Noninvasive Analyses of Kidney Injury Molecule-1 Messenger RNA in Kidney Transplant Recipients With Graft Dysfunction

AbstractBackgroundKidney graft fibrosis is a major factor related to chronic loss of kidney function. At present, the finding of fibrosis depends on the analysis of tissue in the renal biopsy, which has important limitations. In this study, we evaluated the messenger mRNA transcription and gene expression of kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) in kidney tissue and in urinary sediment cells of kidney transplant patients with graft dysfunction aiming at the development of techniques that may allow the noninvasive diagnosis of interstitral fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IF/TA).Patients and methodsRNA extracted from cells in tissue and urine of 77 renal transplant patients whose biopsies were classified according to the Banff scheme-2007. Four diagnostic groups were established: (1) acute tubular necrosis (n = 9); (2) acute rejection (n = 49); (3) acute calcineurin inhibitors nephrotoxicity (n = 10); and (4) interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA, n = 29). Tissue and urine cell RNA was amplified and quantification were made by real-time polymerase chain reactron. Data from the quantification of gene expression are presented as median and 25th to 75th percentiles.ResultsMessenger RNA levels of the KIM-1 gene were higher in the biopsies (26.17; 3.38–294.53) and urinary sediment cells (0.09; 0–5.81) of the patients classified as having IF/TA as compared with all others groups. A significant correlation between gene expression in samples of urine and tissue cells was found (P < .01).ConclusionThese initial data suggests that KIM-1 gene mRNA quantification can be used as a noninvasive biomarker of IF/TA

Efeito de substrato artificial no enraizamento de estacas de calanchoe (Kalanchoe x blossfeldiana cv. singapur, crassulaceae)

Dez misturas artificiais foram estudadas para avaliar o efeito sobre o enraizamento de estacas apicais de Kalanchoe x blossfeldiana cv. Singapur, da família Crassulaceae. Essas misturas foram as seguintes: vermiculita + casca de arroz tostada nas proporções 1:1, 2:1 e 3:1; vermiculita + torta de filtro Oliver nas proporções 1:1, 2:1 e 3:1; vermiculita + turfa da região de Atibaia-SP, nas proporções 1:l, 2:le3:l; vermiculita + casca de pinheiro (mistura comercial). Os melhores resultados foram obtidos com a mistura vermiculita + torta de filtro Oliver em todas as proporções, vermiculita + casca de arroz tostada 3:1 e vermiculita + turfa 3:1. Os piores desempenhos foram os das misturas vermiculita + casca de pinheiro e vermiculita + turfa 1:1.Ten different artificial mixtures were studied as rooting media for Kalanchoe x blossfeldiana cv. Singapur cuttings. They were: vermiculite + toasted rice hulls (1:1, 2:1, 3:1); vermiculite + Oliver filter cake (1:1, 2:1, 3:1); vermiculite + peat (1:1, 2:1, 3:1); and vermiculite + pine bark (commercial mixture). The best results were observed for vermiculite + Oliver filter cake (1:1, 2:1, 3:1), vermiculite + toasted rice hulls (3:1) and vermiculite + peat (3:1). The worst results were observed with vermiculite + pine bark and vermiculite + peat (1:1)

Reactivation of wild-type and mutant p53 by tryptophanolderived oxazoloisoindolinone SLMP53-1:a novel anticancer small-molecule

Restoration of the p53 pathway, namely by reactivation of mutant (mut) p53, represents a valuable anticancer strategy. Herein, we report the identification of the enantiopure tryptophanol-derived oxazoloisoindolinone SLMP53-1 as a novel reactivator of wild-type (wt) and mut p53, using a yeast-based screening strategy. SLMP53-1 has a p53-dependent anti-proliferative activity in human wt and mut p53R280K-expressing tumor cells. Additionally, SLMP53-1 enhances p53 transcriptional activity and restores wt-like DNA binding ability to mut p53R280K. In wt/mut p53-expressing tumor cells, SLMP53-1 triggers p53 transcription-dependent and mitochondrial apoptotic pathways involving BAX, and wt/mut p53 mitochondrial translocation. SLMP53-1 inhibits the migration of wt/mut p53-expressing tumor cells, and it shows promising p53-dependent synergistic effects with conventional chemotherapeutics. In xenograft mice models, SLMP53-1 inhibits the growth of wt/mut p53-expressing tumors, but not of p53-null tumors, without apparent toxicity. Collectively, besides the potential use of SLMP53-1 as anticancer drug, the tryptophanol-derived oxazoloisoindolinone scaffold represents a promissing starting point for the development of effective p53-reactivating drugs

Unitarity Corrections to the Proton Structure Functions through the Dipole Picture

We study the dipole picture for the description of the deep inelastic scattering, focusing on the structure functions which are driven directly by the gluon distribution. One performs estimates using the effective dipole cross section given by the Glauber-Mueller approach in QCD, which encodes the corrections due to the unitarity effects associated with the saturation phenomenon. We also address issues about frame invariance of the calculations when analysing the observables.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures. Version to be published in Phys. Rev.

