The potential diagnostic value of circulating free miRNAs in plasma compared to miRNA expression in blood cells for rejection processes after kidney transplantation is largely unknown, but offers the potential for better and timely diagnosis of acute rejection. Free microRNA expression of specific blood cell markers was measured in 160 plasma samples from kidney transplant patients under standard immunosuppressive therapy (steroids±mycophenolic acid±calcineurin inhibitor) with stable graft function, urinary tract infection, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR), Borderline (Banff3), tubulo-interstitial (Banff4-I) and vascular rejection (Banff4-II/III) applying RT-PCR. The expression levels of specific microRNAs miR-15B, miR-103A and miR-106A discriminated patients with stable graft function significantly (p-values 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBelatacept offers a new option for renal allograft recipients who are suffering from side effects of calcineurin inhibitors or mTOR inhibitors,which may result in renal and extrarenal benefits.We prospectively performed flow cytometric immunophenotyping with a T-cell panel. In total we were able to fully investigate the immunophenotypic change in 8 patients before and after conversion from calcineurin inhibitor (n = 5) or mTOR inhibitor (n=2) to Belatacept or additional administration (n=1).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miR) hold important roles in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Their function has been correlated with kidney disease, and they might represent a new class of biomarkers for frequent evaluation of renal graft status. We analyzed their potential in identifying severe T cell-mediated vascular rejection (TCMVR) (Banff 4-II/III) in kidney transplanted patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA considerable fraction of renal transplanted patients is susceptible to humoral rejection. Today well-established therapy regimens are available to control antibody-mediated rejection in the short term. Nevertheless, donor-specific antibodies persist and graft function deteriorates over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHumoral rejection processes may lead to allograft injury and subsequent dysfunction. Today, only one B-cell-specific agent is in clinical use and the effects of standard and new immunosuppressant substances on B-cell activation and function are not fully clarified. The impact of sotrastaurin, mycophenolic acid and everolimus on human B-lymphocyte function was assessed by analysing proliferation, apoptosis, CD80/CD86 expression and immunoglobulin and IL-10 production in primary stimulated B cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurobehavioral measures of attention, and clinical features of the attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been studied in pediatric environmental lead research. However rarely, if ever, have performance measures of attention or executive functions and questionnaire-based quantitative ADHD-observations been studied in the same subjects. We examined associations between pediatric blood lead concentrations (PbB), as well as those of mercury (Hg), and aluminum (Al), and performance in four different attention tasks, as well as behavioral ratings from an ICD-10 (hyperactivity) and DSM-IV-coded (attention deficit) German questionnaire (FBB-ADHS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The prevalence of adolescent overweight has increased dramatically, and in many industrialised countries overweight is most prevalent in lower socioeconomic positions (SEP). It is therefore important to examine determinants of overweight and to understand the mechanisms behind social patterning. Several studies show that skipping breakfast is a risk factor for overweight.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCases of non-occupational intoxications with pesticides registered in 26 counties of Romania between 1988 and 1993 are reported. From the total number the accidental cases represent high values (53%-73%) in this period, showing an elevated death rate of 10.1%-26.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClinical, genetic and endocrine findings in a male patient aged 27, diagnosed as a "Cat Eye" syndrome bearer are presented. Clinically the patient shows: moderate psychic retardation, high forehead, epicanthus, strabismus, microretrognathism, large, low inserted ears, kypho-scoliosis, genu valgum; mild hypothyroidism. Cytogenetic examination reveals the presence of an additional small acrocentric chromosome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe work presents the clinical and cytogenetic findings in a 16 year-old female-patient with Turnerian phenotype and 46 XX, del(X)(q 13 leads to q ter) caryotype. The authors discuss the difficulties of correlating the caryotype to the phenotype in X chromosome structural aberation cases.
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