First Detection of sub-PeV Diffuse Gamma Rays from the Galactic Disk: Evidence for Ubiquitous Galactic Cosmic Rays beyond PeV Energies

We report, for the first time, the long-awaited detection of diffuse gamma rays with energies between 100 TeV and 1 PeV in the Galactic disk. Particularly, all gamma rays above 398 TeV are observed apart from known TeV gamma-ray sources and compatible with expectations from the hadronic emission scenario in which gamma rays originate from the decay of π^{0}'s produced through the interaction of protons with the interstellar medium in the Galaxy. This is strong evidence that cosmic rays are accelerated beyond PeV energies in our Galaxy and spread over the Galactic disk.

A multi-centre, retrospective case series of oocyte cryopreservation in unmarried women diagnosed with haematological malignancies

STUDY QUESTION

Is oocyte cryopreservation an applicable option for fertility preservation in unmarried patients with haematological malignancies?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Oocyte cryopreservation via the vitrification method is accessible and may be considered an option for fertility preservation in unmarried patients with haematological malignancies.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Haematological malignancies are most commonly observed amongst adolescent and young adult women. Although the survival rate and life expectancy of those with haematological malignancies have improved, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may impair their reproductive potential. Oocyte cryopreservation is thus an ideal option to preserve their fertility.

STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION

This study retrospectively evaluated 193 unmarried patients (age: 26.2 ± 0.4 years) with haematological malignancies, who consulted for oocyte cryopreservation across 20 different fertility centres in Japan between February 2007 and January 2015. The primary outcome measures were the oocyte retrievals and oocyte cryopreservation outcomes. The secondary outcome measures were the outcomes following oocyte warming for IVF.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS

The patients had commenced ovarian stimulation cycles via antagonist, agonist, natural and minimal methods for oocyte retrievals, defined according to the treatment strategy of each respective fertility centre. A vitrification method using the Cryotop safety kit was used for oocyte cryopreservation. ICSIs were used for insemination of warmed oocytes. The endometrial preparation method for embryo transfer was hormonal replacement therapy, except in the case of a patient who underwent a spontaneous ovulatory cycle.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

Among 193 patients, acute myeloid leukaemia (n = 45, 23.3%) was most common, followed by acute lymphoid leukaemia (n = 38, 19.7%) and Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 30, 15.5%). In total, 162 patients (83.9%) underwent oocyte retrieval, and oocytes were successfully cryopreserved for 155 patients (80.3%). The mean number of oocyte retrieval cycles and cryopreserved oocytes were 1.7 ± 0.2 and 6.3 ± 0.4, respectively. As of December 2019, 14 patients (9.2%) had requested oocyte warming for IVF. The survival rate of oocytes after vitrification-warming was 85.2% (75/88). The rates of fertilisation and embryo development were 80.0% (60/75) and 46.7% (28/60), respectively. Ten patients (71.4%) had successful embryo transfers, and seven live births (50.0%) were achieved.

LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION

This study was limited by its retrospective nature. Additionally, there remains an insufficient number of cases regarding the warming of vitrified oocytes to reliably conclude whether oocyte cryopreservation is effective for patients with haematological malignancies. Further long-term follow-up study is required.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

Oocyte retrieval and oocyte cryopreservation were accessible for patients with haematological malignancies; however, the number of oocyte retrievals may have been limited due to the initiation of cancer treatments. Acceptable embryonic and pregnancy outcomes could be achieved following oocyte warming; therefore, our results suggest that oocyte cryopreservation can be considered an option for fertility preservation in patients with haematological malignancies.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

N/A.

SUMOylation of synaptic and synapse-associated proteins: An update

SUMOylation is a post-translational modification that regulates protein signalling and complex formation by adjusting the conformation or protein-protein interactions of the substrate protein. There is a compelling and rapidly expanding body of evidence that, in addition to SUMOylation of nuclear proteins, SUMOylation of extranuclear proteins contributes to the control of neuronal development, neuronal stress responses and synaptic transmission and plasticity. In this brief review we provide an update of recent developments in the identification of synaptic and synapse-associated SUMO target proteins and discuss the cell biological and functional implications of these discoveries.

Dissipation-Based Quantum Sensing of Magnons with a Superconducting Qubit

Hybrid quantum devices expand the tools and techniques available for quantum sensing in various fields. Here, we experimentally demonstrate quantum sensing of a steady-state magnon population in a magnetostatic mode of a ferrimagnetic crystal. Dispersively coupling the magnetostatic mode to a superconducting qubit allows for the detection of magnons using Ramsey interferometry with a sensitivity on the order of 10^{-3}  magnons/sqrt[Hz]. The protocol is based on dissipation as dephasing via fluctuations in the magnetostatic mode reduces the qubit coherence proportionally to the number of magnons.

