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Development of a standard evaluation method for microbial UV sensitivity using light-emitting diodes
Get PDFUltraviolet (UV) light is an effective disinfection method. In particular, UV light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are expected to have many applications as light sources owing to their compact form factor and wide range of choices of wavelengths. However, the UV sensitivity of microorganisms for each UV wavelength has not been evaluated comprehensively because standard experimental conditions based on LED characteristics have not been established. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a standard evaluation method based on LED characteristics. Here, we developed a new UV-LED device based on strictly controlled irradiation conditions using LEDs for each wavelength (250–365 nm), checked the validity of the device characteristics and evaluated the UV sensitivity of Escherichia coli using this new evaluation method. For this new device, we considered accurate irradiance, accurate spectra, irradiance uniformity, accurate dose, beam angle, surrounding material reflections, and sample condition. From our results, the following UV irradiation conditions were established as standard: 1 mW/cm2 irradiance, bacterial solution with absorbance value of A600 = 0.5 diluted 10 times solution, solution volume of 1 mL, working distance (WD) of 100 mm. In order to compare the effects of irradiation under uniform conditions on inactivation of microorganisms, we assessed inactivation effect of E. coli by LED irradiation at each wavelength using the U280 LED as a standard wavelength. The inactivation effect for U280 LED irradiation was −0.95 ± 0.21 log at a dose of 4 mJ/cm2. Under this condition of dose, our results showed a high wavelength dependence of the inactivation effect at each UV wavelength peaking at 267 nm. Our study showed that this irradiation system was validated for the standard UV irradiation system and could be contributed to the establishment of food and water hygiene control methods and the development of equipment for the prevention of infectious diseases.journal articl
Role of Small Dense Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Receiving Statin Treatment
No full textAim: There is little information on the relationships of serum small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (sdLDL-C) levels and serum triglyceride (TG) levels with cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who are receiving statins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships of serum TG levels and sdLDL-C levels as residual risks for cardiovascular events in patients with CAD and type 2 DM who were being treated with statins.
Methods: The subjects were divided into four groups based on TG levels and sdLDL-C levels: sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL, sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL, sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, and sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL. During a median follow-up period of 1419 days, cardiovascular events occurred in 34 patients.
Results: The incidences of cardiovascular events were significantly higher in patients with sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL and in patients with sdLDL-C of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, but not in patients with sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ≥ 150 mg/dL, than in patients with sdLDL-C of ＜40.0 mg/dL and TG of ＜150 mg/dL.
Conclusions: Under the condition of treatment with statins, patients with CAD and type 2 DM who had sdLDL-C levels of ≥ 40.0 mg/dL had a high risk for cardiovascular events even though serum TG levels were controlled at ＜150 mg/dL.journal articl
天然由来成分ヒノキチオールがStreptococcus mutansの増殖およびバイオフィルム形成に与える影響
Get PDFStreptococcus mutans（S. mutans）は，う蝕病原細菌として知られており，グルコシルトランスフェラーゼ（GTF）によって不溶性グルカンを合成する．そのため，S. mutansのGTFはバイオフィルム形成に深く関与する重要な病原因子であると考えられている．
ヒノキチオール（HNK）は，細菌や真菌に対して抗菌作用を有しているが，S. mutansに対する抗菌作用やバイオフィルム形成に与える影響についての報告は少ない．本研究では，S. mutansに対するHNKの抗菌効果，およびバイオフィルム形成抑制効果を検討した．HNKを添加した培地にS. mutansを加え，経時的に濁度を測定することにより増殖阻害効果を調べた．次に，S. mutansバイオフィルム形成に対する阻害効果を検討するため，HNKを添加した培地にS. mutansを加え，24時間作用させた後，バイオフィルム形成量を測定した．また，バイオフィルム形成関連遺伝子（gtfB，gtfC，gtfD）の発現量の比較をRT-qPCR法にて行った．その結果，HNKは濃度依存的にS. mutansの増殖を阻害し，バイオフィルム形成を抑制することが示された．また，HNK添加群では，S. mutansバイオフィルム形成関連遺伝子に対する発現が有意に抑制されていた．
以上の結果から，HNKはS. mutansバイオフィルム形成を抑制するとともに，バイオフィルムに対し殺菌効果を有し，う蝕予防に対し有効であることが示唆された．Dental caries is the most common disease of the human mouth. Streptococcus mutans is a major cariogenic bacterium. Hinokitiol (HNK), a natural substance extracted from plants such as Chamaecyparis obtusa var., is known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Although the antibacterial effect of HNK against periodontal bacteria and fungi has been studied in detail, little is known about its antibacterial effect on cariogenic bacteria, specifically S. mutans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of HNK against S. mutans, and evaluate its potential as a preventive agent against cariogenic diseases. HNK marked remarkable antimicrobial activity against cariogenic bacteria. Moreover, it also inhibits the formation of S. mutans biofilms and exhibits bactericidal activity within the biofilms. Furthermore, HNK can inhibit key virulence factors of S. mutans associated with cariogenicity. In conclusion, HNK may be a new agent with anticariogenic potential not solely via inhibition of the growth of cariogenic bacteria.journal articl
Current pharmacotherapies for advanced lung cancer with pre-existing interstitial lung disease : A literature review and future perspectives
