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RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Loss of function of the product of the GSTM1 gene has been implicated in rapid progression of adult chronic kidney disease (CKD). Its role in pediatric CKD has not been previously described. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a prospective observational cohort examining the association between deletions in GSTM1 and progression of CKD. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: We used data and samples from the prospective Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) cohort aged 1-16 years at enrollment with CKD. EXPOSURE: We defined the exposure as fewer than 2 GSTM1 alleles on real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification. OUTCOME: The primary outcome was a composite of 50% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or start of kidney replacement therapy. Secondary outcomes included remission of proteinuria in children with glomerular disease and cardiovascular complications. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: The primary analysis was by Cox proportional hazards model. Analysis was adjusted for age, sex, race, ethnicity, body mass index category, diagnosis category, and eGFR. RESULTS: The analysis included 674 children. Their mean age at most recent visit was 11.9 years; 61% were male, and 20% were Black. There were 241 occurrences of the primary outcome at the time of analysis. After adjustment for baseline characteristics, the risk of progression of CKD for exposed children was 1.94 (95% CI, 1.27-2.97). The effect size was similar with either 1 or 2 deletions (autosomal dominant inheritance). The relationships between number of functional GSTM1 alleles and prespecified secondary outcomes were not statistically significant after adjustment. LIMITATIONS: Missing data, especially for secondary outcomes, and relatively small sample size compared to genetic studies in adults. CONCLUSIONS: GSTM1 deletion is associated with more rapid progression of pediatric CKD after adjustment in this large prospective cohort. No statistically significant associations were seen with secondary outcomes. If replicated, these findings may inform development of interventions for CKD in children.

Pediatric patients with nephrotic syndrome take medications long-term with significant toxicity and complex regimens, yet data on medication adherence are limited.In a multicenter observational study of patients with nephrotic syndrome, NEPTUNE (NCT01209000), we surveyed caregivers of patients19 years old and adolescent patients on medication adherence during longitudinal follow-up beginning in June 2015. Data extraction was in October 2020. We described the proportion of nonadherent patients at first survey. Participant social and economic factors, condition-related factors, therapy-related factors, and patient-related factors were examined for relationships with nonadherence by generalized linear mixed models using the longitudinal data. In exploratory fashion, we assessed the relationship between adherence and subsequent steroid response classification by binary logistic regression and adherence with healthcare utilization by Poisson regression.A total of 225 participants completed a median of 3 surveys during follow-up (IQR, 2-5), with a total of 743 surveys. Overall, 80 (36%) reported nonadherence with medications. In adjusted analysis, older age (per 1 year; OR 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03 1.12), lower maternal educational level (≥ high school vs.high school; OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.89), and increased parent and self-identification of medications barriers (per 1 point; OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.15-2.15) were significantly associated with nonadherence. No relationship between nonadherence and subsequent frequency of healthcare utilization was observed. A trend toward increased subsequent steroid resistance classification was seen with nonadherence, though not statistically significant.Medication nonadherence is common in pediatric nephrotic syndrome. Investigations into the use of surveys in the clinic setting to identify at-risk patients and ways to support families over time are needed. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Objective To determine the association of dysnatremia in the first postnatal week and risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality. Study design A secondary analysis of 1979 neonates in the AWAKEN cohort evaluated the association of dysnatremia with (1) AKI in the first postnatal week and (2) mortality, utilizing time-varying Cox proportional hazard models. Result Dysnatremia developed in 50.2% of the cohort and was not associated with AKI. Mortality was associated with hyponatremia (HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.07-4.31), hypernatremia (HR 4.23, 95% CI 2.07-8.65), and combined hypo/hypernatremia (HR 6.39, 95% CI 2.01-14.01). In stratified models by AKI-status, hypernatremia and hypo/hypernatremia increased risk of mortality in neonates without AKI. Conclusion Dysnatremia within the first postnatal week was associated with increased risk of mortality. Hypernatremia and combined hypo/hypernatremia remained significantly associated with mortality in neonates without AKI. This may reflect fluid strategies kidney injury independent of creatinine and urine-output defined AKI, and/or systemic inflammation.

