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BACKGROUND We sought to investigate the association between blood pressure levels and prevalence of acquired color vision impairment in middle-aged Japanese men. METHODS Participants underwent color vision testing, ophthalmological examination, standardized interview, physical record examination, and venous blood examination. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were determined based on blood and physical examination results and the interview. Logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for body mass index, systemic dyslipidemia, diabetes, cataract, glaucoma, smoking status, and drinking status. RESULTS Of 1,042 men, 872 were eligible for the study, 130 failed the Lanthony 15-hue desaturated panel (D-15 DS) diagnosed as acquired color vision impairment 15-hue, and 31 failed the Farnsworth–Munsell 100-hue test diagnosed as acquired color vision impairment 100-hue. Diastolic blood pressure was significantly correlated with both acquired color vision impairment in 100-hue patients (adjusted odds ratio (OR) for 10–mm Hg increases = 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00–2.02) and acquired color vision impairment in 15-hue patients (adjusted OR for 10–mm Hg increases = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.04–1.51). The multiple-adjusted ORs for acquired color vision impairment 100-hue patients and acquired color vision impairment 15-hue patients were 7.13 (95% CI = 1.72–27.88) and 4.37 (95% CI = 1.69–11.03), respectively, for the highest blood pressure category (systolic blood pressure ≥160 and diastolic blood pressure ≥100mm Hg) compared with those for the lowest blood pressure category (systolic blood pressure <120 and diastolic blood pressure <80mm Hg). Tests for trends were significant (P < 0.05) in both analyses. CONCLUSIONS Hypertension in middle-aged men may negatively modify vision-associated neuronal function. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Gout is a common disease caused by hyperuricemia, which shows elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels. From a viewpoint of urate handling in humans, gout patients can be divided into those with renal overload (ROL) gout with intestinal urate underexcretion, and those with renal underexcretion (RUE) gout. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed an association between SUA and a variant in human monocarboxylate transporter 9 ( MCT9/SLC16A9) gene. Although the function of MCT9 remains unclear, urate is mostly excreted via intestine and kidney where MCT9 expression is observed. In this study, we investigated the relationship between a variant of MCT9 and gout in 545 patients and 1,115 healthy volunteers. A missense variant of MCT9 (K258T), rs2242206, significantly increased the risk of ROL gout ( p = 0.012), with odds ratio (OR) of 1.28, although it revealed no significant association with all gout cases ( p = 0.10), non-ROL gout cases ( p = 0.83), and RUE gout cases ( p = 0.34). In any case groups and the control group, minor allele frequencies of rs2242206 were >0.40. Therefore, rs2242206 is a common missense variant and is revealed to have an association with ROL gout, indicating that rs2242206 relates to decreased intestinal urate excretion rather than decreased renal urate excretion. Our study provides clues to better understand the pathophysiology of gout as well as the physiological roles of MCT9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protective effects of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil against renal diseases have recently been reported. We compared the therapeutic effects of fasudil on the spontaneously hypercholesterolemic (SHC) rat, a model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with proteinuria, with those of the angiotensin receptor blocker olmesartan (OL) by paying attention to the proteinuria and the macrophage phenotype. SHC rats were allocated to six treatment groups: a vehicle (Ve) group, a low-dose fasudil (FL) group, a high-dose fasudil (FH) group, an OL group, a combination of low-dose fasudil and OL (CL) group, and a combination of high-dose fasudil and OL (CH) group. Sprague-Dawley rats treated with vehicle served as a control (n 7/each). The rats were treated for 24 wk. Compared with the Ve group, proteinuria was significantly decreased in the FH, OL, and CL groups, and it completely disappeared in the CH group. Glomerular stainings of nephrin and F-actin were focally impaired in the Ve group but were restored in the CH group. Western blotting showed that the CH group had significantly increased renal nephrin expression compared with the Ve group. Interstitial infiltration of macrophages was significantly increased in the Ve group, which was significantly attenuated in all treatment groups. The ratio of CD206 (M2 macrophage marker) to CD68 mRNA was significantly greater in the CH group than in the Ve group. These results indicate that fasudil with OL reduces proteinuria by protecting podocyte integrity and alters the interstitial macrophage density/phenotype, thereby exerting renoprotective effects against CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Dental caries are an infectious oral bacterial disease caused by cariogenic streptococci. These streptococci inhabit dental biofilms which comprise insoluble glucans. Objective: To prevent dental caries, nisin, a suitable agent active against Gram-positive bacteria, was examined in vitro for its ability to suppress insoluble glucan-biofilm synthesis by cariogenic streptococci. Materials and methods: To investigate glucan-biofilm synthesis by a typical cariogenic streptococcus, Streptococcus mutans 10449, the naked form of nisin was loaded onto a 96-well microplate in vitro model. To prolong the efficacy of nisin as a preventive agent, liposome-encapsulated nisin (nisin-liposome) was examined for its ability to inhibit the synthesis of glucan-biofilms on microplates. Results: Naked nisin (100 pmol) completely suppressed insoluble glucan-biofilm synthesis by S. mutans 10449 following 1 h cultivation in 96-well microplates. The concentration of nisin-liposome required for the efficacious inhibition of glucan-biofilm synthesis was four times lower than that of naked nisin following 2 h cultivation. In particular, nisin-liposome (30 pmol nisin equivalent) prolonged the inhibitory activity of nisin against glucan-biofilm synthesis by S. mutans 10449 for up to 6 h, while naked nisin (30 pmol) gradually lost this inhibitory activity over the same period. In vitro release assay of nisin from the liposome showed that 76% nisin was released within 6 h. Discussion and conclusion: The findings indicate the usefulness of nisin-liposome for the sustained release of nisin. Thus, nisin-liposome could play a potential role in preventive medicine as an inhibitor of the glucan-biofilm synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of