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Hassan A Aziz1, Audina M Berrocal1,2, Robert A Sisk1, Kristin Hartley1, Magaly Diaz-Barbosa2, Rose A Johnson2, Ditte Hess1, Sander R Dubovy1, Timothy G Murray1, Harry W Flynn Jr11Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 2Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL, USABackground: The purpose of this study was to report on the incidence and treatment outcomes of endogenous endophthalmitis among newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a single medical center.Methods: This was a noncomparative, retrospective case series of endogenous endophthalmitis among infants at the Jackson Memorial Hospital NICU treated between March 1, 2002 and March 1, 2007.Results: Of 4323 infants admitted to the NICU, seven eyes of six (0.139%) infants (two males, four females) were diagnosed with endophthalmitis during the study period. Four patients were born prematurely with a mean gestational age of 27.5 weeks and a mean birth weight of 1153 g. Retinopathy of prematurity was reported in two of the six patients. Mean follow-up was 3.5 years. The diagnosis was confirmed by positive cultures or polymerase chain reaction testing at a median age of 34 postnatal days. Positive cultures included Candida albicans (n = 4), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 1), and Herpes simplex type 2 (n = 1). All patients received systemic treatment and five received adjunctive ophthalmic interventions, including intravitreal antibiotics in five eyes of four patients and vitrectomy with pars plana lensectomy in three eyes. One patient underwent primary enucleation and another had delayed evisceration. In the remaining five eyes, there was a normal appearing posterior segment and normal intraocular pressures at last follow-up.Conclusion: Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare complication in infants in the NICU, but may occur in patients with candidemia, bacteremia, retinopathy of prematurity, and low birth weight. Despite early and appropriate treatment, involved eyes may have poor outcomes.Keywords: endogenous endophthalmitis, neonatal intensive care unit

Drug resistance has been a major obstacle in the quest for a cancer cure. Many chemotherapeutic treatments fail to overcome chemoresistance, resulting in tumor remission. The exact process that leads to drug resistance in many cancers has not been fully explored or understood. However, the discovery of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) has provided insight into various pathways and post-transcriptional gene modifications involved in drug tolerance. RBPs are evolutionarily conserved proteins, and their abnormal gene expression has been associated with cancer progression. Additionally, RBPs are aberrantly expressed in numerous neoplasms. RBPs have also been implicated in maintaining cancer stemness, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and other processes. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of RBP-mediated mechanisms of drug resistance and their implications in cancer malignancy. We discuss in detail the role of major RBPs and their correlation with noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are associated with the inhibition of chemosensitivity. Understanding and exploring the pathways of RBP-mediated chemoresistance will contribute to the development of improved cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Introduction: Periodontitis manifested by the presence of periodontal pocket depth and loss of attachment level is detected and measured by using periodontal probes. Various generations of probes have been discovered and are used to measure the pocket depth. There has been a huge difference in the accuracy of different generations of probe. Aim: To compare the interprobe accuracy of first, second and third generations of probe on clinical parameters in patients with chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: This randomised comparative clinical study was conducted at the Department of Periodontics, Bapuji Dental College and Hospital, Davangere, Karnataka, India and included 30 chronic periodontitis patients, randomly allocated into three groups with each group consisting of 10 patients. The study was conducted over a period of eight months, from February 2001 to October 2001. Conventional periodontal probe, True Pressure Sensitive (TPS) probe and Florida probe were used to examine the patients. The probes were used in sequence of I, II and III for first 10 patients, II, III and I for next 10 patients and III, I and II for the last 10 patients to avoid bias due to examiner memory of clinical parameters. The recorded clinical parameters were Plaque Index (PI) (Silness and Loe 1964), Gingival Index (GI) (Loe and Silness 1963), Bleeding On Probing (BOP) index (Ainamo and Bay 1975), Probing Pocket Depth (PPD) and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL). At baseline, all the clinical parameters were recorded by two calibrated examiners i.e., Examiner-1 and Examiner-2. Examiner-I recorded all the clinical parameters postoperatively at Ist, IInd, IIIrd and IVth consecutive weeks. The statistical analysis was done using paired t-test, One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), studentised range test and Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient test for calculation and comparison of interexaminer and intraexaminer variability. Results: Among the 30 patients included in the present study, 22 were males and eight were females. The mean age of the patients involved in the study was 45.16±1.33 years. The mean value of PI and GI showed a statistically significant reduction at different intervals with a value of 0.16±0.21 and 0.22±0.21 postoperatively (4th week). The probing depths measured using Williams periodontal probe, TPS probe and Florida probe were reduced to 4.2±0.4 mm, 3.9±0.4 mm and 3.5±0.4 mm, respectively at the end of 4th week. The CAL measured using Williams periodontal probe, TPS probe and Florida probe were reduced to 7.0±0.6 mm, 6.6±0.5 mm and 6.1±0.6 mm, respectively at the end of 4th week. Conclusion: The TPS probe, Williams probe, and Florida probe showed their superiority regarding the accuracy of recording clinical parameters in the decreasing order respectively.

