Impact of etelcalcetide on fibroblast growth factor-23 and calciprotein particles in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism undergoing haemodialysis.

Aim: Recently, we demonstrated the efficacy of etelcalcetide in the control of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). This post hoc analysis aimed to evaluate changes in fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) and calciprotein particles (CPPs) after treatment with calcimimetics.

Methods: The DUET trial was a 12-week multicenter, open-label, parallel-group, randomized (1:1:1) study with patients treated with etelcalcetide plus active vitamin D (E + D group; n = 41), etelcalcetide plus oral calcium (E + Ca group; n = 41), or control (C group; n = 42) under maintenance haemodialysis.

A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial of Etelcalcetide in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis With Secondary Hyperparathyroidism (the DUET Trial).

Introduction: The clinical trial on the Development of a treatment strategy for chronic kidney disease‒mineral and bone disorder by a mUltilateral mechanism of ETelcalcetide hydrochloride, or the DUET trial, was designed to determine the efficacy of etelcalcetide, an intravenous calcimimetic, for control of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT).

Methods: Eligible SHPT maintenance hemodialysis patients (n = 124) were randomized (1:1:1) for inclusion in the DUET trial, a 12-week, multicenter, open-label, parallel-group study (jRCTs041180108), and assigned to either an etelcalcetide + active vitamin D group (group E+D), an etelcalcetide + oral calcium preparation group (group E+Ca), or a control group (group C). The primary endpoint was number of patients with a 50% reduction from baseline of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels, and iPTH levels ≤ 240 pg/mL at 12 weeks after start of the trial.

Development of a novel analgesic for neuropathic pain targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

Effective treatment of neuropathic pain is challenging as its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Recently, the participation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in neuropathic pain has been attracting increased attention. BDNF binds to a member of the tyrosine kinase receptor family, the TrkB receptor, that is specific for BDNF and is the transmembrane receptor on the posterior horn of spinal cord.

Association between indoor nitrous acid, outdoor nitrogen dioxide, and asthma attacks: results of a pilot study.

The association between nitrogen dioxide (NO) and asthma has been investigated. However, conventional NO assays measure nitrous acid (HONO) as NO. In this pilot epidemiological observational study, we assessed exposure to indoor HONO and some air pollutants in pediatric asthma patients and examined possible association between exposure and asthma symptoms.

The efficacy and feasibility of dose-dense sequential chemotherapy for Japanese patients with breast cancer.

Background: Perioperative dose-dense chemotherapy (DDCT) with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) prophylaxis is a standard treatment for patients with high-risk breast cancer. The approval of this approach in Japan led to the widespread adoption of DDCT, despite limited efficacy and safety data among Japanese patients. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant DDCT for Japanese patients with breast cancer.

Safety and efficacy of cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) in refractory ascites: Post-marketing surveillance results.

We performed post-marketing surveillance to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART). In total, 356 CART sessions in 147 patients at 22 centers were performed. The most common primary disease was cancer (128 cases, 300 sessions).

Increase in ozone due to the use of biodiesel fuel rather than diesel fuel.

The consumption of fuel by vehicles emits nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) into the atmosphere, which are important ozone precursors. Ozone is formed as a secondary pollutant via photochemical processes and is not emitted directly into the atmosphere. In this paper, the ozone increase resulting from the use of biodiesel and diesel fuels was investigated, and the different ozone formation trends were experimentally evaluated.

Five-aza-2'-deoxycytidine-induced hypomethylation of cholesterol 25-hydroxylase gene is responsible for cell death of myelodysplasia/leukemia cells.

DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMT inhibitors) are administered for high-risk MDS, but their action mechanisms are not fully understood. Hence, we performed a genome-wide DNA methylation assay and focused on cholesterol 25-hydroxylase (CH25H) among the genes whose expression was up-regulated and whose promoter region was hypomethylated after decitabine (DAC) treatment in vitro. CH25H catalyzes hydroxylation of cholesterol and produces 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OHC).

The effects of long-lasting hypoglycemia on male reproductive organs in rats.

Glucose has an important role in spermatogenesis. Nevertheless there are few reports in which the effects of long-lasting hypoglycemia on male reproductive organs have been evaluated. Therefore, insulin was administered subcutaneously at 100, 200, and 400 IU/kg to male rats twice a day for one month.

Prophylactic treatment with sulphonated immunoglobulin G attenuates development of mechanical allodynia-like response in mice with neuropathic pain.

Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrates are immune-modulating, anti-inflammatory plasma-derived products. Clinical studies in recent years have suggested that IgG attenuates neuropathic pain. In this study, effects of sulphonated IgG on the development and maintenance of a mechanical allodynia-like response were examined in mice with neuropathic pain induced by a partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL).

Prevalence and outcomes of acute hepatitis B in Okayama, Japan, 2006-2010.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major viruses causing acute hepatitis. Recently, the incidence of acute hepatitis with genotype A has been increasing in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate acute hepatitis B (AHB) in Okayama prefecture, with special attention to HBV genotype A.

Up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the dorsal root ganglion of the rat bone cancer pain model.

Metastatic bone cancer causes severe pain, but current treatments often provide insufficient pain relief. One of the reasons is that mechanisms underlying bone cancer pain are not solved completely. Our previous studies have shown that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), known as a member of the neurotrophic family, is an important molecule in the pathological pain state in some pain models.

Biofilm formation and resistance to benzalkonium chloride in Listeria monocytogenes isolated from a fish processing plant.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes the potentially life-threatening illness listeriosis. Previously, a few clones of L. monocytogenes persisting in a cold-smoked fish processing plant were isolated from the plant's products continuously.

Effective use of the Pig-a gene mutation assay for mutagenicity screening: measuring CD59-deficient red blood cells in rats treated with genotoxic chemicals.

The Pig-a gene mutation assay using perpherial blood erythrocytes is being investigated as a screening tool for assessing mutagenicity in vivo. In this study, we evaluated two distinct approaches for performing the Pig-a assay in rats. We used antibodies to CD45 or the erythroid marker HIS49 to identify red blood cells (RBCs), and then monitored the kinetics of Pig-a mutant frequency, as measured by the frequency of CD59-deficient RBCs, in rats treated with the genotoxic chemicals, N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea, cyclophosphamide, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide, and ethylmethanesulfonate.

Antinociceptive effects of intrathecal landiolol injection in a rat formalin pain model.

Perioperative beta-blocker administration has recently been recommended for patients undergoing cardiac or other surgery due to the beneficial cardiovascular effects of these agents. In addition, some studies have reported that perioperatively administered beta-blockers also have analgesic effects. In this study, to investigate the antinociceptive effects and the analgesic profile of landiolol, we examined the effects of intrathecal landiolol administration on nociceptive pain behavior and c-fos mRNA expression (a neural marker of pain) in the spinal cord using a rat formalin model.

Expression changes of the neuregulin 1 isoforms in neuropathic pain model rats.

The neuregulin1 (Nrg1) gene that is expressed in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) contains an EGF-like domain, which is known to be a direct ligand for ErbB3 and ErbB4. Multiple splice variants of the Nrg1 gene are broadly classified into 3 groups by structural features (type I, type II and type III) and their functions differ in various tissues. The Nrg1 gene has emerged as a key mediator of axon-Schwann cell interactions and as a regulator of Schwann cell development.

Further development of the rat Pig-a mutation assay: measuring rat Pig-a mutant bone marrow erythroids and a high throughput assay for mutant peripheral blood reticulocytes.

Recent studies indicate that the Pig-a assay is a promising tool for evaluating in vivo mutagenicity. We have developed novel rat Pig-a assays that facilitate measuring mutant frequencies in two early arising populations of blood cells, bone marrow erythroids (BMEs) and peripheral blood (PB) reticulocytes (RETs). In these assays, bone marrow cells of erythroid origin and PB red blood cells (RBCs) were identified using an antibody against rat erythroid-specific marker HIS49.

Low barometric pressure aggravates neuropathic pain in guinea pigs.

Several clinical studies have demonstrated a consistent relationship between changes in meteorological factors, particularly barometric pressure, and pain intensity in subjects with chronic pain. We have previously demonstrated that exposure to artificially low barometric pressure (LP) intensifies pain-related behaviors in rats with neuropathic pain. In the present study, guinea pigs with unilateral L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) were placed in a pressure-controlled chamber and subjected to LP of 10 or 27hPa below the ambient pressure.

Decoy strategy targeting the brain-derived neurotrophic factor exon I to attenuate tactile allodynia in the neuropathic pain model of rats.

The mechanism underlying neuropathic pain is still largely unclear. Recently, much attention has been focused on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a neuromodulator in the spinal cord. We previously reported that the expression of Bdnf exon I mRNA was remarkably up-regulated in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons with the rat L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model.