Cross validation of pharmacokinetic bioanalytical methods: Experimental and statistical design

Pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis is an integral part of drug development. Health agency guidance provides development and validation recommendations for PK bioanalytical methods run in one laboratory. However, as a drug development program progresses, a PK bioanalytical method may need to be run in more than one laboratory. Additionally, a PK bioanalytical method format may change and a new method platform may be validated and implemented during the drug development cycle. Here we describe the cross validation strategy for comparisons of two validated bioanalytical methods used to generate PK data within the same study or across different studies. Current guidance for cross validations is limited and, therefore, Genentech, Inc. has developed a cross validation experimental strategy that utilizes incurred samples along with a comprehensive statistical analysis. One hundred incurred study samples over the applicable range of concentrations are selected based on four quartiles (Q) of in-study concentration levels. The samples are assayed once in the two bioanalytical methods. Bioanalytical method equivalency is assessed for the 100 samples based on pre-specified acceptability criterion: the two methods are considered equivalent if the percent differences in the lower and upper bound limits of the 90 % confidence interval (CI) are both within ±30 %. Quartile by concentration analysis using the same criterion may also need to be performed. A Bland-Altman plot of the percent difference of sample concentrations versus the mean concentration of each sample is also created to help further characterize the data. This strategy is a robust assessment of PK bioanalytical method equivalency and includes subgroup analyses by concentration to assess for biases. This strategy was implemented in two case studies: 1) two different laboratories using the same bioanalytical method and 2) a bioanalytical method platform change from enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to multiplexing immunoaffinity (IA) liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (IA LC-MS/MS).

Genetically Supported Drug Targets and Dental Traits: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Current interventions for oral/dental diseases heavily rely on operative/surgical procedures, while the discovery of novel drug targets may enable access to noninvasive pharmacotherapy. Therefore, this study aims to leverage large-scale data and Mendelian randomization (MR) techniques, utilizing genetic variants as instruments, to identify potential therapeutic targets for oral and dental diseases supported by genetic evidence. By intersecting 4,302 druggable genes with expression quantitative trait loci from 31,684 blood samples, we identified 2,580 druggable targets as exposures. Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with dental disease/symptom traits were collected from FinnGen R9, the Gene-Lifestyle Interactions in Dental Endpoints consortium, and the UK Biobank to serve as outcomes for both discovery and replication purposes. Through MR analysis, we identified 43 druggable targets for various dental disease/symptom traits. To evaluate the viability of these targets, we replicated the analysis using circulating protein quantitative trait loci as exposures. Additionally, we conducted sensitivity, colocalization, Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation, protein-protein interaction analyses, and validated dental trait-associated druggable gene expression in animal models. Among these targets, IL12RB1 (odds ratio [OR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.01) and TNF (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.99) exhibited therapeutic promise for oral ulcers, whereas CXCL10 (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.76-0.91) was for periodontitis. Through a rigorous quality control and validation pipeline, our study yields compelling evidence for these druggable targets, which may enhance the clinical prognosis by developing novel drugs or repurposing existing ones.

Establishing Benchmarks for Airway Replacement: Long-Term Outcomes of Tracheal Autografts in a Large Animal Model

OBJECTIVE

Airway replacement is a challenging surgical intervention and remains an unmet clinical need. Due to the risk of airway stenosis, anastomotic separation, poor vascularization, and necrosis, it is necessary to establish the gold-standard outcomes of tracheal replacement. In this study, we use a large animal autograft model to assess long-term outcomes following tracheal replacement.

METHODS

Four New Zealand White rabbits underwent tracheal autograft surgery and were observed for 6 months. Clinical and radiographic surveillance were recorded, and grafts were analyzed histologically and radiographically at endpoint.

RESULTS

All animals survived to the endpoint with minimal respiratory symptoms and normal growth rates. No complications were observed. Computed tomography scans of the post-surgical airway demonstrated graft patency at all time points. Histological sections showed no sign of stenosis or necrosis with preservation of the native structure of the trachea.

CONCLUSION

We established benchmarks for airway replacement. Our findings suggest that a rabbit model of tracheal autograft with direct reimplantation is feasible and does not result in graft stenosis or airway collapse.

