Icephobic Coating Based on Novel SLIPS Made of Infused PTFE Fibers for Aerospace Application

The development of slippery surfaces has been widely investigated due to their excellent icephobic properties. A distinct kind of an ice-repellent structure known as a slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS) has recently drawn attention due to its simplicity and efficacy as a passive ice-protection method. These surfaces are well known for exhibiting very low ice adhesion values (τice < 20 kPa). In this study, pure Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibers were fabricated using the electrospinning process to produce superhydrophobic (SHS) porous coatings on samples of the aeronautical alloy AA6061-T6. Due to the high fluorine-carbon bond strength, PTFE shows high resistance and chemical inertness to almost all corrosive reagents as well as extreme hydrophobicity and high thermal stability. However, these unique properties make PTFE difficult to process. For this reason, to develop PTFE fibers, the electrospinning technique has been used by an PTFE nanoparticles (nP PTFE) dispersion with addition of a very small amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) followed with a sintering process (380 °C for 10 min) to melt the nP PTFE together and form uniform fibers. Once the porous matrix of PTFE fibers is attached, lubricating oil is added into the micro/nanoscale structure in the SHS in place of air to create a SLIPS. The experimental results show a high-water contact angle (WCA) ≈ 150° and low roll-off angle (αroll-off) ≈ 22° for SHS porous coating and a decrease in the WCA ≈ 100° and a very low αroll-off ≈ 15° for SLIPS coating. On one hand, ice adhesion centrifuge tests were conducted for two types of icing conditions (glaze and rime) accreted in an ice wind tunnel (IWT), as well as static ice at different ice adhesion centrifuge test facilities in order to compare the results for SHS, SLIPs and reference materials. This is considered a preliminary step in standardization efforts where similar performance are obtained. On the other hand, the ice adhesion results show 65 kPa in the case of SHS and 4.2 kPa of SLIPS for static ice and <10 kPa for rime and glace ice. These results imply a significant improvement in this type of coatings due to the combined effect of fibers PTFE and silicon oil lubricant.

Protocol for the treatment of cystoid macular edema secondary to retinitis pigmentosa and other inherited retinal dystrophies

Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD) are the leading cause of legal blindness in the working population. Cystic macular edema (CME) is one of the treatable causes of visual loss, affecting up to 50% of the patients. A bibliographic review has been carried out combining "inherited retinal dystrophy", "retinitis pigmentosa", "macular oedema" and a diagnostic-therapeutic protocol according to the levels of evidence and recommendations of the "US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality". This protocol has been discussed in the monthly meetings of the XAREA DHR group with the participation of more than 25 ophthalmologists, creating a consensus document. The etiology of CME is multifactorial: dysfunction of the blood-retinal barrier, retinal pigment epithelium, and Müller cells, inflammation, and vitreous traction. OCT is the test of choice for the diagnosis and follow-up of CME associated with IRD. The drugs with the highest degree of scientific evidence are carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (IAC). Intravitreal corticosteroids, anti-VEGF, and vitrectomy with peeling of the internal limiting membrane do not have sufficient evidence. A treatment scheme is proposed for the CME in IRD in adults, another for pediatric patients and another for IRD and cataract surgery. Oral and topical IACs are effective in the treatment of CME secondary to IRD. Treatment with corticosteroids, anti-VEGF, and vitrectomy are second-line options. Randomized clinical trials are required to establish the therapeutic scale in these patients.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy for liver metastases with different respiratory motion management techniques

PURPOSE

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been firmly established as a treatment choice for patients with oligometastases, as it has demonstrated both safety and efficacy by consistently achieving high rates of local control. Moreover, it offers potential survival benefits for carefully selected patients in real-world clinical settings.

METHODS

Between January 2008 and May 2020, a total of 149 patients (with 414 liver metastases) received treatment. The Active Breathing Coordinator device was used for 68 patients, while respiratory gating was used for 65 and abdominal compression was used for 16 patients. The most common histological finding was colorectal adenocarcinoma, with 37.6% of patients having three or more metastases, and 18% having two metastases. The prescribed dose ranged from 36 to 60 Gy, delivered in 3-5 fractions.

RESULTS

Local control rates at 2 and 3 years were 76.1% and 61.2%, respectively, with no instances of local recurrence after 3 years. Factors negatively impacting local control included colorectal histology, lower prescribed dose, and the occurrence of new liver metastases. The median overall survival from SBRT was 32 months, with the presence of metastases outside the liver and the development of new liver metastases after SBRT affecting survival. The median disease-free survival was 10 months. No substantial differences in both local control and survival were observed between the respiratory motion control techniques employed. Treatment tolerance was excellent, with only one patient experiencing acute grade IV thrombocytopenia and two patients suffering from ≥ grade II chronic toxicity.

CONCLUSION

For radical management of single or multiple liver metastases, SBRT is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option. Regardless of the technology employed, experienced physicians can achieve similarly positive outcomes. However, additional studies are required to elucidate prognostic factors that can facilitate improved patient selection.

Near-optimal feedback control for postprandial glucose regulation in type 1 diabetes

This paper is focused on feedback control of postprandial glucose levels for patients with type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. There are two important limitations that make this a challenging problem. First, the slow subcutaneous insulin pharmacokinetics that introduces a significant lag into the control loop. Second, the positivity constraint on the control action, meaning that it is not possible to remove insulin from the body. In this paper, both issues are explicitly considered in the design process using the internal model control framework, to derive a near-optimal feedback controller. Optimality is understood here as minimizing the blood glucose peak after a meal intake and, at the same time, preventing glucose values below a prescribed threshold. It is shown how the proposed controller approaches the optimal closed-loop performance as a limit case. The theoretical results are supported by a numerical example and the feasibility of the overall strategy under uncertainties is illustrated using an extended version UVa/Padova metabolic simulator.

DISGUISED INGUINAL HERNIA

Introduction

Liposarcomas are malignant neoplasms that originate in fatty mesenchymal tissue and are the most common histological subtype of soft tissue sarcomas. They account for 1% of solid tumors in adults and are located mainly in the extremities, with the retroperitoneum being the second most frequent location. Given the rarity and aggressiveness of these tumors, it is advisable to establish a multidisciplinary approach towards them in order to improve the prognosis of patients.

