[Salt reduction attempts in workers after specific food service facility guidance provided by a public health center: A case study at a worksite in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture].

Objective　The Kawagoe City Public Health Center implemented a project to reduce salt intake through specific food service facility guidance in workplace cafeterias. Here, we report the study results.Methods　The target worksite was company A, with approximately 270 employees, located in Kawagoe City, Saitama Prefecture.

Perspectives on the Efficacy of Benralizumab for Treatment of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis.

Two types of interleukin (IL)-5 antibody biologics, anti-IL-5 antibodies (mepolizumab) and anti-IL-5α receptor antibodies (benralizumab), are indicated for severe asthma. While high-dose mepolizumab is also indicated for EGPA, benralizumab is indicated only for severe asthma. Benralizumab is characterized by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity activity, giving them specific and rapid anti-IL-5α receptor binding abilities and the ability to target a high number of eosinophils in tissues as well as peripheral blood.

Bilobalide and PC12 cells: A structure activity relationship study.

Ginkgo biloba extracts have been postulated to beneficial for improving cognitive function and as such they have been used as a potential treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The main active ingredients of the extract are terpene trilactones (TTLs), such as bilobalide (BB) and ginkgolides. Several structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies using ginkgolide scaffolds produced more biologically potent species by modification of the lactone moieties.

Resolvin E3 attenuates allergic airway inflammation the interleukin-23-interleukin-17A pathway.

We investigated the effects of resolvin E (RvE) 1, RvE2, and RvE3 on IL-4- and IL-33-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from house dust mite (HDM)-sensitized mice. We also investigated the role of RvE3 in a murine model of HDM-induced airway inflammation. , BMDCs from HDM-sensitized mice were stimulated with IL-4 and IL-33 and then treated with RvE1, RvE2, RvE3, or vehicle.

Roles of Cyclic AMP Response Element Binding Activation in the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK Signalling Pathway in Central Nervous System, Cardiovascular System, Osteoclast Differentiation and Mucin and Cytokine Production.

There are many downstream targets of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling that are involved in neuronal development, cellular differentiation, cell migration, cancer, cardiovascular dysfunction and inflammation via their functions in promoting apoptosis and cell motility and regulating various cytokines. It has been reported that cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is phosphorylated and activated by cyclic AMP signalling and calcium/calmodulin kinase. Recent evidence also points to CREB phosphorylation by the MAPK signalling pathway.

Lifestyle Modifications Versus Antihypertensive Medications in Reducing Cardiovascular Events in an Aging Society: A Success Rate-oriented Simulation.

Objective It is difficult to compare directly the practical effects of lifestyle modifications and antihypertensive medications on reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to compare the hypothetical potential of lifestyle modifications with that of antihypertensive medications in reducing CVD in an aging society using a success rate-oriented simulation. Methods We constructed a simulation model for virtual Japanese subpopulations according to sex and age at 10-year intervals from 40 years of age as an example of an aging society.

Characteristics of aggression among psychiatric inpatients by ward type in Japan: Using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale - Revised (SOAS-R).

Aggressive behaviour by psychiatric patients is a serious issue in clinical practice, and adequate management of such behaviour is required, with careful evaluation of the factors causing the aggression. To examine the characteristics of aggressive incidents by ward type, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted for 6 months between April 2012 and June 2013 using the Staff Observation Aggression Scale - Revised, Japanese version (SOAS-R) in 30 wards across 20 Japanese psychiatric hospitals. Participating wards were categorized into three types based on the Japanese medical reimbursement system: emergency psychiatric, acute psychiatric, and standard wards (common in Japan, mostly treating non-acute patients).

Synthesis of cynaropicrin-d(4).

Cynaropicrin is a guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone, which has potent in vitro and in vivo inhibitory activity against Trypanosoma brucei, the protozoan parasite that causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT; sleeping sickness). Herein, we describe the synthesis of cynaropicrin's deuterated derivative, cynaropicrin-d4, by the replacement of the side chain of natural cynaropicrin. The synthesized cynaropicrin-d4 could be employed as an internal standard for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, in the pharmacokinetic study of cynaropicrin.

Lifestyle modifications supported by regional health nurses lowered insulin resistance, oxidative stress and central blood pressure in subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Background: This study was attempted to investigate whether lifestyle modifications supported by regional health nurses should improve cardio-metabolic factors--including adipocytokines, oxidative stress, and arterial stiffness--in subjects with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: Thirty-six subjects with metabolic syndrome were enrolled, 28 of whom completed the 6-month lifestyle modifications (male:female=19:9). Blood and urine test results were examined in relation to metabolic factors before and after 6-month nutritional and physical activity modifications.

Antitrypanosomal structure-activity-relationship study of synthetic cynaropicrin derivatives.

Cynaropicrin is a guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone with a 5-7-5 tricyclic skeleton, four exo-olefins, and two hydroxyl groups. Recently, it was found that the compound is a potent in vitro and in vivo inhibitor of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT; sleeping sickness). In this Letter, chemical derivatization of cynaropicrin and the structure-activity-relationship (SAR) study against T.

Assessing "dangerous climate change": required reduction of carbon emissions to protect young people, future generations and nature.

