Treatment of Amanita phalloides intoxication by fractionated plasma separation and adsorption (Prometheus®).

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal detoxification using the fractionated plasma separation and adsorption system (FPSA, Prometheus® 4008H, Fresenius Medical Care, Germany) in patients suffering from acute liver failure due to intoxication with Amanita phalloides (AP) toxin.

Methods: The study population consisted of 20 patients with proven AP intoxication (FPSA treatment group n=9, control group n=11). Urinary amanitin toxin concentration was measured by the Amanitin ELISA Kit (Bühlmann Laboratories, Germany, cut off level 1.

Comparison between homografts and Freestyle® bioprosthesis for right ventricular outflow tract replacement in Ross procedures.

Objectives: Although data from large series indicate the satisfactory performance of bioprosthetic valves in the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT), replacement of the pulmonary valve in adult patients undergoing the Ross procedure is usually performed with pulmonary allografts. We evaluated the outcomes of homografts vs. bioprosthetic RVOT replacement after the Ross procedure in adults.

Accurate determination of rivaroxaban levels requires different calibrator sets but not addition of antithrombin.

Rivaroxaban is a direct factor Xa inhibitor, which can be monitored by anti-factor Xa chromogenic assays. This ex vivo study evaluated different assays for accurate determination of rivaroxaban levels. Eighty plasma samples from patients receiving rivaroxaban (Xarelto) 10 mg once daily and 20 plasma samples from healthy volunteers were investigated using one anti-factor Xa assay with the addition of exogenous antithrombin and two assays without the addition of antithrombin.

A glycerin hydrogel-based wound dressing prevents peristomal infections after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG): a prospective, randomized study.

Background: Despite the use of prophylactic antibiotics, peristomal infection is the most common complication of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). A new glycerin hydrogel (GHG) wound dressing has been proposed to possess more effective antimicrobial properties but has not been tested in a larger trial. The aim of the study was therefore to assess the superiority of GHG regarding the incidence of peristomal wound infections during a 30-day postprocedure follow-up.

Gadoxetate acid-enhanced MRI of hepatocellular carcinoma in a c-myc/TGFα transgenic mouse model including signal intensity and fat content: initial experience.

Genetically engineered mouse models, such as double transgenic c-myc/TGFα mice, with specific pathway abnormalities might be more successful at predicting the clinical response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. But a major drawback of the tumour models is the difficulty of visualizing endogenously formed tumours. The optimal imaging procedure should be brief and minimally invasive.

MR-based thermometry of laser induced thermotherapy: temperature accuracy and temporal resolution in vitro at 0.2 and 1.5 T magnetic field strengths.

Purpose: To evaluate MR-thermometry using fast MR sequences for laser induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) at 0.2 and 1.5 T systems.

Spinal cord tumor surgery--importance of continuous intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring after tumor resection.

Study Design: A retrospective clinical analysis of patients operated on for spinal tumors.

Objective: To report on the importance of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (INM) throughout the entire surgical procedure.

Summary Of Background Data: Postoperative neurological deterioration, despite unaltered neurophysiological monitoring, has been reported.

Description of two commercially available assays for genotyping of HIV-1.

HIV-1 resistance testing is one important part in the diagnostics of antiretroviral treatment and is commonly done by genotyping. Currently, two systems are commercially available and, despite being far from easy to use, these have achieved a high degree of sophistication. Modifications of standard kit protocols might be necessary based on the clinical situation.

Different signal intensity at Gd-EOB-DTPA compared with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI in hepatocellular carcinoma transgenic mouse model in delayed phase hepatobiliary imaging.

Purpose: To evaluate hyperintense Gd-DTPA- compared with hyper- and hypointense Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced magnet resonance imaging (MRI) in c-myc/TGFα transgenic mice for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: Twenty HCC-bearing transgenic mice with overexpression of the protooncogene c-myc and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) were analyzed. MRI was performed using a 3-T MRI scanner and an MRI coil.

Retrospective study on the use of different protocols for repeated transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate local tumor control and survival rate after repeated transarterial chemoembolization using two different protocols in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 190 patients (mean, 68 years) with HCC were repeatedly treated with transarterial chemoembolization in 4-week intervals. The chemotherapy protocol consisted of mitomycin C alone (n = 111) and mitomycin C with gemcitabine (n = 79).

Prevalence of TMC278 (rilpivirine) associated mutations in the Frankfurt Resistance Database.

Background: Analysis of the 3D structure of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase led to the development of TMC278 (rilpivirine), a next-generation nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), which proved to be effective against wild-type HIV-1 strains and NNRTI-resistant mutants emerging after failure of NNRTI-containing therapy regimens. Recently, rilpivirine associated mutations (e.g.

Effect of the Hedgehog-inhibitor cyclopamine on mice with osteosarcoma pulmonary metastases.

Chemoresistant metastases of osteosarcoma in humans limit survival in approximately one third of patients. Furthermore, aggressive chemotherapy can lead to side effects and occurrence of secondary malignancies in long time survivors. Therefore, supplemental medical strategies are worthwhile.

IL-2 stimulated but not unstimulated NK cells induce selective disappearance of peripheral blood cells: concomitant results to a phase I/II study.

In an ongoing clinical phase I/II study, 16 pediatric patients suffering from high risk leukemia/tumors received highly purified donor natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy (NK-DLI) at day (+3) +40 and +100 post haploidentical stem cell transplantation. However, literature about the influence of NK-DLI on recipient's immune system is scarce. Here we present concomitant results of a noninvasive in vivo monitoring approach of recipient's peripheral blood (PB) cells after transfer of either unstimulated (NK-DLI(unstim)) or IL-2 (1000 U/ml, 9-14 days) activated NK cells (NK-DLI(IL-2 stim)) along with their ex vivo secreted cytokine/chemokines.

Initial experience with repetitive transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) as a third line treatment of ovarian cancer metastasis to the liver: indications, outcomes and role in patient's management.

Objective: To evaluate local tumor control and survival data after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with different drug combinations in the palliative third-line treatment of patients with ovarian cancer liver metastases.

Methods: Sixty-five patients (mean age: 51.5 year) with unresectable hematogenous hepatic metastases of ovarian cancer who did not respond to systemic chemotherapy were repeatedly treated with TACE in 4-week intervals.

Increased levels of anti-glycan antibodies in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Background: The prevalence of Crohn's disease (CD) is increased in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA) have been suggested as a screening tool to detect CD in CF. Recently, several new anti-glycan antibodies have been reported in CD.

Liver, gastrointestinal, and cardiac toxicity in intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma treated with PRECISION TACE with drug-eluting beads: results from the PRECISION V randomized trial.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to evaluate hepatic, gastrointestinal, and cardiac toxicity after PRECISION transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with drug-eluting beads (DEB) versus conventional TACE with doxorubicin in the treatment of intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Subjects And Methods: Two hundred twelve patients (185 men and 27 women; mean age, 67 years) were randomized to TACE with DEB or conventional TACE. The majority of patients (67% in both groups) presented in a more advanced stage.

HIV-1 infection suppresses expression of host cell cycle-associated gene PDS5A.

Objective: To unravel the interplay between HIV-1 and its host cell, the effect of HIV-1 infection on cellular gene expression was investigated.

Methods: HIV-1(SF33)-infected and uninfected H9 T cells were screened by differential display and RNase protection assay. The finding (PDS5A) was confirmed in HIV-1(Lai)-infected P4-CCR5 HeLa cells, which were also examined after PDS5A siRNA knockdown in regard to HIV-1 replication by quantitative RT-PCR, p24 ELISA and LTR-driven β-galactosidase expression.

Outcomes of an algorithmic approach to management of pneumothorax complicating thermal ablation of pulmonary neoplasms.

Purpose: To investigate the outcomes of an algorithm for treatment of pneumothorax in association with radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) ablation of pulmonary neoplasms.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included data from 248 ablation sessions for lung tumors in 164 patients (92 men; mean age, 59.7 y ± 9.

Comparison of drug resistance scores for tipranavir in protease inhibitor-naive patients infected with HIV-1 B and non-B subtypes.

Genotypes of samples from protease inhibitor-naïve patients in Frankfurt's HIV Cohort were analyzed with five tipranavir resistance prediction algorithms. Mean scores were higher in non-B than in B subtypes. The proportion of non-B subtypes increased with increasing scores, except in weighted algorithms.

Peroral cholangioscopy for diagnosis and therapy of biliary tract disease using an ultra-slim gastroscope.

High-resolution video cholangioscopy is expected to improve diagnostic validity for diseases of the biliary tract. We report our experience in using an ultra-slim gastroscope for diagnosis and treatment of biliary tract disease. Cholangioscopy was attempted in 25 cases (22 patients) and succeeded in 22 cases (success rate 88%; 19 patients).

Home therapy with intravenous human C1-inhibitor in children and adolescents with hereditary angioedema.

Background: C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) replacement therapy is the treatment of choice for acute edema attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE).

Study Design And Methods: Our retrospective, observational study assessed the efficacy and safety of home therapy with a human plasma-derived C1-INH concentrate (pC1-INH) in 20 pediatric patients with HAE who had previously been treated with physician-based therapy. While on home therapy, 15 patients received on-demand treatment and five received individual replacement treatment (IRT).

Clinical efficacy of immunochemotherapy with fludarabine, epirubicin and rituximab in the treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and prolymphocytic leukaemia.

Despite some considerable progress in the therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) owing to fludarabine-based regimens and rituximab, no curative treatment is available so far. We conducted an explorative phase II study in patients with CLL, prolymphocytic leukaemia (PLL) and leukaemic lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LL) with the combination of fludarabine, epirubicin and rituximab (FER) to improve the complete remission (CR) rate and progression-free survival (PFS). Fludarabine 25 mg/m(2) was administered i.

One amino acid change located in the conserved region of the alpha 1 domain specifies the novel HLA-C*07:147 allele.

The novel HLA-C allele HLA-C*07:147 contains one nucleotide substitution in exon 2 leading to an amino acid change in the alpha 1 domain from phenylalanine to leucine.

Rivaroxaban differentially influences ex vivo global coagulation assays based on the administration time.

It was the objective of this study to quantify the effects of rivaroxaban administration on global coagulation parameters associated with routine clinical procedures, we collected plasma samples from patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery receiving rivaroxaban at various time points after drug administration. Forty-seven patients received rivaroxaban (10 mg daily) for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis. Blood samples were collected at four different time points: A) before surgery; B) before drug administration at day 4-5 after surgery (steady state of rivaroxaban); C) 2 hours (h) after drug administration and D) 12 h after drug administration.

Benefit of a clipping device in use in intestinal bleeding and intestinal leakage.

Background: The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) system was first used to close the access route in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery and is increasingly used for other indications.

Objective: We analyzed the use of the OTSC in intestinal bleeding and in closure of GI tract leaks.

Design: Analysis of a consecutive series of patients.