Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia Without Comorbidities Predicts Cardiometabolic Diseases: Five-Year Japanese Cohort Study.

Whether asymptomatic hyperuricemia in the absence of comorbidities increases the risk for cardiometabolic disorders and chronic kidney disease remains controversial. This study was conducted to clarify the association between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and cardiometabolic conditions. Subjects consisting of Japanese adults between 30 and 85 years of age were enrolled in the study at Center for Preventive Medicine, St Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo, and were available at enrollment (2004) and at 5-year follow-up (2009).

The Effect of Irrigation Solutions on Recurrence of Chronic Subdural Hematoma: A Consecutive Cohort Study of 234 Patients.

Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) occur often in elderly persons and can occur with mild head trauma. With burr-hole irrigation as standard treatment, symptoms usually improve and can be cured, and outcomes are good, but postoperative recurrences are a common problem. This study investigated the effectiveness and recurrence rates when using artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACF) instead of normal saline (NS) as an irrigation solution for burr-hole irrigation in patients with CSDH.

Elevated Serum Uric Acid Level Predicts Rapid Decline in Kidney Function.

Background: While elevated serum uric acid level (SUA) is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease, it remains unclear whether change in SUA is independently associated with change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time. Accordingly, we examined the longitudinal associations between change in SUA and change in eGFR over 5 years in a general Japanese population.

Methods: This was a large, single-center, retrospective 5-year cohort study at St.

Improved Survival of Full-Thickness Skin Graft With Low-Molecular Weight Heparin-Protamine Micro/Nanoparticles Including Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Background: Activated platelet-rich plasma secrets many growth factors (GFs), and low-molecular weight heparin-protamine micro/nanoparticles (LMWH-P M/NPs) significantly interact with, enhance, and stabilize the secreted GFs.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of LMWH-P M/NPs and GFs (from platelet-rich plasma) on full-thickness skin graft (FTSG).

Methods: A total of 96 inbred male rats were anesthetized and 4-cm full-thickness skin wound were created on dorsal skin of rats.

Dietary and commercialized fructose: Sweet or sour?

Metabolic syndrome and diabetes are main health problems of modern life in the twenty-first century. Alarming ratios of global prevalence lead to conduct more and more researches about etiological factors and pathogenesis. Disease mechanism is elementary for advancing more efficient and practicable treatment methods.

Increased Serum Sodium and Serum Osmolarity Are Independent Risk Factors for Developing Chronic Kidney Disease; 5 Year Cohort Study.

Background: Epidemics of chronic kidney disease (CKD) not due to diabetes mellitus (DM) or hypertension have been observed among individuals working in hot environments in several areas of the world. Experimental models have documented that recurrent heat stress and water restriction can lead to CKD, and the mechanism may be mediated by hyperosmolarity that activates pathways (vasopressin, aldose reductase-fructokinase) that induce renal injury. Here we tested the hypothesis that elevated serum sodium, which reflects serum osmolality, may be an independent risk factor for the development of CKD.

Effects of exogenous desmopressin on a model of heat stress nephropathy in mice.

Recurrent heat stress and dehydration have recently been shown experimentally to cause chronic kidney disease (CKD). One potential mediator may be vasopressin, acting via the type 2 vasopressin receptor (V receptor). We tested the hypothesis that desmopressin accelerates CKD in mice subjected to heat stress and recurrent dehydration.

Hyperuricemia is an independent competing risk factor for atrial fibrillation.

Backgrounds: The relationship between serum uric acid (SUA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear because many parameters and diseases influence AF. This study was conducted to clarify the role of hyperuricemia as an independent competing risk factor for AF in an apparently healthy general population.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 90,143 Japanese subjects who underwent annual regular health check-up in St.

Low frequency of toothbrushing practices is an independent risk factor for diabetes mellitus in male and dyslipidemia in female: A large-scale, 5-year cohort study in Japan.

Background: We previously reported the association between toothbrushing practices and diabetes mellitus (DM) and dyslipidemia (DL) in a cross-sectional study. This study was conducted to clarify whether low frequency of toothbrushing practices is an independent risk factor for DM and DL using a follow-up design.

Methods: This study was a 5-year retrospective cohort study at St.

Role of fructose and fructokinase in acute dehydration-induced vasopressin gene expression and secretion in mice.

Unlabelled: Fructose stimulates vasopressin in humans and can be generated endogenously by activation of the polyol pathway with hyperosmolarity. We hypothesized that fructose metabolism in the hypothalamus might partly control vasopressin responses after acute dehydration. Wild-type and fructokinase-knockout mice were deprived of water for 24 h.

