Character of chicken polymorphic major histocompatibility complex class II alleles of 3 Chinese local breeds

To better understand the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genetic character of domestic birds, we sequenced and analyzed chicken MHC II (B-L) genes of 3 local chicken breeds, derived from 3 separate areas in China. We amplified cDNA sequences from 105 individuals, accounting for 35 alleles. Some of the same B-LB alleles with a high frequency were found in all samples. The putative B-L α-chain had few polymorphic sites, whereas the B-L β-chain had several polymorphic sites. Most of the mutation positions were located in the B-LB β1 domain encoded by exon 2, especially in the peptide-binding region. This indicated that the highly polymorphic peptide-binding region could potentiate binding diverse antigen epitopes. The comparison of 3-D molecule structures of chicken B-L and human HLA-DR1 revealed a distinctly structural similarity, but the chicken B-L molecule had more polymorphic sites than the human HLA-DR1 molecule, which presumably might be a mechanism to compensate for responding to a wider array of pathogens due to fewer loci for chicken. Moreover, some conserved sites in human and chicken MHC class II molecules reflected their common ancestry and similar functions. These results suggest that the chicken B-L gene showed more polymorphic sites and distinctly dominant trans-breed alleles, potentially to adapt to pathogens.

The properties of BiSb nanoribbons from first-principles calculations

The structural, electronic and magnetic properties of BiSb nanoribbons (BSNRs) with different widths and edge configurations are investigated via the first-principles pseudopotential method. It is found that the pristine BSNRs with armchair edges (ABSNRs) are semiconductors and the band gaps exhibit a width dependent odd-even oscillation. In contrast, the pristine BSNRs with zigzag edges (ZBSNRs) are found to be metallic. When all the edge atoms are passivated by hydrogen, both the ABSNRs and ZBSNRs become semiconducting and the corresponding band gaps decrease monotonically with the increasing width. If, however, the edge atoms are partially passivated, the ABSNRs can be either semiconducting or metallic. Moreover, local magnetism appears when all the edge Sb atoms are passivated and there are one or more unsaturated Bi atoms. Using the nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) approach, we find that all the investigated odd-numbered ABSNRs have almost the same peak value of the power factor around the Fermi level. This is not the case for the even-numbered ABSNRs, where the peaks are twice that of when they are n-type doped. Our calculations indicate that BSNRs can have a very high room temperature figure of merit (ZT value), which makes them very promising candidates for thermoelectric applications.

Evaluation of an image-based tracking workflow using a passive marker and resonant micro-coil fiducials for automatic image plane alignment in interventional MRI

In this paper, an original workflow is presented for MR image plane alignment based on tracking in real-time MR images. A test device consisting of two resonant micro-coils and a passive marker is proposed for detection using image-based algorithms. Micro-coils allow for automated initialization of the object detection in dedicated low flip angle projection images; then the passive marker is tracked in clinical real-time MR images, with alternation between two oblique orthogonal image planes along the test device axis; in case the passive marker is lost in real-time images, the workflow is reinitialized. The proposed workflow was designed to minimize dedicated acquisition time to a single dedicated acquisition in the ideal case (no reinitialization required). First experiments have shown promising results for test-device tracking precision, with a mean position error of 0.79 mm and a mean orientation error of 0.24°.

Immunoediting and persistence of antigen-specific immunity in patients who have previously been vaccinated with NY-ESO-1 protein formulated in ISCOMATRIX™

BACKGROUND

NY-ESO-1 protein formulated in ISCOMATRIX™ results in CD4+, CD8+ T cell and antibody-mediated immunity. We evaluated persistence of immunity, relapse-free survival and tumour antigen expression upon relapse in patients vaccinated in an earlier trial.

METHODS

Immunity was measured in 28 patients with resected NY-ESO-1-expressing tumours (melanoma 25, breast 3) 252-1,155 days (median = 681) after vaccination. In the earlier vaccination, trial patients received NY-ESO-1 with ISCOMATRIX™ adjuvant at three protein doses 10 μg, 30 μg or 100 μg (n = 14); 100 μg NY-ESO-1 protein (n = 8) or placebo (n = 6), together with 1 μg of intradermal (ID) NY-ESO-1 protein twice for DTH skin testing. Immune responses assessed in the current study included antibody titres, circulating NY-ESO-1-specific T cells and DTH reactivity 2 days after DTH skin testing with NY-ESO-1 protein (1 μg) or peptides (10 μg). Relapse-free survival was determined for 42 melanoma patients. On relapse NY-ESO-1 and HLA, class I was assessed by immunohistochemistry in 17.

RESULTS

Persisting anti-NY-ESO-1 immunity was detected in 10/14 recipients who had previously received vaccine with ISCOMATRIX™ adjuvant. In contrast, immunity only persisted in 3/14 who received 100 μg un-adjuvanted NY-ESO-1 protein (3/8) or 2 μg DTH protein (0/6) P = 0.02. Hence, persisting NY-ESO-1 immunity was associated with prior adjuvant. Tumour NY-ESO-1 or HLA class I was downregulated in participants who relapsed suggesting immunoediting had occurred.

CONCLUSION

Immunoediting suggests that a signal of anti-tumour activity was observed in high-risk resected melanoma patients vaccinated with NY-ESO-1/ISCOMATRIX™. This was associated with measurable persisting immunity in the majority of vaccinated subjects tested. A prospective randomised trial has been undertaken to confirm these results.

