Endothelial-secreted Endocan activates PDGFRA and regulates vascularity and spatial phenotype in glioblastoma.

Extensive neovascularization is a hallmark of glioblastoma (GBM). In addition to supplying oxygen and nutrients, vascular endothelial cells provide trophic support to GBM cells via paracrine signaling. Here we report that Endocan (ESM1), an endothelial-secreted proteoglycan, confers enhanced proliferative, migratory, and angiogenic properties to GBM cells and regulates their spatial identity.

Oral Breathing Facilitates Endoscopic Operability Compared With Nasal Breathing in Peroral Endoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Unsedated peroral endoscopy, including ultrathin endoscopy (UE) and conventional endoscopy (CE), is feasible in clinical practice but requires improved endoscopic operability and patient tolerance. Currently, the impact of the breathing method on these factors remains unclear. We conducted the first randomized controlled trial comparing oral breathing (OB) and nasal breathing (NB) during both UE and CE to assess their influence.

Feasibility of Epicardial Adipose Tissue Quantification Using Non-electrocardiogram-Gated Chest Computed Tomography Images.

Objective: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is an important imaging indicator of cardiovascular risk. EAT volume is usually measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) gating. However, there are concerns regarding the influence of motion artifacts when measuring EAT volume on non-ECG-gated plain chest computed tomography (CT) images.

The white ring sign is useful for differentiating between fundic gland polyps and gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type.

Gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic gland type (GA-FG) is characterized by an elevated lesion with vessel dilation exhibiting branching architecture (DVBA). However, this feature is also found in fundic gland polyps (FGPs), posing a challenge in their differentiation. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features of gastric elevated lesions with DVBA and assess the efficacy of the white ring sign (WRS) as a novel marker for distinguishing between FGPs and GA-FGs.

Effects of overhydration, Kt/Vurea, β2-microglobulin on coronary artery calcification and mortality in haemodialysis patients.

Aim: We studied the effects of overhydration (OH), Kt/Vurea and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) on coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD).

Methods: The Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS), postdialysis body composition using bioimpedance analysis, single-pool Kt/Vurea and predialysis β2-MG at baseline were assessed and followed up for 3 years in patients undergoing HD. We performed logistic regression analyses for a CACS ≥400 and Cox proportional hazard analyses for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Absolute iron deficiency, coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular mortality in maintenance haemodialysis patients.

Aim: The effects of iron on vascular calcification in rats and vascular smooth muscle cells were recently reported, but clinical studies on iron and vascular calcification are scant. We studied the associations of absolute iron deficiency, coronary artery calcification and mortality in patients with maintenance haemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: Transferrin saturation (TSAT), ferritin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and Agatston coronary artery calcium score (CACS) were studied at baseline in MHD patients and followed up for 3 years.

Early arteriovenous fistula failure associated with mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing incident hemodialysis.

Background: Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency is important for patients undergoing hemodialysis. The association between early AVF failure and the prognosis, including all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), has not been fully investigated. The present study was performed to investigate the association between early AVF failure and 3-year mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and MACE.

α1- and β2-Microglobulin reduction ratios and survival in patients on predilution online haemodiafiltration.

Aim: β2-Microglobulin (β2-MG) and α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) have molecular weights of 11,800 and 33,000 Da, respectively. We studied the α1-MG and β2-MG reduction ratios (RRs) and survival in patients on predilution online haemodiafiltration (Pre-OL-HDF).

Methods: Participants were 247 Pre-OL-HDF patients.

Nasal breathing is superior to oral breathing when performing and undergoing transnasal endoscopy: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND : Transnasal endoscopy presents a technical difficulty when inserting the flexible endoscope. It is unclear whether a particular breathing method is useful for transnasal endoscopy. Therefore, we conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial to compare endoscopic operability and patient tolerance between patients assigned to nasal breathing or oral breathing groups.

