Significant shifts in latitudinal optima of North American birds.

Changes in climate can alter environmental conditions faster than most species can adapt. A prediction under a warming climate is that species will shift their distributions poleward through time. While many studies focus on range shifts, latitudinal shifts in species' optima can occur without detectable changes in their range. We quantified shifts in latitudinal optima for 209 North American bird species over the last 55 y. The latitudinal optimum (m) for each species in each year was estimated using a bespoke flexible non-linear zero-inflated model of abundance vs. latitude, and the annual shift in m through time was quantified. One-third (70) of the bird species showed a significant shift in their optimum. Overall, mean peak abundances of North American birds have shifted northward, on average, at a rate of 1.5 km per year (±0.58 SE), corresponding to a total distance moved of 82.5 km (±31.9 SE) over the last 55 y. Stronger poleward shifts at the continental scale were linked to key species' traits, including thermal optimum, habitat specialization, and territoriality. Shifts in the western region were larger and less variable than in the eastern region, and they were linked to species' thermal optimum, habitat density preference, and habitat specialization. Individual species' latitudinal shifts were most strongly linked to their estimated thermal optimum, clearly indicating a climate-driven response. Displacement of species from their historically optimal realized niches can have dramatic ecological consequences. Effective conservation must consider within-range abundance shifts. Areas currently deemed "optimal" are unlikely to remain so.

What Is Hot and New in Basic and Translational Science in Liver Transplantation in 2023? Report of the Basic and Translational Research Committee of the International Liver Transplantation Society.

The 2023 Joint Annual Congress of the International Liver Transplantation Society, European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association, and Liver Intensive Care Group of Europe were held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from May 3 to 6, 2023. This year, all speakers were invited to attend the Congress in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The congress was attended by 1159 registered delegates from 54 countries representing 5 continents, with the 10 countries comprising the bulk of the delegates. Of the 647 abstracts initially submitted, 542 were eventually presented at the meeting, coming from 38 countries (mainly North America, Europe, and Asia) and 85% of them (462 abstracts) came from only 10 countries. Fifty-three (9.8%) abstracts, originated from 17 countries, were submitted under the Basic/Translational Scientific Research category, a similar percentage as in 2022. Abstracts presented at the meeting were classified as (1) ischemia and reperfusion injury, (2) machine perfusion, (3) bioengineering and liver regeneration, (4) transplant oncology, (5) novel biomarkers in liver transplantation, (6) liver immunology (rejection and tolerance), and (7) artificial intelligence and machine learning. Finally, we evaluated the number of abstracts commented in the Basic and Translational Research Committee-International Liver Transplantation Society annual reports over the past 5 y that resulted in publications in peer-reviewed journals to measure their scientific impact in the field of liver transplantation.

Machine perfusion preservation highlights from the Congress of the European Society of Organ Transplantation 2023.

The 21st Congress of the European Society of Organ Transplantation (ESOT), held on September 17-20th, 2023, in Athens, Greece, was a pivotal event in transplantation, focusing on the theme "Disruptive Innovation, Trusted Care." The congress attracted a global audience of 2 826 participants from 82 countries, emphasizing its international significance. Machine perfusion, as a groundbreaking technology in organ transplantation, was one of the central focuses of the conference. This year's meeting had a remarkable increase in accepted abstracts on machine perfusion, evidencing its growing prominence in the field. The collective findings from these abstracts highlighted the efficacy of machine perfusion in improving organ viability and transplant outcomes. Studies demonstrated improvements in graft survival and reduction in complications, as well as novel uses and techniques. Furthermore, the integration of machine perfusion with regenerative medicine and its application across multiple organ types were significant discussion points. The congress also highlighted the challenges and solutions in implementing machine perfusion in clinical settings, emphasizing the importance of practical training and international collaboration for advancing this technology. ESOT 2023 served as a crucial platform for disseminating scientific advancements, fostering practical learning, and facilitating international collaborations in organ transplantation. The congress underscored the evolution and importance of machine perfusion technology, marking a significant step forward in enhancing patient outcomes in the field of organ transplantation.

