Successful introgression of wMel Wolbachia into Aedes aegypti populations in Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati

Pacific Island countries have experienced periodic dengue, chikungunya and Zika outbreaks for decades. The prevention and control of these mosquito-borne diseases rely heavily on control of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which in most settings are the primary vector. Introgression of the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis (wMel strain) into Ae. aegypti populations reduces their vector competence and consequently lowers dengue incidence in the human population. Here we describe successful area-wide deployments of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti in Suva, Lautoka, Nadi (Fiji), Port Vila (Vanuatu) and South Tarawa (Kiribati). With community support, weekly releases of wMel-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for between 2 to 5 months resulted in wMel introgression in nearly all locations. Long term monitoring confirmed a high, self-sustaining prevalence of wMel infecting mosquitoes in almost all deployment areas. Measurement of public health outcomes were disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic but are expected to emerge in the coming years.

764 Is Consent Valid in Common Orthopaedic Surgeries?

Aim

Consent is at the heart of the doctor-patient relationship. Valid consent should be voluntary, informed and the patient must have the capacity to make the decision. It is the doctor’s responsibility to ensure the patient can make an informed decision. The aim of this audit is to assess the validity of consent within Salford Royal Foundation Trust Orthopaedic department.

Method

We retrospectively reviewed 225 consent forms for four common orthopaedic trauma procedures: 44 wrist ORIF, 48 ankle fixation, 71 hip hemiarthroplasty and 62 fixations with DHS. BOA-endorsed OrthoConsent and SRFT-produced leaflets were utilised as a standard for reported surgical risks and complications. Collated patient consents were compared against these standards. Exclusion criteria included consent four and polytrauma patients.

Results

96 forms were excluded leaving 129 consent forms. In all four procedures, 86%-100% had documented infection, nerve injury and bleeding. Compartment syndrome was not documented for any wrist ORIF patients. CRPS was recorded in only 57% of wrist and 31% of ankle ORIF patients. Wound healing complications was documented in 17% of ankle ORIF. In 71% of DHS and 64% of hemiarthroplasty patients, risk of death was not recorded.

Conclusions

Targets for achieving satisfactory consent form documentation were not met and showed significant variation amongst clinicians. It suggests that patients are not being fully informed of benefits and risks of surgery. Recommendations include the introduction of posters and encouraging printing off patient information leaflets and improving education on valid consent for rotational doctors.

Do Multiple Drug Resistance Transporters Interfere with Cell Functioning under Normal Conditions?

Eukaryotic cells rely on multiple mechanisms to protect themselves from exogenous toxic compounds. For instance, cells can limit penetration of toxic molecules through the plasma membrane or sequester them within the specialized compartments. Plasma membrane transporters with broad substrate specificity confer multiple drug resistance (MDR) to cells. These transporters efflux toxic compounds at the cost of ATP hydrolysis (ABC-transporters) or proton influx (MFS-transporters). In our review, we discuss the possible costs of having an active drug-efflux system using yeast cells as an example. The pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) subfamily ABC-transporters are known to constitutively hydrolyze ATP even without any substrate stimulation or transport across the membrane. Besides, some MDR-transporters have flippase activity allowing transport of lipids from inner to outer lipid layer of the plasma membrane. Thus, excessive activity of MDR-transporters can adversely affect plasma membrane properties. Moreover, broad substrate specificity of ABC-transporters also suggests the possibility of unintentional efflux of some natural metabolic intermediates from the cells. Furthermore, in some microorganisms, transport of quorum-sensing factors is mediated by MDR transporters; thus, overexpression of the transporters can also disturb cell-to-cell communications. As a result, under normal conditions, cells keep MDR-transporter genes repressed and activate them only upon exposure to stresses. We speculate that exploiting limitations of the drug-efflux system is a promising strategy to counteract MDR in pathogenic fungi.

Alcohol functionality in the fatty acid backbone of sphingomyelin guides the inhibition of blood coagulation

Cell-surface sphingomyelin (SM) inhibits binary and ternary complex activity of blood coagulation by an unknown mechanism. Here we show the OH functionality of SM contributes in forming the close assembly through intermolecular H-bond and through Ca²⁺ chelation, which restricts the protein–lipid/protein–protein interactions and thus inhibits the coagulation procedure.

