A19 INVESTIGATING MECHANISMS THAT DRIVE SYMPTOMS IN IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME PATIENTS WITH PERCEIVED GLUTEN SENSITIVITY

Background

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often report gastrointestinal symptoms after consuming wheat and gluten-containing foods. It is, however, unclear whether gluten is the main driver of symptoms, as other immunogenic peptides, such as amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATI), poorly digestible fiber (inulin, part of FODMAP) or even the nocebo effect may contribute to symptom generation.

Purpose

To evaluate whether whole wheat containing ATIs and/or purified gluten trigger gastrointestinal symptoms compared to nocebo in patients with IBS adopting a gluten-free diet (GFD).

Method

We conducted a double-blind, randomized, nocebo-controlled crossover study in adult IBS patients (Rome IV criteria) who previously perceived improvement of symptoms while on a GFD. The study was approved by the Hamilton Research Ethics Board (HiREB #4367). Participants were challenged for 7 days with whole wheat, purified gluten, and nocebo (gluten-free flour) added to low FODMAP cereal bars. Each challenge was followed by a 2-week washout. Patients remained on a GFD throughout the study, diet adherence was assessed by a dietitian and stool gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP; Biomedal). Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed by IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS); increases >50 points were considered a significant worsening. Blood samples were collected to assess immune markers and celiac (HLA DQ2, DQ8 and DQ7) genotype. Statistical comparisons used Friedman rank sum tests and paired Wilcoxon signed rank tests.

Result(s)

Twenty-nine IBS patients (27 female, mean age=42, SD=14.4 years) were enrolled in the study; 1 dropped. Similar proportions of patients reacted symptomatically to wheat (11/28, 39.3%), gluten (10/28, 35.7%) and nocebo (8/28, 28.6%). However, there was an overall significant increase in IBS symptoms after wheat (+39.5 on IBS-SSS; p=0.030) but not after gluten (+27.5; p=0.051) or nocebo (+5.5; p=0.236) challenges (Figure 1). Ten participants experienced IBS-SSS symptoms >175 during baseline and did not worsen further during the challenges. TNF-α trended from 1.35 pg/mL after nocebo, 1.47 pg/mL after gluten, to 1.57 pg/mL after wheat; however, this was not significant. Baseline adherence to a GFD was rated excellent in 19 (68%), good in 6 (21%), and fair in 3 (11%) participants. Median GIP levels were 0.584 µg/g after wheat, 0.432 µg/g after gluten, and 0.095 µg/g after nocebo; p<0.0001. Celiac predisposition genes were present in 19/24 participants (10/24 had DQ2, 2/24 had DQ8, and 9/24 had DQ7).

Image

Conclusion(s)

IBS patients self-reporting wheat or gluten sensitivity had worse symptoms after whole wheat, but not purified gluten or nocebo challenge. However, similar proportions of IBS patients reacted to each intervention, suggesting that central mechanisms play an important role in symptom genesis. Furthermore, one third of patients had high symptoms during a GFD and did not react to wheat or gluten challenges, suggesting that other mechanisms are driving their IBS symptoms.

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CIHR, Other

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Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (Nestle); Canadian Digestive Health Foundation

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

A34 GLUTEN-FREE DIET IMPROVES DYSPEPTIC SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES IN WHOM CELIAC DISEASE WAS EXCLUDED

Background

Patients with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) often suffer from dyspeptic symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, early satiety, nausea and vomiting. T1DM shares genetic risk factors (HLA-DQ2 and DQ8) with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder caused by an immune reaction to gluten. Patients with concomitant T1DM and celiac disease benefit from a gluten-free diet (GFD), as it improves their symptoms, gastric emptying and small intestinal inflammation. However, it is unknown whether GFD has any benefit in patients with T1DM without celiac disease, who present with symptoms of dyspepsia or gastroparesis.

Aims

To investigate the role of a GFD in the management of moderate to severe dyspeptic symptoms in non-celiac patients with T1DM.

