Maintaining KEAP1 levels in retinal pigment epithelial cells preserves their viability during prolonged exposure to artificial blue light.

Exposure to artificial blue light, one of the most energetic forms of visible light, can increase oxidative stress in retinal cells, potentially enhancing the risk of macular degeneration. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play a crucial role in this process; the loss of RPE cells is the primary pathway through which retinal degeneration occurs. In RPE cells, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) is located in both the nucleus and cytosol, where it binds to nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and p62 (sequestosome-1), respectively.

Comparison of Humoral Antibody Responses and Seroconversion Rates between Two Homologous ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA-1273 Vaccination in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Background: Hemodialysis patients are at an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and are excluded from preauthorization COVID-19 vaccine trials; therefore, their immunogenicity is uncertain.

Methods: To compare the antibody responses to homologous ChAdOx1 and mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hemodialysis patients, 103 age- and sex-matched hemodialysis patients with two homologous prime-boost vaccinations were recruited to detect anti-receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG levels and seroconversion rates (SCRs) 14 days after a prime dose (PD14), before and 28 days after a boost dose (pre-BD0 and BD28).

Results: Both mRNA-1273 and ChAdOx1 vaccinations elicited immunogenicity in study subjects, and the former induced higher anti-RBD IgG levels than the latter.

Effects of osteoporosis medications on bone fracture in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Purpose Of The Study: The risk of bone fracture is high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and aggressive treatment to reduce fragility fracture risk is the major strategy. However, the outcomes of osteoporosis medications in patients with CKD remain unclear.

Study Design: Patients with stage 3-5 CKD during 2011-2019 were enrolled.

Blue light exposure collapses the inner blood-retinal barrier by accelerating endothelial CLDN5 degradation through the disturbance of GNAZ and the activation of ADAM17.

Blue light is part of the natural light spectrum that emits high energy. Currently, people are frequently exposed to blue light from 3C devices, resulting in a growing incidence of retinopathy. The retinal vasculature is complex, and retinal vessels not only serve the metabolic needs of the retinal sublayers, but also maintain electrolyte homeostasis by forming the inner blood-retinal barrier (iBRB).

Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Deficiency Aggravates Cationic Bovine Serum Albumin-Induced Membranous Nephropathy Through T Helper Cell Type 2-Prone Immune Response in Mice.

Urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is a crucial activator of the fibrinolytic system that modulates tissue remodeling, cancer progression, and inflammation. However, its role in membranous nephropathy (MN) remains unclear. To clarify this issue, an established BALB/c mouse model mimicking human MN induced by cationic bovine serum albumin (cBSA), with a T helper cell type 2-prone genetic background, was used.

Valacyclovir-associated neurotoxicity among patients on hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis: A nationwide population-based study.

Whether valacyclovir-associated neurotoxicity (VAN) occurs more frequently in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis is unknown. This is the first population-based study to examine the risk of VAN associated with ESRD patients on dialysis. Among 2,284,800 patients diagnosed as having herpes zoster from 2002 to 2016, patients with ESRD on dialysis and individuals with normal renal function were enrolled in this study.

Benefits of Valsartan and Amlodipine in Lipolysis through PU.1 Inhibition in Fructose-Induced Adiposity.

High fructose intake has been implicated in obesity and metabolic syndrome, which are related to increased cardiovascular mortality. However, few studies have experimentally examined the role of renin-angiotensin system blockers and calcium channel blockers (CCB) in obesity. We investigated the effects of valsartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker) and amlodipine (a CCB) on lipolysis through the potential mechanism of PU.

Association Between DPP-4 Inhibitors and Events of Colorectal and Liver Cancers in Patients With Diabetes Receiving Second-Line Agents: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Objective: Plasma dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) levels were significantly lower in patients with colorectal and liver cancers, and animal studies also showed DPP4 inhibitors (DPP4is) have procarcinogenic effects in colorectal cancer. Until now, whether DPP4is therapy affects the progression of liver cancer and colorectal cancer in patients with T2DM has not been well investigated. We investigated the association between cumulative defined daily dose (cDDD) of DPP4is exposure and risks of liver and colorectal cancers in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The Humoral Immune Response of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccine in Maintenance Dialysis Patients without Prior COVID-19 Infection.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients tend to have a reduced immune response to infection and vaccination. The efficacy of current available COVID-19 vaccines in CKD patients has not been widely evaluated.

Methods: In the present study, three hundred and eight chronic dialysis patients received ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca, AZ).

Effects of osteoporosis medications on bone fracture in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Purpose Of The Study: The risk of bone fracture is high in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and aggressive treatment to reduce fragility fracture risk is the major strategy. However, the outcomes of osteoporosis medications in patients with CKD remain unclear.

Study Design: Patients with stage 3-5 CKD during 2011-2019 were enrolled.

Toxic Effects of Indoxyl Sulfate on Osteoclastogenesis and Osteoblastogenesis.

Uremic toxins, such as indoxyl sulfate (IS) and kynurenine, accumulate in the blood in the event of kidney failure and contribute to further bone damage. To maintain the homeostasis of the skeletal system, bone remodeling is a persistent process of bone formation and bone resorption that depends on a dynamic balance of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the toxic effects of uremic toxins.

