A retrospective database analysis of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent treatment patterns and associated healthcare resource use in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease-related anaemia in Japan.

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and healthcare resource use (HCRU) for patients in Japan with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD) and anaemia.

Methods: This retrospective, longitudinal, epidemiological database extraction study used the JMDC Claims Database, comprising ~9.4 million unique beneficiaries.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of enzalutamide for patients with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in Japan.

Background: We aimed to evaluate cost-effectiveness of enzalutamide in chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients in Japan.

Methods: A Markov model was developed to capture time spent by patients in various health states: stable, progression and death. Abiraterone acetate and docetaxel were set as active comparators.

Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Peficitinib Versus Tofacitinib and Baricitinib for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Peficitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, is approved for clinical use in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, but head-to-head comparisons versus other JAK inhibitors are lacking. We indirectly compared peficitinib, tofacitinib, and baricitinib for rheumatoid arthritis treatment.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.

[A cross-sectional analysis of the health-related quality of life and work productivity in Japanese subjects with self-reported chronic constipation using the National Health and Wellness Survey 2017].

Background: Chronic constipation (CC) is associated with lower health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and work productivity in Western countries;however, limited data in Japanese subjects are available.

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis used the data from the National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS), a web-based questionnaire survey conducted in 2017 for the Japanese general population. Subjects were allocated to the self-reported CC group when they answered "yes" to the question "Did you have chronic constipation in the past 12 months?".

Cost-effectiveness analysis of fidaxomicin for the treatment of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection in Japan.

Background: The cost of treating Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), particularly recurrent disease, is high. In clinical trials, fidaxomicin has been associated with significantly lower recurrence rates and higher sustained cure rates versus vancomycin. The high acquisition cost of fidaxomicin has limited its acceptance into clinical practice.

Fidaxomicin compared with vancomycin and metronidazole for the treatment of Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection: A network meta-analysis.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature and network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the relative effectiveness of antibiotic treatments for Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) including vancomycin (VCM), metronidazole (MTZ) and fidaxomicin (FDX). Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) including adults with any severity of CDI that was treated with VCM, MTZ or FDX. The NMA was performed using a Bayesian framework, using a fixed-effects model.

Retrograde percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction following blunt chest trauma.

A 78-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department because of chest pain following blunt chest trauma. Chest X-ray revealed multiple rib fractures. However, electrocardiogram showed ST elevation in inferior leads suggesting acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Burden of Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in Japan: A Literature Review.

Anemia is a common complication for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with cardiovascular comorbidities and reduced quality of life. The incidence of anemia increases as kidney function declines and affects approximately 32% of Japanese patients with stage 3-5 CKD. This review examined the current literature on anemia in CKD patients in Japan to provide an overview of the burden of anemia in CKD.

Rheumatoid Meningitis Occurring during Etanercept Treatment.

We report a 65-year-old man who had repetitive seizures 6 months after receiving etanercept, methotrexate, and prednisolone for rheumatoid arthritis. Mononuclear cells were mildly increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed high intensity along sulci of the frontal and parietal lobes.

Distinct properties of telmisartan on agonistic activities for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ among clinically used angiotensin II receptor blockers: drug-target interaction analyses.

A proportion of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) improves glucose dyshomeostasis and insulin resistance in a clinical setting. Of these ARBs, telmisartan has the unique property of being a partial agonist for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). However, the detailed mechanism of how telmisartan acts on PPARγ and exerts its insulin-sensitizing effect is poorly understood.

Emission of volatile organic compounds from solid waste disposal sites and importance of heat management.

The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a solid waste disposal site for municipal solid wastes was quantified. The VOCs contained in the landfill gas taken at the site were benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethyl benzenes, and trimethyl benzenes, while the concentrations of chlorinated compounds were very low. The concentration of benzene in the landfill gas samples ranged from below the detection limit to 20 mg m(-3), and the ratio of benzene to toluene ranged from 0.

Construction of a consortium comprising ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and denitrifying bacteria isolated from marine sediment.

A unique consortium of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and denitrifying bacteria was obtained via a long-term, 3-step cultivation of isolates from organically-enriched marine sediment. We developed this microbial consortium for possible applications in the remediation of degraded habitats in closed aquaculture or other aquatic environments via microbial degradation. Analysis of media components found definitive evidence of nitrogen removal via the coupling of ammonia-oxidation and denitrification.

Assessment of microbial adherent carriers for possible application in nitrogen removal: a fundamental study.

Microbes have been used for cleaning polluted environments and degrading unwanted compounds. This study assessed the feasibility of using three microbial adherent carriers, Isolite, activated carbon fiber (ACF), and a marine sediment solidified carrier, MSSC, which was newly developed from dredged waste marine sediment, to remove nitrogen in sediment. The properties of three carriers were investigated, and the extent of microbe adhesion to the carriers was observed by using scanning electron microscopy.

