Black Donors Research Articles

Lack of association of KIR2DL1-R245 and KIR2DL1-C245 with HIV-1 control in black South Africans with HLA-C2

Activating/inhibitory Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIRs) partly regulate Natural Killer (NK) cells. KIR2DL1 allotypes with cysteine at position-245 (KIR2DL1-C245) express at lower levels and demonstrate weaker inhibitory signaling compared to allotypes with arginine at position-245 (KIR2DL1-R245). The functional consequence of either allotype in infectious diseases is unknown. Since NK cells mediate antiviral immunity, we investigated KIR2DL1-R245 and KIR2DL1-C245 in association with HIV-1 virological control in untreated immunocompetent black South Africans. Allotype carriage, determined by KIR2DL1 sequencing, was similar between uninfected South Africans (n = 104) and other black African populations, but differed significantly from Europeans, while no significant differences were noted between uninfected and HIV-1-infected individuals (n = 52). KIR2DL1 expression, measured by flow cytometry, in uninfected individuals showed higher KIR2DL1-R245 expression compared to KIR2DL1-C245 in white donors (n = 27), while black donors (n = 21) generally expressed lower levels of both allotypes. KIR2DL1 expression was reduced in HLA-C2 carriers, most evident in black HLA-C2/C2 donors. KIR2DL1-R245 and KIR2DL1-C245 did not associate with viral load when HLA-C2 ligands were present, however in HLA-C1 homozygotes, individuals with only KIR2DL1-R245, showed lower viral loads compared to carriers of both allotypes. The lack of association of KIR2DL1-R245 or KIR2DL1-C245 with HIV-1 control in HLA-C2 carriers may relate to lower KIR2DL1 expression levels in a population with high HLA-C2 prevalence.

Black Philanthropy and National Parks: Giving Green to Give Black

Philanthropic partners have always played a critical role in the management and maintenance of national parks in the U.S. Cultivating strong relationships with the communities of color, particularly African Americans, has been a major challenge for the National Park Service (NPS). As ethnic populations increase in share of the U.S. total population, the lack of diversity in NPS partnerships will be increasingly problematic for national parks funding and stewardship. Building philanthropic partnerships with African American audiences will be critical to the long-term sustainability of the NPS. While philanthropy is present and strong in the Black community, further research is needed to ascertain how the NPS can inspire and sustain philanthropic actions among Black donors in support of national parks. This paper presents an overview of the literature on Black philanthropy and the findings from focus group interviews to understand how African Americans perceive their philanthropy and the ways they connect their giving to national parks. The focus group interviews occurred between February and June 2018 in Raleigh, NC; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC; and Washington, DC. Participants included mostly African American donors who were actively involved in community foundations, philanthropic associations, and giving circles. The study found that Black philanthropy is embedded in the community life; measured not only in money, but also in time and talent; and, driven by race and humanity. Participants also noted that a general lack of awareness as an important reason why they had not considered giving in support of national parks in the past. They suggested that making more visible the Black history of national parks would likely increase African American donors’ interests and stewardship. We suggest the NPS broaden its lens in forming strategies for connecting to Black donors (and audiences in general). Findings in this report present unique opportunities for the NPS to cultivate enduring and meaningful relationships with African American communities in support of national parks. Specifically, the NPS should leverage Black philanthropy to build partnerships, recognize the importance of social empowerment, expand cultural memory as part of the NPS visitor experience, and build on the concept of giving circles.

Impact of Asian and Black Donor and Recipient Ethnicity on the Outcomes after Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation in the United Kingdom

