1 Department of Inter-Organ Communication Research, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi 1-757, Chuo-ku, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan. minakowa@med.niigata-u.ac.jp.
2 Department of Inter-Organ Communication Research, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Asahimachi 1-757, Chuo-ku, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan.
3 Sado General Hospital, Niigata, Japan.
4 Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Niigata, Japan.
5 Division of Preventive Medicine, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
6 Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
7 Division of Clinical Nephrology and Rheumatology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.