Prediction of likelihood of conception in dairy cows using milk mid-infrared spectra collected before the first insemination and machine learning algorithms

Accurate and ex-ante prediction of cows' likelihood of conception (LC) based on milk composition information could improve reproduction management on dairy farms. Milk composition is already routinely measured by mid-infrared (MIR) spectra, which are known to change with advancing stages of pregnancy. For lactating cows, MIR spectra may also be used for predicting the LC. Our objectives were to classify the LC at first insemination using milk MIR spectra data collected from calving to first insemination and to identify the spectral regions that contribute the most to the prediction of LC at first insemination. After quality control, 4,866 MIR spectra, milk production, and reproduction records from 3,451 Holstein cows were used. The classification accuracy and area under the curve (AUC) of 6 models comprising different predictors and 3 machine learning methods were estimated and compared. The results showed that partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and random forest had higher prediction accuracies than logistic regression. The classification accuracy of good and poor LC cows and AUC in herd-by-herd validation of the best model were 76.35% ± 10.60% and 0.77 ± 0.11, respectively. All wavenumbers with values of variable importance in the projection higher than 1.00 in PLS-DA belonged to 3 spectral regions, namely from 1,003 to 1,189, 1,794 to 2,260, and 2,300 to 2,660 cm-1. In conclusion, the model can predict LC in dairy cows from a high productive TMR system before insemination with a relatively good accuracy, allowing farmers to intervene in advance or adjust the insemination schedule for cows with a poor predicted LC.

Kraeva A, Kravtsov P, Kumar L, Labonte MC, Lacey R, Landgraf JM, Lebedev A, Lednicky R, Lee JH, Leung YH, Li C, Li D, Li HS, Li H, Li W, Li X, Li Y, Li Y, Li Z, Liang X, Liang Y, Lin T, Lin Y, Liu C, Liu G, Liu H, Liu L, Liu T, Liu X, Liu Y, Liu Z, Ljubicic T, Lomicky O, Longacre RS, Loyd EM, Lu T, Luo J, Luo XF, Luong VB, Ma L, Ma R, Ma YG, Magdy N, Manikandhan R, Margetis S, Matonoha O, McNamara G, Mezhanska O, Mi K, Minaev NG, Mohanty B, Mondal B, Mondal MM, Mooney I, Morozov DA, Mudrokh A, Nagy MI, Nain AS, Nam JD, Nasim M, Nedorezov E, Neff D, Nelson JM, Nie M, Nigmatkulov G, Niida T, Nogach LV, Nonaka T, Odyniec G, Ogawa A, Oh S, Okorokov VA, Okubo K, Page BS, Pal S, Pandav A, Panday A, Panebratsev Y, Pani T, Parfenov P, Paul A, Perkins C, Pokhrel BR, Posik M, Povarov A, Protzman T, Pruthi NK, Putschke J, Qin Z, Qiu H, Racz C, Radhakrishnan SK, Rana A, Ray RL, Robertson CW, Rogachevsky OV, Rosales Aguilar MA, Roy D, Ruan L, Sahoo AK, Sahoo NR, Sako H, Salur S, Samigullin E, Sato S, Schaefer BC, Schmidke WB, Schmitz N, Seger J, Seto R, Seyboth P, Shah N, Shahaliev E, Shanmuganathan PV, Shao T, Sharma M, Sharma N, Sharma R, Sharma SR, Sheikh AI, Shen D, Shen DY, Shen K, Shi SS, Shi Y, Shou QY, Si F, Singh J, Singha S, Sinha P, Skoby MJ, Söhngen Y, Song Y, Srivastava B, Stanislaus TDS, Stewart DJ, Strikhanov M, Su Y, Sun C, Sun X, Sun Y, Sun Y, Surrow B, Svirida DN, Sweger ZW, Tamis AC, Tang AH, Tang Z, Taranenko A, Tarnowsky T, Thomas JH, Tlusty D, Todoroki T, Tokarev MV, Trentalange S, Tribedy P, Tsai OD, Tsang CY, Tu Z, Tyler J, Ullrich T, Underwood DG, Upsal I, Van Buren G, Vasiliev AN, Verkest V, Videbæk F, Vokal S, Voloshin SA, Wang G, Wang JS, Wang J, Wang K, Wang X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Wang Z, Webb JC, Weidenkaff PC, Westfall GD, Wieman H, Wilks G, Wissink SW, Wu J, Wu J, Wu X, Wu X, Xi B, Xiao ZG, Xie G, Xie W, Xu H, Xu N, Xu QH, Xu Y, Xu Y, Xu Z, Xu Z, Yan G, Yan Z, Yang C, Yang Q, Yang S, Yang Y, Ye Z, Ye Z, Yi L, Yu Y, Zha W, Zhang C, Zhang D, Zhang J, Zhang S, Zhang W, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang ZJ, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Zhao F, Zhao J, Zhao M, Zhou S, Zhou Y, Zhu X, Zurek M, Zyzak M. Imaging shapes of atomic nuclei in high-energy nuclear collisions

