An updated and annotated checklist of the spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Iraq.

An updated and annotated checklist of the spiders of Iraq, currently comprising 104 species in 75 genera and 29 families is presented, including six endemic and four subendemic species. Twenty-three records are considered misidentifications and therefore omitted from the checklist. Where possible, the misidentified records are attributed to other species based on their distribution and morphology; as a result of this, three species are recorded in Iraq for the first time: Dictis striatipes L.

Philanthotoxin Analogues That Selectively Inhibit Ganglionic Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors with Exceptional Potency.

Philanthotoxin-433 (PhTX-433) is an active component of the venom from the Egyptian digger wasp, . PhTX-433 nonselectively inhibits several excitatory ligand-gated ion channels, and we recently showed that its synthetic analogue, PhTX-343, exhibits strong selectivity for neuronal over muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we examined the action of 17 analogues of PhTX-343 against ganglionic (α3β4) and brain (α4β2) nAChRs expressed in oocytes by using a two-electrode voltage clamp at -100 mV.

Insect toxins - selective pharmacological tools and drug/chemical leads.

Insect toxins comprise a diverse array of chemicals ranging from small molecules, polyamines and peptide toxins. Many target nervous system and neuromuscular ion channels and so rapidly affect the behaviour of animals to which the toxin is applied or injected. Other modes of action have also been identified.

Block of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by philanthotoxins is strongly dependent on their subunit composition.

Philanthotoxin-433 (PhTX-433) is an active component of the venom from the Egyptian digger wasp, Philanthus triangulum. PhTX-433 inhibits several excitatory ligand-gated ion channels, and to improve selectivity two synthetic analogues, PhTX-343 and PhTX-12, were developed. Previous work showed a 22-fold selectivity of PhTX-12 over PhTX-343 for embryonic muscle-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in TE671 cells.

Rejection quantity in kidney transplant recipients is associated with increasing intracellular interleukin-2 in CD8+ T-cells.

Background: CD8+ T-cells and interleukin-2 play an important role during organ rejection in kidney transplant recipients. Numerous studies showed increased interleukin-2 levels during acute rejection. The aim of our study is to show an association between intracellular interleukin-2 in CD8+ T-cells and the incidence of those who underwent organ rejection in kidney transplant recipients.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the native urinary tract after kidney transplantation: recommendations following a long-term retrospective analysis.

Introduction: The aim of the current study was to explore the clinico-oncological characteristics, and the therapeutic and survival parameters, of renal transplant recipients who developed de novo transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) over a 30-year period at the authors' center.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of records from all registered patients who underwent kidney transplantation at the center between November 1979 and January 2010 who developed de novo TCC of the urinary tract.

Results: From all 2001 patients analyzed during the study period, 21 recipients developed 19 TCCs of the bladder and 6 TCCs of the upper urinary tract.

De novo renal cell carcinoma of native and graft kidneys in renal transplant recipients.

Objective: • To access the epidemiological, clinical and survival features of renal transplant patients with de novo renal cell carcinoma of native and graft kidneys.

Patients And Methods: • We performed a retrospective examination of the data of 2001 consecutive renal transplant recipients at our centre between November 1979 and January 2010.

Results: • In the patient cohort examined, 30 renal cell carcinomas were observed in 26 individuals (incidence 1.

Development of urological cancers in renal transplant recipients: 30-year experience at the Frankfurt Transplant Center.

Fatal post-transplant malignancies with a high proportion of genitourinary neoplasms represent a serious long-term challenge. With continuous improvement of the allograft and patient survival, cancer development after renal transplantation may soon turn to the leading morbidity cause. In a retrospective single-center study of 1990 renal transplant recipients between November 1979 and November 2009, records of patients with urological neoplasms including epidemiological, clinical and survival parameters were accessed.

Switch to a sirolimus-based immunosuppression in long-term renal transplant recipients: reduced rate of (pre-)malignancies and nonmelanoma skin cancer in a prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded, controlled clinical trial.

Renal transplant recipients (RTR) have a 50-200-fold higher risk for nonmelanoma-skin cancer (NMSC) causing high rates of morbidity and sometimes mortality. Cohort-studies gave evidence that a sirolimus-based immunosuppression may inhibit skin tumor growth. This single-center, prospective, assessor-blinded, randomized trial investigated if switching to sirolimus treatment inhibits the progression of premalignancies and moreover how many new NMSC occur compared to continuation of the original immunosuppressive therapy.

