PD-L1 and immune infiltrates are differentially expressed in distinct subgroups of gastric cancer

This study investigates the association of PD-L1 expression and immune cell infiltrates and their impact on clinical outcome, in addition to their overlap with microsatellite instability (MSI), HER2 and ATM molecular subgroups of gastric cancer (GC). PD-L1 membrane expression on tumour cells (TC) and infiltrating immune cells (IC), CD3 + T-lymphocytes, CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells, ATM and HER2 were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the ACRG (Asian Cancer Research Group) GC cohort (N = 380). EBV status was determined using in situ hybridization and MSI status was performed using PCR and MLH1 IHC. The PD-L1 segment was associated with increased T-cell infiltrates, while the MSI-high segment was enriched for PD-L1, CD3, and CD8. Multivariate analysis confirmed PD-L1 positivity, high CD3 and high CD8 as independent prognostic factors for both disease-free survival and overall survival (all p < 0.05). Patients with MSI-high tumours had better overall survival by both univariate and multivariate analysis. The ATM-low and HER2-high subgroups differed markedly in their immune profile; the ATM-low subgroups enriched for MSI, PD-L1 positivity and CD8 + T-cells, while the HER2 segment was enriched for MSS, with no enrichment for immune markers. Hence, we demonstrate a molecular profiling approach that can divide GC into four molecular subgroups, namely ATM-low, HER2-high, PD-L1 positive and MSI-high with differing levels of immune infiltrates and prognostic significance which may help to stratify patients for response to targeted therapies.

Search for Subsolar-Mass Ultracompact Binaries in Advanced LIGO's First Observing Run

We present the first Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo search for ultracompact binary systems with component masses between 0.2  M_{⊙}-1.0  M_{⊙} using data taken between September 12, 2015 and January 19, 2016. We find no viable gravitational wave candidates. Our null result constrains the coalescence rate of monochromatic (delta function) distributions of nonspinning (0.2  M_{⊙}, 0.2  M_{⊙}) ultracompact binaries to be less than 1.0×10^{6}  Gpc^{-3}  yr^{-1} and the coalescence rate of a similar distribution of (1.0  M_{⊙}, 1.0  M_{⊙}) ultracompact binaries to be less than 1.9×10^{4}  Gpc^{-3}  yr^{-1} (at 90% confidence). Neither black holes nor neutron stars are expected to form below ∼1  M_{⊙} through conventional stellar evolution, though it has been proposed that similarly low mass black holes could be formed primordially through density fluctuations in the early Universe and contribute to the dark matter density. The interpretation of our constraints in the primordial black hole dark matter paradigm is highly model dependent; however, under a particular primordial black hole binary formation scenario we constrain monochromatic primordial black hole populations of 0.2  M_{⊙} to be less than 33% of the total dark matter density and monochromatic populations of 1.0  M_{⊙} to be less than 5% of the dark matter density. The latter strengthens the presently placed bounds from microlensing surveys of massive compact halo objects (MACHOs) provided by the MACHO and EROS Collaborations.

GW170817: Measurements of Neutron Star Radii and Equation of State

On 17 August 2017, the LIGO and Virgo observatories made the first direct detection of gravitational waves from the coalescence of a neutron star binary system. The detection of this gravitational-wave signal, GW170817, offers a novel opportunity to directly probe the properties of matter at the extreme conditions found in the interior of these stars. The initial, minimal-assumption analysis of the LIGO and Virgo data placed constraints on the tidal effects of the coalescing bodies, which were then translated to constraints on neutron star radii. Here, we expand upon previous analyses by working under the hypothesis that both bodies were neutron stars that are described by the same equation of state and have spins within the range observed in Galactic binary neutron stars. Our analysis employs two methods: the use of equation-of-state-insensitive relations between various macroscopic properties of the neutron stars and the use of an efficient parametrization of the defining function p(ρ) of the equation of state itself. From the LIGO and Virgo data alone and the first method, we measure the two neutron star radii as R_{1}=10.8_{-1.7}^{+2.0}  km for the heavier star and R_{2}=10.7_{-1.5}^{+2.1}  km for the lighter star at the 90% credible level. If we additionally require that the equation of state supports neutron stars with masses larger than 1.97  M_{⊙} as required from electromagnetic observations and employ the equation-of-state parametrization, we further constrain R_{1}=11.9_{-1.4}^{+1.4}  km and R_{2}=11.9_{-1.4}^{+1.4}  km at the 90% credible level. Finally, we obtain constraints on p(ρ) at supranuclear densities, with pressure at twice nuclear saturation density measured at 3.5_{-1.7}^{+2.7}×10^{34}  dyn cm^{-2} at the 90% level.

