted. I felt Kasumi needed a father. Playing a mother and father role is tiring.
Michael: Everything fell into place in every way; it seemed like my destiny was telling me that we should be reunited, that my daughter needed me. I wound down my business in Sweden, retired as chairman of the Swedish-Japanese Society, said my goodbyes and packed my bags. And now, here we are!
What language do you speak with your daughter?
Michael: I speak English with Kasumi. Rieko speaks Japanese. Kasumi replies to me in English except when she's angry! I want her English to be as good as her Japanese.
Rieko: During the nine years Michael was in Sweden, Kasumi and he spoke frequently on the phone and met sometimes during her school holidays. They always spoke English.
What is your plan for your daughter's education?
Michael: I don't have a plan because I don't know enough about the Japanese education system. I leave those decisions to Kasumi and Rieko. However, she has a strong artistic talent. I went to art college in London. Maybe she will, too.
Rieko: As Japan represents only half of her cultural background, I want her to study in England. A boarding school is an option.
Michael: I don't like boarding schools. For my generation, they just have a negative image. But if Kasumi really wants to, I guess it is OK.
What is your future plan?
Michael: I envisage myself living in Japan as long as Japan will have me, working as a portrait and model photographer and holding photo exhibitions occasionally (Michael recently participated in an international art exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama). When I become too old to work with photography, I want to study the tea ceremony and calligraphy.
After a falling out, the career-minded couple decided to separate when their daughter, Kasumi, was just 3. Though they remained married they lived half a world apart — in Tokyo and Sweden. Nine years later — last December — all three reunited in Tokyo.
Rieko, who has lived in Hachioji, Tokyo, since she was 13, calls it a miracle they are back together. A Briton born and raised in London, Michael has lived and worked in four countries. But he decided it was time to live in Japan to be with his daughter, now 13, with happy results for all.
Michael is a freelance portrait, fashion and model photographer and Rieko, whose maiden name is Makino, is now a busy freelance translator following a long career at a travel magazine and a translation agency. The three share a house with Rieko's parents.
Michael has a son, 25, in Sweden from a previous marriage.
Why did you come to Japan?
Michael: There is no short answer, but I grew up with some Japanese things in my aunt's home. I was fascinated by Japanese art when I was in art school and Japanese philosophy, the holistic approach. The fascination with Japan since I was a child grew and grew over the years.
I came to Japan in July 1991. I had come to a watershed in my life and career in Sweden and the only thing that I had not done in my life, and very much wanted to do, was to come to Japan. I secured a one-year contract at a language school in Akasaka, Tokyo, and came over!
How did you two meet?
Michael: A good friend, an English guy working here, held a party at his house in Yokohama. We met there.
When did you get married?
Rieko: We got married on Dec. 24, 1992, when we went to the Kitano branch of Hachioji City Hall to submit a marriage certificate. We had a great party at the Fujiya Hotel in Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture) on Jan. 15. We did not do anything outside Japan.
Who from your family came to the party?
Michael: No one. My mother had long since passed on and my father was too old for the trip. Many of my friends did, however.
Did your father support your marriage?
Michael: Yes, although he never liked Japan. At some point during World War II, he was stationed in Malaysia. He and I had many heated discussions about Japan's pros and cons, but once he met Rieko for the first time, in Copenhagen, he had no problem. He would probably never have gone to Japan or bought a Japanese car, but he was never against Rieko.
Rieko: My parents were OK. When I was studying, I brought many foreigners to my house, so my parents were pretty used to it. And my father was always interested in foreign culture. My mother does not interfere with me. She told me 'It'll be fine' when Michael left — and he returned to us.
When and why did you leave your wife and daughter?
Michael: I went back to Sweden in 1999 and originally the plan was for me to take Kasumi with me. However, things didn't turn out that way.
Rieko: One of the points was that he was unhappy with me working so much. But we had other basic disagreements as well.
Michael and Rieko: We can tell you this much. No third person was involved!
How did your feelings change during the separation?
Michael: Rieko and I understood each other better when we were apart. We met occasionally, in places like Paris and Tokyo. Each time I talked to Kasumi, on the phone or face to face, we got on so well I felt like it was only just a few weeks since we had last met, even though it was actually months or years.
Rieko: At first, I felt really good because I could work as much as I wanted. I felt Kasumi needed a father. Playing a mother and father role is tiring.
Michael: Everything fell into place in every way; it seemed like my destiny was telling me that we should be reunited, that my daughter needed me. I wound down my business in Sweden, retired as chairman of the Swedish-Japanese Society, said my goodbyes and packed my bags. And now, here we are!