Clinical case

Patient who was operated upon on a scheduled and outpatient basis for a left inguinal hernia. During surgery, a preperitoneal tumor was identified that was removed and revealed a high-grade dedifferentiated liposarcoma. In a second surgical act, a tumor mass of about 10 centimeters in length was found, lodged in the left pelvis and contacting sigma, which extended into the inguinal duct and scrotal pouch. Finally, compartment surgery and a left orchiectomy with end-to-end colo-sigmoid anastomosis were performed.

Discussion

Routine examination of the masses contained in the hernial sacs is recommended since, despite their infrequency (&lt;0.1%), cases of liposarcomas that have their origin in the inguinal canal have been described. Surgery for retroperitoneal sarcomas must be compartmental, which requires the inclusion of viscera close to the tumor in the resection. Complete surgical resection R0 is the only potentially curative treatment. Compartment surgery should be performed by expert surgeons in referral centers with multidisciplinary teams to improve the prognosis of these patients.

Epitheliosis is a histopathological finding associated with malignancy and poor prognosis in dogs with mammary tumors

Canine mammary epitheliosis (ME) is a poorly studied dysplasia that may have premalignant potential. In this study, the clinicopathological relevance of ME was prospectively studied in 90 female dogs with mammary tumors (MTs) that underwent radical mastectomy. ME distribution, extent, and coexistence with benign and malignant MTs were evaluated for each case (505 mammary glands). ME was macroscopically undetectable and was present in 47/90 (52%) cases, frequently bilateral. In dogs with malignant MTs and ME, diffuse ME throughout the mammary chain was present in 10/39 (26%) cases. A histological ME-carcinoma transition was evident in certain histotypes. By immunohistochemistry (AE1/AE3, cytokeratin 14 [CK-14], CK-8/18, vimentin, calponin, p63, Ki-67, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), ME was a slow-growing, triple-negative process with a strong predominance of basal-like nonmyoepithelial cells. ME was associated with older dogs (P = .016), malignant tumors (P = .044), worse clinical stages (P = .013), lymph node metastasis (LNM, P = .021), higher histological grade tumors (P = .035), and shorter overall survival (OS) in univariate analysis (P = .012). Interestingly, ME was distantly located to the malignant tumor in most cases (P = .007). In multivariate analyses, LNM (P = .005), histological grade (P = .006), and tumor size (P = .006) were independent predictors of OS. For the pathologist, the observation of ME should be clearly stated in the MT biopsy report to alert the surgeon/oncologist. Given the differences between canine ME and its human histopathological counterpart (atypical ductal hyperplasia), "epitheliosis" should remain the preferred term for the dog.

Galactic Star Formation with NIKA2 (GASTON): Evidence of mass accretion onto dense clumps

High-mass stars (m* ≳ 8 M⊙) play a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies, and so it is imperative that we understand how they are formed. We have used the New IRAM KIDs Array 2 (NIKA2) camera on the Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) 30-m telescope to conduct high-sensitivity continuum mapping of ~ 2 deg2 of the Galactic plane (GP) as part of the Galactic Star Formation with NIKA2 (GASTON) large program. We have identified a total of 1467 clumps within our deep 1.15 mm continuum maps and, by using overlapping continuum, molecular line, and maser parallax data, we have determined their distances and physical properties. By placing them upon an approximate evolutionary sequence based upon 8 μm Spitzer imaging, we find evidence that the most massive dense clumps accrete material from their surrounding environment during their early evolution, before dispersing as star formation advances, supporting clump-fed models of high-mass star formation.

Effect of 5-Azacitidine Treatment on Redox Status and Inflammatory Condition in MDS Patients

This study focused on the impact of the treatment with the hypomethylating agent 5-azacitidine on the redox status and inflammation in 24 MDS patients. Clinical and genetic features of MDS patients were recorded, and peripheral blood samples were used to determine the activity of the endogenous antioxidant defense system (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathion peroxidase, GPx; and reductase, GRd, activities), markers of oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation, LPO, and advanced oxidation protein products, AOPP). Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines and plasma nitrite plus nitrate levels as markers of inflammation, as well as CoQ10 plasma levels, were also measured. Globally, MDS patients showed less redox status in terms of a reduction in the GSSG/GSH ratio and in the LPO levels, as well as increased CAT activity compared with healthy subjects, with no changes in SOD, GPx, and GRd activities, or AOPP levels. When analyzing the evolution from early to advanced stages of the disease, we found that the GPx activity, GSSG/GSH ratio, LPO, and AOPP increased, with a reduction in CAT. GPx changes were related to the presence of risk factors such as high-risk IPSS-R or mutational score. Moreover, there was an increase in IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α plasma levels, with a further increase of IL-2 and IL-10 from early to advanced stages of the disease. However, we did not observe any association between inflammation and oxidative stress. Finally, 5-azacitidine treatment generated oxidative stress in MDS patients, without affecting inflammation levels, suggesting that oxidative status and inflammation are two independent processes.

Icephobic and Anticorrosion Coatings Deposited by Electrospinning on Aluminum Alloys for Aerospace Applications

Anti-icing or passive strategies have undergone a remarkable growth in importance as a complement for the de-icing approaches or active methods. As a result, many efforts for developing icephobic surfaces have been mostly dedicated to apply superhydrophobic coatings. Recently, a different type of ice-repellent structure based on slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) has attracted increasing attention for being a simple and effective passive ice protection in a wide range of application areas, especially for the prevention of ice formation on aircrafts. In this work, the electrospinning technique has been used for the deposition of PVDF-HFP coatings on samples of the aeronautical alloy AA7075 by using a thickness control system based on the identification of the proper combination of process parameters such as the flow rate and applied voltage. In addition, the influence of the experimental conditions on the nanofiber properties is evaluated in terms of surface morphology, wettability, corrosion resistance, and optical transmittance. The experimental results showed an improvement in the micro/nanoscale structure, which optimizes the superhydrophobic and anticorrosive behavior due to the air trapped inside the nanotextured surface. In addition, once the best coating was selected, centrifugal ice adhesion tests (CAT) were carried out for two types of icing conditions (glaze and rime) simulated in an ice wind tunnel (IWT) on both as-deposited and liquid-infused coatings (SLIPs). The liquid-infused coatings showed a low water adhesion (low contact angle hysteresis) and low ice adhesion strength, reducing the ice adhesion four times with respect to PTFE (a well-known low-ice-adhesion material used as a reference).

