The purpose of this study was to reexamine the association between schizophrenia and smoking among Japanese schizophrenia patients using objective measures. The sample comprised 172 schizophrenia inpatients (mean age: 54 years; 55% male). Participants were asked by a psychiatrist whether they currently smoked, and their answers were confirmed

by the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and a measurement of the carbon monoxide level in expired air. Data on 7496 Japanese people obtained from the national survey of health were WZB117 datasheet used as the control group. Seventy schizophrenia patients (40.7%) were identified as smokers; the smoking rate was higher among men in their 50 s (66.7%) and among women in their 40s (54.6%). The smoking rate was 24.2% in the control group, and multiple logistic regression analysis showed that this percentage

was significantly higher in the schizophrenia than in the control group (odds ratio: 2.17), adjusting for sex and age. The association between smoking rate and schizophrenia is consistent across countries, including Japan. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.”
“There is compelling evidence that cardiovascular disorders arise and/or progress due mainly to endothelial dysfunction. Novel therapeutic strategies aim to generate new myocardial tissue using cells with regenerative potential, either alone or in combination with biomaterials, cytokines and advanced monitoring devices. Among the human adult progenitor cells used in such methods, selleck chemicals however those historically termed ‘endothelial progenitor cells’ show promise for vascular growth and repair. Asahara et al. [Science 1997;275:964 967] initially described putative endothelial cell precursors in 1997. Subsequently, distinct cell populations termed endothelial colony-forming units-Hill, circulating angiogenic cells and endothelial colony-forming cells were identified that varied in terms of phenotype, vascular homeostasis contribution and purity. Notably, most of these cells are not genuine vascular precursor cells belonging to the endothelial lineage. This review

provides a broad overview of the main properties of the endothelium, focusing on the basis governing its growth and repair. We discuss efforts to identify true vascular precursors, a matter of debate for the past 15 years, as well as recent methodological advances in identifying new hierarchies of more homogeneous, clonogenic and proliferative vascular endothelial-lineage precursors. Consideration of these issues provides insights that may help develop more effective therapies against human diseases that involve vascular deficits. Copyright (C) 20135. Karger AG, Basel”
“To the Editor: Hunter and Reddy (Oct. 3 issue)(1) outline issues associated with the changing global burden of noncommunicable diseases.