Background And Hypothesis: The PLA2R antibody test is a valuable first-line diagnostic tool for primary membranous nephropathy (MN), helping to identify PLA2R-related MN and potentially eliminating the need for a kidney biopsy in some individuals. By reducing the reliance on biopsies, the test streamlines diagnosis and improves patient care. However, determining the optimal PLA2R measurement method and cut-off is critical to maximising the benefits of the test and minimising any harms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis paper describes a new species of Halamphora - and records for the first time for the coasts of Indonesia. The study utilized light and scanning electron microscopy to meticulously examine the morphology. These species were found at Kuta Beach on the island of Lombok in Indonesia in highly saline sandy environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe nutritional value of a food is linked to the quality and quantity of the nutrients it contains. It offers a major advantage in establishing a food table composition (FTC) which is a tool that provides information on the quantity of nutrients contained in a food. Furthermore, certain natural beverage are not taken into account in the FTC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe reduced genetic diversity and frequent inbreeding associated with small population size may underpin the accumulation and expression of deleterious mutations (mutation load) in some declining populations. However, demographic perturbations and inbreeding coupled with purifying selection can also purge declining populations of deleterious mutations, leading to intriguing recoveries. To better understand the links between deleterious genetic variation and population status, we assess patterns of genetic diversity, inbreeding, and mutation load across the genomes of three species of whale with different demographic histories and recoveries following the end of commercial whaling in the 1980s.
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