G20 2014: perspectives from business, civil society, labour, think tanks and youth

This paper brings together policy contributions from a wide cross-section of society interested in feeding into the G20 process. Summary G20 engagement partners from Business (B20), Civil Society (C20), Labour (L20), Think Tanks (T20) and Youth (Y20) have each provided a contribution for this issue of the Monitor. Each address how the groups are organising their contribution to the G20 process in 2014, their priorities for the G20, and thoughts on what would constitute ‘success’ in terms of possible outcomes from the Brisbane Summit. The Australian G20 Sherpa, Heather Smith, has provided an opening comment. Key points One characteristic that all engagement partners share is their recognition of the importance of strengthening the G20. Through their engagement with the G20 presidency, the G20 engagement partners have an important role to play in communicating the G20’s work to the wider public for greater understanding. The engagement partners can use their networks to help convey what the G20 is doing, and why the involvement of the non-government sector is important

Response of different PTH assays to therapy with sevelamer or CaCO3 and active vitamin D sterols

Amino-terminally truncated parathyroid hormone (PTH) fragments are detected to differing degrees by first- and second-generation immunometric PTH assays (PTH-IMAs), and acute changes in serum calcium affect the proportion of these fragments in circulation. However, the effect of chronic calcium changes and different vitamin D doses on these PTH measurements remains to be defined. In this study, 60 pediatric dialysis patients, aged 13.9 ± 0.7 years, with secondary hyperparathyroidism were randomized to 8 months of therapy with oral vitamin D combined with either calcium carbonate (CaCO3) or sevelamer. Serum phosphorus levels did not differ between groups. Serum calcium levels rose from 9.3 ± 0.1 to 9.7 ± 0.1 mg/dl during CaCO3 therapy (p < 0.01 from baseline) but remained unchanged during sevelamer therapy. In the CaCO3 and sevelamer groups, baseline serum PTH levels (1st PTH-IMA; Nichols Institute Diagnostics, San Clemente, CA) were 964 ± 75 and 932 ± 89 pg/ml, and levels declined to 491 ± 55 and 543 ± 59 pg/ml, respectively (nonsignificant between groups). Patients treated with sevelamer received higher doses of vitamin D than those treated with CaCO3. The PTH values obtained by first- and second-generation PTH-IMAs correlated closely throughout therapy and the response of PTH was similar to both PTH-IMAs, despite differences in serum calcium levels

Efficacy and safety of Oxalobacter formigenes to reduce urinary oxalate in primary hyperoxaluria

Background. Primary hyperoxaluria (PH) is a rare genetic disease, in which high urinary oxalate (Uox) cause recurrent kidney stones and/or progressive nephrocalcinosis, often followed by early end-stage renal disease, as well as extremely high plasma oxalate, systemic oxalosis and premature death. Oxalobacter formigenes, an anaerobic oxalate degrading bacterium, naturally colonizes the colon of most humans. Orally administered O. formigenes (Oxabact) was found to significantly reduce urine and plasma oxalate. We aimed to evaluate its effect and safety in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study. Methods. Oral Oxabact was given to PH patients (> 5 years old, Uox > 1.0 mmol/1.73m(2)/day, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) > 50 mL/min) at nine PH referral sites worldwide. Primary endpoint was the change from baseline in Uox (mmol/1.73m(2)/day) after 24 weeks of treatment (> 20% reduction). Results. Of the 43 subjects randomized, 42 patients received either placebo (23 subjects) or Oxabact (19 subjects). The change in Uox was 160 mmol/mol, Oxabact -28%, placebo -6%; P < 0.082). No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion. Oxabact was safe and well tolerated. However, as no significant change in Uox was seen, further studies to evaluate the efficacy of Oxabact treatment are needed

Early Subclinical Coronary Artery Calcification in Young Adults Who Were Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71917/1/j.1600-6143.2005.00914.x.pd