Introduction: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease which affects the supporting tissues of the teeth and was initially thought to be environmental in origin. The difference in the disease prevalence among the population could not be attributed to environment alone. Limited studies have been done on diagnosing the future occurrence of periodontal diseases by recording the finger print patterns of the patients. Aim: To evaluate the relationship between finger prints patterns existing among patients with plaque induced gingivitis, chronic localised and generalised periodontitis. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study, carried out over a period of 6 months from January 2022 to July 2022) at Rajas Dental College and Hospital, Kavalkinaru. Subjects were equally divided into three groups including 100 patients under each group- Group-I as plaque induced gingivitis, group II as localised chronic periodontitis and group III as generalised chronic periodontitis based on 1999 classification system. The finger print patterns observed were loops, whorls and arches. The fingerprint patterns were compared within the group and also between the three groups. Boneferroni test and analysis of variance test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Total of 300 patients were included in this study, out of which 175 were males and 125 were females with the mean age 34.16±1.33 years. On comparison of the fingertip patterns within the groups, a significantly equal distribution of whorl and loop patterns with a value of 4.950±3.11 and 4.750±3.10 respectively were found among the Group-I subjects. A significantly increased prevalence of whorls with a value of 5.300±3.37 was found in Group-II subjects and significantly increased prevalence of loop pattern with a value of 5.800±2.72 was found among Group-III subjects. The arch pattern was more in Group-II and Group-III when compared to Group-I with a value of 1.450±2.21 and 1.200±1.33, respectively. Conclusion: It was concluded that a strong association between fingerprint patterns and chronic periodontitis existed. The present study proved that dermatoglyphics can be used as a powerful tool for early prediction and better prevention of periodontitis.

Cardiac injury, such as myocardial infarction and heart failure, remains a significant global health burden. The limited regenerative capacity of the adult heart poses a challenge for restoring its function after injury. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising candidates for cardiac regeneration due to their ability to differentiate into various cell types and secrete bioactive molecules. In recent years, attention has been given to noncoding RNAs derived from MSCs, particularly long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and their potential role in cardiac injury and repair. LncRNAs are RNA molecules that do not encode proteins but play critical roles in gene regulation and cellular responses including cardiac repair and regeneration. This review focused on MSC-derived lncRNAs and their implications in cardiac regeneration, including their effects on cardiac function, myocardial remodeling, cardiomyocyte injury, and angiogenesis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of MSC-derived lncRNAs in cardiac injury and repair may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for treating cardiovascular diseases. However, further research is needed to fully elucidate the potential of MSC-derived lncRNAs and address the challenges in this field.

Plant-based (natural) excipients can reduce the over reliance on synthetic ones. They have advantages such as low toxicity, biodegradability and low-cost relative to the synthetic ones. Telfairia occidentalis is a creeping plant that is cultivated for food in some African countries. The leaves, stem and root of the plant have been investigated as potential sources of medicine. This study aimed at evaluating the fruit pulp as a potential suspending agent. The ripe fruits of the plant were harvested and authenticated at the Department of Herbal Medicine, KNUST. The fruit pulp was extracted, freeze-dried and evaluated for its anti-microbial, phytochemical, physicochemical and anti-oxidant properties. Different concentrations of the dried pulp were used as a suspending agent in calamine lotion formulations, using bentonite as reference. The extract contained alkaloids, tannins, saponins, coumarins, glycosides, terpenoids magnesium and potassium. No antimicrobial and antioxidant activities were detected. The extract at all tested concentrations produced some level of suspendability. The test suspensions have good flow rates, high sedimentation volumes, high degree of flocculation, and relative ease of re-dispersion. However, these parameters were significantly (P < 0.05) lower (except flow rate) compared to those of bentonite as a suspending agent.

