Establishment of a cobia (Rachycentron canadum) gill cell line: A valuable tool for immune response studies

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum), a commercially important marine fish, has been used to develop a novel gill cell line, designated CG, for the first time. The CG cell line was cultured in Leibovitz's-15 medium with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and successfully sub-cultured more than 110 passages. It underwent verification through sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Optimal growth rate was achieved when the CG cell line was cultured in a medium supplemented with 5% FBS, 1% Penicillin-Streptomycin (P/S), and 5 parts per thousand (ppt) of coral sea salt water, maintained at a temperature of 27 °C. The addition of 5 ppt of salt in the growth medium suggests that this cell line could be a viable in vitro tool for marine ecosystem toxicological studies or for culturing marine parasitic microorganisms. The CG cell line was also successfully transfected using the pTurbo-GFP plasmids, showing an 18% efficiency, with observable GFP expression. Furthermore, the cell line has been effectively cryopreserved. Gene expression analysis indicated that the CG cell line exhibits responsive regulation of immune gene expression when exposured to various stimulants, highlighting its potential as an in vitro platform for immune response studies. This makes it suitable for exploring dynamic immune signaling pathways and host-pathogen interactions, thereby offering valuable insights for therapeutic development.

Determination of the growth performance and reproductive season of wild Channa lucius (Cuvier, 1831) populations of genus Channa (Channidae, Perciformes) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

This study aimed to investigate the growth and spawning characteristics of wild Channa lucius (Cuvier, 1831) populations in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. The study was carried out from March 2011 to February 2012. The length-weight relationship of C. lucius was determined according to the equations W = 0.0044L3.2494 , R2  = 0.9157 (female fish) and W = 0.0047L3.2178 , R2  = 0.9434 (male fish). The length and weight of the body for female fish ranged from 16.3 to 36.0 cm and 49.0 to 550.0 g, and for male fish, from 14.6 to 38.2 cm and 46.0 to 639.0 g, respectively. Female and male fish had almost similar lengths at first maturity (21.3958 cm for females and 21.3952 cm for males). The condition factor of female fish ranged from 0.842 to 0.864 and for male fish ranged from 0.848 to 0.874. The gonadosomatic index of female fish was highest in June (1.68%) and lowest in November (0.69%); that of male fish was highest in June (0.53%) and lowest in September (0.15%). The sexual maturity rate (SMR) of female fish peaked in May, with SMRs of 33.3% (stage III) and 58.3% (stage IV). In conclusion, C. lucius has a positive allometric range (b > 3), reaching sexual maturity when its length reaches 21.39 cm for both sexes, and the spawning season begins in December but peaks in May and June.

Modulation of immune genes in the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues of cobia by Sarcodia suae extract

Rachycentron canadum (cobia) is a marine fish species of high economic value in aquaculture due to its fast growth rate and good feed conversion efficacy. Regrettably, the industry has been affected by significant setbacks from high mortality due to diseases. Consequently, an improved perception of innate immunity correlated to each mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in teleost fish is necessary to understand hosts' response towards infections better. The utilization of polysaccharides in seaweed to stimulate the immune system has gathered unprecedented attention. The present study examined the immunostimulatory effects of Sarcodia suae water extracts (SSWE) on in vivo gill-, gut- and skin-associated lymphoid tissues (GIALT, GALT, and SALT) via immersion and oral ingestions. The GIALT genes (TNF-α, Cox2, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17 A/F1-3, IL-11, IL-12, IL-15, IL-18, MHCIa, IgM, and IgT) except IL-10 recorded positive upregulations in a dose-dependent manner post 24 h immersion in SSWE, indicating the algae extract contained bioactive compounds that could stimulate the immune genes. The upregulation of IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18 in the gills and hindgut post-SSWE immersion indicated that the extract could promote Th1-related responses in the MALTs. The modulation of immune gene expressions in the feeding trial was less potent than in the SSWE immersion. These findings indicated that the SSWE stimulated robust immune responses in both the GIALT and GALT of cobia. This suggests that the SSWE could be further explored as an effective immersive stimulant for fish, enhancing their immune system against pathogens.

Assessment of Bacillus subtilis fermented Caulerpa microphysa byproduct as feed additive on the growth performance, immune regulation and disease resistance of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

In this study, the immunomodulatory and antioxidant activity of fermented Caulerpa microphysa byproduct (FCMB) by Bacillus subtilis was evaluated, and its potential as a feed additive for white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) was explored. In vitro experiments showed that the FCMB supernatant contained polysaccharides, polyphenols and flavonoids, and exhibited antioxidant properties as assessed by various antioxidant assays. Additionally, the FCMB supernatant was found to increase the production rate of reactive oxygen species and the activity of phenoloxidase in hemocytes in vitro. Furthermore, the results of the in vivo feeding trial showed that dietary 5 g kg-1 FCMB significantly improved the weight gain and specific growth rate of white shrimp after 56 days of feeding. Although there were no significant differences in total hemocyte count, phagocytosis, superoxide anion production rate, and phenoloxidase activity among the experimental groups, upregulation of immune-related genes was observed, particularly in the hepatopancreas and hemocytes of shrimps fed with 5 g or 50 g FCMB per kg feed, respectively. In the pathogen challenge assay, white shrimp fed with 5 % FCMB exhibited a higher survival rate compared to the control group following Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenge. Therefore, it is concluded that the fermented byproduct of C. microphysa, FCMB, holds potential as a feed additive for enhancing the growth performance and disease resistance against V. parahaemolyticus in white shrimp.

Optimizing inorganic carbon and salinity for enhanced biomass and pigment production in Colaconema formosanum: Implications for sustainable carbon sequestration and stress responses

This study investigates a cultivation strategy for the macroalga Colaconema formosanum by determining optimal inorganic carbon concentration and salinity for maximizing biomass and photosynthetic pigment production while also facilitating carbon sequestration. The response surface method was used with a central composite design (CCD-RSM) to determine the optimal conditions. Results showed that adding 1.2 g/L of carbon increased the specific growth rate to 18%-19% per day. The maximum amount of pigment, including phycobiliprotein and chlorophyll, was achieved by adjusting both carbon content and salinity. This strategy enables mass pigment production and offers an eco-friendly approach to carbon sequestration while reducing culture period. This study also sheds light on algal mechanisms against enriched inorganic carbon and salinity content, contributing to an enhanced understanding of these vital processes.

A125 TANDEM STUDY DESIGN IS LESS LIKELY TO DEMONSTRATE IMPROVED ADENOMA DETECTION RATE THAN PARALLEL STUDY DESIGN IN THE ASSESSMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-ASSISTED COLONOSCOPY

Background

Randomized controlled trials have reported that artificial intelligence (AI) improves adenoma detection rate (ADR). Different methodologies, namely parallel and tandem study designs, have been employed to evaluate the efficacy of AI-assisted colonoscopy in randomized controlled trials. In systematic reviews and meta-analyses, a pooled effect that includes both study designs have been reported. However, it is unclear whether there are inconsistencies in the reported results of these two designs.

