This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ANCA positivity in children managed with levamisole as a steroid-sparing agent for nephrotic syndrome (NS).
 
  Medical records of children with steroid-sensitive NS managed with levamisole therapy at Sydney Children's Hospital between 1/1/2000 and 31/12/2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Main outcome measure was side effects of levamisole therapy including ANCA positivity.
 
  Seventy-one children, median age 3years and 1month (IQR 29-68months) at first presentation, were subsequently managed with levamisole. 60.6% were male and 65% Caucasian. 47.9% had frequently relapsing (FR)NS and 52.1% steroid-dependent (SD)NS. Overall, there was a median reduction in relapses from 3 (IQR 1-5) to 0.4 relapses (IQR 0-1) per year after levamisole was commenced. Levamisole was successful in preventing relapse in 19 (29%) patients and was used for median 24 (22 to 25) months. Levamisole was discontinued due to relapse in 25 patients (38%) after median 12 (5-28) months. Side effects occurred in 28 patients (42.4%); the most common side effect was ANCA positivity in 12 patients. In eleven of these patients, levamisole was discontinued; in one patient, low-level titres were documented and spontaneously resolved without cessation of levamisole. Two patients developed ANCA-associated vasculitis.
 
  ANCA positivity is a common side effect of levamisole and was seen in 18.2% of our patients. Monitoring is required to determine side effects including ANCA positivity and treatment modified accordingly.
 ANCA positivity is a common side effect of levamisole and was seen in 18.2% of our patients. Monitoring is required to determine side effects including ANCA positivity and treatment modified accordingly.Polyurethanes (PU) are multifunctional polymers, used in automotive industry, in coatings, rigid and flexible foams, and also in biomimetic materials. In the same way as all plastic waste, the incorrect disposal of these materials leads to the accumulation of polyurethanes in the environment. To reduce the amount of waste as well as add value to degradation products, bioremediation methods have been studied for waste management of PU. Enzymes of the hydrolases class have been experimentally tested for enzymatic degradation of PU, with very promising results. In this work, two enzymes that can degrade polyurethanes were studied by molecular dynamics simulations a protease and an esterase, both from Pseudomonas. From molecular dynamics simulations analysis, it was observed the stability of the structures, both in the simulations of the free enzymes and in the simulations of the complexes with a PU monomer. Hydrogen bonds were formed with the monomer and the enzymes throughout the simulation time, and the interaction free energy was found to be strongly negative, pointing to strong interactions in both cases.
  The ability to maintain an absolute, submaximal torque level during fatiguing contractions is controlled, in part, by the recruitment of larger motor units. These motor units are commonly identified based on greater action potential peak-to-peak amplitude values. It is unclear, however, if motor unit action potential (MUAP) amplitude values during low torque, fatiguing contractions reach similar levels as those observed during non-fatigued, high torque contractions. To establish a clearer understanding of motor unit control during fatigue, we compared MUAP amplitude during 50 and 80% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) torque contractions and at the beginning, middle, and end of a 30% MVC fatigue protocol.
 
  Eleven untrained men (mean age = 24years) performed isometric contractions at 50 and 80% MVC, followed by repeated contractions at 30% MVC. Surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were detected from the vastus lateralis and decomposed to quantify the peak-to-peak amplitude of individual MUAPs. A two-level multilevel model was estimated, allowing examination of simultaneous measures of MUAP amplitude within participants and controlling for the dependence between measures within participants.
 
  Results from the multilevel analyses suggested that there were not statistically significant differences in MUAP amplitude between 80% MVC and end fatigue. Separate repeated-measures analyses of variance indicated that there were not statistically significant mean differences in greatest MUAP or surface EMG amplitude between 80% MVC and end fatigue.
 
  MUAP and surface EMG amplitude values during a 30% MVC fatiguing protocol appear to be comparable to those observed during a non-fatigued 80% MVC condition.
 MUAP and surface EMG amplitude values during a 30% MVC fatiguing protocol appear to be comparable to those observed during a non-fatigued 80% MVC condition.
  In this study, we examined whether the decrease in endothelial function associated with short-term exposure to elevated retrograde shear rate (SR), could be prevented when combined with a concurrent drop in transmural pressure in humans.
 
  Twenty-five healthy individuals reported to our laboratory on three occasions to complete 30-min experimental conditions, preceded and followed by assessment of endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD). We used cuff inflation for 30-min to manipulate retrograde SR and transmural pressure in the brachial artery. Subjects underwent, in randomised order (1) forearm cuff inflation to 60mmHg (distal cuff; causing increase in retrograde SR), (2) upper arm cuff inflation to 60mmHg (proximal cuff; causing increase in retrograde SR + decrease in transmural pressure), and (3) no cuff inflation (Control).
 
  The distal and proximal cuff conditions both increased brachial artery retrograde SR (p < 0.001) and oscillatory shear index (p < 0.001). The Control intervention did not alter SR patterns or FMD (p > 0.05).  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/iwr-1-endo.html  A significant interaction-effect was found for FMD (p < 0.05), with the decrease during distal cuff (from 6.9 ± 2.3% to 6.1 ± 2.5%), being reversed to an increase with proximal cuff (from 6.3 ± 2.0 to 6.9 ± 2.0%). The proximal cuff-related increase in FMD could not be explained by the decrease in antegrade or increase in retrograde shear.
 
  This study suggests that a decrease in transmural pressure may ameliorate the decline in endothelial function that occurs following exposure to elevated retrograde shear in healthy individuals.
 This study suggests that a decrease in transmural pressure may ameliorate the decline in endothelial function that occurs following exposure to elevated retrograde shear in healthy individuals.