Comparison of Serum Urea, Salivary Urea, and Creatinine Levels in Pre-Dialysis and Post-Dialysis Patients: A Case-Control Study.

Background Frequent venepuncture for monitoring of serum urea and creatinine in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on dialysis will result in venous damage and infection. In this research, we assessed the feasibility of utilizing salivary samples as a substitute for serum samples in determining the levels of urea and creatinine in patients with CKD undergoing dialysis. Methods The study participants included 50 patients diagnosed with CKD undergoing hemodialysis and an equal number of apparently healthy individuals.

MYT1L haploinsufficiency in human neurons and mice causes autism-associated phenotypes that can be reversed by genetic and pharmacologic intervention.

MYT1L is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-associated transcription factor that is expressed in virtually all neurons throughout life. How MYT1L mutations cause neurological phenotypes and whether they can be targeted remains enigmatic. Here, we examine the effects of MYT1L deficiency in human neurons and mice.

Humanized zebrafish as a tractable tool for in vivo evaluation of pro-myelinating drugs.

Therapies that promote neuroprotection and axonal survival by enhancing myelin regeneration are an unmet need to prevent disability progression in multiple sclerosis. Numerous potentially beneficial compounds have originated from phenotypic screenings but failed in clinical trials. It is apparent that current cell- and animal-based disease models are poor predictors of positive treatment options, arguing for novel experimental approaches.

Automatic detector synchronization for long-term imaging using confocal light-sheet microscopy.

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) is an important tool in developmental biology. In this microscopy technique confocal line detection is often used to improve image contrast. To this end, the image of the illuminating scanned focused laser beam must be mapped onto a line detector.

CNS myelin protein 36K regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation through Notch.

In contrast to humans and other mammals, zebrafish can successfully regenerate and remyelinate central nervous system (CNS) axons following injury. In addition to common myelin proteins found in mammalian myelin, 36K protein is a major component of teleost fish CNS myelin. Although 36K is one of the most abundant proteins in zebrafish brain, its function remains unknown.

Sensitive and Specific Guest Recognition through Pyridinium-Modification in Spindle-Like Coordination Containers.

An elaborately designed pyridinium-functionalized octanuclear zinc(II) coordination container 1-Zn was prepared through the self-assembly of Zn , p-tert-butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene, and pyridinium-functionalized angular flexible dicarboxylate linker (H BrL1). The structure was determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffractometer. 1-Zn displays highly sensitive and specific recognition to 2-picolylamine as revealed by drastic blueshifts of the absorption and emission spectra, ascribed to the decrease of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character of the container and the occurrence of intermolecular charge transfer between the host and guest molecules.