Chest pain and ST elevation associated with fever in patients with asymptomatic Brugada syndrome: fever and chest pain in Brugada syndrome.

Brugada syndrome is a disease with a high risk of sudden cardiac death. Genetic mutations of the cardiac sodium channel are linked to the characteristic electrocardiogram abnormality of Brugada syndrome. Dysfunction of the mutated sodium channel is reported to be temperature-sensitive.

C-type natriuretic peptide, a novel antifibrotic and antihypertrophic agent, prevents cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We assessed the hypothesis that in vivo administration of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) might attenuate cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) through its antifibrotic and antihypertrophic action.

Background: Recently, we have shown that CNP has more potent antifibrotic and antihypertrophic effects than atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in cultured cardiac fibroblasts and cardiomyocytes.

Methods: Experimental MI was induced by coronary ligation in male Sprague-Dawley rats; CNP at 0.

Production and autocrine/paracrine effects of endogenous insulin-like growth factor-1 in rat cardiac fibroblasts.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 appears to play an important role in cardiac hypertrophy or remodeling. However, the role of endogenous IGF-1 in the growth of cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts remains unclear. This study investigated the major site of the production of cardiac IGF-1 and the local effects of endogenous IGF-1 secreted from cardiac cells.

Structure-based design and synthesis of non-nucleoside, potent, and orally bioavailable adenosine deaminase inhibitors.

We disclose optimization efforts based on the novel non-nucleoside adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitor, 4 (K(i) = 680 nM). Structure-based drug design utilizing the crystal structure of the 4/ADA complex led to discovery of 5 (K(i) = 11 nM, BA = 30% in rats). Furthermore, from metabolic considerations, we discovered two inhibitors with improved oral bioavailability [6 (K(i) = 13 nM, BA = 44%) and 7 (K(i) = 9.

Synthesis and biological activity of a novel squalene epoxidase inhibitor, FR194738.

The synthesis and biological properties of a novel squalene epoxidase inhibitor, FR194738, are described. This compound displayed potent in vitro inhibitory activities against squalene epoxidase and cholesterol synthesis, and lowered plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in dogs.

Ventricular nonmyocytes inhibit doxorubicin-induced myocyte apoptosis: involvement of endogenous endothelin-1 as a paracrine factor.

A cross-talk between cardiac myocytes and nonmyocytes via humoral factors plays an important role in the development of cardiac growth. However, it remains to be elucidated whether humoral factors produced from nonmyocytes have a protective effect on acute myocardial injury. The present in vitro study investigated the antiapoptotic effect of nonmyocytes on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced myocyte apoptosis and its molecular mechanism.

Adrenomedullin infusion attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt-dependent pathway.

Background: Infusion of adrenomedullin (AM) has beneficial hemodynamic effects in patients with heart failure. However, the effect of AM on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion remains unknown.

Methods And Results: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a 30-minute period of ischemia induced by ligation of the left coronary artery.

Effects of efonidipine, an L- and T-Type dual calcium channel blocker, on heart rate and blood pressure in patients with mild to severe hypertension: an uncontrolled, open-label pilot study.

Background: Dihydropyridines (DHPs), a type of calcium channel blocker (CCB), are commonly prescribed for the treatment of hypertension and angina pectoris. DHPs act mainly on L-type calcium channels, essentially causing reflex tachycardia (elevated heart rate [HR]), which negatively affects cardiac function. Because T-type calcium channels in the sinoatrial node attenuate reflex tachycardia, a dual L- and T-type CCB (eg, efonidipine hydrochloride) may favorably affect cardiac pacing, thereby reducing reflex tachycardia.

Repeated inhalation of adrenomedullin ameliorates pulmonary hypertension and survival in monocrotaline rats.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a potent vasodilator peptide. We investigated whether inhalation of aerosolized AM ameliorates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. Male Wistar rats given MCT (MCT rats) were assigned to receive repeated inhalation of AM (n = 8) or 0.

Hybrid cell-gene therapy for pulmonary hypertension based on phagocytosing action of endothelial progenitor cells.

Background: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) migrate to injured vascular endothelium and differentiate into mature endothelial cells. We investigated whether transplantation of vasodilator gene-transduced EPCs ameliorates monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats.

Methods And Results: We obtained EPCs from cultured human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells and constructed plasmid DNA of adrenomedullin (AM), a potent vasodilator peptide.

Cardiovascular and hormonal effects of subcutaneous administration of ghrelin, a novel growth hormone-releasing peptide, in healthy humans.

Ghrelin is a novel GH (growth hormone)-releasing peptide isolated from the stomach. The cardiovascular and hormonal effects of the subcutaneous administration of ghrelin in humans remain unknown. Six healthy volunteers each received subcutaneous administration of three doses of ghrelin (1, 5 or 10 microg/kg) and placebo; the order of administration was randomized, and separate doses were given at least 24 h apart.