Are we disadvantaging smokers by excluding them from kidney transplantation? A single-centre experience and survey of kidney transplantation units.

Background: Smoking has been shown to have detrimental effects on KT outcomes and survival. Most units and guidelines advocate for the cessation of smoking prior to a kidney transplant and consider it a general contraindication to listing. Smoking prevalence is higher in disadvantaged groups.

Factors influencing communication issues during hospital discharge for older adults in 11 high-income countries: a secondary analysis of the 2021 International Health Policy Survey.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hospital discharge communication problems with older adults, compare them across countries and determine factors associated with those problems.

Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data.

Setting: 2021 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy (IHP) Survey of Older Adults conducted across 11 high-income countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA.

HDAC Inhibitors Can Enhance Radiosensitivity of Head and Neck Cancer Cells Through Suppressing DNA Repair.

The incidence of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), currently ~800,000 cases per year worldwide, is rising. Radiotherapy remains a mainstay for the treatment of HNSCC, although inherent radioresistance, particularly in human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative disease subtypes, remains a significant barrier to effective treatment. Therefore, combinatorial strategies using drugs or inhibitors against specific cellular targets are necessary to enhance HNSCC radiosensitivity to lead to an improvement in patient outcomes.

Risk factors for antimicrobial-resistant in dogs: a systematic review.

Identifying risk factors associated with the carriage of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria in dogs is crucial to understanding their epidemiology and for developing and refining targeted control measures. However, relevant data is scattered and conflicting findings have been reported. This systematic review aimed to compile risk factors associated with the carriage of AMR- in dogs worldwide and to identify relevant knowledge gaps for directing future research.

Astrocytes initiate autophagic flux and maintain cell viability after internalizing non-active native extracellular α-synuclein.

Astrocytes are tasked with regulating the synaptic environment. Early stages of various neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by synapse loss, and astrocytic atrophy and dysfunction has been proposed as a possible cause. α-Synuclein (αS) is a highly expressed neuronal protein located in the synapse that can be released in the extracellular space.

Outcomes in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis in Scotland: Validation of the Renal Risk Score in a Complete National Cohort.

Introduction: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) causes autoimmune-mediated inflammation of small blood vessels in multiple organs, including the kidneys. The ability to accurately predict kidney outcomes would enable a more personalized therapeutic approach.

Methods: We used our national renal biopsy registry to validate the ability of ANCA Renal Risk Score (ARRS) to predict end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) for individual patients.

Outcomes of hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked disorder characterized by combined immunodeficiency, eczema, microthrombocytopenia, autoimmunity, and lymphoid malignancies. Gene therapy (GT) to modify autologous CD34+ cells is an emerging alternative treatment with advantages over standard allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients who lack well-matched donors, avoiding graft-versus-host-disease. We report the outcomes of a phase 1/2 clinical trial in which 5 patients with severe WAS underwent GT using a self-inactivating lentiviral vector expressing the human WAS complementary DNA under the control of a 1.

Subsidized veterinary extension services may reduce antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture.

Antibiotic use in aquaculture has become very controversial vis-à-vis driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in aquatic bacterial populations. The AMR trends in fish pathogens in Hong Kong over a four-year period suggests that providing small stakeholder farmers with free veterinary advice on fish health issues and treatments, as well as subsidized quality-assured medicines, likely reduced AMR. We observed a dramatic reduction in the proportion of bacteria resistant to oxolinic acid, oxytetracycline, and florfenicol on local aquaculture farms between 2018 and 2021.

In situ generation of highly localized chlorine by laser-induced graphene electrodes during electrochemical disinfection.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) has gained popularity for electrochemical water disinfection due to its efficient antimicrobial activity when activated with low voltages. However, the antimicrobial mechanism of LIG electrodes is not yet fully understood. This study demonstrated an array of mechanisms working synergistically to inactivate bacteria during electrochemical treatment using LIG electrodes, including the generation of oxidants, changes in pH-specifically high alkalinity associated with the cathode, and electro-adsorption on the electrodes.

Quality Assessment of Day-Old Chickens on the Broiler Farms of Hong Kong.

