Neutralizing antibodies from prior exposure to dengue virus negatively correlate with viremia on re-infection.

Background: India is hyperendemic to dengue and over 50% of adults are seropositive. There is limited information on the association between neutralizing antibody profiles from prior exposure and viral RNA levels during subsequent infection.

Methods: Samples collected from patients with febrile illness was used to assess seropositivity by indirect ELISA.

Early and Sustained Expansion of Adaptive Natural Killer Cells Following Haploidentical Transplantation and CTLA4Ig-Primed Donor Lymphocyte Infusions Dissociate Graft-versus-Leukemia and Graft-versus-Host Effects.

Background: Adaptive or memory natural killer (NK) cells with epigenetic imprints similar to memory T cells have been shown to develop in response to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with upregulation of activating receptor NKG2C. These cells have been shown to possess strong anti-tumour efficacy both in-vitro as well as in-vivo.

Objectives: To determine if reconstitution of adaptive NK cells (CD56NKG2CNKG2A) in patients with advanced leukemia undergoing haploidentical HCT had any impact on disease progression (DP).

Efficacy and safety of vedolizumab in elderly patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a matched case-control study.

Background: Vedolizumab was demonstrated to be safe and effective in adults with moderately to severely active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in clinical trials. However, there are limited data regarding its efficacy and safety in elderly patients.

Methods: This was a case-control study comparing the efficacy (measured by rates of mucosal healing and need for IBD surgery) and safety of vedolizumab in IBD among patients ≥65 years of age (the elderly group) vs those <65 years (the control group).

Development and Validation of Clinical Scoring Tool to Predict Outcomes of Treatment With Vedolizumab in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis.

Background & Aims: We created and validated a clinical decision support tool (CDST) to predict outcomes of vedolizumab therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: We performed logistic regression analyses of data from the GEMINI 1 trial, from 620 patients with UC who received vedolizumab induction and maintenance therapy (derivation cohort), to identify factors associated with corticosteroid-free remission (full Mayo score of 2 or less, no subscore above 1). We used these factors to develop a model to predict outcomes of treatment, which we called the vedolizumab CDST.

Changes in Vedolizumab Utilization Across US Academic Centers and Community Practice Are Associated With Improved Effectiveness and Disease Outcomes.

Background: Vedolizumab effectiveness estimates immediately after Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are limited by use in refractory populations. We aimed to compare treatment patterns and outcomes of vedolizumab in 2 time frames after FDA approval.

Methods: We used 2 data sets for time trend analysis, an academic multicenter vedolizumab consortium (VICTORY) and the Truven MarketScan database, and 2 time periods, May 2014-June 2015 (Era 1) and July 2015-June 2017 (Era 2).

Shorter Disease Duration Is Associated With Higher Rates of Response to Vedolizumab in Patients With Crohn's Disease But Not Ulcerative Colitis.

Background & Aims: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD), but not ulcerative colitis (UC), of shorter duration have higher rates of response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists than patients with longer disease duration. Little is known about the association between disease duration and response to other biologic agents. We aimed to evaluate response of patients with CD or UC to vedolizumab, stratified by disease duration.

Characterization of megapouch in patients with restorative proctocolectomy.

Background: Megapouch is a rare functional complication of restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis characterized by pouch ± small bowel dilatation with no evidence of obstruction on endoscopy and imaging. Little is known about clinical characteristics and outcomes of this entity.

Methods: We included all patients diagnosed with megapouch at our institution, identified from a pouch database.

Retrospective Analysis of Safety of Vedolizumab in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Background & Aims: There are few real-world data on the safety of vedolizumab for treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC). We quantified rates and identified factors significantly associated with infectious and non-infectious adverse events in clinical practice.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of data from a multicenter consortium database (from May 2014 through June 2017).

Endoscopic therapy of colorectal anastomotic hematoma with hypertonic dextrose.

Anastomotic dehiscence and leak are dreaded complications after a colorectal resection and can often present with rectal bleeding and pelvic abscess or sepsis. Although most cases of bleeding after gastrointestinal anastomoses are minor and self-limited, major bleeding, as defined by hemodynamic instability or the need for blood transfusions, poses a significant challenge for management. Here we report a case in which a patient presenting with profuse rectal bleeding and pelvic hematoma secondary to a colorectal anastomotic leak was treated endoscopically with 50% dextrose spray then enema.

Use of the pro-seal laryngeal mask airway facilitates percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in an intensive care unit.

Purpose: To study the feasibility of using the pro-seal laryngeal mask airway (LMA) for airway maintenance during bronchoscopic-guided percutaneous tracheostomy.

Materials And Methods: Observational study of 60 patients in a 16-bed intensive care unit. The patient's tracheal tube was exchanged for a pro-seal LMA before undertaking percutaneous tracheostomy.

Simultaneous quantification of some pharmaceutical Catharanthus roseus leaf and root terpenoid indole alkaloids and their precursors in single runs by reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

A new, rapid, sensitive, and reproducible reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (LC) method with photodiode array detection is described. It allows, in a single run of 30 min, simultaneous separation of 6 pharmaceutically and biologically important Catharanthus roseus leaf and root terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs) and 3 of their precursors: TIA precursors tryptophan, tryptamine, and loganine; and TIAs serpentine, catharanthine, ajmalicine, vincristine, vinblastine, and vindoline. The method involves the use of a Phenomenex Luna 5 microm, C18 column (250 mm x 4.