The relationship between the phageome and human health: are bacteriophages beneficial or harmful microbes?

In the context of the global antibiotic resistance crisis, bacteriophages are increasingly becoming promising antimicrobial agents against multi-resistant bacteria. Indeed, a huge effort is being made to bring phage-derived products to the market, a process that will also require revising the current regulations in order to facilitate their approval. However, despite the evidence supporting the safety of phages for humans, the general public would still be reluctant to use 'viruses' for therapeutic purposes. In this scenario, we consider that it is important to discuss the role of these microorganisms in the equilibrium of the microbiota and how this relates to human health. To do that, this review starts by examining the role of phages as key players in bacterial communities (including those that naturally inhabit the human body), modulating the species composition and contributing to maintain a 'healthy' status quo. Additionally, in specific situations, e.g. an infectious disease, bacteriophages can be used as target-specific antimicrobials against pathogenic bacteria (phage therapy), while being harmless to the desirable microbiota. Apart from that, incipient research shows the potential application of these viruses to treat diseases caused by bacterial dysbiosis. This latter application would be comparable to the use of probiotics or prebiotics, since bacteriophages can indirectly improve the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract by removing undesirable competitors. On the other hand, possible adverse effects do not appear to be an impediment to promote phage therapy. Nonetheless, it is important to remember their potentially negative impact, mainly concerning their immunogenicity or their potential spread of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes, especially by temperate phages. Overall, we believe that phages should be largely considered beneficial microbes, although it is paramount not to overlook their potential risks.

MYBL2 and ATM suppress replication stress in pluripotent stem cells

Replication stress, a major cause of genome instability in cycling cells, is mainly prevented by the ATR-dependent replication stress response pathway in somatic cells. However, the replication stress response pathway in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) may be different due to alterations in cell cycle phase length. The transcription factor MYBL2, which is implicated in cell cycle regulation, is expressed a hundred to a thousand-fold more in ESCs compared with somatic cells. Here we show that MYBL2 activates ATM and suppresses replication stress in ESCs. Consequently, loss of MYBL2 or inhibition of ATM or Mre11 in ESCs results in replication fork slowing, increased fork stalling and elevated origin firing. Additionally, we demonstrate that inhibition of CDC7 activity rescues replication stress induced by MYBL2 loss and ATM inhibition, suggesting that uncontrolled new origin firing may underlie the replication stress phenotype resulting from loss/inhibition of MYBL2 and ATM. Overall, our study proposes that in addition to ATR, a MYBL2-MRN-ATM replication stress response pathway functions in ESCs to control DNA replication initiation and prevent genome instability.

Nanoparticulated Systems Based on Natural Polymers Loaded with Miconazole Nitrate and Lidocaine for the Treatment of Topical Candidiasis

People with weakened immune systems are at risk of developing candidiasis which is a fungal infection caused by several species of Candida genus. In this work, polymeric nanoparticles containing miconazole nitrate and the anesthetic lidocaine clorhydrate were developed. Miconazole was chosen as a typical drug to treat buccopharyngeal candidiasis whereas lidocaine may be useful in the management of the pain burning, and pruritus caused by the infection. Nanoparticles were synthesized using chitosan and gelatin at different ratios ranging from 10:90 to 90:10. The nano-systems presented nanometric size (between 80 and 300 nm in water; with polydispersion index ranging from 0.120 to 0.596), and positive Z potential (between 20.11 and 37.12 mV). The determined encapsulation efficiency ranges from 65 to 99% or 34 to 91% for miconazole nitrate and lidocaine clorhydrate, respectively. X-ray diffraction and DSC analysis suggested that both drugs were in amorphous state in the nanoparticles. Finally, the systems fitted best the Korsmeyer-Peppas model showing that the release from the nanoparticles was through diffusion allowing a sustained release of both drugs and prolonged the activity of miconazole nitrate over time against Candida albicans for at least 24 h.

AB0339 THE IMPORTANCE OF THERAPEUTIC COMPLIANCE: ADHERENCE TO METHOTREXATE AND ITS ROLE IN IMMUNOGENICITY

Background:

Immunogenicity against adalimumab leads to loss of response and secondary failure to biologic therapy; however, concomitant use of methotrexate (MTX) seems to reduce the development of anti-drug antibodies (ADAbs) in a dose-dependent manner. Suboptimal adherence to MTX may favour ADAbs appearance.

Objectives:

To evaluate the relationship between MTX adherence and ADAbs development.

Methods:

Observational study among adult patients with chronic inflammatory arthropathy, followed in a tertiary care centre, who were in treatment with MTX and adalimumab. ADAbs formation in relation to MTX adherence was assessed.

Results:

33 patients were included, with a MTX adherence overall mean of 82.13 (12.45%-100%, median adherence 92.19%). Only 9.09% (n=3) of the patients developed ADAbs, being its MTX adherence mean of 60.95% (46.47%-70%, median adherence 66.39%); ADAbs negative group showed an average MTX adherence of 84.23% (12.45%-100%, median adherence 94.29%). A statistically significant result (p<0.05) between groups was found.

Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of the patients with RA (n=450), mean±SD/n(%)

nAdherence meanADAbs (+)3 (9.09%)60.95%p<0.05ADAbs (-)30 (90.91%)84.23%Total33 (100%)82.13%

No statistically significant differences (p>0.05) involving MTX adherence and its dose were found.

Conclusion:

While the sample is small, this study suggests that ADAbs development may be influenced by MTX adherence, thereby promoting adequate MTX adherence should be a priority in the daily practice of every rheumatologist.

References:

[1]World Health Organization. Adherence to long term therapies: evidence for action. 2003.

[2]Krieckaert CL, Nurmohamed MT, Wolbink GJ. Methotrexate reduces immunogenicity in adalimumab treated rheumatoid arthritis patients in a dose dependent manner. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2012;71:1914-1915.

[3]Zhang J, Xie F, Delzell E, et al. Impact of biologic agents with and without concomitant methotrexate and at reduced doses in older rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2015;67(5):624–632. doi:10.1002/acr.22510

[4]Jani M, Barton A, Warren RB, Griffiths CE, Chinoy H. The role of DMARDs in reducing the immunogenicity of TNF inhibitors in chronic inflammatory diseases. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2014;53(2):213–222. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ket260.