Representation of Women Authorship in the Top 5 Transplantation Journals in the United States.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, only 13% of transplant surgeons are women. We evaluated gender distribution and trends of American authorship over the past 10 y in high-impact solid organ transplantation journals to gain insight into the current status of women authorship in transplantation. METHODS: Original articles from 2012 to 2021 from the 5 highest-impact solid organ transplantation journals were extracted from Scopus. First and last author's gender was predicted using Genderize.io. Data of first and last authors, article type and topic, location, citation, and funding metrics were analyzed. Chi-square, logistic regression, and trend tests were performed where appropriate. Statistical significance was set at <0.05. RESULTS: Women's first and last authorship increased over time among all journals. There was an increase in women first authors in the American Journal of Transplantation and in senior women authors in Liver Transplantation and Transplantation . Significant differences in gender authorship in lung, intestine, pancreas, general, and islet cell transplantation were found. Women's last authorship was associated with 1.69 higher odds of having a woman first author when adjusting for year and journal. There was an increase in the rate of women's first and last author collaborations over the years. Women last authors had 1.5 higher odds of being funded by the National Institutes of Health over the years. CONCLUSIONS: Despite an increase in women transplant surgeons and physicians, the gap in women authorship in transplantation persists. Women's last authorship was associated with higher odds of having a woman first author, pointing to the importance of mentorship for women joining the transplant academia.

The power of partnership: Exploring collaboration dynamics in U.S. transplant research.

INTRODUCTION: Collaboration is one of the hallmarks of academic research. This study analyzes collaboration patterns in U.S. transplant research, examining publication trends, productive institutions, co-authorship networks, and citation patterns in high-impact transplant journals. METHODS: 4,265 articles published between 2012 and 2021 were analyzed using scientometric tools, logistic regression, VantagePoint software, and Gephi software for network visualization. RESULTS: 16,003 authors from 1,011 institutions and 59 countries were identified, with Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and University of Pennsylvania contributing the most papers. Odds of international collaboration significantly increased over time (OR 1.03; p â€‹= â€‹0.040), while odds of citation in single-institution collaborations decreased (OR 0.99; p â€‹= â€‹0.016). Five major scientific communities and central institutions (Harvard University and University of Pittsburgh) connecting them were identified, revealing interconnected research clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Collaboration enhances knowledge exchange and research productivity, with an increasing trend of institutional and international collaboration in U.S. transplant research. Understanding this community is essential for promoting research impact and forming strategic partnerships.

Interindividual variability in energy intake and expenditure during a weight loss intervention.

INTRODUCTION: Behavioral compensations may occur as a response to a negative energy balance. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between changes in energy intake (EI) and changes in physical activity (PA, min/day; kcal/d) as a response to a weight loss (WL) intervention and to understand if interindividual differences occur in EI and energy expenditure (EE). METHODS: Eighty-one participants [mean (SD): age = 42.8 (9.4)y, BMI = 31.2 (4.4)kg/m2, 37% females] divided in intervention (IG, n = 43) and control group (CG, n = 38) were included. The IG underwent a moderate energy restriction (300-500 kcal/d). EI was measured through the intake-balance method. Non-exercise PA (NEPA) and exercise (through logbook) were assessed by accelerometery. The EE in NEPA (NEAT) and in exercise (EiEE) was calculated by applying the Freedson Combination'98 algorithm over the time spent in these activities. Pearson correlations were performed in IG to examine associations between EE components, EI and body composition. To understand if interindividual differences were observed, the SD of individual response (SDIR) and the smallest worthwhile change (SWC, SDbaselineCG×0.2) were calculated. RESULTS: Changes in EI [Δ EI, (kcal/d)] was negatively associated with Δ exercise (min/d:r = -0.413, p = 0.045; %:r = -0.846, p = 0.008) and with Δ EiEE (kcal/d:r = -0.488, p = 0.016; %:r = -0.859, p = 0.006). A negative correlation was found between Δ sedentary time and Δ NEPA (min/d:r = -0.622, p = 0.002; %:r = -0.487, p = 0.018). An interindividual variability was found for EI(SDIR = 151.6, SWC = 72.3) and EE (SDIR = 165, SWC = 134). CONCLUSIONS: Decreases in EI were not associated to compensatory responses such as decreases in PA and/or increases in sedentary time. Interindividual variability was found for EI and EE. Nevertheless, behavioral compensations and the interindividual variability should be considered when implementing WL interventions, to increase the likelihood of achieving sustainable results. (clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT03031951).

Challenges With the Implementation of Machine Perfusion in Clinical Liver Transplantation.

