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We evaluated the antialbuminuric advantage of cilnidipine, an N/L-type calcium channel blocker (CCB), compared with L-type CCBs in diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria and microalbuminuria. The study was a multicenter, non-randomized crossover trial. Participants were 90 type 2 diabetic patients exhibiting either normo- or microalbuminuria, and undergoing CCB treatment for >=6 months prior to study entry. The CCB at the time of entry was continued for the first 6 months (Period 1). Treatment was subsequently switched from cilnidipine to an L-type CCB, or vice versa, for the second 6-month observation period (Period 2). During Period 1, the L-type CCB group showed a significant increase of urinary albumin excretion (UAE) over time, while the cilnidipine group showed no significant elevation. During Period 2, switching of the treatment from the L-type CCB to cilnidipine resulted in significant reduction of the UAE, whereas switching from cilnidipine to the L-type CCB resulted in no significant change in the UAE. This study demonstrated that the antialbuminuric effect of Cilnidipine, but not the L-type CCBs, was sustained even in patients treated for a long time. In addition, the antialbuminuric effect can be anticipated after switching from an L-type CCB to cilnidipine, but not vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electron emission characteristics of needle-type semiconductor diamond electron emitters with pulsed bias operation were evaluated. An X-ray generation experiment was performed. Fowler–Nordheim plotting confirmed that field emission completely governed the electron emission. Maximum emission current of 4.2 mA was achieved using an n-type diamond needle. The needle tip, with area smaller than 1 μm2, had estimated electron emission density greater than 4.2×105 A/cm2. The effective emission area obtained from the Fowler–Nordheim plot was several 10−13 cm2. For adopting and emission area of 1×10−12 cm2, the estimated electron emission density was higher than 4.2×109 A/cm2. Furthermore, the average emission current was 0.5–0.6 mA. This large electron emission was continued for several seconds and repeatable. A threshold electric field existed for electron emission higher than 50 kV/mm; pulsed electron emissions of less than 30 ms were created by slow triangular waveform shaped bias voltage supplied at frequencies of 5–10 Hz. An improved vacuum level and pulsed bias operation prevented damage to diamond electron emitters and steady electron emission better than with thermoelectronic emission and high bias voltage supply in DC mode; continuous X-ray generation of 1 h was achieved. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Emission currents and other characteristics of needle type diamond electron emitters were evaluated for application to diamond X-ray sources. The evaluation system consisted of a Pyrex glass vacuum chamber, a turbo molecular pump, and a −50 kV high-voltage supplier. A needle type phosphorus-doped semiconductor diamond electron emitter was kept at 600 °C by ohmic heating in a vacuum environment; emission current of ca. 1.1 μA was observed with bias voltage of −50 kV. In addition, the electron orbit and intensity were estimated using an electron optics and electron gun design program ‘EGUN’. Great differences were apparent between experimental and calculated results: 64 μA electron emission current. This result was probably the result of a change in the shape of the tip of the diamond electron emitter. X-rays were generated using electrons from the diamond electron emitter with a tungsten target; energy spectra of the generated X-rays were measured. Then fluoroscopy was carried out. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper considers checkpointing intervals for a double modular redundancy (DMR) with signatures: a signature is a mapping of the original space into a much smaller space and represents the state of each processor. An execution time of a task is divided equally into n intervals, and at the end of each interval, a compare-and-store-checkpoint (CSCP) is always placed. Further, each CSCP interval is also divided equally into m intervals, and at the end of each interval, two processors calculate signatures and compare them. If signatures are different, it is judged that an error has occurred. Then, two processors are rolled back to the previous CSCP. We consider two types of checkpointing schemes: one scheme has signatures between CSCPs, and another scheme has signatures and a function of CCP between CSCPs. For each scheme, the mean execution times are obtained. Optimal checkpointing intervals which minimize the mean times are analytically derived. Further, two schemes are compared as numerical examples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Amrubicin, a new anthracycline agent, has shown high activity for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) in previous studies. However, a combination regimen with amrubicin and platinum has been investigated little. On the basis of previous phase I study, we conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of amrubicin and carboplatin for elderly patients with SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fundamental recovery technique for some medium failures in a database system is regularly carried out by executing a full backup that takes all copies of updated files. However, the overhead of such full backup becomes sometimes very large in a massive database system. To lessen the overhead of backups, an incremental backup with small overhead, which takes only copies of newly updated files, is usually adopted in most database systems. However, the overhead of an incremental backup increases in proportion to the total amount of updated files. It would be necessary to determine when to make full backups. This paper proposes a stochastic model with incremental and full backups: the expected costs incurred for two backups are obtained, and an optimal full backup interval which minimizes them is discussed. It is shown that an optimal interval is given by a finite and unique solution of an equation under suitable conditions. Finally, a numerical example is given and some useful discussions are made. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims: The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate intrarenal RAS activity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: We measured urinary angiotensinogen, a reliable biomarker of intrarenal RAS activity, in 14 controls without T2DM, 25 T2DM patients without nephropathy, 11 chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients without T2DM and 46 CKD patients with T2DM. Associations between urinary angiotensinogen and clinical parameters were examined. Results: Compared with the controls, urinary [angiotensinogen:creatinine] were significantly higher in T2DM patients without nephropathy (4.70±2.22 vs. 8.31±5.27μg/g, p =0.037). Age, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose correlated significantly and positively with the log{urinary [angiotensinogen:creatinine]} (r =0.632, p =0.007; r =0.405, p =0.027; r =0.583, p =0.003, respectively) in T2DM patients without nephropathy. In contrast, the urinary [angiotensinogen:creatinine] were not significantly different between CKD patients with and without T2DM (22.7±27.8 vs. 33.5±40.8μg/g, p =0.740); although they were significantly higher when compared with non-CKD patients. In the CKD patients with T2DM systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate and urinary [albumin:creatinine] correlated significantly with the log{urinary [angiotensinogen:creatinine]} (r =0.412, p =0.004; r =0.308, p =0.037; r =−0.382, p =0.001; r =0.648, p <0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that poor glycemic control is significantly associated with intrarenal RAS activity in T2DM patients without nephropathy, and that decreased renal function is significantly associated with intrarenal RAS activity in CKD patients with T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine whether glomerular hemodynamic parameters in humans are associated with glycemic control indices, by simultaneously measuring clearance of inulin (Cin) and para-aminohippuric acid (CPHA).Methods: Thirty-one subjects (age 55.4±14.7 years; 15 men and 16 women; 21 diabetics and 10 non-diabetics) were enrolled. Cin and CPAH were measured simultaneously. Afferent arteriolar resistance (Ra), efferent arteriolar resistance (Re), glomerular hydrostatic pressure (Pglo) and glomerular filtration fraction (FF) were calculated according to Gomez' formula.Results: FF correlated significantly and positively with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glycated albumin (GA) (r=0.396, p=0.0303; r=0.587, p=0.0007; r=0.525, p=0.0070, respectively). Pglo correlated significantly and positively with FPG, HbA1c and GA (r=0.572, p=0.0008; r=0.535, p=0.0019; r=0.540, p=0.0053, respectively). Although there was no significant correlation between Ra and glycemic control indices, Re correlated significantly and positively with HbA1c and GA (r=0.499, p=0.0043; r=0.592, p=0.0018, respectively). FF, Pglo and Re were associated significantly with HbA1c and GA after adjustment for age.Conclusions: These results demonstrate, in humans, that poor glycemic control is associated with increased Re, but not Ra. It is suggested that increased Re causes increased Pglo, leading to increased FF. Thus, hemodynamic abnormalities with poor glycemic control may be related to glomerular hypertension in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]