Reduced Tacrolimus Trough Level Is Reflected by Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) Changes in Stable Renal Transplantation Recipients: Results of the OPTIMUM Phase 3 Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND Minimizing the tacrolimus dosage in patients with stable allograft function needs further investigation. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed an open-label, randomized, controlled study from 2010 to 2016 in 7 tertiary teaching hospitals in Korea and enrolled 345 kidney transplant recipients with a stable graft status. The study group received reduced-dose tacrolimus, 1080-1440 mg/day of enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), and corticosteroids.

Physicochemical interactions of cycloamylose with phenolic compounds.

The complex formation capability of cycloamylose (CA), having a degree of polymerization of 23-45, with phenolic compounds (PCs) was investigated using various physicochemical techniques. The fluorescence intensity of PCs increased and then reached a plateau at 10-20mM cyclodextrin, while it continued to increase at up to 60mM CA. Thermodynamic data of CA complexes with PCs revealed that the binding process was primarily enthalpy-driven and spontaneous.

Novel formulation of low-fat spread using rice starch modified by 4-α-glucanotransferase.

Low-fat spreads were developed using a thermoreversible gelling agent, the 4-α-glucanotransferase (4αGT)-modified rice starch. The low-fat spreads consisted of the modified starch paste (or rice starch or maltodextrin), olive oil (0-30% w/w), egg yolk, salt, xanthan gum, and butter flavor, and were produced by homogenization, ultrasonic processing at 50% amplitude for 2min, and cold-gel setting at 4°C for 24h. Formulations with 15% and 20% of the modified starch paste resulted in highly stable oil-in-water low-fat spreads having varied textural properties and acceptable spreadability, whereas formulations with rice starch and maltodextrin did not yield enough stability and consistency.

Physicochemical functionality of 4-α-glucanotransferase-treated rice flour in food application.

The physicochemical properties of 4-α-glucanotransferase (4αGTase)-modified rice flours were examined by measuring the molecular weight distribution, moisture sorption isotherm, and melting enthalpy of ice crystals. The results obtained by measuring the moisture sorption isotherm and melting enthalpy of ice crystals revealed that 4αGTase-modified rice flours had high water binding capacity than that of control rice flour. When the textural properties of noodles containing 4αGTase-treated rice flours after freeze-thaw cycling were measured by texture profile analysis, the textural properties of control noodle deteriorated.

Oral administration of 1,4-aryl-2-mercaptoimidazole inhibits T-cell proliferation and reduces clinical severity in the murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model.

T cells play a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of multiple sclerosis. We have found that 1,4-aryl-2-mercaptoimidazole (KRM-III) inhibited T-cell antigen receptor- and phorbol myristate acetate/ionomycin-induced activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and T-cell proliferation with an IC(50) of 5 microM. The KRM-III-mediated inhibitory effect was specific for NFAT activation but not for nuclear factor kappaB.

Development of reduced-fat mayonnaise using 4alphaGTase-modified rice starch and xanthan gum.

In this study a disproportionating enzyme, 4-alpha-glucanotransferase (4alphaGTase), was used to modify the structural properties of rice starch to produce a suitable fat substitute in reduced-fat (RF) mayonnaise. The mayonnaise fat was partially substituted with the 4alphaGTase-treated starch paste at levels up to 50% in combination with xanthan gum and the physical and rheological properties of the modified RF mayonnaise samples were investigated. All mayonnaises prepared in this study exhibited shear thinning behavior and yield stress.

Molecular epidemiology of community-associated antimicrobial-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Seoul, Korea (2003): pervasiveness of multidrug-resistant SCCmec type II methicillin-resistant S. aureus.

There is an extremely high incidence of antimicrobial resistance of the clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in Korea. This study carried out a molecular investigation to determine the prevalence of the community-associated antimicrobial-resistant S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S.

Evaluation of viral clearance in the production of HPV-16 L1 virus-like particles purified from insect cell cultures.

Biopharmaceutical products produced from cell cultures have a potential for viral contamination from cell sources or from adventitious introduction during production. The objective of this study was to assess viral clearance in the production of insect cell-derived recombinant human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 type L1 virus-like particles (VLPs). We selected Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), and minute virus of mice (MVM) as relevant viruses to achieve the aim of this study.

Two new neolignans from the aerial parts of Rodgersia podophylla.

Two new neolignans (1, 2) were isolated from the aerial parts of Rodgersia podophylla, along with four known neolignans, and their structures were elucidated using spectral experiments and comparison with literature data.

Two new acylated iridoid glucosides from the aerial parts of Paederia scandens.

Two new acylated iridoid glucosides were isolated from the aerial parts of Paederia scandens along with six known iridoid glucosides. The structures of two new compounds were elucidated as 6'-O-E-feruloylmonotropein (1) and 10-O-E-feruloylmonotropein (2) by spectroscopic methods.

Development of real-time RT-PCR for evaluation of JEV clearance during purification of HPV type 16 L1 virus-like particles.

Insect cell culture has greatly increased in part due to the widespread use of insect virus-based vectors for efficient expression of foreign proteins. Insect cells such as Sf9 cells are susceptible to arboviruses which may pose a safety concern by adventitious introduction during the production process. The objective of this study was to establish techniques for viral clearance validation of insect cell-derived biotechnological products using Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) as a model, since JEV is a member of arthropod-borne flaviviruses that are known to be infectious in insect cells.