Light chain cast nephropathy caused by plasmablastic lymphoma of the bladder.

Introduction: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare form of B-cell lymphoma typically seen in patients with underlying immunosuppression such as HIV, autoimmune disease, and organ transplantation. PBL in HIV-positive patients usually originates from the gastrointestinal tract, with a predilection for the oral cavity. Bladder involvement by PBL is exceedingly rare, and cast nephropathy due to κ light chain-secreting PBL has not been reported previously.

Repeat cesarean section in a COVID-19 positive mother in the United States.

In our report, we present a case of repeat cesarean section in a 29-year-old Ecuadorian mother who contracted COVID-19 and traveled to the United States during her last trimester of pregnancy. We assembled a multidisciplinary team to safely deliver the mother by cesarean section. She received supportive care for her COVID-19 infection.

Update on role of direct renin inhibitor in diabetic kidney disease.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a critical role in the development of DKD with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) being the mainstay of treatment. Systemic RAAS activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of DKD, but lately interest has shifted to intrarenal RAAS effect.

Generation and properties of antibacterial coatings based on electrostatic attachment of silver nanoparticles to protein-coated polypropylene fibers.

We present a simple method for attaching silver nanoparticles to polypropylene (PP) fibers in a two-step process to impart antibacterial properties. Specifically, PP fibers are pretreated by the adsorption from an aqueous solution of heat-denatured lysozyme (LYS) followed by LYS cross-linking using glutaraldehyde and sodium borohydride. At neutral pH, the surface of the adsorbed LYS layer is enriched with numerous positive charges.

Formation and antifouling properties of amphiphilic coatings on polypropylene fibers.

We describe the formation of amphiphilic polymeric assemblies via a three-step functionalization process applied to polypropylene (PP) nonwovens and to reference hydrophobic self-assembled n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) monolayer surfaces. In the first step, denatured proteins (lysozyme or fibrinogen) are adsorbed onto the hydrophobic PP or the ODTS surfaces, followed by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)). The hydroxyl and amine functional groups of the proteins permit the attachment of initiator molecules, from which poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) polymer grafts are grown directly through "grafting from" atom transfer radical polymerization.

Generation of functional coatings on hydrophobic surfaces through deposition of denatured proteins followed by grafting from polymerization.

Hydrophilic coatings were produced on flat hydrophobic substrates featuring n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS) and synthetic polypropylene (PP) nonwoven surfaces through the adsorption of denatured proteins. Specifically, physisorption from aqueous solutions of α-lactalbumin, lysozyme, fibrinogen, and two soy globulin proteins (glycinin and β-conglycinin) after chemical (urea) and thermal denaturation endowed the hydrophobic surfaces with amino and hydroxyl functionalities, yielding enhanced wettability. Proteins adsorbed strongly onto ODTS and PP through nonspecific interactions.

Multilayers of weak polyelectrolytes of low and high molecular mass assembled on polypropylene and self-assembled hydrophobic surfaces.

Hydrophobic self-assembled octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODTS), ultrathin films of polypropylene, and ODTS modified with cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide are employed as substrates for deposition of multilayers of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(acrylic acid) from aqueous solution. The assembly of highly dissipative polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) is demonstrated by quartz crystal microgravimetry. The initial rate of adsorption is faster and the adsorbed amount larger on the cationic surface, while the detailed structure of the PEMs, as determined by atomic force microscopy imaging, is related primarily to the molecular weight of the adsorbing polymers.