Chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cells are able to specifically kill tumor cells in a MHC-independent way. The efficacy of these reagents in different formats has been clinically validated and will be presented here.”
“BACKGROUND & AIMS: For patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) with features of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) alone or in combination with immunosuppression is controversial. Selleckchem Alvocidib Little is known about the factors associated with initial response to therapy or outcome. We performed a retrospective analysis of treatment strategies and factors associated with outcomes of patients with PBC-AIH.\n\nMETHODS: We analyzed data from

88 patients who were diagnosed with PBC-AIH according to Paris criteria, from 7 centers in 5 countries. First-line therapies included UDCA alone (n = 30) or a combination of UDCA and immunosuppression (n = 58).\n\nRESULTS: Of patients who received UDCA alone as the first-line therapy, 37% did not respond to treatment. Severe interface hepatitis was independently associated with lack of response to treatment (P = .024; odds

ratio, 0.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.004-0.68). The combination of UDCA and immunosuppression was effective in 73% of patients who had not been previously treated or had not responded to UDCA. The presence of advanced fibrosis was associated with lack of response to the combination of UDCA and immunosuppression (P = .003; odds ratio, 0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.48). Second-line immunosuppressive agents (cyclosporine,

tacrolimus, Selleck Navitoclax and mycophenolate mofetil) led to biochemical remission in 54% of patients who did not respond to initial immunosuppression. Liver transplants were given to 4 patients with PBC-AIH. Five patients died during follow-up (3 from liver-related causes).\n\nCONCLUSIONS: In a retrospective study of a large cohort of patients with PBC-AIH, UDCA learn more alone did not produce a biochemical response in most patients with severe interface hepatitis; these patients require additional therapy with immunosuppression. Second-line immunosuppressive agents are effective in controlling disease activity in patients who do not respond to conventional immunosuppression.”
“Background: Methicillin -resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with serious infections. Having the ability of biofilm-formation decrease their susceptibility to antibiotics.\n\nObjectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of biofilm formation among MRSA isolated from nasal carriers in the Beheshti Teaching Hospital in Kashan, Iran.\n\nMaterials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 810 patients referred to emergency department in Beheshti Hospital in Kashan. Sterilized nasal swabs were used for collecting nasal bacteria. Nasal specimens were further recognized as S.