Identification of a novel HLA-DRB1*14 allele, HLA-DRB1*14:127:01, in a Chinese Individual

Two nucleotide changes in codon 77 (ACC → AAT) of HLA-DRB1*14:05:03 result in the allele, HLA-DRB1*14:127:01.

A novel HLA-B allele, HLA-B*13:69

HLA-B*13:69 allele differs from B*13:02:01 by one nucleotide substitution at position 628 from A to C.

Preparation of an inoculum of Gluconacetobacter xylinus without mutants in shaken culture

AIMS

A high-quality inoculum of Gluconacetobacter xylinus is important to produce bacterial cellulose (BC), a versatile biomaterial. This work aims to develop a method of preparing an inoculum of this bacterium with high cell density and without mutants.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Inocula of G. xylinus ACCC 10220 without and with cellulase or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were prepared in shaken culture. BC pellets and BC-negative mutants were present in the inoculum without additives but absent in the inoculum with additives. Based on BC weights statically produced in fresh BC-producing media initiated by different seed culture, the 24-h-shaken inoculum with 1·50% (w/v) CMC was the best because of high biomass and absence of mutants. The BC weights in fresh media inoculated by the 96-h-static inoculum and 24-h-shaken CMC inoculum at 7% (v/v) were 0·70 and 1·05 g l(-1) , respectively, implying significant difference (P < 0·01) in BC weights. However, structure properties of the two BC samples, including the crystallinity index, mass fraction of cellulose Iα , degree of polymerization (DP) and micromorphology were slightly different.

CONCLUSIONS

The 24-h-shaken CMC inoculum was the most suitable for a starter culture of BC.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

A novel method of preparing G. xylinus inoculum in shaken culture was developed, featuring high biomass, absence of mutants and no BC entanglements. Cellulase or CMC added into the medium completely suppressed mutation of G. xylinus, and CMC facilitated to form colloidal BC with the low DP in shaken culture, indicating less BC stress to cells. These findings suggested the mutation could be induced by BC stress, and not by shear stress commonly accepted.

A novel HLA-B allele, HLA-B*56:40

HLA-B*56:40 allele differs from B*56:01:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution at position 874.

Identification of a novel HLA-B*40 allele, HLA-B*40:229, in a Chinese individual

The novel HLA-B*40:229 allele shows one nucleotide difference from B*40:02:01 in exon 2 at nucleotide position 97 (C → T).

Identification of a novel HLA-A*24 variant allele, A*24:02:60

HLA-A*24:02:60 allele differs from A*24:02:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution at nt 564 from C to T.

Identification of a novel HLA-B*40 allele, HLA-B*40:210, in a Chinese individual

The newly detected HLA-B*40:210 allele has two nucleotide changes in exon 2 compared to B*40:49 allele.