Methods

We enrolled 13 adult T1DM patients, in whom celiac disease was ruled out, suffering from two or more upper GI symptoms. The patients were instructed to adhere to a strict GFD for a period of 1 month, under the supervision of a dietitian. Glycemic levels were monitored by a continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM) for 2 weeks before, and at the end of the GFD period. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess upper GI symptoms (Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptoms Index, Short Form Leeds Dyspepsia questionnaire), general quality of life (Patient Assessment of Upper GI Disorders Quality of Life), and anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety Depression scale). Blood samples were collected to assess glycaemia (Hb1Ac) and immune markers. Scintigraphy and videofluoroscopy were used to assess gastric emptying.

Results

After one month on a GFD, T1DM patients reported a significant improvement in nausea (p<0.05), sensation of fullness (p<0.001) and bloating (p<0.0001). Overall dyspepsia symptoms also improved (p<0.01), with 92% of patients reporting decreased dyspepsia scores. Moreover, there was an improvement in the quality of life (p<0.01), and decreased scores of anxiety and depression (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively). There were no changes in gastric emptying or glycemic management metrics, such as mean glucose level, time in target, glucose variance or HbA1c levels. Interestingly, one year after the end of the study, 63.6% of participants continued to follow a GFD. The most common reason to remain on a GFD reported by these patients was “because it improved GI symptoms”. Questionnaire data collected at the follow-up demonstrated that the improvement of dyspeptic symptoms persisted after 1 year on GFD (p<0.001).

Conclusions

GFD improves dyspeptic symptoms in T1D patients without concomitant celiac disease, without affecting their glycemic levels or gastric emptying. Although these results need to be validated in a larger study, our data suggest that GFD could be used as a therapeutical tool for T1DM patients grappling with burdensome upper GI symptoms.

Gluten-Free diet improves dyspepsia symptoms in Type 1 Diabetes patients, after 1 month and 1 year

Funding Agencies

CIHR

Extracardiac coronary steal induced by upper limb hyperemia: a feature of internal mammary artery arteriogenesis

Introduction

Function of naturally existing internal mammary artery (IMA)-to-coronary artery anastomoses has been shown by augmented blood supply to the coronary collateral circulation in response to IMA occlusion. Theoretically, this functional connection is invertible and can cause coronary steal, the verification of whose hypothesis would provide alternate proof to the mentioned functional evidence.

Method

This was a prospective observational study including 40 patients with chronic coronary syndrome and IMA occlusion, and 40 propensity score matched controls (placebo group) without IMA occlusion. Primary study endpoint was the inter-group difference in coronary collateral function (i.e., collateral flow index, CFI) as obtained at 30, 45 and 60 seconds following a proximal coronary artery balloon occlusion. CFI is the ratio between simultaneous mean coronary occlusive pressure divided by mean aortic pressure both subtracted by central venous pressure. To provoke a steal phenomenon, upper limb hyperemia was induced by upper arm blood pressure cuff deflation following a 5-minute supra-systolic inflation ipsilateral to the sensor-wired coronary artery with release immediately after the first CFI measurement.

Results

Between the first and the second CFI-measurement, CFI change (i.e., CFI@45s minus CFI@30s) was absent in the verum group while there was CFI recruitment in the placebo group: 0.000±0.023 and +0.009±0.013, respectively; p=0.032.

Conclusion

Among patients with artificial IMA occlusion, induction of ipsilateral upper limb hyperemia provokes extracardiac coronary steal as expressed by temporarily absent collateral recruitment as it normally takes place without upper limb hyperemia.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Swiss National Sciences Foundation

Detection of myocardial ischemia by intracoronary ECG using convolutional neural networks

Introduction

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia as it presents distinctive ischemic patterns. Deep learning methods such as convolutional neural networks (CNN) are employed to extract data-derived features and to recognize natural patterns. This study aimed to determine the optimal ischemic parameter as obtained from the highly susceptible intracoronary ECG (icECG) using pre-trained CNN.

