Reliability Analysis and Optimization of a Reconfigurable Matching Network for Communication and Sensing Antennas in Dynamic Environments through Gaussian Process Regression.

During the implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT), the performance of communication and sensing antennas that are embedded in smart surfaces or smart devices can be affected by objects in their reactive near field due to detuning and antenna mismatch. Matching networks have been proposed to re-establish impedance matching when antennas become detuned due to environmental factors. In this work, the change in the reflection coefficient at the antenna, due to the presence of objects, is first characterized as a function of the frequency and object distance by applying Gaussian process regression on experimental data.

5-Year outcomes of the prospective and randomized CISTCERT study comparing steroid withdrawal to replacement of cyclosporine with everolimus in de novo kidney transplant patients.

Withdrawal of either steroids or calcineurin inhibitors are two strategies to reduce treatment-related side effects and improve long-term outcomes of kidney transplantation. The CISTCERT study compared the efficacy and safety of these two strategies. In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, 151 incident kidney transplant recipients received cyclosporine (CsA), mycophenolic acid (MPA), and steroids during three months, followed by either steroid withdrawal (CsA/MPA) or replacement of cyclosporine with everolimus (EVL) (EVL/MPA/steroids).

Exceptionally long-term persistence of DNA adducts formed by carcinogenic aristolochic acid I in renal tissue from patients with aristolochic acid nephropathy.

Aristolochic acid (AA) causes aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN), first described in women in Belgium accidently prescribed Aristolochia fangchi in a slimming treatment, and also Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), through probable dietary contamination with Aristolochia clematitis seeds. Both nephropathies have a high risk of urothelial cancer, with AA being the causative agent. In tissues of AAN and BEN patients, a distinct DNA adduct, 7-(deoxyadenosin-N6-yl)-aristolactam I (dA-AAI), has been detected.

Improved adherence to tacrolimus once-daily formulation in renal recipients: a randomized controlled trial using electronic monitoring.

Background: With effective agents available to prevent posttransplantation acute organ rejection, medication adherence becomes a key factor for successful treatment outcomes after renal transplantation. A once-daily, modified-release oral formulation of tacrolimus has been developed to simplify dosing and improve medication adherence.

Methods: Adherence Measurement in Stable Renal Transplant Patients Following Conversion From Prograft to Advagraf is a randomized multicenter controlled trial to evaluate adherence between a tacrolimus once-daily regimen and a tacrolimus twice-daily regimen using an electronic monitor to document drug intake.

Long-term evolution of the mineral metabolism after renal transplantation: a prospective, single-center cohort study.

Background: Abnormalities in bone and mineral metabolism are common after renal transplantation (RT) but information on their long-term time course is scarce.

Objectives: (1) Evaluate the time course of biochemical parameters of bone and mineral metabolism over 60 months after RT; (2) identify predictors for persistent hyperparathyroidism (HPT).

Design: Prospective, longitudinal, single-center cohort study.

Incidence and risk factors for posttransplant subcapsular cataract: a long-term retrospective cohort study.

Background: The occurrence and risk factors for posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) after renal transplantation have received little attention.

Objectives: To analyze the cumulative incidence of PSC after renal transplantation and identify risk factors for the development of PSC.

Methods: Retrospective review of the records of the patients who underwent kidney transplantation between May 1986 and December 2008.

Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus: a long-term retrospective cohort study.

Background: Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a serious complication of transplantation which is caused by immunosuppressive drugs and adversely affects the survival of the transplant recipient and the long-term survival of the graft. In this study, we assessed the incidence of PTDM and the factors associated with its development during long-term follow-up of renal transplant recipients. We also investigated the influence of PTDM on the cardiovascular risk (CVR) profile.

Gastrointestinal amyloidosis presenting as enterocolitis on abdominal CT scan.

The imaging findings of amyloidosis are nonspecific and diverse due to its association with various chronic diseases such as multiple myeloma. We report a case of gastrointestinal amyloidosis presenting as enterocolitis on a contrast enhanced CT scan of the abdomen.

Vasculopathy in the kidney allograft at time of transplantation: impact on later function of the graft.

Background: Older and marginal donors, increasingly used to overcome organ shortness, often have a cerebrovascular accident as cause of death and could have vascular lesions in their kidneys.

Methods: In this literature study, we evaluated the predictive value of vasculopathy in the renal allograft at the time of transplantation, on the subsequent graft function.

Results: Short-term graft survival rates do not seem to be diminished by suboptimal donor histology.

Reduced-exposure cyclosporine is safe and efficacious in de novo renal transplant recipients treated with enteric-coated mycophenolic acid and basiliximab.

Background: The lower limit of exposure to calcineurin inhibitors has not yet been established in de novo renal transplant patients receiving mycophenolic acid therapy with basiliximab.

