Measurement of the Cross Sections of Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} Baryons and of the Branching-Fraction Ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+}) in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The p_{T}-differential cross sections of prompt charm-strange baryons Ξ_{c}^{0} and Ξ_{c}^{+} were measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=13  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The Ξ_{c}^{0} baryon was reconstructed via both the semileptonic decay (Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e}) and the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}) channels. The Ξ_{c}^{+} baryon was reconstructed via the hadronic decay (Ξ^{-}π^{+}π^{+}) channel. The branching-fraction ratio BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}e^{+}ν_{e})/BR(Ξ_{c}^{0}→Ξ^{-}π^{+})=1.38±0.14(stat)±0.22(syst) was measured with a total uncertainty reduced by a factor of about 3 with respect to the current world average reported by the Particle Data Group. The transverse momentum (p_{T}) dependence of the Ξ_{c}^{0}- and Ξ_{c}^{+}-baryon production relative to the D^{0} meson and to the Σ_{c}^{0,+,++}- and Λ_{c}^{+}-baryon production are reported. The baryon-to-meson ratio increases toward low p_{T} up to a value of approximately 0.3. The measurements are compared with various models that take different hadronization mechanisms into consideration. The results provide stringent constraints to these theoretical calculations and additional evidence that different processes are involved in charm hadronization in electron-positron (e^{+}e^{-}) and hadronic collisions.

[Value of purple sign for predicting rebleeding events in cirrhotic patients following endoscopic selective varices devascularization]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the value of the purple sign for predicting long-term rebleeding events in cirrhotic patients following endoscopic selective varices devascularization.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 97 patients with liver cirrhosis, who had a history of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding and underwent endoscopic selective varices devascularization. Thirty-two of the patients showed purple sign after endoscopic treatment. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to minimize the selection bias of the patients (purple sign vs no purple sign) and reduce the intergroup differences of clinical characteristics. The primary outcome measure of this study was cumulative rebleeding events after endoscopic selective varices devascularization.

RESULTS

The 1-year rebleeding rate (27.0% vs 36.7%) or 6-month rebleeding rate (10.9% vs 26.9%) following endoscopic treatment was not significantly different between the purple sign group and no purple sign group before PSM (P=0.2385). But after PSM, the 1-year rebleeding rate (28.2% vs 56.4%) and 6-month rebleeding rate (5.0% vs 37.0%) were significantly lower in the purple sign group than in the no purple sign group (P=0.0304).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of purple sign indicates a lower risk of rebleeding after endoscopic treatment of cirrhotic gastroesophageal varices and a potentially favorable treatment response after endoscopic therapy, thus providing a clinical indicator for stratification of the patients for sequential endoscopic sessions.

Integrated analysis of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing reveals a frameshift mutation associated with recessive embryonic lethality in Holstein cattle

Embryo loss is an important factor affecting fertility in dairy production. HH2 was identified as a haplotype on chromosome 1 associated with embryonic lethality in Holstein cattle. In the current study, both short- and long-read WGS was performed on four carriers and four non-carriers of HH2 to screen for variants in concordance with HH2 haplotype status. Sequence variation analysis revealed five putative functional variants of protein-coding genes, including a frameshift mutation (g.107172616delT) in intraflagellar transport protein 80 (IFT80) gene. Transcriptome analysis of whole blood indicated that no gene exhibited significantly differential expression or allele-specific expression between carriers and non-carriers in the candidate region. This evidence points to g.107172616delT as the highest priority causative mutation for HH2. Protein prediction reveals that the frameshift mutation results in a premature stop codon to reduce the peptide chain from 760 to 383 amino acids and greatly alters the structure and function of IFT80 protein. Our results demonstrate that the use of a combination of multiple high-throughput sequencing technologies is an efficient strategy to screen for the candidate causative mutations responsible for Mendelian traits, including genetic disorders.

Λ_{c}^{+} Production and Baryon-to-Meson Ratios in pp and p-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV at the LHC

The prompt production of the charm baryon Λ_{c}^{+} and the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} production ratios were measured at midrapidity with the ALICE detector in pp and p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. These new measurements show a clear decrease of the Λ_{c}^{+}/D^{0} ratio with increasing transverse momentum (p_{T}) in both collision systems in the range 2<p_{T}<12  GeV/c, exhibiting similarities with the light-flavor baryon-to-meson ratios p/π and Λ/K_{S}^{0}. At low p_{T}, predictions that include additional color-reconnection mechanisms beyond the leading-color approximation, assume the existence of additional higher-mass charm-baryon states, or include hadronization via coalescence can describe the data, while predictions driven by charm-quark fragmentation processes measured in e^{+}e^{-} and e^{-}p collisions significantly underestimate the data. The results presented in this Letter provide significant evidence that the established assumption of universality (colliding-system independence) of parton-to-hadron fragmentation is not sufficient to describe charm-baryon production in hadronic collisions at LHC energies.

Fine mapping of a heading date QTL, Se16(t), under extremely long day conditions in rice

Heading date (flowering time) is a key trait that determines the yield and the adaptability of rice varieties. In the past 20 years, a number of genetic studies have been carried out to elucidate the genetic control of rice heading date, and many important genes have been cloned. These genes were identified under natural day (ND) conditions; however, little is known about the heading behavior under extreme day-length conditions. In this study, we identified a japonica variety, Sasanishiki, that showed sensitivity to extremely long days (ELD). Its heading date was significantly delayed for about 20 days under artificial ELD conditions that were achieved by setting a light emitting diode (LED) lamp beside a paddy field. We found that the late heading phenotype of Sasanishiki was induced when the day length was more than 14.75 h, and the LED light intensity was above 2 µmol m-2 s-1. Genetic analysis revealed that the photoperiod sensitivity of Sasanishiki was controlled by a dominant locus, temporarily named Se16(t). It was fine mapped to a 30.4-kb interval on chromosome 3, containing five predicted genes, including PHYC, a phytochrome encoding gene of rice. Our findings provide new information on the heading date under ELD conditions in rice.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-021-01263-8.

NUT Midline Carcinoma Mimics Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Introduction/Objective

NUT carcinoma (NC) is an extremely rare, aggressive subtype of squamous cell carcinoma defined by rearrangement of the NUTM1 (aka NUT) gene. NC most commonly arises within the thorax and head and neck and predominantly affects teens and young adults. For the first time, we described a rare case of NC mimics anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Methods/Case Report

A 27-year female with no significant past medical history presented with neck pain and swelling for a few months and was noted to have a “thyroid” mass. An ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of the mass showed a hypercellular specimen composed of highly atypical epithelial cells with irregular nuclear membrane and prominent nucleolus, high nuclear to cytoplasmic ration, dense cytoplasm, lying singly or in flat sheet mixed with acute inflammatory exudate (Fig. A, B). No thyroid follicular cells or colloid are present. It was signed out as suspicious for squamous cell carcinoma since there was no cell block for further workup. A following excisional biopsy demonstrated similar atypical epithelium detached or embedded in skeletal muscle and soft tissue with acute, chronic inflammation and necrosis (Fig C). By immunohistochemical stains, the atypical cells are positive for p40 (Fig D) and p53. The Ki-67 proliferation index is ranging from 40 % to 70 %. Scattered tumor cells are weakly positive for PAX-8 and TTF-1. These findings raise the possibility that the squamous cell carcinoma might be a component of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. However, molecular studies revealed a NSD3-NUTM1 fusion, which is characteristically identified in a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma know as NUT “midline” carcinoma.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA

Conclusion

Diagnosis of NC can be established by positive NUT nuclear immunohistochemical staining. Recognizing the typical morphology and keeping low threshold for the NUT immunohistochemical staining will increase the diagnostic efficacy.