Disclosure of Interests:

Paula García: None declared, Marta González Fernández: None declared, Mayra Nathali Rivas: None declared, Javier Duruelo: None declared, Elena Garmendia: None declared, Javier Arostegui Lavilla: None declared, Fernando Perez-Ruiz Consultant of: Amgen

Lilly, Speakers bureau: Amgen, Alberto Alonso: None declared, Consuelo Modesto: None declared, Boris Anthony Blanco Cáceres: None declared

Fine-Tuning Mybl2 Is Required for Proper Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition during Somatic Reprogramming

During somatic reprogramming, Yamanaka’s pioneer factors regulate a complex sequence of molecular events leading to the activation of a network of pluripotency factors, ultimately resulting in the acquisition and maintenance of a pluripotent state. Here, we show that, contrary to the pluripotency factors studied so far, overexpression of Mybl2 inhibits somatic reprogramming. Our results demonstrate that Mybl2 levels are crucial to the dynamics of the reprogramming process. Mybl2 overexpression changes chromatin conformation, affecting the accessibility of pioneer factors to the chromatin and promoting accessibility for early immediate response genes known to be reprogramming blockers. These changes in the chromatin landscape ultimately lead to a deregulation of key genes that are important for the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. This work defines Mybl2 level as a gatekeeper for the initiation of reprogramming, providing further insights into the tight regulation and required coordination of molecular events that are necessary for changes in cell fate identity during the reprogramming process.

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Deletion and overexpression of MYBL2 pluripotency factor inhibit somatic reprogramming

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Mybl2 overexpression affects the accessibility of pioneer factors to the chromatin

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Mybl2 overexpression promotes accessibility of reprogramming blockers to the chromatin

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High Mybl2 levels deregulate key genes for proper MET, a requirement for reprogramming

MYBL2 Supports DNA Double Strand Break Repair in Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by blood cytopenias that occur as a result of somatic mutations in hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). MDS leads to ineffective hematopoiesis, and as many as 30% of patients progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The mechanisms by which mutations accumulate in HSC during aging remain poorly understood. Here we identify a novel role for MYBL2 in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in HSC. In patients with MDS, low MYBL2 levels associated with and preceded transcriptional deregulation of DNA repair genes. Stem/progenitor cells from these patients display dysfunctional DSB repair kinetics after exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). Haploinsufficiency of Mybl2 in mice also led to a defect in the repair of DSBs induced by IR in HSC and was characterized by unsustained phosphorylation of the ATM substrate KAP1 and telomere fragility. Our study identifies MYBL2 as a crucial regulator of DSB repair and identifies MYBL2 expression levels as a potential biomarker to predict cellular response to genotoxic treatments in MDS and to identify patients with defects in DNA repair. Such patients with worse prognosis may require a different therapeutic regimen to prevent progression to AML.Significance: These findings suggest MYBL2 levels may be used as a biological biomarker to determine the DNA repair capacity of hematopoietic stem cells from patients with MDS and as a clinical biomarker to inform decisions regarding patient selection for treatments that target DNA repair.Graphical Abstract: http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/78/20/5767/F1.large.jpg Cancer Res; 78(20); 5767-79. ©2018 AACR.

M. tuberculosis DNA detection in nasopharyngeal mucosa can precede tuberculosis development in contacts

BACKGROUND

The nasopharynx is a known gateway for some mycobacterial species such as Mycobacterium bovis and M. leprae. M. tuberculosis can cross lymphoepithelial barriers in vitro, but its ability to colonise the nasopharyngeal mucosa in vivo has not been established.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if M. tuberculosis can be transiently detected in nasopharyngeal mucosa of tuberculosis (TB) contacts as a preliminary step in the development of tuberculous infection.

DESIGN

Exploratory study conducted among asymptomatic household contacts of pulmonary TB cases. A chest X-ray, QuantiFERON(®) TB-Gold or tuberculin skin test and a bilateral nasopharyngeal swab for Xpert(®) MTB/RIF and mycobacterial culture were performed at baseline and repeated 8-12 weeks later.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine contacts were enrolled a median of 9 days after the diagnosis of the index case. At baseline, 29.9% were positive for latent tuberculous infection and one subject (1.1%) had a positive Xpert in the nasopharyngeal swab with a normal chest X-ray, negative QuantiFERON and negative induced sputum. After 12 weeks' follow-up, this subject developed a new cough and upper lobe infiltrates and M. tuberculosis grew in sputum. No other cases of active TB were detected at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The detection of M. tuberculosis DNA in the nasopharyngeal mucosa of contacts is an infrequent event that in this instance preceded the development of pulmonary TB. Its pathogenic role requires further investigation.

Comparison of the postoperative analgesic effects of cimicoxib, buprenorphine and their combination in healthy dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the noninferior postoperative analgesic efficacy of cimicoxib compared to buprenorphine following elective ovariohysterectomy in healthy bitches.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial.

ANIMALS

A total of 63 healthy dogs.

METHODS

To provide perioperative analgesia, cimicoxib 2 mg kg^-1 (orally), buprenorphine 0.02 mg kg^-1 (two doses, intramuscularly), or both drugs combined, were administered. Dogs were sedated with acepromazine and anaesthetized with propofol and isoflurane. Pain was assessed with the short form of the Glasgow Composite Pain Scale (GCPS), a pain numerical rating scale (NRS) and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT), preoperatively and at 1, 2, 4, 6, 20 and 23 hours after extubation. Sedation was also scored at the same time points. A noninferiority approach was employed to determine the efficacy of cimicoxib compared to buprenorphine. Treatment groups were compared with parametric [analysis of variance (anova), t test] and nonparametric test as appropriate (Kruskal-Wallis, chi-square).

