Publications by authors named "Akinori Hara"

Context: Oxytocin supplementation improves obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and animal studies suggest involvement of oxytocin in respiratory control. However, the relationship between endogenous oxytocin signaling and human sleep status remains undetermined.

Objective: In this study, we approached the contribution of the intrinsic oxytocin-oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system to OSA by genetic association analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims/introduction: Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is an obesity-associated hepatokine that causes skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Since LECT2 is up-regulated by the inactivation of the energy sensor AMPK in the liver, we hypothesized that LECT2 has potential as a biomarker for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Therefore, we investigated whether circulating LECT2 levels are associated with insulin sensitivity, liver enzymes, and MASLD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study assessed the association of pathological kidney lesions with cardiovascular events in biopsy-proven diabetic kidney disease (DKD) with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This multicenter, retrospective study involved 244 patients with no previous cardiovascular events before biopsy, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m at biopsy (baseline), and ≥ 1 year of observation after biopsy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Low-grade systemic inflammation may be a key player in the immune activation that has been reported for mental health deterioration. We hypothesised that elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines increase neuroinflammation and exacerbate depressive symptoms.

Methods: The participants were part of a cohort study for whom data was available for both 2015 and 2019.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how trace mineral intake (specifically zinc, copper, and manganese) relates to coronary artery disease (CAD) in individuals with and without dyslipidaemia (DL).
  • Conducted in Shika town, Japan, the research involved 895 middle-aged and older adults after excluding those genetically predisposed to high cholesterol.
  • Findings indicate that low intake of these trace minerals is linked to a higher risk of CAD in individuals with DL, suggesting a potentially significant relationship that needs further research over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Peritoneal equilibration test (PET) has been used to monitor peritoneal function. A more convenient marker would be useful in clinical situations including home medical care. Autotaxin is known to leak into the interstitium as vascular permeability increases during the progression of tissue fibrosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Factors linked to elevated IgG4 included male sex, older age, lower lipid and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake, and higher carbohydrate intake in both genders, with additional specific associations for men related to kidney function and blood sugar levels.
  • * The findings suggest that elevated serum IgG4 levels are connected to age, gender, and diet, which may reflect similar patterns seen in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metabolic abnormalities play a pivotal role in various pathological conditions, necessitating the quantification of specific metabolites for diagnosis. While mass spectrometry remains the primary method for metabolite measurement, its limited throughput underscores the need for biosensors capable of rapid detection. Previously, we reported that pillar[6]arene with 12 carboxylate groups (P6AC) forms host-guest complexes with 1-methylnicotinamide (1-MNA), which is produced in vivo by nicotinamide -methyltransferase (NNMT).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the status quo of medical treatments of the primary disease and pregnancy outcomes in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and children's birth outcomes.

Methods: This study retrospectively enrolled patients with TAK who conceived after the disease onset and were managed at medical facilities participating in the Japan Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare for Intractable Vasculitis.

Results: This study enrolled 51 cases and 68 pregnancies 2019-2021.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: d-alanine administration prevented kidney damage in a murine acute kidney injury model. Further data are needed on the influence of d-alanine on kidney function in humans.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of d-alanine intake on amino acid metabolism and kidney function in healthy volunteers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study investigated the association between air pollutants and asthma prevalence in male and female Japanese adults. In this retrospective cross-sectional analysis, annual mean exposure levels of air pollutants, specifically nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with a median aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Hyperuricemia (HUA), characterized by high uric acid levels, is linked to conditions like gout, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, and is influenced by gut microbiota (GM).
  • - A study involving 478 participants used advanced sequencing and machine learning to analyze gut microbiomes, revealing that those with HUA had lower microbial diversity, especially notable in the genera Collinsella and Faecalibacterium.
  • - The findings suggest that a higher abundance of the gut bacteria Collinsella correlates with increased blood uric acid levels, indicating a potential predictive relationship between specific gut microbes and HUA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Concerns regarding the impact of screen-based sedentary behavior on health have been increasing. Therefore, the present study investigated the longitudinal relationship between multiple screen time and nutrient intake in children and adolescents.