Background: Patients of Asian and black ethnicity face disadvantage on the renal transplant waiting list in the United Kingdom, because of lack of HLA and blood group matched donors from an overwhelmingly white deceased donor pool. This study evaluates outcomes of renal allografts arising from Asian and black donors. Methods: The UK Transplant Registry was analysed for adult deceased donor kidney only transplants performed during January 2001-December 2015. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify and adjust for factors influencing 5-year graft outcome, and to study donor-recipient ethnicity interactions. Findings: Asian and black ethnicity patients constituted 12·4% and 6·7% of all deceased donor recipients but comprised only 1·6% and 1·2% of all deceased donors, respectively. Across all recipients, and unsurprisingly given the predominantly white recipient pool, HLA matching was superior for grafts from white donors than from Asian and black donors (p<0·0001). Unadjusted survival analysis demonstrated significantly inferior long-term allograft outcomes associated with Asian and black donors, compared to white donors (7-year graft survival 71·9%, 74·0% and 80·5%; log-rank p=0·0007, respectively). On Cox regression analysis, Asian donor and black recipient ethnicities were associated with poorer outcomes than white counterparts (p<=0·02), and when looking at ethnicity matching, compared with the white donor–white recipient baseline group and adjusting for other donor and recipient factors, 5-year graft outcomes were significantly poorer for black donor-black recipient [HR 1·92 (1·11-3·32), p=0·02], Asian donor-white recipient [HR 1·56 (1·09-2·24), p=0·02] and white donor-black recipient [HR 1·22 (1·05-1·42), p=0·01] combinations in decreasing order of worse unadjusted 5-year graft survival. Interpretation: Increased deceased donation among ethnic minority communities would benefit the entire recipient pool by increasing the numbers of available organs and may specifically benefit the Asian and black recipients by increasing the numbers of blood group and HLA-compatible grafts for allocation but may not improve allograft outcomes. Funding None to declare Declaration of Interest: None to declare

COVID-19 infection in former living kidney donors.

The COVID‐19 pandemic brought living donor kidney transplant programs across the United States to a near halt in March 2020. As programs have begun to reopen, potential donor candidates often inquire about their risk of a COVID‐19 infection and its potential impact on kidney function after donation. To address their concerns, we surveyed 1740 former live kidney donors at four transplant centers located in New York and Michigan. Of these, 839 (48.2%) donors responded, their mean age was 46 ± 12.5 years, 543 (65%) were females, and 611 (73%) were white. Ninety‐two donors (11%) had symptoms suggestive of a COVID‐19 infection with fever (48%) and fatigue (43%) being the most common. Among those with symptoms, 42 donors underwent testing and 16 tested positive. Testing was more common among donors with private insurance, and a positive test result was more common among young black donors. Only one donor surveyed required hospitalization and none required dialysis. Fourteen donors have recovered completely and two partially. Our survey highlights that a COVID‐19 infection in former donors results in a mild disease with good recovery. These data will be useful for transplant programs to counsel living donors who are considering kidney donation during this pandemic.

Podocyte density is reduced in kidney allografts with high-risk APOL1 genotypes at transplantation.

Variants in apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene are associated with nondiabetic kidney diseases in black subjects and reduced kidney transplant graft survival. Living and deceased black kidney donors (n=107) were genotyped for APOL1 variants. To determine whether allografts from high-risk APOL1 donors have reduced podocyte densities contributing to allograft failure, we morphometrically estimated podocyte number, glomerular volume, and podocyte density. We compared allograft loss and eGFR trajectories stratified by APOL1 high-risk and low-risk genotypes. Demographic characteristics were similar in high-risk (n=16) and low-risk (n=91) donors. Podocyte density was significantly lower in high-risk than low-risk donors (108±26 vs 127±40 podocytes/106 um3 , P=.03). Kaplan-Meier graft survival (high-risk 61% vs. low-risk 91%, p-value=0.049) and multivariable Cox models (hazard ratio=2.6; 95% CI, 0.9-7.8) revealed higher graft loss in recipients of APOL1 high-risk allografts over 48months. More rapid eGFR decline was seen in recipients of high-risk APOL1 allografts (P<.001). At 60months, eGFR was 27 vs. 51mL/min/1.73min2 in recipients of APOL1 high-risk vs low-risk kidney allografts, respectively. Kidneys from high-risk APOL1 donors had worse outcomes versus low-risk APOL1 genotypes. Lower podocyte density in kidneys from high-risk APOL1 donors may increase susceptibility to CKD from subsequent stresses in both the recipients and donors.

