Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease and Variation of Its Risk Factors by the Regions in Okayama Prefecture

Objective: The prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression is an important issue from health and financial perspectives. We conducted a single-year cross-sectional study to clarify the prevalence of CKD and its risk factors along with variations in these factors among five medical regions in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Methods and Results: Data concerning the renal function and proteinuria as well as other CKD risk factors were obtained from the database of the Japanese National Health Insurance. The proportion of CKD patients at an increased risk of progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), classified as orange and red on the CKD heatmap, ranged from 6-9% and did not vary significantly by the regions. However, the causes of the increased severity differed between regions where renal dysfunction was predominant and regions where there were many patients with proteinuria. CKD risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyper low-density lipoprotein-cholesterolemia, obesity, smoking and lack of exercise, also differed among these regions, suggesting that different regions need tailored interventions that suit the characteristics of the region, such as an increased health checkup ratio, dietary guidance and promotion of exercise opportunities. Conclusions: Approximately 6-9% of people are at an increased risk of developing ESRD (orange or red on a CKD heatmap) among the population with National Health Insurance in Okayama Prefecture. The underlying health problems that cause CKD may differ among the regions. Thus, it is necessary to consider intervention methods for preventing CKD progression that are tailored to each region's health problems

Cloning and Characterization of a Streptomyces Single Module Type Non-ribosomal Peptide Synthetase Catalyzing a Blue Pigment Synthesis

In the present study, we cloned a gene, designated bpsA, which encodes a single module type non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) from a d-cycloserine (DCS)-producing Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC11924. A putative oxidation domain is significantly integrated into the adenylation domain of the NRPS, and the condensation domain is absent from the module. When S. lividans was transformed with a plasmid carrying bpsA, the transformed cells produced a blue pigment, suggesting that bpsA is responsible for the blue pigment synthesis. However, to produce the blue pigment in Escherichia coli, the existence of the 4′-phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) gene from Streptomyces was necessary, in addition to bpsA. The chemical structure of the pigment was determined as 5,5′-diamino-4,4′-dihydroxy-3,3′-diazadiphenoquinone-(2,2′), called indigoidine. The bpsA gene product, designated BPSA, was overproduced in an E. coli host-vector system and purified to homogeneity, demonstrating that the recombinant enzyme prefers l-Gln as a substrate. The in vitro experiment using l-Gln also showed that the blue pigment was formed by the purified BPSA only when the enzyme was phosphopantetheinylated by adding a Streptomyces PPTase purified from E. coli cells. Each site-directed mutagenesis experiment of Lys598, Tyr601, Ser603, and Tyr608, which are seen in the oxidation domain of BPSA, suggests that these residues are essential for the binding of FMN to the protein and the synthesis of the blue pigment

Preparation of WC-SiC Whisker Composites by Hot Pressing and Their Mechanical Properties

Composites of WC and SiC whisker (0-30 vol% SiC) were prepared at 1550 to 1800 C by using a resistance-heated hot pressing technique called spark plasma sintering. The composites obtained were examined for reaction products and microstructure, and were characterized for mechanical properties. The addition of small amounts of SiC induced the marked grain growth of WC, and drove the densification of WC. Above 10 vol% SiC, dispersed SiC phases impeded the grain growth of WC. Increasing sintering temperature made SiC whiskers thick and lowered the aspect ratio of whiskers. The hardness of composites decreased with increasing average grain size of WC. The Young's modulus of dense composites was decreased with the SiC content. The addition of 3 to 5 vol % SiC greatly increased the fracture toughness of WC