The present study aimed to investigate the quality of newly hatched broiler chicks delivered to Hong Kong (imported or local), and to develop tailored recommendations to improve their management. During 2019-2021, 70 batches (34 imported from mainland China and 36 local) of one/three day old chicks on 11 broiler farms were studied. From each batch, 23 or 24 chicks (1647 in total) were assessed for abnormalities in appearance, navel, crop filling, dehydration, body weight, and length uniformity.

Establishment of a real-time Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) for the detection of decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1).

A rapid and simple real-time recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay was developed to detect decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1). The assay was developed using optimized primers and probes designed from the conserved sequence of the DIV1 major capsid protein (MCP) gene. Using the optimized RPA assay, the DIV1 test was completed within 20 min at 39 ℃.

Copper/Carbon Core/Shell Nanoparticles: A Potential Material to Control the Fish Pathogen .

Copper-based fungicides have a long history of usage in agriculture and aquaculture. With the rapid development of metal-based nanoparticles, copper-based nanoparticles have attracted attention as a potential material for prevention and control of . The present study investigated the effectiveness of copper/carbon core/shell nanoparticles (CCCSNs) and a commercial CCCSNs filter product (COPPERWARE) against in a recirculating system.

The Astrogenic Balance in the Aging Brain.

An inverse correlation between the incidence of cancer and neurodegenerative disease has been observed, with the prevalence of cancer peaking around 60 years of age, then slowly tapering off as neurodegenerative diseases increase in the elderly. Although the diseases rarely occur concurrently, the same genes are differentially expressed between the diseases, with four transcription factors found to be in common for their expression. In the brain, mature astrocytes are the origin of astrocytoma, which make up 58.

ANCA-associated renal vasculitis is associated with rurality but not seasonality or deprivation in a complete national cohort study.

Background: Small studies suggest an association between ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) incidence and rurality, seasonality and socioeconomic deprivation. We examined the incidence of kidney biopsy-proven AAV and its relationship with these factors in the adult Scottish population.

Methods: Using the Scottish Renal Biopsy Registry, all adult native kidney biopsies performed between 2014 and 2018 with a diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) were identified.

Post-Transcriptional Genetic Silencing of to Treat Sickle Cell Disease.

Background: Sickle cell disease is characterized by hemolytic anemia, pain, and progressive organ damage. A high level of erythrocyte fetal hemoglobin (HbF) comprising α- and γ-globins may ameliorate these manifestations by mitigating sickle hemoglobin polymerization and erythrocyte sickling. is a repressor of γ-globin expression and HbF production in adult erythrocytes.

Hematuria Is Associated with More Severe Acute Tubulointerstitial Nephritis.

Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) is a common cause of acute kidney injury. Although haematuria is a risk factor for the development of renal disease, no previous study has analyzed the significance of haematuria in ATIN. Retrospective, observational analysis of 110 patients with biopsy-proven ATIN was conducted.

Grey Matter Etymology and the neuron(e).

‘Neuron’ or ‘neurone’? While it is often assumed that these different spellings reflect usage of American versus British English, there are also inconsistencies within these cultural boundaries. Mehta review historical, etymological and linguistic evidence concerning the spelling of ‘neuron(e)’ and conclude that the only correct spelling is ‘neuron’.

Predicting outcome in acute interstitial nephritis: a case-series examining the importance of histological parameters.

Aims: The clinical significance of common histological parameters in acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is uncertain. We aimed to evaluate the utility of histology in predicting clinical outcomes in patients with AIN.

Methods And Results: Adult renal biopsies yielding a diagnosis of AIN between 2000 and 2015 were re-examined.

The European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry Annual Report 2016: a summary.

Background: This article summarizes the ERA-EDTA Registry's 2016 Annual Report, by describing the epidemiology of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 2016 within 36 countries.

Methods: In 2017 and 2018, the ERA-EDTA Registry received data on patients undergoing RRT for ESRD in 2016 from 52 national or regional renal registries. In all, 32 registries provided individual patient data and 20 provided aggregated data.

Obesity is not associated with progression to end stage renal disease in patients with biopsy-proven glomerular diseases.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is associated with renal disease progression in unspecified CKD. The relationship between BMI and primary glomerular disease (GN) may be more complex. We aimed to evaluate the association between BMI and renal disease progression in patients with primary glomerular disease (GN).