The association between renal function and structural parameters: a pig study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective was to investigate the association between renal structural parameters and renal function. The structural parameters were renal cortical volume, total renal volume, number of glomeruli, and total glomerular volume, and renal function was expressed by the single kidney GFR (skGFR). Investigations were performed using both healthy and chronically diseased kidneys. We investigated which of the structural parameters showed the best correlation to renal function and evaluated the possibility of predicting the renal function from structural parameters.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-four pigs, twelve with healthy kidneys and twelve with diseased kidneys, underwent skGFR measurements. Nephrectomies were performed and structural parameters were estimated using stereological procedures. The correlation between the structural parameters and skGFR was analysed by Pearson's correlation test. The prediction of skGFR from structural parameters was analysed by a linear regression test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In general, we demonstrated a good correlation between structural parameters and skGFR. When all kidneys were evaluated together Pearson's correlation coefficient between skGFR and any stereological parameter was above 0.60 and highly significant (p < 0.001), and with r-values ranging from 0.62 regarding number of glomeruli, to 0.78 regarding cortical volume. The best correlation was found between cortical volume and skGFR. Prediction of single kidney GFR from any structural parameter showed to be quite imprecise.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed correlations between structural parameters and renal function suggest that these parameters may potentially be useful as surrogate markers of the renal function. At present, however, precise prediction of renal function based on a single structural parameter seems hard to obtain.</p

Effect of the one-child policy on influenza transmission in China: a stochastic transmission model

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Religion and the right to (dispose of) life: A study of the attitude of Christian, Muslim and Hindu students in India concerning death penalty, euthanasia and abortion

Item does not contain fulltextThe debate over death penalty, euthanasia and abortion reached a climax during the second half of the twentieth century. It brings into focus the underlying contrasting currents of right to life and right to dispose of life. The pluralistic Indian context in its turn can add to the ambivalent relationship between religion and the (non-)disposability of life. Hence, the question that we address in this paper concerns the role religions play in soliciting and legitimizing the (non-)disposability of life. Our empirical research, among 1215 Christian, Muslim and Hindu college students in Tamil Nadu, focuses on the possible impact of personal religious attitude, contextual religious attitude, and the value of human dignity, on the perception of right to life in the face of death penalty, euthanasia, and abortion. Overall, we find that the three religious groups manifest opposition to disposal of life by death penalty, and an uncertain openness to disposal of life by euthanasia and abortion for victim’s sake. However, as regards euthanasia, while Christians and Hindus tend to be open to disposal of life, Muslims tend to be uncertain. As regards abortion for psycho-economic reasons, the tendency among Christians is non-disposal of life and the tendency among Hindus and Muslims is an uncertain openness to disposal of life. In dealing with the complex issue of (non-)disposal of life, our findings related to personal and contextual religious attitude suggest that religions can provide a meta-ethical basis for both ‘sacredness’ and ‘quality’ human life