Method

This was a retrospective observational study in 228 patients with chronic coronary syndrome. Each patient had participated in clinical trials with icECG recording and ST-segment shift measurement at the beginning (i.e.,non-ischemic) and the end (i.e.,ischemic) of a one-minute proximal coronary artery balloon occlusion establishing the reference. Using these data (893icECGs in total), two pre-trained, open-access CNN (GoogLeNet/ResNet101) were trained to recognize ischemia. The best performing CNN during training were compared with the icECG ST-segment shift for diagnostic accuracy in the detection of artificially induced myocardial ischemia.

Results

Using coronary patency or occlusion as reference for absent or present myocardial ischemia, receiver-operating-characteristics (ROC)-analysis of manually obtained icECG ST-segment shift (mV) showed an area under the ROC-curve (AUC) of 0.903±0.043 (p&lt;0.0001, sensitivity 80%, specificity 92% at a cut-off of 0.279mV). The best performing CNN showed an AUC of 0.924 (sensitivity 93%, specificity 92%). DeLong-Test of the ROC-curves showed no significant difference between the AUCs. The underlying morphology responsible for the network prediction differed between the trained networks but was focused on the ST-segment and the T-wave for myocardial ischemia detection.

Conclusions

When tested in an experimental setting with artificially induced coronary artery occlusion, quantitative icECG ST-segment shift and CNN using pathophysiologic prediction criteria detect myocardial ischemia with similarly high accuracy.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Doppler echocardiographic predictors of low mitral valve area after implantation of one MitraClip: time for a paradigm shift?

Introduction

During edge-to-edge therapy using MitraClip (MC) for severe mitral regurgitation (MR) the interventional cardiologists usually rely on the mean transmitral gradient to decide if they “go for” a second clip in case of suboptimal MR reduction or to stabilise the first MC in the context of prolapse or flail leaflet. The value of this parameter to detect low mitral valve area (MVA) is unknown.

Method

During each intervention of the last two years, high quality volumes focused on the MV were acquired. Using a dedicated 3-D analysis software and a new planimetry method, we measured the MVA before and after the implantation of one MC (each orifice was evaluate independently on the most optimal plane). The usual transmitral CW-Doppler parameters (mean gradient (MG), VTI, PHT) were evaluated.

Results

We included 120 patients, 69 primary (PMR) and 51 secondary (SMR) mitral regurgitation. For all the parameters, the best model for the curve fitting was y = a + b / x and the two parameters who best correlated with the MVA after MC were PHT (R2 0.67, p=0.0001) and MG (R2 0.28, p. 0001). Looking at SMR, the correlation with PHT was even better but there was no correlation with MG. In PMR, the correlation with MG was good but still lower than with PHT (Figure 1). The ROC analysis for PHT showed an AUC of 0.948 and defined an optimal cut-off of 127ms with sensibility and specificity 91% to detect a MVA &lt;2 cm2 after one MC.

Conclusion

The transmitral MG appears as a poor parameter to predict low MVA after the implantation of one MC, especially in SMR probably because in this population the MG depends more on the flow than on the MVA. In the contrary PHT appears as a robust parameter.

Figure 1

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Functional assessment of myocardial ischemia by intracoronary electrocardiogram

Background

In patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) targets hemodynamically significant stenoses, i.e., those thought to cause ischemia. The hemodynamic severity of a coronary stenosis increases with its tightness and with the myocardial mass of viable myocardium downstream of the stenosis. Besides the structural angiographic approach, assessment of functional relevance by pressure measurements (fractional flow reserve, FFR; instantaneous wave-free ratio, iFR) is recommended. However, visual angiographic assessment continues to dominate the treatment decisions for intermediate coronary lesions. Conversely, intracoronary ECG (icECG) potentially provides an inexpensive, sensitive and direct measure of myocardial ischemia.

Purpose

The goal of this study was to test the accuracy of intracoronary ECG during pharmacologic inotropic stress to determine coronary lesion severity in comparison to established physiologic indices (FFR/iFR) as well as with quantitatively determined percent diameter stenosis (%S) using biplane coronary angiography.

Method

This was a prospective, open-label study in patients with CCS. The primary study end point was the maximal change in icECG ST-segment shift during pharmacologic inotropic stress induced by dobutamine plus atropine obtained within 1 minute after the point of maximal heart rate (estimated by the formula 220 - age). IcECG was acquired by attaching an alligator clamp to the angioplasty guidewire positioned downstream of a stenosis. For the pressure-derived ratios, i.e. FFR and iFR, the coronary perfusion pressure downstream of a lesion as well as the aortic pressure were continuously recorded.

Results

One hundred patients were included in the study. Pearson-Correlation coefficient was significant between icECG and all three comparators (%S p&lt;0.001, iFR p&lt;0.001, FFR p&lt;0.001). Using the FFR threshold of 0.80 defining coronary hemodynamic significance, ROC-analysis of the absolute icECG ST-segment shift showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.708±0.053 (p=0.0001, n=100, FFR&lt;0.80 n=41). AUC for iFR was 0.919±0.030 (p&lt;0.0001), for percent diameter stenosis it was 0.867±0.036 (p&lt;0.0001).

Conclusions

During pharmacologic inotropic stress, intracoronary ECG ST-segment shift provides specific evidence for regional myocardial ischemia irrespective of the etiology and thus, provides an additional (patho-)physiologic information for decision making in borderline coronary lesions.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Swiss Heart Foundation

A108 PROBIOTICS FOR CELIAC DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Background

Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune disorder triggered by dietary gluten. The only available treatment for celiac disease is strict compliance to the gluten-free diet. Despite adherence to a gluten-free diet, many celiac patients still experience symptoms which may be mediated by the gut microbiota. Different studies have assessed the use of probiotics as an adjuvant treatment for celiac disease.

Aims

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of probiotics in improving gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life in patients with celiac disease.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE (1966 to February 2019), EMBASE (1974 to February 2019), CINAHL, Web of Science, CENTRAL, DARE, and Sigle up to February 2019 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of probiotics on celiac disease. We collected data on gastrointestinal symptoms, quality of life, adverse events, serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), intestinal permeability, and microbiota composition.

Results

Out of 2831 records screened, 7 articles from 6 RCTs with a total of 279 participants were eligible for quantitative analysis. Probiotic supplementation for a minimum of 2 weeks improved gastrointestinal symptoms when assessed by the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) (2 studies; 131 participants; mean difference (MD) symptom reduction: -28.7%; 95% CI -43.96 to -13.52; P=0.0002). No differences in gastrointestinal symptoms after probiotics were observed when pooling data from the GSRS, Celiac Symptoms Index (CSI), and the Celiac Disease Questionnaire (CDQ) (4 studies; 197 participants; standardized mean difference (SMD) symptom reduction: -0.48; 95% CI -1.21 to +0.25; P=0.20). TNF-α levels did not change after probiotics (SMD: -0.52; 95% CI -1.08 to +0.04; P=0.07). Levels of Bifidobacteria species increased (MD: increase by 0.85 log CFU/g; 95% CI +0.38 to +1.32 log CFU/g; P=0.0003) but there was no difference in Lactobacilli species (MD: change of 1.13 log CFU/g; 95% CI -0.67 to +2.93 log CFU/g; P=0.22) after probiotic supplementation. No difference in quality of life or adverse events was observed after probiotics. There was insufficient evidence to assess the effects of probiotics on intestinal permeability. The overall quality of the evidence ranged from very low to low.

Conclusions

Probiotics may improve gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with celiac disease; however, our confidence in these results is limited by the low quality of the evidence. Further large clinical trials with a more rigorous design are needed to improve the quality of the evidence.

Funding Agencies

None

A193 GLUTEN-FREE DIET IMPROVES DYSPEPSIA-LIKE SYMPTOMS IN A PILOT STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS

Background

Patients with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) often suffer with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, such as abdominal pain, bloating, early satiety, nausea and vomiting. T1DM patients are at a higher risk to develop celiac disease, and those patient with both disorders benefit from a gluten-free diet (GFD). However, it is unknown whether GFD has any benefit in patients with T1DM without celiac disease who present with upper GI symptoms.