Purpose

To determine if there are differences in ADR using AI-aided technologies during colonoscopy between parallel and tandem study designs

Method

A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to October 2022) and EMBASE (1947 to October 2022) for randomized controlled trials comparing AI-assisted colonoscopy with routine high-definition colonoscopy in polyp detection was conducted. Reference lists of systematic reviews were searched for additional studies. The publications were divided based on trial design: parallel vs. tandem. Analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1 using a random effects model.

Result(s)

The search identified 540 articles. After screening the title and abstract for relevance, 19 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 14 657 patients were included for full-text review. Fourteen were parallel studies (14 136 patients) and 5 were tandem studies (521 patients). ADR was reported in 17 studies, and there was overall improvement in ADR with AI-assisted colonoscopy (risk ratio [RR] 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.44; p<.0001). Based on a separate pooled analyses of 13 parallel studies and 4 tandem studies, ADR significantly improved with AI assistance compared to routine colonoscopy, regardless of study design (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.24-1.47 and p<.0001; RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.03-1.28; p=0.02, respectively). A significant increase in ADR with AI assistance were found in 84.6% (11/13) of parallel design studies, but in only 25% (1/4) of tandem studies.

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Conclusion(s)

AI assistance during colonoscopy significantly increased ADR in both parallel and tandem studies; however, improvement in ADR was less likely to be seen in tandem compared to parallel studies. It remains unclear why this difference exists, but some hypotheses include smaller sample sizes in the tandem studies, significant heterogeneity in the tandem design, and differences in operator bias depending on study design. Better understanding the differences in these study designs will inform future studies of new endoscopic technologies.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

First Report of Screening of Novel Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides Derived from the Red Alga Acrochaetium sp

ACE inhibitors generated from food proteins have recently become the most well-known subclass of bioactive peptides, and their bio-functionality can be a potential alternative to natural bioactive food components and synthetic drugs. The bioactivities of Acrochaetium sp., the red alga used in this investigation, have never been reported before. Screening of bioactive peptides from Acrochaetium sp. as ACE inhibitors were hydrolyzed with various proteolytic enzymes. Protein hydrolysates were fractionated separately using reversed phased (RP) and strong cation exchange (SCX) chromatography and identified as VGGSDLQAL (VL-9) using α-chymotrypsin. It comes from Phycoerythrin (PE), an abundant protein in a primarily red alga. The peptide VL-9 shows the ACE inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ value 433.1 ± 1.08 µM. The inhibition pattern showed VL-9 as a non-competitive inhibitor. Molecular docking simulation proved that VL-9 was non-competitive inhibition due to the interaction peptide and ACE was not in the catalytic site. Moreover, VL-9 derived from Acrochaetium sp. is a natural bioactive peptide that is safer and available for food protein; also, the ACE inhibitory peptide derived from Acrochaetium sp. could be the one alternative resource to develop functional food for combating hypertension.

TLR23, a fish-specific TLR, recruits MyD88 and TRIF to activate expression of a range of effectors in melanomacrophages in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is an important food fish species that is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. However, microbial diseases have created various difficulties for this industry. The fundamental prerequisite for tackling disease outbreak prevention and disease resistance is to know how hosts' immune responses against invading microbes are initiated. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are vital pattern recognition receptors and play pivotal roles in the cellular innate immunity defense that is able to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In this study, Oreochromis niloticus TLR23 (OnTLR23) was cloned and bioinformatic analyses revealed that OnTLR23 is not an ortholog of mammalian TLR13 as previously suggested. The basal transcript level of OnTLR23 was found to be higher in the immune-related organs and was upregulated in the spleen and/or head kidney following Aeromonas hydrophila, Streptococcus agalactiae or poly I:C injections, and increased in the melanomacrophage-like tilapia head kidney (THK) cell line after LPS and zymosan stimulation. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that OnTLR23 locates mainly in the intracellular region in fish cells and the constitutively active form of OnTLR23 promotes the expression of molecules related to antigen presentation, proinflammatory cytokines, antimicrobial peptides and type I interferon in THK cells. A co-immunoprecipitation assay revealed that OnTLR23 can interact with both OnMyD88 and OnTRIF, but not with OnTIRAP. A luciferase assay showed that the NF-κB activity was not elevated in the OnTLR23 overexpressed THK cells after treatment with ligand for TLR13 as well as other known purified bacterial-derived ligands of TLRs. Taken together, OnTLR23 is likely to recruit OnMyD88 and OnTRIF as adaptors to induce the expression of various effectors in melanomacrophages, but its corresponding ligand is an issue awaiting further investigation.

Increasing arsenic accumulation as an implication of climate change: a case study using red algae

Climate change due to an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a global issue. It can impact aquatic environments by affecting water flow, pollutant transformation and migration, and other toxicant-related effects. We assessed the interactive effects of temperature warming and pH changes on variations in accumulation of total arsenic (As_T) in the red alga Sarcodia suae at different levels of arsenite (As_III). Result showed that As_T variations in the alga were moderated by significant joint effects of warming temperature and/or increasing pH levels and their interactions with increasing As_III concentrations. Our study suggests possible deleterious impacts on macroalgal populations due to toxicological effects associated with prevailing environmental conditions. Therefore, improved pollution management, climate change adaptation, and mitigation strategies are needed to deal with current environmental issues and As aggravation.

Enhanced Colaconema formosanum biomass and phycoerythrin yield after manipulating inorganic carbon, irradiance, and photoperiod

Due to an increasing CO₂ concentration leading to global warming, the techniques as carbon capture utilization and storage are currently critical issues. This study aimed to investigate a cultivation strategy using optimal inorganic carbon level, irradiance, and photoperiod for producing the highest biomass and photosynthesis pigment contents (chlorophyll and phycobiliprotein) in the macroalga Colaconema formosanum. The results revealed that adding 1 g L^-1 carbon increases phycoerythrin ratio by 12.52-13.74% and decreases allophycocyanin by 10.4-9.57%. Optimal conditions can increase algal growth by 60%, providing 5-6 mg g^-1 total phycobiliprotein and 650-680 µg g^-1 total chlorophyll. The results in this study illustrate the sensitivity of photosynthesis pigment after treatment with carbon, and suggest a hypothesis explaining the mechanism. The results also provide a feasible use of carbon for high-value large-scale production of pigment in the macroalgae industry.

Sarcodia suiae Water Extract Promotes the Expression of Proinflammatory and Th1-Type Cytokines and Delay the Onset of Mortality in Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) During Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae Infection

Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is a marine fish of high economic value that grows at a fast rate. However, intensive fish farming has led to disease outbreaks in cobia cultures, which is highly costly to the industry. The impact of infectious diseases on cobia production has led to the inappropriate and increased use of chemicals and antibiotics, which negatively affects the environment and human health and promotes the spread of drug-resistant pathogens. Hence, prophylactic measurements, such as the use of immunomodulators, are required to improve the health of cultured animals against pathogens. In this study, we examined the effects of Sarcodia suiae water extract (SSWE) in cobia in vitro and in vivo. We found that treatment with SSWE could significantly increase the expression of cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and TNF-α) and chemokines (e.g., IL-8) in primary cultured head kidney leukocytes. Intraperitoneal injection of SSWE (20 μg/g body weight) promoted higher expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, chemokines (e.g., CC1), and antibodies (e.g., IgT) in head kidney and spleen tissues of the fish compared with other dose levels. Additionally, we describe for the second time (only after India) of the isolation of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae (Phdd) from a deadly epizootic in cage-farmed cobia. An intraperitoneal inoculation of SSWE before Phdd challenge showed that SSWE treatment could delay the onset of mortality of cobia. Finally, fish that received SSWE intraperitoneally before infection with Phdd exhibited elevated expression of Th1-type cytokines, namely, IL-8, IL-12, TNF-α, and IFN-γ. At the same time, the expression of Th2-related factors (such as IL-10 in the head kidney, and IgM and IgT in the spleen) were lower for the fish that received SSWE instead of PBS before the Phdd challenge. The results indicate that SSWE treatment facilitates the induction of Th1-type cytokines in cobia to fight against Phdd infection and has the potential to be used as an immunostimulant and vaccine adjuvant for fish.

