Automated karyogram analysis for early detection of genetic and neurodegenerative disorders: a hybrid machine learning approach.

Anomalous chromosomes are the cause of genetic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, and autism. Karyotype analysis is the standard procedure for diagnosing genetic disorders. Identifying anomalies is often costly, time-consuming, heavily reliant on expert interpretation, and requires considerable manual effort.

Association of urinary sodium/potassium ratio with blood pressure: sex and racial differences.

Background And Objectives: Previous studies reporting an association between high BP and high sodium and low potassium intake or urinary sodium/potassium ratio (U[Na(+)]/[K(+)]) primarily included white men and did not control for cardiovascular risk factors.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This cross-sectional study investigated the association of U[Na(+)]/[K(+)] with BP in 3303 participants using robust linear regression.

Results: Mean age was 43±10 years, 56% of participants were women, and 52% were African American.

A case of rare, fungal peritonitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum in a patient on CAPD.

Background: A 62-year-old man with a history of end-stage renal disease secondary to hypertension who was on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), presented to a peritoneal dialysis clinic with subacute onset of abdominal pain, mainly in the epigastric region.

Investigations: Full medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, cultures of peritoneal dialysis fluid, radiography, ultrasonography and CT scanning of the abdomen and pelvis.

Diagnosis: Isolated fungal peritonitis caused by infection with Histoplasma capsulatum.

Inhibition of C-jun N-terminal kinase improves insulin sensitivity but worsens albuminuria in experimental diabetes.

C-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) regulates both the development of insulin resistance and inflammation. Podocytes of the widely used db/db mouse model of diabetic nephropathy lose their ability to respond to insulin as albuminuria develops, in comparison to control db/+ mice. Here we tested whether JNK inhibition or its gene deletion would prevent albuminuria in experimental diabetes.

Role of inflammation in diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Although the pathogenesis of DN is multifactorial, local inflammatory stress may result from both the metabolic and hemodynamic derangements observed in DN. Inflammatory markers such as Interleukin-18 and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha are increased in the serum of patients with diabetes and DN.