Aims

To investigate the role of GFD in the management of moderate to severe dyspeptic symptoms in non-celiac patients with T1DM.

Methods

We enrolled adult T1DM patients, in whom celiac disease was ruled out by serology and/or endoscopy, suffering with two or more of upper GI symptoms. The patients were instructed to undergo a strict GFD for a period of 1 month, under supervision of a dietitian. Glycemic levels were monitored by a continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM) for 2 weeks before, and for 2 weeks at the end of the GFD period. Upper GI symptoms, general quality of life, anxiety and depression were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Blood samples were collected to assess glycaemia (Hb1Ac) and lipid profiles. Scintigraphy and videofluoroscopy were used to assess gastric emptying.

Results

Seven patients finished the study so far. They reported a significant improvement in nausea (p&lt;0.05), sensation of fullness (p&lt;0.01), bloating (p&lt;0.01), feeling of excessive fullness after meals (p&lt;0.01) and having stomach visibly larger after meals (p&lt;0.01). 5 out of the 7 patients reported an improvement in general quality of life, based on PAGI-QOL (Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders – Quality of Life), and decreased anxiety levels (HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score). There was no significant change in mean glucose level, time in target, glucose variance and HbA1c levels after GFD. However, there was a trend for less time spent in hypoglycemia, namely in those patients who experienced frequent hypoglycemia prior to GFD. Overall, there was no change in serum lipid profile or gastric emptying.

Conclusions

One month of GFD improved dyspepsia-like symptoms, general quality of life and anxiety levels in T1D patients without concomitant celiac disease. GFD also improved the blood glucose management of patients with frequent hypoglycemia. Thus, this dietary intervention appears to improve upper GI symptoms in T1D patients but the results need to be replicated in a larger patient cohort.

Funding Agencies

CIHR

Metabolite profile comparisons between ascending and descending colon tissue in healthy adults

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a risk factor for colorectal cancer, yet metabolic distinctions between healthy right and left colon tissue, before cancer is diagnosed, remains largely unknown. This study compared right-ascending and left-descending colon tissue metabolomes to identify differences from the stool metabolome in normal weight, overweight, and obese adults.

AIM

To examine right and left colon tissue metabolites according to body mass index that may serve as mechanistic targets for interventions and biomarkers for colon cancer risk.

METHODS

Global, non-targeted metabolomics was applied to assess right-ascending and left-descending colon tissue collected from healthy adults undergoing screening colonoscopies to test the hypothesis that BMI differentially impacts colon tissue metabolite profiles. The colon tissue and stool metabolome of healthy adults (n = 24) was analyzed for metabolite signatures and metabolic pathway networks implicated in progression of colorectal cancer.

RESULTS

Ascending and descending colon contained 504 host, food, and microbiota-derived metabolites from normal weight, overweight and obese adults grouped according to body mass index. Amino acids, lipids, and nucleotides were among the chemical types that further differentiated from the stool metabolite profiles. Normal weight adults had 46 significantly different metabolites between ascending and descending colon tissue locations, whereas there were 37 metabolite differences in overweight and 28 metabolite differences for obese adults (P < 0.05). Obese adults had trimethylamine N-oxide, endocannabinoids and monoacylglycerols with different relative abundances identified between ascending and descending colon. Primary and secondary bile acids, vitamins, and fatty acids also showed marked relative abundance differences in colon tissue from overweight/obese adults.

CONCLUSION

There were metabolite profile differences between right-ascending and left-descending colon tissue in healthy adults. Colon lipids and other metabolites in obese and overweight adults were distinguished from normal weight participants and associated with gut inflammation, nutrient absorption, and products of microbiota metabolism.

P4583Effect of permanent right internal mammary artery occlusion on right coronary artery collateral function. a randomized controlled trial

Background

Extracardiac coronary artery supply via the pericardiophrenic branch of the internal mammary arteries (IMA) has been well documented anatomically. Recently, a proof-of-concept study has found functional relevance of these anastomoses in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) during a brief right coronary artery (RCA) occlusion.