Fish-specific TLR18 in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) recruits MyD88 and TRIF to induce expression of effectors in NF-κB and IFN pathways in melanomacrophages

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are evolutionarily conserved proteins of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and play a crucial role in innate immune systems recognition of conserved pathogen-related molecular samples (PAMPs). We identified and characterized TLR18 from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), OnTLR18, to elucidate its role in tissue expression patterns, modulation of gene expression after microbial challenge and TLR ligands, subcellular localization in fish and human cells, and the possible effectors TLR18 induces in a melanomacrophage-like cell line (tilapia head kidney (THK) cells). OnTLR18 expression was detected in all tissues examined, with the highest levels in the intestine and the lowest in the liver. OnTLR18 transcript was up-regulated in immune-related organs after bacterial and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) challenges and in the THK cells after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. In transfected THK and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells, OnTLR18 localizes in the intracellular compartment. OnMyD88 and OnTRIF, but not OnTIRAP, were co-immunoprecipitated with OnTLR18, suggesting that the former two molecules are recruited by OnTLR18 as adaptors. The constitutively active form of OnTLR18 induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, type I interferon (IFN), and antimicrobial peptides such as tumor necrosis factor α, interferon (IFN) d2.13, tilapia piscidin (TP)2, TP3, TP4, and hepcidin in THK cells. Our results suggest that OnTLR18 plays an important role in innate immunity through initiating nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and IFN signaling pathways via OnMyD88 and OnTRIF and induces the production of various effectors in melanomacrophages.

Phycoerythrin from Colaconema sp. Has Immunostimulatory Effects on the Whiteleg Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and Increases Resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus and White Spot Syndrome Virus

Simple Summary

In this study, we found that phycoerythrin from Colaconema sp. can differentially stimulate the immune response of whiteleg shrimp in vitro and in vivo and could potentially be used as an immunomodulator in shrimp culture.

Abstract

We investigated whether phycoerythrin (PE), a pigment sourced from marine algae, could act as an immunomodulatory agent in whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). To this end, PE was extracted and purified from a PE-rich macroalgae, Colaconema sp. Our in vitro analysis demonstrated that PE enhanced prophenoloxidase and phagocytosis activity but inhibited the production of reactive oxygen species in hemocytes. Additionally, the PE signal could be detected using an in vivo imaging system after its injection into the ventral sinus of the cephalothorax of whiteleg shrimp. The expression profiles of fourteen immune-related genes were monitored in hemocytes from whiteleg shrimp injected with 0.30 μg of PE per gram of body weight, and crustin, lysozyme, penaiedin 4, and anti-lipopolysaccharide factor showed up-regulated post-stimulation. The induction of immune genes and enhancement of innate immune parameters by PE may explain the higher survival rates for shrimp that received different doses of PE prior to being challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus or white spot syndrome virus compared to controls. Combined, these results show that PE from Colaconema sp. can differentially stimulate the immune response of whiteleg shrimp in vitro and in vivo and could potentially be used as an immunomodulator in shrimp culture.

Hippocampus kuda protein hydrolysate improves male reproductive dysfunction in diabetic rats

The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing. This disease is associated with many complications including male reproductive dysfunctions and infertility. Seahorse ( Hippocampus kuda) is a marine teleost fish well known for its beneficial effects on the reproductive system in traditional Chinese medicine books. Recently, several studies have been shown that the enzymatic hydrolysate of seahorse has multiple pharmacological activities. This study aimed to investigate the seahorse peptide hydrolysate (SH) ameliorative effects on the diabetic-induced male reproductive dysfunction in rat models. The in vivo studies were carried out with three different doses of SH (4, 8, and 20 mg/kg) and the diabetes condition was induced by administrating with streptozotocin (35 mg/kg) and fed a 40% high-fat diet. Seahorse hydrolysate (20 mg/kg) inhibited lipid peroxidation, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and restored seminiferous tubules morphology in testis. Moreover, it improved reproductive dysfunction by increasing the level of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, sperm count, and motility. According to these results, we suggested that SH exhibited amelioration effects on the reproductive dysfunction.

Enhancing growth, phycoerythrin production, and pigment composition in the red alga Colaconema sp. Through optimal environmental conditions in an indoor system

Phycoerythrin (PE) is a compound with strong potential for both basic research and industrial applications, but short supply and high prices have so far hindered its development. One common problem is a shortage of biomass for extraction. The aim of the present study was to determine a cultivation strategy (optimizing temperature, irradiance, photoperiod, and light quality) to produce greater biomass and higher PE concentrations in the alga Colaconema sp. We found that an optimized culture process could increase algae growth 7-9 fold while allowing extraction of 9-10 mg g^-1 total phycobiliproteins, containing 60%-65% PE. Low energy costs make this approach economically feasible and competitive when compared with existing methods. Our results suggest an improved strategy for the large-scale production of PE and offer valuable applications in the algae industry.

Expression, signal transduction, and function analysis of TIRAP and TRIF in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Toll/interleukin 1 receptor domain-containing adaptor protein (TIRAP) and toll/interleukin 1 receptor-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF) are crucial adaptors of signal transduction for the signaling pathways of toll-like receptors (TLRs). TIRAP and TRIF perform an essential function in an antimicrobial immune response; however, their function in Nile tilapia remains unknown. Herein, TIRAP and TRIF from Nile tilapia were identified and functionally characterized. Phylogenetic analysis showed that OnTIRAP and OnTRIF clustered with corresponding homologs from other fish species, with comparable gene structures to those of select vertebrate TIRAP and TRIF genes, respectively. The expression profiles of OnTIRAP and OnTRIF were broadly distributed in the ten tissues investigated, with high transcript levels noticed in immune organs. The transcription levels of OnTIRAP and OnTRIF were upregulated in response to bacterial and poly (I:C) challenges. GFP signals were only detected in the cytoplasmic region of fish cells transfected with OnTIRAP-GFP and OnTRIF-GFP expression plasmids. Moreover, overexpression of OnTIRAP and OnTRIF activated interferon-β (IFN-β) and activator protein 1 (AP1) reporters in HEK 293 cells. Activation of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) reporter was only observed in OnTRIF-overexpressing HEK 293 cells. Furthermore, the results of the co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that OnTRIF, but not OnTIRAP, was recruited as an adaptor protein by OnTLR25. This study provides the first evidence on the functions of OnTIRAP and OnTRIF in the immune system of Nile tilapia against pathogens and may serve as the basis for further investigations on TLR signaling in fish.

