Early kinetics of donor-derived cell-free DNA after transplantation predicts renal graft recovery and long-term function.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) upon transplantation is one of the most impactful events that the kidney graft suffers during its life. Its clinical manifestation in the recipient, delayed graft function (DGF), has serious prognostic consequences. However, the different definitions of DGF are subject to physicians' choices and centers' policies, and a more objective tool to quantify IRI is needed. Here, we propose the use of donor-derived cell-free DNA (ddcfDNA) for this scope. METHODS: ddcfDNA was assessed in 61 kidney transplant recipients of either living or deceased donors at 24 h, and 7, 14 and 30 days after transplantation using the AlloSeq cfDNA Kit (CareDx, San Francisco, CA, USA). Patients were followed-up for 6 months and 7-year graft survival was estimated through the complete and functional iBox tool. RESULTS: Twenty-four-hour ddcfDNA was associated with functional DGF [7.20% (2.35%-15.50%) in patients with functional DGF versus 2.70% (1.55%-4.05%) in patients without it, P = .023] and 6-month estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = -0.311, P = .023). At Day 7 after transplantation, ddcfDNA was associated with dialysis duration in DGF patients (r = 0.612, P = .005) and worse 7-year iBox-estimated graft survival probability (ß -0.42, P = .001) at multivariable analysis. Patients with early normalization of ddcfDNA (<0.5% at 1 week) had improved functional iBox-estimated probability of graft survival (79.5 ± 16.8%) in comparison with patients with 7-day ddcfDNA ≥0.5% (67.7 ± 24.1%) (P = .047). CONCLUSIONS: ddcfDNA early kinetics after transplantation reflect recovery from IRI and are associated with short-, medium- and long-term graft outcome. This may provide a more objective estimate of IRI severity in comparison with the clinical-based definitions of DGF.

Responses of resident (DNA) and active (RNA) microbial communities in fluvial biofilms under different polluted scenarios.

Pollution from human activities is a major threat to the ecological integrity of fluvial ecosystems. Microbial communities are the most abundant organisms in biofilms, and are key indicators of various pollutants. We investigated the effects some human stressors (nutrients and heavy metals) have on the structure and activity of microbial communities in seven sampling sites located in the Ter River basin (NE Spain). Water and biofilm samples were collected in order to characterize physicochemical and biofilm parameters. The 16S rRNA gene was analysed out from DNA and RNA extracts to obtain α and ß diversity. Principal coordinates analyses (PCoA) of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the resident microbial community revealed that nutrients and conductivity were the main driving forces behind the diversity and composition. The effects of mining have had mainly seen on the taxonomic composition of the active microbial community, but also at the OTUs level. Remarkably, metal-impacted communities were very active, which would indicate a close link with the stress faced, that is probably related to the stimulation of detoxification.

Key factors explaining critical swimming speed in freshwater fish: a review and statistical analysis for Iberian species.

Swimming performance is a key feature that mediates fitness and survival in aquatic animals. Dispersal, habitat selection, predator-prey interactions and reproduction are processes that depend on swimming capabilities. Testing the critical swimming speed (Ucrit) of fish is the most straightforward method to assess their prolonged swimming performance. We analysed the contribution of several predictor variables (total body length, experimental water temperature, time step interval between velocity increments, species identity, taxonomic affiliation, native status, body shape and form factor) in explaining the variation of Ucrit, using linear models and random forests. We compiled in total 204 studies testing Ucrit of 35 inland fishes of the Iberian Peninsula, including 17 alien species that are non-native to that region. We found that body length is largely the most important predictor of Ucrit out of the eight tested variables, followed by family, time step interval and species identity. By contrast, form factor, temperature, body shape and native status were less important. Results showed a generally positive relationship between Ucrit and total body length, but regression slopes varied markedly among families and species. By contrast, linear models did not show significant differences between native and alien species. In conclusion, the present study provides a first comprehensive database of Ucrit in Iberian freshwater fish, which can be thus of considerable interest for habitat management and restoration plans. The resulting data represents a sound foundation to assess fish responses to hydrological alteration (e.g. water flow tolerance and dispersal capacities), or to categorize their habitat preferences.