Diminished social functioning is often seen after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mechanisms contributing to these deficits are poorly understood but thought to relate to impaired ability to recognize facial expressions. Static stimuli are often used to investigate ability post-TBI, and there is less evidence using moreResults of analyses showed that TBI patients had First Fixation to nose for all emotion stimuli, shorter Fixation Duration and lower Fixation Count to eyes, were generally slower to classify stimuli, and less accurate than non-TBI group for the static task. Those with TBI were also less accurate at identifying Angry, Disgust, and Fear stimulus faces compared to the non-TBI group during the dynamic unfolding of an emotion.In the present study, those with TBI had atypical eye scan patterns during emotion identification in the static emotion recognition task compared to the non-TBI group and were associated with lower identification accuracy on behavioral measures in both static and dynamic tasks. Findings suggest potential disruption to oculomotor systems vital for first stage perceptual processing. Arguably, these impairments may contribute to diminished social functioning.

Introduction: Disparities in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) have been inadequately studied in patients with glomerular disease. The aim of this study was to identify relationships among race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disease severity, and HRQOL in an ethnically and racially diverse cohort of patients with glomerular disease. Methods: Cure Glomerulonephropathy (CureGN) is a multinational cohort study of patients with biopsy-proven glomerular disease. Associations between race/ethnicity and HRQOL were determined by the following: (1) missed school or work due to kidney disease and (2) responses to Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaires. We adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, and disease characteristics using multivariable logistic and linear regression. Results: Black and Hispanic participants had worse socioeconomic status and more severe glomerular disease than white or Asian participants. Black adults missed work or school most frequently due to kidney disease (30 vs. 16–23% in the other 3 groups, p = 0.04), and had the worst self-reported global physical health (median score 44.1 vs. 48.0–48.2, p < 0.001) and fatigue (53.8 vs. 48.5–51.1, p = 0.002), compared to other racial/ethnic groups. However, these findings were not statistically significant with adjustment for socioeconomic status and disease severity, both of which were strongly associated with HRQOL in adults. Among children, disease severity but not race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status was associated with HRQOL. Conclusions: Among patients with glomerular disease enrolled in CureGN, the worse HRQOL reported by black adults was attributable to lower socioeconomic status and more severe glomerular disease. No racial/ethnic differences in HRQOL were observed in children.

Aims The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which patient demographics, clinical presentation, and blood parameters vary in Kingella kingae septic arthritis when compared with those of other organisms, and whether this difference needs to be considered when assessing children in whom a diagnosis of septic arthritis is suspected. Methods A prospective case series was undertaken at a single UK paediatric institution between October 2012 and November 2018 of all patients referred with suspected septic arthritis. We recorded the clinical, biochemical, and microbiological findings in all patients. Results A total of 160 patients underwent arthrotomy for a presumed septic arthritis. Of these, no organism was identified in 61 and only 25 of these were both culture- and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-negative. A total of 36 patients did not undergo PCR analysis. Of the remaining 99 culture- and PCR-positive patients, K. kingae was the most commonly isolated organism (42%, n = 42). The knee (n = 21), shoulder (n = 9), and hip (n = 5) were the three most commonly affected joints. A total of 28 cases (66%) of K. kingae infection were detected only on PCR. The mean age of K. kingae-positive cases (16.1 months) was significantly lower than that of those whose septic arthitis was due to other organisms (49.4 months; p < 0.001). The mean CRP was significantly lower in the K. kingae group than in the other organism group (p < 0.001). The mean ESR/CRP ratio was significantly higher in K. kingae (2.84) than in other infections (1.55; p < 0.008). The mean ESR and ESR/CRP were not significantly different from those in the 'no organism identified' group. Conclusion K. kingae was the most commonly isolated organism from paediatric culture- and/or PCR-positive confirmed septic arthritis, with only one third of cases detected on routine cultures. It is important to develop and maintain a clinical suspicion for K. kingae infection in young patients presenting atypically. Routine PCR testing is recommended in these patients. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(3):584–588.