Effects of three medicinal herbs Bidens pilosa, Lonicera japonica, and Cyathula officinalis on growth and non-specific immune responses of cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

This study investigates the effects of three medicinal herbal extracts, namely Bidens pilosa (BPE), Lonicera japonica (LJE), and Cyathula officinalis (COE), on nonspecific immune parameters of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in vitro and in vivo. During in vitro tests, BPE treatment increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in a dose-dependent manner in primary head kidney leukocytes. Similarly, ROS production rates were enhanced by LJE (50 and 100 mg/ml) and COE (100 mg/ml). This suggests that these three herbal extracts possess immunostimulating properties. We then conducted two feeding trials to examine the effects of these three herbal extracts on growth and innate immune parameters of cobia, and sought an optimal dietary supplementation proportion required for activating the non-specific immune responses. In the first trial, we supplemented the diet with 1, 5, or 10% of the individual extracts. After a ten-week feeding trial, no negative impacts on weight gain, feed conversion rate, and survival rate were observed in fish offered experimental diets. Further, ROS production, phagocytic capacity of the head kidney leukocytes, and serum lysozyme activity were enhanced by differing degrees in fish fed the herbal extracts compared to fish in the control group. A similar albumin/globulin ratio was seen between each experimental group and the control group regardless of the type and dose of herbal extract used, indicating these medicinal herbal extracts are safe for cobia. We then performed a 30-day feeding trial with lower extract concentrations (1, 3, and 5% of the diet) to identify dose responses in cobia at various time points so that we could establish a cost-effective manner of administering the three extracts for cobia. All BPE fed fish had higher ROS production compared to the control group, while phagocytosis rate and index were simultaneously raised in only the BPE30 group (3% BPE). Immune parameters such as ROS production, phagocytic rate, and serum lysozyme activity were triggered when fish received 30 g LJE per kg of feed. However, ROS production only increased in the LJE10 group (1% LJE) on day 30 and was not enhanced in the LJE50 group (5% LJE). Additionally, although the phagocytic rate and phagocytic index were induced in the LJE50 group, serum lysozyme activity was not elevated in this group (LJE50) at any time point examined. ROS production was greatly improved in all COE fed groups, but only the COE30 group (3% COE) showed prolonged enhanced phagocytic rate over the 30-day feeding trial.

Immunostimulatory effects of Sarcodia suiae water extracts on Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and its resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae

In this study, water extracts of the red seaweed Sarcodia suiae were obtained using solid-liquid extraction (SLE) or pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) methods. The extracts were used to investigate immunostimulatory activity by measuring the phagocytic activity of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) hepatic and splenic macrophages and the tilapia head kidney (THK) cell line, and modulation of immune-related genes in primary head kidney (HK) cells and THK cells. At 10 μg/ml, both extracts promoted the proliferation of hepatic and splenic macrophages. Expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-8), antimicrobial peptides (TP2 and TP4), and pattern recognition receptors (TLR5) were elevated in SLE extracts-treated primary HK leukocytes. Similarly, IL-1β, IL-8, and TNFα expression was also induced by SLE extract in THK cells. Phagocytic activity in primary HK cells and THK cells was induced by SLE extract 12 h and 24 h post-stimulation, while PLE extract only induced phagocytic activity in THK cells at early time points. SLE extract (100 μg/g body weight) increased the expression of IL-1β, IL-8, TNFα, TP2, TP4, TLR2 and TLR5 in the spleen and immunoprotective efficiency against Streptococcus agalactiae infection. Taken together, these results show that S. suiae can differentially stimulate the immune response of tilapia in vitro and in vivo and could potentially be used as an immunomodulator in tilapia culture.

Sargassumhorneri extracts stimulate innate immunity, enhance growth performance, and upregulate immune genes in the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

The white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei is one of the most commercially important aquatic species. However, intensive farming to meet economic demands has been linked to animal stress and subsequent disease outbreaks. In this study, we explore the immunomodulatory effects of Sargassum horneri hot-water extract (SHE) on the immune parameters of L. vannamei. Hemocytes incubated in vitro with 10 mg/ml of SHE showed the highest response in phenoloxidase (PO) activity and reactive oxygen species production. In the in vivo trials, shrimp were fed diets containing 0 (control), 2.5 (SHE 2.5), 5.0 g (SHE 5.0), and 10 g (SHE10.0) of lyophilized SHE per kg feed for four weeks, after which immune parameters were measured. Group SHE10.0 had the highest total hemocyte count, reactive oxygen species production, and phagocytic rate during the 4-week feeding period, followed by groups SHE5.0 and SHE2.5. However, group SHE5.0 showed a better growth performance among all examined groups after four weeks of rearing. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed that L. vannamei fed diets containing 0.5% SHE over 28 days showed significant modulation of 11 immune-related genes, including prophenoloxidase I, prophenoloxidase II, peroxinectin, α2macroglobulin, clotting protein, lysozyme, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, penaiedin2-4, and crustin. Combined, these results show that SHE is a functional feed additive that can be applied orally to enhance innate immunity and growth performance of white shrimps.

Total and inorganic arsenic biosorption by Sarcodia suiae (Rhodophyta), as affected by controlled environmental conditions

Temperature, light intensity (LI), adsorbent source and concentrations are key external factors affecting algal metabolism and thus metal-accumulation mechanisms. In this study, the alga Sarcodia suiae was exposed individually to a range of temperature (15, 20, and 25 °C), and LI (30, 55, and 80 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1) at initial arsenate [As(V)] concentration (_iconc: 0, 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 μg L^-1) conditions, to investigate the variations of total arsenic (TAs) and inorganic arsenic (iAs) accumulation mechanisms in the algal body. Temperature significantly affected TAs and arsenite [As(III)] production and maximum absorption were obtained at 15 °C, which was significantly stimulated by increasing _iconc. However, the temperature did not affect As(V) production. LI had no significant effect on TAs or iAs production, although maximum absorption was estimated in 80 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1. The iAs component of TAs was much greater in the temperature experiment particularly under 250-500 μg L^-1_iconc than in the LI experiment, is witnessed. Overall, temperature and _iconc strongly affected As accumulation. The predominant iAs produced was As(III), regardless of temperature or LI, suggesting that the alga favored As(III) biosorption. Also, visible effects on the morphology of this alga were adverse with increased concentration and environmental factors did affect the difference somewhat. Our results contribute to improving our understanding of the effects of the tested factors on As cycling, which is necessary for maximizing biosorption of algae if utilized for bioremediation studies as well as in the wastewater treatment implementation approach in the environment.

