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Background/Objectives: Depression and hopelessness are frequently experienced in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are generally associated with lessened physical activity. The aim of this study was to quantify the associations between sarcopenia as determined by SARC-F with both depression and hopelessness. Design and Setting: This multicenter cohort study involving cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses was conducted in a university hospital and four general hospitals, each with a nephrology center, in Japan. Participants: Participants consisted of 314 CKD patients (mean age 67.6), some of whom were receiving dialysis (228, 73%). Measurements: The main exposures were depression, measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) questionnaire, and hopelessness, measured using a recently developed 18-item health-related hope scale (HR-Hope). The outcomes were sarcopenia at baseline and one year after, measured using the SARC-F questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied. Results: The cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses included 314 and 180 patients, respectively. Eighty-nine (28.3%) patients experienced sarcopenia at baseline, and 44 (24.4%) had sarcopenia at the one-year follow-up. More hopelessness (per 10-point lower, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.33, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.12–1.58), depression (AOR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.003–3.49), age (per 10-year higher, AOR: 1.70, 95% CI 1.29–2.25), being female (AOR: 2.67, 95% CI 1.43–4.98), and undergoing hemodialysis (AOR, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.41–6.05) were associated with a higher likelihood of having baseline sarcopenia. More hopelessness (per 10-point lower, AOR: 1.69, 95% CI 1.14–2.51) and depression (AOR: 4.64, 95% CI: 1.33–16.2) were associated with a higher likelihood of having sarcopenia after one year. Conclusions: Among patients with different stages of CKD, both hopelessness and depression predicted sarcopenia. Provision of antidepressant therapies or goal-oriented educational programs to alleviate depression or hopelessness can be useful options to prevent sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of habitual exercise on urinary liver‐type fatty acid‐binding protein (L‐FABP), which can reflect the degree of various stresses on renal proximal tubule related to the progression of renal disease, in middle‐aged and older adults. Cross‐sectional and interventional approaches were used to comprehensively achieve this purpose. In the cross‐sectional study, we investigated the relationship between physical activity levels and urinary L‐FABP levels in 130 middle‐aged and older adults. In the interventional study, subjects (n=31) were divided into two groups: exercise (n=19) and control group (n=12), whereby we examined the effects of 12‐week aerobic exercise training on urinary L‐FABP levels. The cross‐sectional study showed that the urinary L‐FABP levels were significantly lower in the higher physical activity group than in the lower physical activity group (P<.05). In the interventional study, 12‐week aerobic exercise training significantly decreased urinary L‐FABP levels (P<.01). Furthermore, the relative changes in urinary L‐FABP levels were significantly correlated with the relative changes in physical activity levels and mean arterial pressure after intervention (r=−.374 and r=.530, respectively). Our results revealed that the urinary L‐FABP levels were lower in the higher physical activity individuals, and aerobic exercise training decreased urinary L‐FABP levels. These results suggest that habitual exercise appears to be associated with a decrease in the degree of several stresses on renal proximal tubule and to be beneficial for kidney health in middle‐aged and older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term follow-up of kidney donors is needed not only for the individual donor's benefit but also to establish analyzable databases to improve the selection criteria for future donors. We collected data including the date of transplantation, the date of the last follow-up, donor's age, sex, their relationship to the recipient, renal function, proteinuria, and the prevalence of hypertension. Of 124 donors, 52 donors were not being followed up. The mean duration of follow-up was 4.3 ± 3.6 years. Follow-up rates were 83.9%, 74.6%, and 59.2% at 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years postdonation, respectively. Of those not being followed up, 75% dropped out. Follow-up rates did not differ between parent and spouse donors 5 years (57.1% vs. 71.4%; P = 0.4) postdonation. Similarly, follow-up rates at 5 years