Normal kidney size and its influencing factors - a 64-slice MDCT study of 1.040 asymptomatic patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Normal ultrasound values for pole-to-pole kidney length (LPP) are well established for children, but very little is known about normal kidney size and its influencing factors in adults. The objectives of this study were thus to establish normal CT values for kidney dimensions from a group of unselected patients, identify potential influencing factors, and to estimate their significance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In multiphase thin-slice MDCTs of 2.068 kidneys in 1.040 adults, the kidney length pole to pole (LPP), parenchymal (PW) and cortical width (CW), position and rotation status of the kidneys, number of renal arteries, pyelon width and possible influencing factors that can be visualized, were recorded from a volume data set. For length measurements, axes were adjusted individually in double oblique planes using a 3D-software. Analyses of distribution, T-tests, ANOVA, correlation and multivariate regression analyses were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LPP was 108.5 ± 12.2 mm for the right, and 111.3 ± 12.6 mm for the left kidney (p < 0.0001 each). PW on the right side was 15.4 ± 2.8 mm, slightly less than 15.9 ± 2.7 mm on the left side (p < 0.0001), the CW was the same (6.6 ± 1.9 mm). The most significant independent predictors for LPP, CW, and PW were body size, BMI, age, and gender (p < 0.001 each). In men, the LPP increases up to the fifth decade of life (p < 0.01). It is also influenced by the position of the kidneys, stenoses and number of renal arteries (SRA/NRA), infarctions suffered, parapelvic cysts, and absence of the contralateral kidney; CW is influenced by age, position, parapelvic cysts, NRA and SRA, and the PW is influenced in addition by rotation status (p < 0.05 each). Depending on the most important factors, gender-specific normal values were indicated for these dimensions, the length and width in cross section, width of the renal pelvis, and parenchyma-renal pyelon ratio.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Due to the complex influences on kidney size, assessment should be made individually. The most important influencing factors are BMI, height, gender, age, position of the kidneys, stenoses and number of renal arteries.</p

The Ubiquitin/Proteasome System Mediates Entry and Endosomal Trafficking of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus in Endothelial Cells

Ubiquitination, a post-translational modification, mediates diverse cellular functions including endocytic transport of molecules. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), an enveloped herpesvirus, enters endothelial cells primarily through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Whether ubiquitination and proteasome activity regulates KSHV entry and endocytosis remains unknown. We showed that inhibition of proteasome activity reduced KSHV entry into endothelial cells and intracellular trafficking to nuclei, thus preventing KSHV infection of the cells. Three-dimensional (3-D) analyses revealed accumulation of KSHV particles in a cytoplasmic compartment identified as EEA1+ endosomal vesicles upon proteasome inhibition. KSHV particles are colocalized with ubiquitin-binding proteins epsin and eps15. Furthermore, ubiquitination mediates internalization of both KSHV and one of its receptors integrin β1. KSHV particles are colocalized with activated forms of the E3 ligase c-Cbl. Knock-down of c-Cbl or inhibition of its phosphorylation reduced viral entry and intracellular trafficking, resulting in decreased KSHV infectivity. These results demonstrate that ubiquitination mediates internalization of both KSHV and one of its cognate receptors integrin β1, and identify c-Cbl as a potential E3 ligase that facilitates this process

APLIKASI MEDIA TUMBUH DAN PERENDAMAN BUI PADA PERKECAMBAHAN JELUTUNG (Dyera costulata (Miq.) Hook, f)

Jelutung {Dyera costulata) is a potential plant species that has good an economic prospect,_especially for timber and latex production. The aim of this research is to know the effect of seed soaking treatments and growth media variation on seed germination of jelutung. The experiment was carried out in the Treub Laboratory, Research Centre for Biology-LIPI, Bogor, using a Complete Randomized Design with two main factors in three replications. The first factor is growth media i.e. peat + saw dush (1:2), peat + cocopeat (1:2), peat + zeolit (1:1), peat + saw dush (1:1), soil + peat (1:1) and soil (control). The second factor is soaking of seeds in fresh water for 0, 6, 12 or 18 hours prior to sowing. The results showed that there was no interaction effect of growth media and seed soaking treatments. However, both factors had individual significant effects on the germination of jelutung. Therefore it is recommended the best media for germination are peat + cocopeat (1:2), peat + zeolit (1:1), (or) peat +saw dush (1:2). These media had pH between 4 - 4.7. Seed soaking prior to sowing is not required for the germination of jelutung seed. In fact, the longer the time of seed soaked, the lower the germination of the seed. The highest germination percentage was 74%,which was recorded in treatment combination of mixed media peat + zeolit (1:1) without or with soaking of the seed in water for6 hours

(+)-Altholactone exhibits broad spectrum immune modulating activity by inhibiting the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cell lines

An evaluation of Indonesian plants to identify compounds with immune modulating activity revealed that the methanolic extract of an Alphonsea javanica Scheff specimen possessed selective anti-inflammatory activity in a nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) luciferase and MTT assay using transfected macrophage immune (Raw264.7) cells. A high-throughput LC/MS-ELSD based library approach of the extract in combination with the NF-kappa B and MTT assays revealed the styryl lactone (+)-altholactone (2) was responsible for the activity. Compound 2, its acetylated derivate (+)-3-O-acetylaltholactone (3), and the major compound of this class, (+)-goniothalmin (1), were further evaluated to determine their anti-inflammatory potential in the NF-kappa B assay. Concentration-response studies of 1-3 indicated that only 2 possessed NF-kappa B based anti-inflammatory activity. Compound 2 reduced the LPS-induced NO production, phosphorylation of I kappa B alpha, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) using Western blot analysis. Further studies using qPCR indicated 2 reduced the expression of eight pro-inflammatory cytokines/enzymes (0.8-5.0 mu M) which included: COX-2, iNOS, IP-10, IL-1 beta, MCP-1, GCS-F, IL-6 and IFN-beta. These results indicated that 2 displays broad spectrum immune modulating activity by functioning as an anti-inflammatory agent against LPS-induced NF-kappa B signaling. Conversely the selective cytotoxicity and in vivo anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activity previously reported for 1 do not appear to arise from a mechanism that is linked to the NF-kappa B immune mediated pathway. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.211443584364Fogarty International Center [U01TW008160]Office of Dietary SupplementsNational Science FoundationDepartment of EnergyUSDA Agricultural Food Research Initiative of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA [35621-04750]NIH-MARC [GM007910-31]Fogarty International Center [U01TW008160]USDA Agricultural Food Research Initiative of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA [35621-04750]NIH-MARC [GM007910-31