Atomic nuclei are self-organized, many-body quantum systems bound by strong nuclear forces within femtometre-scale space. These complex systems manifest a variety of shapes1-3, traditionally explored using non-invasive spectroscopic techniques at low energies4,5. However, at these energies, their instantaneous shapes are obscured by long-timescale quantum fluctuations, making direct observation challenging. Here we introduce the collective-flow-assisted nuclear shape-imaging method, which images the nuclear global shape by colliding them at ultrarelativistic speeds and analysing the collective response of outgoing debris. This technique captures a collision-specific snapshot of the spatial matter distribution within the nuclei, which, through the hydrodynamic expansion, imprints patterns on the particle momentum distribution observed in detectors6,7. We benchmark this method in collisions of ground-state uranium-238 nuclei, known for their elongated, axial-symmetric shape. Our findings show a large deformation with a slight deviation from axial symmetry in the nuclear ground state, aligning broadly with previous low-energy experiments. This approach offers a new method for imaging nuclear shapes, enhances our understanding of the initial conditions in high-energy collisions and addresses the important issue of nuclear structure evolution across energy scales.

Recursive partitioning analysis model for de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with locoregional radiotherapy following chemoimmunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Chemoimmunotherapy is the first-line treatment of de novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (dmNPC), with additional locoregional radiotherapy (LRRT) significantly prolonging patient survival. De novo metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, however, demonstrates considerable heterogeneity, resulting in significant variability in patient outcomes. We developed and validated a prognostic tool for patients undergoing first-line chemoimmunotherapy plus LRRT and to evaluate the benefit of local therapy (LT) for distant metastases across different risk levels.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied 364 dmNPC patients receiving initial platinum-based chemotherapy and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 immunotherapy followed by LRRT. Patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts (7 : 3 ratio). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). A prognostic model for PFS was developed using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA).

RESULTS

An RPA model categorized patients into five prognostic groups based on number of metastatic lesions, liver metastasis status, and post-treatment Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels. Survival analysis identified three distinct risk groups. High-risk patients had significantly poorer PFS compared with medium- and low-risk groups (2-year PFS rate: training cohort: 13.7% versus 69.4% versus 94.4%, P < 0.001; validation cohort: 7.8% versus 65.1% versus 87.3%, P < 0.001). We investigated the impact of LT for distant metastases across these risk groups and found that only patients in the medium-risk group derived benefit from LT (2-year PFS rate: 77.5% versus 64.0%; hazard ratio = 0.535, 95% confidence interval 0.297-0.966, P = 0.035). Conversely, no survival benefit from LT for distant metastases was observed in the low-risk (P = 0.218) and high-risk subgroups (P = 0.793).

CONCLUSIONS

Our RPA-based prognostic model integrates number of metastatic lesions, liver metastasis status, and post-treatment Epstein-Barr virus DNA levels to predict PFS in dmNPC patients undergoing chemoimmunotherapy plus LRRT. This model offers personalized treatment guidance, suggesting that patients in the medium-risk group may benefit from LT for distant metastases, while those in high- and low-risk groups may not.

Extracting the femtometer structure of strange baryons using the vacuum polarization effect

One of the fundamental goals of particle physics is to gain a microscopic understanding of the strong interaction. Electromagnetic form factors quantify the structure of hadrons in terms of charge and magnetization distributions. While the nucleon structure has been investigated extensively, data on hyperons are still scarce. It has recently been demonstrated that electron-positron annihilations into hyperon-antihyperon pairs provide a powerful tool to investigate their inner structure. We present a method useful for hyperon-antihyperon pairs of different types which exploits the cross section enhancement due to the effect of vacuum polarization at the J/ψ resonance. Using the 10 billion J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, this allows a precise determination of the hyperon structure function. The result is essentially a precise snapshot of theΛ ¯ Σ 0 ( Λ Σ ¯ 0 ) transition process, encoded in the transition form factor ratio and phase. Their values are measured to be R = 0.860 ± 0.029(stat.) ± 0.015(syst.), Δ Φ Λ ¯ Σ 0 = ( 1.011 ± 0.094 ( stat. ) ± 0.010 ( syst. ) ) r a d and Δ Φ Λ Σ ¯ 0 = ( 2.128 ± 0.094 ( stat. ) ± 0.010 ( syst. ) ) r a d . Furthermore, charge-parity (CP) breaking is investigated in this reaction and found to be consistent with CP symmetry.

Oral Disease and Atherosclerosis May Be Associated with Overlapping Metabolic Pathways

OBJECTIVES

Dental caries and periodontitis are among the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and have been associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD). This study aimed to determine (1) the independent associations between subclinical ASCVD markers (carotid intima media thickness [CIMT] and coronary artery calcification [CAC]) and quantitative indices of oral disease including the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, gingivitis parameters, periodontal status, and number of teeth lost and (2) the extent to which metabolites altered in individuals with oral disease overlapped with those altered in individuals with ASCVD.