RESULTS

The GCPS, pain NRS and MNT tests demonstrated noninferiority of cimicoxib compared to buprenorphine (rejection of inferiority: p < 0.001, all). Furthermore, cimicoxib provided better analgesia compared to buprenorphine alone according to the GCPS (p < 0.01) and NRS (p < 0.05), but not the MNT. Conversely, an increase in the analgesic effect when cimicoxib was combined with buprenorphine was only observed with the MNT (p < 0.01). There were no differences in rescue analgesia requirements both intra- and postoperatively between treatments. Gastrointestinal side effects were increased in dogs administered cimicoxib, whereas dogs treated with buprenorphine had higher sedation scores 1-hour postoperatively and required lower doses of propofol for the induction of anaesthesia.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Cimicoxib has noninferior postoperative analgesic efficacy compared to buprenorphine, and both drugs have comparable analgesic effects for the control of postoperative pain in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Spectral characterization of laser-accelerated protons with CR-39 nuclear track detector

CR-39 nuclear track material is frequently used for the detection of protons accelerated in laser-plasma interactions. The measurement of track densities allows for determination of particle angular distributions, and information on the kinetic energy can be obtained by the use of passive absorbers. We present a precise method of measuring spectral distributions of laser-accelerated protons in a single etching and analysis process. We make use of a one-to-one relation between proton energy and track size and present a precise calibration based on monoenergetic particle beams. While this relation is limited to proton energies below 1 MeV, we show that the range of spectral measurements can be significantly extended by simultaneous use of absorbers of suitable thicknesses. Examples from laser-plasma interactions are presented, and quantitative results on proton energies and particle numbers are compared to those obtained from a time-of-flight detector. The spectrum end points of continuous energy distributions have been determined with both detector types and coincide within 50-100 keV.

Enhanced extended state observer-based control for systems with mismatched uncertainties and disturbances

This paper presents an enhanced Extended State Observer (ESO)-based control strategy to deal with the disturbance attenuation problem for a class of non integral-chain systems subject to non-linear mismatched uncertainties and external disturbances. The proposed control strategy does not assume the integral-chain form and it is formed by a state-feedback plus a dynamic disturbance compensation term, which is designed to reject the disturbance effect in the system output. From a theoretical point of view, the proposed strategy is reduced to the conventional ESO when the integral chain form and the matched condition hold. In this sense, this paper is presented as an extension of the ESO principles to cover a wider class of systems. The theoretical results show that the internal zero-dynamics plays an important role in ESO-based control design. Also, the closed-loop stability is analyzed and some numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the proposal in comparison with previous ESO-based techniques.

A generalized smith predictor for unstable time-delay SISO systems

In this work, a generalization of the Smith Predictor (SP) is proposed to control linear time-invariant (LTI) time-delay single-input single-output (SISO) systems. Similarly to the SP, the combination of any stabilizing output-feedback controller for the delay-free system with the proposed predictor leads to a stabilizing controller for the delayed system. Furthermore, the tracking performance and the steady-state disturbance rejection capabilities of the equivalent delay-free loop are preserved. In order to place this contribution in context, some modifications of the SP are revisited and recast under the same structure. The features of the proposed scheme are illustrated through simulations, showing a comparison with respect to the corresponding delay-free loop, which is here considered to be the ideal scenario. In order to emphasize the feasibility of this approach, a successful experimental implementation in a laboratory platform is also reported.

Abstract P6-09-33: CASCADE study: Rapid survival decline per treatment line in metastatic breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Appraisal of the impact that current therapeutic strategies of advanced breast cancer (ABC) have on the survival expectancy, is vital to understand the prognosis of this disease. This entails assessing simultaneously the tumour phenotype and the therapeutic approach used per line of treatment. CASCADE is an epidemiological, retrospective, multicenter study aimed to retrieve demographic and clinical information from a representative cohort of ABC patients treated within the Spanish National Healthcare System.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: 13 Spanish public hospitals serving nearly 5M inhabitants (~10% of the national population) identified 422 ABC patients between 01/2007 and 12/2008 who received active treatment for their disease and were followed until death, lost to follow-up, or until December 2013. Overall Survival (OS) was analysed per tumour immunotype and treatment line from the diagnosis until a minimum of 10 patients were still evaluable. OS resulting from the different therapeutic approaches per line was also revised. Data collected included demographical, pathological, diagnostic, and therapeutic information for the entire follow-up. Descriptive statistics were applied (Methods previously described in SABCS 2015 Poster P3-07-39).

RESULTS: Remarkably, by the 2nd line of treatment, on average, one third of the OS is already gone. Tumour type imposes clear differences in this decline rate. As expected, triple-negative patients have the shortest survival expectancy at diagnosis, but their OS attrition rate is the slowest compared to the other subgroups (Table 1).

Table 1. OS per tumour type and line of treatment in ABC.PopulationOS from ABC Diagnosis (months)OS from 1L (months)OS from 2L (months)OS from 3L (months)OS from 4L (months)OS from 5L (months)Whole (N=422)33.532.622.616.613.513.3HER2-/HR+ (N=187)38.637.122.415.612.610.2Triple-negative (N=67)19.016.515.814.110.29.5HER2+/HR+ (N=72)34.433.729.421.620.318.9HER2+/HR- (N=53)36.335.423.113.19.314.1

OS time derived from the five mayor therapeutic approaches used at any given line, could only be registered for chemotherapy, hormone therapy and chemo + anti-HER2 therapy. Regardless of their treatment history, patients treated exclusively with hormone therapy portray a less aggressive behaviour than those treated with chemotherapy only, resembling the natural history of HER2-/HR+ and triple-negative phenotypes (Table 2).

Table 2. OS per pharmacological approach and line of treatment in ABC.Pharmacological treatmentOS from 1L (months)OS from 2L (months)OS from 3L (months)OS from 4L (months)OS from 5L (months)OS from 6L (months)OS from 7L (months)Chemotherapy (N=155)25.012.513.310.88.310.87.2Hormone therapy (N=92)44.030.922.311.214.0--Chemo + Anti-HER2 thp. (N=57)36.927.218.814.125.8--Chemo + Other Targeted thp. (N=44)19.721.014.121.1---Chemo + Hormone thp. (N=38)44.325.0-----Other Targeted thp.: anti-angiogenic antibody, mTOR inhibitor, anti-EGFR antibody, etc.

CONCLUSION: Chances to benefit from effective treatments may be jeopardized if their start is postponed to late lines. Only the most widely used therapies and, ultimately chemotherapy, hold until very late in the treatment of the advanced disease.