What language do you speak with your daughter?
Michael: I speak English with Kasumi. Rieko speaks Japanese. Kasumi replies to me in English except when she's angry! I want her English to be as good as her Japanese.
Rieko: During the nine years Michael was in Sweden, Kasumi and he spoke frequently on the phone and met sometimes during her school holidays. They always spoke English.
What is your plan for your daughter's education?
Michael: I don't have a plan because I don't know enough about the Japanese education system. I leave those decisions to Kasumi and Rieko. However, she has a strong artistic talent. I went to art college in London. Maybe she will, too.
Rieko: As Japan represents only half of her cultural background, I want her to study in England. A boarding school is an option.
Michael: I don't like boarding schools. For my generation, they just have a negative image. But if Kasumi really wants to, I guess it is OK.
What is your future plan?
Michael: I envisage myself living in Japan as long as Japan will have me, working as a portrait and model photographer and holding photo exhibitions occasionally (Michael recently participated in an international art exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama). When I become too old to work with photography, I want to study the tea ceremony and calligraphy.
Rieko: I can live anywhere as long as you are there. (smiles)
NOTICE of establishment of Drug Discovery Consortium in neuropsychiatric area
Tokyo, Oct 23, 2008 - (JCN Newswire) - Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka, Japan; President: Masayo Tada) has announced a plan to establish "Neuropsychiatry Drug Discovery Consortium; NDDC" this November jointly with five departments of Graduate School of Medicine and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Osaka University, a national university of Japan, (Headquarters: Suita City, Osaka; President: Kiyokazu Washida).
Today there are good many patients with symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorder represented by schizophrenia or depression, and, given their considerable influence over quality of life, more effective therapeutic modalities are badly needed to cure such diseases.
For psychiatric medication, drugs originated from discoveries by "serendipity" (which means scientific discoveries by lucky chance) have traditionally been major remedies over the past nearly five decades. However, as a result of rapid progress of recent basic studies on mental diseases, circumstances are now being built up where new drugs could be discovered based on genetic level or molecular level studies of pathogenic mechanism, and it is hoped that revolutionary therapeutic medicines with unique features that conventional medicines do not have will be discovered.
Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma places importance on central nervous system (CNS) area
as one of the priority research areas, and among antipsychotic agents, the company
markets such proprietary products as LULLANR and LONASENR, and, in addition, is
developing a lurasidone (generic name) globally. In October this year, the company set up "Funded Department of Molecular Neuropsychiatry (Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma)"
at Graduate School of Medicine of Osaka University for the purpose of contributing to translation of basic research results to clinical practices in the field of psychiatric diseases.
At Osaka University, genetic risk studies on psychiatric illness are underway jointly by Graduate School of Medicine and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In parallel with such genetic level studies, those of cellular and whole organism levels are also conducted under the comprehensive research programs.
Today there are good many patients with symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorder represented by schizophrenia or depression, and, given their considerable influence over quality of life, more effective therapeutic modalities are badly needed to cure such diseases.
For psychiatric medication, drugs originated from discoveries by "serendipity" (which means scientific discoveries by lucky chance) have traditionally been major remedies over the past nearly five decades. However, as a result of rapid progress of recent basic studies on mental diseases, circumstances are now being built up where new drugs could be discovered based on genetic level or molecular level studies of pathogenic mechanism, and it is hoped that revolutionary therapeutic medicines with unique features that conventional medicines do not have will be discovered.
Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma places importance on central nervous system (CNS) area
as one of the priority research areas, and among antipsychotic agents, the company
markets such proprietary products as LULLANR and LONASENR, and, in addition, is
developing a lurasidone (generic name) globally. In October this year, the company set up "Funded Department of Molecular Neuropsychiatry (Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma)"
at Graduate School of Medicine of Osaka University for the purpose of contributing to translation of basic research results to clinical practices in the field of psychiatric diseases.
At Osaka University, genetic risk studies on psychiatric illness are underway jointly by Graduate School of Medicine and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. In parallel with such genetic level studies, those of cellular and whole organism levels are also conducted under the comprehensive research programs.
Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma has extensive R&D experiences in the field of CNS, while Graduate School of Medicine and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Osaka University have a grand track record in their integrated researches on pathogenic mechanism of psychiatric disorder. These industry and academia jointly form "Neuropsychiatry Drug Discover Consortium", under which various collaborative studies will be implemented with the hope of greatly contributing to development of science and technology in medical care as well as accelerating translation of basic researches to clinical practices in the field of psychiatric diseases. Future participation from other academic groups in this Consortium is under consideration.
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