METHODS

We used data from 552 participants recruited through the Dental Strategies Concentrating on Risk Evaluation project. Oral examinations were conducted, and CIMT and CAC were measured. Multiple linear regression models were constructed with CIMT and CAC as dependent variables in the epidemiologic analysis. In the metabolomic analysis, logistic or linear regression was used to test 1,228 metabolites for association with each phenotype adjusted for age, sex, race, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6.

RESULTS

None of the oral disease markers were significant predictors of ASCVD markers in the fully adjusted models. However, critical lipid and lipid-signaling pathway metabolites were significantly associated with gingivitis, periodontitis, and DMFT: the lysophospholipid pathway (odds ratio [OR] = 2.29, false discovery rate [FDR]-adjusted P = 0.038) and arachidonate with gingivitis (OR = 2.35, FDR-adjusted P = 0.015), the sphingolipid metabolism pathway with periodontitis (OR = 2.09, FDR-adjusted P = 0.029), and borderline associations between plasmalogen and lysophospholipid pathways and DMFT (P = 0.055). Further, the same metabolite from the sphingolipid metabolism pathway, sphingomyelin (d17:1/14:0, d16:1/15:0), was inversely associated with both CIMT (β = -0.14, FDR-adjusted P = 0.014) and gingivitis (OR = 0.04, FDR-adjusted P = 0.033).

CONCLUSIONS

The discovery of a common sphingomyelin metabolite in both disease processes is a novel finding suggesting that gingivitis and periodontitis may be associated with some overlapping metabolic pathways associated with ASCVD and indicating potential shared mechanisms among these diseases.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

The same metabolites may be altered in atherosclerosis and oral disease. Specifically, a common sphingomyelin metabolite was inversely associated with gingivitis and carotid intima media thickness, a subclinical marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. These findings can provide valuable insights for future mechanistic studies to establish potential causal relationships, with the hope of influencing disease prevention and targeted early treatment.

A convenient and versatile culturomics platform to expand the human gut culturome of Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae

The human gut microbiota is increasingly being recognised to play an important role in maintaining health. The families Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae in particular, are often reduced in disease states but are relatively poorly represented in culture collections. Cultured representatives are required to investigate the physiology and host interactions of gut microbes. Establishing cultured isolate collections can be laborious and expensive owing to the fastidious growth requirements of these organisms and the costs associated with taxonomic classification. This study proposes a culturomics platform combining a single basal culture medium with matrix-assisted laser adsorption/ionisation coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for fast and reliable isolation and identification of hundreds of novel isolates. In this study, basal YCFA medium supplemented with either glucose, apple pectin, or porcine mucin was used to cultivate a total of 724 different isolates derived from only 11 different faecal samples from healthy volunteers, of which 389 isolates belonged to the Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae families. Moreover, 27 isolates could not be assigned to known species based on their 16S rRNA gene, 17 of which may even represent novel genera. To aid MALDI-TOF MS identification of gut bacteria, the commercial database was complemented with the MaldiGut database presented here, containing a collection of 132 different Main Spectrum Profiles, including the profiles of 125 Firmicutes species, 3 Bacteroidetes species, 3 Actinobacteria species, and one Verrucomicrobia species. The culturomics platform and MaldiGut database presented here will enable further expansion of the gut culturome, especially within the understudied Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospiraceae families.

[Component-resolved diagnostics of fruit and vegetable allergy: precise identification and individualized treatment strategies]

Vegetable and fruit allergies are common types of food allergies worldwide, most of them are triggered by primary sensitization to pollen. Most allergens in vegetables and fruits belong to a few cross-reactive proteins such as PR-10 proteins, profilins, and nsLTPs. The presence of these allergens in various plants can lead to widespread cross-reactive allergic responses. Component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) can improve diagnostic accuracy by precisely identifying specific allergenic proteins, aiding physicians in making more accurate treatment and management decisions, and reducing unnecessary food avoidance. This article, based on the "Molecular Allergology User's Guide 2.0 (MAUG 2.0)" issued by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), analyzes the primary mechanisms, relevant allergens, and diagnostic and clinical management strategies for vegetable and fruit allergies. By detailing and analyzing these allergenic components, this article may help the healthcare professionals to deep the understandings of vegetable and fruit allergies, offer new perspectives and practical guideline for the research and treatment of these allergies, and promot the development of precise diagnostics and personalized treatment strategies.