Dynamic organ preservation is a relatively old technique which has regained significant interest in the last decade. Machine perfusion (MP) techniques are applied in various fields of solid organ transplantation today. The first clinical series of ex situ MP in liver transplantation was presented in 2010. Since then, the number of research and clinical applications has substantially increased. Despite the notable beneficial effect on organ quality and recipient outcome, MP is still not routinely used in liver transplantation. Based on the enormous need to better preserve organs and the subsequent demand to continuously innovate and develop perfusion equipment further, this technology is also beneficial to test and deliver future therapeutic strategies to livers before implantation. This article summarizes the various challenges observed during the current shift from static to dynamic liver preservation in the clinical setting. The different organ perfusion strategies are discussed first, together with ongoing clinical trials and future study design. The current status of research and the impact of costs and regulations is highlighted next. Factors contributing to costs and other required resources for a worldwide successful implementation and reimbursement are presented third. The impact of research on cost-utility and effectivity to guide the tailored decision-making regarding the optimal perfusion strategy is discussed next. Finally, this article provides potential solutions to the challenging field of innovation in healthcare considering the various social and economic factors and the role of clinical, regulatory, and financial stakeholders worldwide.

The impact of body composition on the degree of misreporting of food diaries.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Accurate assessments of energy intake (EI) are needed in lifestyle interventions to guarantee a negative energy balance (EB), thereby losing weight. This study aimed (1) to compare objectively measured and self-reported EI and (2) to determine the predictors of underreporting divided by sex, adiposity and BMI category. METHODS: Seventy-three participants [mean (SD): 43.7 (9.2) years, BMI = 31.5 (4.5) kg/m2, 37% females] of the Champ4Life intervention were included in this study. EI was measured using the "intake-balance method" and self-reported through 3-day food records. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bland-Altman analysis was performed to compare both EI assessments. RESULTS: Self-reported EI was lower than measured EI during both neutral (-355 kcal/d) and negative EB (-570 kal/day). While no significant trends were observed for EI evaluation in either neutral (p = 0.315) or negative EB (p = 0.611), limits of agreement were wide (-1720 to 1010 and -1920 to 779 kcal/day, respectively). In females, the degree of misreporting (kcal/day and %) was predicted by weight (p = 0.032 and p = 0.039, respectively) and FM (p = 0.029 and p = 0.037, respectively). In males, only BMI (p = 0.036) was a predictor of misreporting (kcal/day). CONCLUSION: Self-reported EI did not agree with measured EI. Our results show that larger body size was associated with higher levels of underestimation for EI (females only). Nevertheless, misreporting EI is a complex issue involving more associations than merely body composition. A deeper understanding could inform counseling for participants filling out food records in other to reduce misreporting and improve validity.

Exercise training as an intervention for frailty in cirrhotic patients on the liver transplant waiting list: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The existing literature suggests that exercise for cirrhotic patients is safe and favours significant improvement to their physical capacity. However, exercise training for this population and how to deliver activities, especially in severe stages of the disease and while waiting for a liver transplant (LT), remain undefined. AIM: To review the existing exercise prescriptions for cirrhotic patients on the waiting list for LT, their results for frailty evolution and their effect on clinical outcomes. METHODS: A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines and searching the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus databases. The keyword "liver transplant" was used in combination with the free terms "frailty" and "exercise" for the literature review. Clinical studies that evaluated the effect of a regular training program, independent of supervision or the duration or intensity of physical exercise, in cirrhotic patients on the waiting list for LT were reviewed. The data on safe physical activity prescriptions following Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type recommendations were extracted and summarised. RESULTS: Nine articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. Various instruments for frailty assessment were used, frequently in combination. Five studies prescribed physical activity for patients, one in-person and four to be performed remotely and unsupervised. The remaining four studies only used a self-report instrument to assess the level of physical activity. None reported adverse events related to exercise training. The exercise frequency mainly varied from daily to a minimum of twice per week. The intensity depended on frailty and included increasing levels of activity. The type of exercise was predominantly a combination of aerobic and resistance training. The duration of exercise varied from 4 to 12 wk. Three articles evaluated the effect of the exercise program on clinical outcomes, reporting a reduction in 90-d readmission rates post-transplant and improved frailty scores, as well as improved survival of cirrhotic patients waiting for LT. CONCLUSION: Routine frailty assessment is essential for this population. Although more robust evidence is required, the prescription of exercise is safe and can improve patients' functional capacity, improving pre- and post-LT outcomes.

