Bioinspired Breathable Architecture for Water Harvesting.

Thuja plicata is a coniferous tree which displays remarkable water channelling properties. In this article, an easily fabricated mesh inspired by the hierarchical macro surface structure of Thuja plicata branchlets is described which emulates this efficient water collection behaviour. The key parameters are shown to be the pore size, pore angle, mesh rotation, tilt angle (branch droop) and layering (branch overlap).

Robot Comedy Lab: experimenting with the social dynamics of live performance.

The success of live comedy depends on a performer's ability to "work" an audience. Ethnographic studies suggest that this involves the co-ordinated use of subtle social signals such as body orientation, gesture, gaze by both performers and audience members. Robots provide a unique opportunity to test the effects of these signals experimentally.

Tacrolimus dose requirements in African-American and Caucasian kidney transplant recipients on mycophenolate and prednisone.

Racial differences among kidney transplant recipients may impact the total daily tacrolimus dose required to achieve therapeutic tacrolimus concentrations. Previous studies suggest that African Americans require higher doses to achieve similar therapeutic drug concentrations compared with Caucasians. Data were collected on a total of 147 de novo kidney transplant recipients.

Effect of polycaprolactone scaffold permeability on bone regeneration in vivo.

Successful bone tissue engineering depends on the scaffold's ability to allow nutrient diffusion to and waste removal from the regeneration site, as well as provide an appropriate mechanical environment. Since bone is highly vascularized, scaffolds that provide greater mass transport may support increased bone regeneration. Permeability encompasses the salient features of three-dimensional porous scaffold architecture effects on scaffold mass transport.

Use of leflunomide in the treatment of polyomavirus BK-associated nephropathy.

Objective: To review the available literature describing the use of leflunomide for the treatment of polyomavirus BK-associated nephropathy (BKVAN) in renal transplant recipients.

Data Sources: Relevant literature was obtained through MEDLINE (1950-May 2008) and Science Citation Index Expanded (1900-May 2008) by using search terms leflunomide, Arava, polyomavirus, polyoma, BK virus, and transplant. Additional articles were identified through a manual search of the reference lists of the articles obtained.