The immunosuppressive drug mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is used after nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT); however, limited pharmacodynamic data are available. We evaluated plasma concentrations of mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite of MMF, and outcomes in 85 patients with hematologic malignancies conditioned with fludarabine and 2 Gy total body irradiation foll...

Monocytes and macrophages play key roles in many disease states, including cellular and humoral rejection after solid organ transplantation (SOT). To suppress alloimmunity after SOT, immunosuppressive drug therapy is necessary. However, little is known about the effects of the immunosuppressive drugs tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid (MPA) on monocyte activation and function. Here, the effect of...

BACKGROUND: To determine the clinical features and outcomes of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in Taiwanese patients, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with MPA at a single medical center in Taiwan between January 1, 1996 and June 1, 2011. METHODS: A cohort of 21 patients (17 men and 4 women) with a mean age of 67 ± 11 years was investigated. Diagnosis was mad...

Most fresh produce, such as strawberries, receives minimal processing and is often eaten raw. Contamination of produce with pathogenic bacteria may occur during growth, harvest, processing, transportation, and storage (abuse temperature) and presents a serious public health risk. Strawberries have been implicated in an outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection that sickened 15 people, incl...

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) represents a powerful immunosuppressant in organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to determine the anti-inflammatory effects of MMF on mesangial cells. Cultured rat mesangial cells were exposed to mycophenolic acid (MPA) in concentrations of 0.1 to 10 microM. MPA inhibited the proliferation of these cells in a dose-dependent manner. A maximum of 98% inhibit...

The shear bond strength (SBS) of a light-cured, resin-reinforced glass ionomer and a composite adhesive in combination with a self-etching primer was compared after different setting times to evaluate when orthodontic wires could be placed. Additionally, the fracture site after debonding was assessed using the Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI). Eighty freshly extracted human premolars were used. Twe...

PURPOSE To assess the mechanical ability of the inferior oblique neurofibrovascular bundle (NFVB) to act as an ancillary origin for the inferior oblique muscle after anterior transposition. METHODS Stress-strain relations and Young's modulus of elasticity, a measure of tissue stiffness, were determined for the NFVB in vitro, in situ, and in vivo in dynamic and static conditions. For compariso...

OBJECTIVE There are limited data on the long-term prognosis of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). A systematic review was performed to estimate the survival, renal survival and relapse rates in patients with MPA. METHODS Articles included in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were reviewed. Randomized or non-randomized trials, cohort, case-control and cases-series studies of patients with MPA diagnose...

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement is widely used in vertebral body augmentation procedures such as vertebroplasty and balloon kyphoplasty. Filling high modulus PMMA increases the modulus of filled verterbra, increasing the risk of fracture in the adjacent vertebra. On the other hand, in porous PMMA bone cements, wear particle generation and deterioration of mechanical performance ar...