Get PDFPatients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), especially those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, are at increased risk of developing lung cancer (LC). Pharmacotherapy for advanced LC has dramatically progressed in recent years ; however, management of LC with pre-existing ILD (LC-ILD) is challenging due to serious concerns about the risk of acute exacerbation of ILD (AE-ILD). As patients with LC-ILD have been excluded from most prospective clinical trials of advanced LC, optimal pharmacotherapy remains to be elucidated. Although the antitumor activity of first-line platinum-based cytotoxic chemotherapy appears to be similar in advanced LC patients with or without ILD, its impact on the survival of patients with LC-ILD is limited. Immune checkpoint inhibitors may hold promise for long-term survival, but many challenges remain, including safety and appropriate patient selection. Further understanding the predictive factors for AE-ILD after receiving pharmacotherapy in LC-ILD may lead to appropriate patient selection and lower treatment risk. The aim of this review was to summarize the current evidence related to pharmacotherapy for advanced LC-ILD and discuss emerging areas of research.journal articl
Long-term impact of COVID-19 pandemic on secular changes in metabolic parameters in Japanese workers : Tokushima Cohort Study
Get PDFObjective : The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in people’s lifestyles. Since then, our lifestyle has remained different from what it used to be in the pre-pandemic era. This study investigated the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on secular changes in metabolic parameters in Japanese workers. Methods : A total of 519 eligible subjects completed fiscal year (FY) 2017, FY2019 and FY2021 surveys. Comparison between pre-COVID-19 (Δpre-covid19 : FY2019-2017) and during COVID-19 (Δcovid19 : FY2021-2019) was performed in each sex. Results : Increment of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in Δcovid19 was significantly greater than that in Δpre-covid19 (Δpre-covid19 to Δcovid19 : 0.22 ± 6.17 to 2.59 ± 6.69 mmHg, p = 0.0002 in males, -0.18 ± 6.26 to 2.16 ± 6.60 mmHg, p = 0.01 in females). In females, increments of waist circumference and fasting plasma glucose in Δcovid19 were also significantly greater than those in Δpre-covid19 (both p < 0.05). Conversely, increments of BMI and body fat in Δcovid19 were significantly smaller than those in Δpre-covid19 in males (both p < 0.05). Conclusion : Our findings suggest that there was an apparent metabolic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on DBP increment in Japanese workers. In addition, COVID-19 may have influenced males and females differently in relation to glucose metabolism and anthropometric measurements related to obesity / adiposity.journal articl
Anesthetic management with remimazolam for a patient with hereditary angioedema : a case report
Get PDFBackground : Hereditary angioedema (HAE), a genetic disorder caused by C1-inhibitor deficiency or dysfunction, may cause mucosal edema in the upper airway during tracheal intubation and extubation. Case Report : A 57-year-old man with HAE and a history of laryngeal edema, scheduled to undergo cervical laminoplasty under general anesthesia. General anesthesia was induced by continuous injection of remimazolam and remifentanil, during which manual mask ventilation and intubation were performed without difficulty. The patient was extubated under deep anesthesia. After emergence from general anesthesia, he had no significant upper airway edema and was treated with a C1-inhibitor seven hours post-surgery because of slight tongue swelling. No additional airway edema was observed, and the patient was discharged from the intensive care unit the following day. Conclusions : Deep anesthesia tracheal extubation with remimazolam may be effective in preventing upper airway edema during anesthetic management in patients with HAE.journal articl
Effects of ipragliflozin on left ventricular diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes : A sub-analysis of the PROTECT trial
Get PDFBackground: We hypothesized that the beneficial effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on diastolic function might depend on baseline left ventricular (LV) systolic function.
Methods: To investigate the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on LV diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), we conducted a post-hoc sub-study of the PROTECT trial, stratifying the data according to LV ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline. After excluding patients without echocardiographic data at baseline or 24 months into the PROTECT trial, 31 and 38 patients with T2DM from the full analysis dataset of the PROTECT trial who received ipragliflozin or no SGLT2 inhibitor (control), respectively, were included. The primary endpoint was a comparison of the changes in echocardiographic parameters and NT-proBNP from baseline to 24 months between the two groups stratified according to baseline LVEF.
Results: Differences in diastolic functional parameters (e′ and E/e′) were noted between the two groups. Among the subgroups defined according to median LVEF values, those with higher LVEF (≥60%) who received ipragliflozin appeared to have a higher e′ and lower E/e′ than did those who received the standard of care with no SGLT2 inhibitor, indicating longitudinal improvements between baseline and follow-up (p = 0.001 and 0.016, respectively).
Conclusions: Ipragliflozin generally improved LV diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes, the extent of this improvement might appear to vary with LV systolic function.journal articl