The safety and efficacy of early-stage bi-weekly alendronate to improve bone mineral density and bone turnover in chinese post-menopausal women at risk of osteoporosis

The efficacy and safety of early, low frequency antiresorptive drug intervention for osteopaenia on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover in Chinese post-menopausal women at risk of developing osteoporosis were investigated. A total of 180 women aged 40 - 70 years were enrolled and equally randomized to receive either 70 mg alendronate once every 2 weeks plus 0.5 μg alfacalcidol daily (treatment group) or alfacalcidol 0.5 μg daily alone (control group) for 12 months. In the treatment group, lumbar spine and total hip BMD at 12 months had increased significantly from baseline and compared with the control group. There were also significant reductions in serum levels of the bone turnover biomarkers, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, compared with the control. No serious adverse events were observed in either group and safety profiles were similar. It was concluded that early intervention with 70 mg alendronate once every 2 weeks was safe, well tolerated and more effective than alfacalcidol alone (control) in increasing BMD and reducing bone turnover, and might prevent serious outcomes, such as fragility fractures, reduce rates of adverse effects and improve patient compliance.

First Report of Stem Blight of Eleocharis dulcis Caused by Phoma bellidis in China

Eleocharis dulcis is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Cyperaceae, which is native to China and India where it grows well in moist-to-wet soils. It is commonly used as a fruit or a vegetable. From August 2009 to December 2010, symptoms were observed on E. dulcis stems in Tuanfeng County, Hubei, China, with the crop area affected estimated to be more than 1,300 ha per year. Corm yield was reduced by 20% on average with as much as 60% yield losses in some fields. Lesions were initially small, red-brown, and oval or circular that enlarged to produce apical necrosis and extending until the stems withered, usually within 2 months. To obtain isolates, diseased tissue was disinfested for 1 min in 0.1% mercuric chloride solution, rinsed with sterilized water, and plated on potato dextrose agar. Isolates with similar morphological characteristics were consistently recovered. Three isolates, CTF-3, CTF-10, and CTF-11, were used to further evaluate characteristics of the pathogen. After 7 days, white colonies were 76 to 80 mm across on oatmeal agar (OA) with sparse aerial hyphae and a slight salmon color in the conidial masses. Pycnidia produced on OA were globose to subglobose, usually with one slightly ostiolar papilla, olivaceous to olivaceous black, and 93 to 245 μm in diameter. Conidia were hyaline, unicellular, ellipsoidal, mostly with two polar guttules, and 3.6 to 6.2 × 2.0 to 3.3 μm. Chlamydospores were absent. Growth of the isolates on malt extract agar (MEA) was slower than on OA, and the colony diameters at 7 days were 60 to 65 mm. The reactions with 1M NaOH were both positive on OA and MEA where the cultures initially changed to yellow green and gradually turned to red. The pathogen was identified as Phoma bellidis Neerg. based on descriptions in Boerema et al. (2). Pathogenicity tests were performed with the three isolates in the laboratory by spraying conidial suspensions (1 × 10⁶ conidia/ml) containing 0.1% Tween 20 until runoff (30 ml per plant) onto stem surfaces of 50-day-old, 60 cm tall plants. For each isolate, there were 50 stems from five replicate plants that had multiple stems per plant. Control plants were treated with sterilized water containing 0.1% Tween 20 only. Plants were incubated with a 16-h photoperiod at 28°C and 90% relative humidity in an artificial climate chamber. Five days after inoculation, typical red-brown spots were observed on all inoculated stems but no symptoms were seen on water-treated control plants. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by reisolation of P. bellidis from diseased stems. The pathogenicity tests were repeated twice more with the same results. P. bellidis has only been reported previously on Bellis spp. from England, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland (1,2). Furthermore, there are only a few fungal diseases known to be associated with E. dulcis, and none so far that involve species of Phoma (3,4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. bellidis infecting E. dulcis worldwide. References: (1) M. M. Aveskamp et al. Stud. Mycol. 65:27, 2010. (2) G. H. Boerema et al. Phoma Identification Manual: Differentiation of Specific and Infra-Specific Taxa in Culture. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK, 2004. (3) P. L. Lentz. Am. Midl. Nat. 67:184, 1962. (4) L. Pan et al. J. Changjiang Vegetables (in Chinese) 14:10, 2010.

A phase I study of vaccination with NY-ESO-1f peptide mixed with Picibanil OK-432 and Montanide ISA-51 in patients with cancers expressing the NY-ESO-1 antigen

We conducted a phase I clinical trial of a cancer vaccine using a 20-mer NY-ESO-1f peptide (NY-ESO-1 91-110) that includes multiple epitopes recognized by antibodies, and CD4 and CD8 T cells. Ten patients were immunized with 600 μg of NY-ESO-1f peptide mixed with 0.2 KE Picibanil OK-432 and 1.25 ml Montanide ISA-51. Primary end points of the study were safety and immune response. Subcutaneous injection of the NY-ESO-1f peptide vaccine was well tolerated. Vaccine-related adverse events observed were fever (Grade 1), injection-site reaction (Grade 1 or 2) and induration (Grade 2). Vaccination with the NY-ESO-1f peptide resulted in an increase or induction of NY-ESO-1 antibody responses in nine of ten patients. The sera reacted with recombinant NY-ESO-1 whole protein as well as the NY-ESO-1f peptide. An increase in CD4 and CD8 T cell responses was observed in nine of ten patients. Vaccine-induced CD4 and CD8 T cells responded to NY-ESO-1 91-108 in all patients with various HLA types with a less frequent response to neighboring peptides. The findings indicate that the 20-mer NY-ESO-1f peptide includes multiple epitopes recognized by CD4 and CD8 T cells with distinct specificity. Of ten patients, two with lung cancer and one with esophageal cancer showed stable disease. Our study shows that the NY-ESO-1f peptide vaccine was well tolerated and elicited humoral, CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in immunized patients.