Seasonal influenza vaccine (A/New York/39/2012) effectiveness against influenza A virus of health care workers in a long term care facility attached with the hospital, Japan, 2014/15: A cohort study.

The 2014/15 influenza season started earlier than usual, and intense activity was reflection of circulation of antigenically-drifted and vaccine-mismatched dominant A(H3N2) viruses. Although inpatients and health-care workers (HCWs) had a high influenza vaccination coverage rate well prior to the beginning of influenza season, numerous outbreaks of influenza A(H3N2) infection with fatal cases were reported in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Japan during 2014/15 influenza season. In January 2015, we were given opportunity to conduct outbreak investigation of influenza A at facility A (LTCF attached with hospital) in Western part of Japan.

High Vaccination Coverage among Children during Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 as a Potential Factor of Herd Immunity.

The objective of this study was to identify factors related to the expansion of infection and prevention of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09. A retrospective non-randomized cohort study (from June 2009 to May 2010) on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was conducted in a sample of residents from Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The cumulative incidence of the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and the pandemic vaccine effectiveness (VE) were estimated.

Impact of Statins Therapy for Ischemic Heart Disease Patients with Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels Less Than 100 mg/dL.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of statins prevents the progression of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in patients with low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

Methods: We reviewed data obtained from IHD patients who underwent first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients underwent follow-up coronary angiography (re-CAG) after PCI.

Effect of Antihypertensive Drugs on Uric Acid Metabolism in Patients with Hypertension: Cross-Sectional Cohort Study.

Hypertension is a common complication in patients with gout and/or hyperuricemia. Besides, hyperuricemia is a risk factor of gout as well as ischemic heart disease in hypertensive patients. Moreover, the risk of gout is modified by antihypertensive drugs.

[Congenital Defect of the Left Pericardium with Spontaneous Pneumothorax;Report of a Case].

Congenital cardiac membrane deficiency is a relatively rare condition. Here, we report a case of congenital cardiac membrane deficiency that manifested as left spontaneous pneumothorax. A 72-year-old man was hospitalized for recurrence of the spontaneous pneumothorax.

Aging-associated renal disease in mice is fructokinase dependent.

Aging-associated kidney disease is usually considered a degenerative process associated with aging. Recently, it has been shown that animals can produce fructose endogenously, and that this can be a mechanism for causing kidney damage in diabetic nephropathy and in association with recurrent dehydration. We therefore hypothesized that low-level metabolism of endogenous fructose might play a role in aging-associated kidney disease.

Novel Triggered Nocturnal Blood Pressure Monitoring for Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Distribution and Reproducibility of Hypoxia-Triggered Nocturnal Blood Pressure Measurements.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes blood pressure (BP) surges during sleep, which may lead to increased sleep-onset cardiovascular events. The authors recently developed a triggered nocturnal BP monitoring system that initiates BP measurements when oxygen desaturation falls below a variable threshold. The distribution and reproducibility of hypoxia-triggered nocturnal BP parameters compared with those of fixed-interval nocturnal BP parameters for two consecutive nights in 147 OSA patients (mean age 59.

Hyperuricemia and Atrial Fibrillation.

The importance of atrial fibrillation (AF) as a cause of mortality and morbidity has prompted research on its pathogenesis and treatment. Recognition of AF risk factors is essential to prevent it and reduce the risk of death. Hyperuricemia has been widely accepted to be associated with the incidence of paroxysmal or persistent AF, as well as to the risk of AF in post cardiovascular surgery patients.

Enhanced effect of fibroblast growth factor-2-containing dalteparin/protamine nanoparticles on hair growth.

Purpose: Although treatments for alopecia are in high demand, not all treatments are safe and reliable. Dalteparin/protamine nanoparticles (D/P NPs) can effectively carry growth factors (GFs) such as fibroblast GF (FGF)-2. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of FGF-2-containing D/P NPs (FGF-2&D/P NPs) on hair growth.

[Emergency Surgery for a Lung Hernia after Resection of a Metastatic Rib Tumor;Report of a Case].

The patient was a 60-year-old woman who underwent chest wall resection for a metastatic tumor in the anterior portion of the right 3rd rib, from thyroid cancer. The anterior portion of the right 3rd rib and the 2nd and 3rd intercostal muscles were resected, and chest wall reconstruction was not performed. On the 5th postoperative day, the patient developed a pulmonary hernia.