Effect of Light Intensity on the Mechanism of Inorganic Arsenic Accumulation and Patterns in the Red Macroalga, Sarcodia suiae

Arsenic is a noted dangerous metalloid found in many organisms, including humans, that accumulate via food consumption of aquatic products such as macroalgae, particularly where they are a major component of the human diet. The mechanism of accumulation of inorganic arsenic (iAs) as the most toxic form of arsenic (As) was investigated under three different light intensities (LI) (30, 55, and 80 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1) at varied arsenite (As (III)) concentrations (conc) (0, 125, 250, and 500 μg L^-1) using Sarcodia suiae, a red marine macroalga. The depigmentation of the algal fronds from deep red to slightly pinkish-orange and solid green has been confirmed as a form of developmental acclimation, and the direct toxic effects of conc and LI were manifested by the degree of severity of this symptom. Two-way ANOVA showed a significant difference in iAs accumulation which depended upon conc and LI. Stepwise regression analysis showed LI as the second most important variable after conc in all treatments. S. suiae did not appear to intracellularly transform As (III) to arsenate (As (V)); hence, As (III) oxidation seemed to be a preliminary biotransformation as reflected by the dominance and increased accumulation of toxic As (III) by the alga. These findings may render it a prospective environmentally friendly candidate for reducing toxic As hazard risk and as a biological component in the treatment of wastewater. Moreover, these results also suggest that a more concerted effort is required in developing protocols for public health concerns regarding food safety and quality regulations in seafood and products sourced from macroalgae including S. suiae.

Identifying key gait features associated with the radiological grade of knee osteoarthritis

PURPOSE

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is characterized by pain and decreased gait function. This study assessed key features that can be used as mechanical biomarkers for KOA severity and progression. The identified features were validated statistically and were further examined by developing a classification model based on a machine-learning algorithm.

METHODS

The study included 227 volunteers with various grades of KOA. The severity of KOA was graded using the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) system. A total of 165 features were extracted from the gait data. The key features were selected using neighborhood component analysis. The selected features were validated using the t-test. Then, the features were examined by building a classification model using a random forest algorithm.

RESULTS

Twenty features were identified that could discriminate the grade of KOA, including nine features extracted from the knee joint, seven from the hip, two from the ankle and two from the spatiotemporal gait parameters. The t-test showed that some features differed significantly between health and sever group, while some were significantly different among the severe group, and others were significantly different for all KL grades. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for classification were 0.974, 0.992, 0.845, 0.894, and 0.905 for KL grades 0 through 4, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Key gait features reflecting the grade of KOA were identified. The results of the statistical analysis and machine-learning algorithm show that the features can discriminate the severity of disease according to the KL grade.

A cross-sectional evaluation of opt-in testing for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections in three Canadian provincial correctional facilities: a missed opportunity for public health?

PURPOSE

Incarceration provides an opportunity for screening and treatment of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in high-risk groups. The purpose of this paper is to determine positivity rates of STBBI screening within correctional facilities using opt-in strategies and estimate the proportion of admissions tested.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A cross-sectional, retrospective review of testing data from January 2012 to August 2015 from three provincial correctional facilities located in Alberta, Canada was completed. Analysis variables included STBBI, gender, facility, collection year and age. STBBI-stratified analysis was performed to identify correlates for positivity using univariate and logistic regressions.

FINDINGS

Overall prevalence of chlamydia was 11.2 percent and gonorrhea was 3.5 percent; correlates for both were younger age and facility type. The syphilis prevalence rate was 3.2 percent; correlates included being female, older age, adult facilities, with later years being protective. In total, 14 (0.3 percent) newly diagnosed HIV cases were found, prevalence increased with age. HBV prevalence was 1.7 percent with no significant correlations. Nearly one-tenth (n=422) of those screened for HCV antibody were positive; all variables were significantly correlated. Overall estimates of the proportion of admissions tested by STBBI were low and ranged from 4.8 to 16.1 percent.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This study found high rates of STBBI in correctional facilities and showed that only a small proportion of the population was tested using an opt-in strategy. Shifting to an "opt-out" strategy may be warranted.

The Effect of Environmental Factors on Total Arsenic Accumulation in Sarcodia suiae, Rhodophyta

Little is known about the effects of environmental factors on total arsenic (TAs) accumulation in marine Rhodophyta. The effects of five environmental factors (temperature, light intensity, pH, exposure duration, and phosphate) at various As(III) concentrations were investigated in Sarcodia suiae. The highest TAs accumulations were recorded at 25°C, a luminance of 80 µmol photons m^-2 s^-1, and a pH of 8. TAs uptake increased significantly over time. However, a higher phosphate concentration reduced TAs accumulation. These data show that the extent of TAs accumulation depends on various environmental factors. Hence, our results suggest a potential in arsenic recovery process in wastewater treatments. S. suiae may provide a new means of reducing levels of arsenic in contaminated water and may be used as a potential Rhodophyta model for investigating other types of heavy metal pollution in future.

Abstract OT2-04-05: Phase II trial of pre-operative stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in early-stage breast cancer

Background:

Post-operative accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) has demonstrated efficacy in preventing in-breast tumor recurrence. Pre-operative administration of APBI may be advantageous as an intact breast tumor is smaller than its corresponding lumpectomy cavity, is easier to distinguish on treatment-planning images, and results in smaller and more accurately delineated target volumes. Pre-operative APBI may reduce the incidence of positive margins following breast-conserving surgery (BCS). Investigation is needed in the correlation of MR imaging with pathologic response 6 weeks after SABR. Also, evidence suggests that SABR induces immune activation in the tumor microenvironment; evaluation of excised tumor tissue will give insight into these processes.

Trial Design:

Treatment Planning and Delivery: CT simulation and treatment are performed in the prone position. Diagnostic MRI is fused to planning CT. GTV is delineated on registered breast MRI and includes the intact breast tumor. CTV is 15mm expansion of GTV. PTV is 3 mm expansion of CTV. VMAT or IMRT are permitted. Daily image-guidance aligning to tumor and biopsy-fiducial is mandatory. All subjects undergo pre-operative SABR to 28.5 Gy in 3 fractions of 9.5 Gy on different days separated by ≤48 hours. CTCAE v4 is used to assess toxicity 4-5 weeks after SABR. Pre-operative diagnostic MRI is performed 5-6 weeks following SABR. Imaging parameters to be evaluated include changes in tumor size, enhancement, and tumor margin description. BCS will be 6-8 weeks following SABR.

Tissue pathology: Margin status and degree of pathologic response are recorded from breast-conserving excisions, specimens are archived for future analysis.

Eligibility Criteria:

Inclusion criteria are women age ≥50 with biopsy proven invasive breast adenocarcinoma with tumor size ≤2cm on MRI, cN0 M0, ER+/HER2-, without history of invasive malignancy or prior breast/thoracic radiotherapy.

Exclusion criteria are active scleroderma or lupus erythematosus with skin involvement, MRI defined tumor within 10 mm of skin, implanted hardware prohibiting appropriate treatment planning or delivery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, carrier of BRCA1 or 2 gene mutation, pregnancy.

Specific Aims:

The primary endpoint is pathologic complete response (pCR) in the breast tumor, secondary endpoints are incidence of adequate surgical margins (defined as “no tumor on ink”) and MRI response following SABR. Analyses of tumor immune response and microenvironment on pathologic specimens following SABR will also be performed.

Statistical Methods:

Fisher's exact test will be performed to examine associations between patient/tumor characteristics and pCR and surgical margins; these associations will be explored with multivariable logistic and linear regressions.

Accrual:

Present accrual is 9 subjects.