Experimental Evidence for an Attractive p-ϕ Interaction

This Letter presents the first experimental evidence of the attractive strong interaction between a proton and a ϕ meson. The result is obtained from two-particle correlations of combined p-ϕ⊕ p[over ¯]-ϕ pairs measured in high-multiplicity pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the ALICE Collaboration. The spin-averaged scattering length and effective range of the p-ϕ interaction are extracted from the fully corrected correlation function employing the Lednický-Lyuboshits approach. In particular, the imaginary part of the scattering length vanishes within uncertainties, indicating that inelastic processes do not play a prominent role for the p-ϕ interaction. These data demonstrate that the interaction is dominated by elastic p-ϕ scattering. Furthermore, an analysis employing phenomenological Gaussian- and Yukawa-type potentials is conducted. Under the assumption of the latter, the N-ϕ coupling constant is found to be g_{N-ϕ}=0.14±0.03(stat)±0.02(syst). This work provides valuable experimental input to accomplish a self-consistent description of the N-ϕ interaction, which is particularly relevant for the more fundamental studies on partial restoration of chiral symmetry in nuclear medium.

[A brief talk on the diagnostic principle for inherited metabolic liver disease in adult]

There are many types of inherited metabolic liver diseases, with diverse and non-specific clinical manifestations. Therefore, the problem of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis is more prominent in clinical practice, and it is a problematic issue encountered by clinicians. The dependency of diagnosis is on comprehensive analysis of clinical manifestations, laboratory, imaging, liver biopsy, and genetic examinations. This article reviews the diagnostic principle for inherited metabolic liver disease in adult.

Tafasitamab for refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a common lymphoproliferative and invasive disease. The current first-line regimen for the treatment of DLBCL is R-CHOP, which is the combination of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone. R-CHOP has significantly improved the outcome of DLBCL in the last decades. However, 30-40% of patients fail the therapy with R-CHOP. Salvage chemotherapy for relapsed/refractory DLBCL (R/R DLBCL) is extremely challenging, especially in elderly patients. In July 2020, a new monoclonal antibody, tafasitamab, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States for the treatment of DLBCL. Tafasitamab is an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody which is Fc-enhanced and humanized. CD19 is typically expressed in the developing B cells in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Tafasitamab has been proven to be a safe and valid treatment and recommended to be used in combination with lenalidomide in adults with R/R DLBCL who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). This article evaluates the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, mechanism of action and the clinical application of tafasitamab in the treatment of DLBCL, particularly in R/R DLBCL. The advantages and disadvantages of using tafasitamab and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) targeting CD19 are also discussed.

Toxicologic effect and transcriptome analysis for short-term orally dosed enrofloxacin combined with two veterinary antimicrobials on rat liver

Presently, toxicological assessment of multiple veterinary antimicrobials has not been performed on mammals. In this study, we assessed the short-term toxicity of enrofloxacin (E) combined with colistin (C) and quinocetone (Q). Young male rats were orally dosed drug mixtures and single drugs in 14 consecutive days, each at the dose of 20, 80, and 400 mg/(kg·BW) for environmental toxicologic study. The results showed that at the high dose treatment, the combination of E + C+Q significantly decreased body intake, lymphocytes count on rats; significantly increased the values of Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (AST) and, cholinesterase (CHE); it also got the severest histopathological changes, where sinusoidal congestion and a large number of black particles in sinusoids were observed. This means E + C+Q in the high dose groups was able to cause significant damage to the liver. Other combinations or doses did not induce significant liver damage. Transcriptome analysis was then performed on rats in high dose group for further research. For E + C and E + Q, an amount of 375 and 480 differently expressed genes were filtered out, revealing their possible underlying effect on genomes. For E + C+Q, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed and 96 hub genes were identified to reveal the specific effect induced by this combination. This study indicates that joint toxicity should be taken into consideration when involving the risk assessment of these antimicrobials.

Multiharmonic Correlations of Different Flow Amplitudes in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=2.76 TeV

The event-by-event correlations between three flow amplitudes are measured for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, using higher-order symmetric cumulants. We find that different three-harmonic correlations develop during the collective evolution of the medium when compared to correlations that exist in the initial state. These new results cannot be interpreted in terms of previous lower-order flow measurements since contributions from two-harmonic correlations are explicitly removed in the new observables. A comparison to Monte Carlo simulations provides new and independent constraints for the initial conditions and system properties of nuclear matter created in heavy-ion collisions.

P-798 Fertility preservation in pre-pubertal boys with cancer: A three-dimensional prepubertal testicular organoid for in vitro spermatogonial stem cell propagation and spermatogenesis

Study question

Can a three-dimensional (3D) prepubertal testicular organoid be formed and provide an in vitro microenvironment for spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintenance and future spermatogenesis?

Summary answer

Primary cells extracted from immature testicular tissue (ITT) or SSCs can be grown long-term as 3D organoids, providing the potential for in vitro study.

What is known already

Aggressive cancer treatments, such as chemo- or radiotherapy, can leave young prepubertal boys infertile. Such patients are recommended to undergo the cryopreservation of testicular material to protect future fertility. Within the testes, the specialized 3D structure and direct cell-to-cell interactions play a critical role in the proliferation and development of SSCs. Over recent decades, 3D culture systems and organoids have been used to culture cells in vitro, however, a system that allows investigations into testicular organogenesis in vitro, and its impact on the SSC niche, has yet to be developed.

Study design, size, duration

This study aims to develop a 3D organoid culture system to support the proliferation of SSCs and spermatogenesis. Primary bovine ITT cells and enriched SSCs were isolated and 3D organoids were generated by in vitro culture for up to 40 days. Organoid formation was observed after using different foundation cells seeded at different densities and cultured in medium containing gonadotropic supplements.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Post-thaw bovine ITTs (2 weeks-of-age) were dissociated using two-step enzymatic digestion. Enriched SSCs were selected by Percoll gradients and differential plating. Viability and apoptosis were evaluated by trypan blue staining and TUNEL assays, respectively. SSCs were evaluated immunocytochemically for germ-cell markers (PGP-9.5, PLZF) and Sertoli cell markers (Vimentin, Sox9). Expression levels of SSCs and spermatogenesis-related genes (Plzf, Gfrα-1, Nanog, Oct4, Stra8, Thy1) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Main results and the role of chance

The viability of digested cells from thawed ITTs was 78.667% ± 2.03. Total testicular cells (&lt;10% SSCs) and enriched SSCs(&gt;50% SSCs) were observed to self-assemble into structurally complex organoids recapitulating the cell type compartmentalization of the testis, in a 3D Matrigel-based culture system with 10% knockout serum replacement (KSR) culture medium, but not with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS) medium. Testicular organoids were found to exhibit either a grape-like structure and a round-shape structure. Cytoplasmic extensions of spermatogonia/Sertoli cells were in contact with each other within a forming colony. Organoids were formed faster and larger when seeded at a final concentration of 1.5 × 106 cells/ml, compared to 5 × 105 cells/ml and 1.5 × 105 cells/ml. Organoids grew to a diameter of 400 μm within 10 - 15 days and were passaged by mechanical disruption at a ratio of 1:3 every 7 - 10 days. Immunocytochemistry results showed that clusters of PGP9.5 and PLZF-positive cells were present within the organoids. The expression of selected germ cell and spermatogenesis markers in the testicular organoids closely resembled that of primary testicular cells for up to 20 days of culture.

Limitations, reasons for caution

We used calves (2 weeks-of-age) as an animal model to study testicular organoids. This tissue may act differently than human tissues and may not fully represent prepuberty. Furthermore, we only evaluated gene expression levels for selected markers that may not represent the full functional capability of germ cells.

Wider implications of the findings

Testicular organoids, as an in vitro bioengineering testicular model, could potentially be used to study testicular tissue development, cellular interactions, endocrinology, and spermatogenesis, in the laboratory but may also be applied for clinical purposes in the future.

Trial registration number

University of Oxford

P–798 Fertility preservation in pre-pubertal boys with cancer: A three-dimensional prepubertal testicular organoid for in vitro spermatogonial stem cell propagation and spermatogenesis

Study question

Can a three-dimensional (3D) prepubertal testicular organoid be formed and provide an in vitro microenvironment for spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) maintenance and future spermatogenesis?

Summary answer

Primary cells extracted from immature testicular tissue (ITT) or SSCs can be grown long-term as 3D organoids, providing the potential for in vitro study.

What is known already

Aggressive cancer treatments, such as chemo- or radiotherapy, can leave young prepubertal boys infertile. Such patients are recommended to undergo the cryopreservation of testicular material to protect future fertility. Within the testes, the specialized 3D structure and direct cell-to-cell interactions play a critical role in the proliferation and development of SSCs. Over recent decades, 3D culture systems and organoids have been used to culture cells in vitro, however, a system that allows investigations into testicular organogenesis in vitro, and its impact on the SSC niche, has yet to be developed.

Study design, size, duration

This study aims to develop a 3D organoid culture system to support the proliferation of SSCs and spermatogenesis. Primary bovine ITT cells and enriched SSCs were isolated and 3D organoids were generated by in vitro culture for up to 40 days. Organoid formation was observed after using different foundation cells seeded at different densities and cultured in medium containing gonadotropic supplements.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Post-thaw bovine ITTs (2 weeks-of-age) were dissociated using two-step enzymatic digestion. Enriched SSCs were selected by Percoll gradients and differential plating. Viability and apoptosis were evaluated by trypan blue staining and TUNEL assays, respectively. SSCs were evaluated immunocytochemically for germ-cell markers (PGP–9.5, PLZF) and Sertoli cell markers (Vimentin, Sox9). Expression levels of SSCs and spermatogenesis-related genes (Plzf, Gfrα–1, Nanog, Oct4, Stra8, Thy1) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Main results and the role of chance

The viability of digested cells from thawed ITTs was 78.667% ± 2.03. Total testicular cells (&lt;10% SSCs) and enriched SSCs(&gt;50% SSCs) were observed to self-assemble into structurally complex organoids recapitulating the cell type compartmentalization of the testis, in a 3D Matrigel-based culture system with 10% knockout serum replacement (KSR) culture medium, but not with 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS) medium. Testicular organoids were found to exhibit either a grape-like structure and a round-shape structure. Cytoplasmic extensions of spermatogonia/Sertoli cells were in contact with each other within a forming colony. Organoids were formed faster and larger when seeded at a final concentration of 1.5 × 106 cells/ml, compared to 5 × 105 cells/ml and 1.5 × 105 cells/ml. Organoids grew to a diameter of 400 μm within 10 - 15 days and were passaged by mechanical disruption at a ratio of 1:3 every 7 - 10 days. Immunocytochemistry results showed that clusters of PGP9.5 and PLZF-positive cells were present within the organoids. The expression of selected germ cell and spermatogenesis markers in the testicular organoids closely resembled that of primary testicular cells for up to 20 days of culture.

Limitations, reasons for caution

We used calves (2 weeks-of-age) as an animal model to study testicular organoids. This tissue may act differently than human tissues and may not fully represent prepuberty. Furthermore, we only evaluated gene expression levels for selected markers that may not represent the full functional capability of germ cells.

Wider implications of the findings: Testicular organoids, as an in vitro bioengineering testicular model, could potentially be used to study testicular tissue development, cellular interactions, endocrinology, and spermatogenesis, in the laboratory but may also be applied for clinical purposes in the future.

Trial registration number

University of Oxford

Soft-Dielectron Excess in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A measurement of dielectron production in proton-proton (pp) collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC, is presented in this Letter. The data set was recorded with a reduced magnetic solenoid field. This enables the investigation of a kinematic domain at low dielectron (ee) invariant mass m_{ee} and pair transverse momentum p_{T,ee} that was previously inaccessible at the LHC. The cross section for dielectron production is studied as a function of m_{ee}, p_{T,ee}, and event multiplicity dN_{ch}/dη. The expected dielectron rate from hadron decays, called hadronic cocktail, utilizes a parametrization of the measured η/π^{0} ratio in pp and proton-nucleus collisions, assuming that this ratio shows no strong dependence on collision energy at low transverse momentum. Comparison of the measured dielectron yield to the hadronic cocktail at 0.15<m_{ee}<0.6  GeV/c^{2} and for p_{T,ee}<0.4  GeV/c indicates an enhancement of soft dielectrons, reminiscent of the "anomalous" soft-photon and soft-dilepton excess in hadron-hadron collisions reported by several experiments under different experimental conditions. The enhancement factor over the hadronic cocktail amounts to 1.61±0.13(stat)±0.17(syst,data)±0.34(syst,cocktail) in the ALICE acceptance. Acceptance-corrected excess spectra in m_{ee} and p_{T,ee} are extracted and compared with calculations of dielectron production from hadronic bremsstrahlung and thermal radiation within a hadronic many-body approach.

OP0132 EFFECT OF IBERDOMIDE ON CUTANEOUS MANIFESTATIONS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: RESULTS OF A 24-WEEK, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, PHASE 2 STUDY

Background:

Iberdomide is a high-affinity cereblon ligand that promotes proteasomal degradation of Ikaros (IKZF1) and Aiolos (IKZF3), transcription factors involved in innate and adaptive immune cell development and homeostasis, and linked to the genetic risk for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A phase 2, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy and safety of iberdomide in patients (pts) with moderate to severe SLE.

Objectives:

To examine the effect of iberdomide on cutaneous manifestations in SLE pts.

Methods:

Adult autoantibody-positive SLE pts with a SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI 2K) score ≥6 were randomized (2:2:1:2) to oral iberdomide (0.45, 0.3, 0.15 mg) or placebo once daily (QD) for 24 weeks while continuing standard background lupus medications. The Cutaneous Lupus Area and Severity Index Activity score (CLASI-A) was assessed every 4 weeks through week 24. As prespecified, exploratory analyses, change from baseline and the proportion of pts who achieved ≥50% reduction from baseline (CLASI-50) were evaluated for all pts, pts with baseline CLASI-A ≥8, and by cutaneous lupus subtypes (acute [ACLE], subacute [SCLE], chronic [CCLE]). CLASI-A outcomes were also evaluated post hoc for subgroups with high baseline expression of IKZF3 or the type 1 interferon (IFN) gene signatures in the blood.

Results:

Of 288 randomized pts, the mean and median (range) baseline CLASI-A scores were 6.9 and 5.0 (0-49), with 28% of pts having a score ≥8. 56% of pts had ACLE, 29% CCLE, and 16% SCLE. CLASI-50 responses were not significantly different comparing iberdomide to placebo in all pts and pts with baseline CLASI-A ≥8 at week 24, where high placebo response rates were observed (Table). Numerically greater mean improvement from baseline in CLASI-A scores in pts with baseline CLASI-A ≥8 was observed for iberdomide 0.45 mg vs placebo beginning at week 4, with continuous improvement through week 24. For pts with SCLE or CCLE, CLASI-50 response rates were significantly higher with iberdomide 0.45 mg vs placebo (P<0.04; Table). SCLE pts had significantly greater mean change and median percent improvement in CLASI-A from baseline with iberdomide 0.45 mg vs placebo at week 24 (P<0.03). Treatment differences in CLASI-A between iberdomide 0.45 mg and placebo were larger for SCLE and CCLE subgroups with high baseline IKZF3 or type 1 IFN gene signatures, with statistical significance achieved for SCLE pts but not CCLE pts (Figure).

Table 1.