Background This study compared transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) to laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (laTME) for the treatment of low rectal cancer. Adequacy of oncologic resection as well as postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all proctectomy for low rectal cancer by a single surgeon at our institution from January 2014 to September 2019. Results There were 20 taTME and 30 laTME patients. TaTME patients had more distal tumors with no difference in pathologic resection margins or frequency of positive distal margin. Operative times were longer for taTME, but there were no differences in short-term outcomes or complications. TaTME patients had a higher rate of postoperative fecal incontinence. Conclusion TaTME may be a good option for the most distal tumors, when distal margins may be compromised. TaTME provides equivalent oncologic resection, but there is a higher incidence of postoperative fecal incontinence.

Diastolic dysfunction is a known cause of mortality in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). Left atrial function (LAf) and strain (LAS) are novel echocardiographic parameters to assess early diastolic dysfunction, which have not been assessed in pediatric SCD. Through a retrospective single-center study, we describe echocardiographic parameters of diastology in children with SCD and evaluate their relationship with clinical variables including anemia and blood pressure. Baseline clinical data, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data and echocardiography results were collected. LAf and LAS were measured using volumetric data and speckle-tracking echocardiography, respectively. Sixty-seven children with SCD (13.5±7 y, 47% male, 7% hypertensive) with a mean hemoglobin of 8.8±1.3 g/dL, LAf of 61±8% (n=53) and LAS of 46.3±7.4% (n=28) were included. LAS was significantly associated with hemoglobin (ρ=0.43, P=0.022) but not with maximal left atrial (LA) volume (ρ=-0.05, P=0.79) or any blood pressure parameters. On multivariate analysis, LAS decreased by 3.2% (1.3, 5.1) and LA volume increased by 1.6 mL/m2 (3.1, 0.08) for every 1 g/dL decrease in hemoglobin. Thus, severity of baseline anemia in pediatric SCD correlates with diastolic function as measured by LAS, independent of LA dilation.

This study adds to the literature by clarifying the effects of visitation on serious and violent misconduct among maximum-security inmates through the application of propensity score matching (PSM). Findings demonstrate that once the visited and nonvisited groups were matched on covariates of visitation, major violations were significantly influenced by visitation from family and friends. The visitation group experienced a 25% reduction in major, violent, and injurious acts of misconduct. Results are discussed from the perspective of social support theory.

Rationale & Objective Group-based care provides an opportunity to increase patient access to providers without increasing physician time and is effective in the management of chronic diseases in the general population. This model of care has not been investigated in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Study Design Randomized controlled trial in adults (n = 50); observational study in adolescents (n = 10). Setting & Participants Adults and adolescents with CKD and hypertension in the Bronx, NY. Intervention Group-based care (monthly sessions over 6 months) versus usual care in adults. All adolescents received group-based care and were analyzed separately. Outcomes Participant attendance and satisfaction with group-based care were used to evaluate intervention feasibility. The primary clinical outcome was change in mean 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included physical activity, medication adherence, quality of life, and sodium intake as assessed by 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and food frequency questionnaires. Results Among adults randomly assigned to group-based care, attendance was high (77% of participants attended ≥3 sessions) and most reported higher satisfaction. Mean 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure decreased by −4.2 (95% CI, −13.3 to 5.8) mm Hg in group-based care patients compared with usual care at 6 months but this was not statistically significant. Similarly, we did not detect significant differences in health-related behaviors (such as medication adherence, sodium intake, and physical activity) or quality-of-life measures between the 2 groups. Among the adolescents, attendance was very poor; self-reported satisfaction, although high, did not change from baseline compared with the 6-month follow-up. Limitations Small study size, missing data. Conclusions Group-based care is feasible and acceptable among adults with hypertension and CKD. However, a larger trial is needed to determine the effect on blood pressure and health-related behaviors. Patient participation may limit the effectiveness of group-based care models in adolescents. Funding National Institutes of Health R34 DK102174. Trial registration https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT02467894., Graphical Abstract

As a result of preterm birth, immature kidneys are exposed to interventions in the NICU that promote survival, but are nephrotoxic. Furthermore, the duration of renal development may be truncated in these vulnerable neonates. Immaturity and nephrotoxic exposures predispose preterm newborns to acute kidney injury (AKI), particularly in the low birth weight and extremely preterm gestational age groups. Several studies have associated preterm birth as a risk factor for future chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, only a few publications have investigated the impact of neonatal AKI on CKD development. Here, we will review the evidence linking preterm birth and AKI in the NICU to CKD and highlight the knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research. For neonatal intensive care studies, we propose the inclusion of AKI as an important short-term morbidity outcome and CKD findings such as a reduced glomerular filtration rate in the assessment of long-term outcomes.

The diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome relies on clinical presentation and descriptive patterns of injury on kidney biopsies, but not specific to underlying pathobiology. Consequently, there are variable rates of progression and response to therapy within diagnoses. Here, an unbiased transcriptomic-driven approach was used to identify molecular pathways which are shared by subgroups of patients with either minimal change disease (MCD) or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Kidney tissue transcriptomic profile-based clustering identified three patient subgroups with shared molecular signatures across independent, North American, European, and African cohorts. One subgroup had significantly greater disease progression (Hazard Ratio 5.2) which persisted after adjusting for diagnosis and clinical measures (Hazard Ratio 3.8). Inclusion in this subgroup was retained even when clustering was limited to those with less than 25% interstitial fibrosis. The molecular profile of this subgroup was largely consistent with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway activation. Two TNF pathway urine markers were identified, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), that could be used to predict an individual's TNF pathway activation score. Kidney organoids and single nucleus RNA-sequencing of participant kidney biopsies, validated TNF-dependent increases in pathway activation score, transcript and protein levels of TIMP-1 and MCP-1, in resident kidney cells. Thus, molecular profiling identified a subgroup of patients with either MCD or FSGS who shared kidney TNF pathway activation and poor outcomes. A clinical trial testing targeted therapies in patients selected using urinary markers of TNF pathway activation is ongoing.

BACKGROUND: In patients without COVID-19, dysnatremia is associated with mortality. These relationships are not well established in patients with COVID-19. We tested the hypotheses that patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have dysnatremia than those without COVID-19 and that, among those with COVID-19, dysnatremia is associated with mortality. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients admitted to a tertiary care center in the Bronx, New York, during the COVID-19 surge from March 11 to April 26, 2020. Using multinomial logistic regression models, we compared the prevalence of hypernatremia (serum sodium ≥150 mEq/L) and hyponatremia (serum sodium

Purpose: To report a series of cases demonstrating the resolution of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) with adjunctive use of oral miltefosine.Methods: Retrospective case series.Results: The first case was a 27-year-old female who presented with severe pain and photophobia. The diagnosis of AK was made with confocal microscopy, which revealed a significant burden of stromal cysts. After approximately 2 weeks of adjunctive oral miltefosine therapy, there was a severe inflammatory response within the cornea followed by quick resolution of the AK. The second case was a 31-year-old male in whom the diagnosis of AK was confirmed by culture and polymerase chain reaction. Adjunctive oral miltefosine was started 3 months after presentation, leading to a quick resolution.Conclusions: Oral miltefosine may have cysticidal properties and should be considered as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of AK, particularly in cases with a significant burden of cysts or in cases recalcitrant to other treatments.

Introduction Childhood-onset nephrotic syndrome has a variable clinical course. Improved predictive markers of long-term outcomes in children with nephrotic syndrome are needed. This study tests the association between baseline urinary epidermal growth factor (uEGF) excretion and longitudinal kidney function in children with nephrotic syndrome. Methods The study evaluated 191 participants younger than 18 years enrolled in the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network, including 118 with their first clinically indicated kidney biopsy (68 minimal change disease; 50 focal segmental glomerulosclerosis) and 73 with incident nephrotic syndrome without a biopsy. uEGF was measured at baseline for all participants and normalized by the urine creatinine (Cr) concentration. Renal epidermal growth factor (EGF) mRNA was measured in the tubular compartment microdissected from kidney biopsy cores from a subset of patients. Linear mixed models were used to test if baseline uEGF/Cr and EGF mRNA expression were associated with change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time. Results Higher uEGF/Cr at baseline was associated with slower eGFR decline during follow-up (median follow-up = 30 months). Halving of uEGF/Cr was associated with a decrease in eGFR slope of 2.0 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year (P < 0.001) adjusted for age, race, diagnosis, baseline eGFR and proteinuria, and APOL1 genotype. In the biopsied subgroup, uEGF/Cr was correlated with EGF mRNA expression (r = 0.74; P < 0.001), but uEGF/Cr was retained over mRNA expression as the stronger predictor of eGFR slope after multivariable adjustment (decrease in eGFR slope of 1.7 ml/min per 1.73 m2 per year per log2 decrease in uEGF/Cr; P < 0.001). Conclusion uEGF/Cr may be a useful noninvasive biomarker that can assist in predicting the long-term course of kidney function in children with incident nephrotic syndrome., Graphical abstract

Using a sample of 1,502 male inmates incarcerated in a correctional facility in a Northwestern state between March 2010 and June 2017 for a minimum of 3 years, the current study examines: 1) The he...

Introduction There is limited information on effective disease monitoring for prompt interventions in childhood nephrotic syndrome. We examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a novel text messaging system (SMS) for disease monitoring in a multicenter, prospective study. Methods A total of 127 patients, Graphical abstract

We present a case of a 49 year-old male with history of corneal neovascularization secondary to herpes zoster keratitis that clinically and subjectively improved for approximately 4 months after treatment with argon laser photocoagulation to feeder vessels and subconjunctival bevacizumab. This is the first report in the literature that describes this novel combination treatment for corneal neovascularization in the setting of varicella-zoster virus and discusses its efficacy.

BackgroundClassification of nephrotic syndrome relies on clinical presentation and descriptive patterns of injury on kidney biopsies. This approach does not reflect underlying disease biology, limiting the ability to predict progression or treatment response.MethodsSystems biology approaches were used to categorize patients with minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) based on kidney biopsy tissue transcriptomics across three cohorts and assessed association with clinical outcomes. Patient-level tissue pathway activation scores were generated using differential gene expression. Then, functional enrichment and non-invasive urine biomarker candidates were identified. Biomarkers were validated in kidney organoid models and single nucleus RNA-seq (snRNAseq) from kidney biopsies.ResultsTranscriptome-based categorization identified three subgroups of patients with shared molecular signatures across independent North American, European and African cohorts. One subgroup demonstrated worse longterm outcomes (HR 5.2, p = 0.001) which persisted after adjusting for diagnosis and clinical measures (HR 3.8, p = 0.035) at time of biopsy. This subgroup’s molecular profile was largely (48%) driven by tissue necrosis factor (TNF) activation and could be predicted based on levels of TNF pathway urinary biomarkers TIMP-1 and MCP-1 and clinical features (correlation 0.63, p ConclusionsMolecular profiling identified a patient subgroup within nephrotic syndrome with poor outcome and kidney TNF pathway activation. Clinical trials using non-invasive biomarkers of pathway activation to target therapies are currently being evaluated.Significance StatementMechanistic, targeted therapies are urgently needed for patients with nephrotic syndrome. The inability to target an individual’s specific disease mechanism using currently used diagnostic parameters leads to potential treatment failure and toxicity risk. Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and minimal change disease (MCD) were grouped by kidney tissue transcriptional profiles and a subgroup associated with poor outcomes defined. The segregation of the poor outcome group was driven by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway activation and could be identified by urine biomarkers, MCP1 and TIMP1. Based on these findings, clinical trials utilizing non-invasive biomarkers of pathway activation to target therapies, improve response rates and facilitate personalized treatment in nephrotic syndrome have been initiated.

In this state-of-the-art review, we highlight the major advances over the last 5 years in neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI). Large multicenter studies reveal that neonatal AKI is common and independently associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The natural course of neonatal AKI, along with the risk factors, mitigation strategies, and the role of AKI on short- and long-term outcomes, is becoming clearer. Specific progress has been made in identifying potential preventive strategies for AKI, such as the use of caffeine in premature neonates, theophylline in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and nephrotoxic medication monitoring programs. New evidence highlights the importance of the kidney in “crosstalk” between other organs and how AKI likely plays a critical role in other organ development and injury, such as intraventricular hemorrhage and lung disease. New technology has resulted in advancement in prevention and improvements in the current management in neonates with severe AKI. With specific continuous renal replacement therapy machines designed for neonates, this therapy is now available and is being used with increasing frequency in NICUs. Moving forward, biomarkers, such as urinary neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin, and other new technologies, such as monitoring of renal tissue oxygenation and nephron counting, will likely play an increased role in identification of AKI and those most vulnerable for chronic kidney disease. Future research needs to be focused on determining the optimal follow-up strategy for neonates with a history of AKI to detect chronic kidney disease.

