Relationship Between Diastolic Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis and Vascular Calcification in Hemodialysis Patients: Diagnostic Potential of the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index.

Diastolic dysfunction (DD) commonly causes heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (EF). Here, we examine associations between DD severity and atherosclerosis/vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients. Echocardiography was performed on 101 patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy.

Overexpression of epithelial sodium channels in epithelium of human urinary bladder with outlet obstruction.

Objectives: To examine whether the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) is expressed in the human urinary bladder and how its expression changes in association with outlet obstruction. Detrusor instability occurs in association with bladder outlet obstruction. The increase of afferent activity is one of the possible mechanisms for this detrusor instability.

The methylentetrahydrofolate reductase C677T point mutation is a risk factor for vascular access thrombosis in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Many reports indicate that a high homocysteine (Hcy) level is a potential risk factor for such thrombotic diseases as arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction in healthy individuals or hemodialysis (HD) patients. The methylentetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism has been reported to be closely related to plasma Hcy level.

Methods: Using a cross-sectional design in this study, the relationship between arteriovenous fistula (AVF) obstruction and the MTHFR C677T point mutation was examined in 337 HD patients.

Inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase ameliorates apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide in the kidney tubule epithelial cells (NRK-52E).

Background: Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced apoptosis has been shown to be involved in ischemic and toxic tubular damage. Recent studies have revealed that oxidative stress can activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and the oxidative stress-JNK pathway is an important apoptotic pathway of cells exposed to various stresses. The present study was designed to investigate JNK activation and the effects of the JNK pathway inhibition during H2O2-induced apoptosis in kidney epithelial tubule cells (NRK-52E).