Microvascular Regeneration and Perfusion of Partially Decellularized Tracheal Grafts

OBJECTIVES

A critical barrier to successful tracheal transplantation is poor vascularization. Despite its importance, little is known about microvascular regeneration in tissue-engineered grafts. We have demonstrated that partially decellularized tracheal grafts (PDTG) support neotissue formation including new submucosal microvasculature (CD31+). However, the perfusion of this neovasculature is unknown. In this study, we used a mouse model of tracheal replacement to measure the microvascular regeneration and perfusion of PDTG.

METHODS

PDTG and syngeneic tracheal grafts (STG, surgical control) (n = 5 for each group) were orthotopically transplanted into C5BL/6 J mice. We quantified vascularity of STG and PDTG samples at 1 and 3 months with conventional histology (N = 3 ~ 10/group). At 1, 3, and 6 months, animals were injected with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) tomato lectin into the left ventricle. After perfusion, tracheas were fixed, harvested, mounted, stained for CD31 expression, and imaged with resonant scanning confocal microscopy. Percent CD31+, FITC area was compared between groups and endpoints compared with native trachea. Microvascular intersections were quantified using Sholl analysis.

RESULTS

Functional microvasculature was seen in both groups. Although percent vascularization (CD31) in PDTG was restored by 3 months, microvascular pattern in PDTG displayed a unique morphology compared with control. Surgery alone appeared to globally change microvascular pattern and perfusion. PDTG demonstrated equivalent perfusion to surgical control by 6 months. Sholl analysis revealed a reduction of microvessel intersectionality that persisted in PDTG and was not seen in surgical or native controls.

CONCLUSIONS

PDTG exhibited microvascular regeneration. Perfusion was present in PDTG, improved, and persisted over long-term time points.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 2024.

Predicting neuroendocrine neoplasm grade with dual tracer positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and 18F-AlF-NOTA-octreotide: a lesion-based analysis

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of dual tracer positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) and 18F-AlF-NOTA-octreotide (18F-OC) in predicting neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) grade. The lesions that have been histologically confirmed were accurately located using both 18F-FDG and 18F-OC PET/CT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For each lesion, the standardized uptake value (SUV)max was measured, and tumor-to-background ratio was calculated by dividing the SUVmax by the SUVmean of background tissue at the two scans. SUVR was calculated by dividing the SUVmax of the lesion at 18F-OC PET/CT by the SUVmax at 18F-FDG PET/CT. For evaluating the correlation between continuous variables and lesion grade, the Spearman rank correlation test was used. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of PET/CT parameter in discriminating lesions of different grades.

RESULTS

A total of 49 patients (22 males, 27 females; mean age: 56.5 ± 14.3 years; range: 14-85 years) and 65 lesions were included in this study. A substantial correlation was observed between SUVR and lesion grade (rho = -0.655, p < 0.001), better than other PET/CT parameters. For discriminating G1/2 neuroendocrine tumor (NET) from G3 NET and neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), SUVR had the largest area under ROC curve (AUC) of 0.88. With the cut-off value of 2.217, we got the best Youden's index, 0.668. For discriminating G1/2/3 NET from NEC, SUVR and OC SUVmax had the largest AUC of 0.923. With the cut-off value of OC SUVmax of 4.35, we got the best Youden's index, 0.805.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that 18F-FDG and 18F-OC PET/CT are complementary in evaluating the grade of NEN and that SUVR is a promising tool for predicting NEN grade.

Low serum adiponectin levels are associated with an increased risk of diabetes in obese dogs

OBJECTIVES

Adiponectin plays an important role in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. However, the evidence regarding the association between adiponectin and diabetes mellitus in obese dogs is sparse. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations of adiponectin with the risk of diabetes mellitus in obese dogs on the basis of a prospective cohort study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Serum adiponectin levels in obese dogs recruited from three small animal hospitals between 2015 and 2018 were measured by ELISA. Electronic health records were used to record the incidence of diabetes mellitus during follow-up for 3 years.

RESULTS

A total of 862 dogs were included. Amongst the 862 dogs, 51 developed diabetes. Adiponectin levels were associated with diabetes mellitus after adjusting for sex, age, breed, exercise, body condition score, fasting plasma glucose, serum triglyceride and total cholesterol. When adjusting for sex, age, breed, exercise, body condition score, fasting plasma glucose, serum triglyceride and total cholesterol, the adjusted hazard ratios were 7.83 (95% confidence interval: 2.67 to 30.13) in the lowest adiponectin group and 1.96 (95% CI: 1.10 to 8.55) in the medium adiponectin group relative to that in the highest adiponectin group. The area under a curve of adiponectin's Receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (95% CI: 0.76 to 0.86).

