Kidney Transplantation and COVID-19: Two Case Reports

Immunocompromised populations are at great risk of the current 2020 global emergency of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and treatment of kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19 is currently not declared. Hence, the purpose of the study is to set a clear treatment regimen. We report here a therapeutic course of 2 patients who underwent transplant surgery in March 2020 and got infected soon after. Since the transplant, these 2 patients have received triple maintenance immunosuppressive therapy with oral tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and prednisone, and they have been regularly followed up at our hospital. The tacrolimus trough level was between 10 and 12 ng/mL. After the diagnosis of COVID-19, MMF was stopped and the tacrolimus dose was reduced so that blood level was between 4 and 6 ng/mL. The first patient was a 30-year-old man who, despite being treated with hydroxychloroquine, favipiravir, oseltamivir, and azithromycin therapy, died because of the presence of other comorbidities. The second case was a 58-year-old man who fully recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia with treatment with methylprednisolone, MMF, azithromycin, favipiravir, hydroxychloroquine, and reduction in immunosuppression dosage. This reflects the importance of using glucocorticoids in the treatment of COVID-19 along with other medications and the decreased mortality rate associated with their use.     

Prolonged maternal separation decreases granule cell number in the dentate gyrus of 3-week-old male rats

Maternal separation (MS) early in life affects many aspects of development and we have previously observed significant decreases in NMDA and AMPA receptor and elevated glutamate transporter expression in the hippocampus of MS360 animals relative to MS15. We hypothesized that this disruption of the glutamatergic system in adult animals was a sign of a reduction in hippocampal neuronal number in 3-week-old animals. Male Wistar rat pups were separated litter-wise for 15 min (MS15) or 360 min (MS360) from postnatal day 1 to 21. Conventional laboratory reared animals were also included. At postnatal day 22, brains were dissected and sliced on a cryostat. Immunohistochemistry labeled neurons (NeuN) and astrocytes (GFAP) and the number of neurons was quantified using the disector method and Cavalieri principle for stereology for the CA1, CA2, CA3 and dentate gyrus regions of the hippocampus. The volume of 4 regions did not differ across the 3 experimental groups. Numerical density of neurons, however, was significantly different in CA3 (one-way ANOVA; p = 0.044) and the dentate gyrus (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.0001) with post hoc differences MS360 vs. MS15. Finally, the total number of neurons was calculated and MS360 animals had significantly fewer neurons than MS15 animals in the dentate gyrus. Therefore, the maternal separation procedure affected development of the hippocampus directly at 3 weeks of age. The differences observed consequently place young MS360 animals in a vulnerable state for challenges later in life.     

Addition of pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) in tris‐based extender improves post‐thaw quality,motion dynamics and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa

The aim of the present study was to determine the protective effects of pomegranate juice in tris‐based extender on semen parameters, computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA) motion characteristics and field fertility of post‐thawed Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. Two consecutive ejaculates/collection from each of the five adult Nili Ravi buffalo bulls were collected with artificial vagina at 42°C for a period of 7 weeks, diluted in extender containing different concentrations of pomegranate juice (0.0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%). Diluted samples were packed and frozen in 0.54 ml French straws. The addition of 10% pomegranate juice in extender significantly improved post‐thaw sperm morphology (%), motilities (CASA total motility, progressive motility (%) as well as VAP, VSL, VCL, STR, DAP, DSL) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Plasma membrane, acrosome membrane and DNA integrity were significantly higher in extender with 10% pomegranate juice than the control group (p < 0.05). Field fertility rate (60.39% vs. 46.53%) was higher (p < 0.05) in extender with 10% pomegranate juice as compared to the control. It is therefore concluded that the addition of 10% pomegranate juice in tris‐based extender improves post‐thaw semen parameters, CASA motion dynamics and field fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes.     

Arterial “inflammaging” drives vascular calcification in children on dialysis

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Bacterial Contamination of Endodontic Materials before and after Clinical Storage

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacterial contamination in endodontic consumables (gutta-percha points, rubber dams, paper mixing pads, caulking agents, and endodontic instrument sponges [EISs]) before and after clinical use and storage.