The relationship between resting heart rate and new-onset microalbuminuria in people with type 2 diabetes: An 8-year follow-up study.

AIMS: Microalbuminuria is an indicator of adverse cardiovascular events and chronic kidney disease. Studies have described an elevated resting heart rate as a risk factor for microalbuminuria in people with cardiovascular disease, but none have clarified its role in microalbuminuria development in people with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between resting heart rate and new-onset microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 788 people from a glycaemic control trial in Taiwan were enrolled. Microalbuminuria was defined as a fasting urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g in two consecutive urine tests. Resting heart rate and other covariates were measured at baseline. The quartile of resting heart rates, categorized as <70, 70-74, 75-80 and >80 beats/min, was used for analysis. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between resting heart rate and risk of microalbuminuria. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 244 people (31%) developed microalbuminuria. Those who developed microalbuminuria had a longer diabetes duration (median = 3.0 vs. 2.0 years, p < 0.001), higher rate of hypertension (77% vs. 66%, p = 0.003), higher rate of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker treatment (50% vs. 38%, p = 0.001) and higher baseline HbA1c level (70 vs. 64 mmol/mol, 8.6 vs. 8.0%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographics, metabolic profiles and inflammatory markers, developing microalbuminuria was significantly associated with baseline resting heart rate of 70-74, 75-80 and >80 beats/min (with hazard ratios [95% CI] of 2.05 [1.32, 3.18], 2.10 [1.32, 3.32] and 1.62 [1.01, 2.59], respectively) compared to resting heart rates <70 beats/min. An average increased risk of microalbuminuria for increment of 10 beats/min was about 24% among those with hypertension (with hazard ratios of 1.24 [1.05, 1.47] in the multivariable Cox model). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective cohort study showed that resting heart rate may be an associative risk factor for developing microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes.

Origin of magnetic properties in carbon implanted ZnO nanowires.

Various synchrotron radiation-based spectroscopic and microscopic techniques are used to elucidate the room-temperature ferromagnetism of carbon-doped ZnO-nanowires (ZnO-C:NW) via a mild C+ ion implantation method. The photoluminescence and magnetic hysteresis loops reveal that the implantation of C reduces the number of intrinsic surface defects and increases the saturated magnetization of ZnO-NW. The interstitial implanted C ions constitute the majority of defects in ZnO-C:NW as confirmed by the X-ray absorption spectroscopic studies. The X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectra of O and C K-edge respectively indicate there is a reduction in the number of unpaired/dangling O 2p bonds in the surface region of ZnO-C:NW and the C 2p-derived states of the implanted C ions strongly affect the net spin polarization in the surface and bulk regions of ZnO-C:NW. Furthermore, these findings corroborate well with the first-principles calculations of C-implanted ZnO in surface and bulk regions, which highlight the stability of implanted C for the suppression and enhancement of the ferromagnetism of the ZnO-C:NW in the surface region and bulk phase, respectively.

A Point-based Mortality Prediction System for Older Adults with Diabetes.

The mortality prediction models for the general diabetic population have been well established, but the corresponding elderly-specific model is still lacking. This study aims to develop a mortality prediction model for the elderly with diabetes. The data used for model establishment were derived from the nationwide adult health screening program in Taiwan in 2007-2010, from which we applied a 10-fold cross-validation method for model construction and internal validation. The external validation was tested on the MJ health screening database collected in 2004-2007. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict five-year mortality for diabetic patients ≥65 years. A total of 220,832 older subjects with diabetes were selected for model construction, of whom 23,241 (10.5%) died by the end of follow-up (December 31, 2011). The significant predictors retained in the final model included age, gender, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, leukocyte count, liver and renal function, total cholesterol, hemoglobin, albumin, and uric acid. The Harrell's C in the development, internal-, and external-validation datasets were 0.737, 0.746, and 0.685, respectively. We established an easy-to-use point-based model that could accurately predict five-year mortality risk in older adults with diabetes.

A 15-year-long Southern blotting analysis of FMR1 to detect female carriers and for prenatal diagnosis of fragile X syndrome in Taiwan.

