G(13)-mediated signaling pathway is required for pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling and heart failure.

Background: Cardiac remodeling in response to pressure or volume overload plays an important role in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Various mechanisms have been suggested to translate mechanical stress into structural changes, one of them being the release of humoral factors such as angiotensin II and endothelin-1, which in turn promote cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. A large body of evidence suggests that the prohypertrophic effects of these factors are mediated by receptors coupled to the G(q/11) family of heterotrimeric G proteins.

Uric acid and left ventricular hypertrophy in Japanese men.

Background: Experimental studies have reported that allopurinol protects hypertensive rats from left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with negligible effects on blood pressure (BP). Uric acid (UA) was thought to induce cardiomyocyte growth and interstitial fibrosis of the heart, partly via activation of the renin-angiotensin system. In the present study, the relationship between serum UA levels and electrocardiographically-diagnosed LVH (ECG-LVH) was examined in Japanese men not taking medication for hypertension (HTN), which could confound the association.

Self-reported medical history was generally accurate among Japanese workplace population.

Objective: To assess the validity of self-reported medical history of several diseases among the Japanese population, and to clarify to what extent the self-reported year of diagnosis for chronic diseases is different from the physician's reports.

Study Design And Setting: Subjects were 8,947 persons who responded to questions about medical history in a self-administered questionnaire. Of them, 854 subjects reported one or more medical histories and gave permission to contact their physician.

Having more healthy practice was associated with low white blood cell counts in middle-aged Japanese male and female workers.

White blood cell (WBC) count is well known to be an independent risk marker for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study is to examine the relationships of WBC counts to seven health practices including obesity, eating habits, smoking, alcohol intake, sleeping, physical activity, and perceived mental stress, and then clustering the relevant healthy practices. The subjects were 1,492 male and 316 female Japanese workers aged 40 yr and over in 2002.

Low leptin but high insulin resistance of smokers in Japanese men.

Aims: To investigate the association between smoking and leptin, and to discuss their influence on diabetes in a large-scale study of Japanese men.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2002. The subjects were 2836 men aged 35-66.

Association between low birth weight and elevated white blood cell count in adulthood within a Japanese population.

Background: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated the association between low birth weight and increased adulthood risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, the precise mechanism underlying the association remains poorly understood. We investigated the association between birth weight and adult white blood cell (WBC) count in a Japanese population.

Eating fast leads to insulin resistance: findings in middle-aged Japanese men and women.

Objective: To examine relationships between speed of eating and insulin resistance.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 2704 male (mean age and BMI: 48.2 y and 23.

Smoking status and adiponectin in healthy Japanese men and women.

Background: Recent studies promisingly indicate that adiponectin plays an important and fundamental role in the development and progression of metabolic and atherosclerosis disorders. Smoking is known as one of the most important risk factors of atherosclerosis, and its relation with metabolic disorders has also been reported. We therefore investigated the association between cigarette smoking and adiponectin concentration in a large sample of Japanese men and women.

Further inflammatory information on metabolic syndrome by adiponectin evaluation.

Background: Despite a close association of adiponectin with metabolic syndrome (MetS), its usefulness as an additional MetS factor has not been well investigated.

Methods: We studied 2327 apparently healthy Japanese male office workers aged 35 to 66 years old and investigated cross-sectionally whether categorization by serum adiponectin distinguished participants' levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) beyond the conventional MetS.

Results: In a linear regression analysis, adiponectin was associated with CRP independently of all MetS factors (beta=-0.

Adiponectin level and left ventricular hypertrophy in Japanese men.

A recent study has demonstrated that adiponectin inhibited hypertrophic signaling in the myocardium of mice, implying that a decrease in the blood adiponectin level could cause cardiac muscle hypertrophy. We hypothesized that a relationship might exist between the serum adiponectin level and electrocardiographically diagnosed left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH), and we examined this hypothesis by epidemiological study of 2839 Japanese male workers who were not taking medications for hypertension. ECG-LVH was defined as meeting Sokolow-Lyon voltage criteria and/or Cornell voltage-duration product.

The transition to menopause reinforces adiponectin production and its contribution to improvement of insulin-resistant state.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of menopausal status on the serum adiponectin concentration and investigate whether the contribution of adiponectin to insulin resistance is modified by menopausal status.

Subjects: We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 207 premenopausal and 206 postmenopausal Japanese women.

Measurements: Data on anthropometric characteristics, fasting serum adiponectin, glucose and insulin concentrations were used.

Role of microglia in the pathogenesis of osmotic-induced demyelination.

Osmotic demyelination is a serious disease caused by rapid correction of hyponatremia. In humans, demyelinative lesions occur preferentially in the central pons, and thus are termed central pontine myelinolysis. Although accumulation of microglia has been reported in such demyelinative lesions, their role in the pathogenesis of osmotic demyelination remains unclear.

Mechanisms and therapy of osmotic demyelination.

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a rare but serious demyelinative disease that is associated with rapid correction of chronic hyponatremia. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) following a rapid increase in serum sodium concentration is considered to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of osmotic demyelination. We investigated the protective effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on osmotic demyelination in rats.

Eating fast leads to obesity: findings based on self-administered questionnaires among middle-aged Japanese men and women.

Background: Few epidemiologic studies have examined the association between the rate of eating and obesity. In this study, we cross-sectionally examined the association of the self-reported rate of eating with current Body Mass Index (BMI), and BMI-change from 20 years of age to the current age.

Methods: Subjects were 3737 male (mean age +/- standard deviation and mean BMI +/- standard deviation: 48.

Association between parental histories of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia and the clustering of these disorders in offspring.

Background: Familial aggregation of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia has been well reported. However, only a few studies have assessed to what extent parental histories were involved in the clustering of these diseases.

Method: In 2002, associations between parental histories of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia and the clustering of high blood pressure, hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in individuals were assessed on the basis of 5010 Japanese men and women aged 33-66 years.

Comparison of circulating adiponectin and proinflammatory markers regarding their association with metabolic syndrome in Japanese men.

Background: Anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory molecules purportedly play an important role in developing metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, little is known as to the relative importance of these molecules in the association with MetS.

Methods And Results: We studied 624 middle-aged Japanese men without medical history of cardiovascular disease or cancer and investigated the associations of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and adiponectin with MetS.

Protective effect of dexamethasone on osmotic-induced demyelination in rats.

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a serious demyelination disease commonly associated with the rapid correction of hyponatremia. Although its pathogenesis remains unclear, the disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) as a consequence of a rapid increase in serum sodium concentration is considered to play a critical role. Since glucocorticoids are known to influence BBB permeability and prevent its disruption as a result of hypertension or hyperosmolarity, we investigated whether dexamethasone (DEX) could protect against osmotic demyelination in an animal model of CPM.