did not differ between donors aged 60 years or older and those younger than 60 (57.5% vs. 61.3%; P= 0.6). Of 72 donors being followed up, 75.0% had estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m², 8.3% had proteinuria, and 41.7% had hypertension requiring medication. There is a limitation to the endeavor of each transplant center to follow-up all their donors. Long-term donor follow-up in Japan requires a national registration system and mandates transplant center participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term prognosis of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) who present with preserved renal function and minimal proteinuria is not well described. We investigated the long-term outcomes of IgAN patients with an apparently benign presentation and evaluated prognostic factors for renal survival and clinical remission. We studied Japanese patients with biopsy-proven IgAN who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m²and proteinuria <0.5 g/day at the time of renal biopsy. The renal biopsies were reviewed using the Oxford classification. Twenty patients met the inclusion criteria. At diagnosis, the median eGFR (interquartile range) was 76.8 (65.2-91.1) mL/min/1.73 m², and the median proteinuria level was 0.31 (0.16-0.39) g/day. Only one patient had an increase in serum creatinine of over 50% and no patient progressed to end-stage renal disease. The 15-year renal survival rate was 93.8%. Clinical remission was observed in 9 (45%) patients. Baseline proteinuria was the only factor significantly associated with the absence of clinical remission. The long-term prognosis of Japanese patients with IgAN who presents with minor urinary abnormalities and preserved renal function is excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of hourly radiosonde data of temperature, wind, and relative humidity during four days (two with convection and two with no convection) as a part of an intensive observation period in CPEA-2 campaign over Koto Tabang (100.32°E, 0.20°S), Indonesia, are presented. Characteristics of gravity waves in terms of dominant wave frequencies at different heights and their vertical wavelengths are shown in the lower stratosphere during a convective and non-convective period. Gravity waves with periods ∼10 h and ∼4-5 h were found dominant near tropopause (a region of high stability) on all days of observation. Vertical propagation of gravity waves were seen modified near heights of the three identified strong wind shears (at ∼16, 20, and 25 km heights) due to wave-mean flow interaction. Between 17 and 21 km heights, meridional wind fluctuations dominated over zonal wind, whereas from 22 to 30 km heights, wave fluctuations with periods ∼3-5 h and ∼8- 10 h in zonal wind and temperature were highly associated, suggesting zonal orientation of wave propagation. Gravity waves from tropopause region to 30 km heights were analyzed. In general, vertical wavelength of 2-5 km dominated in all the mean-removed (∼weekly mean) wind and temperature hourly profiles. Computed vertical wavelength spectra are similar, in most of the cases, to the source spectra (1- 16 km height) except that of zonal wind spectra, which is broad during active convection. Interestingly, during and after convection, gravity waves with short vertical wavelength (∼2 km) and short period (∼2-3 h) emerged, which were confined in the close vicinity of tropopause, and were not identified on non-convective days, suggesting convection to be the source for them. Some wave features near strong wind shear (at 25 km height) were also observed with short vertical wavelengths in both convective and non-convective days, suggesting wind shear to be the sole cause of generation and seemingly not associated with deep convection below. A drop in the temperature up to ∼4-5K (after removal of diurnal component) was observed at ∼16 km height near a strong wind shear (∼45-55ms-1 km-1) during active period of convection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationship of outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR) with convective available potential energy (CAPE) and temperature at the 100-hPa pressure level is examined using daily radiosonde data for a period 1980-2006 over Delhi (28.3°N, 77.1°E) and Kolkata (22.3°N, 88.2°E), and during 1989-2005 over Cochin (10°N, 77°E) and Trivandrum (8.5°N, 77.0°E), India. Correlation coefficient ( R) between monthly OLR and CAPE shows a significant (~ − 0.45) anti-correlation at Delhi and Kolkata suggesting low OLR associated with high convective activity during summer (seasonal variation). Though, no significant correlation was found between OLR and CAPE at Cochin and Trivandrum (low latitude region); analysis of OLR and temperature (at 100-hPa) association suggests that low OLR peaks appear corresponding to low temperature at Delhi ( R~ 0.30) and Kolkata ( R ~ 0.25) during summer. However, R between OLR and temperature becomes opposite as we move towards low latitudes (~8°-10°N) due to strong solar cycle influence. Large scale components mainly ENSO and quasi-biennial oscillaton (QBO) that contributed to the 100-hPa temperature variability were also analyzed, which showed that ENSO variance is larger by a factor of two in comparison to QBO over Indian region. ENSO warm conditions cause warming at 100-hPa over Delhi and Darwin. However, due to strong QBO and solar signals in the equatorial region, ENSO signal seems less effective. QBO, ENSO, and solar cycle contribution in temperature are found location-dependent (latitudinal variability) responding in consonance with shifting in convective activity regime during El Niño, seasonal variability in the tropical easterly jet, and the solar irradiance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study short period gravity waves (20-120 min) in the equatorial Mesosphere and Lower Thermosphere (MLT) using a Medium Frequency (MF) radar at Pameungpeuk (7.4° S, 107.4° E), Indonesia. In particular, we study local time and seasonal variation of the gravity wave variance and its relation to tropical convection. The gravity wave variance at 88 km enhances between 20:00 LT and 07:00 LT, with a peak at 02:00-03:00 LT. The enhancement is mainly observed during February-April and September-October and shows inter-annual variability. Convective activity over the same location persists from 16:00-21:00 LT with a peak activity ∼18:00 LT and enhances between November-April. Time delay between the peak of convection and that of gravity wave activity ranges 1-15 h, which is consistent with theoretical calculations and previous reports based on reverse ray tracing analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measured rain rate, raindrop size distribution (DSD), and the ITU-R model over the frequency range from 1-100 GHz have been used to elucidate the cumulative rainfall rate and the variability of rain attenuation at Kototabang. Rain rate and DSD are recorded from ground-based optical rain gauge and disdrometer measurements, respectively. Considerable differences between the recorded data and the ITU-R model are observed at small time percentage. The specific rain attenuation obtained from the DSD measurement shows diurnal variation with the largest attenuation observed in the morning hours. This characteristic is due to the raindrop spectra of rain events in this period containing more small-sized drops (<2 mm) than at others as described by the largest contribution of these drops on the specific rain attenuation. The diurnal variation is serious for frequencies higher than 60 GHz especially in very extreme rain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary:Since the introduction of reduced-intensity stem-cell transplantation (RIST), allogeneic stem-cell transplantation has become available for elderly patients. While pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine might differ according to age or other factors, cyclosporine is uniformly started at an oral dose of 6?mg/kg/day. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 35 patients aged between 32 and 65 (median 52) years who had undergone RIST. Doses of cyclosporine were adjusted to the target blood trough level of 150-250?ng/ml. Cyclosporine dosages were changed in 33 patients (94%). Dose reduction was required in 32 patients because of high blood levels (n=25), renal dysfunction (n=3), hepatic dysfunction (n=2), and hypertension (n=2). Cyclosporine doses were increased in one because of the suboptimal level. The median of the achieved stable doses was 3.1?mg/kg/day (range, 1.0-7.4). Five patients sustained Grade III toxicities according to NCI-CTC version 2.0: renal dysfunction (n=4), hyperbilirubinemia (n=2), and hypertension (n=2). No patients developed grade IV toxicity. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency and severity of cyclosporine toxicities between patients aged 50 years and above and those below 50 years. The initial oral cyclosporine dose of 6?mg/kg/day was unnecessarily high irrespective of age. The possible overdose of cyclosporine might have aggravated regimen-related toxicities.Bone Marrow Transplantation (2005) 35, 1079-1082. doi:10.1038/sj.bmt.1704960 Published online 4 April 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on acoustic emission measuring system at high temperature for ceramics with low thermal expansion due to microcracking. Requirement for excellent heat shock resistance of materials for industrial products; Investigation of of the energy criterion of microcracking; Completion of waveform analysis in the ceramics for high temperature.