Phosphorylation of Syntaxin-1a by casein kinase 2α regulates pre-synaptic vesicle exocytosis from the reserve pool

The t-soluble NSF-attachment protein receptor protein Syntaxin-1a (Stx-1a) is abundantly expressed at pre-synaptic terminals where it plays a critical role in the exocytosis of neurotransmitter-containing synaptic vesicles. Stx-1a is phosphorylated by Casein kinase 2α (CK2α) at Ser14, which has been proposed to regulate the interaction of Stx-1a and Munc-18 to control of synaptic vesicle priming. However, the role of CK2α in synaptic vesicle dynamics remains unclear. Here, we show that CK2α over-expression reduces evoked synaptic vesicle release. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated knockdown of CK2α in primary hippocampal neurons strongly enhanced vesicle exocytosis from the reserve pool, with no effect on the readily releasable pool of primed vesicles. In neurons in which endogenous Stx-1a was knocked down and replaced with a CK2α phosphorylation-deficient mutant, Stx-1a(D17A), vesicle exocytosis was also increased. These results reveal a previously unsuspected role of CK2α phosphorylation in specifically regulating the reserve synaptic vesicle pool, without changing the kinetics of release from the readily releasable pool.

Phosphorylation on Ser-359 of the α2 subunit in GABA type A receptors down-regulates their density at inhibitory synapses

GABA type A receptors (GABA_ARs) mediate fast synaptic inhibition and are trafficked to functionally diverse synapses. However, the precise molecular mechanisms that regulate the synaptic targeting of these receptors are unclear. Whereas it has been previously shown that phosphorylation events in α4, β, and γ subunits of GABA_ARs govern their function and trafficking, phosphorylation of other subunits has not yet been demonstrated. Here, we show that the α2 subunit of GABA_ARs is phosphorylated at Ser-359 and enables dynamic regulation of GABA_AR binding to the scaffolding proteins gephyrin and collybistin. We initially identified Ser-359 phosphorylation by MS analysis, and additional experiments revealed that it is regulated by the activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and/or PP2A. GST-based pulldowns and coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrate preferential binding of both gephyrin and collybistin to WT and an S359A phosphonull variant, but not to an S359D phosphomimetic variant. Furthermore, the decreased capacity of the α2 S359D variant to bind collybistin and gephyrin decreased the density of synaptic α2-containing GABA_AR clusters and caused an absence of α2 enrichment in the axon initial segment. These results suggest that PKA-mediated phosphorylation and PP1/PP2A-dependent dephosphorylation of the α2 subunit play a role in the dynamic regulation of GABA_AR accumulation at inhibitory synapses, thereby regulating the strength of synaptic inhibition. The MS data have been deposited to ProteomeXchange, with the data set identifier PXD019597.

Breaking the trade-off between fast control and long lifetime of a superconducting qubit

The rapid development in designs and fabrication techniques of superconducting qubits has made coherence times of qubits longer. In the future, however, the radiative decay of a qubit into its control line will be a fundamental limitation, imposing a trade-off between fast control and long lifetime of the qubit. Here, we break this trade-off by strongly coupling another superconducting qubit along the control line. This second qubit, which we call “Josephson quantum filter” (JQF), prevents the first qubit from emitting microwave photons and thus suppresses its relaxation, while transmitting large-amplitude control microwave pulses due to the saturation of the quantum filter, enabling fast qubit control. This device functions as an automatic decoupler between a qubit and its control line and could help in the realization of a large-scale superconducting quantum processor by reducing the heating of the qubit environment and the crosstalk between qubits.

The trade-off between long lifetime and inevitable radiative decay to a control line has become a key limitation for superconducting qubits. Here, the authors break the trade-off by coupling another qubit to the control line of the first one to suppress its relaxation, while enabling fast qubit control.

Perinatal rib fractures in 18 calves delivered from Holstein dams

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We diagnosed rib fractures by palpation, computed tomography, and thoracic necropsy.

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For 163 symptomatic calves delivered from Holstein-Friesian dams on farms in Japan, 11.0% (18) showed rib fractures by palpation.

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Four of five calves that were scanned or necropsied presented with pneumonia despite not having tracheal stenosis.

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Rib fractures decreased sale prices at a livestock market and longevity.

Cranial rib fractures during dystocia and the ensuing callus formations in calves often cause tracheal stenosis. Rib fractures may affect the lung since ribs tend to fracture above the costochondral junction during delivery. Considering that calving assistance rates for dystocia are high, calves with fractured ribs may develop respiratory disease which results in economic loss. The objective of this study was to elucidate the contribution of rib fractures to economic loss through respiratory disease in calves. Of 163 sick calves delivered from Holstein-Friesian dams included in this study, a total of 18 rib fractured calves was found, giving an incidence of rib fracture in sick calves of 11.0%. There were significant differences in incidence by the rib involved, indicating the 2nd to 7th ribs tend to break. Many of the rib fractured calves showed dyspnea and pyrexia. In this study, four of five scanned or necropsied calves had pneumonia lesions despite the fact that these four calves did not have tracheal stenosis. Rib fractured calves sold at below market value with a median difference from average sale price of minus 64,861 yen. Survival analysis indicated an overall association between rib fracture and time to death. In this study, we demonstrated that rib fractures happened most frequently in the 2nd to 7th ribs, and these cases tended to cause pneumonia, which decreased sale prices and longevity. Farmers should work to reduce risks and rates of dystocia so as to lessen economic loss and poor welfare in calves due to rib fractures.

Reduced induction of human β-defensins is involved in the pathological mechanism of cutaneous adverse effects caused by epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies

Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRIs) frequently cause cutaneous adverse effects such as papulopustular eruptions. However, the mechanism of the reactions remains unclear. To assess the pathological mechanism of cutaneous adverse reactions caused by EGFRIs, we investigated whether EGFRIs have an influence on the innate immune response of the skin. Levels of human β-defensins (hBDs), which serve as the first line of defence against infection by pathogenic microorganisms, in the stratum corneum samples of patients treated with EGFR. monoclonal antibodies were measured before and after starting therapy. There were no obvious trends in hBD production in patients without eruptions, whereas a significant decrease in hBD1 and hBD3 production and a nonsignficant decrease in hBD2 production were observed in patients who developed papulopustular eruptions. Our results suggest that a reduction in hBD contributes to the increased incidence of papulopustular eruptions.

Protein Interactors and Trafficking Pathways That Regulate the Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor (CB1R)

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) acts as a negative feedback mechanism to suppress synaptic transmission and plays a major role in a diverse range of brain functions including, for example, the regulation of mood, energy balance, and learning and memory. The function and dysfunction of the ECS are strongly implicated in multiple psychiatric, neurological, and neurodegenerative diseases. Cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) is the most abundant G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed in the brain and, as for any synaptic receptor, CB1R needs to be in the right place at the right time to respond appropriately to changing synaptic circumstances. While CB1R is found intracellularly throughout neurons, its surface expression is highly polarized to the axonal membrane, consistent with its functional expression at presynaptic sites. Surprisingly, despite the importance of CB1R, the interacting proteins and molecular mechanisms that regulate the highly polarized distribution and function of CB1R remain relatively poorly understood. Here we set out what is currently known about the trafficking pathways and protein interactions that underpin the surface expression and axonal polarity of CB1R, and highlight key questions that still need to be addressed.

Comprehensive assessment of multiple tryptophan metabolites as potential biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose

Tryptophan metabolites have immunomodulatory functions, suggesting possible roles in cancer immunity.

Methods

Plasma tryptophan metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry before immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Results

The 19 patients with NSCLC had significantly lower levels of tryptophan (p = 0.002) and xanthurenic acid (p = 0.032), and a significantly higher level of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) (p = 0.028) compared with the 10 healthy volunteers. The patients achieving objective responses had significantly lower levels of 3-HAA than those who did not (p = 0.045). Receiver operating characteristic analyses determined that the cutoff value of 3-HAA for objective response was 35.4 pmol/mL (sensitivity: 87.5% and specificity: 83.3%). The patients with 3-HAA < 35.4 pmol/mL had significantly longer median progression-free survival (7.0 months) than those without (1.6 months, p = 0.022).

Conclusions

Tryptophan metabolites may have a potential for predicting the efficacy of ICIs.

Registration number

University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry 000026140.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12094-020-02421-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor therapy in acral melanoma: a multicenter study of 193 Japanese patients

BACKGROUND

Acral melanoma (AM) is an epidemiologically and molecularly distinct entity that is underrepresented in clinical trials on immunotherapy in melanoma. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) antibodies in advanced AM.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated unresectable stage III or stage IV AM patients treated with an anti-PD-1 antibody in any line at 21 Japanese institutions between 2014 and 2018. The clinicobiologic characteristics, objective response rate (ORR, RECIST), survival estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, and toxicity (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 4.0.) were analyzed to estimate the efficacy of the anti-PD-1 antibodies.

RESULTS

In total, 193 patients (nail apparatus, 70; palm and sole, 123) were included in the study. Anti-PD-1 antibody was used as first-line therapy in 143 patients (74.1%). Baseline lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was within the normal concentration in 102 patients (52.8%). The ORR of all patients was 16.6% (complete response, 3.1%; partial response, 13.5%), and the median overall survival (OS) was 18.1 months. Normal LDH concentrations showed a significantly stronger association with better OS than abnormal concentrations (median OS 24.9 versus 10.7 months; P < 0.001). Although baseline characteristics were similar between the nail apparatus and the palm and sole groups, ORR was significantly lower in the nail apparatus group [6/70 patients (8.6%) versus 26/123 patients (21.1%); P = 0.026]. Moreover, the median OS in this group was significantly poorer (12.8 versus 22.3 months; P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Anti-PD-1 antibodies have limited efficacy in AM patients. Notably, patients with nail apparatus melanoma had poorer response and survival, making nail apparatus melanoma a strong candidate for further research on the efficacy of novel combination therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

The efficacy of eribulin mesylate for patients with cutaneous angiosarcoma previously treated with taxane: a multicentre prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Taxanes are the current first-line treatment for advanced cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) for patients who are considered difficult to treat with doxorubicin owing to advanced age or comorbidity. However, no effective second-line therapy for such patients has been established.

METHODS

We designed a single-arm prospective observational study of eribulin mesylate (ERB) administered at a dose of 1·4 mg m^-2 on days 1 and 8 in a 21-day cycle. Patients with advanced CAS who were previously treated with a taxane and were scheduled to begin ERB treatment were enrolled. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS) and the secondary endpoints were response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity assessment.

RESULTS

We enrolled a total of 25 patients. The median OS and PFS were 8·6 months and 3·0 months, respectively. The best overall RR was 20% (five of 25). In total, 16 grade 3/4 severe adverse events (SAEs) occurred; however, all patients recovered. Patients who achieved partial response or stable disease as best response had longer OS than those with progressive disease (median OS not reached and 3·3 months, respectively; P < 0·001). Patients who did not experience SAEs showed longer OS than those who did (median OS 18·8 months and 7·5 months, respectively; P < 0·05). Patients with distant metastasis had shorter median OS than those with locoregional disease, but without statistically significant difference.

CONCLUSIONS

ERB showed a promising RR and is a potential candidate for second-line treatment for patients with CAS, after treatment with taxanes. However, owing to the occurrence of SAEs in over half of the participants, caution should be exercised regarding ERB use in elderly patients. What is already known about this topic? Taxanes are the current first-line treatment for patients with advanced cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS) who are considered difficult to treat with doxorubicin owing to advanced age or comorbidity. No effective therapy for taxane-resistant CAS has been established thus far. Eribulin suppresses microtubule polymerization and elicits an antitumour effect similar to that of taxanes. What does this study add? In our single-arm prospective observational study to evaluate the efficacy of eribulin for treating patients with advanced CAS who previously received taxanes, the median overall survival and progression-free survival were 8·6 and 3·0 months, respectively. Response rates at weeks 7, 13 and 25 were 20%, 17% and 14%, respectively. Although 16 grade 3/4 severe adverse events occurred, all patients recovered. Eribulin showed a promising response rate and is a potential candidate for second-line treatment in CAS after taxane treatment. Linked Comment: Smrke and Benson. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:797-798.

Endocytosis, trafficking and exocytosis of intact full-length botulinum neurotoxin type a in cultured rat neurons

Botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) is a potent neurotoxin that acts primarily by silencing synaptic transmission by blocking neurotransmitter release. BoNT/A comprises a light chain (LC/A) intracellular protease and a heavy chain (HC/A) composed of a receptor binding domain (HCC/A) and a translocation domain (HCN/A) that mediates cell entry. Following entry into the neuron, the disulphide bond linking the two peptide chains is reduced to release the LC/A. To gain better insight into the trafficking and fate of BoNT/A before dissociation we have used a catalytically inactive, non-toxic full-length BoNT/A(0) mutant. Our data confirm that BoNT/A(0) enters cortical neurons both in an activity-dependent manner and via a pathway dependent on fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (Fgfr3) signalling. We demonstrate that both dynamin-dependent endocytosis and lipid rafts are involved in BoNT/A internalisation and that full-length BoNT/A(0) traffics to early endosomes. Furthermore, while a proportion of BoNT/A remains stable in neurons for 3 days, BoNT/A degradation is primarily mediated by the proteasome. Finally, we demonstrate that a fraction of the endocytosed full-length BoNT/A(0) is capable of exiting the cell to intoxicate other neurons. Together, our data shed new light on the entry routes, trafficking and degradation of BoNT/A, and confirm that trafficking properties previously described for the isolated HCC/A receptor binding domain of are also applicable to the intact, full-length toxin.

Partnership Between Japan and the United States for Early Development of Pediatric Medical Devices - Harmonization By Doing for Children

BACKGROUND

The Harmonization By Doing (HBD) program was established in 2003 as a partnership among stakeholders of academia, industry and regulatory agencies in Japan and the United States, with a primary focus on streamlining processes of global medical device development for cardiovascular medical devices. While HBD has traditionally focused on development of devices intended to treat conditions prevalent in adults, in 2016, HBD established the "HBD-for-Children" program, which focuses on the development of pediatric devices as the development of medical devices for pediatric use lags behind that of medical devices for adults in both countries.Methods and Results:Activities of the program have included: (1) conducting a survey with industry to better understand the challenges that constrain the development of pediatric medical devices; (2) categorizing pediatric medical devices into five categories based on global availability and exploring concrete solutions for the early application and regulatory approval in both geographies; and (3) facilitating global clinical trials of pediatric medical devices in both countries.

CONCLUSIONS

The establishment of the HBD-for-Children program is significant because it represents a global initiative for the introduction of pediatric medical devices for patients in a timely manner. Through the program, academia, industry and regulatory agencies can work together to facilitate innovative pediatric device development from a multi-stakeholder perspective. This activity could also encourage industry partners to pursue the development of pediatric medical devices.

Sesame lignans reduce LDL oxidative susceptibility by downregulating the platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase

OBJECTIVE

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidative susceptibility is recognized as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. We previously reported that the ingestion of a supplement containing sesame lignans (sesamin/episesamin) for 4 weeks reduced LDL oxidative susceptibility in humans.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying this observation, 12-week-old New Zealand White rabbits were fed a fat/cholesterol-enriched diet (100 g/day) for 6 weeks followed by oral administration of vehicle (control) or sesame lignans (50 mg/kg) for 4 weeks with the fat/cholesterol-enriched diet.

RESULTS

The results showed that the ingestion of sesame lignans prolonged LDL oxidation lag time, regardless of the existence of the anti-oxidative catechol metabolite of sesamin/episesamin in LDL. Plasma platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) activity was significantly reduced by sesame lignans. The prolongation of LDL oxidation lag time was abolished by the addition of a PAF-AH inhibitor. The expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines and macrophage infiltration observed in the liver following the feeding of the fat/cholesterol-enriched diet were also significantly reduced by sesame lignans.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that sesame lignans reduce LDL oxidative susceptibility by downregulating plasma PAF-AH activity via the reduction of inflammation in the liver induced by fat/cholesterol-enriched diets.

Discovery of a new nucleotide substitution in the MC1R gene and haplotype distribution in native and non-Japanese chicken breeds

Melanocortin 1-receptor (MC1R) is one of the major genes that controls chicken plumage colour. In this study, we investigated the sequence and haplotype distribution of the MC1R gene in native Japanese chickens, along with non-Japanese chicken breeds. In total, 732 and 155 chickens from 30 Japanese and eight non-Japanese breeds respectively were used. Three synonymous and 11 non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions were detected, resulting in 15 haplotypes (H0-H14). Of these, three were newly found haplotypes (H9, H13 and H14), of which one (H9) was composed of known substitutions C69T, T212C, G274A and G636A. The second one (H13) possessed newly found non-synonymous substitution C919G, apart from the known substitutions C69T, G178A, G274A, G636A and T637C. The third one (H14) comprised a newly discovered substitution C919G in addition to the known C69T, G274A and G409A substitutions. The homozygote for this new haplotype exhibited wt like plumage despite the presence of G274A. In addition to discovering a new nucleotide substitution (C919G) and three new haplotypes, we defined the plumage colour of the bird that was homozygous for the A644C substitution (H5 haplotype) as wheaten-like for the first time; although the substitution has been already reported, its effect was not revealed. Besides detecting the new plumage colour, we also confirmed that the A427G and G274A substitutions contribute in expressing brownish and black plumage colour respectively, as reported by the previous studies. Moreover, we confirmed that the buttercup allele does not express black plumage despite possessing a G274A substitution, under the suppression effect of A644C. In contrast, the birds homozygous for the birchen allele presented solid black plumage, which was contradictory to the previous reports. In conclusion, we revealed a large diversity in the MC1R gene of native Japanese chicken breeds, along with the discovery of a new non-synonymous nucleotide substitution (C919G) and three novel haplotypes (H9, H13 and H14).