Association of polyunsaturated fatty acids with improved heart rate variability and cardiovascular events in patients with end-stage renal disease receiving maintenance dialysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: Apart from dietary restriction and medical therapy, the benefits of cardiovascular protection offered by polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplements in patients with ESRD receiving maintenance dialysis remain unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of PUFAs on blood pressure, heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prognosis.

Methods: We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from Embase, PubMed (including MEDLINE), and Web of Science.

Efficacy and Safety of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Kidney Failure Patients Treated with Dialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: Patients with kidney failure have a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to cardiac remodeling, left ventricular fibrosis, and hyperaldosteronism, all of which can be potentially mitigated by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. However, because of the fear of hyperkalemia, the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with kidney failure is limited in current clinical practice, and few studies have investigated the efficacy and safety. Thus, we aimed to determine the benefits and side effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with kidney failure treated with dialysis.

Effectiveness and safety of rivaroxaban versus warfarin in Taiwanese patients with end-stage renal disease and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: A real-world nationwide cohort study.

Background: The optimal anticoagulant for end-stage renal disease patients for stroke prophylaxis is unknown. The efficacy and safety of warfarin in this population are debatable. In addition, real-world evidence of direct oral anticoagulants in patients with end-stage renal disease is limited.

Reduced Expression of Urokinase Plasminogen Activator in Brown Adipose Tissue of Obese Mouse Models.

In recent decades, the obesity epidemic has resulted in morbidity and mortality rates increasing globally. In this study, using obese mouse models, we investigated the relationship among urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), metabolic disorders, glomerular filtration rate, and adipose tissues. Two groups, each comprised of C57BL/6J and BALB/c male mice, were fed a chow diet (CD) and a high fat diet (HFD), respectively.

The relationship of irisin with metabolic syndrome components and insulin secretion and resistance in schoolchildren.

Irisin, a novel myokine, is believed to be the crucial factor in converting white adipose tissue to beige adipose tissue. For this paper, we studied the relationship among irisin and components of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and insulin secretion and resistance in schoolchildren of Taiwan.Subjects receiving routine annual health examination at elementary school were enrolled.

Systematic Review of Nutrition Supplements in Chronic Kidney Diseases: A GRADE Approach.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is cumulative worldwide and an increasing public health issue. Aside from the widely known protein restriction and medical therapy, less evident is the renal protection of nutrition supplements in CKD patients. This systematic review (SR), using a Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, aims to summarize and quantify evidence about the prevention effects of vitamin D and analogues, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (omega-3 PUFA), dietary fiber, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and biotics on CKD progression.

Long-Term Effects of Ketoanalogues on Mortality and Renal Outcomes in Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Receiving a Low-Protein Diet.

The effects of ketoanalogues (KA) supplementation on mortality and progression to dialysis in patients with pre-dialysis stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) receiving a low-protein diet (LPD) remain ambiguous. From Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database during 1996-2011, 165 patients with pre-dialysis CKD on an LPD (0.6 g/kg/day) with KA supplementation were matched with 165 patients with pre-dialysis CKD on an LPD without KA supplementation.

The Powdered Root of Jack Improves Beta-Cell Number and Pancreatic Islet Performance through PDX1 Induction and Shows Antihyperglycemic Activity in db/db Mice.

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is a common metabolic disorder worldwide. In addition to the chief feature of long-standing hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and a number of complications develop in parallel. It is believed that an adequate control of blood glucose levels can cause these complications to go into remission.

Association Between Gout and Injury Risk: A National Retrospective Cohort Study.

The association between gout and injury remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the injury risk in patients with gout. Using the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) from 2000 to 2010 in Taiwan, patients with gout (group CFG) and those without gout (group C) were enrolled for further analysis.

Concentration and Duration of Indoxyl Sulfate Exposure Affects Osteoclastogenesis by Regulating NFATc1 via Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor.

Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is a chronic kidney disease (CKD)-specific renal osteodystrophy metabolite that affects the nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), a transcription factor promoting osteoclastogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying the regulation of NFATc1 by IS remain unknown. It is intriguing that the Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a key role in osteoclastogenesis, since IS is an endogenous AhR agonist.

Association of Renal Function and Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents for HCV: A Network Meta-Analysis.

The effectiveness and safety of direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with renal insufficiency remain controversial. Therefore, this network meta-analysis aims to assess effectiveness and safety of DAAs in populations with different renal function. The pooled data were obtained from Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Web of Science.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Hemodialysis Patients Could be a Marker of Pathogenic Progression in the Mortality and Atherosclerotic Events: A National Cohort Study.

Objectives: There are higher incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) in hemodialysis (HD) patients than in the general population. Long-term outcomes of HD patients with new-onset SSHL have yet to be investigated although SSHL is considered as an independent risk of cardiovascular diseases in the general population. We examined the risks of mortality and atherosclerotic events in HD patients with new-onset SSHL in Taiwan.

Role of activating transcription factor 3 in fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in mice.

Activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) has been implicated in cardiovascular disease and inflammation. This study examined the effects of ATF3 knockout (KO) on blood pressure, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and visceral adiposity in mice fed who did and did not consume a high-fructose diet. Male mice were divided into four groups (N = 15 for each group): the Con (control) group (wild-type mice fed a standard chow diet), Fru group (wild-type mice fed a high-fructose [60% fructose] diet), ATF3KO-Con group (ATF3 KO mice fed a standard chow diet), and ATF3KO-Fru group (ATF3 KO mice fed a high-fructose [60% fructose] diet).