Cell-surface sphingomyelin (SM) inhibits binary and ternary complex activity of blood coagulation.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SGPL1) deficiency is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction

Deficiency in Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (S1P lyase) is associated with a multi-systemic disorder incorporating primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome and neurological dysfunction. Accumulation of sphingolipid intermediates, as seen with loss of function mutations in SGPL1, has been implicated in mitochondrial dysregulation, including alterations in mitochondrial membrane potentials and initiation of mitochondrial apoptosis. For the first time, we investigate the impact of S1P lyase deficiency on mitochondrial morphology and function using patient-derived human dermal fibroblasts and CRISPR engineered SGPL1-knockout HeLa cells. Reduced cortisol output in response to progesterone stimulation was observed in two patient dermal fibroblast cell lines. Mass spectrometric analysis of patient dermal fibroblasts revealed significantly elevated levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate, sphingosine, ceramide species and sphingomyelin when compared to control. Total mitochondrial volume was reduced in both S1P lyase deficient patient and HeLa cell lines. Mitochondrial dynamics and parameters of oxidative phosphorylation were altered when compared to matched controls, though differentially across the cell lines. Mitochondrial dysfunction may represent a major event in the pathogenesis of this disease, associated with severity of phenotype.

Histoprotective effect of rutin against cisplatin-induced toxicities in tumor-bearing mice: Rutin lessens cisplatin-induced toxicities

Cisplatin is an effective anticancer drug used against a variety of cancers. The full therapeutic potential of cisplatin is often hampered due to concurrent development of various side effects in the hosts. Rutin, a naturally occurring bioflavonoid shows several pharmacological activities. It has been earlier reported by us that rutin and cisplatin in combination show better antitumor activity against murine ascites Dalton's lymphoma. As cisplatin is given to cancer-bearing hosts only, the present study was undertaken to explore the histoprotective effect of rutin against some toxicities induced by cisplatin in tumor-bearing mice. Cisplatin treatment caused severe damages in tissue architecture such as degenerated hepatocytes with nuclear condensation and sinusoidal dilatation in the liver, glomerular deterioration, infiltration of cells, and tubular congestion in the kidney, and vacuolization of Sertoli cells or dense granules in the cytoplasm and damaged seminiferous tubules in the testes. In the rutin plus cisplatin combination-treated mice, all the abnormal tissue architectural features were decreased. Further, as compared to cisplatin treatment, combination treatment did not show any significant elevation in the liver functional biomarkers (serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) and renal functional biomarkers (serum urea and creatinine levels). The combination treatment reduced the sperm abnormalities also as compared to the cisplatin alone treatment. The in vitro hemolysis assay of red blood cells and scanning electron microscopy revealed that combination treatment lessened the cisplatin-induced hemolysis and abnormalities in RBCs. Thus, the present findings demonstrate that rutin has histoprotective ability against cisplatin-induced toxicities in tumor-bearing mice.

AB1271 PATIENT EDUCATION IN PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: A SERVICE EVALUATION AT ONE YEAR

Background:

Recent studies have demonstrated an increasing burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases worldwide.1The importance of patient education (PE) is often overlooked in the management of long term inflammatory conditions. The European League Against Rheumatism recommends that PE should be integral to standard of care in inflammatory arthritis.2PE increases patients’ knowledge, skills and confidence in managing their condition and improves patient activation (PA). Evidence shows that improved PA results in better outcomes and improved experiences of care. We previously reported on improved knowledge and confidence amongst a small patient group with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who had attended a pilot education session.3This education session was delivered to a wider group of patients with PsA over a 12 month period; we report on the evaluation received from this service.

Objectives:

To provide a PE programme to a wider group of patients with PsA, using a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach and to evaluate whether this improved patients’ knowledge, skills and confidence in managing their PsA.

Methods:

Adult patients with PsA attending their rheumatology clinic appointments were invited to a 2.5 hour MDT education session which covered: 1) a general overview of PsA; 2) medications used in PsA; 3) the role of physiotherapy and occupational therapy; 4) flares and self- management. These were interactive sessions, held in a small group setting to allow for informal discussion and questions to the MDT. Written materials including several booklets and online resources were also provided. Patients evaluated their knowledge or understanding before and after each topic covered, on the same day, using an evaluation tool with1-10 Likert scale items. Changes in ratings were analysed using student’s t-tests. Patients were also asked: which aspects they found particularly helpful; if there was anything they would like to have added/ have more of in the session; whether they found the session helpful; whether they would recommend it to other patients; whether they would be interested in developing a PsA patient support group.