Antibody response among portuguese healthcare workers prior to sars-cov-2 vaccine booster administration

Prioritizing healthcare workers (HCWs) for vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) allowed to study the vaccine effectiveness in this professional group. The quantification of antibodies levels after vaccination among HCWs could give insights about SARS-CoV-2 protection. The aim of this study is to investigate SARS-CoV-2 immune response based on quantitation of antibodies against the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) of the S protein (anti-SRBD) and nucleocapside (anti-N) after the first vaccination stage in HCWs from the Local Health Unit of the Northeast of Portugal. Methods: Serum samples from 427 vaccinated HCW were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin with chemiluminescent microparticle SARS-CoV-2 2 IgG I (anti-N) and IgG II (anti-SRBD) immunoassays detected by using ARCHITECT i1000SR (Abbot) equipment. Blood samples were collected between November and December of 2021, before the administration of 3rd vaccine dose. The chemiluminescent reaction anti-N immunoassay was expressed as an index classified as positive for values higher than 0.6. Anti-SRBD was quantified between 21.0 and 40,000.0 arbitrary units per ml (AU/mL) and values ≥ 50 AU/ml were considered positive. We obtained data about age, gender), infection with SARS-CoV-2 (PCR+), smoking habits and number of days between complete vaccination and blood sample collection Median, interquartile interval IIQ) and frequencies were obtained. Multivariate regression linear model was conducted to assess the factors affecting the values of anti-SRBD (logarithmized variable). Results: From all 427 HCW with median age 45.7 years [IIQ: 37.8-55.0], 89 (20.8%) were males, 89 (20.8%) had PCR+, 422 (98.8%) and 46 (21%) tested positive for IgG anti-SRBD and anti-N, respectively. The median of anti- SRBD was 737.3 (IIQ: 376.2-2270.1). According to the multivariate regression analysis, anti-SRBD values decrease as increase age (p = 0.004) and number of days since vaccination (p =0.004). Also, be a smoker decreases but a PCR+ increases anti-SRBD values. Conclusions/Recommendations: The SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurements suggested that quantitative anti-SRBD responses fall over the time (from days of complete immunization) and are lower among older vaccinated HCW.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeitos de diferentes níveis de N P K sobre o peso da matéria seca, na produção de mudas por via seminífera, do hedíquio amarelo, Hedychium gardnerianum sheppard ex ker-gawl, zingiberaceae

A study was made of the effect of different levels of N P K: N = 0,200, 400; P = 0,400, 800 and K = 0,200, 400 kg/ha, under field conditions, on the seedling production of ginger-lily, Hedyohium gardnerianum Sheppard ex Ker-gawl, Zingiberaceae and the influence on the dry matter Weight. From the data it was concluded that the best results were reached with the following levels: 20g of N; 80g of P; 20g of K/m² 40g of N; 80g of P; 40g of K/m² 20g of N; 40g of P; 40g of K/m².Estudou-se o efeito de aplicação de diferentes níveis de N P K: N = 0,200, 400; P = 0,400, 800 e K = 0,200, 400 kg/ha, em condições de campo na produção de mudas, por sementes, do hedíquio amarelo, Hedyohium gardnerianum Sheppard ex Ker-Gawl, Zingiberaceae, e sua influência sobre o peso da matéria seca. Através dos dados obtidos concluiu-se que a maior produção da matéria seca total, incluindo-se a parte aérea e o rizoma foram obtidos com os níveis de: a) 20g de N; 80 de P e 20 de K/m² b) 40g de N; 80 de P e 40 de K/m² c) 20g de N; 40 de P e 40 de K/m²

Quarkonium+γ\gamma production in coherent hadron - hadron interactions at LHC energies

In this paper we study the $H + \gamma$ ($H = J/\Psi$ and $\Upsilon$) production in coherent hadron - hadron interactions at LHC energies. Considering the ultrarelativistic protons as a source of photons, we estimate the $\gamma + p \rightarrow H + \gamma + X$ cross section using the non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) factorization formalism and considering different sets of values for the matrix elements. Our results for the total $p + p \rightarrow p + H + \gamma + X$ cross sections and rapidity distributions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ and 14 TeV demonstrate that the experimental analysis of the $J/\Psi + \gamma$ production at LHC is feasible.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Improved version with a new figure. Version to be published in European Physical Journal

Padrões de crescimento no cavalo de desporto: aplicação de funções não-lineares

Apresentação oralO conhecimento das taxas de crescimento mais adequadas a cada raça e tipo de utilização é fundamental para criadores e utilizadores. O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar os padrões de crescimento de cavalos de desporto, nascidos e criados numa coudelaria de referência, em França, utilizando funções não lineares. Para o efeito, 72 poldros (39 machos e 33 fêmeas) das raças Hanoveriana e Oldenburgo foram periodicamente pesados e medidos, tendo sido obtidos 1.382 registos para o peso vivo (PV) e altura ao garrote (AG). Os dados foram recolhidos entre o nascimento e os 5 anos de idade, quando os cavalos já estavam em trabalho regular. Inicialmente, foram ajustadas várias funções não-lineares (Brody, Logistic, Gompertz, von Bertalanffy e Richards) utilizando o procedimento NLIN do SAS. Contudo, a equação de Richards y = A(1 – b.exp(-kt))M foi escolhida para a análise posterior por se tratar do modelo que melhor se ajustou às duas variáveis. As taxas de crescimento (GMD, kg/d ou cm/d) foram obtidas a partir da primeira derivada das equações e o efeito do sexo foi também avaliado. O PV médio à idade adulta foi de 623,2±14,1 kg e a altura ao garrote 172,9±1,3 cm. Segundo os modelos obtidos, as proporções (%) do PV adulto aos 6, 12, 24, 36 e 48 meses de idade foram, respetivamente, 39, 55, 74, 84 e 90%. As proporções da AG para as mesmas idades foram 80, 87, 93, 96 e 98%. Não foi observado dimorfismo sexual para a AG. No entanto, os modelos relativos ao PV são diferentes entre poldros e poldras (P<0,0001). As taxas de crescimento obtidas são semelhantes às descritas noutras raças de desporto para um crescimento moderado. O estudo apresentado demonstra que a equação de Richards pode ser utilizada para descrever com precisão o crescimento e o desenvolvimento de cavalos de desporto.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio