“
“The availability of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) and several oral antiviral

therapies has reduced but not eliminated hepatitis B virus Selleckchem PXD101 (HBV) recurrence. We aimed to determine the rate of HBV recurrence after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in relation to virologic breakthrough pre-OLT and HBIG regimens post-OLT. Data from the NIH HBV-OLT database were analyzed. A total of 183 patients transplanted between 2001 and 2007 followed for a median of 42 months (range 1-81) post-OLT were studied. At transplant, 29% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) (+), 38.5% had HBV DNA > 5 log(10) copies/mL, 74% were receiving antiviral therapy. Twenty-five patients experienced virologic breakthrough before OLT. Post-OLT, 26%, 22%, 40% and 12% of patients received intravenous (IV) high-dose, IV low-dose, intramuscular low-dose and URMC-099 a finite duration of HBIG, respectively as maintenance prophylaxis. All but two patients also

received antiviral therapy. Cumulative rates of HBV recurrence at 1 and 5 years were 3% and 9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that listing HBeAg status and HBV DNA level at OLT were the only factors associated with HBV recurrence. In conclusion, low rates of HBV recurrence can be accomplished with all the HBIG regimens used when combined with antiviral therapy including patients with breakthrough pre-OLT as long as rescue therapy is administered pre- and post-OLT.”
“A coupled stacked Josephson junctions (SJJs) with completely perforated holes of 0.2 mu m x 0.4 mu m in high-T-c superconducting Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d (Bi-2212) were fabricated using a 3D focused ion beam etching method. We investigated external field angle theta(i) dependence of junction resistance R-j at various magnetic fields and temperatures. When a constant external magnetic fields H-e value of 1 T and a bias current I-b value of 1 mu A were

applied to the sample with changing external field angle theta(i), unspecified equidistant and periodic peak structures in the SJJs were induced. The periodic peaks of R-j shows the resistive switching transition from zero resistance state to resistance state. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3562521]“
“BACKGROUND: Transplantation today faces two major issues: organ shortage, and the increasing age of Selleck Alvocidib deceased donors. The former leads to growing waiting lists and, as a consequence, to a higher mortality of patients in need of an organ. The latter results in an augmentation of the proportion of organs from so called extended criteria donors, which, in the past, have been associated with inferior outcomes.

METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the patient characteristics of all deceased organ donors in Switzerland from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2008. A total of 1004 patient records of brain-dead organ donors (59.4% male, 40.6% female) were analysed for demographic data and causes of death.