Serplulimab, a novel anti-PD-1 antibody, plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: An international randomized phase 3 study

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Background: Monoclonal antibodies against programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) have been approved for the first-line treatment of extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) in combination with chemotherapy. However, whether a programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor provides similar survival benefit in this patient population remains unclear. In this study, the efficacy and safety of serplulimab, a novel humanized monoclonal anti-PD-1 antibody, were assessed in combination with chemotherapy in previously untreated ES-SCLC patients. Methods: In this international, randomized, double-blind, multicenter, phase 3 trial (NCT04063163), patients with ES-SCLC who had not received prior systemic therapy were randomized (2:1) to receive serplulimab 4.5 mg/kg or placebo intravenously every 3 weeks. All patients received intravenous carboplatin and etoposide every 3 weeks for up to 4 cycles. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DoR), and safety. Results: Between September 12, 2019 and April 27, 2021, 585 patients were randomized (serplulimab group, n = 389; placebo group, n = 196). At interim analysis, the median follow-up duration was 12.3 months. Median OS was significantly prolonged in the serplulimab group than the placebo group (15.4 vs.10.9 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.63, 95% CI 0.49–0.82; P < 0.001). Median PFS assessed by the independent radiology review committee (IRRC) per RECIST v1.1 was significantly longer in the serplulimab group than the placebo group (5.8 vs. 4.3 months; HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.38–0.59; P < 0.001). Efficacy improvements were also observed in ORR (80.2% vs. 70.4%) and DoR (5.6 vs. 3.2 months) as assessed by IRRC per RECIST v1.1. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) related to serplulimab or placebo were reported in 129 (33.2%) and 54 (27.6%) patients in the respective groups. Incidence of immune-related TEAEs was higher in the serplulimab group compared to the placebo group (37% vs. 18.4%), with the largest difference in endocrine disorders (18.3% vs. 4.6%), which are commonly reported with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies. Four deaths (1 acute coronary syndrome, 1 pyrexia, and 1 platelet count decreased in the serplulimab group; 1 thrombocytopenia in the placebo group) that might be related to study drugs were reported. Conclusions: Serplulimab plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment provided significant benefits and a manageable safety profile compared with chemotherapy alone in ES-SCLC patients. For the first time, OS benefits was demonstrated with a PD-1 inhibitor in a global phase 3 study among previously untreated ES-SCLC patients. Clinical trial information: NCT04063163.

[Non/hypo-response to hepatitis B vaccination and influencing factors in HIV-infected patients in the context of different immunization schedules]

Objective: To study the non/hypo-response to hepatitis B vaccination in HIV-infected patients, identify the influencing factors and provide evidence for the development of hepatitis B prevention and control strategies and measures for special population. Methods: On the basis of the randomized controlled trial of 20 µg hepatitis B vaccine immunization at 0-1-6 month, 0-1-2-6 month and 60 µg hepatitis B vaccine immunization at 0-1-2-6 month, the HIV-infected patients who completed one-month follow-up after the full course vaccination were selected as study subjects. Quantification of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in serum samples was performed by using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) and demographic characteristics, disease history, HIV infection and treatment status of the study subjects were collected. Statistical analysis was conducted by χ² test, t test, unconditional logistic regression and interaction analyses. Results: The non/hypo-response rates to hepatitis B vaccination were 34.65% (35/101), 24.49% (24/98) and 10.99% (10/91) in 20 µg group at 0-1-6 month or 0-1-2-6 month and 60 µg group at 0-1-2-6 month (P<0.001), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for confounding factors, the risk for non/hypo-response was 0.22 times higher in HIV-infected patients receiving 60 µg hepatitis B vaccine at 0-1-2-6 month than in patients receiving 20 µg hepatitis B vaccine at 0-1-6 month (95%CI: 0.10-0.50), the risk for non/hypo-response was higher in men than in women (OR=3.65, 95%CI: 1.88-7.07), and the risk for non/hypo-response was 2.64 times higher in those without hepatitis B vaccination history than in those with hepatitis B vaccination history (95%CI: 1.10-6.32). Moreover, there were multiplicative interactions between immunization schedule and gender (OR=2.49, 95%CI: 1.24-5.00). Conclusion: The non/hypo-response rate to hepatitis B vaccination was significantly lower in HIV-infected patients receiving 60 µg hepatitis B vaccine at 0-1-2-6 month than in those receiving 20 µg hepatitis B vaccine at 0-1-6 month and 0-1-2-6 month. Gender, vaccination schedule and history of hepatitis B vaccination were the influencing factors of the non/hypo-response to hepatitis B vaccination. There was a multiplicative interaction between vaccination schedule and gender, and men receiving 20 µg hepatitis B vaccines had a higher risk for non/hypo-response to hepatitis B vaccination.