Purpose

The aim of the present randomized controlled, single-blind trial was to investigate the effect of permanent right IMA (RIMA) occlusion on RCA collateral flow index (CFI) and on the occurrence of angina pectoris. We hypothesized that the change in RCA CFI from baseline to follow-up examination is higher in the group of patients with than without permanent RIMA occlusion.

Methods

One hundred patients with CAD were randomly allocated (1:1) to permanent RIMA device occlusion at baseline or to no RIMA occlusion (sham control group). The primary study endpoint was CFI change in the RCA from baseline to the 6-week follow-up examination. CFI is the ratio between mean coronary occlusive and aortic pressure both subtracted by central venous pressure as obtained during a 1-minute proximal RCA balloon occlusion. RCA CFI was measured at baseline before RIMA occlusion or the sham procedure and at the follow-up invasive exam. At the end of the same occlusion, occurrence of angina pectoris was assessed. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the RCA was deferred until after follow-up RCA CFI measurement.

Results

There were 51 patients in the RIMA occlusion (verum) group and 49 patients in the sham control group. PCI in the left coronary territory was performed at baseline for clinical reasons in 27 patients of the verum group and in 25 patients of the sham control group. There were no differences in clinical characteristics at baseline between the groups (age 68±12 years, 88 men). RCA CFI change during the 6 weeks of follow-up was equal to +0.028±0.077 in the verum group and −0.026±0.079 in the sham control group (p=0.0017). Angina pectoris during CFI measurement had disappeared at follow-up exam in 30% of the verum group and in 2% of the sham control group (p=0.0013).

Conclusions

Right coronary collateral function is augmented 6 weeks after permanent RIMA occlusion when compared to sham treatment. This manifests as less frequent angina pectoris during myocardial ischemia among patients with RIMA occlusion.

Acknowledgement/Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation for Research (grant #32003B_163256/1 to CS).

Non-aqueous formulations for ram and screen extrusion-spheronisation

The use of non-aqueous cellulose-based formulations for extrusion-spheronisation (E-S) is investigated. A 10 wt% hydroxypropyl cellulose/isopropyl alcohol solution (HPC/IPA) was identified as a suitable sticky liquid binder for preparing non-aqueous pastes. Preliminary tests were performed on a series of pastes using a ram as well as a laboratory roller screen extruder, since the former is commonly used in batch testing and the latter replicates the shear range in a manufacturing screen extruder. Pellets with acceptable size and shape distributions were obtained with Avicel® HFE-102 NF/HPC/IPA for ram E-S, and with Avicel® RC-591/HPC/IPA for screen E-S. Further investigation was performed with calcium carbonate added as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient. Both formulations were able to generate pellets with acceptable size and shape characteristics at up to 50 wt% carbonate loading: further work is required to optimise yields.

Phosphorylation of threonine residues on Shc promotes ligand binding and mediates crosstalk between MAPK and Akt pathways in breast cancer cells

Scaffold proteins play important roles in regulating signalling network fidelity, the absence of which is often the basis for diseases such as cancer. In the present work, we show that the prototypical scaffold protein Shc is phosphorylated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase, Erk. In addition, Shc threonine phosphorylation is specifically up-regulated in two selected triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. To explore how Erk-mediated threonine phosphorylation on Shc might play a role in the dysregulation of signalling events, we investigated how Shc affects pathways downstream of EGF receptor. Using an in vitro model and biophysical analysis, we show that Shc threonine phosphorylation is responsible for elevated Akt and Erk signalling, potentially through the recruitment of the 14-3-3 ζ and Pin-1 proteins.