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Low adiponectin is associated with diabetes mellitus and has a high risk of incident diabetes mellitus, implying the potential of adiponectin as a predictive biomarker of diabetes mellitus in obese dogs.

m6Am Methyltransferase PCIF1 Regulates Periodontal Inflammation

N6,2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), a common mRNA modification in eukaryotic capped mRNAs, plays a pivotal role in cellular functions and disease progression. However, its involvement in host inflammation remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that loss of m6Am methyltransferase phosphorylated CTD interacting factor 1 (PCIF1) attenuates periodontal inflammation in whole-body and myeloid lineage-specific knockout mouse models. Pcif1 deletion inhibits macrophage phagocytosis and migration through m6Am-Csf1r signaling. In addition, colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R) is identified as a potential target for the treatment of periodontitis. We thus reveal a previously unrecognized role for PCIF1-mediated m6Am modification in governing macrophage responses and periodontal inflammation.

Effects of cassava root meal on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, organ and intestinal indices, and slaughter performance of yellow-feathered broiler chickens

With the global population growth and shortage of food, the competition between humans and animal for food will become increasingly fierce. Therefore, the development of unconventional energy feed cassava feed is of great significance. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cassava root meal (CRM) on the growth performance, apparent digestibility, and organ and intestinal indices of broiler chickens. A total of 140 one-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups [control diet (CT), 15% CRM (CRM15), 30% CRM (CRM30), and 45% CRM (CRM45)] with five replicates of seven birds per replicate. The results showed that the body weight of broiler chickens fed diets containing CRM were significantly lower than that in the CT group at 21 and 42 days of age, the average daily gain and average daily feed intake in the CRM group were significantly lower than those in the CT group from 1 to 21 days of age. However, from days 22 to 42, there were no significant differences between CRM15 and CT birds regarding average daily gain and average daily feed intake. but there was no difference in feed conversion rate between the CRM15 and CT groups. At 42 days of age, there were no significant differences between CRM15 and CT birds in in body measurements, the slaughter performance and the percentage of semi-eviscerated yield. The addition of CRM reduced the proportion of breast and thigh muscles during the feeding period, although we detected no significant difference between CRM15 and CT regarding the apparent digestibility of nutrients. Collectively, our findings indicate that 15% cassava was the optimal proportion for supplementing diets for broiler chicken production.

[Applications of artificial intelligence for imaging-driven diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue tumors]

Bone and soft tissue tumors occur in the musculoskeletal system, and malignant bone tumors of bone and soft tissue account for 0.2% of all human malignant tumors, and if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, patients may be at risk of a poor prognosis. Image interpretation plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis of bone and soft tissue tumors. Artificial intelligence (AI) can be applied in clinical treatment to integrate large amounts of multidimensional data, derive models, predict outcomes, and improve treatment decisions. Among these methods, deep learning is a widely employed technique in AI that predominantly utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNN). The network is implemented through repeated training of datasets and iterative parameter adjustments. Deep learning-based AI models have successfully been applied to various aspects of bone and soft tissue tumors, encompassing but not limiting in image segmentation, tumor detection, classification, grading and staging, chemotherapy effect evaluation, recurrence and prognosis prediction. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the principles and current state of AI in the medical image diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue tumors. Additionally, it explores the present challenges and future prospects in this field.

Search for Rare Decays of D_{s}^{+} to Final States π^{+}e^{+}e^{-}, ρ^{+}e^{+}e^{-}, π^{+}π^{0}e^{+}e^{-}, K^{+}π^{0}e^{+}e^{-}, and K_{S}^{0}π^{+}e^{+}e^{-}

Using 7.33  fb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} collision data collected by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies in the range of sqrt[s]=4.128-4.226  GeV, we search for the rare decays D_{s}^{+}→h^{+}(h^{0})e^{+}e^{-}, where h represents a kaon or pion. By requiring the e^{+}e^{-} invariant mass to be consistent with a ϕ(1020), 0.98 Collapse

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Strong and Weak CP Tests in Sequential Decays of Polarized Σ^{0} Hyperons

The J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} processes and subsequent decays are studied using the world's largest J/ψ and ψ(3686) data samples collected with the BESIII detector. The parity-violating decay parameters of the decays Σ^{0}→Λγ and Σ[over ¯]^{0}→Λ[over ¯]γ, α_{Σ^{0}}=-0.0017±0.0021±0.0018 and α[over ¯]_{Σ^{0}}=0.0021±0.0020±0.0022, are measured for the first time. The strong CP symmetry is tested in the decays of the Σ^{0} hyperons for the first time by measuring the asymmetry A_{CP}^{Σ}=α_{Σ^{0}}+α[over ¯]_{Σ^{0}}=(0.4±2.9±1.3)×10^{-3}. The weak CP test is performed in the subsequent decays of their daughter particles Λ and Λ[over ¯]. Also for the first time, the transverse polarizations of the Σ^{0} hyperons in J/ψ and ψ(3686) decays are observed with opposite directions, and the ratios between the S-wave and D-wave contributions of the J/ψ, ψ(3686)→Σ^{0}Σ[over ¯]^{0} decays are obtained. These results are crucial to understand the decay dynamics of the charmonium states and the production mechanism of the Σ^{0}-Σ[over ¯]^{0} pairs.

