The Relationship between Symptom Flare of Atopic Dermatitis and Airborne Japanese Cedar and Cypress Pollen Counts: A Self-Scoring Diary Study

Background. With an increase in Japanese cedar and cypress (JC) pollinosis, the relationship between JC pollen and atopic dermatitis (AD) has been studied. Some reports suggest that JC pollen can be one exacerbating factor for AD, but there has been no report that discusses JC pollen counts relating to AD symptom flare although actual airborne JC pollen counts can widely fluctuate throughout the pollen season. Objective. The relationship between symptom flare of AD and airborne JC pollen counts was examined. Methods. We monitored JC pollen counts in real time and divided the counts into low and high level. We then analyzed self-scored “itch intensity” recorded by 14 AD patients through a self-scoring diary. Results. Among the 14 patients, 7 had significantly higher itch intensity while the pollen counts were high. Conclusion. Even during the pollen season, actual airborne pollen counts can widely fluctuate. Our study suggested that symptom flare of AD could be influenced by the actual pollen counts

A New Device Facilitating Intracorporeal Purse-string Suture during Endoscopic Surgery

Standard laparoscopic colorectal surgery requires additional incision or enlargement of the trocar incision for the retrieval of the surgical specimen. A natural orifice specimen extraction （NOSE） procedure, in which the specimen is retrieved through the anus or vagina without any additional skin incision, requires purse-string suture （PSS） of the rostral intestinal segment in order to fix the anvil head of the stapler and perform extracorporeal mechanical anastomosis. Colorectal surgery has a limited NOSE in cases where the end of the rostral segment could be pulled through the anus. Broader application of NOSE depends on intracorporeal PSS. We developed a new forceps for intracorporeal PSS during NOSE and evaluated its efficacy. The PSS instrument was refined to pass through a 12-mm trocar in an intracorporeal PSS and achieve anastomosis using double stapling. In trials utilizing an endoscopic practice box, regular spacing of stitches during PSS were consistent （n＝10）, and tight intracorporeal anastomosis of the porcine colon was successfully performed （n＝2）. We then confirmed efficacy through an operation on a pig. Our novel PSS device will help us perform NOSE not only in laparoscopic colorectal surgery but also in any operation requiring intracorporeal PSS, which should contribute to further advances in endoscopic digestive surgery

Relation between Sleep Quality and Daily Physical Activity in Hemodialysis Outpatients

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations among objective sleep variables, sleep&#8211;wake cycle parameters, and daily physical activity in hemodialysis patients and controls.Twenty-four hemodialysis patients (HD group) were compared with a control group consisting of 24 healthy participants matched for age, height, and weight. Sleep variables (total sleep time [TST], sleep efficiency [SE], sleep latency [SL], and waking after sleep onset [WASO]), sleep&#8211;wake cycle parameters (the sleep&#8211;wake cycle period and the peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance), and daily physical activity (steps per day) for each participant were assessed by objective methods for two weeks.While there was no difference in TST between the two groups, the HD group showed a significantly increased SL (HD: 0:29 ± 0:20 vs control: 0:16 ± 0:13, p < 0.05) and WASO (HD: 2:21 ± 1:00 vs control: 1:35 ± 0:41, p < 0.05) and decreased SE (HD: 67.1 ± 13.6% vs control: 77.5 ± 9.7%, p < 0.01) compared to the control group.There was no significant difference in sleep&#8211;wake cycle period between the HD and control groups. However, the peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance in the HD group (0.050 ± 0.028) was significantly lower (t = 2.49, p < 0.05) than in the control group (0.068 ± 0.019). The number of daily steps taken in the HD group (4,774 ± 2,845 steps) was also significantly lower than in the control group (8,696 ± 3,047). The peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance was significantly correlated with SE (r = 0.532, p < 0.01), SL (r = -0.501, p < 0.01), and WASO (r = -0.436, p < 0.01), whereas the number of steps showed a weak correlation only with WASO (r = -0.308, p < 0.05) among the objective sleep parameters.Our results suggest that sleep quality in HD patients may be more effectively improved by maintaining the regular 24-hour sleep&#8211;wake cycle rather than by increasing the amount of daily physical activity, indicating that intervention such as measures to prevent napping during hemodialysis sessions may prove effective in improving the quality of sleep in HD patients

Relation between Sleep Quality and Daily Physical Activity in Hemodialysis Outpatients

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations among objective sleep variables, sleep&#8211;wake cycle parameters, and daily physical activity in hemodialysis patients and controls.Twenty-four hemodialysis patients (HD group) were compared with a control group consisting of 24 healthy participants matched for age, height, and weight. Sleep variables (total sleep time [TST], sleep efficiency [SE], sleep latency [SL], and waking after sleep onset [WASO]), sleep&#8211;wake cycle parameters (the sleep&#8211;wake cycle period and the peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance), and daily physical activity (steps per day) for each participant were assessed by objective methods for two weeks.While there was no difference in TST between the two groups, the HD group showed a significantly increased SL (HD: 0:29 ± 0:20 vs control: 0:16 ± 0:13, p < 0.05) and WASO (HD: 2:21 ± 1:00 vs control: 1:35 ± 0:41, p < 0.05) and decreased SE (HD: 67.1 ± 13.6% vs control: 77.5 ± 9.7%, p < 0.01) compared to the control group.There was no significant difference in sleep&#8211;wake cycle period between the HD and control groups. However, the peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance in the HD group (0.050 ± 0.028) was significantly lower (t = 2.49, p < 0.05) than in the control group (0.068 ± 0.019). The number of daily steps taken in the HD group (4,774 ± 2,845 steps) was also significantly lower than in the control group (8,696 ± 3,047). The peak of sleep&#8211;wake cycle variance was significantly correlated with SE (r = 0.532, p < 0.01), SL (r = -0.501, p < 0.01), and WASO (r = -0.436, p < 0.01), whereas the number of steps showed a weak correlation only with WASO (r = -0.308, p < 0.05) among the objective sleep parameters.Our results suggest that sleep quality in HD patients may be more effectively improved by maintaining the regular 24-hour sleep&#8211;wake cycle rather than by increasing the amount of daily physical activity, indicating that intervention such as measures to prevent napping during hemodialysis sessions may prove effective in improving the quality of sleep in HD patients

SMTP-44D Exerts Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects through Its Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibitory Action in Immortalized Mouse Schwann Cells upon High Glucose Treatment

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. We have previously reported the efficacy of Stachybotrys microspora triprenyl phenol-44D (SMTP-44D) for DN through its potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the mechanisms underlying the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of SMTP-44D remain unclear. The present study aimed to explore the mechanism of these effects of SMTP-44D in regard to its inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) in immortalized mouse Schwann cells (IMS32) following high glucose treatment. IMS32 cells were incubated in a high glucose medium for 48 h and then treated with SMTP-44D for 48 h. After incubation, the ratio of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) to dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (DHETs), oxidative stress markers, such as NADPH oxidase-1 and malondialdehyde, inflammatory factors, such as the ratio of nuclear to cytosolic levels of NF-&kappa;B and the levels of IL-6, MCP-1, MMP-9, the receptor for the advanced glycation end product (RAGE), and apoptosis, were evaluated. SMTP-44D treatment considerably increased the ratio of EETs to DHETs and mitigated oxidative stress, inflammation, RAGE induction, and apoptosis after high glucose treatment. In conclusion, SMTP-44D can suppress the induction of apoptosis by exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, possibly through sEH inhibition. SMTP-44D can be a potential therapeutic agent against DN