Here, we review the results of Southern blotting analyses of the FMR1 gene performed in our reference laboratory in Taiwan over a 15-year period. In total, 725 high-risk women with a family history of fragile X syndrome (FXS) or idiopathic intellectual disability, 3911 low-risk pregnant women without such family history, and prenatal diagnosis data for 32 foetuses from 24 carrier mothers were included. Only 2 carriers were in the low-risk group, which indicated a prevalence of 1 of 1955 women (95% confidence interval: 1/7156-1/539). A total of 100 carriers were found to be in the high-risk group, thus revealing a significantly higher frequency than the low-risk group (100/725 vs 2/3911, P<0.0001). Eight of the 14 foetuses that inherited the maternal mutant allele were verified to have a full mutation, with the smallest maternal pre-mutation allele carrying 56 CGG repeats. The overall findings confirmed that the carrier prevalence among low-risk women in Taiwan is significantly lower than that reported in western countries. Therefore, the most important step for preventing FXS in Taiwan would be to focus on high-risk women by promoting general awareness of this disease and spreading knowledge regarding the benefits of carrier screening and prenatal testing.

Nafamostat Mesilate Attenuates Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Renal Injury.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that nafamostat mesilate (NM) inhibits inflammatory injury via inhibition of complement activation in ischemic heart, liver, and intestine. However, it is unclear if NM also inhibits apoptosis in ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-injured kidney. We therefore investigated whether NM attenuates IR renal injury that involves inhibition of apoptosis. METHODS: HK-2 cells and male C57BL/6 mice were used for this study. C57Bl/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: sham, NM (2 mg/kg) + sham, IR injury (IR injury; reperfusion 27 minutes after clamping of both the renal artery and vein), and NM + IR injury. Kidneys were harvested 24 hours after IR injury, and functional and molecular parameters were evaluated. For in vitro studies, HK-2 cells were incubated for 6 hours with mineral paraffin oil to induce hypoxic injury, and then treated with various doses of NM to evaluate the antiapoptotic effects. RESULTS: Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine levels, and renal tissue injury scores in NM + IR-injured mice were significantly lower than those of control IR mice (all P < .01). NM significantly improved cell survival in hypoxic HK-2 cells (P < .01), significantly decreased renal Bax expression (P < .05), and increased renal Bcl-2 protein levels in IR kidneys and hypoxic HK-2 cells compared with those of the sham and control groups. The numbers of terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling- and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine-positive cells were significantly lower in NM + IR-injured kidneys compared with those in control IR-injured mice (P < .05); NM treatment decreased the expression of inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in IR-injured mice (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: NM ameliorates IR renal injury via inhibition of apoptosis by, at least in part, lowering nitric oxide overproduction, reducing Bax, and increasing Bcl-2.

Clinical impact of coexisting retinopathy and vascular calcification on chronic kidney disease progression and cardiovascular events.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Retinopathy and vascular calcification (VC) are representative markers of microvascular and macrovascular dysfunction in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, their relationship and combined effects on clinical outcomes remain undetermined. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 523 patients with nondialysis-dependent CKD stage 3-5 who had been examined with fundus photography for diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy. Simple radiographs were analyzed for the presence of VC. The clinical significance of VC of the abdominal aorta and iliofemoral artery (apVC) and retinopathy was evaluated in terms of the rate of renal function decline and composite of any cardiovascular event or death. CKD patients with retinopathy showed higher prevalence of apVC than those without retinopathy (25.6% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.001).The presence of retinopathy was independently associated with apVC (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.31, 3.49). In multivariate analysis, compared with subjects with neither apVC nor retinopathy, the coexistence of both apVC and retinopathy were independently associated with rapid renal function decline (ß = -1.51; 95% CI -2.40, -0.61), whereas apVC or retinopathy alone were not. Compared with subjects with neither apVC nor retinopathy, the HRs for composite end points were 1.05 (95% CI 0.48, 2.27), 1.79 (95% CI 1.14, 2.80), and 2.07 (95% CI 1.17, 3.67) for patients with apVC only, those with retinopathy only, and those with both apVC and retinopathy, respectively. CONCLUSION: The coexistence of VC and retinopathy was independently associated with CKD progression and cardiovascular events or deaths, and its combined effect was stronger than any separate condition.

Effects of training using an active video game on agility and balance.