Direct Observation of Coherent Longitudinal and Shear Acoustic Phonons in TaAs Using Ultrafast X-Ray Diffraction

Using femtosecond time-resolved x-ray diffraction, we investigated optically excited coherent acoustic phonons in the Weyl semimetal TaAs. The low symmetry of the (112) surface probed in our experiment enables the simultaneous excitation of longitudinal and shear acoustic modes, whose dispersion closely matches our simulations. We observed an asymmetry in the spectral line shape of the longitudinal mode that is notably absent from the shear mode, suggesting a time-dependent frequency chirp that is likely driven by photoinduced carrier diffusion. We argue on the basis of symmetry that these acoustic deformations can transiently alter the electronic structure near the Weyl points and support this with model calculations. Our study underscores the benefit of using off-axis crystal orientations when optically exciting acoustic deformations in topological semimetals, allowing one to transiently change their crystal and electronic structures.

First Measurement of Energy-Dependent Inclusive Muon Neutrino Charged-Current Cross Sections on Argon with the MicroBooNE Detector

We report a measurement of the energy-dependent total charged-current cross section σ(E_{ν}) for inclusive muon neutrinos scattering on argon, as well as measurements of flux-averaged differential cross sections as a function of muon energy and hadronic energy transfer (ν). Data corresponding to 5.3×10^{19} protons on target of exposure were collected using the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber located in the Fermilab booster neutrino beam with a mean neutrino energy of approximately 0.8 GeV. The mapping between the true neutrino energy E_{ν} and reconstructed neutrino energy E_{ν}^{rec} and between the energy transfer ν and reconstructed hadronic energy E_{had}^{rec} are validated by comparing the data and Monte Carlo (MC) predictions. In particular, the modeling of the missing hadronic energy and its associated uncertainties are verified by a new method that compares the E_{had}^{rec} distributions between data and a MC prediction after constraining the reconstructed muon kinematic distributions, energy, and polar angle to those of data. The success of this validation gives confidence that the missing energy in the MicroBooNE detector is well modeled and underpins first-time measurements of both the total cross section σ(E_{ν}) and the differential cross section dσ/dν on argon.

Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver (IBS ® ) successful placental remnants removal, after caesarean section for a cervical pregnancy with placenta accreta

Placenta accreta located in a caesarean section scar is difficult to remove. The Intrauterine Bigatti Shaver (IBS®) has already been proven to be effective in placental remnant removal. Our case report highlights that the IBS® is also a safe method to remove placental remnants attached to a previous caesarean section scar performed for a cervical pregnancy and associated with placenta accreta.

Search for Neutrino-Induced Neutral-Current Δ Radiative Decay in MicroBooNE and a First Test of the MiniBooNE Low Energy Excess under a Single-Photon Hypothesis

We report results from a search for neutrino-induced neutral current (NC) resonant Δ(1232) baryon production followed by Δ radiative decay, with a ⟨0.8⟩  GeV neutrino beam. Data corresponding to MicroBooNE's first three years of operations (6.80×10^{20} protons on target) are used to select single-photon events with one or zero protons and without charged leptons in the final state (1γ1p and 1γ0p, respectively). The background is constrained via an in situ high-purity measurement of NC π^{0} events, made possible via dedicated 2γ1p and 2γ0p selections. A total of 16 and 153 events are observed for the 1γ1p and 1γ0p selections, respectively, compared to a constrained background prediction of 20.5±3.65(syst) and 145.1±13.8(syst) events. The data lead to a bound on an anomalous enhancement of the normalization of NC Δ radiative decay of less than 2.3 times the predicted nominal rate for this process at the 90% confidence level (C.L.). The measurement disfavors a candidate photon interpretation of the MiniBooNE low-energy excess as a factor of 3.18 times the nominal NC Δ radiative decay rate at the 94.8% C.L., in favor of the nominal prediction, and represents a greater than 50-fold improvement over the world's best limit on single-photon production in NC interactions in the sub-GeV neutrino energy range.