Video Caso Clínico: Disección Aórtica Rota Tipo Stanford A. Resolución Quirúrgica: Cirugía de Bentall De Bono / Video Case Report: Rupture Aortic Dissection Stanford Type A. Surgical Resolution: Surgery Bentall and De Bono

La disección aórtica rota que compromete la raíz y la aorta ascendente es una emergencia que requiere cirugía inmediata, debido al mal pronóstico y sus complicaciones agudas: ruptura, insuficiencia aórtica aguda, hematoma intramural y endocarditis aguda; con elevadas tasas de morbilidad y mortalidad posoperatoria temprana, estimada en las 24 horas el 1 % por cada hora, a las 48 horas 29 %, en la primera semana 44 % y a las 2 semanas 50 %; con una mortalidad global de 15 % a 35 % y una sobrevida del 65 % al 75 % en un rango de 5 años [1 - 3]. En Ecuador se llevó a cabo un estudio tipo prospectivo que incluyo 120 pacientes, llevado a cabo desde 1999 a 2000, en Guayaquil; en el que reportaron 34 casos, con edad promedio de 64 años, sexo masculino, cuyo factor de riesgo más importante fue hipertensión arterial. Se presentó en el 100 % de los casos, dolor torácico transfictivo, soplo aórtico diastólico en el 70 % y solo el 2 % presentaron infarto de miocardio posteroinferior transmural sin fibrinólisis, por ser contraindicado en pacientes con disección aórtica [4]. El tratamiento quirúrgico consiste en la resección y reemplazo de la porción rota por una prótesis vascular asociada o no al reemplazo valvular aórtico dependiendo del grado de insuficiencia. El tratamiento estará orientado en función del grado de afectación de la disección y la rotura, pudiendo requerir un reemplazo convencional de la aorta ascendente (RCAA) con o sin reemplazo total del arco aórtico (RTAA); el tratamiento de elección de la disección rota tipo A es el reemplazo de la raíz y la aorta ascendente con injerto tubular valvulado, denominado procedimiento de Bentall De Bono [1 - 3, 5, 6]. Dentro de las complicaciones postquirúrgicas se encuentran: pseudoaneurisma, disección radical recurrente o residual, cambios importantes en el diámetro de la raíz o insuficiencia aórtica significativa [7]

The rupture aortic dissection that compromises the root and the ascending aorta is an emergency that requires immediate surgery; for it is poor prognosis, acute complications: rupture, acute aortic insufficiency, intramural hematoma and acute endocarditis, with high morbidity rates and early postoperative mortality, estimated at first 24 hours in 1 % per each hour, 48 hours 29 %, in the first week 44 % and at 2 weeks 50 %; with a global mortality of 15 % to 35 % and a survival of 65 % to 75 % in a range of 5 years [1-3]. In Ecuador, a prospective study realized that included 120 patients, since 1999 to 2000, in Guayaquil; in that they reported 34 cases with an average age of 64 years, male, whose most important risk factor was hypertension. The patients presented, 100 % transfictive chest pain, diastolic aortic murmur in 70 %, and only 2 % had transmural posteroinferior myocardial infarction without fibrinolysis, as it was contraindicated in patients with aortic dissection [4]. Surgical treatment consists of the resection and replacement of the broken portion by a vascular prosthesis associated or not with aortic valve replacement depending on the degree of insufficiency. The treatment will be oriented according to the degree of involvement of the dissection and rupture, and may require a conventional replacement of the ascending aorta (CRAA) with or without total aortic arch replacement (TRAA); the treatment of choice for the rupture aortic dissection type A is the replacement of the root and the ascending aorta with valvular tubular graft, called the Bentall De Bono surgery [1 - 3, 5, 6]. Of the postsurgical complications we found: pseudoaneurysm, radical or recurrent radical dissection, important changes in the diameter of the root or significant aortic insufficiency