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In this paper, we consider recurrent behavior of bounded solutions for a functional integro-differential equation arising from heat conduction in materials with memory. Prior to the main results, we give a new version of composite theorem on measure pseudo almost automorphic functions involved in delay. Based on recently obtained results on the uniform exponential stability as well as contraction mapping principle, we prove some existence and uniqueness theorems on the recurrence of bounded mild solutions for the addressed equations with infinite delay. Finally, we finish this paper with an example on partial integro-differential equation which frequently comes to light in the study of heat conduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which measured x-ray absorption near edge structure spectra of thin films using the fluorescence and sample drain current modes. Methodology; Results and discussion; Conclusion.

This paper is mainly concerned with the existence of mild solutions for a first-order impulsive neutral integro-differential equation with state-dependent delay. We assume that the undelayed part generates an analytic resolvent operator and transforms it into an integral equation. By using a fixed-point theorem for condensing maps combined with theories of analytic resolvent operators, we prove some existence theorems. As an application of these main theorems, some practical consequences are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we establish a sufficient condition for the controllability of a first-order semilinear differential system with nonlocal initial conditions in Banach spaces. The approach used is the Sadovskii fixed-point theorem combined with operator semigroups. Particularly, the compactness of the operator semigroups is not needed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 × 10−9; TNFSF4, rs844648, OR=1.22, P=2.47 × 10−3; TNFSF4, rs2205960, OR=1.30, P=2.41 × 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 × 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 × 10−8, respectively). In TNFSF4, rs2205960 was associated with SLE independently from the effect of rs844648 (P=6.26 × 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.Genes and Immunity (2009) 10, 414–420; doi:10.1038/gene.2009.16; published online 9 April 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused mainly upon existence of solutions for a second-order impulsive hyperbolic differential inclusions with nonlocal initial conditions. By using some well-known fixed-point theorems, existence theorems are established when the multivalued map has convex or nonconvex values. As applications of these main theorems, some consequences are given for the sublinear growth cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sufficient condition is established for the controllability of neutral functional integro-differential inclusions with an unbounded delay in Banach spaces. The approach used is a fixed-point theorem for condensing maps due to Martelli and the theory of analytic semigroup of linear operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the controllability of second-order differential and integrodifferential inclusions in Banach spaces are investigated. Two new results are obtained by using the theory of strongly continuous cosine families and a fixed-point theorem for multivalued maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the safety and efficacy of misoprostol with PGE2 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 μg of misoprostol or 0.5 mg of prostaglandin E2 intracervically. If labor was not initiated after 4 h, the same dose was repeated every 4 h to a maximum of 200 μg of misoprostol or 1.5 mg of PGE2 until adequate labor was achieved. Results: Forty-three women were allocated to the misoprostol group and 43 to the prostaglandin E2 group. Misoprostol was more effective than PGE2 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 PGE2 one (85% vs. 56%, P<0.05). Less patients in the misoprostol group required oxytocin augmentation than in the PGE2 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 PGE2 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 E2, 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. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is mainly concerned with the existence and uniqueness of solutions for fractional integrodifferential equations with interval impulses and infinite delay. The results are obtained by using Schauder's fixed point theorem. An example illustrating our main result is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whole sesame paste (WSP) and resistant starch type 2 (RS2) have been shown to have health benefits. This in vivo study evaluated the protective effect of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) on colon carcinogenesis in rats on diets containing WSP and RS-2. Four formulations were produced according to AIN-93G, as follows: A (control); B (WSP); C (WSP and RS2); and D (RS2), using a twin-screw extruder in the same conditions. Weaned Wistar male rats were divided into 8 groups of 8 animals each. The animals were fed the diets over 28days and received injections of DMH or EDTA from days 14 to 21. There was no significant (Tukey's test, p<0.05) difference in growth profile, liver and muscle glycogen in rats on all diets. In the DMH groups, the protective effect of both WSP and RS2 was observed for diets B, C, and D, reducing from 60 to 80% the values of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and aberrant crypt (AC), and from 98 to 100% the mucin-depleted ACF, and with reduction in oxidative stress as compared to the control diet (Kruskal-Wallis, p<0.05). These results indicate that both the antioxidant compounds in sesame and the products of colonic fermentation of resistant starch were beneficial to protect the mucosa against chemical carcinogenesis induced by DMH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: 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. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study we measured the Fe, Mn, and Ni L[sub 2,3]-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of the ferromagnetic (FM) NiFe and antiferromagnetic (AFM) FeMn bilayer films prepared with various annealing temperatures. The branching ratios of the white-line intensities in the Fe, Mn, and Ni L[sub 2,3]-edges XANES spectra and consequently the magnetic properties of these exchange-biased FM NiFe — AFM FeMn bilayers are found to depend strongly on the annealing temperature. We find that the first peak in the Fe, Mn, and Ni K-edge EXAFS Fourier transform spectra are very similar, which suggests that the nearest-neighbor bond lengths among Fe, Mn, and Ni atoms are essentially the same in the NiFe-FeMn bilayers. However, the peaks at distances greater than ∼ 3 Å appear to be sensitive to the annealing temperature especially for the Fe and Mn K-edge spectra, which suggests that annealing alters the atomic structures of the next-nearest-neighbor and more distant shells surrounding the Fe and Mn atoms in the NiFe-FeMn bilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the long-term stability of KEtX/Cu(OH)2 matrix under early-period and late-period landfill leachates was evaluated using semi-dynamic leaching test (SDLT), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. The results of SDLT after 60-day periods of extraction indicated that the cumulative leaching of Cu was only 0.72% and 3.34% of the total Cu in the KEtX/Cu(OH)2 matrix under early-period and late-period landfill leachates, respectively. The investigation of crystallinity and functional groups between the leached KEtX/Cu(OH)2 matrices after 1-day and 60-day periods of extraction using XRD and FTIR indicated that the KEtX/Cu(OH)2 matrices were perfectly unaffectedby the extraction using early-period and late-period landfill leachates during the 60-day leach time. Consequently, the KEtX/Cu(OH)2 matrix had a stabilizing behavior extracted in landfill leachates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angle-dependent x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and scanning photoelectron microscopy (SPEM) measurements have been performed to differentiate local electronic structures of the tips and sidewalls of highly aligned carbon nanotubes. The intensities of both &pi*- and σ*-band C K-edge XANES features are found to be significantly enhanced at the tip. SPEM results also show that the tips have a larger density of states and a higher C 1s binding energy than those of sidewalls. The increase of the tip XANES and SPEM intensities are quite uniform over an energy range wider than 10 eV in contrast to earlier finding that the enhancement is only near the Fermi level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As-grown and Zn-implanted wurtzite GaN samples have been studied by angle-dependent x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements at the N and Ga K-edges and the Ga L[SUB3]-edge. The angle dependence of the XANES spectra shows that the Ga-N bonds lying in the bilayer have lower energies than bonds along the c-axis, which can be attributed to the polar nature of the GaN film. The comparison of the Ga L[SUB3]-edge XANES spectra of as-grown and Zn-doped GaN reveals significant dopant induced enhancement of near-edge Ga d-derived states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray-absorption near edge structure (XANES) measurements have been performed to investigate the local electronic structures of the Fe-catalyzed and stabilized carbon nanotubes (CNT) with various diameters. The intensities of the π[sup *]- and σ[sup *]-band and the interlayer-state features in the C K-edge XANES spectra of these CNTs vary with the diameter of the CNT. The white-line features at the C K- and Fe L[sub 3]-edges suggest a strong hybridization between the C 2p and Fe 3d orbitals, which lead to an enhancement of the C K- and reduction of the Fe L[sub 3]-edge features, respectively, indicative of a charge transfer from C 2p to Fe 3d orbitals. The Fe K-edge spectra reveal a p–d rehybridization effect that reduces p-orbital occupation at the Fe site. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra of hard amorphous a-Si–C–N thin films with various compositions were measured at the C and N K-edge using sample drain current and fluorescent modes. The C K-edge XANES spectra of a-Si–C–N contain a relatively large 1s→π[sup *] peak, indicating that a substantial percentage of carbon atoms in the a-Si–C–N films have sp[sup 2] or graphite-like bonding. Both the observed sp[sup 2] intensity and the Young’s modulus decrease with an increase in the carbon content. For N K-edge XANES spectra of the a-Si–C–N films we find the emergence of a sharp peak near the threshold when the carbon content is larger than between 9% and 36%, which indicates that carbon and nitrogen atoms tend to form local graphitic carbon nitride. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has been used to investigate the electronic structure of as-deposited and oxidized Ni/Au contacts on p-GaN. The Ni K-, L[sub 2,3]-, and O K-edges x-ray absorption spectra clearly show the formation of NiO in the annealed contacts. Annealing in air increases Ni-site hole concentration and slightly shortens the nearest-neighbor Ni-O bond length, which enhances p-d hybridization and charge transfer from Ni to O. The observed very low specific contact resistance in the oxidized contacts is found to be due to the enhanced hole concentration at the Ni site. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) measurements have been performed for nitrogen (N) containing diamond films with three different N concentrations at the C K-edge using the sample drain current mode. The C K-edge XANES spectra of these diamond films resemble that of the pure diamond regardless of the N concentration, which suggests that the overall bonding configuration of the C atom is unaltered. N impurities are found to reduce the intensities of both the sp[sup 2]- and sp[sup 3]-bond derived resonance features in the XANES spectra. The valence-band photoelectron spectra indicate that N atoms cause the broadening of the valence band σ- and π-bond features and the enhancement and reduction of the σ- and π-bond features, respectively. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured x-ray absorption near-edge-structure (XANES) spectra of nanocrystalline- (nc-) and amorphous- (a-) Fe[sub 73.5]Cu[sub 1]Nb[sub 3]Si[sub 13.5]B[sub 9] (nc-FCNSB and a-FCNSB) and Fe[sub 78]Si[sub 13]B[sub 9] (a-FeSiB) alloys at the Fe L[sub 3,2] edge using the sample drain current mode and at the Cu L[sub 3,2], and Nb L[sub 3] edge and Si K edge using the fluorescence mode. The features in the Fe L[sub 3]-edge XANES spectrum of nc-FCNSB changed shape significantly with the addition of Cu and Nb to the Fe-Si-B alloy under the optimum annealing conditions, indicating that Cu and Nb strongly influence the Fe 3d local electronic structure. Closely examining the Cu L[sub 3,2]-edge XANES spectrum of nc-FCNSB reveals that the Cu clusters essentially have a body-centered-cubic structure. The white-line features at the Nb L[sub 3] edge suggest a slight increase in delocalization of Nb 4d orbits when a-FCNSB is crystallized into nc-FCNSB. The Si K-edge XANES spectrum demonstrates the dominance of Fe-Si bonds around the Si atom in nc-FCNSB. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]