Expected accrual is 22 subjects; if ≥3 pCR are noted in the initial cohort, accrual will be expanded to 40 subjects.

Citation Format: Liveringhouse CL, Diaz R, Ahmed KA, Lee MC, Czerniecki B, Laronga C, Khakpour N, Weinfurtner RJ, Rosa M, Montejo ME. Phase II trial of pre-operative stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in early-stage breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT2-04-05.

Secretion-mediated STAT3 activation promotes self-renewal of glioma stem-like cells during hypoxia

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) include the most common and the most aggressive primary brain tumor of adults and children. Despite multimodality treatment, most high-grade gliomas eventually recur and are ultimately incurable. Several studies suggest that the initiation, progression, and recurrence of gliomas are driven, at least partly, by cancer stem-like cells. A defining characteristic of these cancer stem-like cells is their capacity to self-renew. We have identified a hypoxia-induced pathway that utilizes the Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1α (HIF-1α) transcription factor and the JAK1/2-STAT3 (Janus Kinase 1/2 - Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3) axis to enhance the self-renewal of glioma stem-like cells. Hypoxia is a commonly found pathologic feature of HGGs. Under hypoxic conditions, HIF-1α levels are greatly increased in glioma stem-like cells. Increased HIF-1α activates the JAK1/2-STAT3 axis and enhances tumor stem-like cell self-renewal. Our data further demonstrate the importance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) secretion for this pathway of hypoxia-mediated self-renewal. Brefeldin A and EHT-1864, agents that significantly inhibit VEGF secretion, decreased stem cell self-renewal, inhibited tumor growth, and increased the survival of mice allografted with S100β-v-erbB/p53-/- glioma stem-like cells. These agents also inhibit the expression of a hypoxia gene expression signature that is associated with decreased survival of HGG patients. These findings suggest that targeting the secretion of extracellular, autocrine/paracrine mediators of glioma stem-like cell self-renewal could potentially contribute to the treatment of HGGs.

Effects of traditional medical herbs "minor bupleurum decoction" on the non-specific immune responses of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

This study is investigating the effect of minor bupleurum decoction (Xiao-Chai-Hu decoction) on the non-specific immune response of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). To determine prophenoloxidase activity (proPO), reactive oxygen species production (ROS), superoxide anion production (O₂^-), nitric oxide production (NO), phagocytic rate (PR), phagocytic index (PI), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), total haemocyte count (THC) and differential haemocyte count (DHC). In this experiment, treating with different dosages (0, 0.25, 0.5 and, 1%) of minor bupleurum decoction to detect immune parameters on day 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Result is shown that 0.25% treatment significantly enhanced the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and, 0.25 and 1% treatment significantly increased the ROS production, nitric oxide (NO) production and phagocytic rate (PR) moreover, 0.5 and 1% treatment induced the proPO activity and superoxide anion (O₂^-) production. Evidence exactly indicated that minor bupleurum decoction is able to enhance the non-specific immunity responses of white shrimp via in vivo examination.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry spine scans to determine abdominal fat in postmenopausal women

Body composition may be a better predictor of chronic disease risk than body mass index (BMI) in older populations.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to validate spine fat fraction (%) from dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) spine scans as a proxy for total abdominal fat.

METHODS

Total body DXA scan abdominal fat regions of interest (ROI) that have been previously validated by magnetic resonance imaging were assessed among healthy, postmenopausal women who also had antero-posterior spine scans (n = 103). ROIs were (1) lumbar vertebrae L2-L4 and (2) L2-Iliac Crest (L2-IC), manually selected by two independent raters, and (3) trunk, auto-selected by DXA software. Intra-class correlation coefficients evaluated intra and inter-rater reliability on a random subset (N = 25). Linear regression models, validated by bootstrapping, assessed the relationship between spine fat fraction (%) and total abdominal fat (%) ROIs.

RESULTS

Mean age, BMI, and total body fat were 66.1 ± 4.8 y, 25.8 ± 3.8 kg/m² and 40.0 ± 6.6%, respectively. There were no significant differences within or between raters. Linear regression models adjusted for several participant and scan characteristics were equivalent to using only BMI and spine fat fraction. The model predicted L2-L4 (Adj. R² : 0.83) and L2-IC (Adj. R² : 0.84) abdominal fat (%) well; the adjusted R² for trunk fat (%) was 0.78. Model validation demonstrated minimal over-fitting (Adj. R² : 0.82, 0.83, and 0.77 for L2-L4, L2-IC, and trunk fat, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The strong correlation between spine fat fraction and DXA abdominal fat measures make it suitable for further development in postmenopausal chronic disease risk prediction models. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:918-926, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Canine Adenovirus Type 1 Infection of a Eurasian River Otter (Lutra lutra)

A 10-year-old female Eurasian river otter ( Lutra lutra) died after prolonged anorexia and weight loss in the Seoul Grand Park Zoo, Seoul, Republic of Korea. On necropsy, the liver was found to be swollen and friable with 1 lobe enlarged and necrotic. The other organs showed no significant alterations except for mild atrophy of the right kidney. Microscopically, there was multifocal hepatic necrosis. The hepatocytes around the necrotic areas were swollen and contained large basophilic intranuclear inclusions. Periportal infiltration by plasma cells and lymphocytes was also evident. Transmission electron microscopy revealed characteristic hexagonal virus particles sized approximately 70 nm in diameter in the nuclei of the hepatocytes, which were consistent with an adenovirus. Polymerase chain reaction of the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver sections was used to determine whether the virus was either the canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), or some other viral agent. The results of these tests showed that the virus was CAV-1. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a CAV-1 infection in an otter.

Hyperleptinemia Is a Risk Factor for the Development of Central Arterial Stiffness in Kidney Transplant Patients

BACKGROUND

Arterial stiffness could cause adverse outcomes in kidney transplant (KT) patients. Leptin has a role in influencing vascular smooth muscle that may contribute to atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fasting serum leptin concentration and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) in KT patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fasting blood samples were obtained from 55 KT patients and 65 subjects from the outpatient department were enrolled as the control group. The cfPWV values of >10 m/s were used to define as the high arterial stiffness group and <10 m/s as the low arterial stiffness group. The predictive ability of leptin for arterial stiffness of KT was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Kidney transplant patients had lower hemoglobin, but higher blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, intact parathyroid hormone levels, and leptin levels than controls. Although cfPWV levels were higher in KT patients, there is no difference of cfPWV levels between KT patients and control (P = .595). Fifteen KT patients (27.3%) were defined in the high arterial stiffness group, and serum leptin level was higher in the high arterial stiffness group compared with the low arterial stiffness group in KT patients (P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that leptin (odds ratio: 1.044, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.016-1.072, P = .002) was an independent predictor of arterial stiffness in KT patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the ROC curve predicting arterial stiffness in KT patients were 73.33%, 87.5%, 68.7%, 89.7%, and 0.828 (95% CI: 0.703-0.917, P < .001), and the leptin cut-off value was 74.14 ng/mL.

CONCLUSION

Serum fasting leptin level could predict the development of central arterial stiffness of KT patients.