Citation Format: García J, De La Haba J, Servitja S, Santaballa A, De Paz L, Plata Y, Garau I, Florián J, Chacón JI, García P, Zamora P, Orcajo L, Rodríguez-Villanueva J, San José B, Martínez E, Seguí MA. CASCADE study: Rapid survival decline per treatment line in metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-09-33.

Abstract P3-07-39: CASCADE study: Treatment and clinical outcomes of metastatic breast cancer by tumor immunophenotypes

BACKGROUND: Currently available therapeutic armamentarium for locally advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer (LA/MBC) allows an increasing tailored approach for each of the major tumor immunophenotypes. Nevertheless, there is scarce information about how these subgroups fare and how the alternative therapeutic approaches are actually being used during the disease course. CASCADE is an epidemiological, retrospective, and multicenter study aimed to retrieve demographic and clinical information from a representative cohort of LA/MBC patients treated within the Spanish National Healthcare System.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Several strategies were used to identify patients diagnosed with LA/MBC for the first time between 01/2007 and 12/2008 in 13 Spanish public hospitals covering nearly 5'000'000 inhabitants (&gt;10% of the national population) and followed throughout their metastatic lifetime until death, lost to follow-up, or until December 2013. Data collected included demographical and clinical information for each line of treatment. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the information.

RESULTS: We identified 443 LA/MBC patients. Median age at diagnosis was 59 years (CI95%: 49.5 - 71.6). Significant differences in dropout rates per line of treatment were found according to the tumor intrinsic immunophenotype. Patients reaching a 4th line were: whole study population 38.4%, HER2-/HR+ 42.8%, HER2+/HR- 41.5%, HER2+/HR+ 39.5%, and Triple-negative 31.9%. Median Overall survival (OS) and per line Progression Free Survival (PFS) for each line of treatment by tumor subtype were:

Median OS and per line PFS by tumor subtype Subtype (%)OS (months)PFS (months)PFS (months)PFS (months)PFS (months)PFS (months)Treatment line--1L2L3L4L5LWhole PopulationAll33.57.25.94.33.73.0HER2-/HR+43.838.68.85.84.43.33.0HER2+/HR-12.036.37.46.74.34.03.0HER2+/HR+17.234.411.27.94.95.83.5Triple-negative16.319.04.03.52.43.32.9

Percent use of the four major pharmacological families per line of LA/MBC treatment was:

Pharmacological families used per line of LA/MBC treatmentTreatment line1L2L3L4L5L6L7LChemotherapy75.463.075.979.487.976.178.6Anti-HER219.721.919.420.618.720.921.4Hormone therapy37.939.225.318.811.217.916.7Other targeted therapy13.09.612.212.47.511.914.3

CONCLUSION: Our study identifies differences in OS and PFS among BC immunophenotypes, with Triple-negatives faring the poorest. Among therapeutic families, chemotherapy clearly prevails along the disease lifetime, with hormone therapy being primarily used during the initial lines of treatment.

Citation Format: Zamora P, Servitja S, Santaballa A, García J, de Paz L, Plata Y, Garau I, Florian J, Chacón I, de la Haba J, García P, Artime E, Rodríguez-Villanueva J, Velasco A, Martínez E, Segui MA. CASCADE study: Treatment and clinical outcomes of metastatic breast cancer by tumor immunophenotypes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-07-39.

Abstract P5-08-43: CASCADE study: Longer overall survival in the novo versus recidivant patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Current treatment strategies for locally advanced and/or metastatic breast cancer (LA/MBC) are meant to prolong survival while maintaining or improving the quality of life. Nevertheless, there is a lack of recent data regarding the actual clinical management and its impact on the prognosis of these patients. It is unknown whether prior diagnosis and treatment of early breast cancer (EBC) make any difference in the outcome of the advanced disease. CASCADE is an epidemiological, retrospective, and multicenter study aimed at retrieving this information from a representative cohort of LA/MBC patients treated within the Spanish National Healthcare System.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen Spanish public hospitals covering nearly 5'000'000 inhabitants (&gt;10% of the national population) applied several combined systematic strategies to identify patients firstly diagnosed with LA/MBC between 01/2007 and 12/2008. Once identified, patients were followed throughout their metastatic lifetime until death, lost to follow-up, or until December 2013, whichever occurs first. Data collected included demographical, pathological, diagnostic, and therapeutic information for each line of treatment. Descriptive statistics were applied.

RESULTS: We identified 443 LA/MBC patients; median age at diagnosis was 59 years (CI95%: 49.5 - 71.6). Previous history of early BC was reported in 69.3% of them with a median disease-free interval of 38 months. Median Overall Survival (OS) for the whole study population was 33.5 months, while numbers for advanced cases originally diagnosed as EBC or the novo LA/MBC were 31.7 (CI95%: 26.8 - 36.0) and 38.8 months (CI95% 32.8 - 45.3; p = 0.0138) respectively. Main tumor immunohistochemical subtypes for EBC and the novo LA/MBC were: HER2+/HR- 11.3% and 15.3%, HER2+/HR+ 16.2% and 19.1%, HER2-/HR+ 41.2% and 51.1%, and Triple-negative 17.9% and 11.5%, respectively.

At the end of the study follow-up (Dec 2013) 78.2% of the patients had died. Breakdown of the decaying percentage and OS for the entire study population, early-, and the novo diagnosed LA/MBC from the beginning of each line of treatment was:

OS according to the type of diagnosisTreatment line1L2L3L4L5L6L7LWhole pulation Patients (%)95.370.253.538.424.215.19.5Whole pulation OS (months)32.622.616.613.513.312.48.5Early diag. LA/MBC OS (months))30.921.015.612.912.49.17.5The novo diag. LA/MBC OS (months)37.625.921.618.714.016.913.8

CONCLUSION: Our study's OS data supports the hypothesis that highly effective current neo/adjuvant treatment may cure most treatment-sensitive early tumors, allowing only those more aggressive to develop to LA/MBC, which then will fare worse than those of the novo metastatic diagnosis.

Citation Format: Servitja S, Zamora P, Santaballa A, García J, de Paz L, Plata Y, Garau I, Florian J, Chacón I, de la Haba J, García P, San José B, Rodríguez-Villanueva J, Orcajo L, Martínez E, Segui MA. CASCADE study: Longer overall survival in the novo versus recidivant patients with locally advanced/metastatic breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-08-43.

