Liver transplantation (LT) is a cost-effective therapy for advanced liver disease. Although LT significantly improves long-term survival, it requires strict control of immunosuppressants and their potential complications. Several available immunosuppressive drugs include glucocorticoids, calcineurin inhibitors, mycophenolate, mTOR inhibitors, and anti-CD25 antibodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFXK disease is a very rare, multi-system disease, which can present with a wide spectrum of symptoms. This disorder can also be identified pre-symptomatically with the incidental detection of serological abnormalities when typing erythrocytes in peripheral blood, or on other routine laboratory testing. Increasing awareness of this disorder and improved access to genetic testing are resulting in increasing identification of affected patients and families.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Caatinga, an exclusive biome in Brazil, is the largest tropical dry forest area in the Americas. It is characterized by a semi-arid climate and various soils that harbor a great diversity of flora and fauna. Novel records of aerial insectivorous bat species in the family Molossidae in the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil are presented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study explored the transformative journey of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) in the Bay Islands National Marine Park, Honduras, revealing the interplay of cooperation, funding, and communication in fostering successful conservation initiatives. Using a mixed-method approach, we investigated the historical and legislative process and enabling conditions that led to the transition to CBNRM, based on Gruber's 12 key principles. In regards to the present CBNRM system, we looked at its strengths, its challenges, and whether its functioning is seen as satisfying by local resource-users.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnti-D can occur in D-positive patients who inherit RHD genetic variants encoding partial D antigen expression, but unexpected anti-D is also found in the plasma of patients with sickle cell disease who have conventional RHD gene(s) and are transfused with units from Black donors. These anti-D are likely stimulated by variant Rh expressed on donor cells; however, patients with anti-D, regardless of cause, are transfused for a lifetime with D-negative (Rh-negative) blood. This results in significant increased use of Rh-negative units, especially for those requiring chronic transfusion, which can strain Rh-negative blood inventories.
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