Aim: The aim of this study was to find out the association of adiponectin and resistin levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) with the clinical parameters before and after scaling and root planing in periodontitis patients. Methods: A total of 50 patients were recruited from the Outpatient Department of Periodontics, JKK Nattraja Dental College and Hospital, Komarapalayam, Tamil Nadu, India. The protocol was reviewed and approved by the institutional ethical board. Informed consent was obtained from the patients and the study-related procedures were explained. Patients were divided into two groups. Group I (25 patients) consisted of healthy patients. Group II (25 patients) consisted of periodontitis patients. The periodontitis patients after treatment were considered as Group III. GCF samples were collected before treatment and 21 days after treatment. The levels of adiponectin and resistin were evaluated using Immunotag™ Human RETN enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit (ITEH0269) and Immunotag™ Human ADP (adiponectin) ELISA kit (ITEH2593). The levels were correlated with the clinical parameters. Results: There were an increase in the mean adiponectin level and a decrease in the mean resistin level at the end of periodontal therapy. Conclusions: Adiponectin which is an anti-inflammatory component was found to increase after periodontal therapy, and resistin which is an inflammatory component has been decreased after periodontal therapy.

Background: Identification and documentation of the proper and improper dental ergonomic postures have gained its importance in the recent years due to the increased prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among dentists and dental students who do not practice proper ergonomic procedure. Aim: The aim of the present study is to analysis ergonomic posture among dental students while performing supragingival scaling (SGS) procedure, using the standardized photometric assessment method (SPAM). Materials and Methods: A total number of 90 students from the third year (III year) to final year (IV year) and internship (Intern) (30 each) were included in the study. All the 90 students were asked to perform SGS procedure and were photographed and analyzed using the current technique. Eight dental ergonomic postures were analyzed in this study and grouped according to the classification system developed for scoring dental ergonomic postures by Garbin et al., in 2011. Analysis of variance test with Bonferroni correction was used to statistically analyze the collected data. Results: The mean index value for III year, IV year and Intern were 2.00, 2.03, and 2.13, respectively, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.709). Conclusions: Analysis of the dental students using the current method showed that most of them come under inadequate and regular category which puts them in a high risk for developing WMSDs. The SPAM to analyze the dental ergonomic posture was simple and effective and should be further explored in the future studies for its pros and cons.

Owing to myocardial abnormalities, cardiac ailments are considered to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to a recent study, membranous vesicles that are produced naturally, termed as “exosomes”, have emerged as the potential candidate in the field of cardiac regenerative medicine. A wide spectrum of stem cells has also been investigated in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Exosomes obtained from the stem cells are found to be cardioprotective and offer great hope in the treatment of CVD. The basic nature of exosomes is to deal with the intracellular delivery of both proteins and nucleic acids. This activity of exosomes helps us to rely on them as the attractive pharmaceutical delivery agents. Most importantly, exosomes derived from microRNAs (miRNAs) hold great promise in assessing the risk of CVD, as they serve as notable biomarkers of the disease. Exosomes are small, less immunogenic, and lack toxicity. These nanovesicles harbor immense potential as a therapeutic entity and would provide fruitful benefits if consequential research were focused on their upbringing and development as a useful diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the field of medicine.