Acute Rejection in Renal Transplant Patients of a Hospital in Bogota, Colombia

BACKGROUND

Renal transplantation is the best treatment for end stage renal disease. Acute graft rejection is one of the main complications and may influence graft survival.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence and features of acute cellular rejection (ACR) episodes confirmed by biopsy.

METHODS

We studied a cohort of 175 patients who underwent renal transplantation between 2004 and 2012 to determine the cumulative incidence of ACR confirmed by biopsy and to identify the associated risk factors using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The one-year patient survival was 96.6%; the graft survival was 93.7%. The incidence of ACR within one year was 14.3%, of which 46% were observed within 6 months following transplantation. The most frequently observed ACR type was 1B according to the Banff classification system (42%). A relationship between ACR and receipt of a kidney from expanded criteria donors was observed, both in univariate and adjusted multiple log-binomial regression analyses, but only 6.3% of patients received extended criteria donor kidneys. No other relationships between variables were found.

CONCLUSION

ACR frequency in this study was similar to that of other cohorts reported previously. We need a bigger sample of renal transplants from expanded criteria donors, PRA and DSA test to support the results.

Chemical diversification of essential oils, evaluation of complex mixtures and identification of a xanthine oxidase inhibitor

A set of chemically engineered essential oils has been generated through chemical diversification by reaction with bromine, leading to the discovery of a new brominated xanthine oxidase inhibitor.

One Health in Practice: A Pilot Project for Integrated Care of Zoonotic Infections in Immunocompromised Children and Their Pets in Chile

Although pets provide physiological and psychological benefits to their owners, they are a potential source of zoonotic infections, especially for vulnerable individuals such as immunocompromised patients. During 1 year, we therefore performed a pilot project, which included 32 immunocompromised Chilean children and their family pets (35 dogs and 9 cats) with the aim of detecting, treating and preventing zoonotic infections. Children were examined by Infectious Diseases paediatricians and demographical and clinical information related to zoonotic infections were recorded. Pets were examined and sampled by veterinarians, who also administered missing routine vaccines and anti-parasitics. During family visits, all members were informed and educated about zoonoses and a satisfaction survey was performed. Visits also included vector control and indoor residual spraying with pyrethroids. Children were re-examined and re-tested according to the findings of their pets, and all detected zoonotic infections were treated both in children and pets. Physical examination revealed abnormalities in 18 dogs (51.4%) and three cats (33.3%). Twenty-eight (63.6%) of the pets were diagnosed with a zoonotic pathogen, and seven (15.9%) with a facultative pathogen. Most zoonotic agents were isolated from the pet's external ear and intestine. Bacteria with the highest pathogenic potential were Campylobacter jejuni and Brucella canis. In two children and their respective pets, the same zoonotic diseases were diagnosed (toxocariasis and giardiasis). Arthropods serving as potential vectors of zoonotic infections were found in 49% of dogs and 44% of cats. The pilot project was positively evaluated by the participating families. Our pilot project confirmed that pets are reservoir for various zoonotic agents in Chile and that the implementation of an integrated multidisciplinary programme was a valuable tool to prevent, diagnose and treat such zoonotic infections in vulnerable patients such as immunocompromised children.

Study of the S427G polymorphism and of MYBL2 variants in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Dysregulation of MYBL2 has been associated to tumorigenesis and the S427G polymorphism could induce partial inactivation of MYBL2, associating it with cancer risk. It has previously been shown that MYBL2 was over-expressed in some acute myeloid leukemias (AML), portending poor prognosis. However, to date no studies have investigated the S427G or other genetic variants of MYBL2 in AML. This study analyzed the S427G in 197 AML patients and 179 controls and screened the MYBL2 sequence in patients. In contrast to other studies in solid tumors, the S427G was not associated with the incidence of AML. This study detected four unannotated genetic alterations, of which the Q67X could be involved in MYBL2 dysfunction. Eight polymorphisms were identified, among which the rs73116571, located in a splicing region, was associated with higher incidence in AML and weaker MYBL2 expression, suggesting pre-disposition to AML. Additional functional studies should be performed to verify these genetic variations as possible targets in AML.

Obtaining the structure factors for an epitaxial film using Cu X-ray radiation

Determining atomic positions in thin films by X-ray diffraction is, at present, a task reserved for synchrotron facilities. Here an experimental method is presented which enables the determination of the structure factor amplitudes of thin films using laboratory-based equipment (Cu Kα radiation). This method was tested using an epitaxial 130 nm film of CuMnAs grown on top of a GaAs substrate, which unlike the orthorhombic bulk phase forms a crystal structure with tetragonal symmetry. From the set of structure factor moduli obtained by applying this method, the solution and refinement of the crystal structure of the film has been possible. The results are supported by consistent high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and stoichiometry analyses.

Adverse prognostic value of MYBL2 overexpression and association with microRNA-30 family in acute myeloid leukemia patients

The MYBL2 gene encodes a transcription factor implicated in cell proliferation and maturation whose amplification or overexpression has been associated with different human malignancies, suggesting that it could be implicated in tumorigenesis. We analyzed MYBL2 expression and its prognostic value in 291 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and we also evaluated its association with microRNAs 29 and 30 families. MYBL2 expression in AML patients was increased relative to CD34+ cells. Moreover, MYBL2 overexpression was associated with lower expression of miR-30a (P=0.024), miR-30b (P=0.021) and miR-30c (P=0.009). Multivariate analysis showed that MYBL2 expression was an independent factor for disease-free survival (HR 3.0, 95% CI 1.5-6.0, P=0.002) and cumulative incidence of relapse (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.6, P=0.015) in patients with an intermediate-risk karyotype. In conclusion, our data showed that MYBL2 expression analysis could be useful to define subgroups of patients with poor prognosis.

[Outcome at two years corrected age of a cohort of very low birth weight infants from hospitals within the neonatal SEN1500 network]

OBJECTIVE

To describe growth and neurodevelopmental status of 4,944 children who completed a follow-up at two years of corrected age out of the 10,456 newborns with weight ≤1500g born between the years 2002-2007 and discharged from hospitals within the network SEN1500. A total of 522 newborns were excluded as they had some type of malformation. The total number of children assessed represents the 49.76% of children discharged alive and without malformations.

