HLA and cross-reactive antigen group matching for cadaver kidney allocation

Background. Allocation of cadaver kidneys by graded human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility scoring arguably has had little effect on overall survival while prejudicing the transplant candidacy of African-American and other hard to match populations. Consequently, matching has been proposed of deduced amino acid residues of the individual HLA molecules shared by cross- reactive antigen groups (CREGs). We have examined the circumstances under which compatibility with either method impacted graft survival. Methods. Using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling, we studied the relationship between levels of conventional HLA mismatch and other donor and recipient factors on primary cadaver kidney survival between 1981 and 1995 at the University of Pittsburgh (n=1,780) and in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) Scientific Registry during 1991-1995 (n=31,291). The results were compared with those obtained by the matching of amino acid residues that identified CREG-compatible cases with as many as four (but not five and six) HLA mismatches. Results. With more than one HLA mismatch (>85% of patients in both series), most of the survival advantage of a zero mismatch was lost. None of the HLA loci were 'weak.' In the UNOS (but not Pittsburgh) category of one-HLA mismatch (n=1334), a subgroup of CREG-matched recipients (35.3%) had better graft survival than the remaining 64.7%, who were CREG-mismatched. There was no advantage of a CREG match in the two- to four-HLA incompatibility tiers. Better graft survival with tacrolimus was observed in both the Pittsburgh and UNOS series. Conclusions. Obligatory national sharing of cadaver kidneys is justifiable only for zero-HLA-mismatched kidneys. The potential value of CREG matching observed in the one-HLA-mismatched recipients of the UNOS (but not the Pittsburgh) experience deserves further study

Factors to be considered in putting a price on an artwork / Irwan Hj. Othman and Rodey Hamza Hamzah

Understanding how the price of artworks is priced usually becomes a conflict in the field of arts. This is because some parties do not know how to put a price on certain artworks. Artists, audience, art enthusiasts and art collectors encounter this problem when putting the price if they do not understand how the price should be put on an artwork. Therefore, this article attempts to unravel how an artwork is placed a price to shed light on this concept. This article will help the parties involved in the related field to easily understand how the price is assessed and placed on the artworks. Therefore, the findings of this study will help the parties involved in putting the price of artworks. This writing will also unravel how an artwork is valued and how an artist raised his status as a successful artist

The NSF and the geosciences community: Rotating program officers

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95447/1/eost7407.pd

Letter to Governor O. A. Larrazolo from Attorney Bernard Rodey concerning New Mexico mine taxation

Letter to Governor O. A. Larrazolo from Attorney Bernard Rodey concerning New Mexico mine taxatio

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Letter to Felipe Chaves from B.S. Rodey, New Mexico delegate to Congress informing Chaves that he has ordered tulips to be sent to his hous