University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

About: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston is a education organization based out in Houston, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 27309 authors who have published 42520 publications receiving 2151596 citations. The organization is also known as: UTHealth & The UT Health Science Center at Houston.

Transdifferentiation of Human Peripheral Blood CD34+-Enriched Cell Population Into Cardiomyocytes, Endothelial Cells, and Smooth Muscle Cells In Vivo

Abstract: Background— Adult human peripheral blood cells have been shown to differentiate into mature cells of nonhematopoietic tissues, such as hepatocytes and epithelial cells of the skin and gastrointestinal track. We investigated whether these cells could also transdifferentiate into human cardiomyocytes, mature endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells in vivo. Methods and Results— Myocardial infarction was created in SCID mice by occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery, after which adult peripheral blood CD34+ cells were injected into the tail vein. Hearts were harvested 2 months after injection and stained for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and markers for cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells. Cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells that bear HLA were identified in the infarct and peri-infarct regions of the mouse hearts. In a separate experiment, CD34+ cells were injected intraventricularly into mice without experimental myocardial infarction. HLA-posi...

Fecal microbiota transplantation for refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated colitis

Abstract: We report the first case series of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)-associated colitis successfully treated with fecal microbiota transplantation, with reconstitution of the gut microbiome and a relative increase in the proportion of regulatory T-cells within the colonic mucosa. These preliminary data provide evidence that modulation of the gut microbiome may abrogate ICI-associated colitis.

Oral teriflunomide for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (TOWER): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

Abstract: Summary Background Teriflunomide is an oral disease-modifying therapy approved for treatment of relapsing or relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. We aimed to provide further evidence for the safety and efficacy of teriflunomide in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Methods This international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study enrolled adults aged 18–55 years with relapsing multiple sclerosis, one or more relapse in the previous 12 months or two or more in the previous 24 months but no relapse in the previous 30 days, and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 5·5 points or less. Patients were recruited from 189 sites in 26 countries and randomly assigned (1:1:1) to once-daily placebo, teriflunomide 7 mg, or teriflunomide 14 mg via an interactive voice recognition system. Treatment duration was variable, ending 48 weeks after the last patient was included. The primary endpoint was annualised relapse rate (number of relapses per patient-year) and the key secondary endpoint was time to sustained accumulation of disability (an EDSS score increase of at least 1 EDSS point sustained for a minimum of 12 weeks), both analysed in the modified intention-to-treat population (all patients who received at least one dose of assigned study medication). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00751881. Findings Between Sept 17, 2008, and Feb 17, 2011, 1169 patients were randomly assigned to a treatment group, of whom 388, 407, and 370 patients received at least one dose of placebo, teriflunomide 7 mg, or teriflunomide 14 mg, respectively. By the end of the study, the annualised relapse rate was higher in patients assigned to placebo (0·50 [95% CI 0·43–0·58]) than in those assigned to teriflunomide 14 mg (0·32 [0·27–0·38]; p=0·0001) or teriflunomide 7 mg (0·39 [0·33–0·46]; p=0·0183). Compared with placebo, teriflunomide 14 mg reduced the risk of sustained accumulation of disability (hazard ratio [HR] 0·68 [95% CI 0·47–1·00]; log-rank p=0·0442); however, teriflunomide 7 mg had no effect on sustained accumulation of disability (HR 0·95 [0·68–1·35]; log-rank p=0·7620). The most common adverse events were alanine aminotransferase increases (32 [8%] of 385 patients in the placebo group vs 46 [11%] of 409 patients in the teriflunomide 7 mg group vs 52 [14%] of 371 patients in the teriflunomide 14 mg group), hair thinning (17 [4%] vs 42 [10%] vs 50 [13%]), and headache (42 [11%] vs 60 [15%] vs 46 [12%]). Incidence of serious adverse events was similar in all treatment groups (47 [12%] vs 52 [13%] vs 44 [12%]). Four deaths occurred, none of which was considered to be related to study drug (respiratory infection in the placebo group, traffic accident in the teriflunomide 7 mg group, and suicide and septicaemia due to Gram-negative infection complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulopathy in the teriflunomide 14 mg group). Interpretation Teriflunomide 14 mg was associated with a lower relapse rate and less disability accumulation compared with placebo, with a similar safety and tolerability profile to that reported in previous studies. These results confirm the dose effect reported in previous trials and support the use of teriflunomide 14 mg in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis. Funding Genzyme, a Sanofi company.

Meeting Highlights American College of Cardiology 45th Annual Scientific Session, Orlando, Florida, March 24 to 27, 1996

Abstract: Dr Frans Van de Werf, from the University Hospital Gasthuisberg in Leuven, Belgium, Drs Robert Califf and Christopher Granger from Duke University, Durham, NC, and Dr Eric Topol, from the Cleveland (Ohio) Clinic, presented the results of the GUSTO IIb study, a large, international, multicenter trial of heparin versus hirudin in patients with acute MI and unstable angina. A total of 12 142 qualifying patients (onset of symptoms within 12 hours and ischemic ECG changes) were stratified into two groups on the basis of whether or not ST-segment elevation was present and randomized to receive heparin or hirudin. The primary end point of the study was the 30-day incidence of death and MI. Because of prior experience with a high level of bleeding complications in GUSTO IIa, the doses of study drug (both heparin and hirudin) used in GUSTO IIb were significantly reduced from GUSTO IIa. Patients treated with hirudin were noted to require fewer adjustments to maintain therapeutic levels (a mean of two adjustments versus four with heparin), and there were more hirudin patients who did not require any dose adjustments (28.5% versus 5.4% with heparin). In the ST-segment elevation group (n=4131), there was marked benefit of hirudin at 24 hours in the incidence of death and MI but no significant differences between the hirudin and heparin groups in terms of severe bleeding events (1.1% with hirudin, 1.5% with heparin), stroke (1.3% with hirudin, 0.8% with heparin), death at 30 days (5.9% versus 6.3%), and reinfarction at 30 days (5.0% versus 6.0%). In the overall population, there was significant benefit with hirudin in death or MI at 24 hours (1.3% with hirudin and 2.1% with heparin, a 37% relative decrease; P <.001). However, with time, the relative benefits of hirudin declined. By 48 hours, the incidence of death or MI …