Cigarette smoking and progression of kidney dysfunction: a longitudinal cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking is one of the most important life-modifiable risk factors for CVD events. The effect on CKD progression caused by smoking remained uncertain, while the effect on CVD had been established. METHOD: The study population included participants from the specific health check and specific health guidance, an annual health check-up for all inhabitants of Japan who were aged between 40 and 74 years. 149,260 subjects (male, 37.1%; female, 62.9%) were included in this analysis. RESULTS: The relationship between smoking status along with new-onset proteinuria and eGFR deterioration more than 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 was examined. Median observation periods were 1427 days [738, 1813] in males and 1437 days [729, 1816] in females. In male participants, the strongest factor upon kidney dysfunction was new-onset proteinuria (1.41 [1.31 1.51], P < 0.001). The second strongest factor on kidney deterioration was smoking (1.24 [1.16 1.31], P < 0.001). In female participants, strongest factor upon kidney dysfunction was smoking (1.27 [1.16-1.39], P < 0.001). The second strongest factor on kidney deterioration was new-onset proteinuria (1.26 [1.17 1.36], P < 0.001). To reveal the relationship of effects from new-onset proteinuria and smoking on the kidney function, the participants were divided into four groups with and without new-onset proteinuria and smoking. The group with both proteinuria and smoking had significantly worst renal prognosis (P for trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Large longitudinal observation study revealed smoking has an evil effect on the progression of CKD. This evil effect could be observed in CKD patients with proteinuria as well as in general population without new-onset proteinuria.

Prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in patients with spondyloarthritis: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies are frequently detected in the sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, recent studies have revealed a potentially high prevalence rate of these antibodies in patients with other rheumatic disorders, causing confusion while diagnosing RA. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the positive rate of anti-CCP antibodies in other chronic arthritis diseases focusing on patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: A total of 109 patients who were diagnosed with SpA at Yukioka Hospital from 1993 to 2018 were included in this retrospective analysis, including patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS); psoriatic arthritis (PsA); synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis syndrome (SAPHO); undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (uSpA); reactive arthritis (ReA); and inflammatory bowel disease-associated SpA (IBD). RESULTS: Overall, 15.3% (16/109) of patients with SpA were positive for anti-CCP antibodies, including 2.3% (1/43) in AS, 23.1% (3/13) in SAPHO, 35.0% (7/20) in PsA, 14.8% (4/27) in uSpA, 0% (0/3) in ReA, and 33.3% (1/3) in IBD. CONCLUSION: PsA patients have a significantly higher prevalence rate of positive anti-CCP antibodies among SpA patients, and the positive rates in SAPHO and uSpA were also high. These findings provide insight into the heterogeneity of SpA with relevance for RA differential diagnosis.

Adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium ameliorates antidepression-related behaviors in the mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The present study investigated the effect of adipose-derived stem cell-conditioned medium (ASC-CM) on behavioral disorders in 5xFAD transgenic mice, a model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swim tests for 5xFAD mice was shorter than that for wild-type mice. Intravenous injection with ASC-CM restored the shortened immobility time for 5xFAD mice to the normal levels or to an extent, being still persistent 4 weeks after injection. ASC-CM significantly suppressed phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK-3ß) at Ser9 in the hypothalamus of 5xFAD mice, without affecting Tau phosphorylation, as compared with that for control 5xFAD mice without ASC-CM injection. ASC-CM did not affect cell surface localization of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits NR1, -2A, and -2B both in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of 5xFAD mice. The results of the present study show that ASC-CM ameliorates antidepression-related behaviors in 5xFAD mice, perhaps by inhibiting Akt and activating GSK-3ß.

Microbicidal activities of low frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jets on oral pathogens.

Research using low frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jets (LF jet) is becoming increasingly more common. We carried out experiments to evaluate the sterilizing effects of this technology on oral pathogenic microorganisms (S.mutans, C.albicans and E. faecalis) and to determine its potential for clinical application. We performed the direct exposure test on a solid surface, indirect exposure test on a liquid phase, and ROS (reactive oxygen species) inhibitory test. The results showed the LF jet had microbicidal effects on oral pathogens, and that the ROS influenced this sterilization effect. The experiments of this study revealed that LF jet had a sterilizing effect on oral pathogenic microorganisms present in both the solid and liquid phases. The sterilizing mechanism was considered to be related to the effect of superoxide anion radicals. These results indicate that LF jets may represent a novel technology that can be applied to the field of clinical dentistry.