Supplementary Material for: Impact of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Association on Acute Renal Allograft Rejection

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a cytokine which plays an important role in the division, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. In the kidney, VEGF expression is found in glomerular podocytes and in tubular epithelial cells, which may result in acute inflammatory reactions. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The role of VEGF gene polymorphisms (-2578 C/A, -2549 18 bp Ins/Del, -1154 G/A and +936 C/T) was investigated in 272 patients who underwent renal transplantation. ARMS-PCR and PCR-RFLP were used. Patients were categorized into acute allograft rejection (n = 76) and nonrejection (n = 196). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The VEGF -1154 GG genotype and the +936 T allele were found to be susceptible to acute rejection (AR). T-A-A-I, T-A-A-D, T-G-C-I and C-A-A-I haplotypes revealed a predisposition among AR cases. In silico analysis revealed +936 T as a significant allele involved in the transcription regulation. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> These results highlight the role of VEGF polymorphisms in acute allograft rejection

Economic Geography and International Inequality.

This paper estimates a structural model of economic geography using cross-country data on per capita income, bilateral trade, and the relative price of manufacturing goods. We provide evidence that the geography of access to markets and sources of supply is statistically significant and quantitatively important in explaining cross-country variation in per capita income. This finding is robust to controlling for a wide range of considerations, including other economic, geographical, social, and institutional characteristics. Geography is found to matter through the mechanisms emphasized by the theory, and the estimated coefficients are consistent with plausible values for the model's structural parameters

Supplementary Material for: Early Hemodynamic Changes during Head-Up Tilt Table Testing Can Predict a Neurocardiogenic Response in an African-American Patient Population

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Head-up tilt table testing (HUTT) is time-consuming and associated with increased patient morbidity. Hemodynamic changes that occur during the early phase of HUTT may be predictive of neurocardiogenic syncope. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A retrospective chart review was performed in 119 consecutive African Americans ( 57 ± 19) who underwent HUTT for evaluation of syncope of unknown etiology. Positive responses were defined as the development of symptoms linked with a systolic blood pressure (BP) <90 mm Hg, heart rate <50 b.p.m. or sinus arrest >3 s. Hemodynamic variables during the passive phase of HUTT were analyzed and results were then classified as a function of various predictors. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Sixty-two subjects (52%) had positive HUTT, and 57 (48%) had negative HUTT. Early changes in BP variables from baseline significantly predicted HUTT responses (p < 0.05). There was also a significant interaction between age and BP. An algorithm based on age and BP was developed which had positive and negative predictive values of 67.7 and 93%, respectively, with an accuracy of 79.8%. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> A novel algorithm utilizing the patients' age and changes in both systolic and diastolic BP during the early phase of HUTT enables the prediction of HUTT results without the use of vasoactive stimulation, allowing for rapid diagnosis, decreased patient morbidity and reduction in costs