Biomarker Panels for Discriminating Risk of CKD Progression in Children.

Background: We have previously studied biomarkers of tubular health (EGF), injury (KIM-1), dysfunction (alpha-1 microglobulin), and inflammation (TNFR-1, TNFR-2, MCP-1, YKL-40, suPAR), and demonstrated that plasma KIM-1, TNFR-1, TNFR-2 and urine KIM-1, EGF, MCP-1, urine alpha-1 microglobulin are each independently associated with CKD progression in children. In this study, we used bootstrapped survival trees to identify a combination of biomarkers to predict CKD progression in children.

Methods: The CKiD Cohort Study prospectively enrolled children 6 months to 16 years old with an eGFR of 30-90 ml/min/1.

Heart Transplantation Outcomes for Fontan Patients When Using Contemporary Strategies: Heart-Liver Transplantation and Ventricular Assist Device Therapy.

Background: With an increasing number of Fontan patients surviving into adulthood, the burden of end-stage heart failure is increasing. Prior studies have reported suboptimal heart transplantation (HTx) outcomes. Therefore, the authors describe their institutional experience of HTx in patients with Fontan circulation failure, including heart-liver transplantation (HLTx) and pretransplant systemic ventricular assist device (SVAD) therapies.

Assessment of the European Hernia Society Classification of Ventral Hernias and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Ventral hernias are a common but heterogeneous disease. Communication among key stakeholders (eg, patients, clinicians, administrators, payers, and researchers) can be augmented by a widely utilized classification system. The European Hernia Society (EHS) developed an expert-opinion-based hernia classification system organized by hernia type (primary versus incisional) and size.

A terror management theory perspective on the appeal of historical myths.

Historical myths are appealing primarily because they provide people with views of life and their role in it as significant and enduring. These worldviews help people manage death anxiety by enabling them to view themselves as part of something great that stretches far into the past and endures indefinitely into the future. We review empirical evidence supporting this analysis.