Antenatal biological models in the characterisation and research of congenital lower urinary tract disorders

Congenital lower urinary tract disorders are a family of diseases affecting both urinary storage and voiding as well as upstream kidney function. Current treatments include surgical reconstruction but many children still fail to achieve urethral continence or progress to chronic kidney disease. New therapies can only be achieved through undertaking research studies to enhance our understanding of congenital lower urinary tract disorders. Animal models form a critical component of this research, a corner of the triangle composed of human in-vitro studies and clinical research. We describe the current animal models for two rare congenital bladder disorders, posterior urethral valves (PUV) and bladder exstrophy (BE). We highlight important areas for researchers to consider when deciding which animal model to use to address particular research questions and outline the strengths and weaknesses of current models available for PUV and BE. Finally, we present ideas for refining animal models for PUV and BE in the future to stimulate future researchers and help them formulate their thinking when working in this field

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Food Processing

The food processing industry is the fourth largest consumer of energy in the US industrial sector. Food processors use nearly 1,200 trillion Btu of energy per year. The industry is comprised of more than 21,000 processing plants. Total production values make it $400 billion industry. While energy represents on average between one and two percent of total operating costs, in some industry sub-sectors energy comprises as much as 20%. Major energy end-uses include drying, refrigeration, process heating and cooling, and machine drives. Energy efficiency becomes more important in an industry of tight margins. Today, Americans spend the same percentage of disposable income on food as they did 20 years ago. The Food Marketing Institute notes that supermarket sales were only expected to rise about 2% in 2000. Rising energy costs, increasing restrictions on land application of waste, sanitation standards, and a high demand for product quality, and processed foods contribute to the industry's energy and power quality needs. In addition to documenting a variety of energy end uses in the industry in spring 2000, E SOURCE surveyed 148 plant managers by telephone and conducted in-depth interviews with 8 corporate energy managers. We asked the plant managers to respond to a variety of questions on topics such as decision-making, plant energy use, electricity and deregulation, natural gas use, energy services and outsourcing, energy efficiency, and plans for plant renovations and new construction. In our interviews with the corporate energy managers, we explored their current strategies for purchasing energy and energy services and asked them what they expect to do in the future. This paper provides some of the key findings from this report including an overview of industry challenges, key energy end-uses and innovations, and valuable insights from energy managers on the energy issues that food processors face

Spatiotemporal dynamics and heterogeneity of renal lymphatics in mammalian development and cystic kidney disease

Heterogeneity of lymphatic vessels during embryogenesis is critical for organ-specific lymphatic function. Little is known about lymphatics in the developing kidney, despite their established roles in pathology of the mature organ. We performed three-dimensional imaging to characterize lymphatic vessel formation in the mammalian embryonic kidney at single-cell resolution. In mouse, we visually and quantitatively assessed the development of kidney lymphatic vessels, remodeling from a ring-like anastomosis under the nascent renal pelvis, a site of VEGF-C expression, to form a patent vascular plexus. We identified a heterogenous population of lymphatic endothelial cell clusters in mouse and human embryonic kidneys. Exogenous VEGF-C expanded the lymphatic population in explanted mouse embryonic kidneys. Finally, we characterized complex kidney lymphatic abnormalities in a genetic mouse model of polycystic kidney disease. Our study provides novel insights into the development of kidney lymphatic vasculature; a system which likely has fundamental roles in renal development, physiology and disease

Spatiotemporal dynamics and heterogeneity of renal lymphatics in mammalian development and cystic kidney disease

Heterogeneity of lymphatic vessels during embryogenesis is critical for organ-specific lymphatic function. Little is known about lymphatics in the developing kidney, despite their established roles in pathology of the mature organ. We performed three-dimensional imaging to characterize lymphatic vessel formation in the mammalian embryonic kidney at single-cell resolution. In mouse, we visually and quantitatively assessed the development of kidney lymphatic vessels, remodeling from a ring-like anastomosis under the nascent renal pelvis, a site of VEGF-C expression, to form a patent vascular plexus. We identified a heterogenous population of lymphatic endothelial cell clusters in mouse and human embryonic kidneys. Exogenous VEGF-C expanded the lymphatic population in explanted mouse embryonic kidneys. Finally, we characterized complex kidney lymphatic abnormalities in a genetic mouse model of polycystic kidney disease. Our study provides novel insights into the development of kidney lymphatic vasculature; a system which likely has fundamental roles in renal development, physiology and disease