Kinetics of selected plasma cytokines during innate-adaptive immune response transition in adult cattle infected with the bovine ephemeral fever virus

While virus neutralizing antibodies are known to be variably protective against bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) virus (BEFV) infections, the cytokine events that mediate the nascent adaptive immune response have not been defined in cattle. This study determined the plasma kinetics of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-6, and IL-10 during the period of innate-immune response transition and evaluated the relationship between the virus neutralizing antibody response and viraemia in BEFV-infected cattle. Plasma from four virus-infected and uninfected negative control animals was tested by cytokine-specific immunoenzymatic assays, viraemia monitored by qRT-PCR, and virus neutralizing antibody titres determined using a standard protocol. Unlike the negative controls, plasma IL-6 and IL-10 were increased in all the virus-infected animals starting several days prior to initiation of viraemia. In one animal, plasma IL-2 and IFN-γ were consistently higher than in the other three virus-infected animals and the negative control mean. The animal with the strongest IL-2 and IFN-γ responses had the shortest viraemia while the heifer with the lowest IL-2/IFN-γ indices demonstrated the longest viraemia. Evidently, increase in plasma IL-6 and IL-10 precedes seroconversion during BEFV infections in cattle suggesting the two cytokines may influence immunological events that pave way to B-cell activation and seroconversion. While there is remarkable variability in IL-2 and IFN-γ expression amongst BEFV-infected animals, increased plasma levels of the two cytokines appear to be associated with a shorter viraemia. Ongoing studies will help define the precise role of T cells in anti-BEFV adaptive immune responses.

Abstract P2-05-14: The long noncoding RNA BHLHE40-AS1 as a functional biomarker of invasive breast cancer

Increased emphasis on breast cancer screening has led to a dramatic surge in diagnosis of pre-cancerous ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) over the past 30 years. Unfortunately, diagnosis of late stage invasive and metastatic disease has not proportionally declined, suggesting significant over diagnosis and over treatment of innocuous DCIS. Due to a lack of biomarkers, the heterogeneity of DCIS lesions, and an insufficient understanding of mechanisms of invasive progression, there is currently no clinically relevant method of predicting which DCIS lesions will advance to invasive disease. As a result, all DCIS patients undergo an aggressive treatment regimen to prevent disease progression. Therefore, there is a critical need to determine the underlying mechanisms driving breast cancer progression to better inform patient treatment options and nominate novel therapeutic entry points for treatment of invasive disease.

Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have gained attention as critical regulators of epigenetic states and gene expression. Although the study of lncRNAs is in its infancy, they are being uncovered as pivotal regulators of development and tumorigenesis, thus they are a rich source of potential drivers of breast cancer progression. We propose that lncRNAs functionally drive breast cancer invasion and their expression can discriminate between innocuous and potentially invasive DCIS.

Using biopsies from women that exhibit tandem DCIS and invasive breast cancer lesions, we have identified a cohort of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are enriched in the invasive biopsy. From this cohort we have identified the lncRNA BHLHE40-AS1 as increasing in a step-wise manner in a breast cancer progression series that escalates from normal, non-transformed cells to highly invasive disease. Preliminary evidence suggests that BHLHE40-AS1 expression regulates invasive potential in vitro. Using a GeneChip® Human Transcriptome 2.0 Array (HTA) we have identified several targets previously associated with driving breast cancer invasion as being potentially regulated by BHLHE40-AS1. Future directions will focus on determining the effect of BHLHE40-AS1 expression on tumor cell invasion in an orthotopic xenograft model, mechanistically elaborating its function, and determining the utility of BHLHE40-AS1 as a clinically relevant biomarker of invasive breast cancer.

Citation Format: DeVaux RKS, Davis S, Sheftel J, Coarfa C, Behbod F, Herschkowitz JI. The long noncoding RNA BHLHE40-AS1 as a functional biomarker of invasive breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-05-14.

Recurrent activating mutations of CD28 in peripheral T-cell lymphomas

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) comprise a heterogeneous group of mature T-cell neoplasms with a poor prognosis. Recently, mutations in TET2 and other epigenetic modifiers as well as RHOA have been identified in these diseases, particularly in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). CD28 is the major co-stimulatory receptor in T cells which, upon binding ligand, induces sustained T-cell proliferation and cytokine production when combined with T-cell receptor stimulation. We have identified recurrent mutations in CD28 in PTCLs. Two residues-D124 and T195-were recurrently mutated in 11.3% of cases of AITL and in one case of PTCL, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS). Surface plasmon resonance analysis of mutations at these residues with predicted differential partner interactions showed increased affinity for ligand CD86 (residue D124) and increased affinity for intracellular adaptor proteins GRB2 and GADS/GRAP2 (residue T195). Molecular modeling studies on each of these mutations suggested how these mutants result in increased affinities. We found increased transcription of the CD28-responsive genes CD226 and TNFA in cells expressing the T195P mutant in response to CD3 and CD86 co-stimulation and increased downstream activation of NF-κB by both D124V and T195P mutants, suggesting a potential therapeutic target in CD28-mutated PTCLs.

