Subnormothermic Oxygenated Perfusion Optimally Preserves Donor Kidneys .

Introduction: The current methods of preserving donor kidneys in nonoxygenated cold conditions minimally protect the kidney against ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), a major source of complications in clinical transplantation. However, preserving kidneys with oxygenated perfusion is not currently feasible due to the lack of an ideal perfusion mechanism that facilitates perfusion with blood at warm temperature. Here, we have designed an innovative renal pump circuit system that can perfuse blood or acellular oxygen carrier under flexible temperatures, pressures, and oxygenation.

Long-term results of protocol kidney biopsy directing steroid withdrawal in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant patients.

Introduction: We sought to determine whether protocol biopsies could be used to guide treatment and improve outcomes in simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) patients.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2013, protocol biopsies were performed on SPK patients at 3-6 months and one year post-transplant. Maintenance immunosuppression consisted of a calcineurin inhibitor, anti-proliferative agent, and corticosteroid.

Randomized open-label crossover assessment of Prograf vs Advagraf on immunosuppressant pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in simultaneous pancreas-kidney patients.

Introduction: We assessed the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic impact of converting stable simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) recipients from standard tacrolimus (Prograf) to long-acting tacrolimus (Advagraf).

Methods: In a randomized prospective crossover study, stable SPK recipients on Prograf were assigned to Prograf with 1:1 conversion to Advagraf or vice versa. Demographics, tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid levels, and Cylex CD4 + ATP levels were taken at specified intervals in addition to standard blood work.

A comparison of bloat control methods for genetic programming.

Genetic programming has highlighted the problem of bloat, the uncontrolled growth of the average size of an individual in the population. The most common approach to dealing with bloat in tree-based genetic programming individuals is to limit their maximal allowed depth. An alternative to depth limiting is to punish individuals in some way based on excess size, and our experiments have shown that the combination of depth limiting with such a punitive method is generally more effective than either alone.

Modification point depth and genome growth in genetic programming.

The evolutionary computation community has shown increasing interest in arbitrary-length representations, particularly in the field of genetic programming. A serious stumbling block to the scalability of such representations has been bloat: uncontrolled genome growth during an evolutionary run. Bloat appears across the evolutionary computation spectrum, but genetic programming has given it by far the most attention.