Rh alloimmunization in chronically transfused patients with thalassemia receiving RhD, C, E, and K matched transfusions

AbstractChronically transfused patients with thalassemia are at risk for red cell alloimmunization. No studies have specifically examined alloimmunization after implementation of prophylactic Rh (D, C, E) and K matched red cells in a racially diverse population of thalassemia patients and donors. This retrospective study examined Rh antibodies among 40 chronically transfused patients (Asian, White, Black, Indian, Middle Eastern) with thalassemia receiving a mean of 174 serologic prophylactic RhD, C, E, and K matched red cell units. We examined the patients' RH genotype, as well as donor race and Rh phenotypes over 3 transfusion events preceding antibody detection. Eighteen alloantibodies were detected in 13 of 40 patients (32.5%), with an alloimmunization rate of 0.26 antibodies per 100 units transfused. Thirteen antibodies (72.2%) were directed against Rh (5 anti-D, 4 anti-C, 2 anti-E, 1 anti-e, 1 anti-V), despite donor phenotypes that confirmed lack of transfusion of D, C, or E antigens to patients lacking the corresponding antigen(s). Ten of 40 patients had an altered RH genotype, but the Rh antibodies were not associated with patients with variant RH. Black donors with a known high frequency of RH variants provided 63% of the units transfused in the 3 visits preceding unexplained anti-Rh detection. Rh alloimmunization not explained by the thalassemia patients' RH genotype or the donors' serologic phenotype suggests more precise matching is needed, and the role of donor RH genotypes on alloimmunization should be explored. Extending Rh D, C, and E matching to include c and e would result in better-matched units and further minimize Rh alloimmunization.

Adapting to supply-and-demand emerging trends for antigen-negative red blood cell units.

A global downtrend in blood usage has been observed by many countries, while the demand for antigen-negative red blood cell (RBC) units used in antigen-matched transfusions keeps increasing. The declining number of units collected exposes blood providers to a rapidly evolving supply challenge. This study was conducted retrospectively with use of internal data analysis to weigh Québec's situation regarding global and antigen-negative RBC demand, to measure the effects of community-directed recruitment and blood drives, and to evaluate the benefits of mass-scale RBC genotyping. Our findings confirm a global RBC usage downtrend of over 20% total in the past 10 years with a steady antigen-negative usage and highlight the most requested negative antigen combinations. Our data also show our +39.5% progress regarding the number of Black donors recruited for antigen matching of patients with sickle cell disease in the past 3 years, as well as a constantly growing number of just-in-time blood collection for complex orders. Finally, our data summarize the efficiency of our mass-scale RBC genotyping efforts. Altogether, this study confirms the demand trends for regular and antigen-negative RBC units in Québec and the efficient effects of our recruitment and typing strategies.

Selection of the source material for the creation of black currant varieties with complex resistance to diseases and pests

The requirements of new intensive technologies for newly created varieties of berry crops are increasing every year. Therefore, there is a need to involve new donors and sources of economically valuable traits in the breeding process. The successful implementation of the breeding program is largely determined by the correct selection of parental forms, and for the successful solution of this task, constant screening of both newly created material and existing material is necessary. Over the years of research, work has been done to obtain, study and isolate the most promising genotypes of black currant for use in breeding for resistance to biotic factors. The article presents the results of the evaluation of potential black currant donors of the VNIISPK selection. As a result of the study, donors were identified not only with complex resistance to biotic factors, but also donors with high productivity.

