Clinical and Histologic Predictors of Kidney Outcomes in C3 Glomerulopathy and Idiopathic Membranoproliferative GN.

Key Points: Lower eGFR, paraprotein presence, and interstitial fibrosis were associated with a higher risk of kidney outcome. Native disease (versus recurrence post-transplantation), White ethnicity, and lower C4 levels were associated with a lower risk of kidney outcome. A 50% reduction in proteinuria from baseline to a value <1 g/d was associated with a lower risk of kidney outcome.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Houttuynia cordata sheds light on the evolution of complex structural features in early angiosperms.

Background: Houttuynia cordata is a well-known medicinal and edible plant with important economic value. It belongs to the magnoliid clade, a basal lineage of angiosperms. Currently, the limited number of reported mitochondrial genomes from magnoliids severely restricts our understanding of early mitochondrial genome evolution.

Work Productivity Loss in People Living With Long COVID Symptoms Over 2 Years From Infection.

Objective: To evaluate the work productivity loss in people experiencing long COVID symptoms more than 2 years after infection.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, employed adults from British Columbia, Canada, who had a polymerase chain reaction-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection more than 2 years earlier, completed an online survey incorporating the Valuation of Lost Productivity questionnaire. Long COVID status was self-reported.

Comparative chloroplast genomics provides insights into the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history for Actinidia species.

Actinidia species are fruit trees with various functions, such as providing edible fruit, serving as ornamental plants, and having medicinal benefits. However, the taxonomy of Actinidia species is controversial due to widespread hybridization, the history of divergence and polyploid speciation among Actinidia species also remains unclear. In this study, we conducted comparative analyses of the chloroplast genomes and ploidy among multiple Actinidia species.

Predicting Remission in Antiphospholipase A2 Receptor Antibody-Associated Membranous Nephropathy: A Secondary Analysis of the GEMRITUX, MENTOR, and STARMEN Trials.

Key Points: In phospholipase A2 receptor-membranous nephropathy, clinical variables and antibody levels over 3 or 6 months of treatment were predictors of remission at 1 year. Prediction models at 3 and 6 months had similar performance predicting remission, with the 3-month model allowing for earlier assessment of response. The 3-month and 6-month prediction models could be applied in those treated with supportive therapy, rituximab, calcineurin inhibitors, or cyclophosphamide.

Health-related adverse work outcomes associated with post COVID-19 condition: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Symptoms from post COVID-19 condition (PCC) can impair functioning in working-age adults. However, there is uncertainty about the relationship between PCC and work outcomes. This study aimed to assess health-related adverse work outcomes in individuals with a PCC history compared with others who had COVID-19.

A trade-off in evolution: the adaptive landscape of spiders without venom glands.

Background: Venom glands play a key role in the predation and defense strategies of almost all spider groups. However, the spider family Uloboridae lacks venom glands and has evolved an adaptive strategy: they excessively wrap their prey directly with spider silk instead of paralyzing it first with toxins. This shift in survival strategy is very fascinating, but the genetic underpinnings behind it are poorly understood.

Long-term renal function after burn-related acute kidney injury with continuous renal replacement therapy.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of severe burn injury and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) is the preferred treatment for stage 3 AKI due to severe burn. This retrospective cohort study at a single institution aimed to examine the long-term renal outcomes after discharge of burn survivors who underwent CRRT during their ICU stay between 2012-2021 due to burn-related AKI, hypothesizing a return to baseline renal function in the long term.

Opportunities for Improving the Transplant Assessment and Education Process in British Columbia: Patient and Health Care Provider Perspective.

Background: There are several steps patients and their health care providers must navigate to access kidney transplantation in British Columbia (BC).

Objective: We explored perceptions and experiences with the pretransplant process across BC to determine where process improvements can be made to enhance access to transplantation.

Design: Anonymous surveys were sent online and via post to health care providers (including nephrologists, registered nurses, and coordinators) and patients across BC.

Oral Nutritional Supplement Prescription and Patient-Reported Symptom Burden Among Patients With Late-Stage Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background: Malnutrition and protein-energy wasting (PEW) are nutritional complications of advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) that contribute to morbidity, mortality, and decreased quality of life. No previous studies have assessed the effect of oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) on patient-reported symptom burden among patients with non-dialysis CKD (CKD-ND) who have or are at risk of malnutrition/PEW.

Objective: The objective of this study was (1) to quantify the associations between baseline nutritional parameters and patient-reported symptom scores for wellbeing, tiredness, nausea, and appetite and (2) to compare the change in symptom scores among patients prescribed ONS with patients who did not receive ONS in a propensity-score-matched analysis.

Kidney Failure Risk Equation in vascular access planning: a population-based study supporting value in decision making.

Background: The Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE) can play a better role in vascular access (VA) planning in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) requiring hemodialysis (HD). We described the VA creation and utilization pattern under existing estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)-based referral, and investigated the utility of KFRE score as an adjunct variable in VA planning.

Methods: Patients with CKD aged ≥18 years with eGFR <20 mL/min/1.

Single-cell transcriptomics reveals the brain evolution of web-building spiders.

Spiders are renowned for their efficient capture of flying insects using intricate aerial webs. How the spider nervous systems evolved to cope with this specialized hunting strategy and various environmental clues in an aerial space remains unknown. Here we report a brain-cell atlas of >30,000 single-cell transcriptomes from a web-building spider (Hylyphantes graminicola).

Genomic and transcriptomic analyses support a silk gland origin of spider venom glands.

Background: Spiders comprise a hyperdiverse lineage of predators with venom systems, yet the origin of functionally novel spider venom glands remains unclear. Previous studies have hypothesized that spider venom glands originated from salivary glands or evolved from silk-producing glands present in early chelicerates. However, there is insufficient molecular evidence to indicate similarity among them.

Chromosomal-level genome of a sheet-web spider provides insight into the composition and evolution of venom.

Spiders are the most abundant venomous predators in the world. Previous research related to spider venom has mostly relied on transcriptomes and proteomes, with only a few high-quality genomes available. This is far from consistent with the species diversity of spiders.

A new species of Pelthydrus (s. str.) Orchymont, 1919 from Yunnan, China (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Hydrophilinae: Laccobiini).

Pelthydrus schoenmanni sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) belonging to the Pelthydrus jendeki species group is described from Yunnan Province, China.

A new species and a new record of Pelthydrus Orchymont, 1919 from Yunnan, China (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Hydrophilinae).

The members of the genus Pelthydrus are small-sized aquatic beetles which belong to the water scavenger beetle family Hydrophilidae. At present the lineage includes 63 valid species mainly occurring in Asia, with 21 known from China (Bian et al. 2008, 2009; Hansen 1999; Schönmann 1995).