First Report of Tomato mottle mosaic virus Infection of Pepper in China

Tomato mottle mosaic virus (ToMMV), a tentative member in genus Tobamovirus, was first reported from a greenhouse tomato sample collected in Mexico in 2013 (2). In August 2013, foliar mottle, shrinking, and necrosis were observed on pepper plants in several vegetable greenhouses of Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Seven symptomatic samples were collected and tested by dot-blot ELISA with antisera against Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, Tomato spotted wilt virus, Turnip mosaic virus, and Broad bean wilt virus 2 (kindly provided by Dr. Xueping Zhou of Zhejiang University, China) (3). One of the bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var. grossum) samples reacted with the TMV antibody. Rod-shaped virus particles 300 nm in length were observed in this sample under electron microscopy. The results suggested that a tobamovirus closely related to TMV might be a causal agent. Total nucleic acids were then extracted from all seven samples using a CTAB method (1) and tested by RT-PCR using a pair of tobamovirus degenerate primers, TobamoF (GCWAAGGTKGTWYTBGTRGAYGG) and TobamoR (GTAATTGCTATTGDGTWCCWGC). These two primers were designed according to a conserved region of the TMV, Tomato mosaic virus, and ToMMV genomes (nt 2551-3433 of ToMMV genome [KF477193]). An amplicon of approximately 880 bp was obtained only from the TMV-positive sample. The amplicon was cloned and sequenced (GenBank Accession No. KJ605653). NCBI BLAST search showed that it shared the highest identity (99%) with ToMMV (KF477193), and shared the sequence homology of 82% to Tomato mosaic virus (AF332868) and 77% to TMV (V01408). The results indicated that the symptomatic pepper was infected with ToMMV. To investigate the distribution and incidence of ToMMV, 313 samples of symptomatic pepper, tomato, pumpkin, cucumber, radish, Chinese cabbage, broad bean, pea, and kidney bean samples were collected from 65 fields in Yunnan Province and Tibet Autonomous Region, and tested in RT-PCR with ToMMV-specific primers ToMMVF (AGAGAGATGGCGATAGGTTAAC, identical to nt 830-851 of ToMMV genome, GenBank Accession No. KF477193) and ToMMVR (CTGCAGTCATAGGATCTACTTC, complementary to nt1849-1828). The virus was detected in three tabasco peppers (C. frutescens) from Yunnan and one bell pepper plant from Tibet, suggesting that ToMMV has a restricted host range and is not common in these two regions. To our knowledge, this is the first report of natural infection of ToMMV in peppers as well as in China. References: (1) R. Li et al. J. Virol. Methods 154:48, 2008. (2) R. Li et al. Genome Announc. 1(5):e00794-13, 2013. (3) Y. Xie et al. Virol. J. 10:142, 2013.

Correlated energy-spread removal with space charge for high-harmonic generation

We study the effect of longitudinal space charge on the correlated energy spread of a relativistic high-brightness electron beam that has been density modulated for the emission of coherent, high-harmonic radiation. We show that, in the case of electron bunching induced by a laser modulator followed by a dispersive chicane, longitudinal space charge forces can act to strongly reduce the induced energy modulation of the beam without a significant reduction in the harmonic bunching content. This effect may be optimized to enhance the output power and overall performance of free-electron lasers that produce coherent light through high-gain harmonic generation. It also increases the harmonic number achievable in these devices, which are otherwise gain-limited by the induced energy modulation from the laser.

A new human leukocyte antigen class I allele: HLA-A*11:125

HLA-A*11:125 allele differs from A*11:01:01 by one nucleotide substitution at nt 140 from T to C.

Non-viral FoxM1 gene delivery to hepatocytes enhances liver repopulation

Hepatocyte transplantation as a substitute strategy of orthotopic liver transplantation is being studied for treating end-stage liver diseases. Several technical hurdles must be overcome in order to achieve the therapeutic liver repopulation, such as the problem of insufficient expansion of the transplanted hepatocytes in recipient livers. In this study, we analyzed the application of FoxM1, a cell-cycle regulator, to enhance the proliferation capacity of hepatocytes. The non-viral sleeping beauty (SB) transposon vector carrying FoxM1 gene was constructed for delivering FoxM1 into the hepatocytes. The proliferation capacities of hepatocytes with FoxM1 expression were examined both in vivo and in vitro. Results indicated that the hepatocytes with FoxM1 expression had a higher proliferation rate than wild-type (WT) hepatocytes in vitro. In comparison with WT hepatocytes, the hepatocytes with FoxM1 expression had an enhanced level of liver repopulation in the recipient livers at both sub-acute injury (fumaryl acetoacetate hydrolase (Fah)^–/– mice model) and acute injury (2/3 partial hepatectomy mice model). Importantly, there was no increased risk of tumorigenicity with FoxM1 expression in recipients even after serial transplantation. In conclusion, expression of FoxM1 in hepatocytes enhanced the capacity of liver repopulation without inducing tumorigenesis. FoxM1 gene delivered by non-viral SB vector into hepatocytes may be a viable approach to promote therapeutic repopulation after hepatocyte transplantation.