Electronically captured, patient-reported physical function: an important vital sign in obesity medicine

OBJECTIVES

Impaired physical function (i.e., inability to walk 200 feet, climb a flight of stairs or perform activities of daily living) predicts poor clinical outcomes and adversely impacts medical and surgical weight management. However, routine assessment physical function is seldom performed clinically. The PROMIS Physical Function Short Form 20a (SF-20a) is a validated questionnaire for assessing patient reported physical function, which includes published T-score percentiles adjusted for gender, age and education. However, the effect that increasing levels of obesity has on these percentiles is unclear. We hypothesized that physical function would decline with increasing level of obesity independent of gender, age, education and comorbidity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 1,627 consecutive weight management patients [(mean ± SEM), 44.7 ± 0.3 years and 45.1 ± 0.2 kg/m2] that completed the PROMIS SF-20a during their initial consultation. We evaluated the association between obesity level and PROMIS T-score percentiles using multiple linear regression adjusting for gender, age, education and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI).

RESULTS

Multiple linear regression T-score percentiles were lower in obesity class 2 (-12.4%tile, p < 0.0001), class 3 (-17.0%tile, p < 0.0001) and super obesity (-25.1%tile, p < 0.0001) compared to class 1 obesity.

CONCLUSION

In patients referred for weight management, patient reported physical function was progressively lower in a dose-dependent fashion with increasing levels of obesity, independent of gender, age, education and CCI.

Transport properties of individual C60-molecules

Electrical and thermal transport properties of C60 molecules are investigated with density-functional-theory based calculations. These calculations suggest that the optimum contact geometry for an electrode terminated with a single-Au atom is through binding to one or two C-atoms of C60 with a tendency to promote the sp(2)-hybridization into an sp(3)-type one. Transport in these junctions is primarily through an unoccupied molecular orbital that is partly hybridized with the Au, which results in splitting the degeneracy of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital triplet. The transmission through these junctions, however, cannot be modeled by a single Lorentzian resonance, as our results show evidence of quantum interference between an occupied and an unoccupied orbital. The interference results in a suppression of conductance around the Fermi energy. Our numerical findings are readily analyzed analytically within a simple two-level model.

Exploration of panviral proteome: high-throughput cloning and functional implications in virus-host interactions

Throughout the long history of virus-host co-evolution, viruses have developed delicate strategies to facilitate their invasion and replication of their genome, while silencing the host immune responses through various mechanisms. The systematic characterization of viral protein-host interactions would yield invaluable information in the understanding of viral invasion/evasion, diagnosis and therapeutic treatment of a viral infection, and mechanisms of host biology. With more than 2,000 viral genomes sequenced, only a small percent of them are well investigated. The access of these viral open reading frames (ORFs) in a flexible cloning format would greatly facilitate both in vitro and in vivo virus-host interaction studies. However, the overall progress of viral ORF cloning has been slow. To facilitate viral studies, we are releasing the initiation of our panviral proteome collection of 2,035 ORF clones from 830 viral genes in the Gateway® recombinational cloning system. Here, we demonstrate several uses of our viral collection including highly efficient production of viral proteins using human cell-free expression system in vitro, global identification of host targets for rubella virus using Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays (NAPPA) containing 10,000 unique human proteins, and detection of host serological responses using micro-fluidic multiplexed immunoassays. The studies presented here begin to elucidate host-viral protein interactions with our systemic utilization of viral ORFs, high-throughput cloning, and proteomic technologies. These valuable plasmid resources will be available to the research community to enable continued viral functional studies.

A comparison of screen and ram extrusion-spheronisation of simple pharmaceutical pastes based on microcrystalline cellulose

The performance of two laboratory-scale extrusion apparatuses used to approximate the action of an industrial screen extruder, namely a multi-holed die ram extruder and a roller screen extruder, were compared. Both devices featured short dies (ram 2mm, screen 1mm) with die diameter 1mm and hole area fraction approaching 0.25. A series of water/microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) pastes with water contents varying from 45 to 60 wt% were extruded and pellets obtained from subsequent spheronisation of the extrudates characterised in terms of size and shape. Each device exhibited a different range of processing windows for acceptable spheronised products, with the ram apparatus being able to extrude a wider range of paste water contents than the screen device. The pellets obtained from extrusion-spheronisation (E-S) of the pastes via the screen device were in general smaller, with a wider size distribution, than those from ram E-S. These results are attributed to the different mechanical histories experienced by the pastes in the two types of extruder, which lead to different extrudate densities being achieved. MCC/water/calcium carbonate pastes were also tested, where the latter component represented a 'hard' (non-deformable) active pharmaceutical ingredient. Addition of calcium carbonate increased the stiffness of the paste, which could be countered by adjusting the water content of the deformable MCC/water matrix within the extrudability limits of the latter material.