In this paper, we will explore two initiatives that focus on the importance of employing logical theories in educating people how to think and reason properly, one in Poland: The Lvov-Warsaw School; the other in North America: The Informal Logic Initiative. These two movements differ in the logical means and skills that they focus on. However, we believe that they share a common purpose: to educate students in logic and reasoning (logical education conceived as a process) so that they may be able to apply their skills to analyze the issues in their society (logical culture as a result of logical education). The aim of the paper is to justify this claim by exploring research objectives and products that are common to both movements.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) are well known for immunomodulation; however, the mechanisms involved in their benefits in the ischemic retina are unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that MSC induces upregulation of transcription factor forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) in T cells to elicit immune modulation, and thus, protect against retinal damage. Induced MSCs (iMSCs) were generated by differentiating the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) derived from urinary epithelial cells through a noninsertional reprogramming approach. In in-vitro cultures, iMSC transferred mitochondria to immune cells via F-actin nanotubes significantly increased oxygen consumption rate (OCR) for basal respiration and ATP production, suppressed effector T cells, and promoted differentiation of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells (Tregs) in coculture with mouse splenocytes. In in-vivo studies, iMSCs transplanted in ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injured eye significantly increased Foxp3+ Tregs in the retina compared to that of saline-injected I/R eyes. Furthermore, iMSC injected I/R eyes significantly decreased retinal inflammation as evidenced by reduced gene expression of IL1β, VCAM1, LAMA5, and CCL2 and improved b-wave amplitudes compared to that of saline-injected I/R eyes. Our study demonstrates that iMSCs can transfer mitochondria to immune cells to suppress the effector T cell population. Additionally, our current data indicate that iMSC can enhance differentiation of T cells into Foxp3 Tregs in vitro and therapeutically improve the retina’s immune function by upregulation of Tregs to decrease inflammation and reduce I/R injury-induced retinal degeneration in vivo.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells which can proliferate and replace dead cells in the body. MSCs also secrete immunomodulatory molecules, creating a regenerative microenvironment that has an excellent potential for tissue regeneration. MSCs can be easily isolated and grown in vitro for various applications. For the past two decades, MSCs have been used in research, and many assays and tests have been developed proving that MSCs are an excellent cell source for therapy. This review focusses on quality control parameters required for applications of MSCs including colony formation, surface markers, differentiation potentials, and telomere length. Further, the specific mechanisms of action of MSCs under various conditions such as trans-differentiation, cell fusion, mitochondrial transfer, and secretion of extracellular vesicles are discussed. This review aims to underline the applications and benefits of MSCs in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.

Aim : Isolation of clostridium perfirngens from necrotic enteritis cases in poultry and confirmation by alpha toxin specific PCR Materials and methods: Robertson cooked meat medium with Brain Heart Infusion broth was used for isolation of C. perfringens from intestinal contents of necrotic enteritis suspected birds. Positive cultures from perfringens agar were further confirmed by biochemical tests and subjected to alpha toxin specific PCR. Results: Twenty Clostridium perfringens isolates were isolated from intestinal contents of thirty five NE suspected birds. Out of the twenty isolates, fourteen were isolated from commercial broilers of 2 to 6 wk of age and six from commercial layers of 9 to 15 wk of age. Frequency of isolation of C. perfringens was more with Robertson cooked meat medium with BHI broth than thioglycollate broth alone. When positive cultures were streaked on to clostridial agar appreciable luxuriant growths were obtained and the selective streaking of these colonies on perfringens agar with supplements revealed rough and black colonies with sulphate reduction. The isolates produced rough and black colonies with sulphate reduction on perfringens agar, double zone haemolysis on sheep blood agar, stormy clot fermentation on milk medium and opalescence on egg yolk medium. The isolates were found negative for oxidase, catalase, liquefied gelatin, fermented glucose, maltose, lactose and sucrose except mannitol. All the fourteen isolates obtained from commercial broilers proved the alpha toxin producing strains of C. perfringens when they were subjected to alpha toxin specific PCR. Conclusion : This study revealed alpha toxin specific PCR is highly useful for detection of toxigenic strains of Clostridium perfringens in poultry [Vet. World 2012; 5(6.000): 365-368]