AIM: The aim of this paper was to examine the effects of training using Xbox Kinect on agility and balance in healthy young adults. METHODS: Forty-three healthy adults (aged 20 to 30 years) were randomized to either an intervention or control group. The intervention group played Xbox Kinect 3 times per week, for an average of 20 minutes per session for 6 weeks. The control group did not play Xbox Kinect. All the participants completed assessments of agility and balance at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 weeks. RESULTS: After 6 weeks of training the intervention group showed significant improvement in agility at 2 weeks and showed continued improvement at 4 and 6 weeks (P<0.05). Dynamic balance in the medial and posterior directions also began to improve in the intervention group at 2 weeks and showed continued improvement at 4 and 6 weeks (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the intervention and control group in static balance (P=0.538). CONCLUSION: A 6-week active video game training program appears to be effective in improving agility and dynamic balance in the medial and posterior directions in healthy young adults.

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of chronic kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a nationwide longitudinal cohort study.

AIMS: To investigate the temporal relationship between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the development of chronic kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study and followed up a population with Type 2 diabetes who were chronic kidney disease-free (n = 48,715) using national health insurance claims data in Taiwan. Exposure status to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 2007 was measured. A total of 6406 subjects with incident chronic kidney disease were identified from the period 2008 to 2011. Multivariable proportional hazards models were applied to determine the temporal relationship between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the development of chronic kidney disease. RESULTS: We observed a significant temporal relationship between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and the development of chronic kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes. Compared with people not taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in 2007, those who were taking such drugs for at least 90 days in 2007 had a higher risk of chronic kidney disease development (adjusted hazard ratio 1.37, 95% CI 1.26-1.49). In subgroup analyses, those people (irrespective of age, sex, various comorbidities and use of anti-hypertensive drugs, aspirin or acetaminophen) who were taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least 90 days were more likely to develop chronic kidney disease than people who were not taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is a positive temporal relationship between non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and increased risk of chronic kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should be based on clinical evaluations of benefits and risks, and should be prescribed with caution for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Decreased parathyroid Klotho expression is associated with persistent hyperparathyroidism after kidney transplantation.

Although successful kidney transplantation usually corrects hyperparathyroidism, the condition persists in some patients. The present study was designed to determine whether Klotho or fibroblast growth factor 23, the key regulator of parathyroid hormone, is involved in persistent hyperparathyroidism in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Nineteen hyperplastic parathyroid glands were obtained from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and KTRs; 6 normal parathyroid glands were used as controls. We compared the expression of Klotho, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) and calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in the KTRs and ESRD patients. Expressions of Klotho, FGFR1, CaSR and vitamin D receptor, as evaluated by immunohistochemistry, were quantified as the number of positive cells per unit area. The Klotho, FGFR1 and CaSR expressions in parathyroid glands of the post-kidney transplantation (PSKT) and the ESRD groups were significantly decreased compared with normal controls. In the ESRD group, Klotho expression and number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells in the parathyroid gland were significantly decreased in parathyroid adenomas as compared with parathyroid hyperplasia. The expression of FGFR1 and CaSR in the parathyroid glands was significantly increased in the PSKT compared with the ESRD group. There was no significant difference in Klotho expression between the PSKT and ESRD groups. Incomplete recovery of Klotho levels in the parathyroid gland may play a role in the pathogenesis of tertiary hyperparathyroidism after kidney transplantation.

