The D2D3 form of uPAR acts as an immunotoxin and may cause diabetes and kidney disease.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a risk factor for kidney diseases. In addition to suPAR, proteolysis of membrane-bound uPAR results in circulating D1 and D2D3 proteins. We showed that when exposed to a high-fat diet, transgenic mice expressing D2D3 protein developed progressive kidney disease marked by microalbuminuria, elevated serum creatinine, and glomerular hypertrophy.

Fluid assessment in dialysis patients by point-of-care magnetic relaxometry.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful diagnostic tool, but its use is restricted to the scanner suite. Here, we demonstrate that a bedside nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) sensor can assess fluid status changes in individuals at a fraction of the time and cost compared to MRI. Our study recruited patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who were regularly receiving hemodialysis treatments with intradialytic fluid removal as a model of volume overload and healthy controls as a model of euvolemia.

Characterization and Correction of Olfactory Deficits in Kidney Disease.

Patients with CKD suffer from food aversion, anorexia, and malnutrition. Although olfaction has a significant role in determining food flavor, our understanding of olfactory impairment and of the olfaction-nutrition axis in patients with kidney disease is limited. We quantified odor identification, odor threshold, and subjective odor perception in a cohort (=161) comprising 36 participants with CKD, 100 participants with ESRD, and 25 controls.

Lupus-like Immune Complex-mediated Glomerulonephritis in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection Treated with Oral, Interferon-free, Direct-acting Antiviral Therapy.

Novel, all-oral interferon-free direct-acting antiviral agents have revolutionized the management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by producing exceptional cure rates with minimal adverse events. While provocation or exacerbation of autoimmunity has been reported in HCV-infected patients receiving interferon, this phenomenon has not been reported in patients receiving interferon-free HCV therapy. We report the occurrence of three cases of lupus-like immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis occurring shortly after exposure to sofosbuvir-based direct-acting antiviral therapies.

Calciphylaxis in peritoneal dialysis patients: a single center cohort study.

Background: Calciphylaxis is a rare but devastating condition in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Most research in the field of calciphylaxis is focused on hemodialysis (HD) patients; however, data on calciphylaxis incidence, risk factors, and mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients are limited.

Methods: In this cohort study, we examined data from adult patients who initiated PD for ESRD management at our institute's PD unit from January 2001 to December 2015.

Comparison and evaluation of lupus nephritis response criteria in lupus activity indices and clinical trials.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease with diverse manifestations. Although the approval of new therapies includes only one agent in 50 years, a number of promising new drugs are in development. Lupus nephritis is a dreaded complication of SLE as it is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Bleeding complications of native kidney biopsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Kidney biopsy provides important information for nephrologists, but the risk of complications has not been systematically described.

Study Design: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and prospective or retrospective observational studies.

Setting & Population: Adults undergoing native kidney biopsy in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

A prospective global measure, the Punum Ladder, provides more valid assessments of quality of life than a retrospective transition measure.

Objectives: We assessed the reliability and validity of two measures of change, one retrospective (the Global Rating of Change Scale [GRCS]) and one prospective (the Punum Ladder), and the relative utility of the two methods of assessing change and establishing the minimal important difference (MID) of the Cough Quality of Life Questionnaire (CQLQ), a reliable and valid cough-specific quality-of-life (QoL) instrument.

Study Design And Setting: A prospective, longitudinal study assessing the change in cough-related QoL over 6 months in participants with chronic cough was carried out in a tertiary care cough clinic. Before seeing a physician, subjects completed eight Punum Ladders and the CQLQ.

Management of Lyme disease.

It has been 30 years since Lyme disease was first described in a cohort of patients from Connecticut. An understanding of disease transmission, clinical manifestations and prevention strategies has been established. With the number of new cases increasing each year, it is important that clinicians are aware of the available treatment options.

Concurrent task performance enhances low-level visuomotor learning.

Visuomotor association learning involves learning to make a motor response to an arbitrary visual stimulus. This learning is essential for visual search and discrimination performance and is reliant upon a well-defined neural circuit in the brain that includes the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampal formation. In the present study, we investigated the possible role of attentional processes during such learning using dual-task interference.

Strategies for primary and secondary prevention of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease (borreliosis) incidence continues to increase despite a growing knowledge of primary and secondary prevention strategies. Primary prevention aims to reduce the risk of tick exposure and thereby decrease the incidence of new Lyme disease cases. Secondary prevention targets the development of disease or reduces disease severity among people who have been bitten by infected ticks.

Screening for frailty among seniors in clinical practice.

The normal course of aging is associated with gradual declines in a number of functional abilities. Patients who are at high risk of functional decline are described as frail or vulnerable. A screening tool to identify such patients is needed, as it has been shown that intervention can delay the onset and/or slow the progression of functional decline.

Progression of Parkinson's disease following thalamic deep brain stimulation for tremor.

We assessed the long-term effect of thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on motor symptoms and progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) in PD patients treated for resting and postural/action tremor. Thalamic DBS was performed in 17 patients with treatment-resistant resting and postural/action tremor. Nine patients were available for follow-up examination a mean of 5.