Relationships of hyperchloremia with hypertension and proteinuria in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: A few previous clinical studies have shown that chloride (Cl) contributes to the progression and development of hypertension or proteinuria. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether hyperchloremia is associated with hypertension or proteinuria in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to define the relationships between the reduction in serum Cl concentration associated with CKD treatment and improvements in hypertension and/or proteinuria.

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of new or referred patients with CKD who had hyperchloremia, moderate proteinuria, renal dysfunction, and hypertension.

Coronary artery calcification is a risk factor for intradialytic hypotension in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Introduction: We investigated the association between intradialytic hypotension (IDH) and coronary artery calcification and their effects on mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing maintenance HD were enrolled. The study timeline included the baseline (day 1), exposure assessment (day 1-day 22), and outcome assessment (day 23-3 years) periods.

Convection volume, β2-microglobulin and α1-microglobulin reduction ratios, and body composition in pre-dilution online haemodiafiltration.

Aim: The effect of convection volume (CV) in patients on pre-dilution online haemodiafiltration (Pre-OL-HDF) was evaluated.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study in 126 patients on Pre-OL-HDF. Dialysis conditions, laboratory data, and same day post-dialysis body composition measurements using bioimpedance spectroscopy were assessed.

Comprehensive efficacy of ipragliflozin on various conditioned type 2 diabetes compared with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and with both agents, based on a real-world multicenter trial.

Aims: The effects of ipragliflozin, the first sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) launched in Japan in 2014, and with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) on glycemic control and metabolic changes were investigated comprehensively on various conditioned type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by evaluating various clinical parameters in a real-world setting.

Materials And Methods: A total of 101 patients with T2DM aged 20-80 years with 7.0% ≤ HbA1c < 10.

Medical management of heavily exposed victims: an experience at the Tokaimura criticality accident.

A criticality accident occurred at the uranium conversion plant in Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan on 30 September 1999. When uranyl nitrate was overloaded to a critical mass level, uncontrolled fission reaction occurred. A procedure was carried out according to the JCO manual, although not an officially approved manual.

Iron, coronary artery calcification, and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Objective: A high coronary artery calcification score (CACS) may be associated with high mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Recently, effects of iron on vascular smooth muscle cell calcification have been described. We aimed to investigate the relationships between iron, CACS, and mortality in HD patients.

Association and predictive value of geriatric nutritional risk index, body composition, or bone mineral density in haemodialysis patients.

Aim: Assess the association and predictive value of geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) in haemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Laboratory data, body composition parameters measured via body composition monitor, and radius, lumbar spine, femoral neck BMD measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were assessed in all subjects on HD or online haemodiafiltration (HDF) at baseline. Regression analysis for GNRI, Cox proportional hazard analyses and comparison of multiple receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed.

Different risk factors are associated with vascular access patency after construction and percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in patients starting hemodialysis.

Background: The objective of this multicenter, prospective observational study was to determine the factors related to patency rates after construction of vascular access (VA) and the first percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA).

Methods: The 24-month primary and secondary patency rates after construction of a radiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (RC-AVF) and arteriovenous graft (AVG) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The 12-month post-PTA patency rate was also investigated.

Relationship of matrix Gla protein and vitamin K with vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients.

This study evaluated associations of serum matrix Gla protein (MGP), plasma vitamin K1, and plasma vitamin K2 with coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Subjects comprised 112 MHD patients aged 30-60 years and 40 age-matched healthy subjects. Total MGP, vitamin K1, vitamin K2, and lipid profile were examined in all subjects; other clinical data, medication use, and CACS were assessed only in MHD patients.

Hypomagnesemia is not an independent risk factor for mortality in Japanese maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Purpose: It is unclear whether hypomagnesemia is an independent risk factor or innocent bystander for mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Thus, we studied associations between hypomagnesemia and all-cause as well as cardiovascular (CV) mortality in MHD patients.

Methods: Baseline clinical characteristics and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) of 353 Japanese MHD patients were reviewed.