Early Low-Grade Proteinuria: Causes, Short-Term Evolution and Long-Term Consequences in Renal Transplantation

Proteinuria 1 year after transplantation is associated with poor renal outcome. It is unclear whether low-grade (<1 g/24 h) proteinuria earlier after transplantation and its short-term change affect long-term graft survival. The effects of proteinuria and its change on long-term graft survival were retrospectively assessed in 484 renal transplant recipients. One- and 3-month proteinuria correlated with donor age, donor cardiovascular death, prolonged cold and warm ischemia times and acute rejection. One- and 3-month proteinuria (per 0.1 g/24 h, hazard ratio (HR): 1.07 and 1.15, p<0.0001)-especially low-grade proteinuria (HR: 1.20 and 1.26, p<0.0001)-were powerful, independent predictors of graft loss. Its short-term reduction correlated with arterial pressure (AP) (the lower the 3-month diastolic and 12-month systolic AP, the lower the risk of increasing proteinuria during 1-3 months and 3-12 months periods, respectively: Odds ratio (OR) per 10 MmHg: 0.78, p=0.01 and 0.85, respectively, p=0.02), and was associated with decreased long-term graft loss (per 0.1 g/24 h: HR: 0.88 and 0.98, respectively, p<0.0001), independently of initial proteinuria. Early low-grade proteinuria due to pre-transplant renal lesions, ischemia-reperfusion and immunologic injuries is a potent predictor of graft loss. Short-term reduction in proteinuria is associated with improved long-term graft survival.     

Association of donor TNFRSF6 (FAS) gene polymorphism with acute rejection in renal transplant patients: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors other than HLA have been reported to be associated with the outcome of organ transplantations. Because binding of FasL to its receptor Fas could play an important role in tubulitis and in the death of graft tubular epithelial cells during kidney allograft rejection, a gene polymorphism recently identified in position -671 in the promoter of the TNFRSF6 gene coding for Fas was investigated in donors. METHODS: A case-control study was performed within a cohort of non-hyperimmunized adult patients who had received cadaveric kidney transplants based on the occurrence or absence of acute cellular rejection in the first 6 months after renal transplantation. Each recipient from the acute rejection group (n = 35) was matched for age (+/- 5 years) and number of HLA-DR mismatches with two recipients within the non-acute rejection group (n = 70). RESULTS: The TNFRSF6-GG genotype was more frequent in donors in the group without rejection episodes. In contrast, patients who received a kidney from a TNFRSF6-A carrier were more likely to experience acute rejection episodes (relative risk nearly 2.1). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that donor TNFRSF6 polymorphism directly or indirectly influences acute kidney rejection episodes.     

RT-PCR-RFLP for genetic diversity analysis of Tunisian Grapevine fanleaf virus isolates in their natural host plants

Genetic diversity was characterized in 20 isolates of Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) recovered from naturally infected grapevine plants (Vitis vinifera) in the North of Tunisia. Viral RNAs were isolated by oligoprobe capture, and a 605 bp fragment containing a part of the viral coat protein gene was amplified by RT-PCR. Sequence variation among isolates was characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and confirmed by sequencing. The GFLV infections are found as a complex mixture of closely related genomes. In further studies, RFLP analyses of virus isolates using AluI showed that GFLV populations in Tunisian vineyards consist of two restrictotypes corresponding to distinct sub-populations Sp1 and Sp2. The relative field distribution of these sub-populations showed that Sp2 was more abundant. Individual genomes were recovered by cloning the RT-PCR products. The sequences were found to vary from each other by as much as 11%. Cloning from mixed infections showed that Sp2 are also predominant.     

Comparison of chitin and Amberlite IRA-938 for alpha-galactosidase immobilization

Watermelon alpha-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) was immobilized on a natural (chitin) and a synthetic anion-exchange (Amberlite IRA-938) support by covalent coupling methods. The procedure entails the activation of supports with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), followed by immobilization of the enzyme on to these supports without and with a spacer arm; gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Optimization of activation was performed by changing the CDI concentrations and coupling efficiencies. The comparison of two immobilization techniques for both chitin and Amberlite IRA-938 was made by comparing different enzyme concentrations against enzyme activity yield. Furthermore, the storage stability of the immobilized enzymes was also investigated and chitin immobilized alpha-galactosidase was found to be better. Although the activity yield of immobilized enzymes were the same for both supports, the short storage stability of immobilized enzyme on Amberlite IRA-938 is currently a drawback to its applications.     

Arginine selective biosensor based on arginase-urease immobilized in gelatin

Arginase and urease enzymes were immobilized on the surface of pH electrode by using gelatin membrane which is then cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. Sensor response was maximum when 2.5 mM, Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.5) was used at 25 degrees C. The biosensor response depends linearly on arginine concentration between 0.025-0.310 mM with response time 10 min. Furthermore, application of the system for the arginine detection in serum samples was also tested.     

Menstrual hygiene management and its determinants among adolescent girls in low-income urban areas of Delhi,India: a community-based study

ObjectivesMenstrual hygiene management (MHM) in developing countries is linked to human rights, social justice, and the education and empowerment of young girls. The objective of this study was to assess menstrual hygiene practices and their determinants among adolescent girls, including school dropouts, and the effects of pad distribution programs in urban resettlement areas of Delhi, India.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2020 in urban resettlement colonies and 2 villages of Delhi among 1,130 adolescent girls aged 10 to 19 years, who were interviewed face to face.Results In total, 954 participants (84.4%) used only disposable sanitary pads, 150 (13.3%) used both sanitary pads and cloths, and 26 (2.3%) used only cloths (n=1,130). Most school-going girls utilized the scheme for pad distribution, but only two-thirds of the girls who were out of school utilized the scheme. In the adjusted analysis, girls with lower educational status, those who had dropped out of school, and those from the Muslim religious community were more likely to use cloths for MHM.Conclusion More than 4 out of 5 adolescent girls in Delhi in low-income neighborhoods preferred sanitary pads for MHM. The government free pad scheme reached near-universal utilization among school-going girls (97%), but the subsidized pad scheme for girls who did not attend school was insufficiently utilized (75%).     

视神经周围炎的研究进展

视神经周围炎(OPN)是指涉及视神经鞘膜的一系列病理性炎症.OPN的经典三联征包括单侧视神经病变伴随疼痛和/或视盘水肿,此病症与其它视神经病变相似,导致诊断延迟和治疗欠佳.2016年1月,我们对发表于Medline和Ovid数据库的关键词为“视神经周围炎”的各种语言的文献进行了检索,共查找到60篇文献,发表于1956-2015年.两位作者(Tai ELM和Tevaraj JMP)分别对论文摘要进行了独立筛选,并筛选出相关文章.本次综述,我们强调OPN的特点,特别是OPN和视神经炎之间的临床差异.虽然大多数OPN的病例是特发性的,但仍需进行调查以排除特异性感染和继发性OPN的炎症原因.MRI是非常重要的检查方法,由于OPN视神经周围炎症的影像学诊断.糖皮质激素治疗可使症状与体征迅速好转,长期口服糖皮质激素并慢速递减可以降低复发的风险.