An investigation into heterogeneity in a single vein-type uranium ore deposit: Implications for nuclear forensics

Minor element composition and rare earth element (REE) concentrations in nuclear materials are important as they are used within the field of nuclear forensics as an indicator of sample origin. However recent studies into uranium ores and uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) have shown significant elemental and isotopic heterogeneity from a single mine site such that some sites have shown higher variation within the mine site than that seen between multiple sites. The elemental composition of both uranium and gangue minerals within ore samples taken along a single mineral vein in South West England have been measured and reported here. The analysis of the samples was undertaken to determine the extent of the localised variation in key elements. Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to analyse the gangue mineralogy and measure major element composition. Minor element composition and rare earth element (REE) concentrations were measured by Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA). The results confirm that a number of key elements, REE concentrations and patterns used for origin location do show significant variation within mine. Furthermore significant variation is also visible on a meter scale. In addition three separate uranium phases were identified within the vein which indicates multiple uranium mineralisation events. In light of these localised elemental variations it is recommended that representative sampling for an area is undertaken prior to establishing the REE pattern that may be used to identify the originating mine for an unknown ore sample and prior to investigating impact of ore processing on any arising REE patterns.

Effective interprofessional simulation training for medical and midwifery students

Introduction

Good interprofessional teamworking is essential for high quality, efficient and safe clinical care. Undergraduate interprofessional training has been advocated for many years to improve interprofessional working. However, few successful initiatives have been reported and even fewer have formally assessed their educational impact.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of medical and midwifery students at a tertiary-level maternity unit. An interprofessional training module was developed and delivered by a multiprofessional faculty to medical and midwifery students, including short lectures, team-building exercises and practical simulation-based training for one obstetric (shoulder dystocia) and three generic emergencies (sepsis, haemorrhage, collapse). Outcome measures were interprofessional attitudes, assessed with a validated questionnaire (UWE Interprofessional Questionnaire) and clinical knowledge, measured with validated multiple-choice questions.

Results

Seventy-two students participated (34 medical, 38 midwifery). Following training median interprofessional attitude scores improved in all domains (p<0.0001), and more students responded in positive categories for communication and teamwork (69-89%, p=0.004), interprofessional interaction (3-16%, p=0.012) and interprofessional relationships (74-89%, p=0.006). Scores for knowledge improved following training for medical students (65.5% (61.8-70%) to 82.3% (79.1-84.5%) (median (IQR)) p<0.0001) and student midwives (70% (64.1-76.4%) to 81.8% (79.1-86.4%) p<0.0001), and in all subject areas (p<0.0001).

Conclusions

This training was associated with meaningful improvements in students' attitudes to teamwork, and knowledge acquisition. Integrating practical tasks and teamwork training, in authentic clinical settings, with matched numbers of medical and non-medical students can facilitate learning of both why and how to work together. This type of training could be adopted widely in undergraduate healthcare education.

Kinetics of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-10, and virus neutralising antibodies during acute ephemeral fever virus infections in Brahman cattle

While fever and inflammation are hallmark features of bovine ephemeral fever (BEF), the cytokine networks that underlie the acute phase of the disease have not been empirically defined in cattle. This study characterised the plasma kinetics of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and IL-10 during acute BEF and elucidated on the relationship between the onset of the virus neutralizing antibody response and resolution of viraemia in natural BEF virus (BEFV) infections in cattle. Plasma from three BEFV-infected and three uninfected cattle was tested for the study cytokines by a cELISA, viraemia monitored by qRT-PCR, and virus neutralizing antibody titres determined using a standard protocol. Unlike the negative controls, plasma concentrations of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 were consistently increased in the three virus-infected animals. Two of the infected heifers were recumbent and pyrexic on the first day of monitoring and increased cytokine production was already in progress by the time viraemia was detected in all the three infected animals. In all the virus-infected heifers, IL-1β was the most strongly expressed cytokine, IL-6 and IL-10 manifested intermediate plasma concentrations while TNF-α was the least expressed and demonstrated bi-phasic peaks three and five days after the onset of pyrexia. In two of the BEFV-infected heifers, viraemia resolved on the day of seroconversion while in the other infected animal, viral RNA was detectable up to three days after seroconversion. The present data document variable increase in plasma IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 during natural BEFV infections and the fact that upregulation of all but TNF-α precedes seroconversion. In addition to virus neutralising antibodies, it is likely that cytokine-mediated cellular mechanisms may be required for resolution of viraemia in BEF. Considering the anti-inflammatory properties of IL-10, its upregulation may potentially antagonise the fever response in BEFV-infected cattle.