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived cardiomyocytes (iCMCs) would provide an unlimited cell source for regenerative medicine and drug discoveries. The objective of our study is to generate functional cardiomyocytes from human iPSCs and to develop a novel method of measuring contractility of CMCs. In a series of experiments, adult human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with a combination of pluripotent gene DNA and mRNA under specific conditions. The iPSC colonies were identified and differentiated into various cell lineages, including CMCs. The contractile activity of CMCs was measured by a novel method of frame-by-frame cross correlation (particle image velocimetry-PIV) analysis. Our treatment regimen transformed 4% of HSFs into iPSC colonies at passage 0, a significantly improved efficiency compared with use of either DNA or mRNA alone. The iPSCs were capable of differentiating both in vitro and in vivo into endodermal, ectodermal and mesodermal cells, including CMCs with >88% of cells being positive for troponin T (CTT) and Gata4 by flow cytometry. We report a highly efficient combination of DNA and mRNA to generate iPSCs and functional iCMCs from adult human cells. We also report a novel approach to measure contractility of iCMCs.

Abstract Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a complex disease caused by a combination of Epstein-Barr virus chronic infection, the environment and host genes in a multi-step process of carcinogenesis. The identity of genetic factors involved in the development of chronic Epstein-Barr virus infection and NPC remains elusive, however. Here, we describe a two-phase, population-based, case-control study of Han Chinese from Guangxi province, where the NPC incidence rate rises to a high of 25-50 per 100,000 individuals. Phase I, powered to detect single gene associations, enrolled 984 subjects to determine feasibility, to develop infrastructure and logistics and to determine error rates in sample handling. A microsatellite screen of Phase I study participants, genotyped for 319 alleles from 34 microsatellites spanning an 18-megabase region of chromosome 4 (4p15.1-q12), previously implicated by a linkage analysis of familial NPC, found 14 alleles marginally associated with developing NPC or chronic immunoglobulin A production (p = 0.001-0.03). These associations lost significance after applying a correction for multiple tests. Although the present results await confirmation, the Phase II study population has tripled patient enrolment and has included environmental covariates, offering the potential to validate this and other genomic regions that influence the onset of NPC.

Aim : To find out the organisms causing endometritis in cattle and to determine their in vitro sensitivity to various antibiotics Materials and methods: Thirty uterine secretion samples, 9 from Holstein Friesian and 21 from Jersey cows were collected in and around Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu from clinical cases of endometritis. The bacteria isolated both aerobically and anaerobically from endometritis showed the characteristic colony, were gram stained and confirmed by standard biochemical tests. The invitro antibiotic sensitivity test with different antibiotic discs were carried out. Results and Discussion: Out of 30 samples, 25 contained different strains of bacteria and 5 were found bacteriologically sterile. Different species of bacteria isolated from these samples were, Escherichia coli (36.66%), Klebsiella spp (30%), Proteus spp (13.33%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.66%), Clostridium spp (3.33%). The in vitro antibiotic sensitivity test indicated that the highest number of isolates (64%) were sensitive to Ceftriaxone, followed by Gentamicin, Enrofloxacin and Chlortetracycline (32%). Chloramphenicol showed sensitivity in minimum number (8%) of isolates. Conclusion : This study revealed that the bacteria E.coli and Klebisella spp are more commonly isolated in endometritis in cows and the drug Ceftriaxone is highly effective. [Vet World 2013; 6(2.000): 100-102]

Poultry meat has been identified as one of the principal foodborne source of Salmonella. In this preliminary study the prevalence of Salmonella spp. contamination of broiler carcasses, were determined. Sixty samples were collected from poultry carcasses from the commercial broiler slaughtering facility in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu. The presence of Salmonella spp in collected samples was assessed by performing the pre-enrichment and enrichment culture, followed by PCR assay. The primers were selected from the invA gene specific for the detection of Salmonella spp. In this study 8.3% of poultry carcasses were found to be contaminated with Salmonella spp. In order to provide a more accurate profile of the prevalence of Salmonella spp in broiler carcasses, it is pertinent to use inv A gene specific PCR method that could be considered as an appropriate alternative to conventional culture method. [Vet. World 2011; 4(12.000): 562-564]