Efficacy and safety of single-dose onabotulinumtoxinA in the treatment of symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee: results of a placebo-controlled, double-blind study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate intraarticular onabotulinumtoxinA 400 U and 200 U in reducing symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in patients with nociceptive pain.

DESIGN

A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in adults with knee OA and a painDETECT questionnaire score of ≤12 (indicating nociceptive pain). Patients were randomized to receive intraarticular onabotulinumtoxinA 400 U or 200 U or placebo (saline) in the study knee on a 1:1:2 ratio and were followed-up for 24 weeks posttreatment. The primary efficacy measure was the daily average numeric rating scale pain score for the study knee over 7 days at week 8. Secondary efficacy measures included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain and physical function scores, the patient global impression of change score and the 7-day average worst pain score.

RESULTS

Of the 176 enrolled patients, 158 completed the study. The daily average pain score was reduced by approximately two points for all treatments (week 8); the reduction was sustained throughout follow-up, with no significant between-group difference between onabotulinumtoxinA and placebo (both doses: 0.22 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.33, 0.76]; 400 U: 0.42 [95% CI: -0.26, 1.10]; 200 U: -0.03 [95% CI: -0.70, 0.64]). Similar results were found for all secondary efficacy measures. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 3.4% of the pooled onabotulinumtoxinA group and placebo group; none were serious.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences between onabotulinumtoxinA and placebo in reducing average pain score at week 8 compared with baseline in patients with knee OA. No safety concerns were identified. CLINICALTRIALS.

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT02230956.

A new software scheme for scatter correction based on a simple radiographic scattering model

In common radiography, image contrast is often limited due mainly to scattered x-rays and noise, decreasing the quantitative usefulness of x-ray images. Several scatter reduction methods based on software correction schemes have been extensively investigated in an attempt to overcome these difficulties, most of which are based on measurement, mathematical-physical modeling, or a combination of both. However, those methods require special equipment, system geometry, and extra manual work to measure scatter characteristics. In this study, we investigated a new software scheme for scatter correction based on a simple radiographic scattering model where the intensity of the scattered x-rays was directly estimated from a single x-ray image using a weighted l¹-norm contextual regularization framework. We implemented the proposed algorithm and performed a systematic simulation and experiment to demonstrate its viability. We also conducted some clinical image studies using patient's image data of breast and L-spine to verify the clinical effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Our results indicate that the degradation of image characteristics by scattered x-rays and noise was effectively recovered by using the proposed software scheme, thus improving radiographic visibility considerably. Graphical abstract The schematic illustrations of scatter suppression methods by using a an antiscatter grid and b a scatter estimation algorithm.

VDJ Gene Usage of B Cell Receptors in Peripheral Blood of ABO-incompatible Kidney Transplantation Patients

INTRODUCTION

B cell subtypes and immunoglobulin variable (V), diversity (D), joining (J) gene segment usage of B cell receptors in ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT) in comparison to ABO-compatible KT have not been studied. The aims of this study were to analyze the VDJ gene segment usages of B cell receptors in peripheral blood of ABOi KT recipients.

METHODS

Eighteen ABOi KT patients with accommodation (ABOiA), 10 ABO-compatible stable KT patients (ABOcS), and 10 ABOi KT patients with biopsy-proven acute antibody-mediated rejection (ABOiR) at day 10 after transplantation were selected. Complete transcriptomes of their peripheral blood samples were sequenced and analyzed through RNA sequencing.

RESULTS

By family, immunoglobulin heavy chain variable 3 (IGHV3), immunoglobulin light kappa chain variable 1 (IGKV1), immunoglobulin light lambda chain variable 2 (IGLV2), and immunoglobulin light lambda chain joining 3 (IGLJ3) gene segments were most frequently used in all groups, and their usage was not statistically different among the three groups except for IGHV3 and IGKV1. IGKV1 was more frequently used in the ABOiA group than in the ABOcS group. According to individual gene segments, IGHV3-7, IGHV3-15, IGHV4-59, IGKV3-11, IGLV1-44, IGLV2-14, IGLV4-69, and IGLV7-46 were more frequently used in the ABOcS group than other groups, and IGKV3-7 was more frequently used in the ABOiR group than other groups. IGLV5-52 and IGLV7-43 were more frequently used in the ABOiA group than in ABOcS group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that RNA sequencing transcriptomic analyses of peripheral blood can provide information on the VDJ gene usage of B cell receptors and the mechanisms of accommodation and immune reaction in ABOi KT.