Methods: A 12-month, multicenter, randomized, open-label trial was carried out in which de novo renal transplant patients received enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium, cyclosporine microemulsion, steroids and basiliximab. Patients were randomized to receive standard-exposure (n = 45) or reduced-exposure (n = 44) cyclosporine, based on differing C2 target ranges, after the first month post-transplant.

Severe diarrhea in renal transplant patients: results of the DIDACT study.

Diarrhea is common in transplant recipients. While the majority of cases are mild and transient, some are severe and prolonged, which can threaten graft survival through dehydration. While it is known that some immunosuppressive agents can elicit diarrhea, there does not appear to be any consensus on the role that other nonimmunosuppressive causes can play in transplant patients.

Acute interstitial nephritis associated with salmonellosis.

Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) is a common cause of acute renal failure. We report a case of AIN, confirmed by renal biopsy, that developed in a patient with typhoid fever due to a Salmonella hadar infection. AIN secondary to Salmonella infection is a rare complication that has only been described twice in the literature.

Conversion from cyclosporine to sirolimus in stable renal transplant recipients.

Background: Conversion from cyclosporine (CsA) to sirolimus (SRL) has mainly been done in clinical conditions warranting calcineurin inhibitor discontinuation. Little is known about the clinical outcome of conversion in renal transplant recipients without transplant dysfunction.

Methods: This prospective, open-label, multicentric pilot study evaluates the safety and efficacy of converting patients with stable renal function from CsA to SRL.

[Atypical Cogan's syndrome. Based on a case].

Cogan's syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disease that associates typical (interstitial keratitis) and atypical (such as anterior uveitis) ocular manifestations to vestibulo-auditory dysfunction. It has also a systemic vascular association of vasculitis type. We report a case of a 64 years old woman who presented an atypical form with anterior uveitis.

Short-term combination of mycophenolate mofetil with cyclosporine as a therapeutic option for renal transplant recipients: A prospective, multicenter, randomized study.

Background: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), compared to azathioprine (AZA), reduces acute rejection and treatment failure in cyclosporine (CsA) and steroid regimens, but its effect on graft survival is unproven from prospective studies and prolonged use is costly. This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of replacing MMF by AZA after 3 months.

Methods: This 28 center, prospective, 12-month, parallel group, open-label study, randomized patients to three groups with microemulsion formulation of CsA (ME-CsA) and steroids as baseline therapy.

Relapsing ascites and uremia due to urinary bladder leakage.

A 62-year-old female was admitted for a new episode of ascites, complicated by uremia. She had been treated 6 years earlier for bladder cancer with partial cystectomy and postoperative radiotherapy. At the work-up for both previous episodes of ascites, 6 and 24 months earlier, no definite diagnosis was made, and each time the ascites disappeared spontaneously.

Hydroxyethyl starch does not impair immediate renal function in kidney transplant recipients: a retrospective, multicentre analysis.

Background: The effect of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) on early allograft function was examined retrospectively in a cohort of 119 renal transplantations realized by local organ exchange between four cooperating centres.

Methods: After exclusions, 109 transplant procedures were subdivided in three groups according to donor colloid loading: (i) HS-group (Haes steril 6%, mean volume (SD): 979 (946) ml, n = 20); (ii) PS-group [Plasmasteril, mean volume (SD): 769 (411) ml, n = 16]; and (iii) control group (gelatin albumin, n=73).

Results: Delayed graft function (DGF), defined as the need for dialysis during the first post-transplant week, occurred in 3/20 (15%) cases in the HS-group, in 5/16 (31%) cases in the PS-group and in 14/73 (19%) cases in the control group (P = 0.

Fixed low-dose perindopril-indapamide combination in hypertensive patients with chronic renal failure.

The angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril and the diuretic indapamide have been shown to be effective antihypertensive agents in patients with chronic renal failure. A fixed low-dose combination of these two agents has been proposed in the treatment of hypertension. We evaluated this combination in 26 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension and mild to severe chronic renal failure that did not require dialysis.

Prevalence of histological beta2-microglobulin amyloidosis in CAPD patients compared with hemodialysis patients.

Background: The prevalence of beta2-microglobulin amyloidosis (Abeta2m) in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is unknown.

Methods: We prospectively obtained a median of 2 (range 1 to 4) joint samples from 26 CAPD patients aged 44 to 93 (median 73) years at post-mortem evaluation after 4.5 to 126 (median 27) months solely on CAPD (N = 19) or primarily on CAPD (that is, < or = 10% and < or = 1 year of renal replacement therapy time on other modalities; N = 7).

Odour perception in chronic renal disease.

Background: The sense of smell plays an important role in the quality of life. Many studies have shown a declining odour perception in the elderly, as well as in subjects in poor health or nutritional state. Considering the high prevalence of poor nutritional state in renal disease and the importance of odour perception in nutrition and health, the relationship between renal function, nutritional state, and odour perception is explored in this study.