About the Authors

A. Ahsan Ejaz

ejazaa@medicine.ufl.edu

Affiliation Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Transplantation, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Negiin Pourafshar

Affiliation Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Transplantation, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Rajesh Mohandas

Affiliations Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Transplantation, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America, Nephrology & Hypertension Section, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Bryan A. Smallwood

Affiliation Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and the College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Richard J. Johnson

Affiliation Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Jack W. Hsu

Affiliation Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America

Competing Interests

A. Ahsan Ejaz, Negiin Pourafshar, Rajesh Mohandas, Bryan A. Smallwood, Richard J. Johnson, and Jack W. Hsu do not have conflict of interest to declare. Dr. R. J. Johnson has patents on lowering uric acid as a means to lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance and a patent application related to lowering uric acid in diabetic renal disease. He also has shares with XORT therapeutics and is on the Scientific Board of Amway. Dr. Richard J. Johnson has the following patents: 1.US Patent No 7,799,794 B2, Issued Sep 21, 2010, (Application 09/892,505; Filed Jun 28, 2001 Treatment for Cardiovascular Disease Inventors Salah Kivlighn, Richard Johnson and Marilda Mazzali. 2. U. S. Patent No. 8,557,831 issued 10/15/2013 for COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF INSULIN Cover Letter RESISTANCE Serial No. 11/572,270; filed January 18, 2007 Based on PCT/US05/25910; filed July 21, 2005 (Richard J. Johnson et al.). Docket No. 10457-061US; UF# 11514. U.S. Continuation Application for COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF HYPERURICEMIA RELATED HEALTH CONSEQUENCEs. Serial No. 13/364,313; Filed February 1, 2012. Cont. of 11/995,943; filed 1/17/2008 which is a CIP of PCT/US05/25910; filed 7/21/2005 which claims priority to Serial No. 60/589,921; filed 07/21/2004. Docket No. 11160- 006 DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY Patent published on August 30, 2012 under Publication No. US- 2012-0220607-A1. This patent information does not alter the authors’ adherence to all PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors, http://www.PLOSone.org/static/editorial.action#competing.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: AAE JWH. Analyzed the data: AAE RM BAS RJJ JWH. Wrote the paper: AAE NP RM BAS RJJ JWH. Provision of study materials or patients: JWH AAE. Collection and assembly of data: NP AAE JWH.