Inflammation and atrial remodeling after a mountain marathon

Endurance athletes have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation. We performed a longitudinal study on elite runners of the 2010 Jungfrau Marathon, a Swiss mountain marathon, to determine acute effects of long-distance running on the atrial myocardium. Ten healthy male athletes were included and examined 9 to 1 week prior to the race, immediately after, and 1, 5, and 8 days after the race. Mean age was 34.9 ± 4.2 years, and maximum oxygen consumption was 66.8 ± 5.8 mL/kg*min. Mean race time was 243.9 ± 17.7 min. Electrocardiographic-determined signal-averaged P-wave duration (SAPWD) increased significantly after the race and returned to baseline levels during follow-up (128.7 ± 10.9 vs. 137.6 ± 9.8 vs. 131.5 ± 8.6 ms; P < 0.001). Left and right atrial volumes showed no significant differences over time, and there were no correlations of atrial volumes and SAPWD. Prolongation of the SAPWD was accompanied by a transient increase in levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, proinflammatory cytokines, total leucocytes, neutrophil granulocytes, pro atrial natriuretic peptide and high-sensitivity troponin. In conclusion, marathon running was associated with a transient conduction delay in the atria, acute inflammation and increased atrial wall tension. This may reflect exercise-induced atrial myocardial edema and may contribute to atrial remodeling over time, generating a substrate for atrial arrhythmias.

Differential effects of thin and thick filament disruption on zebrafish smooth muscle regulatory proteins

BACKGROUND

 The smooth muscle actin binding proteins Caldesmon and Tropomyosin (Tm) promote thin filament assembly by stabilizing actin polymerization, however, whether filament assembly affects either the stability or activation of these and other smooth muscle regulatory proteins is not known.

METHODS

Measurement of smooth muscle regulatory protein levels in wild type zebrafish larvae following antisense knockdown of smooth muscle actin (Acta2) and myosin heavy chain (Myh11) proteins, and in colourless mutants that lack enteric nerves. Comparison of intestinal peristalsis in wild type and colourless larvae.

KEY RESULTS

Knockdown of Acta2 led to reduced levels of phospho-Caldesmon and Tm. Total Caldesmon and phospho-myosin light chain (p-Mlc) levels were unaffected. Knockdown of Myh11 had no effect on the levels of either of these proteins. Phospho-Caldesmon and p-Mlc levels were markedly reduced in colourless mutants that have intestinal motility comparable with wild type larvae.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

These in vivo findings provide new information regarding the activation and stability of smooth muscle regulatory proteins in zebrafish larvae and their role in intestinal peristalsis in this model organism.

[The curriculum for rotation physicians within the CHIR-Net]

INTRODUCTION

CHIR-Net is a German national surgical network for clinical trials. It is supported by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF 01GH0605) to establish infrastructure and expertise in the conduct of clinical trials within the surgical disciplines. An important aspect of this network is a qualified advanced training for physicians deployed at the CHIR-Net as part of a job rotation.

METHODS

A catalog of activities for the time of rotation within the network has been developed in cooperation with the CHIR-Net, the deployed physicians and cooperating regional clinical trials centers (ZKS/KKS).

RESULT

The focal points of the physicians' rotation in the CHIR-Net are outlined in a curriculum that has been established and evaluated in the network since January 2008.

CONCLUSION

After the rotation time at the CHIR-Net the skilled physicians act as multipliers of specialized knowledge on clinical research. In this way the acquired expertise will be transferred into clinical practice and treatment of patients within research projects will benefit directly.