Transforming growth factor-betas (TGF-betas) constitute an expanding family of multifunctional cytokines with prominent roles in development, cell proliferation, differentiation, and repair. We have cloned, expressed, and raised antibodies against a distant member of the TGF-betas, growth/differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15). GDF-15 is identical to macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1). GDF-15...

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Integrated Care (MIC) model compared to Usual Care (UC) in Dutch residential homes. METHODS The economic evaluation was conducted from a societal perspective alongside a 6 month, clustered, randomized controlled trial involving 10 Dutch residential homes. Outcome measures included a quality of ...

This work used the broth microdilution method to investigate the antimicrobial activity of the essential oil obtained from the leaves of Plectranthus neochilus (PN-EO) against a representative panel of oral pathogens. We assessed the antimicrobial activity of this oil in terms of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). PN-EO displayed moderate activity against Enterococcus faecalis (MIC = 2...

OBJECTIVES To investigate the bactericidal activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae of simulated amoxicillin serum concentrations obtained in humans after 2000/125 mg sustained-release (SR) and 875/125 mg co-amoxiclav administered twice and three times a day, respectively. METHODS An in vitro computerized pharmacodynamic simulation was carried out and colony counts were determined over 24 h....

OBJECTIVES To measure the mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of ciprofloxacin for a set of urinary tract infection (UTI) Escherichia coli isolates with different levels of susceptibility and determine whether MPC can be predicted from MIC. METHODS MPC was defined as the lowest ciprofloxacin concentration that prevented the growth of resistant colonies when 10(10) bacteria were spread on so...

OBJECTIVES Iclaprim is a novel diaminopyrimidine for which a human plasma binding level of approximately 93% has been reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of human plasma on the in vitro activity of iclaprim and to compare it with that of fusidic acid, teicoplanin and vancomycin, antibiotics with protein binding to human plasma of 97%, >90% and 55%, respectively. MET...

The MHC class I chain-related (MIC) molecules play important roles in tumor immune surveillance through their interaction with the NKG2D receptor on natural killer and cytotoxic T cells. Thus, shedding of the MIC molecules from the tumor cell membrane represents a potential mechanism of escape from NKG2D-mediated immune surveillance. Tumor hypoxia is associated with a poor clinical outcome for ...

Three pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic parameters--(i) the peak concentration to the minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (C(max)/MIC); (ii) the area under the concentration-time curve to MIC ratio (AUC(24h)/MIC); and (iii) the time the concentration exceeds the MIC (T>MIC)--are important predictors of the clinical efficacy of antibiotics. For antibiotics with pronounced concentration-dependen...