written informed consent on the number of intravenous contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies.Materials and Methods: On December 2002, the Conference of Physicians and Medical Directors in our institution decided that all referring physicians must obtain written informed consent in each case before intravenous injection of contrast material for CT and MR imaging studies. The numbers and proportions of contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies before introduction of the written informed consent requirement (January 2002-December 2002) were compared with those after (January 2003-December 2003).Results: The number of contrast-enhanced CT studies decreased from 5930 (50.6% of all CT studies) to 5539 (49.0% of all CT studies) (odd ratio [OR]: 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-0.99). The number of contrast-enhanced MR studies also decreased from 1895 (46.5% of all MR studies) to 1712 (43.4% of all MR studies) (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81-0.96).Conclusion: Findings suggest that the written informed consent requirement reduces the number of intravenous contrast-enhanced CT and MR imaging studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experienced a case of Dermatobia hominis infestation from South America. Here we discuss imported cases of D. hominis in Japan with literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated the relation between glucose tolerance status and ultrasonographically determined gallstone disease. Using a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, we examined the association of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with gallstone disease in Japanese men. Subjects were men aged 48 to 59 of the Japan Self-Defense Forces who received a preretirement health examination between October 1986 to December 1994. After exclusion of 12 men under insulin treatment in the consecutive series of 7637 men, 174 were found to have gallstones; 103 were at the state of postcholecystectomy, and 6899 had normal gallbladder. IGT and NIDDM were associated with a modestly increased risk of gallstone disease; adjusted odds ratios were 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9–1.8) for IGT and 1.3 (95% CI: 0.8–2.0) for NIDDM after adjustment for hospital, rank, smoking, alcohol use, and body mass index. Adjusted odds ratio for IGT and NIDDM combined was 1.3 (95% CI: 1.0–1.7, p=0.08). When prevalent gallstones and postcholecystectomy were considered separately, NIDDM showed a significant, positive association with postcholecystectomy, but not with prevalent gallstones. The findings add to evidence that glucose intolerance is associated with a modest increase in the risk of gallstone disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to examine the relationship between habitual coffee consumption and blood pressure. The subjects were 3336 male self-defense officials aged 48–56 years, who received a preretirement health examination at the Self-Defense Forces Fukuoka Hospital between October 1986 and December 1992. Average coffee intake in the past year was ascertained by a self-administered questionnaire. A significant inverse relation between habitual coffee consumption and blood pressure was found with and without adjustment for alcohol use, cigarette smoking, body mass index, glucose tolerance, and green tea intake. Green tea, another major source of caffeine intake in Japanese, was unrelated to blood pressure. The adjusted mean differences per cup of coffee consumed per day were −0.6 mmHg (95% confident interval [CI]: −0.9 to −0.3, p=0.0001) in systolic blood pressure and −0.4 mmHg (95% CI: −0.5 to −0.2, p=0.0002) in diastolic blood pressure. Habitual coffee drinkers had lower blood pressure than non-drinkers at any levels of alcohol use, cigarette smoking, obesity, and glucose intolerance. Our findings consolidate the previous observation that habitual coffee consumption was associated with lower blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender-related differences in anthropometry, blood biochemistry, psychological parameters, and energy intake during prematch weight reduction were studied in 22 men and 7 women college judoists who lost weight by combining judo training, restricting food and fluid, and sweating. Body weight (BW) decreased significantly by 2.2±1.4 kg in men and 2.0±1.4 kg in women 2 weeks after weight reduction started — not significandy different. Body fat, relative body fat and total energy intake also decreased significandy in both groups 2 weeks after weight reduction started. Lean body mass decreased significandy 2 weeks after weight reduction started only in men. Men had significantly decreased blood lipids, immunoglobulins, complements, hematocrit, white blood cell count, and serum electrolytes, and significant increases in blood uric nitrogen, creatinine, and hemoglobin, while women showed no such changes. The score for vigor in the Profile of Mood States (POMS) decreased in both groups 2 weeks after weight reduction started, but with no statistically gender difference. In women, scores for anxiety in the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and confusion in POMS increased significandy. Although the men and women had the same BW reduction, significant physical stress response was seen only in men, and psychological stress due to weight reduction and mental pressure of an upcoming competition were seen more in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the independent associations of total and beverage-specific ethanol consumption with body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in middle-aged Japanese males, because of the scarcity of epidemiologic data in Japan. The subjects were 2227 male self-defense officials who received a pre-retirement health examination at the Self-Defense Forces Fukuoka, Kumamoto, and Sapporo Hospitals. Data on alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, and past medical history were obtained from a self-reported questionnaire. Height, weight, and waist and hip girth measurements were obtained at the examination. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed. Alcohol intake was positively and strongly associated with WHR (p = 0.0001), but not associated with BMI after adjustment for lifestyle variables, including either BMI or WHR. Subjects who consumed 15 ml per day or more of shochu ethanol showed a larger WHR than never drinkers, and a dose-response relationship was found. Dose-response relationships to other beverages were not found. Dose-response relationships to other beverages were not found. These findings suggest that alcohol intake is strongly and independently associated with WHR, but not with BMI. Abdominal obesity was positively associated with shochu ethanol, but not with other types of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]