METHODS

A retrospective review was conducted using prospectively collected data in the SEN1500 database. We compared growth data at two years of corrected age according to birth weight and sex. Motor impairment, incidence of cerebral palsy, visual and hearing disabilities, and abnormal neurodevelopment for gestational age were analysed between groups. We studied the associations between cerebral palsy (CP) and perinatal factors.

RESULTS

At 2 years of age 44.2% of children had a weight <2 SD for corrected age. Children with birth weight ≤1000g showed worse outcomes in growth. Some type of motor impairment was observed in 6.96% of the infants, and 4.56% of them were diagnosed with CP. The incidence was higher among males with birth weight ≤1000g. There was an incidence of 5.21% of visual disability, with 0.5% of children being blind in one or both eyes. Cerebral palsy was associated with retinopathy of prematurity, severe intraventricular haemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia, in particular cystic periventricular leukomalacia.

MYBL2 haploinsufficiency increases susceptibility to age-related haematopoietic neoplasia

The haematopoietic system is prone to age-related disorders ranging from deficits in functional blood cells to the development of neoplastic states. Such neoplasms often involve recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities, among which a deletion in the long arm of chromosome 20 (del20q) is common in myeloid malignancies. The del20q minimum deleted region contains nine genes, including MYBL2, which encodes a key protein involved in the maintenance of genome integrity. Here, we show that mice expressing half the normal levels of Mybl2 (Mybl2^+/Δ) develop a variety of myeloid disorders upon ageing. These include myeloproliferative neoplasms, myelodysplasia (MDS) and myeloid leukaemia, mirroring the human conditions associated with del20q. Moreover, analysis of gene expression profiles from patients with MDS demonstrated reduced levels of MYBL2, regardless of del20q status and demonstrated a strong correlation between low levels of MYBL2 RNA and reduced expression of a subset of genes related to DNA replication and checkpoint control pathways. Paralleling the human data, we found that these pathways are also disturbed in our Mybl2^+/Δ mice. This novel mouse model, therefore, represents a valuable tool for studying the initiation and progression of haematological malignancies during ageing, and may provide a platform for preclinical testing of therapeutic approaches.

Rapid molecular detection of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in Santiago, Chile

SETTING

Santiago, Chile, has a mean annual tuberculosis (TB) rate of 13 per 100 000 population; however, TB incidence in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals is at least 20 times higher.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the accuracy of rapid molecular testing for pulmonary TB (PTB) detection in routine care in HIV-infected patients.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study, conducted prospectively in five hospitals between March 2010 and June 2011. HIV-positive subjects with suspected PTB provided sputum or mouth wash samples that were directly processed for acid-fast smear, mycobacterial cultures and Xpert® MTB/RIF. Positive test results were reported on the same day.

RESULTS

We enrolled 166 subjects into the study; 50.6% provided two sputum samples, 33.1% only one sputum sample and 16.3% a mouth wash sample. The prevalence of TB was 8.1% (13/160). Diagnostic sensitivity increased from 66.7% (95%CI 39.1-86.2) for acid-fast smear to 91.7% (95%CI 64.6-98.5) for Xpert MTB/RIF, with comparable specificity at 98.6% (146/148, 95%CI 95.2-99.6) and 99.3% (147/148, 95%CI 96.3-99.9). Xpert MTB/RIF allowed early detection of rifampicin resistance in 16.6% of cases, with rapid adjustment to multidrug-resistant treatment.

CONCLUSION

Xpert MTB/RIF provided earlier TB diagnosis in 25% more cases than acid-fast smear alone. Its implementation should be considered for TB diagnosis in HIV-positive patients even outside TB-endemic areas.

Direct prediction of bioethanol yield in sugar beet pulp using near infrared spectroscopy

Sugar beets are a raw material for the production of sugar and ethanol. The decision on which end product to pursue could be facilitated by fast and reliable means of predicting the potential ethanol yield from the beets. A Near Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy-based approach was tested for the direct prediction of the potential bioethanol production from sugar beets. A modified partial least squares (MPLS) regression model was applied to 125 samples, ranging from 21.9 to 31.0 gL(-1) of bioethanol in sugar beet brei. The samples were analyzed in reflectance mode in a Direct Contact Food Analyser (DCFA) FOSS-NIRSystems 6500 monochromator, with standard error of cross validation (SECV), standard error of prediction (SEP), coefficient of determination (r(2)) and coefficient of variation (CV) of 0.51, 0.49, 0.91 and 1.9 gL(-1), respectively. The NIR technique allowed direct prediction of the ethanol yield from sugar beet brei (i.e. the product obtained after sawing beets with a proper machine) in less than 3 min.

c-Myb and GATA-1 alternate dominant roles during megakaryocyte differentiation

BACKGROUND

Transcription factors are essential for blood cell formation. Mice expressing low levels of c-Myb (c-Myb(low)) have an increased number of bone marrow megakaryocytes (MKs) and corresponding thrombocytosis. In contrast, mice engineered to express low levels of GATA-1 (GATA-1(low)) in the megakaryocytic lineage exhibit aberrant megakaryocytopoiesis with hyperproliferation of progenitors and defective terminal differentiation leading to thrombocytopenia. These seemingly opposite roles may affect platelet turnover and thus be of clinical relevance.

OBJECTIVE

To determine how these two transcription factors act together to control megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet formation.

METHODS

We used a combination of cellular and molecular in vitro assays to examine the ability of bone marrow cells from mice expressing low levels of both c-Myb and GATA-1 (referred to as double(low)) to produce MKs and platelets.

RESULTS

Double(low) cells, or those with low GATA-1 levels in which c-Myb is conditionally deleted, lack the hyperproliferative capacity of GATA-1(low) cells, allowing the cells to proceed towards more committed MKs that are, however, impaired in their capacity to produce fully differentiated cells, as confirmed by the abundance of morphologically aberrant cells that lack the ability to form proplatelets.

CONCLUSION

c-Myb and GATA-1 act in concert to achieve correct megakaryocytic differentiation. GATA-1 regulates both the proliferation of megakaryocytic progenitors and their terminal maturation. c-Myb also acts at the level of the progenitor by influencing its commitment to differentiation, but in contrast to GATA-1 it does not have any effect on the process of terminal differentiation.