Voice Handicap Index: Cut-Off Points for Screening European Portuguese With Voice Disorders.

OBJECTIVES: To determine cut-off values of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the shortened version (VHI-10) for European Portuguese (EP) with voice disorders. In addition, to analyze the discriminatory power of individual items of the VHI-10 and the ability to detect differences in various Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) diagnoses. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS: All participants completed the EP VHI and a 4-point self-assessment of voice disorder severity. The case group (subjects with voice disorders) underwent assessment through strobovideolaryngoscopy examinations by ENT surgeons and perceptual analyses by speech-language pathologists (SLPs). In contrast, the control group was evaluated solely by SLPs. Data were analyzed using a receiver-operating characteristic curve to determine the accuracy and cut-off values of the VHI and VHI-10. RESULTS: The study involved a sample of 350 adults (171 cases and 179 controls), predominantly women aged 18-88 years. The area under curve (AUC) for VHI and VHI-10 was 0.997 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.992-1] and 0.998 [95% CI: 0.995-0.999], respectively. Optimal cut-off values were identified as 13.5 for VHI (0.994 sensitivity and 0.989 specificity) and 5.5 for VHI-10 (0.977 sensitivity and 0.955 specificity). Each individual item within the VHI-10 significantly contributed to the overall assessment, exhibiting varying discriminatory power ranging from excellent (AUC = 0.937) to poor (AUC = 0.637). Significant differences were found in the case group between neurogenic disorders and healthy larynx (P = 0.014), structural and physiologic minor laryngeal abnormalities (P = 0.006), and inflammatory disorders (P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: The VHI and the VHI-10 exhibited accurate screening properties for predicting EP speakers with voice disorders.

Delayed referral for liver transplant evaluation worsens outcomes in chronic liver disease patients requiring inpatient transplant evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Indications to refer patients with cirrhosis for liver transplant evaluation (LTE) include hepatic decompensation or a model for end stage liver disease (MELD-Na) score ≥ 15. Few studies have evaluated how delaying referral beyond these criteria affects patient outcomes. AIM: To evaluate clinical characteristics of patients undergoing inpatient LTE and to assess the effects of delayed LTE on patient outcomes (death, transplantation). METHODS: This is a single center retrospective cohort study assessing all patients undergoing inpatient LTE (n = 159) at a large quaternary care and liver transplant center between 10/23/2017-7/31/2021. Delayed referral was defined as having prior indication (decompensation, MELD-Na ≥ 15) for LTE without referral. Early referral was defined as referrals made within 3 mo of having an indication based on practice guidelines. Logistic regression and Cox Hazard Regression were used to evaluate the relationship between delayed referral and patient outcomes. RESULTS: Many patients who require expedited inpatient LTE had delayed referrals. Misconceptions regarding transplant candidacy were a leading cause of delayed referral. Ultimately, delayed referrals negatively affected overall patient outcome and an independent predictor of both death and not receiving a transplant. Delayed referral was associated with a 2.5 hazard risk of death. CONCLUSION: Beyond initial access to an liver transplant (LT) center, delaying LTE increases risk of death and reduces risk of LT in patients with chronic liver disease. There is substantial opportunity to increase the percentage of patients undergoing LTE when first clinically indicated. It is crucial for providers to remain informed about the latest guidelines on liver transplant candidacy and the transplant referral process.

Optimization of the adsorption and desorption processes of nickel octaethylporphyrin in carbon-based adsorbents.

Despite being little explored for petroporphyrins recovery from oils and bituminous shales, adsorption and desorption processes can be feasible alternatives to obtain a similar synthetic material, and to characterize their original organic materials. Experimental designs were used to analyze the effects of qualitative (e.g., type of adsorbent, solvent, and diluent) and quantitative (e.g., temperature and solid/liquid ratio) variables on the adsorptive and desorptive performance regarding nickel octaethylporphyrin (Ni-OEP) removal using carbon-based adsorbents. The evaluation variables, adsorption capacity (qe ) and desorption percentage (%desorption ) were optimized by means of the Differential Evolution algorithm. The most efficient adsorbent for removing/recovery Ni-OEP was activated-carbon coconut shell, in which dispersive π-π type and acid-base interactions were likely formed. The highest values of qe and %desorption were obtained using toluene as solvent, chloroform as diluent, 293 K as temperature, and 0.5 mg.mL-1 as solid/liquid ratio for adsorption, and a higher temperature (323 K) and lower solid/liquid ratio (0.2 mg.mL-1) for desorption. The optimization process resulted in qe of 6.91 mg.g-1 and %desorption of 35.2%. In the adsorption-desorption cycles, approximately 77% of the adsorbed porphyrins were recovered. The results demonstrated the potential of carbon-based materials as adsorbent materials for obtaining porphyrin compounds from oils and bituminous shales.