Construction of WO3/CsPbBr3 S-scheme heterojunction via electrostatic Self-assembly for efficient and Long-Period photocatalytic CO2 reduction

Owing to the severe photogenerated carriers recombination and low oxidation ability, the photocatalytic performance of pristine CsPbBr₃ is still unsatisfactory. Herein, melamine foam supported S-scheme WO₃/CsPbBr₃ heterojunction is successfully synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly. Because of the appropriate energy level positions, an S-scheme charge migration route between CsPbBr₃ and WO₃ is constructed. Under solar light irradiation, melamine foam assisted WO₃/CsPbBr₃ exhibits significantly enhanced photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance under liquid H₂O medium, and the electron consumption rate (R_electron) reaches to 1225.50 μmol^.g^-1.h^-1, which is 1.49- and 13.7-fold of CsPbBr₃ and WO₃, respectively, ascribing to the boosted charges transfer and the strengthened redox ability. Furthermore, S-scheme WO₃/CsPbBr₃ heterojunction also exhibits strong durability, with no noticeable reduction of product yields after four 8-h cycles.

[Prediction of platinum-based chemotherapy sensitivity for epithelial ovarian cancer by multi-sequence MRI-based radiomic nomogram]

Objective: To investigate a preoperative multi-sequence MRI-based radiomic nomogram for prediction of platinum-based chemotherapy sensitivity in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods: The complete data of 114 patients with EOC confirmed by surgery and pathology in Nantong Tumor Hospital of Nantong University from January 2015 to May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, with an average age of 32-76 (57±8) years. All patients underwent platinum-based chemotherapy after maximal cytoreductive surgery. According to whether relapse occurred within 6 months, those patients were divided into platinum-resistant disease (PR, n=39) group and platinum-sensitive disease group (PS, n=75).All patients underwent MRI examination before treatment, and the 3-dimensional solid component of the tumor area of interest (ROI) on T2-weighted image (T₂WI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and T₁-weighted image-enhanced image (T₁CE) were manually delineated using Itk-snap software.Then AK software was imported for radiomics features extracting. They were randomly divided into training group (n=80) and validation group (n=34) in a ratio of 7∶3 (stratified sampling method). Firstly, the radiomics features were initially screened by the method of maximum correlation and minimum redundancy (mRMR), and features with the greatest predictive power were retained. Then, the LASSO regression analysis was performed to select the best features and construct the radiomics model. Univariate analysis was used to screen out clinical relevant factors, which combined with radiomic score (Radscore) was applied to develop a radiomics nomogram by multivariable logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the predictive ability and clinical application value of radiomics model, clinical related factor model and radiomics nomogram. Results: Compared with the radiomics model (12 optimal radiomics features) and the clinical relevant factors model (residual disease, neutrophil count, carbohydrate antigen 199), the radiomics nomogram model demonstrated the best prediction performance: in the training groups, the AUC (Area Under the ROC Curve), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.90 (95%CI:0.82-0.99), 90.0%, 89.0%, and 92.0%, respectively. In the validation groups, the AUC, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.89 (95%CI:0.78-1.00), 85.0%, 87.0%, and 80.0%, respectively. DCA shows that the use of nomograms with a threshold in the range of 0.01 to 0.90 has a greater clinical application value in predicting the sensitivity of platinum chemotherapy in patients with EOC. Conclusion: The multi-sequence MRI-based radiomics nomogram has a high diagnostic value in predicting the sensitivity of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with EOC.

The biopolymer-assisted synthesis of assembled g-C3N4 open frameworks with electron delocalization channels for prompt H2 production

Three-dimensional (3D) photocatalysts can overcome the serious aggregation exhibited by two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets caused by unavoidable van der Waals forces.

A rational design of NixCoyP@C cocatalyst for enhanced overall water splitting based on g-C3N4 photocatalyst — the synergy of carbon-shell modification and bimetal modulation

Enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution by bimetal cocatalyst of NiCoP@C.

Materials in advanced design of personal protective equipment: a review

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has aroused tremendous attention toward personal protective equipment (PPE) in both scientific research and industrial manufacture. Despite decades of development in PPE design and fabrication, there's still much room for further optimization, in terms, of both protection performance and wear comfort. Interdisciplinary efforts have been devoted to this research field in recent years. Significantly, the innovation of materials, which brings about improved performance and versatile new functions for PPEs, has been widely adopted in PPE design. In this minireview, recent progress in the development of novel materials and structural designs for PPE application are presented in detail with the introduction of various material-based strategies for different PPE types, as well as the examples, which apply auxiliary components into face masks to enrich the functionalities and improve the personal feelings in the pandemic period.

pH-Regulating Nanoplatform for the "Double Channel Chase " of Tumor Cells by the Synergistic Cascade between Chlorine Treatment and Methionine-Depletion Starvation Therapy

During rapid proliferation and metabolism, tumor cells show a high dependence on methionine. The deficiency of methionine exhibits significant inhibition on tumor growth, which provides a potential therapeutic target in tumor therapy. Herein, ClO₂-loaded nanoparticles (fluvastatin sodium&metformin&bupivacaine&ClO₂@CaSiO₃@MnO₂-arginine-glycine-aspatic acid (RGD) (MFBC@CMR) NPs) were prepared for synergistic chlorine treatment and methionine-depletion starvation therapy. After outer layer MnO₂ was degraded in the high glutathione (GSH) tumor microenvironment (TME), MFBC@CMR NPs released metformin (Me) to target the mitochondria, thus interfering with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and promoting the production of lactate. In addition, released fluvastatin sodium (Flu) by the NPs acted on monocarboxylic acid transporter 4 (MCT4) in the cell membrane to inhibit lactate leakage and induce a decrease of intracellular pH, further prompting the NPs to release chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), which then oxidized methionine, inhibited tumor growth, and produced large numbers of Cl^- in the cytoplasm. Cl^- could enter mitochondria through the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) channel, which was opened by bupivacaine (Bup). The disruption of Cl^- homeostasis promotes mitochondrial damage and membrane potential decline, leading to the release of cytochrome C (Cyt-C) and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) and further inducing cell apoptosis. To sum up, the pH-regulating and ClO₂-loaded MFBC@CMR nanoplatform can achieve cascade chlorine treatment and methionine-depletion starvation therapy toward tumor cells, which is of great significance for improving the clinical tumor treatment effect.

The dUTPase of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus negatively regulates interferon signaling pathway

Background

Deoxyuracil triphosphate nucleotide (dUTP) pyrophosphatase (dUTPase, DU) is an enzyme of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) that minimizes incorporation of dUTP into the DNA. Caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus relies partly on its ability to escape from innate immunity to cause persistent infections. Interferon β (IFN-β) is an important marker for evaluating the innate immune system, and it has a broad spectrum of antiviral activity.

Aims

This study was conducted to investigate the details of the IFN-β response to CAEV infection.

Methods

The expression of IFN-β and the proliferation of Sendai virus (SeV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The effect of DU on the IFN signaling pathway was evaluated using luciferase reporter assays.

Results

In our study, the expression of IFN-β was significantly inhibited and the proliferation of SeV and VSV was promoted in cells overexpressing CAEV-DU. DU affected interferon stimulated response element (ISRE) and IFN-β promoter activities induced by RIG-I/MDA5/MAVS/TBK1 pathway, while did not affect them induced by interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3-5D).

Conclusion

DU protein downregulated the production of IFN-β by inhibiting the activity of the signal transduction molecules upstream of IRF3, thereby, helping CAEV escape innate immunity. Findings of this work provide an evidence to understand the persistent infection and multiple system inflammation of CAEV.