Abstract PO-092: Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia

Abstract Blacks have higher rates of incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer compared to Whites and non-White Hispanics. In an effort to identify a biological basis for this disparity, we propose examining the early events in the development of pancreatic cancer. The process by which pancreatic acini transdifferentiate into ductal epithelial cells (i.e. acinar ductal metaplasia or ADM) is one of the earliest events in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We adapted the classic in vitro ADM assay, by which primary mouse pancreatic acini undergo ADM once plated onto the extracellular matrix matrigel, to an assay to culture and transdifferentiate human pancreatic organoids. We have received normal, human pancreatic acini from pancreatic islet transplantation centers from Black (n=8), White (n=19) and Hispanic (n=16) donors. The gender distribution was 29 males and 14 females. The acinar cells were cultured on matrigel and allowed to undergo ADM over a 5 to 6 day period. The number of ductal epithelial cells were microscopically counted and the rate of transdifferentiation was determined by kinetic modeling of the data. We have successfully cultured and transdifferentiated 40 of 43 human pancreatic acinar cells. Data from our study suggests that females undergo ADM at a faster rate than males and among the different races, the rate of acinar transdifferentiation decreases in the following order Blacks &amp;gt; Whites &amp;gt; non-White Hispanics. In summary, we demonstrate that women and Blacks have the highest rate of pancreatic transdifferentiation. Future studies include sequencing of the RNA isolated from the tissues to identify molecular drivers of acinar transdifferentiation and their impact on health disparities of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Alyssa Gosling, Jinmai Jiang, Corey M. Perkins, Yingwei Yao, Thomas D. Schmittgen. Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-092.

Assessment of Barriers to Donation for Potential Black Kidney Donors

People of Black ethnicity are more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease (ESKD)1 but are less likely to be preemptively listed for transplantation in the United Kingdom,2 and on average waiting times are 327 days longer compared with 573 days for White patients.3 Living donor kidney transplantation is the gold standard treatment for ESKD.4 From 2019 to 2020, 3488 kidney transplants were performed in the United Kingdom and 982 (28%) were from living donors.3 In the same period, 12% of patients listed for kidney transplantation in the United Kingdom were of Black ethnicity, but only 26 (3%) of living kidney donors were Black compared with 846 (86%) White donors.

The effect of donor and recipient race on outcomes of assisted reproduction

A growing literature suggests that minority races, particularly Black women, have a lower probability of live birth and higher risk of perinatal complications after autologous assisted reproductive technology. However, questions still remain as to whether these racial disparities have arisen because of associations between race and oocyte/embryo quality, the uterine environment, or a combination of the two. Oocyte donation assisted reproductive technology represents a unique approach to examine this question. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between the race of female oocyte donors and recipients and live birth rates following vitrified donor oocyte assisted reproductive technologies. This was a retrospective study conducted at a single, private fertility clinic that included 327 oocyte donors and 899 recipients who underwent 1601 embryo transfer cycles (2008-2015). Self-reported race of the donor and recipient were abstracted from medical records. Live birth was defined as the delivery of at least 1 live-born neonate. We used multivariable cluster weighted generalized estimating equations with binomial distribution and log link function to estimate the adjusted risk ratios of live birth, adjusting for donor age and body mass index, recipient age and body mass index, tubal and uterine factor infertility, and year of oocyte retrieval. The racial profile of our donors and recipients were similar: 73% white, 13% Black, 4% Hispanic, 8% Asian, and 2% other. Women who received oocytes from Hispanic donors had a significantly higher probability of live birth (adjusted risk ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-1.36) than women who received oocytes from white donors. Among Hispanic recipients, however, there was no significant difference in probability of live birth compared with white recipients (adjusted risk ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.90-1.26). Embryo transfer cycles using oocytes from Black donors (adjusted risk ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-1.03) and Black recipients (adjusted risk ratio, 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.99) had a lower probability of live birth than white donors and white recipients, respectively. There were no significant differences in the probability of live birth among Hispanic, Asian, and other race recipients compared with white recipients. Black female recipients had a lower probability of live birth following assisted reproductive technology, even when using vitrified oocytes from healthy donors. Female recipients who used vitrified oocytes from Hispanic donors had a higher probability of live birth regardless of their own race.

Estimated prevalence of the Duffy null phenotype Fy (a−b−) among black blood-donors in Southwestern Colombia

IntroductionHemolytic reactions are adverse complications associated with red blood cell transfusion. These reactions are associated with clinically important erythrocyte antigens, such as those of Duffy blood Meny (2010). Individuals with the Duffy null phenotype Fy (a−b−) are more likely to develop an alloimmunization reaction, resulting in an incompatibility with all available red blood cell units, thus increasing the risk of complications from their underlying disease Höher et al. (2018). Hence, it is important to determine the prevalence of the Fy (a−b−) phenotype in blood donors in our population and to create a database to ensure safe transfusion in patients with this phenotype. Moreover, we intend to establish whether there is any relationship between individuals with this phenotype and the sickle cell trait. We conducted this study to measure the prevalence of the Fy (a-b-) phenotype in our blood donors. Materials and methodsThis prospective, descriptive study included black blood donors visiting the blood bank of a tertiary care university hospital between January 2019 and July 2019. We used Fitzpatrick classification phototype VI and self-identification to select donors in the study. The presence of the Duffy antigens Fya and Fyb was determined by the Coombs test using monoclonal antibodies. To establish the presence of hemoglobin S (HbS) and sickle cell traits, a hemoglobin electrophoresis test was performed. ResultsWe included 166 patients in the study. Seventy-nine donors were identified as having Fy (a-b-). The prevalence of the Fy (a−b−) phenotype was 48 %. Sickle cell trait hemoglobinopathy was found in 6 blood donors (8%). ConclusionThis information is relevant for the implementation of a database of blood donors to guarantee the safety of transfusion in patients with a Fitzpatrick skin type 6at our institution. Moreover, it may provide information of interest to other blood banks in case donors with this phenotype are needed. No significant association was found between the donor Fy (a−b−) phenotype and the sickle cell trait.

The first increase in live kidney donation in the United States in 15 years.

The first sustained increase in live kidney donation in the United States in 15years was observed from 2017 to 2019. To help sustain this surge, we studied 35900 donors (70.3% white, 14.5% Hispanic, 9.3% black, 4.4% Asian) to understand the increase in 2017-2019 vs 2014-2016 using Poisson regression. Among biologically related donors aged <35, 35-49, and ≥50years, the number of donors did not change across race/ethnicity but increased by 38% and 29% for Hispanic and black ≥50. Among unrelated donors <35, 35-49, and ≥50, white donors increased by 18%, 14%, and 27%; Hispanic donors <35 did not change but increased by 22% and 35% for 35-49 and ≥50; black donors <35 declined by 23% and did not change for 35-49 and ≥50; Asian donors did not change. Among kidney paired donors <35, 35-49, and ≥50, white donors increased by 42%, 50%, and 68%; Hispanic donors <35 and 35-49 increased by 36% and 55% and did not change for ≥50; black donors did not change; Asian donors <35 did not change but increased by 107% and 82% for 35-49 and ≥50. The increase in donation was driven predominantly by unrelated and paired white donors. Donation among unrelated black individuals should be promoted.

694 An epidermal model containing melanocytes for skin pigmentation and lightening studies

Considerable interest exists in evaluating raw materials and/or skin care formulations which cause lightening of the skin. These products are utilized to modulate one’s natural skin color or to combat skin pigmentation disorders such as melasma, dark spots, solar lentigo, and other hyperpigmentation lesions. To aid in the development and testing of such products, we have developed a skin whitening protocol using the epidermal skin model, MelanoDerm™, to evaluate both raw materials and skin lightening formulations. MelanoDerm is a highly differentiated, three-dimensional tissue culture model of human epidermis that contains normal human melanocytes (NHM) and keratinocytes (NHK). Epidermal tissues have been produced containing NHM of varying skin phototypes which follow the pigmentation level of the donor tissue, i.e. black > Asian > Caucasian. For lightening studies, tissues were treated topically three times a week over a two to three week period to mimic consumer application. Several over-the-counter skin lightening products were evaluated in cultures containing NHM from black and Asian donors. Over the treatment period, negative control cultures became increasingly pigmented with retention of normal epithelial morphology. In contrast, tissues treated topically with cosmetic skin lightening agents containing tyrosinase inhibitors such as kojic acid and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate remained lighter than the control cultures. The skin lightening effect on treated tissues was quantitatively evaluated for melanin content using a Solvable melanin assay and for skin brightness (L* value) using a hand-held spectrometer. Treated tissues showed significant changes in overall melanin content and brightness compared to control tissues. These results suggest that this model can provide valuable in vitro data for screening raw materials prior to the commencement of costly clinical trials and that it will be useful to study melanogenesis, skin lightening, and other pigmentation phenomena of the skin.

Prescription patterns of opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the first year after living kidney donation: An analysis of U.S. Registry and Pharmacy fill records.

We examined a novel database linking national donor registry identifiers to records from a US pharmaceutical claims warehouse (2007-2015) to describe opioid and NSAID prescription patterns among LKDs during the first year postdonation, divided into three periods: 0-14days, 15-182days, and 183-365days. Associations of opioid and NSAID prescription fills with baseline factors were examined by logistic regression (adjusted odds ratio, LCL aORUCL ). Among 23,565 donors, opioid prescriptions were highest during days 0-14 (36.6%), but 12.6% of donors filled opioids during days 183-365. NSAID prescriptions rose from 0.5% during days 0-14 to 3.3% during days 183-365. Women filled opioids more commonly than men, and black donors filled both opioids and NSAIDs more commonly than white donors. After covariate adjustment, significant correlates of opioid prescription fills during days 183-365 included obesity (aOR,1.24 1.381.53 ), less than college education (aOR,1.19 1.311.43 ), smoking (aOR,1.33 1.451.58 ), and nephrectomy complications (aOR,1.11 1.291.49 ). NSAID prescription fills in year 1 were not associated with differences in estimated glomerular filtration rate, incidence of proteinuria or new-onset hypertension at the first and second year postdonation. Prescription fills for opioids and NSAIDs for LKDs varied with demographic and clinic traits. Future work should examine longer-term outcome implications to help inform safe analgesic regimen choices after donation.

Has the UK living kidney donor population changed over time? A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of the UK living donor registry between 2006 and 2017.

BackgroundA living-donor kidney transplant is the best treatment for most people with kidney failure. Population cohort studies have shown that lifetime living kidney donor risk is modified by sex, age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), comorbidity and relationship to the recipient.ObjectivesWe investigated whether the UK population of living kidney donors has changed over time, investigating changes in donor demographics.DesignWe undertook a cross-sectional analysis of the UK living kidney donor registry between January 2006 to December 2017. Data were available on living donor sex, age, ethnicity, BMI, hypertension and relationship to recipient.SettingUK living donor registry.Participants11 651 consecutive living kidney donors from January 2006 to December 2017.Outcome measuresLiving kidney donor demographic characteristics (sex, age, ethnicity, BMI and relationship to the transplant recipient) were compared across years of donation activity. Donor characteristics were also compared across different ethnic groups.ResultsOver the study period, the mean age of donors increased (from 45.8 to 48.7 years, p<0.001), but this change appears to have been limited to the White population of donors. Black donors were younger than White donors, and a greater proportion were siblings of their intended recipient and male. The proportion of non-genetically related non-partner donations increased over the 12-year period of analysis (p value for linear trend=0.002).ConclusionsThe increasing age of white living kidney donors in the UK has implications for recipient and donor outcomes. Despite an increase in the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic individuals waitlisted for a kidney transplant, there has been no increase in the ethnic diversity of UK living kidney donors. Black donors in the UK may be at a much greater risk of developing kidney failure due to accumulated risks: whether these risks are being communicated needs to be investigated.

Abstract D112: Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia

Abstract Blacks have a higher rate of incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer compared to whites. In an effort to identify a biological basis for this disparity, we propose examining the early events in the development of pancreatic cancer. The process by which pancreatic acini transdifferentiate into ductal epithelial cells (i.e. acinar ductal metaplasia or ADM) is one of the earliest events in the development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We adapted the classic in vitro ADM assay, by which primary mouse pancreatic acini undergo ADM once plated onto the extracellular matrix matrigel, to an assay to culture and transdifferentiate human pancreatic organoids. Human pancreatic acini was received from black (n=5), white (n=3) and Hispanic (n=6) donors from pancreatic islet transplantation centers. The gender distribution was 8 males and 6 females. The acinar cells were cultured on matrigel and allowed to undergo ADM over a 5 to 6 day period. The number of ductal epithelial cells were microscopically counted and the rate of transdifferentiation was determined. Using this technique, we successfully cultured and transdifferentiated 14 of 14 human pancreatic acinar cells. Preliminary data from our study suggests that females undergo ADM at a greater rate than males. Data on race was inconclusive due to the low number of samples. In summary, we have developed an assay to culture and study pancreatic ADM using human specimens. Future studies using increased sample size will investigate if racial disparity exists for pancreatic ADM. Citation Format: Julie Bray, Sihem Ait-Oudhia, Martha Campbell-Thompson, Thomas D Schmittgen. Development of an organoid assay for studying racial disparity in pancreatic acinar ductal metaplasia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr D112.

Latest developments in living kidney donation.

Although the first successful kidney transplantation 65 years ago was performed with a living donor kidney, the number of living donor kidney transplantations has increased especially during the last 2 decades. The enlargement of living donor programs was made possible by new modes of living donation and by expansion of the living donor pool. At the same time, the long-term risks of kidney donation have been better delineated. In this review, the latest developments on these topics are summarized. While the results of ABO-incompatible living kidney transplantation are superior to those of deceased donor transplantation, recent meta-analyses show a reduced patient and graft survival as compared with ABO compatible transplantation as well as increased risk of severe infection and bleeding. Kidney paired donation programs can be extended by including compatible couples and by advanced donation, although the latter raises ethical concerns. Living donors appear to have a higher risk of end-stage renal disease and this is especially true for obese donors and probably also for black donors with an APOL1 high-risk genotype. The importance of psychosocial outcomes after living kidney donation is increasingly recognized. Living donor kidney transplantation remains the optimal treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease. To increase the donor pool, a well developed paired kidney donation program and sufficient reimbursement of costs associated with donation are essential ingredients. Other ways of expanding the donor pool, such as ABO-incompatible transplantation, use of higher risk donors, providing donors with financial incentives and advanced donation are associated with medical, ethical and logistical complications. There should be a careful selection and follow-up of living kidney donors with attention for medical consequences as well as for psychosocial outcomes.

Ancestral Diversity in Skeletal Collections

African Americans comprise approximately 13% of the U.S. population, 6% of missing persons, and 51% of homicide victims (Kochanek et al. 2019; National Crime Information Center [NCIC] 2018; U.S. Census Bureau 2010). However, African American remains are underrepresented in the documented skeletal samples resulting from body donations to U.S. taphonomic research facilities. If forensic anthropologists are to rise to the challenge of identifying remains from this segment of the U.S. population, and if heritable differences among human populations are to be distinguished from the embodied differences acquired by marginalized individuals, a deeper understanding of African American skeletal biology is essential. This understanding is contingent on Black donors participating in whole-body donation to anthropological research facilities—participation that may be undermined by a legacy of mistrust between Black communities and the traditionally White-dominated scientific and medical establishments. This review paper synthesizes data from medical research on cadaver and organ donation, as well as anthropological literature on structural violence, embodiment, and the collection and curation of human remains, to present multiple perspectives on increasing African American body donation to anthropological research. We focus on historical, structural, and cultural factors potentially contributing to Black donor reluctance, providing a perspective often lacking in discussions of skeletal curation. We aim to generate debate and discussion within the field of forensic anthropologyand among community stakeholders about how skeletal research can better serve Black communities.

Efficacy of a single blood anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration measurement for the selection of Japanese Black heifer embryo donors in herd breeding programs.

We evaluated the relationship between plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations in Japanese Black (JB) heifers at 7−10 months of age and the number of embryos recovered after superovulation treatment in selected ovum pick-up donors, concomitantly with changes in their AMH concentrations before and after parturition. Plasma AMH concentrations in heifers were positively correlated with the total number of follicles (r = 0.647, P < 0.01) and embryos (r = 0.681, P < 0.01) recovered from the animals postpartum, when selected as donor cows, but did not correlate with the total number of transferable embryos. No difference was observed between the plasma AMH concentration at the heifer period and the postpartum period. Additionally, serum AMH concentrations of heifers weakly correlated with the number of follicles and embryos recovered by virgin flush after superovulation treatment at 13−15 months of age. Therefore, a single blood AMH concentration measurement may accelerate intensive JB cattle breeding.