Neuroprotective effect of agmatine in rats with transient cerebral ischemia using MR imaging and histopathologic evaluation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to further investigate the effects of agmatine on brain edema in the rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) monitoring and biochemical and histopathologic evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following surgical induction of MCAO for 90min, agmatine was injected 5min after beginning of reperfusion and again once daily for the next 3 post-operative days. The events during ischemia and reperfusion were investigated by T2-weighted images (T2WI), serial diffusion-weighted images (DWI), calculated apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (CE-T1WI) during 3h-72h in a 1.5T Siemens MAGNETON Avanto Scanner. Lesion volumes were analyzed in a blinded and randomized manner. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), Nissl, and Evans Blue stainings were performed at the corresponding sections. RESULTS: Increased lesion volumes derived from T2WI, DWI, ADC, CE-T1WI, and TTC all were noted at 3h and peaked at 24h-48h after MCAO injury. TTC-derived infarct volumes were not significantly different from the T2WI, DWI-, and CE-T1WI-derived lesion volumes at the last imaging time (72h) point except for significantly smaller ADC lesions in the MCAO model (P<0.05). Volumetric calculation based on TTC-derived infarct also correlated significantly stronger to volumetric calculation based on last imaging time point derived on T2WI, DWI or CE-T1WI than ADC (P<0.05). At the last imaging time point, a significant increase in Evans Blue extravasation and a significant decrease in Nissl-positive cells numbers were noted in the vehicle-treated MCAO injured animals. The lesion volumes derived from T2WI, DWI, CE-T1WI, and Evans blue extravasation as well as the reduced numbers of Nissl-positive cells were all significantly attenuated in the agmatine-treated rats compared with the control ischemia rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that agmatine has neuroprotective effects against brain edema on a reperfusion model after transient cerebral ischemia.

The effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance: a meta-analysis.

There is a substantial body of literature related to the effects of a single session of exercise on cognitive performance. The premise underlying this research is that physiological changes in response to exercise have implications for cognitive function. This literature has been reviewed both narratively and meta-analytically and, although the research findings are mixed, researchers have generally concluded that there is a small positive effect. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to provide an updated comprehensive analysis of the extant literature on acute exercise and cognitive performance and to explore the effects of moderators that have implications for mechanisms of the effects. Searches of electronic databases and examinations of reference lists from relevant studies resulted in 79 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Consistent with past findings, analyses indicated that the overall effect was positive and small (g=0.097 n=1034). Positive and small effects were also found in all three acute exercise paradigms: during exercise (g=0.101; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.041-0.160), immediately following exercise (g=0.108; 95% CI; 0.069-0.147), and after a delay (g=0.103; 95% CI; 0.035-0.170). Examination of potential moderators indicated that exercise duration, exercise intensity, type of cognitive performance assessed, and participant fitness were significant moderators. In conclusion, the effects of acute exercise on cognitive performance are generally small; however, larger effects are possible for particular cognitive outcomes and when specific exercise parameters are used.

Safety and efficacy of a quinolone-based regimen for treatment of tuberculosis in renal transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Rifampin (RFP) is a first-line antituberculosis drug, but it increases the risk of acute rejection (AR) in transplant recipients. This study evaluated whether quinolone (QNL) can replace RFP in renal transplant recipients with tuberculosis. METHODS: One hundred nine patients with active tuberculosis were included. Patients consisted of RFP (n = 91) and QNL (n = 18) groups based on the initial treatment regimen. Patients with RFP-associated adverse effects were subdivided into RFP-maintenance (RFP-M; n = 18) and QNL-conversion (QNL-C; n = 8) groups. Clinical outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS: The incidence of AR was higher in the RFP group than in the QNL group (24.2% vs 5.6%). The QNL group showed significantly higher 10-year graft survival rates than the RFP group (88.1% vs 66.5%; P = .022). The QNL-C group showed significantly higher 10-year graft survival rates than the RFP-M group (87.5% vs 27.8%; P = .011). The rate of complete functional recovery after AR was higher in the QNL-C group than in the RFP-M group (50% vs 22.2%). CONCLUSIONS: A QNL-based regimen may be safe and effective for treatment of tuberculosis and may lower the risk of graft failure in renal transplant recipients.

