OBJECTIVE We evaluated the percutaneous absorption of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) in DMF-exposed workers in the summer and winter by assessing their urinary levels of DMF metabolites. METHODS Breathing-zone concentrations of DMF and workers' urinary levels of N-methylformamide (NMF) and N-acetyl-S-(N-methylcarbamoyl)-cysteine (AMCC) were simultaneously measured in the summer and winter in 193...

PURPOSE Urinary angiotensinogen has been reported as a marker for the activation of intrarenal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in various kidney diseases. To investigate the importance of urinary angiotensinogen in diabetic nephropathy, we compared the urinary levels of angiotensinogen, albumin, and α1-microglobulin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes at various stage...

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. We investigated serial changes of VEGF in the kidney and assessed whether glomerular and urinary VEGF levels are related to the severity of diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between urinary VEGF levels and the urinary albumin excretion (UAE) rate in Otsuka-Lon...

A study was made on serum and urinary muramidase in 56 patients with leukemia and other hematologic disorders. Serum and urinary muramidase levels prior to antileukemic therapy were elevated in monocytic leukemia, while not so increased in paramyeloblastic leukemia. In all patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia pretreatment serum enzyme activities were decreased below normal, whereas those in...

INTRODUCTION Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, including known carcinogens, such as tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). TSNA levels in cigarettes vary considerably within and across markets; however, the extent to which these different TSNA levels translate into differences in human exposure and risk remains unclear. The current study sought to examine TSNA exposure among Can...

BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, and > 93% of U.S. adults have detectable levels of urinary BPA. Recent animal studies have suggested that BPA exposure may have a role in several mechanisms involved in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including weight gain, insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunctio...

BACKGROUND Previous studies suggested miR-146a and miR-155 play important roles in innate and adaptive immune responses. We studied intra-renal and urinary levels of miR-146a and miR-155 in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). METHODS Intra-renal and urinary levels of miR-146a and miR-155 are quantified in 43 patients with IgAN; the result was compared to 20 nephrectomy specimen...

While most circulating angiotensinogen (AGT) is synthesized in the liver, the kidneys also produce AGT. Recently, we reported that urinary AGT is mainly originated from AGT. Using newly developed human AGT ELISA, we measured urinary AGT levels in chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) patients and patients with type 1 diabetes in childhood. Urinary AGT level was positively correlated with diastolic bl...

Research on age-related changes in morphology, social behavior, and cognition suggests that the development of bonobos (Pan paniscus) is delayed in comparison to chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). However, there is also evidence for earlier reproductive maturation in bonobos. Since developmental changes such as reproductive maturation are induced by a number of endocrine processes, changes in hormo...