Association of gut microbiota with acute kidney injury: a two-sample Mendelian randomisation and case-control study

Epidemiologic studies have implicated the gut microbiota in acute kidney injury (AKI), but the causal relationship is unclear. Using Mendelian randomisation, we explored the causal role of gut microbiota in the development of acute kidney injury after excluding confounding and reverse causality. Mendel randomised (MR) study was conducted using data from intestinal microbiota and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) disease of acute kidney injury and the sequencing data of case-control study confirmed this finding. The summary statistics of intestinal microbiota (n = 13,266) conducted by MiBioGen Alliance was taken as the exposure, while the statistics of acute kidney injury obtained from FinnGen Alliance data (2,383 cases and 212,841 controls) were taken as the results. A total of 42 patients were included in this case-control study. Evidence for the protective causal associations of the genus Flavonifractor id.2059 with AKI was found in inverse variance weighting (odds ratio = 0.48 [95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.72]; P = 0.0003). Additionally, a case-control study showed that the relative abundance of the genus Flavonifractor id.2059 ( P = 0.0169) in septic non-AKI patients was higher than that in septic AKI patients. Compared with S-AKI patients who died within 28 days, the relative abundance of the genus Flavonifractor id.2059 in surviving patients was higher ( P = 0.0281). Phylogenetic analysis showed that OTU68 and HQ455040.1334-739 (genus Flavonifractor, Genetic similarity: 100%), as well as OTU2271 and LT598575.1365-770 (genus Pseudoflavonifractor, Genetic similarity: 100%), have closest genetic ties. Correlation analysis showed that the genus Flavonifractor id.2059 was related to the creatinine value (Spearman correlation: -0.379, P = 0.013). The present study demonstrates that the genus Flavonifractor id.2059 is associated with a reduced risk of AKI, revealing potential implications for the prevention and treatment of acute kidney injury.

Long-term prognostic value of thyroid hormones in left ventricular noncompaction

PURPOSE

Thyroid function is closely related to the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of thyroid hormones for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC).

METHODS

This longitudinal cohort study enrolled 388 consecutive LVNC patients with complete thyroid function profiles and comprehensive cardiovascular assessment. Potential predictors for adverse outcomes were thoroughly evaluated.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 5.22 years, primary outcome (the combination of cardiovascular mortality and heart transplantation) occurred in 98 (25.3%) patients. For secondary outcomes, 75 (19.3%) patients died and 130 (33.5%) patients experienced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Multivariable Cox analysis identified that free triiodothyronine (FT3) was independently associated with both primary (HR 0.455, 95%CI 0.313-0.664) and secondary (HR 0.547, 95%CI 0.349-0.858; HR 0.663, 95%CI 0.475-0.925) outcomes. Restricted cubic spline analysis illustrated that the risk for adverse outcomes increased significantly with the decline of serum FT3. The LVNC cohort was further stratified according to tertiles of FT3 levels. Individuals with lower FT3 levels in the tertile 1 group suffered from severe cardiac dysfunction and remodeling, resulting in higher incidence of mortality and MACE (Log-rank P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that lower concentration of FT3 was linked to worse prognosis, particularly for patients with left atrial diameter ≥ 40 mm or left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 35%. Adding FT3 to the pre-existing risk score for MACE in LVNC improved its predictive performance.

CONCLUSION

Through the long-term investigation on a large LVNC cohort, we demonstrated that low FT3 level was an independent predictor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.

Determining the optimal timing of adjuvant chemotherapy initiation after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Studies on several malignancies have suggested that the time to commencement of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is associated with survival outcomes. There have, however, been no relevant reports of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This clinical study examined newly diagnosed patients between April 2017 and December 2020. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to control for confounding factors. Cox models with restricted cubic splines, Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank tests were used to evaluate the relationship between AC timing and survival.

