Nevirapine versus atazanavir/ritonavir, each combined with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine, in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1 patients: the ARTEN Trial.

Background: Selection of first-line antiretroviral therapy requires consideration of efficacy as well as effects on lipids given the increased concern about cardiovascular risk in HIV-1 patients.

Methods: ARTEN is a randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial that compares nevirapine (NVP) 200 mg twice daily or 400 mg once daily to atazanavir/ritonavir (ATZ/r) 300 mg/100 mg once daily, each combined with fixed-dose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) 300 mg/emtricitabine (FTC) 200 mg once daily, in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1 patients with CD4(+) T-cell counts <400 (men) and <250 cells/mm(3) (women). The primary end point was plasma HIV RNA<50 copies/ml at two consecutive visits prior to week 48.

Phase I study of the angiogenesis inhibitor BIBF 1120 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Purpose: BIBF 1120 is an oral, potent angiokinase inhibitor targeting receptors of the vascular endothelial growth factors, platelet-derived growth factors, and fibroblast growth factors. This phase I, accelerated titration study assessed the maximum tolerated dose, safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic effects of BIBF 1120.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-one patients with advanced cancers received BIBF 1120 in successive cohorts.

Normothermic beating heart surgery with assistance of miniaturized bypass systems: the effects on intraoperative hemodynamics and inflammatory response.

The use of miniaturized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuits and avoidance of cardioplegic arrest are attempts to reduce the inflammatory response to cardiac surgery. We studied the effects of beating heart surgery (BHS) with assistance of simplified bypass systems (SBS) on global hemodynamics, myocardial function and the inflammatory response to CPB. We hypothesized that the use of SBS was associated with less hemodynamic instability after CPB resulting from attenuation of the inflammatory response when compared with surgery performed with a conventional CPB (cCPB) circuit.

Activated protein C inhibits the release of macrophage inflammatory protein-1-alpha from THP-1 cells and from human monocytes.

Several lines of evidence have implicated activated protein C (APC) to be an endogenous inhibitor of the inflammatory septic cascade. APC may exhibit direct anti-inflammatory properties, independent of its antithrombotic effects. Chemokines influence the interaction of monocytes at the endothelium during infection and sepsis and are involved in the molecular events leading to an adverse and lethal outcome of sepsis.

Xenon and isoflurane differentially modulate lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of the nuclear transcription factor KB and production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in monocytes.

Unlabelled: Anesthetics are known to interfere with the production of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, we investigated the effect of xenon and isoflurane on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of the nuclear transcription factor (NF)-kappaB and production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 in vitro. Whole blood was incubated with LPS in the absence or presence of the either xenon (30 and 60 Vol%) and isoflurane (1 and 2 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration [MAC]).

Effect of propofol on adhesion of activated platelets to leukocytes in human whole blood.

Objective: To investigate the effect of propofol and its solvent Intralipid on the adhesion of activated platelets to leukocytes in vitro.

Design And Setting: Prospective study in an experimental laboratory.

Participants: Sixteen healthy volunteers.

Xenon preserves neutrophil and monocyte function in human whole blood.

Purpose: Most volatile anesthetics are known to inhibit the oxidative and phagocytic function of neutrophils. In the present study, we investigated the effect of xenon on phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity of neutrophils and monocytes in human whole blood.

Methods: Heparinized whole blood from 22 healthy volunteers was incubated for 60 min in the presence of 65% xenon.

The effect of isoflurane on neutrophil selectin and beta(2)-integrin activation in vitro.

Unlabelled: Isoflurane is reported to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Lower expression of CD11b may be responsible for attenuated postischemic neutrophil adhesion to vascular endothelium. However, neutrophil adhesion to vascular endothelium is a multistep process involving several selectins and beta(2)-integrins.

Effect of halothane and isoflurane on binding of ADP- and TRAP-6- activated platelets to leukocytes in Whole blood.

Background: Adhesion of activated platelets to neutrophils and monocytes has an important role in the regulation of inflammatory processes. This study investigates whether halothane and isoflurane affect binding of activated platelets to leukocytes in human whole blood.

Methods: Citrated whole blood was incubated for 60 min with either 1 or 2 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) halothane or isoflurane.