Methods: The present study was conducted utilizing 3 years longitudinal data.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This study collected samples of particulate matter that are 2.5 μm or less in diameter (PM) in Kanazawa, Japan, and Noto Peninsula located 100 km north on the windward side of the westerlies from the Asian continent and characterized the extent of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitro-PAHs (NPAHs) pollution in Kanazawa. Emission areas and specific sources of PM and of PAHs and NPAHs were clarified via back-trajectory analysis and the NP-method, respectively.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: To investigate the relationship between oral frailty (OF), nutrient intake and calf circumference (CC) in middle-aged and older adults.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Residents of four model districts of Shika town, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, using data from November 2017 to February 2018.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Autoantibodies to erythropoietin receptor (anti-EPOR antibodies) have been found in some patients with kidney diseases, but their impact on those with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not well understood.
  • In a study of 2,600 T2D and CKD patients, about 7.3% tested positive for these antibodies, which were linked to higher risks of serious kidney issues and cardiovascular deaths.
  • The diabetes medication canagliflozin was shown to effectively increase hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in all patients, regardless of their anti-EPOR antibody status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Despite treatment advances, acute kidney injury (AKI)-related mortality rates are still high in hospitalized adults, often due to sepsis. Sepsis and AKI could synergistically worsen the outcomes of critically ill patients. TLR4 signaling and mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) signaling are innate immune responses essential in kidney diseases, but their involvement in sepsis-associated AKI (SA-AKI) remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) is a crucial protein in the immune system, with elevated levels linked to various IgG4-related diseases that cause inflammation in organs, predominantly affecting males.
  • The study analyzed the relationship between gut microbiota and serum IgG4 levels in a population of 191 men and 207 women aged 40 and older, utilizing advanced genetic sequencing methods.
  • Results indicated that different gut microbiota patterns significantly influence IgG4 levels differently for men and women, highlighting the need for a gender-specific approach in understanding these levels and their implications for health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: We explored the relationship of dietary intake of fatty acids with chronic kidney disease (CKD) according to glycemic status in Japanese people.

Methods: A total of 1031 participants aged ≥40 y were included in this population-based, cross-sectional study. A validated self-administered diet history questionnaire was used to measure the dietary intakes of fat and fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Several D-amino acids have been shown to be protective against kidney injury in mice. Risperidone, a currently used atypical antipsychotic agent for schizophrenia, is also known to inhibit the activity of D-amino acid oxidase, which degrades certain D-amino acids. Based on the hypothesis that risperidone would prevent kidney disease progression, this study investigated the association between risperidone use and kidney function decline in patients with schizophrenia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims/introduction: This multicenter cohort study retrospectively assessed the association between polar vasculosis and the progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in type 2 diabetes.

Materials And Methods: We enrolled 811 patients with type 2 diabetes, biopsy-proven DKD, and proteinuria (≥0.15 g/g creatinine [g/day]).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Association rule is a transparent machine learning method expected to share information about risks for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among diabetic patients, but its findings in clinical data are limited. We used the association rule to evaluate the risk for kidney disease in General and Worker diabetic cohorts. The absence of risk factors was examined for association with stable kidney function and worsening kidney function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Fibroblast accumulation and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition are common critical steps for the progression of organ fibrosis, but the precise molecular mechanisms remain to be fully investigated. We have previously demonstrated that lysophosphatidic acid contributes to organ fibrosis through the production of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) via actin cytoskeleton-dependent signaling, myocardin-related transcription factor family (MRTF) consisting of MRTF-A and MRTF-B-serum response factor (SRF) pathway. In this study, we investigated the role of the MRTF-SRF pathway in the development of renal fibrosis, focusing on the regulation of ECM-focal adhesions (FA) in renal fibroblasts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Akinori Hara"

  • - Akinori Hara's research primarily focuses on the intersection of kidney health, cardiovascular risk, and systemic inflammation, particularly in patients with diabetes and other metabolic syndromes.
  • - Recent findings suggest a significant association between pathological kidney lesions and cardiovascular events in diabetic kidney disease, as well as the role of inflammatory cytokines in exacerbating depressive symptoms.
  • - Hara also explores the impact of dietary factors, such as trace mineral intake and d-alanine supplementation, on kidney function and disease outcomes, indicating a multifaceted approach to understanding and improving renal health.