Brain potentials evoked by intraepidermal electrical stimuli reflect the central sensitization of nociceptive pathways

Secondary mechanical punctate hyperalgesia is a cardinal sign of central sensitization (CS), an important mechanism of chronic pain. Our study demonstrates that hyperalgesia from intraepidermal electrical stimulation coexists with mechanical punctate hyperalgesia and elicits electroencephalographic (EEG) potentials that predict the occurrence of punctate hyperalgesia in a human experimental model of CS. These findings inform clinical development of EEG-based biomarkers of CS.

Central sensitization (CS), the increased sensitivity of the central nervous system to somatosensory inputs, accounts for secondary hyperalgesia, a typical sign of several painful clinical conditions. Brain potentials elicited by mechanical punctate stimulation using flat-tip probes can provide neural correlates of CS, but their signal-to-noise ratio is limited by poor synchronization of the afferent nociceptive input. Additionally, mechanical punctate stimulation does not activate nociceptors exclusively. In contrast, low-intensity intraepidermal electrical stimulation (IES) allows selective activation of type II Aδ-mechano-heat nociceptors (II-AMHs) and elicits reproducible brain potentials. However, it is unclear whether hyperalgesia from IES occurs and coexists with secondary mechanical punctate hyperalgesia, and whether the magnitude of the electroencephalographic (EEG) responses evoked by IES within the hyperalgesic area is increased. To address these questions, we explored the modulation of the psychophysical and EEG responses to IES by intraepidermal injection of capsaicin in healthy human subjects. We obtained three main results. First, the intensity of the sensation elicited by IES was significantly increased in participants who developed robust mechanical punctate hyperalgesia after capsaicin injection (i.e., responders), indicating that hyperalgesia from IES coexists with punctate mechanical hyperalgesia. Second, the N2 peak magnitude of the EEG responses elicited by IES was significantly increased after the intraepidermal injection of capsaicin in responders only. Third, a receiver-operator characteristics analysis showed that the N2 peak amplitude is clearly predictive of the presence of CS. These findings suggest that the EEG responses elicited by IES reflect secondary hyperalgesia and therefore represent an objective correlate of CS.

Prospective evaluation of skin and nipple-areola sensation and patient satisfaction after nipple-sparing mastectomy

BACKGROUND

Sensation and quality of life (QOL) before and after nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM) are poorly understood.

METHODS

Women electing mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and eligible for NSM were prospectively enrolled in a sensation and satisfaction/QOL study. Women self-selected skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) or NSM. Skin sensation testing using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments and patient satisfaction/QOL surveys were administered preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

53 patients were enrolled (n = 38, 72% NSM and n = 15, 28% SSM). Both groups had significant reduction in postoperative skin sensation. For NSM, measurable NAC sensation was preserved in both NAC for 26% of patients and in one NAC for 68%. QOL and satisfaction was similar between groups. Neither group was satisfied with sexual arousal with breast or nipple stimulation after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Patients undergoing SSM and NSM have considerable loss in skin and NAC sensation following surgery. Satisfaction and QOL did not differ between groups. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:11-16. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Primary malignant mucosal melanoma of the larynx: A case report and literature review

Malignant mucosal melanoma is very rare entity. It comprises about 1% of all malignant melanoma and exhibit more aggressive behaviour than that of skin melanomas. Mucosal melanoma arises mainly from the mucous membranes of head and neck, the female genital organs or the anorectal and the urinary tracts.  Laryngeal malignant melanoma constitutes 3.8% to 7.4% of all cases of malignant mucosal melanoma of head and neck. In this article we report a case of primary malignant mucosal melanoma of larynx in 27 years old male who was treated with radical surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in BPKM Cancer Hospital, Chitwan.

A placebo-controlled randomised trial to assess the effect of TGF-ß1-expressing chondrocytes in patients with arthritis of the knee

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of injecting genetically engineered chondrocytes expressing transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) into the knees of patients with osteoarthritis. We assessed the resultant function, pain and quality of life.

A total of 54 patients (20 men, 34 women) who had a mean age of 58 years (50 to 66) were blinded and randomised (1:1) to receive a single injection of the active treatment or a placebo. We assessed post-treatment function, pain severity, physical function, quality of life and the incidence of treatment-associated adverse events. Patients were followed at four, 12 and 24 weeks after injection.

At final follow-up the treatment group had a significantly greater improvement in the mean International Knee Documentation Committee score than the placebo group (16 points; -18 to 49, vs 8 points; -4 to 37, respectively; p = 0.03). The treatment group also had a significantly improved mean visual analogue score at final follow-up (-25; -85 to 34, vs -11 points; -51 to 25, respectively; p = 0.032). Both cohorts showed an improvement in Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores, but these differences were not statistically significant. One patient had an anaphylactic reaction to the preservation medium, but recovered within 24 hours. All other adverse events were localised and resolved without further action.

This technique may result in improved clinical outcomes, with the aim of slowing the degenerative process, leading to improvements in pain and function. However, imaging and direct observational studies are needed to verify cartilage regeneration. Nevertheless, this study provided a sufficient basis to proceed to further clinical testing.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:924–32.

Providing instrumental social support is more beneficial to reduce mortality risk among the elderly with low educational level in Taiwan: a 12-year follow-up national longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate whether the effects of providing or receiving social support are more beneficial to reduce mortality risk among the elderly with different educational levels.

METHODS

In this long-term prospective cohort study, data were retrieved from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging. This study was initiated from 1996 until 2007. The complete data from 1492 males and 1177 females aged ≥67 years were retrieved. Participants received financial, instrumental, and emotional support, and they actively provided instrumental and emotional support to others and involved in social engagement. Education attainment was divided into two levels: high and low. The low education level included illiterate and elementary school. The high education level included junior high school to senior high school and above college. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the association between providing or receiving social support on mortality with different educational levels.

RESULTS

The average age of the participants in 1996 was 73.0 (IQR=8.0) years, and the median survival following years (1996-2007) of participants was 10.3 (IQR=6.7) years. Most participants were low educational level including illiterate (39.3%) and elementary school (41.2%). Participants with high educational level tend to be younger and more male significantly. On the contrary, participants with low educational level tend to have significant more poor income, more depression, more cognition impairment, more with IADL and ADL disability than high educational level. Most participants received instrumental support from others (95.5%) and also provided emotional support to others (97.7%). Providing instrumental support can reduce 17% of mortality risk among the elderly with a low level of education after adjusting several covariates [Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.70-0.99; p = 0.036].

CONCLUSIONS

Providing instrumental social support to others confer benefits to the giver and prolong life expectancy among the elderly with low educational levels.

Effects of dietary katuk (Sauropus androgynus L. Merr.) on growth, non-specific immune and diseases resistance against Vibrio alginolyticus infection in grouper Epinephelus coioides

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of katuk (Sauropus androgynus L. Merr) on growth, non-specific immune and diseases resistance against Vibrio alginolyticus in grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Grouper juveniles (mean weight 10.97 ± 1.99 g, and length 9.67 ± 0.33 cm) were separated into four groups and cultivated in 100-L tank. Each group was fed with diets containing 0, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg herbs diet twice daily. Fish were sampled for non-specific immune parameters at 0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 30 days. Results showed that fish received S. androgynus at 1.0 and 2.5 g/kg diets affected the growth and non-specific immune responses. Weight gain, specific growth rate, respiratory burst activity, phagocytosis and reactive oxygen species significantly increased in fish administered with 1.0 and 2.5 g/kg S. androgynus diets. The mortality rate after V. alginolyticus challenge decreased in fish fed with 1.0 g/kg S. androgynus extract. Thus, this study indicated that administration of grouper with S. androgynus supplemented diets can affect the growth performances, diseases resistance and enhances non-specific immune responses.