Measurement of the inclusive electron neutrino charged current cross section on carbon with the T2K near detector

The T2K off-axis near detector ND280 is used to make the first differential cross-section measurements of electron neutrino charged current interactions at energies ∼1  GeV as a function of electron momentum, electron scattering angle, and four-momentum transfer of the interaction. The total flux-averaged ν(e) charged current cross section on carbon is measured to be ⟨σ⟩(ϕ)=1.11±0.10(stat)±0.18(syst)×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon. The differential and total cross-section measurements agree with the predictions of two leading neutrino interaction generators, NEUT and GENIE. The NEUT prediction is 1.23×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon and the GENIE prediction is 1.08×10⁻³⁸ cm²/nucleon. The total ν(e) charged current cross-section result is also in agreement with data from the Gargamelle experiment.

Clinical performance of the Nevisense system in cutaneous melanoma detection: an international, multicentre, prospective and blinded clinical trial on efficacy and safety

BACKGROUND

Even though progress has been made, the detection of melanoma still poses a challenge. In light of this situation, the Nevisense electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) system (SciBase AB, Stockholm, Sweden) was designed and shown to have the potential to be used as an adjunct diagnostic tool for melanoma detection.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of the Nevisense system in the distinction of benign lesions of the skin from melanoma with electrical impedance spectroscopy.

METHODS

This multicentre, prospective, and blinded clinical study was conducted at five American and 17 European investigational sites. All eligible skin lesions in the study were examined with the EIS-based Nevisense system, photographed, removed by excisional biopsy and subjected to histopathological evaluation. A postprocedure clinical follow-up was conducted at 7 ± 3 days from the initial measurement. A total of 1951 patients with 2416 lesions were enrolled into the study; 1943 lesions were eligible and evaluable for the primary efficacy end point, including 265 melanomas - 112 in situ and 153 invasive melanomas with a median Breslow thickness of 0·57 mm [48 basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and seven squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs)].

RESULTS

The observed sensitivity of Nevisense was 96·6% (256 of 265 melanomas) with an exact one-sided 95% lower confidence bound estimated at 94·2% and an observed specificity of 34·4%, and an exact two-sided 95% confidence bound estimated at 32·0-36·9%. The positive and negative predictive values of Nevisense were 21·1% and 98·2%, respectively. The observed sensitivity for nonmelanoma skin cancer was 100% (55 of 48 BCCs and seven SCCs) with an exact two-sided 95% confidence bound estimated at 93·5-100·0%.

CONCLUSIONS

Nevisense is an accurate and safe device to support clinicians in the detection of cutaneous melanoma.

Comparison between magnetic force microscopy and electron back-scatter diffraction for ferrite quantification in type 321 stainless steel

Several analytical techniques that are currently available can be used to determine the spatial distribution and amount of austenite, ferrite and precipitate phases in steels. The application of magnetic force microscopy, in particular, to study the local microstructure of stainless steels is beneficial due to the selectivity of this technique for detection of ferromagnetic phases. In the comparison of Magnetic Force Microscopy and Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction for the morphological mapping and quantification of ferrite, the degree of sub-surface measurement has been found to be critical. Through the use of surface shielding, it has been possible to show that Magnetic Force Microscopy has a measurement depth of 105-140 nm. A comparison of the two techniques together with the depth of measurement capabilities are discussed.

Precise measurement of the neutrino mixing parameter θ23 from muon neutrino disappearance in an off-axis beam

New data from the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment produce the most precise measurement of the neutrino mixing parameter θ23. Using an off-axis neutrino beam with a peak energy of 0.6 GeV and a data set corresponding to 6.57×10(20) protons on target, T2K has fit the energy-dependent νμ oscillation probability to determine oscillation parameters. The 68% confidence limit on sin(2)(θ23) is 0.514(-0.056)(+0.055) (0.511±0.055), assuming normal (inverted) mass hierarchy. The best-fit mass-squared splitting for normal hierarchy is Δm32(2)=(2.51±0.10)×10(-3)  eV(2)/c(4) (inverted hierarchy: Δm13(2)=(2.48±0.10)×10(-3)  eV(2)/c(4)). Adding a model of multinucleon interactions that affect neutrino energy reconstruction is found to produce only small biases in neutrino oscillation parameter extraction at current levels of statistical uncertainty.

Observation of electron neutrino appearance in a muon neutrino beam

The T2K experiment has observed electron neutrino appearance in a muon neutrino beam produced 295 km from the Super-Kamiokande detector with a peak energy of 0.6 GeV. A total of 28 electron neutrino events were detected with an energy distribution consistent with an appearance signal, corresponding to a significance of 7.3σ when compared to 4.92±0.55 expected background events. In the Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata mixing model, the electron neutrino appearance signal depends on several parameters including three mixing angles θ12, θ23, θ13, a mass difference Δm(32)(2) and a CP violating phase δ(CP). In this neutrino oscillation scenario, assuming |Δm(32)(2)|=2.4×10(-3)  eV(2), sin(2)θ(23)=0.5, and Δm322>0 (Δm(32)(2)<0), a best-fit value of sin(2)2θ(13)=0.140(-0.032)(+0.038) (0.170(-0.037)(+0.045)) is obtained at δ(CP)=0. When combining the result with the current best knowledge of oscillation parameters including the world average value of θ(13) from reactor experiments, some values of δ(CP) are disfavored at the 90% C.L.