Reasons for admission and predictors of national 30-day readmission rates in patients with end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis.

Background: The number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on peritoneal dialysis (PD) has increased by over 30% between 2007 and 2014. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has identified readmissions in ESRD patients to be a quality measure; however, there is a paucity of studies examining readmissions in PD patients.

Methods: Utilizing the National Readmission Database for the year 2013, we aimed to determine reasons for admission, the associated rates of unplanned readmission and independent predictors of readmissions in PD patients.

Acute Kidney Injury in Patients on SGLT2 Inhibitors: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Objective: Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are new medications that improve cardiovascular and renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the Food and Drug Administration has issued alerts regarding increased acute kidney injury (AKI) risk with canagliflozin and dapagliflozin. We aimed to assess the real-world risk of AKI in new SGLT2 inhibitor users in two large health care utilization cohorts of patients with T2D.

Cadaveric Study of Mode of Termination of Gonadal Veins: Implications for Procedures Utilizing Terminal Ends of Gonadal Veins as Entry Portals.

Context: The terminal ends of gonadal veins act as an entry portal in gonadal embolization procedures used for treating varicocele in males and pelvic congestion disease in females. Here, we studied the modes of termination of gonadal veins in adult cadavers.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-five adult formalin-fixed cadavers (seventy sides) were studied over a period of 4 years.

Temporal trends of dialysis requiring acute kidney injury after orthotopic cardiac and liver transplant hospitalizations.

Background: The epidemiology and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in prevalent non-renal solid organ transplant recipients is unknown.

Methods: We assessed the epidemiology of trends in acute kidney injury (AKI) in orthotopic cardiac and liver transplant recipients in the United States. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to evaluate the yearly incidence trends (2002 to 2013) of the primary outcome, defined as AKI requiring dialysis (AKI-D) in hospitalizations after cardiac and liver transplantation.

Laboratory and semi-field evaluations of two (transfluthrin) spatial repellent devices against Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae).

Two transfluthrin-based spatial repellent products (Raid Dual Action Insect Repellent and Home Freshener and Raid Shield (currently not commercially available), SC Johnson, Racine WI) were evaluated for spatial repellent effects against female Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquitoes under laboratory (wind tunnel) and semi-field (outdoor enclosure) conditions. The placement of either product in the wind tunnel significantly reduced host-seeking behaviors.

Improving stability and reusability of Rhodococcus pyridinivorans NIT-36 nitrilase by whole cell immobilization using chitosan.

Immobilized enzymes have great significance for industrial processes. In this study whole cell immobilization of Rhodococcus pyridinivorans NIT-36 has been undertaken using chitosan microspheres as an immobilized matrix. R.

New Nematotoxic Indoloditerpenoid Produced by Gymnoascus reessii za-130.

Chemical investigation of the fungal strain Gymnoascus reessii za-130, which was previously isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato plants infected by the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, led to the isolation and identification of a new indoloditerpenoid metabolite designated gymnoascole acetate. Its structure was established by spectroscopic methods including 1D- and 2D-NMR and MS analyses. Gymnoascole acetate demonstrated strong adverse effects on M.

Perioperative Considerations in a Patient with Hemophilia A: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Classic hemophilia or hemophilia A is a congenital bleeding diathesis in which the affected individual may present with spontaneous hemorrhage or persistent bleeding even after minor trauma. Knowledge about the disease process, multidisciplinary team approach, and timely management can lead to favorable outcome in these patients. We report management of a child with hemophilia A for suturing of lacerated upper lip mucosa following trauma.

Predictors of Hospital Readmissions for Ulcerative Colitis in the United States: A National Database Study.

Background: Early readmissions are important indicators of quality of care. Limited data exist describing hospital readmissions in ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to describe unplanned, 30-day readmissions among adult UC patients and to assess readmission predictors.

The Effect of Depression in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients on Inpatient Hospitalization Outcomes.

Background/aims: Depression is common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD). Although, depression is associated with mortality, the effect of depression on in-hospital outcomes has not been studied as yet.

Methods: We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample for trends and outcomes of hospitalizations with depression in patients with ESRD.

National Trends and Impact of Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Hemodialysis in Hospitalizations With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause for hospitalization, but there are limited data regarding acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (AKI-D) in AF hospitalizations. We aimed to assess temporal trends and outcomes in AF hospitalizations complicated by AKI-D utilizing a nationally representative database.

Methods And Results: Utilizing the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, AF hospitalizations and AKI-D were identified using diagnostic and procedure codes.

Endothelialization and characterization of titanium dioxide-coated gas-exchange membranes for application in the bioartificial lung.

Unlabelled: Fouling on the gas-exchange hollow-fiber membrane (HFM) of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices by blood components and pathogens represents the major hurdle to their long-term application in patients with lung deficiency or unstable hemodynamics. Although patients are treated with anticoagulants, deposition of blood proteins onto the membrane surface may still occur after few days, leading to insufficient gas transfer and, consequently, to device failure. The aim of this study was to establish an endothelial cell (EC) monolayer onto the gas-exchange membrane of an ECMO device with a view to developing a hemocompatible bioartificial lung.

A panorama of bacterial inulinases: Production, purification, characterization and industrial applications.

Inulinases are important hydrolysing enzymes which specifically act on β-2, 1 linkages of inulin to produce fructose or fructooligosaccharides. Fungi, yeasts and bacteria are the potent microbial sources of inulinases. The data on bacterial inulinases is scarce as compared to other microbial sources.

Rapamycin regulates autophagy and cell adhesion in induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: Cellular reprogramming is a stressful process, which requires cells to engulf somatic features and produce and maintain stemness machineries. Autophagy is a process to degrade unwanted proteins and is required for the derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). However, the role of autophagy during iPSC maintenance remains undefined.

Role of antioxidants on the clinical outcome of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Background: Antioxidants have a preventive or therapeutic role in oxygen free radical-mediated cell and tissue damage. The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of antioxidants and intranasal steroid fluticasone furoate (FF) on the clinical outcome of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.

Methods: Subjects with perennial allergic rhinitis (n = 61) were randomly divided into two groups, group A (n = 30) received FF and group B (n = 31) received FF with antioxidants for 6 weeks.

Genital Self-mutilation in a Case of First Episode Psychosis.

Genital self-mutilation (GSM) is a much rare finding and more commonly associated with psychosis when it comes to comparison with self-mutilation as a whole. There have been anecdotal case reports of GSM in psychotic disorders with most of them being in long standing psychoses. We describe herein a case of GSM during the first episode of psychosis where multiple phenomenological variables were seen responsible for the act.

Evaluation of enzyme treatment conditions on extraction of anthocyanins from Prunus nepalensis L.

The study was designed to investigate the effect of enzyme assisted extraction of anthocyanins from Sohiong fruit (Prunus nepalensis) under varied time, temperature and treatment conditions. Highest anthocyanins yield was obtained by coupling enzymatic treatment along with solvent extraction simultaneously. Additionally, effect of enzyme type, enzyme concentration, reaction time and temperature were evaluated subsequently in following experiments.

Cutting Edge: ACVRL1 Signaling Augments CD8α+ Dendritic Cell Development.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are a collection of different subtypes, each of which is characterized by specific surface markers, gene-expression patterns, and distinct functions. Members of the IFN regulatory factor family play critical roles in DC development and functions. Recently, Irf8 was shown to activate TGF-β signaling, which led to exacerbated neuroinflammation in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model.

Characterization of cancer-associated missense mutations in MDM2.

MDM2 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that binds the N-terminus of p53 and promotes its ubiquitin-dependent degradation. Elevated levels of MDM2 due to overexpression or gene amplification can contribute to tumor development by suppressing p53 activity. Since MDM2 is an oncogene, we explored the possibility that other genetic lesions, namely missense mutations, might alter its activities.

Coliform detection in cheese is associated with specific cheese characteristics, but no association was found with pathogen detection.

Coliform detection in finished products, including cheese, has traditionally been used to indicate whether a given product has been manufactured under unsanitary conditions. As our understanding of the diversity of coliforms has improved, it is necessary to assess whether coliforms are a good indicator organism and whether coliform detection in cheese is associated with the presence of pathogens. The objective of this study was (1) to evaluate cheese available on the market for presence of coliforms and key pathogens, and (2) to characterize the coliforms present to assess their likely sources and public health relevance.

Avoidance Behavior to Essential Oils by Anopheles minimus, a Malaria Vector in Thailand.

Essential oils extracted from 4 different plant species--citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), hairy basil (Ocimum americanum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), and vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides)-were investigated for their irritant and repellent activities against Anopheles minimus, using an excito-repellency test system. Pure essential oils were used in absolute ethanol at the concentrations of 0.5%, 1%, 2.

Spore test parameters matter: Mesophilic and thermophilic spore counts detected in raw milk and dairy powders differ significantly by test method.

United States dairy industry exports have steadily risen in importance over the last 10yr, with dairy powders playing a particularly critical role. Currently, approximately half of US-produced nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder is exported. Reaching new and expanding existing export markets relies in part on the control of endospore-forming bacteria in dairy powders.