Reactivation of hepatitis B two years after rituximab therapy in a renal transplant patient with recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: a note of caution.

We report on the reactivation of hepatitis B in a renal transplant patient who had been treated with rituximab for recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis two and a half yr previously. He lost his anti-hepatitis B surface antigens and anti-hepatitis B core antigen antibodies and developed hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA positive hepatitis. Hepatitis C, which had been successfully treated by alpha interferon 10 yr before, remained quiescent.

Abrogation of nephrotic proteinuria by rituximab treatment in a renal transplant patient with relapsed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Relapse of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) after renal transplantation is 20-40%. Recurrence after a first relapse is 80%. The only current treatment is plasmapheresis and/or cyclophosphamide.

Long-term consequences of live kidney donation follow-up in 93% of living kidney donors in a single transplant center.

Live kidney donation is increasing rapidly. Increases of blood pressure and proteinuria but no accelerated loss of renal function in kidney donors have been described. The credibility of this research is hampered by retrieval rates of only 50-70% of donors.

HBV reactivation after kidney transplantation.

Recent studies suggest that reappearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and loss of anti-HBs antibodies may be common events in bone marrow recipients and patients with chemotherapy. In this study, we reviewed the virologic laboratory records from kidney recipients. Out of 1512 patients, 228 had been diagnosed with resolved HBV infection (anti-HBc positive, HBsAg negative) but normal liver enzyme levels prior to kidney transplantation.

Living kidney donors' long-term psychological status and health behavior after nephrectomy - a retrospective study.

Background: The aim of the study was a comprehensive psychological evaluation of living kidney donors. Existing studies indicate a high donor satisfaction with the decision to donate and good donor quality of life in short-term, as well as in long-term follow-up periods. In many studies, questionnaires with only a few items have been used to assess psychological health or well-being; however, most studies exclusively measured quality of life.

Hypertension is associated with hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease and chronic graft failure in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Hypertension is a common concomitant condition in renal transplant recipients. There is accumulating evidence that this disorder is an important risk factor for chronic renal graft failure and other cardiovascular complications in these patients.

Subjects And Methods: The current retrospective study in 330 patients treated with cyclosporin or azathioprin covered 5 years and aimed to further characterize the interrelation between hypertension and renal graft failure.

Mechanism of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-related anemia in renal transplant recipients.

To delineate the pathogenesis of the reduction in hemoglobin occurring in renal transplant patients treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and azathioprine (AZA) a controlled, prospective trial of ACEI withdrawal was conducted. The ACEI was replaced by nifedipine or clonidine in 15 kidney transplant patients immunosuppressed with AZA and prednisone (enalapril in 14 and captopril in 1). Before and during 10 to 12 weeks after withdrawal of the ACEI, AZA metabolites, renal function parameters and hematological parameters including erythropoietin and reticulocytes were evaluated.

Anemia in renal transplant recipients caused by concomitant therapy with azathioprine and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.

Immunosuppression of recipients of renal transplants with azathioprine has been associated with two major side effects: hepatotoxicity and myelotoxicity, mainly in the form of leukopenia. Reports of isolated anemia in these patients have been rare. We now observed the development of severe anemia in 9 out of 11 renal transplant recipients whose immunosuppressive regimen was converted from cyclosporine plus prednisone to azathioprine plus prednisone.

[Porphyria cutanea uraemica: an obligate systemic disease in chronic kidney insufficiency?].

Patients with chronic renal failure, especially those receiving maintenance haemodialysis, have a number of dermatological alterations. Some of them are similar to those seen in porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). Whereas early studies showed normal plasma porphyrin levels, a striking elevation of plasma porphyrins, and particularly of uroporphyrin, has recently been found.

[Normalization of uremic skin changes following kidney transplantation].

A clinical dermatological examination was performed on 49 patients (30 males, 19 females; 24-64 years of age) 3.1 years after successful kidney transplantation. Some patients underwent skin biopsy procedures for examination by light and electron microscopy, as well as immunohistological methods.

[Microangiopathy, connective tissue changes and amyloid deposits in chronic renal failure].

Skin biopsies were taken from 59 patients with chronic renal failure (52 patients were on regular dialysis treatment, and seven patients were predialytic). The histological examination of the skin biopsies revealed microangiopathy and pericollageneous deposition of a substance with the histochemical behavior of amyloid. In electron microscopy studies these deposits were found to be fine granular, but microfibrillar structures could also be detected.