Results:

Four sessions were held over a 12 month period. A total of 32 patients attended; 10 males and 22 females, across a range of age categories. Disease duration varied from less than1 year to over 10 years. There were statistically significant improvements in all topics covered: mean improvement of 91% in how well informed patients felt about PsA overall (p<0.0001); mean improvement of 74% in confidence in accessing help from the MDT (p<0.0001); mean improvement of 122% in how well informed patients were about medications used in PsA (p<0.0001); mean improvement of 99% in patients’ confidence in self-managing a flare (p<0.0001). Aspects that patients found particularly helpful included “The whole session”, “Asking questions to all different professionals”, “Meeting other sufferers”, “Management of flares”, “Fatigue information” and “Online resources”. Overall, 97% of patients (31 out of 32) found the session helpful and would recommend it to others. Over 40% of patients expressed interest in developing a local PsA support group.

Conclusion:

Following a 2.5 hour education session, improved knowledge, skills and confidence in managing their PsA was reported by 97% of patients, including patients with disease duration of > 10 years. This supports our previous finding that an interactive, group PsA education programme is a feasible and important adjunct to patient care.

References:

[1]Sebbag E, Felten R, Sagez F, et al. The world-wide burden of musculoskeletal diseases: a systematic analysis of the World Health Organization Burden of Diseases Database. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2019;78:844-848.

[2]Zangi HA, Ndosi M, Adams J, et al. EULAR recommendations for patient education for people with inflammatory arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2015;74(6):954-62

[3]Austin K, Jones N, Prasad R. Patient Education in psoriatic arthritis: addressing an unmet need. Ann Rheum Dis. 2019;78(suppl 2):A2134.

Disclosure of Interests:

Keziah Austin: None declared, Roopa Prasad Speakers bureau: Received speaker fees for Celgene, honorarium from Merck, advisory board fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb; all unrelated to the contents of this abstract.

VARIOUS ANALYTICAL MODELS FOR SUPERCAPACITORS: A MATHEMATICAL STUDY

Supercapacitors (SCs) are used extensively in high-power potential energy applications like renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, power electronics, and many other industrial applications. This is due to SCs containing high-power density and the ability to respond spontaneously with fast charging and discharging demands. Advancements in material and fabrication techniques have induced a scope for research to improve the application of SCs. Many researchers have studied various SC properties and their effects on energy storage and management performance. In this paper, various fractional calculus-based SC models are summarized, with emphasis on analytical studies from derived classical SC models. Study prevails such parameterized resistor–capacitor networks have simplified the representation of electrical behavior of SCs to deal with the complicated internal structure. Fractional calculus has been used to develop SC models with the aim of understanding their complicated structure. Finally, the properties of different SC models utilized by various researchers to understand the behavior of SCs are listed using an equivalent circuit.

Diagnoses and management of adult cough: An Indian Environmental Medical Association (EMA) position paper

BACKGROUND

Cough is a common yet distressing symptom that results in significant health care costs from outpatient visits and related consultations.

OBJECTIVE

The understanding of the pathobiology of cough in recent times has undergone an evolution with Cough hypersensitivity syndrome (CHS) being suggested in most cases of dry cough. However, in the case of productive cough, ancillary mechanisms including impaired Mucociliary clearance, in addition to hypermucosecretory bronchospastic conditions of Smoker's cough, asthma-COPD overlap, bronchiectasis, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, need to be critically addressed while optimizing patient care with symptomatic therapy in outpatient settings of India.

METHODS

In this review, evidence-based graded recommendations on use of antitussives - & protussives as a Position Paper were developed based on the Level and Quality of Scientific evidence as per Agency for Health Care and Quality (AHRQ) criteria listing and Expert opinions offered by a multidisciplinary EMA panel in India.

RESULTS

Management of acute or chronic cough involves addressing common issues of environmental exposures and patient concerns before instituting supportive therapy with antitussives or bronchodilatory cough formulations containing mucoactives, anti-inflammatory, or short-acting beta-2 agonist agents.

CONCLUSION

The analyses provides a real world approach to the management of acute or chronic cough in various clinical conditions with pro- or antitussive agents while avoiding their misuse in empirical settings.

Stigma among healthcare workers towards hepatitis B infection in Bangalore, India: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

With about 50 million people infected with hepatitis B (HBV) in India the burden of disease is high. Stigma has been identified to have a major negative impact on screening, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B patients. The aim of this study was to assess the stigma in nurses and physicians in Bangalore, India; studies on stigma in HBV have only been published outside of India.