Abstract P6-06-35: Invasive lobular cancer versus mixed invasive lobular cancer with invasive ductal cancer: 20 year outcomes at one institution

Introduction: Conflicting reports exist regarding characteristics and outcomes of patients with only invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) and mixed invasive lobular and ductal carcinoma (ILC/IDC). The purpose of this project is to report experience of 20 year cohort at one institution.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with ILC between 1990 and 2010 were divided into two groups: ILC alone and ILC/IDC. Patient demographics, history, diagnosis and treatment modalities, and outcomes were captured. Chi-square, log-rank, and Wilcoxon rank sums tests were utilized for statistical analysis. P &lt; 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: In 189 AJCC Stage I-III patients, ILC was identified in 149 (79%) and ILC/IDC in 39 (21%). ILC stage was I, II, III in 46 (31%), 57 (41%), 32 (21%) ILC, and ILC/IDC was 17 (44%), 16 (41%), 4 (10%). Median age (range) at diagnosis was 64 (31-88) for ILC and 64 (35-84) years for ILC/IDC (p = 0.78). Median largest tumor diameter was 22 (range 1-100) in ILC, and 20 (range 2-110) mm in ILC/IDC (p = 0.97). Seventy-eight (52%) and 20 (51%) were diagnosed with ILC and ILC/IDC clinically, and 58 (39%) and 15 (38%) were diagnosed with ILC and ILC/IDC radiographically (p = 0.96). Treatment modalities were mastectomy and breast conservation therapy in 82(55%) and 67(45%) of patients with ILC, 18 (46%) and 21 (54%) of patients with ILC/IDC (p = 0.32). In 136 (91%) ILC and 33 (85%) ILC/IDC patients who had nodal evaluation/excision, 59 (43%) ILC and 12 (36%) ILC/IDC patients presented with positive nodal status. ER, PR, and HER2 status were positive in 132 (89%), 104 (70%), 7 (5%) ILC, and 29 (74%), 26 (67%), 3 (8%) ILC/IDC patients respectively (p = 0.02, p = 0.85, p = 0.17).

Median (range) follow-up for ILC was 6.1 (&lt; 1-22.3), and 8.0 (1.72-17.7) years for ILC/IDC (p = 0.03). At the time of analysis, 43(29%) patients with ILC, and 11(28%) patients with ILC/IDC had expired (p = 0.94). Median (range) follow-up for patients who were alive at time of analysis was 6.8 (&lt;1-20.7) years for ILC, and10.1 (2.3-17.7) years for ILC/IDC (p = 0.06). Time to first recurrence was 3.23 (0.8-17.0) years in ILC, and 5.2 (2.9-9.3) years in ILC/IDC (p = 0.20). Recurrence was identified in 33(22%) ILC: 15(46%) locoregional and18 (54%) distant disease. Similarly, recurrence was found in 7 (20%) ILC/IDC patients: 4 locoregional and 3 distant. Most locoregional recurrences, 12/15 (80%), occurred in the ipsilateral breast in ILC, and 3/4 (75%) in ILC/IDC (p = 0.82). Five years disease free survival rates were 76% ILC and 85% for ILC/IDC, and 10 years rates were 63% for ILC and 67% for ILC/IDC (p = 0.4941). Overall survival estimates at 5 years were 84% for ILC and 92% for ILC/IDC, and at 10 years were 65% for ILC and 74% for ILC/IDC (p = 0.52).

Conclusion: While basic demographics and survival patterns did not differ statistically between ILC and ILC/IDC, pure ILC histology tends to carry a higher risk of recurrence, as well as worse disease free and overall survival compared to ILC/IDC. ILC histology was more likely to be ER positive, present with advanced stage, and recur in the ipsilateral breast than the contralateral breast.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P6-06-35.

Generation of coherent broadband photon pulses with a cascaded longitudinal space-charge amplifier

The longitudinal space-charge amplifier has been recently proposed by Schneidmiller and Yurkov as an alternative to the free-electron laser instability for the generation of intense broadband radiation pulses [Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 13, 110701 (2010)]. In this Letter, we report on the experimental demonstration of a cascaded longitudinal space-charge amplifier at optical wavelengths. Although seeded by electron beam shot noise, the strong compression of the electron beam along the three amplification stages leads to emission of coherent undulator radiation pulses exhibiting a single spectral spike and a single transverse mode. The on-axis gain is estimated to exceed 4 orders of magnitude with respect to spontaneous emission.

Demonstration of cascaded optical inverse free-electron laser accelerator

We report on a proof-of-principle demonstration of a two-stage cascaded optical inverse free-electron laser (IFEL) accelerator in which an electron beam is accelerated by a strong laser pulse after being packed into optical microbunches by a weaker initial laser pulse. We show experimentally that injection of precisely prepared optical microbunches into an IFEL allows net acceleration or deceleration of the beam, depending on the relative phase of the two laser pulses. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with simulation. The demonstrated technique holds great promise to significantly improve the beam quality of IFELs and may have a strong impact on emerging laser accelerators driven by high-power optical lasers.

Radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis from gastric cancer

AIMS

Several studies have reported the benefit of hepatic resection for metastatic tumor from gastric cancer. However, the value of treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has not been clearly defined.

METHODS

Between Jan 2002 and Dec 2007, 21 patients with primary gastric cancer were diagnosed with synchronous or metachronous liver metastases. All patients were treated with RFA, and the complication, survival, and recurrence rates were assessed.

RESULTS

The postoperative complication rate was 5% (1/21), with no mortality. The median actuarial survival time was 14 months. The 1-yr, 2-yr, 3-yr, and 5-yr survival rates after RFA were 70%, 11%, 5%, and 3%, respectively. With a median follow-up time of 19 months, local recurrence at the RFA site was 19% (4/21). Solitary metastasis had significantly longer survival than multiple lesions after RFA (22 vs 10 months, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

RFA provides a minimally invasive and safe modality of treatment patients with liver metastasis from gastric cancer. Patients with solitary liver lesion were considered appropriate candidates for RFA.

Radiofrequency ablation for liver metastasis from gastric cancer

AIMS

Several studies have reported the benefit of hepatic resection for metastatic tumor from gastric cancer. However, the value of treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has not been clearly defined.

METHODS

Between Jan 2002 and Dec 2007, 21 patients with primary gastric cancer were diagnosed with synchronous or metachronous liver metastases. All patients were treated with RFA, and the complication, survival, and recurrence rates were assessed.

RESULTS

The postoperative complication rate was 5% (1/21), with no mortality. The median actuarial survival time was 14 months. The 1-yr, 2-yr, 3-yr, and 5-yr survival rates after RFA were 70%, 11%, 5%, and 3%, respectively. With a median follow-up time of 19 months, local recurrence at the RFA site was 19% (4/21). Solitary metastasis had significantly longer survival than multiple lesions after RFA (22 vs 10 months, P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

RFA provides a minimally invasive and safe modality of treatment patients with liver metastasis from gastric cancer. Patients with solitary liver lesion were considered appropriate candidates for RFA.

Anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with β-glucans: a novel anti-cancer immunotherapy

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have greatly advanced the field of anti-cancer immunotherapy and have made a major impact in clinical medicine. While more mAbs have been approved by the FDA and entered into the clinical therapeutic arena with indications to treat various solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, extensive efforts have also been made to make mAb therapy more effective. Combination therapy of anti-tumor mAbs with chemotherapeutic drugs has been widely used in the clinical patient care. In addition, many immune stimulating agents have been specifically studied for this very purpose. One compound in particular, β-glucan, has shown very promising and exciting results in pre-clinical animal models and early phase human clinical trials. β-Glucans are naturally occurring, abundant polysaccharides with different structures that can be extracted and purified from fungi, bacteria, oats and barley. The active components of yeast-derived β-glucan exert their unique immune stimulating functions by binding specifically to complement receptor 3 (CR3) via lectin-like domain (LLD) and activating CR3 to promote cellular cytotoxicity of iC3b-coated cancer cells. In addition, particulate yeast-derived β-glucan stimulates both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses. This review covers the anti-cancer mechanisms of anti-tumor mAbs and β-glucans, the pre-clinical studies done with β-glucans in conjunction with anti-tumor mAbs in human carcinoma xenograft models, and the preliminary results of human clinical trials with different β-glucans, as well as those of phase I/II and III studies using the combination of yeast-derived soluble β-glucan and anti-tumor mAbs.

Single-shot coherent diffraction imaging of microbunched relativistic electron beams for free-electron laser applications

With the advent of coherent x rays provided by the x-ray free-electron laser (FEL), strong interest has been kindled in sophisticated diffraction imaging techniques. In this Letter, we exploit such techniques for the diagnosis of the density distribution of the intense electron beams typically utilized in an x-ray FEL itself. We have implemented this method by analyzing the far-field coherent transition radiation emitted by an inverse-FEL microbunched electron beam. This analysis utilizes an oversampling phase retrieval method on the transition radiation angular spectrum to reconstruct the transverse spatial distribution of the electron beam. This application of diffraction imaging represents a significant advance in electron beam physics, having critical applications to the diagnosis of high-brightness beams, as well as the collective microbunching instabilities afflicting these systems.

Abstract P1-07-04: Comparison of HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using automated imaging system and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). A retrospective analysis of 2853 cases

Background: Accurate assessment of HER2 status is critical for selecting patients who will benefit from trastuzumab therapy. There is still no consensus regarding the optimal method to assess HER2 status. Computerized image analysis has been shown to provide a more accurate and objective way for quantification of HER2 expression by IHC than manual evaluation. It has been suggested that the use of image analysis may help to resolve some of the discrepancies between IHC and FISH assay.

We compared the results of HER2 expression by IHC using automated image analysis with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) assay.

Design: Testing for HER2 expression by IHC and FISH was performed on 2853 specimens at UT Southwestern Medical Center between the years 2002 to 2011. Quantification of IHC HER2 expression was done by image analysis and scored as positive (&gt;2.0), borderline (1.5 to 2.0) and negative. (&lt;1.5). The PathVysion kit was used for FISH assay to evaluate HER2 amplification. Ratios &gt;2.0, 1.8 to 2.0 and &lt;1.8 were defined positive, borderline and negative amplification respectively.

Results: IHC compared to FISH

Generating periodic terahertz structures in a relativistic electron beam through frequency down-conversion of optical lasers

We report generation of density modulation at terahertz (THz) frequencies in a relativistic electron beam through laser modulation of the beam longitudinal phase space. We show that by modulating the energy distribution of the beam with two lasers, density modulation at the difference frequency of the two lasers can be generated after the beam passes through a chicane. In this experiment, density modulation around 10 THz was generated by down-converting the frequencies of an 800 nm laser and a 1550 nm laser. The central frequency of the density modulation can be tuned by varying the laser wavelengths, beam energy chirp, or momentum compaction of the chicane. This technique can be applied to accelerator-based light sources for generation of coherent THz radiation and marks a significant advance toward tunable narrow band THz sources.

Evidence of high harmonics from echo-enabled harmonic generation for seeding x-ray free electron lasers

Echo-enabled harmonic generation free electron lasers hold great promise for the generation of fully coherent radiation in x-ray wavelengths. Here we report the first evidence of high harmonics from the echo-enabled harmonic generation technique in the realistic scenario where the laser energy modulation is comparable to the beam slice energy spread. In this experiment, coherent radiation at the seventh harmonic of the second seed laser is generated when the energy modulation amplitude is about 2-3 times the slice energy spread. The experiment confirms the underlying physics of echo-enabled harmonic generation and may have a strong impact on emerging seeded x-ray free electron lasers that are capable of generating laserlike x rays which will advance many areas of science.