Association of BANK1 and TNFSF4 with systemic lupus erythematosus in Hong Kong Chinese.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoimmune disease with complex genetic inheritance. Recently, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in BANK1 and TNFSF4 have been shown to be associated with SLE in Caucasian populations, but it is not known whether they are also involved in the disease in other ethnic groups. Recent data from our genome-wide association study (GWAS) for 314 SLE cases and 920 controls collected in Hong Kong identified SNPs in and around BANK1 and TNFSF4 to be associated with SLE risk. On the basis of the results of the reported studies and our GWAS, SNPs were selected for further genotyping in 949 SLE patients (overlapping with the 314 cases in our GWAS) and non-overlapping 1042 healthy controls. We confirmed the associations of BANK1 and TNFSF4 with SLE in Chinese (BANK1, rs3733197, odds ratio (OR)=0.84, P=0.021; BANK1, rs17266594, OR=0.61, P=4.67 x 10(-9); TNFSF4, rs844648, OR=1.22, P=2.47 x 10(-3); TNFSF4, rs2205960, OR=1.30, P=2.41 x 10(-4)). Another SNP located in intron 1 of BANK1, rs4522865, was separately replicated by Sequenom in 360 cases and 360 controls and was also confirmed to be associated with SLE (OR=0.725, P=2.93 x 10(-3)). Logistic regression analysis showed that rs3733197 (A383T in ankyrin domain) and rs17266594 (a branch point-site SNP) from BANK1 had independent contributions towards the disease association (P=0.037 and 6.63 x 10(-8), respectively). In TNFSF4, rs2205960 was associated with SLE independently from the effect of rs844648 (P=6.26 x 10(-3)), but not vice versa (P=0.55). These findings suggest that multiple independent genetic variants may be present within the gene locus, which exert their effects on SLE pathogenesis through different mechanisms.

Enhanced degradation of chlorinated ethylenes in groundwater from a paint contaminated site by two-stage fluidized-bed reactor.

Groundwater, used in this study, contaminated predominantly with aromatic compounds, was biologically treated in a fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) with immobilized cells. The aromatics were completely decomposed, while cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) were decomposed only approximately 20% and 5%, respectively. In these studies a significant improvement of the decomposition efficiency for chlorinated ethylenes was achieved by utilizing cometabolism. Methanol (MeOH) and toluene were used as the substrate in the case of one-stage reactor (Single Reactor). MeOH (187 mg l(-1)) increased the decomposition efficiency up to 40% and 60% for cis-DCE and TCE, respectively, while toluene (20 mg l(-1)) increased the decomposition efficiency of cis-DCE to 92% and the decomposition efficiency of TCE to 76%. In the case of two-stage reactor system (Reactor 1 and Reactor 2), MeOH and methane (CH4) were used as the substrate. In this system, cells grown on MeOH or CH4 in the Reactor 1 were continuously fed into Reactor 2 and groundwater was fed into Reactor 2 only. When MeOH (384 mg l(-1) d(-1)) was used as substrate the decomposition efficiency of cis-DCE and TCE were 60% and 70%, respectively. Similar decomposition efficiency was observed for a small amount of CH4 (19.3 mg l(-1) d(-1)).

Intracervical misoprostol and prostaglandin E2 for labor induction.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the safety and efficacy of misoprostol with PGE(2) for induction of labor by intracervical administration. METHODS: Eighty-six women with indications for labor induction at term were randomly assigned to two groups. Each woman received either 50 microg of misoprostol or 0.5 mg of prostaglandin E(2) intracervically. If labor was not initiated after 4 h, the same dose was repeated every 4 h to a maximum of 200 microg of misoprostol or 1.5 mg of PGE(2) until adequate labor was achieved. RESULTS: Forty-three women were allocated to the misoprostol group and 43 to the prostaglandin E(2) group. Misoprostol was more effective than PGE(2) in producing cervical changes (P<0.025). Delivery within 12 h after the first administration occurred more often in the misoprostol group than in the PGE(2) one (85% vs. 56%, P<0.05). Less patients in the misoprostol group required oxytocin augmentation than in the PGE(2) one (16.3% vs. 39.5%, P<0.05). Uterine tachysystole and hyperstimulation occurred more frequently in the misoprostol group (44.1%) than in the PGE(2) group (18.7%) (P<0.05). Nevertheless, no statistically significant differences were noted between the two groups including mode of delivery and neonatal or maternal adverse outcome. The interval from induction to vaginal delivery was significantly shorter in the misoprostol group (480+/-172 min vs. 657+/-436 min, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with prostaglandin E(2), intracervical misoprostol is more effective in cervical ripening and labor induction at term. The higher frequency of uterine hypercontractility associated with the use of misoprostol did not increase the risk of adverse intrapartum and neonatal outcomes.

Production of a desulfurization biocatalyst by two-stage fermentation and its application for the treatment of model and diesel oils.

