Efficacy and safety of basiliximab with a tacrolimus-based regimen in liver transplant recipients

Background. Induction with monoclonal antibodies for prevention of acute cellular rejection (ACR) may avoid many of the adverse events associated with polyclonal antibodies. Basiliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the α-chain of the interleukin 2 receptor (CD25), has been extensively evaluated as an induction therapy for kidney transplant recipients, more frequently in combination with a cyclosporine-based regimen. In this study, we assessed the efficacy and safety of basiliximab in combination with a tacrolimus-based regimen after liver transplantation. Methods. Fifty consecutive liver transplants (47 cadaveric donors; 3 living donors) were analyzed. All patients received two 20-mg doses of basiliximab (days 0 and 4 after transplantation) followed by tacrolimus (0.15 mg/kg/day; 10-15 ng/mL target trough levels) and a tapered dose regimen of steroids. Follow-up ranged from 404 to 1,364 days after transplantation (mean 799.89 days, SD±257.37; median 796 days). Results. A total of 88% of patients remained rejection-free during follow-up with an actuarial rejection-free probability of 75% within 3 months. The actuarial patient survival rate at 3 years was 88%, and the graft survival rate was 75%. Twelve (24%) patients experienced one episode of sepsis, requiring temporary reduction of immunosuppressive therapy. There were no immediate side effects associated with basiliximab and no evidence of cytomegalovirus infection or posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Conclusions. Basiliximab in combination with a tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive regimen is effective in reducing episodes of ACR and increasing ACR-free survival after liver transplantation. In addition, basiliximab does not increase the incidence of adverse effects or infections

The role of basiliximab induction therapy in adult-to-adult living-related transplantation and deceased donor liver transplantation: a comparative retrospective analysis of a single-center series

Basiliximab in association with tacrolimus and steroids is effective in reducing episodes of acute cellular rejection (ACR) and increasing ACR-free survival after ALRLT and DDLT. No difference in patient and graft survival was found between group 1 and 2, nor was there any difference in the incidence of ACR between the 2 groups. However, less risk of HCV recurrence was present in the LRLT group

Stacked modulation in a hall reverberation algorithm

Reverberation is the reflection of sound caused by objects in space, similar to the way the visual world is sensed by the reflection of light. Novel reverberation algorithms are in high demand within the music industry due to changing trends and desire for unique sounds. As DSP hardware has improved, it is easier to implement multiple effects into the same algorithm. This paper presents a hall algorithm augmented with a series of chorus modulation blocks in an attempt to create new sounds. The approach is to add chorus blocks before the early decay phase of the hall algorithm, as well as within the late reverb generation phase. The result is a stacked modulation reverberation algorithm

Site-specific monoclonal antibodies against peanut agglutinin (PNA) from Arachis hypogaea. Immunohistochemical study of tissue-cultured cells and of 27 cases of Hodgkin's disease.

The purpose of this study was to increase the sensitivity of the staining reaction for the T antigen on the surface of neoplastic cells grown in vitro with the use of site-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The authors describe anti-peanut agglutinin (PNA) MAbs selected by screening the hybridomas with PNA and PNA bound to bovine serum albumin conjugated with the T antigen. The selected hybridomas (F2C8, F3D12, F3A5) were then grown in pristane-sensitized mice or in the Amicon Hollow Fiber System (F2C8). The affinity constant values for PNA were measured, and all the purified MAbs were tested on both native and denatured PNA, wheat germ agglutinin, concanavalin A, and ricin by using the immunoassay dot test and immunoblotting methods. Eleven different cell lines were stained with the three MAbs; similar results were obtained with F2C8 and F3D12. In each case the fluorescence, if present, was associated with the cell membrane, and the intensity of the staining was always stronger when the cells were incubated with the MAbs than when stained with fluorescein-labeled PNA. On the other hand, F3A5 failed to stain unfixed cells preincubated with PNA but stained the same cells after fixation, independently of the presence of PNA. One of the antibodies, F2C8, was used to stain histologic preparations from 27 cases of Hodgkin's disease and was compared with the anti-granulocyte antibody, Leu-M1, which has been used by numerous authors to identify the characteristic Reed-Sternberg cells. The results obtained were qualitatively similar; ie, F2C8 was at least as efficient as anti-Leu-M1 in its ability to stain the typical diagnostic cells in Hodgkin's disease

Immunohistochemical localization of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta in normal human placenta. .

Many reports show that interleukin 1 (IL-1) is produced by mouse and human placenta but the cell type that is responsible for this production has yet to be identified. For this reason we attempted to localize IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta directly on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded normal human placentae at different stages of pregnancy using immunohistochemical techniques and specific antibodies. The results obtained show that both IL-1 forms are localized to villous syncytiotrophoblast and to extravillous trophoblast, while villous cytotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast columns are unreactive. A gradual decrease of reactivity was observed with increasing gestation age for both IL-1 forms, but the staining for IL-1 beta was in all sections higher than for IL-1 alpha. Although the physiological role of IL-1 in pregnancy has yet to be established, the presence of this cytokine in the cells facing maternal blood and tissues suggests a possible involvement in the immunoregulation of fetal acceptance