Asymptomatic Pyuria as a Prognostic Biomarker in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) has phenotypic variability only partially explained by established biomarkers that do not readily assess pathologically important factors of inflammation and kidney fibrosis. We evaluated asymptomatic pyuria (AP), a surrogate marker of inflammation, as a biomarker for disease progression.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with ADPKD.

Renal Replacement Therapy for Acute Kidney Injury in Severe Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis as a Bridge to Transplant or Recovery.

Background: Acute kidney injury is seen in approximately 30% of patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) and is associated with increased mortality. Controversy exists surrounding initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in these patients, as most are ineligible for early transplantation.

Aims: The primary aim was to identify predictors of survival and identify patients who may benefit from RRT as a bridge to transplant or recovery.

The γ-Protocadherins Regulate the Survival of GABAergic Interneurons during Developmental Cell Death.

Inhibitory interneurons integrate into developing circuits in specific ratios and distributions. In the neocortex, inhibitory network formation occurs concurrently with the apoptotic elimination of a third of GABAergic interneurons. The cell surface molecules that select interneurons to survive or die are unknown.

Autoimmune receptor encephalitis in mice induced by active immunization with conformationally stabilized holoreceptors.

Autoimmunity to membrane proteins in the central nervous system has been increasingly recognized as a cause of neuropsychiatric disease. A key recent development was the discovery of autoantibodies to -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in some cases of encephalitis, characterized by cognitive changes, memory loss, and seizures that could lead to long-term morbidity or mortality. Treatment approaches and experimental studies have largely focused on the pathogenic role of these autoantibodies.

Diversity of cultivated aerobic poly-hydrolytic bacteria in saline alkaline soils.

Alkaline saline soils, known also as "soda solonchaks", represent a natural soda habitat which differs from soda lake sediments by higher aeration and lower humidity. The microbiology of soda soils, in contrast to the more intensively studied soda lakes, remains poorly explored. In this work we investigate the diversity of culturable aerobic haloalkalitolerant bacteria with various hydrolytic activities from soda soils at different locations in Central Asia, Africa, and North America.

Statistical tools and control of internal lubricant content of inhalation grade HPMC capsules during manufacture.

The internal lubricant content (ILC) of inhalation grade HPMC capsules is a key factor to ensure good powder release when the patient inhales a medicine from a dry powder inhaler (DPI). Powder release from capsules has been shown to be influenced by the ILC. The characteristics used to measure this are the emitted dose, fine particle fraction and mass median aerodynamic diameter.

Evaluating the sensitivity, reproducibility and flexibility of a method to test hard shell capsules intended for use in dry powder inhalers.

Pharmaceutical tests for hard shell capsules are designed for orally administered capsules. The use of capsules in dry powder inhalers is widespread and increasing and therefore more appropriate tests are required to ensure quality and determine if these capsules are fit for purpose. This study aims to determine the flexibility, reproducibility and sensitivity of a quantitative method that is designed to evaluate the puncture characteristics of different capsule shell formulations under different climatic conditions.

Namib Desert dune/interdune transects exhibit habitat-specific edaphic bacterial communities.

The sand dunes and inter-dune zones of the hyper-arid central Namib Desert represent heterogeneous soil habitats. As little is known about their indigenous edaphic bacterial communities, we aimed to evaluate their diversity and factors of assembly and hypothesized that soil physicochemistry gradients would strongly shape dune/interdune communities. We sampled a total of 125 samples from 5 parallel dune/interdune transects and characterized 21 physico-chemical edaphic parameters coupled with 16S rRNA gene bacterial community fingerprinting using T-RFLP and 454 pyrosequencing.

The development of a sensitive methodology to characterise hard shell capsule puncture by dry powder inhaler pins.

In order for hard-shell capsules to function effectively as drug reservoirs in dry powder inhalers, the capsule must be punctured with sharpened pins to release the powdered medicament upon inspiration. Capsule performance in this setting is poorly understood. This study aims to develop a methodology to characterise hard shell capsule penetration by needles from commercial dry powder inhalers, to determine whether changes to capsule materials impact on their performance.

Bacterial and archaeal diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from the geothermal region of Tengchong, China.

We investigated the bacterial and archaeal diversity in two hot spring microbial mats from the geothermal region of Tengchong in the Yunnan Province, China, using direct molecular analyses. The Langpu (LP) laminated mat was found by the side of a boiling pool with temperature of 60-65 °C and a pH of 8.5, while the Tengchong (TC) streamer mat consisted of white streamers in a slightly acidic (pH 6.

Bacillus locisalis sp. nov., a new haloalkaliphilic species from hypersaline and alkaline lakes of China, Kenya and Tanzania.

A polyphasic taxonomic study was performed on seven Bacillus-like bacteria isolated from three hypersaline and alkaline lakes located in China, Kenya and Tanzania. All strains were moderately halophilic and alkaliphilic, Gram positive, motile rods. The DNA G+C content from the seven isolates ranged from 42.

Microbial biogeography of six salt lakes in Inner Mongolia, China, and a salt lake in Argentina.

We used cultivation-independent methods to investigate the prokaryotic biogeography of the water column in six salt lakes in Inner Mongolia, China, and a salt lake in Argentina. These lakes had different salt compositions and pH values and were at variable geographic distances, on both local and intercontinental scales, which allowed us to explore the microbial community composition within the context of both contemporary environmental conditions and geographic distance. Fourteen 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were constructed, and over 200 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained.

Improved method for direct screening of true lipase-producing microorganisms with particular emphasis on alkaline conditions.

A rapid and effective method for direct detection, selection and testing of microorganisms able to produce both cell-bound and extracellular true lipases is described. The method is based on formation of clearance zones on turbid solid media with emulsified olive oil around or under the colonies, cell fractions or culture supernatant of lipase-producing organisms. The method was successfully applied for the screening and isolation of microorganisms producing alkaline lipases.

Sequence analysis of an Archaeal virus isolated from a hypersaline lake in Inner Mongolia, China.

Background: We are profoundly ignorant about the diversity of viruses that infect the domain Archaea. Less than 100 have been identified and described and very few of these have had their genomic sequences determined. Here we report the genomic sequence of a previously undescribed archaeal virus.

Caldalkalibacillus thermarum gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel alkalithermophilic bacterium from a hot spring in China.

A thermophilic, alkaliphilic and catalase-positive bacterium, designated strain HA6(T), was isolated from a hot spring in China. The strain was aerobic and chemo-organotrophic and grew optimally at 60 degrees C, pH 8.5 and 1.

Identification of eukaryotic open reading frames in metagenomic cDNA libraries made from environmental samples.

Here we describe the application of metagenomic technologies to construct cDNA libraries from RNA isolated from environmental samples. RNAlater (Ambion) was shown to stabilize RNA in environmental samples for periods of at least 3 months at -20 degrees C. Protocols for library construction were established on total RNA extracted from Acanthamoeba polyphaga trophozoites.

Halalkalicoccus tibetensis gen. nov., sp. nov., representing a novel genus of haloalkaliphilic archaea.

A haloalkaliphilic archaeon (strain DS12T) isolated from Lake Zabuye, the Tibetan Plateau, China, was characterized to elucidate its taxonomy. The strain was aerobic, chemo-organotrophic, and grew optimally at 40 degrees C, pH 9.5-10.

Sleep-dependent plasticity requires cortical activity.

Recent findings in humans and animals suggest that sleep promotes synaptic plasticity, but the underlying mechanisms have not been identified. We have demonstrated recently an important role for sleep in ocular dominance (OD) plasticity, a classic form of in vivo cortical remodeling triggered by monocular deprivation (MD) during a critical period of development. The mechanisms responsible for the effects of sleep on OD plasticity are unknown but may depend on neuronal activity in the sleeping brain.

Cellulomonas bogoriensis sp. nov., an alkaliphilic cellulomonad.

An alkaliphilic, slightly halotolerant, chemo-organotrophic, Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, strain 69B4(T), was isolated from the sediment of the littoral zone of Lake Bogoria, Kenya. Phylogenetically, it is a member of the genus Cellulomonas, showing less than 97.5 % sequence similarity to the type strains of other Cellulomonas species.

A phylogenetic analysis of Wadi el Natrun soda lake cellulase enrichment cultures and identification of cellulase genes from these cultures.

Samples of sediments and surrounding soda soils (SS) from the extremely saline and alkaline lakes of the Wadi el Natrun in the Libyan Desert, Egypt, were obtained in October 2000. Anaerobic enrichment cultures were grown from these samples, DNA isolated, and the bacterial diversity assessed by 16S rRNA gene clone analysis. Clones derived from lake sediments (LS) most closely matched Clostridium spp.

Diversity of Kenyan soda lake alkaliphiles assessed by molecular methods.

DNA was extracted from water and sediment samples taken from soda lakes of the Kenyan-Tanzanian Rift Valley. DNA was also extracted from microbial enrichment cultures of sediment samples. 16S rRNA genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and microbial diversity was studied using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rDNA amplicons.

Alkalimonas amylolytica gen. nov., sp. nov., and Alkalimonas delamerensis gen. nov., sp. nov., novel alkaliphilic bacteria from soda lakes in China and East Africa.

Two related novel alkaliphilic and slightly halophilic bacteria are described. They are strain N10 from Lake Chahannor in China and strain 1E1 from Lake Elmenteita in East Africa. Both strains are strictly aerobic, heterotrophic, alkaliphilic, mesophilic, and require NaCl for growth.