Women are more susceptible to numerous stress-linked psychological disorders (e.g., depression) characterized by dysfunction of corticolimbic brain regions critical for emotion regulation and cognitive function. Although sparsely investigated, a number of studies indicate sex differences in stress effects on neuronal structure, function, and behaviors associated with these regions. We recently demonstrated a basal sex difference in- and differential effects of stress on- microglial activation in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The resident immune cells of the brain, microglia are implicated in synaptic and dendritic plasticity, and cognitive-behavioral function. Here, we examined the effects of acute (3h/day, 1 day) and chronic (3h/day, 10 days) restraint stress on microglial density and morphology, as well as immune factor expression in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and dorsal hippocampus (DHC) in male and female rats. Microglia were visualized, classified based on their morphology, and stereologically counted. Microglia-associated transcripts (CD40, iNOS, Arg1, CX3CL1, CX3CR1, CD200, and CD200R) were assessed in brain punches from each region. Expression of genes linked with cellular stress, neuroimmune state, and neuron-microglia communication varied between unstressed male and female rats in a region-specific manner. In OFC, chronic stress upregulated a wider variety of immune factors in females than in males. Acute stress increased microglia-associated transcripts in BLA in males, whereas chronic stress altered immune factor expression in BLA more broadly in females. In DHC, chronic stress increased immune factor expression in males but not females. Moreover, acute and chronic stress differentially affected microglial morphological activation state in male and female rats across all brain regions investigated. In males, chronic stress altered microglial activation in a pattern consistent with microglial involvement in stress-induced dendritic remodeling across OFC, BLA, and DHC. Together, these data suggest the potential for microglia-mediated sex differences in stress effects on neural structure, function, and behavior.

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CyA administration isssociated with histological evidenceof vascular injury. Since vascularendothelial cell components are known to modify fibrinolytic activity, we have examined fibrinolytic changes in renal allograft recipients onCyA and, in addition, markers of vascular endothelial cell damage: plasma vWFRiCof activity and AT-III activity.Parameters of fibrinolytic activity have been assessed serially in 21 renal allograft recipients for 1 year post-transplantation by study of the following: euglobulin clot lysis time (ELT), plasminogen activator activity (PAA) by fibrin plate assay, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by ELISA and fast-acting t-PA inhibitor (t-PAI) by chromogenic assay.From 1 month onwards, fibrinolytic activity (ELTs and fibrin plates) is significantly decreased, p<0.002 and p<0.002 respectively, compared to normal controls, and this decrease persists at oneyear post-transplantation. Mean ELTs (mins) and ranges at 1 and 6 months and 1 year are 363 (120-1740), 598 (135-1610) and 538(80-870) respectively. Mean PAA (% of pooled normal plasma) and ranges at these times are 104 (70-154), 79 (48-118) and 83 (65-108) respectively.In contrast, serial t-PA levels (%of pooled normal plasma) are significantly increased (p<0.02), 428 (86-3686), 297 (81-1130) and 198 ( 44-637 ) at 1 and 6 months and 1 year respectively.These results suggest that the decreased fibrinolytic activity is due to increased levels of t-PA inhibitor, too high to be surpassed by the amount of t-PA released. vWFRiCof activity and AT III activity aresimilarly increased.In conclusion, CyA-treated renal allograft recipients show evidence of chronic vascular endothelial damage and a prothromboticstate.

Purpose: Robotic partial nephrectomies by their nature are associated with renal volume loss. Our goal from this study is to examine renal volume loss over time post partial nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: Fifty patients were followed for 1-year post robotic partial nephrectomy with two-layer renorrhaphy and the sliding clip technique. This was done with a preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan to assess renal mass and location.Post robotic partial nephrectomy patients were imaged at time points 3-days, 6-months, and 12-months.Results: Patient demographics were 82% male with a median (IQR) age of 57 (45-67) and all were of Japanese descent. The medians (IQR) for warm ischemia time: 18 minutes (14-22), total operative time: 181.5 minutes (169.3-218.5), and estimated blood loss: 20 mL (10-50). The tumor characteristics had a median (IQR) diameter of 2.8 cm (2.5-3.4) with a RENAL score of 7 (6-8). The renal CT volumes showed median (IQR) volume losses at 3-