Immunoinflammatory and oxidative alterations in subjects with schizophrenia under clozapine: A meta-analysis.

Clozapine presents immunoregulatory properties not well understood. To address this issue, we performed this systematic review to evaluate the immune alterations induced by clozapine and its relationship with the drug's clinical response and compare it with other antipsychotics. Our systematic review has selected nineteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria, from which eleven were included in the meta-analysis, totalizing 689 subjects distributed over three different comparisons. The results revealed that clozapine treatment activates the compensatory immune-regulatory system (CIRS) (Hedges's g = +1.049; CI +0.62 - +1.47, p < 0.001) but has no effects on the immune-Inflammatory Response System (IRS) (Hedges's g= -0.27; CI -1.76 - +1.22, p = 0.71), M1 macrophage (Hedges's g= -0.32; CI -1.78 - +1.14, p = 0.65) and Th1 (Hedge's g = 0.86; CI -0.93 - +1.814, p = 0.07) profiles. Comparing clozapine-treated patients with other anti-psychotics-treated, plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-6 were greater in the clozapine group (Hedge's g = 0.75; CI 0.35 - 1.15, p<0.001). In addition, higher IL-6 plasma levels after four weeks of clozapine treatment were related to the development of clozapine-induced fever; however, IL-6 levels recovered to baseline in 6-10 weeks due to an unexplained compensatory mechanism. In conclusion, our results show that clozapine treatment causes a time-dependent mixed immune profile characterized by increased IL-6 levels and CIRS activation, which may contribute to this drug mechanism of action and adverse effects. Future studies must be designed to investigate the relationship between clozapine-induced immune alterations and symptom remission, treatment resistance, and adverse effects, given the importance of this drug for treating resistant schizophrenia.

Personal Projects Analysis as an idiographic approach in psychotherapy: an exploratory study.

Client feedback research is a new but encouraging area that recognizes the importance of engaging patients in offered treatments and the relevance of the relationship between therapist and client. This study aimed to explore clients' experiences of goal-oriented work using Personal Projects Analysis (PPA). PPA was applied to 5 participants of a psychodrama group after their consent and in agreement with the ethics and deontology research university committee. Their progress was evaluated with Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure (CORE-OM; 4 moments) and subjective well-being measures. Findings show how personal projects may be informative about clients' difficulties and change processes. All outcomes on CORE-OM went below clinical cut-off points, and all these changes are reliable and clinically significant. PPA offers a consistent way to implement the goals approach in a psychotherapeutic context successfully. Nevertheless, some adjustments need to be implemented in the goal-oriented work using PPA.

Ex-vivo ureteroscopy, laser lithotripsy, and stone basketing extraction of deceased donor kidney stones during machine perfusion preservation.

The incidence of nephrolithiasis in kidney donors is rare. The timing and treatment of nephrolithiasis in deceased donor kidneys are not well established. While some programs have proposed ex-situ rigid or flexible ureteroscopy treatment before transplantation, we report on two cases of kidney stones in the same deceased donor that we treated by flexible ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy performed during the storage time on a hypothermic perfusion machine. Two deceased donor kidneys were found to have multiple kidney stones discovered on preprocurement CT imaging. The right kidney had less than five 2-3 mm stones, whereas the left had five to ten 1 mm stones with a single 7 mm stone. Both organs were placed on a hypothermic perfusion machine and maintained at a temperature of 4°C. An ex-vivo flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy and basket extraction was performed while the kidneys were maintained on Lifeport* perfusion machine. The cold ischemia time was 16.9 and 23.1 h. After 12 months of observational follow-up, neither recipient had nephrolithiasis, UTI, or other urologic complications. The creatinine values now are 1.17 and 2.44 mg/dL (103.4 and 215.7 µmol/L), respectively. Ex-vivo flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy and stone removal on machine-perfused kidneys appears to be safe and offers a good option to treat graft nephrolithiasis and prevent posttransplant complications. Ureteroscopy serves as a minimally invasive treatment option with direct stone removal. Performing this while on machine perfusion minimizes the ischemic time of the kidney and resultant complications or delays in graft function.