Globally, 27 aphid species have evolved resistance to almost 100 insecticide active ingredients. A proactive approach to resistance management in pest aphids is needed; this should include risk analysis, followed by regular baseline susceptibility assays for species deemed at high risk of evolving resistance. The cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch) has evolved insecticide resistance to multiple insecticides outside Australia and was recently identified as a high-risk species in Australia. In this study, we generated toxicity data against four insecticides (representing four unique chemical Mode of Action groups) for populations of A. craccivora collected across Australia. Alpha-cypermethrin was the most toxic chemical to A. craccivora in leaf-dip laboratory bioassays with an average LC50 value across nine populations of 0.008 mg a.i./L, which was significantly lower than dimethoate (1.17 mg a.i./L) and pirimicarb (0.89 mg a.i./L). Small, but significant, differences in sensitivity were detected in some populations against pirimicarb and dimethoate, whereas responses to alpha-cypermethrin and imidacloprid were not significantly different across all aphid populations examined in this study. For all insecticides, the field rate controlled 100% of individuals tested. The data generated will be important for future monitoring of insecticide responses of A. craccivora. Proactive management, including increased reliance on non-chemical pest management approaches and routine insecticide baseline sensitivity studies, is recommended for A. craccivora.

A 29 year-old South Asian male presented with 4 months of fluctuating pain, photophobia, and decreased vision in his left eye. He had been treated with topical steroids intermittently and oral acyc...

Background Studies to date show contrasting conclusions when comparing intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses for minimally invasive right colectomy. Large multi-center prospective studies comparing perioperative outcomes between these two techniques are needed. The purpose of this study was to compare intracorporeal and extracorporeal anastomoses outcomes for robotic assisted and laparoscopic right colectomy. Methods Multi-center, prospective, observational study of patients with malignant or benign disease scheduled for laparoscopic or robotic-assisted right colectomy. Outcomes included conversion rate, gastrointestinal recovery, and complication rates. Results There were 280 patients: 156 in the robotic assisted and laparoscopic intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) group and 124 in the robotic assisted and laparoscopic extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) group. The EA group was older (mean age 67 vs. 65 years, p = 0.05) and had fewer white (81% vs. 90%, p = 0.05) and Hispanic (2% vs. 12%, p = 0.003) patients. The EA group had more patients with comorbidities (82% vs. 72%, p = 0.04) while there was no significant difference in individual comorbidities between groups. IA was associated with fewer conversions to open and hand-assisted laparoscopic approaches (p = 0.007), shorter extraction site incision length (4.9 vs. 6.2 cm; p ≤ 0.0001), and longer operative time (156.9 vs. 118.2 min). Postoperatively, patients with IA had shorter time to first flatus, (1.5 vs. 1.8 days; p ≤ 0.0001), time to first bowel movement (1.6 vs. 2.0 days; p = 0.0005), time to resume soft/regular diet (29.0 vs. 37.5 h; p = 0.0014), and shorter length of hospital stay (median, 3 vs. 4 days; p ≤ 0.0001). Postoperative complication rates were comparable between groups. Conclusion In this prospective, multi-center study of minimally invasive right colectomy across 20 institutions, IA was associated with significant improvements in conversion rates, return of bowel function, and shorter hospital stay, as well as significantly longer operative times compared to EA. These data validate current efforts to increase training and adoption of the IA technique for minimally invasive right colectomy.

Rapid advances in the fields of biology, laboratory science, computer science, and bio-data science are changing how we think about the pathophysiology of disease. The NIH Human Microbiome Project is defining how the microbial environment affects human health and disease. Using culture-independent techniques, bacteria, fungi, and viruses that compose the human microbiome have been identified and will further our understanding of how it influences inflammation, auto-immunity, and ocular surface disease. Expanded use of biomarkers are beginning to be employed to detect disease, and to design and monitor new treatments. The effects of human aging on the eyelids, the immune system, and autoimmunity are briefly reviewed, as well as the potential for regenerative medicine to possibly prevent or reverse its detrimental effects.