To study usefulness of bone marrow progenitor cells (BPCs) epigenetically altered by chromatin modifying agents in mediating heart repair after myocardial infarction in mice.We tested the therapeutic efficacy of bone marrow progenitor cells treated with the clinically-used chromatin modifying agents Trichostatin A (TSA, histone deacetylase inhibitor) and 5Aza-2-deoxycytidine (Aza, DNA methylation inhibitor) in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Treatment of BPCs with Aza and TSA induced expression of pluripotent genes Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, and thereafter culturing these cells in defined cardiac myocyte-conditioned medium resulted in their differentiation into cardiomyocyte progenitors and subsequently into cardiac myocytes. Their transition was deduced by expression of repertoire of markers: Nkx2.5, GATA4, cardiotroponin T, cardiotroponin I, α-sarcomeric actinin, Mef2c and MHC-α. We observed that the modified BPCs had greater AceH3K9 expression and reduced histone deacetylase1 (HDAC1) and lysine-specific demethylase1 (LSD1) expression compared to untreated BPCs, characteristic of epigenetic changes. Intra-myocardial injection of modified BPCs after AMI in mice significantly improved left ventricular function. These changes were ascribed to differentiation of the injected cells into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells.Treatment of BPCs with Aza and TSA converts BPCs into multipotent cells, which can then be differentiated into myocyte progenitors. Transplantation of these modified progenitor cells into infarcted mouse hearts improved left ventricular function secondary to differentiation of cells in the niche into myocytes and endothelial cells.

Abstract Background As we enter an era when testing millions of SNPs in a single gene association study will become the standard, consideration of multiple comparisons is an essential part of determining statistical significance. Bonferroni adjustments can be made but are conservative due to the preponderance of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between genetic markers, and permutation testing is not always a viable option. Three major classes of corrections have been proposed to correct the dependent nature of genetic data in Bonferroni adjustments: permutation testing and related alternatives, principal components analysis (PCA), and analysis of blocks of LD across the genome. We consider seven implementations of these commonly used methods using data from 1514 European American participants genotyped for 700,078 SNPs in a GWAS for AIDS. Results A Bonferroni correction using the number of LD blocks found by the three algorithms implemented by Haploview resulted in an insufficiently conservative threshold, corresponding to a genome-wide significance level of α = 0.15 - 0.20. We observed a moderate increase in power when using PRESTO, SLIDE, and simpleℳ when compared with traditional Bonferroni methods for population data genotyped on the Affymetrix 6.0 platform in European Americans (α = 0.05 thresholds between 1 × 10-7 and 7 × 10-8). Conclusions Correcting for the number of LD blocks resulted in an anti-conservative Bonferroni adjustment. SLIDE and simpleℳ are particularly useful when using a statistical test not handled in optimized permutation testing packages, and genome-wide corrected p-values using SLIDE, are much easier to interpret for consumers of GWAS studies.

Abstract Background Lim1 is a homeobox gene that is essential for nephrogenesis. During metanephric kidney development, Lim1 is expressed in the nephric duct, ureteric buds, and the induced metanephric mesenchyme. Conditional ablation of Lim1 in the metanephric mesenchyme blocks the formation of nephrons at the nephric vesicle stage, leading to the production of small, non-functional kidneys that lack nephrons. Methods In the present study, we used Affymetrix probe arrays to screen for nephron-specific genes by comparing the expression profiles of control and Lim1 conditional mutant kidneys. Kidneys from two developmental stages, embryonic day 14.5 (E14.5) and 18.5 (E18.5), were examined. Results Comparison of E18.5 kidney expression profiles generated a list of 465 nephron-specific gene candidates that showed a more than 2-fold increase in their expression level in control kidney versus the Lim1 conditional mutant kidney. Computational analysis confirmed that this screen enriched for kidney-specific genes. Furthermore, at least twenty-eight of the top fifty (56%) candidates (or their vertebrate orthologs) were previously reported to have a nephron-specific expression pattern. Our analysis of E14.5 expression data yielded 41 candidate genes that are up-regulated in the control kidneys compared to the conditional mutants. Three of them are related to the Notch signaling pathway that is known to be important in cell fate determination and nephron patterning. Conclusion Therefore, we demonstrate that Lim1 conditional mutant kidneys serve as a novel tissue source for comprehensive expression studies and provide a means to identify nephron-specific genes.