CLASI-50 Response Rates by Subgroups at Week 24

0.15 mg QD0.3 mg QD0.45 mg QD(n=42)(n=82)(n=81)PlaceboSubgroup(n=83)0.15 mg QD vs Placebo0.3 mg QD vs Placebo0.45 mg QD vs Placebon/m (%)n/m (%)Str Diff in % (95% CI)P valuen/m (%)Str Diff in % (95% CI)P valuen/m (%)Str Diff in % (95% CI)P valueAll pts37/83 (44.6)19/42 (45.2)0.4 (-17.33, 18.55) P=0.96141/82 (50.0)5.3 (-9.93, 20.11) P=0.49945/81 (55.6)10.9 (-4.30, 25.51) P=0.163CLASI-A ≥810/20 (50.0)8/13 (61.5)15.9 (-17.42, 45.45) P=0.39913/24 (54.2)12.1 (-17.57, 39.97) P=0.45816/24 (66.7)15.1 (-15.51, 42.49) P=0.368ACLE23/50 (46.0)15/30 (50.0)4.8 (-17.22, 26.31) P=0.66220/43 (46.5)-3.3 (-22.95, 16.67) P=0.73817/38 (44.7)-3.0 (-23.20, 17.65) P=0.782SCLE9/17 (52.9)5/9 (55.6)2.6a (-33.04, 36.33) P=0.9663/9 (33.3)-6.6 (-38.98, 31.86) P>0.99911/12 (91.7)38.7a(4.54, 61.75) P=0.035CCLE5/18 (27.8)7/14 (50.0)22.2a (-10.51, 50.00) P=0.19810/23 (43.5)23.8 (-6.89, 48.88) P=0.12918/29 (62.1)34.1 (4.43, 56.16) P=0.029

CI, confidence interval; Str Diff, stratified difference.

aUnstratified difference.

Conclusion:

Iberdomide showed beneficial effects on skin manifestations in pts with SLE. Efficacy appears to be more pronounced in pts with SCLE and CCLE skin subtypes, and in pts with high IKZF3 or IFN gene expression signatures.

Δ, treatment difference of adjusted means; CCLE, chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus; CLASI-A, Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index-activity score; IFN, interferon; SCLE, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus.

Acknowledgements:

This study was sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb. Professional medical writing assistance was provided by Peloton Advantage, LLC, an OPEN Health company, and funded by Bristol Myers Squibb.

Disclosure of Interests:

Victoria Werth Consultant of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Grant/research support from: Bristol Myers Squibb, Joan Merrill Consultant of: UCB, GlaxoSmithKline, AbbVie, EMD Serono, Remegen, Celgene/Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Lilly, Immupharma, Amgen, Janssen, Resolve, Alpine, Aurinia, Astellas, Alexion, and Provention, Grant/research support from: GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca, Richard Furie Consultant of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Grant/research support from: Bristol Myers Squibb, Thomas Dörner Consultant of: support for clinical studies and honoraria for scientific advice: AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Roche, Employee of: Charite Universitätsmedizin, Berlin and DRFZ Berlin, Germany, Ronald van Vollenhoven Speakers bureau: UCB, AbbVie, Galapagos, Janssen, Pfizer, Paid instructor for: support for educational programs: Pfizer, Roche, Consultant of: AstraZeneca, Biogen, Biotest, Celgene, Gilead, Servier, UCB, AbbVie, Galapagos, Janssen, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Bristol Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, UCB, Peter Lipsky Employee of: RILITE Foundation, Michael Weiswasser Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Shimon Korish Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Peter Schafer Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Mark Stern Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Zhaohui Liu Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Shaojun Tang Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Nikolay Delev Shareholder of: Bristol Myers Squibb, Employee of: Bristol Myers Squibb

Gut Barrier Proteins Mediate Liver Regulation by the Effects of Serotonin on the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been recognized as a potent pro-inflammatory mediator. Increasing the bioavailability and preventing the formation of 5-HT can reduce the inflammatory response in the body. Moreover, 5-HT is considered as an important central physiologic mediator of intestinal function by regulating intestinal motility, permeability, and other functions. The dysfunction of intestinal serotonergic system causes intestinal barrier damage and further leads to the increase of bacterial endotoxin (LPS) translocation into the liver, which contributes to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In addition, increasing the expression of serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) and decreasing the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase1 (TPH1) can relieve the symptoms of NAFLD. Tryptophan (TRP), as a precursor of 5-HT synthesis, plays an important role in gut homeostasis and energy metabolism. Previous studies have found that TRP supplementation aggravates fatty liver degeneration by producing 5-HT, which activates mTOR signaling pathway in mice fed a high fat and high fructose diet. However, recent researches reveal that TRP supplementation stabilizes the intestinal barrier damage by increasing the expression of occludin and reduces the accumulation of fatty acids in liver. Although the effects of TRP supplementation on NAFLD are not clear and the specific mechanism needs to be further explored. A better understanding of the mechanisms of 5-HT on the liver and gut may open new therapeutic strategies in NAFLD.

Elliptic Flow of Electrons from Beauty-Hadron Decays in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

The elliptic flow of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity (|y|<0.8) is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The azimuthal distribution of the particles produced in the collisions can be parametrized with a Fourier expansion, in which the second harmonic coefficient represents the elliptic flow, v_{2}. The v_{2} coefficient of electrons from beauty hadron decays is measured for the first time in the transverse momentum (p_{T}) range 1.3-6  GeV/c in the centrality class 30%-50%. The measurement of electrons from beauty-hadron decays exploits their larger mean proper decay length cτ≈500  μm compared to that of charm hadrons and most of the other background sources. The v_{2} of electrons from beauty hadron decays at midrapidity is found to be positive with a significance of 3.75  σ. The results provide insights into the degree of thermalization of beauty quarks in the medium. A model assuming full thermalization of beauty quarks is strongly disfavored by the measurement at high p_{T}, but is in agreement with the results at low p_{T}. Transport models including substantial interactions of beauty quarks with an expanding strongly interacting medium describe the measurement within uncertainties.

Risk of recurrent stillbirth: a cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the recurrence risk of stillbirth.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING AND POPULATION

All births 1992-2017, Alberta, Canada.

METHODS

Retrospective cohort study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Stillbirth was defined as the death in utero of a fetus with gestational age ≥20 weeks or weighing ≥500 g. Stillbirths were further subdivided into those occurring before labour and those in labour.

RESULTS

We identified 744 897 births from 308 478 women. Of these, 3698 women experienced a stillbirth and, of these, 97.7%, experienced only one. For women with a small-for-gestational- age stillbirth in the first birth, their risk of a subsequent antepartum stillbirth was increased substantially: 4.09%, relative risk (RR) 10.39, 95% CI 5.81-18.59. For women with a first birth appropriate-for-gestational-age stillbirth with no risk factors such as pregnancy induced hypertension, the risk with pre-existing diabetes mellitus or hypertension was also increased but to a much lesser degree (RR 2.46, 95% CI 1.23-4.91). For women who had experienced a first birth intrapartum stillbirth, the risk of another intrapartum stillbirth was very high (3.59%, RR 36.50, 95% CI 20.17-66.05). Most of these births also occurred prior to 24 weeks' gestation: 83% (10/12).

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of recurrent antepartum stillbirth is low. The increase in risk in instances where the antepartum stillbirth was not growth-restricted is not clinically meaningful. Given the very low risk in any given gestational week, fetal surveillance is unlikely to be effective and may lead to unnecessary interventions. Intrapartum stillbirth has a very high recurrence risk but may not be preventable.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Stillbirth recurrence is rare.

Medical ozone induces proliferation and migration inhibition through ROS accumulation and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB suppression in human liver cancer cells in vitro

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies and leading cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Ozone has been proposed as a promising therapeutic agent in the treatment of various disorders.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential anticancer effects of the ozone on liver cancer cells.

METHOD

The liver cancer cell line of bel7402 and SMMC7721 was used in this study. Proliferation was evaluated using the CCK-8 and the colony formation assay. Wond healing assay and transwell assay without Matrigel were used to evaluate their migration ability. Flow cytometry was used for cell cycle analysis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) determination. Glutathione detection kit was used for measurement of glutathione level. Protein expression was estimated by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Ozone treatment inhibited liver cancer cell proliferation, colony formation. Ozone induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest, which could be elucidated by the change of protein levels of p53, p21, Cyclin D1, cyclin B1, cdc2, and CDK4. We also found that ozone treatment inhibited migration ability by inhibiting EMT-relating protein. Ozone also induced ROS accumulation and decreased glutathione level decreased, which contributed to the inactivation of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway. Finally, we found that pre-treatment of liver cancer cells with N-acetylcysteine resisted ozone-induced effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Ozone restrains the proliferation and migration potential and EMT process of liver cancer cells via ROS accumulation and PI3K/AKT/NF-κB suppression.

Targeting HMGB1 inhibits T-2 toxin-induced neurotoxicity via regulation of oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis

T-2 toxin, a food-derived mycotoxin, has been identified as a neurotoxin. Nonetheless, T-2 toxin-induced neuroinflammation has never been revealed. As an important therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases and cancers, the role of high mobility group B1 (HMGB1) in mycotoxin-mediated neurotoxicity remains a mystery. In current study, we found that PC12 cells were sensitive to trace amounts of T-2 toxin less than 12 ng/mL, distinguished by decreased cell viability and increased release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage were observed in PC12 cells, manifested as accumulation of oxidative stress products, up-regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), leading to mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. Meanwhile, we first discovered that tiny amounts of T-2 toxin triggered neuroinflammation directly, including raising the expression and translocation of NF-κB and promoting secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-1β. Most interestingly, the increased of HMGB1 was detected both inside and outside the cells. Conversely, HMGB1 siRNA reduced T-2 toxin-mediated oxidative stress, apoptosis and neuroinflammatory outbreak, accompanied by lessened caspase-3 and caspase-9, and decreased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Taken together, T-2 toxin-stimulated PC12 cells simultaneously displayed apoptosis and inflammation, whereas HMGB1 played a critical role in these neurotoxic processes.

Beyond Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Care: Care Experiences of Patients Aged 25-39 Years Old in the UK National Health Service

AIMS

Adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 years with cancer face unique medical, practical and psychosocial issues. In the UK, principal treatment centres and programmes have been designed to care for teenage and young adult patients aged 13-24 years in an age-appropriate manner. However, for young adults (YAs) aged 25-39 years with cancer, little access to age-specific support is available. The aim of this study was to examine this possible gap by qualitatively exploring YA care experiences, involving patients as research partners in the analysis to ensure robust results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a phenomenological qualitative study with YAs diagnosed with any cancer type between ages 25 and 39 years old in the last 5 years. Participants took part in interviews or focus groups and data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results were shaped in an iterative process with the initial coders and four YA patients who did not participate in the study to improve the rigor of the results.

RESULTS

Sixty-five YAs with a range of tumour types participated. We identified seven themes and 13 subthemes. YAs found navigating the healthcare system difficult and commonly experienced prolonged diagnostic pathways. Participants felt under-informed about clinical details and the long-term implications of side-effects on daily life. YAs found online resources overwhelming but also a source of information and treatment support. Some patients regretted not discussing fertility before cancer treatment or felt uninformed or rushed when making fertility preservation decisions. A lack of age-tailored content or age-specific groups deterred YAs from accessing psychological support and rehabilitation services.

CONCLUSIONS

YAs with cancer may miss some benefits provided to teenagers and young adults in age-tailored cancer services. Improving services for YAs in adult settings should focus on provision of age-specific information and access to existing relevant support.

Non-viral reprogramming of human nucleus pulposus cells with FOXF1 via extracellular vesicle delivery: an in vitro and in vivo study

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is characterized by decreased cellularity and proteoglycan synthesis and increased inflammation, catabolism, and neural/vascular ingrowth. Regenerative methods for IVD degeneration are largely cell-therapy-based or involve viral vectors, which are associated with mutagenesis and undesired immune responses. The present study used bulk electroporation and engineered extracellular vesicles (EVs) to deliver forkhead-box F1 (FOXF1) mRNA to degenerate human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells as a minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for IVD regeneration. Bulk electroporation was used to investigate FOXF1 effects on human NP cells during a 4-week culture in 3D agarose constructs. Engineered EV delivery of FOXF1 into human IVD cells in monolayer was determined, with subsequent in vivo validation in a pilot mouse IVD puncture model. FOXF1 transfection significantly altered gene expression by upregulating healthy NP markers [FOXF1, keratin 19 (KRT19)], decreasing inflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, -6], catabolic enzymes [metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13)] and nerve growth factor (NGF), with significant increases in glycosaminoglycan accumulation in human NP cells. Engineered EVs loaded with FOXF1 demonstrated successful encapsulation of FOXF1 cargo and effective uptake by human NP cells cultured in monolayer. Injection of FOXF1-loaded EVs into the mouse IVD in vivo resulted in a significant upregulation of FOXF1 and Brachyury, compared to controls at 7 d post-injection, with no evidence of cytotoxicity. This is the first study to demonstrate non-viral delivery of FOXF1 and reprogramming of human NP cells in vitro and mouse IVD cells in vivo. This strategy represents a non-addictive approach for treating IVD degeneration and associated back pain.

Identification of Plant Soot as Novel Safe Feed Additive: Evaluation of 90-Day Oral Toxicity and Prenatal Developmental Toxicity in Rats

Plant soot, as a novel feed additive, could not only improve digestive function but also adsorb mycotoxins and inhibit bacterial infections. The subchronic toxicity and prenatal developmental effects of plant soot were studied for the first time. Our results indicated that there was no subchronic toxicity in the range of 2,000–50,000 mg/kg plant soot added in the feed, and there was no significant difference in reproductive function, embryo development, and teratogenicity between the pregnant rats exposed to 312.5, 1,250, and 5,000 mg/kg plant soot and the control group. The maximum no-observed effect level (NOEL) of supplemental dosage in feed could be set to 50,000 mg/kg, and the maximum intragastric NOEL could be set to 5,000 mg/kg, which preliminarily provided guidance on daily additive amount or clinical protocols for plant soot, as well as promoting the development and application of this harmless antibiotic substitutes.

[Research advances in the adverse effects of azo dyes]

China is the world's largest producer and user of dyes. The mass production and widespread use of disperse azo dyes led to environmental pollutions and potential human health risks. Azo dyes in environmental media (i.e., water, soil, air, and dust), food and clothing can enter the human body through multiple exposure routes, and some of them can be metabolized to produce more toxic metabolites, which can trigger toxic effects such as allergic reactions, tumor formation, and endocrine disruptions. This study systematically reviewed the production and use of azo dyes, environmental concentrations, human exposures, toxic effects and their underlying mechanisms, and regulations and standards. Meanwhile, the research trends of azo dyes were also discussed.

Curcumin Ameliorates Copper-Induced Neurotoxicity Through Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Apoptosis in SH-SY5Y Cells

Impaired homeostasis of copper has been linked to different pathophysiological mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases and oxidative injury has been proposed as the main mechanism. This study aims to use curcumin, a widely used antioxidative and anti-apoptotic agent, to exert the neuroprotective effect against copper in vitro and illuminate the underlying mechanism. The effect of curcumin was examined by using a cell counting kit-8 assay, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, spectrophotometer, and western blot. Results revealed that after pretreatment with curcumin for 3 h, copper-induced toxicity and apoptosis show a significant decline. Further experiments showed that curcumin not only decreased the production of ROS and MDA but also increased the activities of the ROS scavenging enzymes SOD and CAT. Moreover, curcumin treatment alleviated the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and the nuclear translocation of cytochrome c induced by copper. The protein levels of pro-caspase 3, pro-caspase 9, and PARP1 were up-regulated and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was down-regulated in the presence of curcumin. Taken together, our study demonstrates that curcumin has neuroprotective properties against copper in SH-SY5Y cells and the potential mechanisms might be related to oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis.

Beagle dog 90-day oral toxicity study of a novel coccidiostat - ethanamizuril

BACKGROUND

Triazine coccidiostats are widely used in chickens and turkeys for coccidiosis control. Ethanamizuril is a novel triazine compound that exhibits anticoccidial activity in poultry. This study was designed to evaluate the subchronic toxicity of ethanamizuril in beagle dogs at doses of 12, 60 or 300 mg/kg/day in diet for 90 days.

RESULTS

Ethanamizuril was well tolerated at low and middle dosages in beagle dogs, and no drug-related toxical effects were observaed in terms of survival, clinical observations, organs weight and damage in these dose groups. However, in high dose administration group, food consumption and histologic changes in kidneys were noticed in both sexes of beagle dog, although the renal lesions were finally resolved at the end of 4 weeks exposure of ethanamizuril.

CONCLUSIONS

No-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was considered for ethanamizuril at dose of 60 mg/kg/day in Beagle dog. This result added toxicity effects of ethanamizuril to the safety database, which might guide safely using of ethanamizuril as a novel coccidiostat.

Regional cardiac dysfunction determined by radiation dose in patients with breast cancer

Background

Subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction by 2D global longitudinal strain (GLS) immediately following radiotherapy (RT) and persisting at 12 months has been described in breast cancer (BC) patients. We hypothesised that persistent LV dysfunction may be regional and correlate with segmental RT.

Methods

Transthoracic echocardiograms were performed at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 months post-RT on 61 chemotherapy-naïve women with left sided BC.

Results

Anterior and anteroseptal regions received the highest radiation dose, and posterior and inferior segments the lowest radiation dose (Figure 1). Within each region, there was a progressive increase in the radiation dose received from base to apex. At 6 weeks, the greatest reduction in strain was observed in the anterior and anteroseptal regions, with the most significant reduction in strain in the apical segments. At 12 months, despite improvement in strain, the percentage reduction in strain was similar. There was a significant interaction between both region and segment, on the percentage change in strain at 6 weeks (p&lt;0.001) and at 12 months (p=0.007). Pairwise comparisons of apical to basal percentage change in strain demonstrated the most significant reductions in the anterior region at 6 weeks and 12 months (Table 1).

Conclusions

RT causes segmental myocardial dysfunction, with areas receiving the highest RT demonstrating the largest impairment in strain, with these changes persisting at 12 months. Long term correlation with adverse events is required.

Figure 1. Radiation dose by region and segment

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Association between MAFB rs17820943 and rs6072081 polymorphism and risk of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate: a meta-analysis

While there have been previous studies examining the relation between the rs17820943 and rs6072081 polymorphisms in the v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog B (MAFB) gene and rates of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P), at present the results of these studies have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis therefore aimed to conduct a more robust assessment of the association between the MAFB rs17820943 and rs6072081 polymorphisms and NSCL/P risk. The Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, the China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), and Wanfang databases were systematically searched to identify relevant studies. In total, five studies incorporating 2769 patients and 2885 controls were identified assessing the rs17820943 polymorphism and three studies incorporating 1242 patients and 1310 controls assessing the rs6072081 polymorphism were identified. This analysis revealed the MAFB rs17820943 and rs6072081 polymorphisms to be linked to a significantly reduced NSCL/P risk (rs17820943: C vs T: OR=0.76, 95% CI=0.70-0.82; CC vs CT: OR=0.75, 95% CI=0.67-0.85; CC vs TT: OR=0.58, 95% CI=0.49-0.67; CC+CT vs TT: OR=0.67, 95% CI=0.59-0.77; CT+TT vs CC: OR=1.43, 95% CI=1.28-1.60; rs6072081: A vs G: OR=0.77, 95%CI=0.68-0.86; AA vs AG: OR=0.76, 95%CI=0.64-0.90; AA vs GG: OR=0.58, 95%CI=0.45-0.74; AA+AG vs GG: OR=0.68, 95%CI=0.54-0.84; AG+GG vs AA: OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.19-1.65). The results of the present meta-analysis indicate that in an East Asian population, for both rs17820943 and rs6072081 were associated with NSCL/P.

Measurement of the Low-Energy Antideuteron Inelastic Cross Section

In this Letter, we report the first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions at low particle momenta, covering a range of 0.3≤p<4  GeV/c. The measurement is carried out using p-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, recorded with the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC and utilizing the detector material as an absorber for antideuterons and antiprotons. The extracted raw primary antiparticle-to-particle ratios are compared to the results from detailed ALICE simulations based on the geant4 toolkit for the propagation of (anti)particles through the detector material. The analysis of the raw primary (anti)proton spectra serves as a benchmark for this study, since their hadronic interaction cross sections are well constrained experimentally. The first measurement of the inelastic cross section for antideuteron-nucleus interactions averaged over the ALICE detector material with atomic mass numbers ⟨A⟩=17.4 and 31.8 is obtained. The measured inelastic cross section points to a possible excess with respect to the Glauber model parametrization used in geant4 in the lowest momentum interval of 0.3≤p<0.47  GeV/c up to a factor 2.1. This result is relevant for the understanding of antimatter propagation and the contributions to antinuclei production from cosmic ray interactions within the interstellar medium. In addition, the momentum range covered by this measurement is of particular importance to evaluate signal predictions for indirect dark-matter searches.

Influences of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway on memory function and inflammatory factors in rats with cerebral small vessel disease

OBJECTIVE

To explore the influences of toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway on the memory function and inflammatory factors in rats with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CSVD model in rats was established. Expressions of TLR4/NF-κB-related proteins and inflammatory factors were detected. CSVD rats were treated with the TLR4/NF-κB pathway agonist and inhibitor to evaluate the regulatory effect of TLR4/NF-κB pathway on the expressions of TLR4, NF-κB p50 and NF-κB p65. Moreover, their influences on the cerebral edema, memory function and expressions of inflammatory factors [interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] in CSVD rats were also analyzed.

RESULTS

In model group, the mRNA and protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB-related proteins in rat hippocampus were significantly higher than those in sham group (p<0.01), and the expressions of IL-1β and TNF-αsignificantly increased (p<0.05). The agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) significantly increased the proportion of TLR4-positive cells (p<0.01) and protein expression of TLR4 (p<0.01). The inhibitor CLI-095 obviously reduced the proportion of TLR4-positive cells and TLR4 expression (p<0.05). Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) remarkably reduced the expressions of NF-κB p50 and NF-κB p65 in model group (p<0.05). LPS promoted cerebral edema, leading to memory dysfunction and enhanced inflammatory response in rats of model group. The inhibitor CLI-095+PDTC significantly reduced cerebral edema, lowered memory impairment and relieved inflammatory response in CSVD rats (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The inhibitor of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway can restore memory function and reduce inflammatory response in CSVD rats.

The three-dimensional evaluation of positional change in mandibular condyle after intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of the condylar axis, the anteroposterior condylar position relative to the glenoid fossa, after intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO).

STUDY DESIGN

21 patients diagnosed as skeletal class III malocclusion underwent IVRO and were followed according to the authors' postoperative management regimen. The three-dimensional positions of the condyles were evaluated by cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) at pre-op, post-op, and at follow-up. CBCT images were referenced to assess the condylar axis change and the anteroposterior condylar position in the glenoid fossa. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (P<0.05) also was performed.

RESULTS

After surgery, both the axial condylar angles and the anteroposterior condylar position were significantly different (P<0.05). The coronal condylar axis rotated outwardly. The anteroposterior condylar position in the glenoid fossa had moved from the concentric to the anterior position. But the condyle changes between post-op and follow-up (P>0.05) were insignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

With postoperative intermaxillary elastic traction, the condyles changed their positions physiologically for newly established jaw movement after IVRO.

Molecular mechanism of olaquindox-induced hepatotoxicity and the hepatic protective role of curcumin

Olaquindox (OLA) is a chemosynthetic growth promoter, which could promote the treatment of bacterial infections and improve feed energy efficiency. Hepatotoxicity is still a poor feature associated with the adverse effects of OLA. The present study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of OLA-induced hepatotoxicity and the protective role of curcumin in mice and HepG2 cells. The result showed that representative biomarkers involved in mitochondrial pathway, p53 pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, autophagy and antioxidant pathway were activated. Furthermore, curcumin attenuated OLA-induced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and liver damage in mice. In addition, cell viability of HepG2 was enhanced by curcumin pretreatment at 5, 10 and 20 μM. Meanwhile, curcumin markedly ameliorated OLA-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, curcumin pretreatment significantly up-regulated the expressions of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and down-regulated the expressions of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB) and p53 through reduced the nuclear translocation of NF-kB induced by OLA. In summary, our findings indicated that OLA-induced hepatotoxicity involved in mitochondrial apoptosis, autophagy, p53 pathway, Nrf2/HO-1 pathways, and curcumin regulated OLA-induced liver damage, oxidative stress and apoptosis via activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and suppression of p53 and NF-kB pathway.

A Food and Drug Administration analysis of survival outcomes comparing the Adjuvant Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab trial with an external control from historical clinical trials

BACKGROUND

Although the Adjuvant Paclitaxel and Trastuzumab (APT) trial has been adopted clinically, single-arm trials have limitations, and interest remains whether these patients with small node-negative human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive early breast cancer (EBC) would benefit from more intensive chemotherapy. This analysis explored whether external controls can contextualize single-arm studies to add to clinical decision making in the use of de-escalated therapy in patients with low-risk HER2-positive EBC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patient-level data from five randomized trials supporting drug approval in adjuvant HER2-positive EBC were pooled, and patients with low-risk EBC were selected (n = 1770). Patients treated concurrently with trastuzumab and either anthracycline/cyclophosphamide/taxane/trastuzumab (ACTH) or taxane/carboplatin/trastuzumab (TCH; n = 1366) were matched (1:1) to patients treated with paclitaxel and trastuzumab (TH) in the APT trial (n = 406) using propensity scores. Patients treated with anthracycline/cyclophosphamide/taxane (ACT; n = 374) were also matched (1:1) to those treated with TH. Propensity scores were estimated using covariates of age, tumor stage, estrogen receptor status, progesterone receptor status, and histological grade.

RESULTS

After matching, the estimated probabilities of invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) at 3 and 5 years were 98.6% and 96.5% in the TH arm, and 96.6% and 92.9% in the ACTH/TCH arm, respectively. The estimated probabilities of overall survival (OS) at 3 and 5 years were 99.7% and 99.3% in the TH arm, and 99.0% and 97.4% in the ACTH/TCH arm, respectively. Comparing the TH arm with the ACT arm in the matched sample, the estimated difference in iDFS was 7.5% (TH 98.8% and ACT 91.3%) at 3 years and 12.6% (TH 96.1% and ACT 83.5%) at 5 years. The estimated difference in OS was 2.6% (TH 100% and ACT 97.4%) at 3 years, and 5.3% (TH 99.3% and ACT 94.0%) at 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analyses suggest that patients' outcomes in both arms were in general similar, thus providing additional reassurance regarding de-escalation of therapy.

Dielectric approximation media to reproduce dispersion for field transformation

Field transformation is complementary to transformation optics as it converts polarization without reflection for any incidence, despite not being impedance-matched to vacuum. However, to ease manufacture, a dielectric approximation may degrade the transmission performance due to the approximate dispersion relation for the exact reciprocal medium. In this paper, we instead propose a different dielectric equivalent medium to guarantee the exact dispersion. We also discuss the birefringence phenomenon in such dielectric media, and their unavoidable induced reflections.

Bedaquiline in the treatment of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in China

BACKGROUND: Multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/XDR-TB) continues to be a challenge in China. Bedaquiline (BDQ) is associated with accelerated sputum culture conversion and favourable treatment outcomes when added to a preferred background regimen. This post-hoc study aimed to assess the outcomes of BDQ treatment in Chinese patients with MDR/XDR-TB.METHODS: Data from 51 Chinese patients who participated in a global Phase 2, open-label, single-arm study (TMC207-C209) were analysed for effectiveness and safety of the BDQ-containing regimen.RESULTS: During the 24-week BDQ treatment, adverse events (AEs) occurred in 48 patients (94.1%), with the most common AE being hyperuricemia. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) was reported in 13 patients (25.5%); serious DILI was reported in one patient (2.0%). Seven (13.7%) AEs were considered to be possibly related to BDQ by the investigators. Only one Grade 1 QTc prolongation was reported; no QTcF >500 ms was reported. One death occurred after BDQ treatment due to progressive TB. The median time to sputum culture conversion was 85 days based on the 24-week data. The sputum culture conversion rate was 82% at 24 weeks and 78% at 120 weeks; 66% of patients achieved a cure.CONCLUSIONS: BDQ was well-tolerated and effective for treating MDR-TB among Chinese patients.

Probing the Effects of Strong Electromagnetic Fields with Charge-Dependent Directed Flow in Pb-Pb Collisions at the LHC

The first measurement at the LHC of charge-dependent directed flow (v_{1}) relative to the spectator plane is presented for Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. Results are reported for charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons for the transverse momentum intervals p_{T}>0.2  GeV/c and 3<p_{T}<6  GeV/c in the 5%-40% and 10%-40% centrality classes, respectively. The difference between the positively and negatively charged hadron v_{1} has a positive slope as a function of pseudorapidity η, dΔv_{1}/dη=[1.68±0.49(stat)±0.41(syst)]×10^{-4}. The same measurement for D^{0} and D[over ¯]^{0} mesons yields a positive value dΔv_{1}/dη=[4.9±1.7(stat)±0.6(syst)]×10^{-1}, which is about 3 orders of magnitude larger than the one of the charged hadrons. These measurements can provide new insights into the effects of the strong electromagnetic field and the initial tilt of matter created in noncentral heavy ion collisions on the dynamics of light (u, d, and s) and heavy (c) quarks. The large difference between the observed Δv_{1} of charged hadrons and D^{0} mesons may reflect different sensitivity of the charm and light quarks to the early time dynamics of a heavy ion collision. These observations challenge some recent theoretical calculations, which predicted a negative and an order of magnitude smaller value of dΔv_{1}/dη for both light flavor and charmed hadrons.

Multiplex SERS-based lateral flow immunosensor for the detection of major mycotoxins in maize utilizing dual Raman labels and triple test lines

A multiplex surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow immunosensor was developed to determine six major mycotoxins in maize. Two characteristic Raman reporter molecules-5,5-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA)-were used to label the synthesized Au@Ag core-shell nanoparticles for the preparation of SERS nanoprobes as detection reagents. Six corresponding hapten-protein conjugates were prepared and dispensed on three test lines of nitrocellulose membrane with two conjugates on each line as capture antigens. This design facilitates the simultaneous detection of the six mycotoxins in a single test. After optimizing the experimental parameters of immunosensor, the limits of detection were as low as 0.96 pg/mL for aflatoxin B₁, 6.2 pg/mL for zearalenone, 0.26 ng/mL for fumonisin B₁, 0.11 ng/mL for deoxynivalenol, 15.7 pg/mL for ochratoxin A, and 8.6 pg/mL for T-2 toxin, respectively. The spiking experiment showed high accuracy with recovery of 78.9-106.2 % and satisfactory assay precision with the coefficient of variations below 16 %. Moreover, this assay can be completed in less than 20 min, and its detection results were consistent with that of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Therefore, the developed SERS-based lateral flow immunosensor is a promising approach for mycotoxin detection in the field.

Evidence of Spin-Orbital Angular Momentum Interactions in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions

The first evidence of spin alignment of vector mesons (K^{*0} and ϕ) in heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is reported. The spin density matrix element ρ_{00} is measured at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy (sqrt[s_{NN}]) of 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector. ρ_{00} values are found to be less than 1/3 (1/3 implies no spin alignment) at low transverse momentum (p_{T}<2  GeV/c) for K^{*0} and ϕ at a level of 3σ and 2σ, respectively. No significant spin alignment is observed for the K_{S}^{0} meson (spin=0) in Pb-Pb collisions and for the vector mesons in pp collisions. The measured spin alignment is unexpectedly large but qualitatively consistent with the expectation from models which attribute it to a polarization of quarks in the presence of angular momentum in heavy-ion collisions and a subsequent hadronization by the process of recombination.

Gingko biloba extract EGB761 alleviates heat-stress damage in chicken heart tissue by stimulating Hsp70 expression in vivo in vascular endothelial cells

1. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Gingko biloba extract EGB761 on heat-stressed chicken heart in vivo and its underlying relevance to Hsp70.2. A total of 50 one-day-old female chicks were randomly divided into five groups: control (Con), heat-stress (HS), 0.1% EGB761 plus heat-stress (0.1%EGB+HS), 0.3%EGB761 plus heat-stress (0.3%EGB+HS) and 0.6%EGB761 plus heat-stress (0.6%EGB+HS) groups. After administration of EGB761 for 45 days, the chickens in each group were exposed to a single heat-stress event at 38 ± 1°C for 3 h.3. EGB761 attenuated the abnormal symptoms and pathological scores of myocardium of heat-stressed chickens. Despite a reduction in the transcription and translation of the Hsp70 gene in heat-stressed myocardium, EGB761 induced the expression of Hsp70 in endothelial cells of the microarteries and venules into the blood, and reduced heat-stress damage in vascular endothelial cells.4. Supplementation with EGB761 before heat-stress exposure protected chicken myocardium from damage by increasing serum Hsp70 protein from myocardial cells and cardiac microvascular endothelial cells and protected the microvascular system from adverse injury.

[Characteristics of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2015-2018]

Objective: To understand the characteristics and associated factors of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases with non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission, in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi), 2015-2018. Methods: Information of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases aged ≥18 years in Guangxi between 2015 and 2018 was collected from the National Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Information System. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to access those factors that were associated with HIV infections through non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual contact. Results: Between 2015 and 2018, a total number of 35 497 HIV/AIDS cases, aged ≥18 years were newly reported in Guangxi. Among them, 32 648 (92.0%) were infected heterosexually while 10 500 were infected through non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual behavior. Non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission accounted for 29.6% (10 500/35 497) of the newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, and 32.2% (10 500/32 648) of those with heterosexual transmission. Males counted for 53.5% (5 617/10 500) of non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission and males to females ratio was 1.2∶1 (5 617∶4 883). Those married or had regular sexual partners counted for 55.9% (5 873/10 500). Commercial heterosexual transmission appeared the main mode of HIV transmission for males (64.4%,16 516/25 633) while main mode for females was non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission and counted for 49.5% (4 883/9 864). Results from the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adjusted OR of female HIV/AIDS infected HIV via non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission, was 3.98 times (95%CI: 3.78-4.20) hight than that of males. Among the group aged<50 years and the aged 50-59 years, the adjusted ORs were 1.35 times (95%CI: 1.27-1.44) and 1.13 times (95%CI: 1.05-1.21) hight than that of aged ≥60 years. Those who were single/divorced/widowed, the adjusted OR was 1.53 times (95%CI: 1.45-1.61) hight than that of those married/regular partners. Those with junior high school education, high school education and above the adjusted ORs were 1.22 times (95%CI: 1.16-1.29) and 1.18 times (95%CI: 1.10-1.27), compared to those only with education levels of primary school or below. Conclusions: The number of HIV/AIDS cases via non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission accounted for nearly 30.0% of all the routes of HIV transmission in Guangxi, 2015-2018. Female, aged<60 years old, single/divorced/widowed and having had junior and above high school education etc., appeared as risk factors on non-marital or non-commercial heterosexual transmission, among newly reported HIV/AIDS in Guangxi.

OP0246 MIR-214-3P PROTECTS AGAINST OSTEOARTHRITIS BY DIRECTLY TARGETING NF-ĸB PATHWAY

Background:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative disease associated with changes in the articular cartilage and bone, severely affecting patients’ mobility and quality of life. Multiple factors including mechanical stress, metabolic alteration and inflammatory mediators are involved in the complex pathogenesis of OA[1]. Interventions targeting these pathogenic factors may contribute to the treatment of OA. MiRNAs are single strand non-coding small RNAs, which are regulated in chondrogenesis and OA[2,3]. Recent studies demonstrated that miRNAs are involved in the regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway by different mechanisms[4]. These interactions suggest that NF-κB related miRNAs may be used as potential biomarkers and drug therapeutic targets in clinical treatment of OA. However, the relationship between miR-214-3p and NF-κB pathway remains poorly understood in OA.

Objectives:

This study aimed to test the expression and biological function of miR-214-3p in OA, and explore its mechanism in osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

Methods:

Articular primary chondrocytes were isolated from human cartilage samples, which were acquired from patients with end-stage knee OA at the time of total knee replacement surgery (n = 27), according to protocols approved by the Ethic Committee of Zhujiang Hospital. Real time PCR (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) were used to detect the expression of miR-214-3p in OA and non-OA cartilage tissues. Interference of miR-214-3p was conducted using inhibitor, while overexpression of miR-214-3p was performed with mimics. Metabolism of extracellular matrix was detected by RT-PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence in vitro. Flow cytometry were conducted to determine cell apoptosis. A luciferase reporter assay, was used to evaluate the interaction between miR-214-3p and its downstream target. Human chondrocytes were cotransfected with miR-214-3p and the IKBKB-overexpressing plasmid to confirm the interaction between miR-214-3p and NF-ĸB pathway. For in vivo studies, experimental OA was induced in 12-week-old male C57BL/6J mice by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery with miR-214-3p agomir intra-articular (IA) injection (once weekly for 12 days) or by IA injection (once weekly for 12 days) of miR-214-3p antiagomir. Mice were sacrificed 10 weeks after the first IA injection, and subjected to histological analyses.

Results:

MiR-214-3p was significantly reduced in human OA cartilage. The decreased expression of miR-214-3p in the OA cartilage tissues was directly associated with excessive apoptosis and imbalance between anabolic and catabolic factors of ECM. Mechanistically, we determined that miR-214-3p directly targeted IKBKB/IKK-b and thereby suppressed the activation of NF-ĸB pathway. IKBKB overexpression attenuated the inhibitory effect of miR-214-3p on NF-ĸB pathway. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-214-3p in mice joints triggered spontaneous cartilage loss and OA development, while IA injection of miRNA-214-3p agomir alleviated OA in the DMM mouse model.

Conclusion:

Our results reveal an important role of miR-214-3p in OA progression. MiR-214-3p was down-regulated while IKBKB was upregulated in OA. MiR-214-3p inhibits the NF-kB signaling pathway and suppresses the progression of OA through targeting IKBKB. Thus, miR-214-3p maybe a therapeutic target for OA.

References:

[1]Glyn-Jones S, Palmer AJR, Agricola R, Price AJ, Vincent TL, Weinans H, Carr AJ:Osteoarthritis.The Lancet2015,386(9991):376-387.

[2]Nugent M:MicroRNAs: exploring new horizons in osteoarthritis.Osteoarthritis and cartilage2016,24(4):573-580.

[3]Vicente R, Noel D, Pers YM, Apparailly F, Jorgensen C:Deregulation and therapeutic potential of microRNAs in arthritic diseases.Nature reviews Rheumatology2016,12(4):211-220.

[4]Xu B, Li YY, Ma J, Pei FX:Roles of microRNA and signaling pathway in osteoarthritis pathogenesis.Journal of Zhejiang University Science B2016,17(3):200-208.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared