Goishi tea is a unique Japanese post-fermented tea produced in Kochi prefecture. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the supplementation of energy-restricted diet with Goishi tea leaves ...affects body weight, visceral fat accumulation, and fecal lipids in diet-induced obese rats. 18 male Wistar rats were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks. Subsequently, the diet-induced obese rats were fed a low-energy diet containing 1% (G1 group) or 3% (G3 group) of Goishi tea leaf powder, or without any tea extracts (C group) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, body weight and body fat ratio were significantly lower in the G3 group than in the C group. Plasma insulin levels were significantly higher in the C group than in the G1 and G3 groups, whereas plasma leptin levels were significantly lower in the G3 group than in the C group. In addition, the lipid absorption rate was significantly lower in the G3 group than in the C and G1 groups. In conclusion, the administration of Goishi tea leaves under dietary restrictions might contribute to body weight reduction and inhibition of lipid absorption, as a diet therapy to help prevent obesity and metabolic syndrome. J. Med. Invest. 70 : 60-65, February, 2023
Purpose
In unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) procedures, maximizing the bone coverage of the tibial implant and eliminating the medial and posterior overhang would be optimal. We commonly used ...Physica ZUK® (ZUK), which is a symmetrical design. Alternatively, since Persona Partial Knee® (PPK) was developed in 2017 with an anatomical design to improve bone coverage, we started PPK. We hypothesized that the PPK facilitated better bone coverage than the ZUK without obvious overhangs. This study evaluated the bone coverage and the medial and posterior overhang of these differently designed tibial implants.
Methods
Seventy-nine knees from 68 patients who underwent UKA were evaluated. Cases were categorized into the ZUK (41 knees) and PPK (38 knees) groups. CT images were acquired before surgery and 1 week after surgery. We measured the tibial bone coverage, and the medial and posterior overhang by 3D software.
Results
The bone coverages were 103.8 ± 4.8% and 102.0 ± 3.0%, the medial overhangs were 2.2 ± 1.2 mm and 1.4 ± 1.1 mm, and the posterior overhangs were 0.6 ± 1.3 mm and 0.4 ± 1.2 mm for the ZUK and PPK groups, respectively. The bone coverage and medial overhang were significantly different between the groups, with ZUK being larger.
Conclusion
Patients who received PPK had significantly smaller medial overhangs and better bone coverage. PPK is more likely to give better results than ZUK.
To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have reported a relationship between osteoarthritis (OA) of the lower limbs and OA of the shoulder joints. We evaluated the correlation between ...shoulder OA and hip OA. We collected contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) images of the shoulder joints of 159 patients with hip OA who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). The images, taken 1 week after THA to monitor venous thromboembolism (VTE), were used to examine the prevalence of shoulder OA. They were compared with those of 103 controls who underwent CECT during the same period to monitor VTE. Shoulder OA was observed in 15% of the controls and 24% of the THA patients. Although the rate was somewhat higher in the THA group, the difference was not significant. However, in the THA group, significantly more patients with bilateral hip OA (33%) had shoulder OA than those with unilateral hip OA (17%). In summary, the prevalence of shoulder OA was significantly higher in patients with bilateral hip OA. In these patients, pain and instability in the hip joints require them to use arm support to stand up or walk, putting the weight-bearing shoulder at risk of developing OA.
The relationship between osteoarthritis (OA) of the lower extremity and shoulder OA has not been established. This study evaluated the prevalence of shoulder OA in patients with knee OA. We collected ...contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) images of the shoulder joints of 105 patients with knee OA that were taken 1 week after they underwent primary knee arthroplasty to check for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The images were compared with CECT images of 110 control-group patients that were taken for the purpose of differentiating VTE. Shoulder OA was present in a significantly higher percentage of patients with knee arthroplasty than controls (29% versus 15%), and the difference was particularly pronounced in patients in their 70s (33%) compared to age-matched controls (11%). Patients with knee OA often use arm support to stand up or walk due to knee joint pain and muscle weakness, which places the weight-bearing shoulder at risk of developing OA.