RESULTS

A total of 551 patients were identified [median age, 45 years (interquartile range 36-52 years); 383 (69.5%) male]. Restricted cubic splines demonstrated that the timing of AC initiation had a U-shaped association with PFS. The risk of disease progression decreased within 37 days and subsequently increased. From 37 to 90 days, each additional 7-day delay conferred worse PFS of 1.32 months {hazard ratio (HR): 1.14 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.28], P = 0.04}. The cut-off value of the receiver operating characteristic curve for initiation was 69.5 days. At a median follow-up of 48 months, the PFS was significantly better in patients initiated within 69.5 days [HR: 2.18 (95% CI 1.17-4.06), log-rank P = 0.009], with a higher 3-year rate [78.8% (95% CI 75.1% to 82.7%) versus 59.0% (95% CI 42.2% to 82.5%)] than beyond 69.5 days. Positive results were also observed in secondary endpoints. The initiation group was an independent prognostic factor [HR: 2.28 (95% CI 1.42-3.66), P < 0.001].

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal timing of AC initiation is ∼37 days after concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A delay beyond 69.5 days is associated with compromised survival. Efforts should be made to address the reasons for delays and ensure the timely initiation of AC.

PF-06952229, a selective TGF-β-R1 inhibitor: preclinical development and a first-in-human, phase I, dose-escalation study in advanced solid tumors

BACKGROUND

PF-06952229 is a selective small-molecule inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor 1. We evaluated its antitumor activity in preclinical studies and its safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics in a phase I study (NCT03685591).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In vitro and in vivo preclinical studies were conducted. Patients (aged ≥18 years) received PF-06952229 monotherapy [20-500 mg, oral b.i.d., 7 days on/7 days off, 28-day cycles, Part 1A (P1A)] for advanced/metastatic solid tumors and combination therapy [250/375 mg with enzalutamide, Part 1B (P1B)] for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), adverse events (AEs), and laboratory abnormalities. Efficacy, pharmacokinetic parameters, and biomarker modulation were assessed.

RESULTS

PF-06952229 showed activity in preclinical murine tumor models including pSMAD2 modulation in tumors. The study (NCT03685591) enrolled 49 patients (P1A, n = 42; P1B, n = 7). DLTs were reported in 3/35 (8.6%) P1A patients receiving PF-06952229 375 mg (anemia, intracranial tumor hemorrhage, and anemia and hypertension, all grade 3, n = 1 each). The most frequent grade 3 treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) were alanine aminotransferase increased and anemia (9.5% each). There were no grade 4-5 TRAEs. Plasma PF-06952229 exposures were dose proportional between 80 and 375 mg. Pharmacodynamic studies confirmed target modulation of pSMAD2/3 (peripheral monocytes). One P1A patient with prostate cancer receiving PF-06952229 375 mg monotherapy achieved confirmed partial response (31-month duration of response). A total of 8 patients (P1A, n = 6; P1B, n = 2) achieved stable disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Antitumor activity of PF-06952229 was observed in preclinical studies. PF-06952229 was generally well tolerated with manageable toxicity; a small group of patients achieved durable responses and/or disease stabilization.

Proteomic Analysis of Surgery-induced Stress Post-Tracheal Transplantation Highlights Changes in Matrisome

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the impact of Surgery-induced stress (SIS) on the normal airway repair process after airway reconstruction using a mouse microsurgery model, mass spectrometry (MS), and bioinformatic analysis.

METHODS

Tracheal tissue from non-surgical (N = 3) and syngeneic tracheal grafts at 3 months post-replacement (N = 3) were assessed using mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis was done using MASCOT via Proteome Discoverer™. Proteins were categorized into total, dysregulated, suppressed, and evoked proteins in response to SIS. Dysregulated proteins were identified using cut-off values of -1 1 and t-test (p value <0.05). Enriched pathways were determined using STRING and Metascape.

RESULTS

At the three-month post-operation mark, we noted a significant increase in submucosal cellular infiltration (14343 ± 1286 cells/mm2, p = 0.0003), despite reduced overall thickness (30 ± 3 μm, p = 0.01), compared to Native (4578 ± 723 cells/mm2; 42 ± 6 μm). Matrisome composition remained preserved, with proteomic analysis identifying 193 commonly abundant proteins, encompassing 7.2% collagens, 34.2% Extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins, 6.2% proteoglycans, 33.2% ECM regulators, 14.5% Extracellular matrix-affiliated, and 4.7% secreted factors. Additionally, our analysis unveiled a unique proteomic signature of 217 "Surgery-evoked proteins" associated with SIS, revealing intricate connections among neutrophils, ECM remodeling, and vascularization through matrix metalloproteinase-9 interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated the impact of SIS on the extracellular matrix, particularly MMP9, after airway reconstruction. The novel identification of MMP9 prompts further investigation into its potential role in repair.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA Laryngoscope, 134:4052-4059, 2024.