Does health literacy influence health-related lifestyle behaviors among specialists of health management? A cross-sectional study.

Background: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as health-related lifestyle diseases, are the leading cause of mortality and societal and economic burdens. Poor lifestyle behaviors, which are modifiable to improve health, can cause diseases, including NCDs. Health literacy has been recognized as an important determinant of health, and studies have shown that higher health literacy is associated with better health outcomes and positive health-related behaviors.

Association of Health Literacy With the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Diseases and Their Risk Factors Among Older Japanese Health Management Specialists.

In this study, we aimed to determine the association between health literacy and the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), among an older population. This cross-sectional study was conducted among Japanese health management specialists ( = 593). Higher levels (communicative and critical) of health literacy and CVD risk factors (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity) were measured.

Evaluation of an immunochromatography-based rapid antigen test, Inspecter Kowa® SARS-CoV-2, using saliva specimens for the detection of SARS-CoV-2.

Background: In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a rapid and reliable point-of-care test is an essential tool for controlling the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In particular, an immunochromatography test (ICT) that uses saliva specimens for rapid antigen detection not only reduces the risk of secondary infections but also reduces the burden on medical personnel.

Methods: The newly developed salivary antigen test kit "Inspecter Kowa® SARS-CoV-2" is an ICT to which saliva specimens can be directly applied.

Combined effects of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis and corticosteroids on ulcerative colitis.

Several new treatments for ulcerative colitis have been developed recently. The depletion of leukocytes by granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GMA) was developed and adapted for patients with ulcerative colitis with rare adverse events. We investigated whether treatment with GMA and prednisolone (GMA + PSL) is more effective than PSL alone for patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.

Analysis of the Function of CCN2 in Tubular Epithelium Cells with a Focus on Renal Fibrogenesis.

Renal interstitial fibrosis is the final common pathway in the process of all kidney diseases, and it results in chronic kidney disease. CCN2 is an important factor in the pathogenesis of renal interstitial fibrosis, and analysis of its function can lead to treatments for chronic kidney disease. Since CCN2 knockout mice are developmentally lethal, generation of conditional knockout mice is essential for in vivo analysis.

Association between health literacy and purpose in life and life satisfaction among health management specialists: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose in life is anchored as a goal in national health promotion plans in several countries. Health literacy is the ability to find, understand, use, and evaluate health-related information; this ability has been investigated in terms of its effect on health outcomes and is said to play a critical role in health promotion. In the context of national health promotion, the effect of health literacy on purpose in life and life satisfaction remains unclear; therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of health literacy.

Influence of Perceived Stress and Stress Coping Adequacy on Multiple Health-Related Lifestyle Behaviors.

Stress is a primary target of national health promotion efforts such as Healthy Japan in the 21st century (HJ21). However, little is known about how the combination of perceived stress and coping adequacy influence health-related lifestyle behaviors in line with national health promotion. This study assessed the association between combined perceived stress and coping adequacy and multiple health-related lifestyle behaviors in HJ21 practices.

Association between healthy lifestyle practices and life purpose among a highly health-literate cohort: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The national health promotion program in the twenty-first century Japan (HJ21) correlates life purpose with disease prevention, facilitating the adoption of healthy lifestyles. However, the influence of clustered healthy lifestyle practices on life purpose, within the context of this national health campaign remains uninvestigated. This study assessed the association between such practices and life purpose, in line with the HJ21.

Normolipemic xanthomatized Sweet's syndrome: A variant of Sweet's syndrome with myelodysplastic syndrome.

We report a rare case of xanthomatized Sweet's syndrome with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in a patient who presented with erythematous plaques on his chest that were elevated and became yellowish. A diagnosis of MDS with single lineage dysplasia was made during the development of the eruption. Bone marrow biopsy showed an increased number of megakaryoblasts.

Does Improvement in Health-Related Lifestyle Habits Increase Purpose in Life among a Health Literate Cohort?

A growing number of studies have revealed the association between health-related lifestyle habits and purpose in life. However, the mechanism linking the two has not been adequately understood. This study aims to examine the effect of changes in health-related lifestyle habits on purpose in life.

Cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) promotes the progression of acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease.

Here we evaluated the efficacy of depleting cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) produced by renal tubular epithelial cells in preventing the progression of severe acute kidney injury (AKI) to chronic kidney disease (CKD). We used conditional Ccn2 knockout mice in which expression of Ccn2 was controlled by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase promoter-regulated Cre recombinase. AKI was induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Endoscopic Features and Diagnostic Procedures of Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.

No specific endoscopic features for eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) have been reported previously. This study therefore evaluated the endoscopic findings of six patients with EGE. The diagnosis was confirmed based on gastrointestinal symptoms, pathological findings on biopsy, and the absence of other diseases.

Prevalence and Severity of Itching in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: Treatment with Nalfurafine Hydrochloride.

Background/aims: In this study, we investigated the severity and frequency of uremic pruritus and itch-associated insomnia in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This questionnaire-based study included outpatients with ESRD or CKD who were attending Tokorozawa Renal Clinic in Saitama Prefecture or Musashi Ranzan Hospital and were stable on treatment. The questionnaire was completed by patients on hemodialysis (HD) before a dialysis session and by patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) or conservative treatment at the time of an outpatient hospital visit.

Effects of cell-type-specific expression of a pan-caspase inhibitor on renal fibrogenesis.

Background: The caspase family of enzymes is grouped into two major sub-families, namely apoptotic and inflammatory caspases, which play central roles in the induction of apoptosis, regulation of inflammation and immunity, and cellular differentiation.

Methods: The role of caspase activation in tubular epithelium and interstitial cells of 3 lines of transgenic mice with obstructed nephropathy was examined: p35 mice bearing the pan-caspase inhibitor protein expressed by the p35 gene separated from the universal CAG promoter by a floxed STOP sequence were crossed with γGT.Cre and FSP1.