Prevention of kidney fibrosis is an essential requisite for effective therapy in preventing chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, we identify Old astrocyte specifically induced substance (OASIS)/cAMP ...responsive element‐binding protein 3‐like 1 (CREB3l1), a CREB/ATF family transcription factor, as a candidate profibrotic gene that drives the final common pathological step along the fibrotic pathway in CKD. Although microarray data from diseased patient kidneys and fibrotic mouse model kidneys both exhibit OASIS/Creb3l1 upregulation, the pathophysiological roles of OASIS in CKD remains unknown. Immunohistochemistry revealed that OASIS protein was overexpressed in human fibrotic kidney compared with normal kidney. Moreover, OASIS was upregulated in murine fibrotic kidneys, following unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), resulting in an increase in the number of OASIS‐expressing pathological myofibroblasts. In vitro assays revealed exogenous TGF‐β1 increased OASIS expression coincident with fibroblast‐to‐myofibroblast transition and OASIS contributed to TGF‐β1–mediated myofibroblast migration and increased proliferation. Significantly, in vivo kidney fibrosis induced via UUO or ischemia/reperfusion injury was ameliorated by systemic genetic knockout of OASIS, accompanied by reduced myofibroblast proliferation. Microarrays revealed that the transmembrane glycoprotein Bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (Bst2) expression was reduced in OASIS knockout myofibroblasts. Interestingly, a systemic anti‐Bst2 blocking antibody approach attenuated kidney fibrosis in normal mice but not in OASIS knockout mice after UUO, signifying Bst2 functions downstream of OASIS. Finally, myofibroblast‐restricted OASIS conditional knockouts resulted in resistance to kidney fibrosis. Taken together, OASIS in myofibroblasts promotes kidney fibrosis, at least in part, via increased Bst2 expression. Thus, we have identified and demonstrated that OASIS signaling is a novel regulator of kidney fibrosis.
We have isolated 4 antibacterial substances that were active against the oral bacteria that cause dental caries and periodontitis, such as
Streptococcus mutans
,
Prevotella intermedia
, and
...Porphyromonas gingivalis
, from lemon peel, a waste product in the citrus industry. The isolated substances were identified as 8-geranyloxypsolaren, 5-geranyloxypsolaren, 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin, and phloroglucinol 1-β-D-glucopyranoside (phlorin) upon structural analyses. Among these, 8-Geranyloxypsolaren, 5-geranyloxypsolaren, and 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin exhibited high antibacterial activity. These 3 compounds were effectively extracted using ethanol and n-hexane, whereas phlorin was extracted with water. Further, the above 3 compounds were present in lemon essential oil and abundantly present in the residue produced upon the cooling treatment of concentrated lemon essential oil.
Abstract
Podocyte injury is involved in the onset and progression of various kidney diseases. We previously demonstrated that the transcription factor, old astrocyte specifically induced substance ...(OASIS) in myofibroblasts, contributes to kidney fibrosis, as a novel role of OASIS in the kidneys. Importantly, we found that OASIS is also expressed in podocytes; however, the pathophysiological significance of OASIS in podocytes remains unknown. Upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, there is an increase in OASIS in murine podocytes. Enhanced serum creatinine levels and tubular injury, but not albuminuria and podocyte injury, are attenuated upon podocyte-restricted OASIS knockout in LPS-treated mice, as well as diabetic mice. The protective effects of podocyte-specific OASIS deficiency on tubular injury are mediated by protein kinase C iota (PRKCI/PKCι), which is negatively regulated by OASIS in podocytes. Furthermore, podocyte-restricted OASIS transgenic mice show tubular injury and tubulointerstitial fibrosis, with severe albuminuria and podocyte degeneration. Finally, there is an increase in OASIS-positive podocytes in the glomeruli of patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome and diabetic nephropathy. Taken together, OASIS in podocytes contributes to podocyte and/or tubular injury, in part through decreased PRKCI. The induction of OASIS in podocytes is a critical event for the disturbance of kidney homeostasis.
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