Percolation in two-species antagonistic random sequential adsorption in two dimensions.

We consider two-species random sequential adsorption (RSA) in which species A and B adsorb randomly on a lattice with the restriction that opposite species cannot occupy nearest-neighbor sites. When the probability x_{A} of choosing an A particle for an adsorption trial reaches a critical value 0.626441(1), the A species percolates and/or the blocked sites X (those with at least one A and one B nearest neighbor) percolate. Analysis of the size-distribution exponent τ, the wrapping probabilities, and the excess cluster number shows that the percolation transition is consistent with that of ordinary percolation. We obtain an exact result for the low x_{B}=1-x_{A} jamming behavior: θ_{A}=1-x_{B}+b_{2}x_{B}^{2}+O(x_{B}^{3}), Î¸_{B}=x_{B}/(z+1)+O(x_{B}^{2}) for a z-coordinated lattice, where θ_{A} and θ_{B} are, respectively, the saturation coverages of species A and B. We also show how differences between wrapping probabilities of A and X clusters, as well as differences in the number of A and X clusters, can be used to find the percolation transition point accurately.

Using low-cost disposable immunosensor based on flexible PET screen-printed electrode modified with carbon black and gold nanoparticles for sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2.

To help meet the global demand for reliable and inexpensive COVID-19 testing and environmental analysis of SARS-CoV-2, the present work reports the development and application of a highly efficient disposable electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical and environmental matrices. The sensor developed is composed of a screen-printed electrode (SPE) array which was constructed using conductive carbon ink printed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate made from disposable soft drink bottles. The recognition site (Spike S1 Antibody (anti-SP Ab)) was covalently immobilized on the working electrode surface, which was effectively modified with carbon black (CB) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The immunosensing material was subjected to a multi-technique characterization analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elemental analysis via energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The electrochemical characterization of the electrode surface and analytical measurements were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV). The immunosensor was easily applied for the conduct of rapid diagnoses or accurate quantitative environmental analyses by setting the incubation period to 10 min or 120 min. Under optimized conditions, the biosensor presented limits of detection (LODs) of 101 fg mL-1 and 46.2 fg mL-1 for 10 min and 120 min incubation periods, respectively; in addition, the sensor was successfully applied for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification in clinical and environmental samples. Considering the costs of all the raw materials required for manufacturing 200 units of the AuNP-CB/PET-SPE immunosensor, the production cost per unit is 0.29 USD.

Contribution of Proteomics in Transplantation: Identification of Injury and Rejection Markers.

Solid organ transplantation saves thousands of lives suffering from end-stage diseases. Although early transplants experienced acute organ injury, medical breakthroughs, such as tissue typing, and use of immunosuppressive agents have considerably improved graft survival. However, the overall incidence of allograft injury and chronic rejection remains high. Often the clinical manifestations of organ injury or rejection are nonspecific and late. Current requirement for successful organ transplantation is the identification of reliable, accurate, disease-specific, noninvasive methods for the early diagnosis of graft injury or rejection. Development of noninvasive techniques is important to allow routine follow-ups without the discomfort and risks associated with a graft biopsy. Multiple biofluids have been successfully tested for the presence of potential proteomic biomarkers; these include serum, plasma, urine, and whole blood. Kidney transplant research has provided significant evidence to the potential of proteomics-based biomarkers for acute and chronic kidney rejection, delayed graft function, early detection of declining allograft health. Multiple proteins have been implicated as biomarkers; however, recent observations implicate the use of similar canonical pathways and biofunctions associated with graft injury/rejection with altered proteins as potential biomarkers. Unfortunately, the current biomarker studies lack high sensitivity and specificity, adding to the complexity of their utility in the clinical space. In this review, we first describe the high-throughput proteomics technologies and then discuss the outcomes of proteomics profiling studies in the transplantation of several organs. Existing literature provides hope that novel biomarkers will emerge from ongoing efforts and guide physicians in delivering specific therapies to prolong graft survival.