For the production of oil-desulfurizing biocatalyst, a two-stage fermentation strategy was adopted, in which the cell growth stage and desulfurization activity induction stage were separated. Sucrose was found to be the optimal carbon source for the growth of Gordonia nitida CYKS1. Magnesium sulfate was selected to be the sulfur source in the cell growth stage. The optimal ranges of sucrose and magnesium sulfate were 10-50 and 1-2.5 g x L(-1), respectively. Such a broad optimal concentration of sucrose made the fed-batch culture easy, while the sucrose concentration was maintained between 10-20 g x L(-1) in the actual operation. As a result, 92.6 g x L(-1) of cell mass was acquired by 120 h of fed-batch culture. This cell mass was over three times higher than a previously reported result, though the strain used was different. The desulfurization activity of the harvested cells from the first stage culture was induced by batch cultivation with dibenzothiophene as the sole sulfur source. The optimal induction time was found to be about 4 h. The resting-cell biocatalyst made from the induced cells was applied for the deep desulfurization of a diesel oil. It was observed that the sulfur content of the diesel oil decreased from 250 mg-sulfur x L-oil(-1) to as low as 61 mg-sulfur x L-oil(-1) in 20 h. It implied that the biocatalyst developed in this study had a good potential to be applied to a deep desulfurization process to produce ultra-low-sulfur fuel oils.

Twin-screw extrusion of cassava starch and isolated soybean protein blends.

The effects of the extrusion parameters on isolated soybean protein (ISP) and cassava starch (CS) blends were studied. Extruded samples were prepared by using a ZSK-30 Werner and Pfleiderer twin-screw extruder. The study was carried out using Response Surface Methodology. The ISP followed by the moisture content were the most important linear variables significantly affecting axial expansion, specific volume, water solubility index and colour difference. The radial and axial expansion ranged from 2.30 to 3.77 and from 1.02 to 2.62, respectively. The highest ISP concentrations in the blends resulted in the highest specific volumes of the extrudates. Simultaneous increases of the barrel temperature and ISP level increased the water absorption index and lowered the water solubility index of the extrudates. Extruded products were softer at higher barrel temperature. The greatest difference in colour values was for the blends with the highest ISP concentration.

X-ray absorption studies of carbon-related materials.

X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) measurements have been performed on nitrogen-doped diamond films with three different dopant concentrations and iron-layer-stabilized carbon nanotube (CNT) structures with various diameters at the C K-absorption edge using the sample drain current mode. The C K-edge XANES spectra of these N-doped diamond films resemble that of the undoped diamond regardless of the dopant concentration, which suggest that the overall bonding configuration of the C atom is unaltered. N dopants are found to reduce the intensities of both the sp2- and sp3-bond-derived resonance features in the XANES spectra. On the other hand, the C K-edge XANES spectra of CNTs indicate that the intensities of the pi* and sigma* bands and the interlayer-state features vary with the diameter of the CNT. This phenomenon may be caused by the Fe-layer-catalysed bending of the graphite sheet and the interaction between C and Fe atoms.

Serum cystatin C is an independent predictor of total homocysteine levels in stable Korean renal transplant recipients with normal serum creatinine.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the determinants of fasting plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels such as cystatin C, serum creatinine (SCr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from Cockroft-Gault equation, albumin, plasma folate, vitamin B12, and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) among Korean renal transplant recipients (RTR) with normal SCr levels (< or =1.4 mg/dL). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Nephrology and Transplant Service, Catholic University Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Korea. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one chronic stable Korean RTR with normal SCr levels (< or =1.4 mg/dL) 6 months or more following transplantation. MEASURES: Medical record review, anthropometric measurements, and overnight (10 to 14 hours) fasting blood samples for measurement of plasma tHcy, folate, vitamin B12, PLP, SCr, albumin, and cystatin C. RESULTS: General linear regression model including age, gender, vitamin status, and measurements of renal function showed that cystatin C and folate were independent predictors of tHcy levels. The partial regression coefficient for folate was -0.444 (P <.01) and for cystatin C, it was +0.334 (P <.05). SCr, estimated GFR, vitamin B12, PLP, age, and gender were not independent predictors of tHcy levels in this model. CONCLUSION: Both cystatin C and folate status were major independent determinants of fasting tHcy levels in the subgroup of Korean RTR with normal SCr.