We assess climate impacts of global warming using ongoing observations and paleoclimate data. We use Earth's measured energy imbalance, paleoclimate data, and simple representations of the global carbon cycle and temperature to define emission reductions needed to stabilize climate and avoid potentially disastrous impacts on today's young people, future generations, and nature. A cumulative industrial-era limit of ∼500 GtC fossil fuel emissions and 100 GtC storage in the biosphere and soil would keep climate close to the Holocene range to which humanity and other species are adapted.

Climate sensitivity, sea level and atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Cenozoic temperature, sea level and CO2 covariations provide insights into climate sensitivity to external forcings and sea-level sensitivity to climate change. Climate sensitivity depends on the initial climate state, but potentially can be accurately inferred from precise palaeoclimate data. Pleistocene climate oscillations yield a fast-feedback climate sensitivity of 3±1(°)C for a 4 W m(-2) CO2 forcing if Holocene warming relative to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is used as calibration, but the error (uncertainty) is substantial and partly subjective because of poorly defined LGM global temperature and possible human influences in the Holocene.

Influence of patient characteristics on duration of seclusion/restrain in acute psychiatric settings in Japan.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of duration of seclusion/restraint in acute psychiatric settings in Japan and the effect of patient characteristics on duration of seclusion/restraint.

Methods: During an 8-month period starting from November 2008, duration of seclusion/restraint and patient characteristics were investigated in 694 psychiatric inpatients who experienced seclusion/restraint in three emergency and three acute wards at four psychiatric hospitals. Reasons for starting seclusion/restraint were also assessed.

Perception of climate change.

"Climate dice," describing the chance of unusually warm or cool seasons, have become more and more "loaded" in the past 30 y, coincident with rapid global warming. The distribution of seasonal mean temperature anomalies has shifted toward higher temperatures and the range of anomalies has increased. An important change is the emergence of a category of summertime extremely hot outliers, more than three standard deviations (3σ) warmer than the climatology of the 1951-1980 base period.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced overproduction of nitric oxide and overexpression of iNOS and interleukin-1β proteins in zinc-deficient rats.

Zinc deficiency leads to decreased cellular immune responses. The overproduction of nitrogen species derived from inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), its enzyme, and interleukine-1 beta (IL-1β), and inflammatory cytokine have been implicated in immune responses. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced changes in NO metabolites, iNOS, and IL-1β protein expression in the lungs of zinc-deficient rats.

The facilitative effects of bilobalide, a unique constituent of Ginkgo biloba, on synaptic transmission and plasticity in hippocampal subfields.

Bilobalide, a unique constituent of Ginkgo biloba, has been reported to potentiate population spikes in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and to protect the brain against cell death. In this study, the effects of bilobalide on synaptic transmission and its plasticity in rat hippocampal subfields were electrophysiologically investigated. Bilobalide (50 μM) significantly potentiated the input-output relationship at Schaffer collateral (SC)-CA1 synapses but not at medial perforant path (MPP)-dentate gyrus (DG), lateral perforant path (LPP)-DG, or mossy fiber (MF)-CA3 synapses.

Determinantal correlations of Brownian paths in the plane with nonintersection condition on their loop-erased parts.

As an image of the many-to-one map of loop-erasing operation L of random walks, a self-avoiding walk (SAW) is obtained. The loop-erased random walk (LERW) model is the statistical ensemble of SAWs such that the weight of each SAW ζ is given by the total weight of all random walks π that are inverse images of ζ, {π:L(π)=ζ}. We regard the Brownian paths as the continuum limits of random walks and consider the statistical ensemble of loop-erased Brownian paths (LEBPs) as the continuum limits of the LERW model.

[Improvement of the system for collecting blood samples, at the Division of Clinical Laboratory in Yamagata University Hospital, based on the complaints of patients: The way to perform the newly-developed 30-min changeover method for collecting blood samples by medical technologists].

The collection of blood samples is one of the most essential procedures in laboratory examinations for the clinical diagnosis of patients. However, it is not always easy to carry out the procedure smoothly. At the Division of Clinical Laboratory in Yamagata University Hospital, we have tried to employ the best way to collect blood samples without any troubles or complaints.

Climate change and trace gases.

Palaeoclimate data show that the Earth's climate is remarkably sensitive to global forcings. Positive feedbacks predominate. This allows the entire planet to be whipsawed between climate states.

Differential effects of pyrazinamide and clofibrate on gene expression of rat hepatic alpha-amino-beta-carboxymuconate-epsilon-semialdehyde decarboxylase, a key enzyme of the tryptophan-NAD pathway.

Hepatic alpha-amino-beta-carboxymuconate-epsilon-semialdehyde decarboxylase (ACMSD) [EC4.1.1.

Global temperature change.

Global surface temperature has increased approximately 0.2 degrees C per decade in the past 30 years, similar to the warming rate predicted in the 1980s in initial global climate model simulations with transient greenhouse gas changes. Warming is larger in the Western Equatorial Pacific than in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific over the past century, and we suggest that the increased West-East temperature gradient may have increased the likelihood of strong El Niños, such as those of 1983 and 1998.