Imaging pain: a potent means for investigating pain mechanisms in patients

Chronic pain is a state of physical suffering strongly associated with feelings of anxiety, depression and despair. Disease pathophysiology, psychological state, and social milieu can influence chronic pain, but can be difficult to diagnose based solely on clinical presentation. Here, we review brain neuroimaging research that is shaping our understanding of pain mechanisms, and consider how such knowledge might lead to useful diagnostic tools for the management of persistent pain in individual patients.

Chondrogenic potentials of human synovium-derived cells sorted by specific surface markers

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate expression levels of nine candidate surface markers for chondrogenic potential in human synovial cells and to determine whether cell pellets positively sorted by each specific marker would have valuable chondrogenic potential.

METHODS

The expression levels of the selected nine leading surface markers in synovial cells from knee joints in 15 patients with primary knee osteoarthritis were evaluated at the stage of isolation and after cultivation using flow cytometry. We obtained positive and negative cells for each surface marker using a magnetically activated cell sorting method and compared chondrogenic potentials between the positive and the negative cell pellets.

RESULTS

CD29, CD44, CD73, and CD90 were expressed on the most synovial cells at the isolation stage and on almost all cells at stage of P0 and P1. CD133 was rarely expressed at any stages of the evaluated cells. CD166 was expressed in 7.1% of cells at the isolation stage on average, but this expression increased after cell passages. The expressions of CD10 and CD105 also increased after cell passages while the expression of CD49a made no significant difference at progressive stages of isolation and passage. Comparison of chondrogenic potentials between positive and negative cell pellets for each marker revealed that only CD105- and CD166-positive cell pellets showed better chondrogenic potentials (type II collagen gene expression, cartilage matrix formation, and GAG expression) than the corresponding negative cell pellets.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that CD105 and CD166 would be valuable surface markers associated with chondrogenic potential; thus, CD105- and CD166-enriched cells derived from human synovium would be practical and valuable sources for cartilage regeneration.

Polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma of the parotid gland: A case report with cytohistological correlation and its immunohistochemical study

Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma is a rare salivary gland malignant tumor of low aggressiveness, commonly occurring in minor salivary glands. Its origin in major salivary glands is considered exceedingly rare. We report a case of polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma arising from left parotid in a 21-yearold female patient.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2012) Vol. 2, 331-334DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpn.v2i4.6890

Histological pattern of esophageal cancer at BP Koirala memorial cancer hospital in Nepal: a three year retrospective study

Background: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma is increasing in trends. Squamous cell carcinoma is associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption. Adenocarcinoma is often associated with a history of gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus. The aim of this study was to find out the histological pattern of esophageal cancer in one of the largest Cancer center in Nepal.Materials and Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2011, a total of 106 cases of esophageal cancer were received in the department of pathology, BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. Relevant clinical data were retrieved from computer database of the hospital.Results: A total of 106 cases of esophageal carcinomas were diagnosed during a three years period. There were 68 (64.15%) cases of squamous cell carcinoma, 33 (31.13%) cases of adenocarcinoma including signet ring cell carcinoma, 4 (3.76%) cases of undifferentiated carcinoma and 1 (0.94%) case of small cell carcinoma. The esophageal cancer was most common in the age group of 61-70 years of age. Distal third of esophagus was the most common site for esophageal carcinoma, followed by middle esophagus and proximal esophagus.Conclusion: The most frequent type of esophageal carcinoma is squamous cell carcinoma followed by adenocarcinoma. Distal esophagus is the most common site with male preponderance.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2012) Vol. 2, 277-281DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpn.v2i4.6877

Two-stage culture method for optimized polysaccharide production in Spirulina platensis

BACKGROUND

The polysaccharides of Spirulina platensis possess many biological functions. Reproducing the conditions under which S. platensis produces polysaccharides is critical to furthering our understanding of the function of these polysaccharides for commercial mass production. The changes in microalgal polysaccharide production were studied under greenhouse and laboratory conditions using varying light intensities, temperatures, and NaCl concentrations.

RESULTS

The polysaccharide yield was positively correlated with culturing under 192 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity at 38 °C or in 0.75 mol L(-1) NaCl. However, NaCl reduced the total biomass productivity of S. platensis. To mitigate the negative effects of environmental stress on maximal polysaccharide production, we proposed a two-stage culture method. The first stage, designed to increase biomass production, involved culturing under 96 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity at 28 °C. Following this, on achieving maximum biomass production, the second stage, designed to stimulate polysaccharide production, involved culturing under 192 µmol photons m(-2) s(-1) light intensity at 38 °C for 3 days or in a 0.75 mol L(-1) NaCl medium for 2 days. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that S. platensis polysaccharides were composed of various monosaccharides, including glucose, galactose, rhamnose, mannose, fructose, and mannitol.

CONCLUSION

The two-stage culture can be successfully applied to achieve the goal of polysaccharide mass production. The first stage focuses on rapidly increasing microalgal biomass. The second stage of culture conditions requires modification to maximize polysaccharide yield.

P5-11-14: Flat Epithelial Atypia of the Breast: A Single Institution Experience

Background: Flat epithelial atypia of the breast is a relatively new entity of unknown significance. Our objective is to evaluate our surgical experience with this diagnosis.

Methods: A single institution database of breast patients from 2005–2010 was used to identify women who were diagnosed with flat epithelial atypia on core biopsy and subsequently underwent surgical excision. Patient data regarding history, type and reason for biopsy, and associated pathology was collected. Individuals diagnosed with flat epithelia atypia and cancer on core biopsies in the same breast were excluded.

Results: There were 52 patients who underwent surgical excision for the primary diagnosis of flat epithelial atypia. There were 3 (6%) patients with a personal history of breast cancer, 14 (27%) patients with a family history of breast cancer, and 11 (21%) patients with a concurrent new diagnosis of breast cancer in the contralateral breast. Core biopsy was recommended in most (81%) cases because of suspicious calcifications on mammography. Twenty-eight (54%) patients were found to have flat epithelial atypia associated with other atypical breast hyperplasia and 24 (46%) had flat epithelial atypia as the most significant lesion on core biopsy. In 8 (15%) patients, there was a sonographic correlate that was biopsied; 5 had only flat epithelial atypia and 3 had flat epithelial atypia associated with other atypical hyperplasia. Of the 52 patients there were 4 (8%) patients who upstaged to ductal carcinoma in-situ on surgical excision. There were no cases of invasive carcinoma. All ductal carcinoma in-situ cases were associated with other atypical breast hyperplasia, not flat epithelial atypia alone.

Conclusion: Though flat epithelial atypia may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, surgical excision of pure flat epithelial atypia may not be necessary. Larger studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-11-14.