METHODS

Semi-structured in-depth-interviews were conducted in the period of March 20th and April 16th 2018 to study stigma and other problems in the care of hepatitis B patients. Stigma was pragmatically defined as a mark of disgrace associated with having a hepatitis B infection. Thirty physicians and nurses in different clinics and hospitals across the city of Bangalore were selected by purposeful sampling and snowball effect until theoretical saturation was reached.

RESULTS

The following themes were identified during the interviews: feelings when treating a patient; pregnancy and marriage; confidentiality; morality; improvement in care and the difference with HIV. The most stigma was discovered in the theme morality. The majority of our participants mentioned lack of awareness as biggest obstacle in health care of hepatitis B patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first qualitative study in India exploring hepatitis B stigma among health care workers. Stigma was found in certain themes, such as morality. Though, no unwillingness to treat was found. There was a general lack of awareness amongst patients according to our participants and could jeopardize proper treatment. These results will further help in developing strategies to tackle hepatitis B in India.

Development of orthotopic tumour models using ultrasound-guided intrahepatic injection

Mouse models of human diseases are an essential part of the translational pipeline. Orthotopic tumour mouse models are increasingly being used in cancer research due to their increased clinical relevance over subcutaneous xenograft models, particularly in relation to metastatic disease. In this study, we have developed orthotopic colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) and primary cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) models in BALB/c nude mice using minimally invasive ultrasound-guided intrahepatic injection. Due to its minimally invasive nature, the method reduced risk from surgical complications whilst being fast and easy to perform and resulted in measurable tumour volumes 1 to 3 weeks post-injection. Tumour volumes were monitored in vivo by weekly high-frequency ultrasound (HF-US) and/or twice weekly bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and confirmed with end-point histology. Take rates were high for human CRC cells (>73%) and for CCA cells (90%). We have demonstrated that this method reliably induces CRCLM and CCAs, in which tumour volume can be monitored throughout using HF-US and/or BLI. This provides a promising experimental tool for future testing of cancer therapeutics in an orthotopic model.

An online beam profiler for laser-accelerated protons

The design and operation of an online energy and spatially resolving detector based on three different scintillators for laser-driven protons are described. The device can be used for a multi-Hertz recording rate. The spatial resolution is <0.5 mm, allowing to retrieve details of the proton beam which is of interest, e.g., for radiographic applications. At the same time, the particle energy is divided into three energy bands between 1 MeV and 5 MeV to retrieve the proton energy spectrum. The absolute response of the detector was calibrated at a conventional proton accelerator.

Genetic Status and Endosymbionts Diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on Hosts Belonging to Family Malvaceae in India

A study was instigated to examine the genetic status and distribution of known endosymbionts namely Portiera, Rickettsia, Wolbachia, Cardinium, and Arsenophonus in the populations of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) from three host plants: cotton (Gossypium herbaceum), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.), and China rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) belonging to the family Malvaceae. The presence of four secondary endosymbionts Rickettsia, Wolbachia, Cardinium, and Arsenophonus was checked in Bemisia tabaci populations. Phylogenetic analyses grounded on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (mtCO1) unveiled the presence of Asia 1, Asia II 1, and Asia II 7 genetic groups for Bemisia tabaci on abovementioned crops. Individuals were examined for symbiotic bacterial infection with specific primers amplifying the 16S rRNA gene for Portiera, Rickettsia, Cardinium, and Wolbachia, and the 23S rRNA gene for Arsenophonus. The results show that Portiera was present in all the Bemisia tabaci samples. However, variations were noted in the circulation frequencies of secondary endosymbionts among the Bemisia tabaci populations. A significant difference was noticed in the distribution frequency of Rickettsia between cotton and China rose or okra with their p values as 0.016 and 0.033 respectively. The uneven incidence of secondary endosymbionts ropes the assumption that each endosymbiotic bacterium not only has a role in the endurance but may contribute to the polyphagous nature of Bemisia tabaci. It also brings an uncomplicated evidence for progressive studies on control measures of this notorious insect pest.

Nm-sized cryogenic hydrogen clusters for a laser-driven proton source

A cryogenic hydrogen cluster-jet target is described which has been used for laser-plasma interaction studies. Major advantages of the cluster-jet are, on the one hand, the compatibility to pulsed high repetition lasers as the target is operated continuously and, on the other hand, the absence of target debris. The cluster-jet target was characterized using the Mie-scattering technique allowing to determine the cluster size and to compare the measurements with an empirical formula. In addition, an estimation of the cluster beam density was performed. The system was implemented at the high power laser system ARCTURUS, and the measurements show the acceleration of protons after irradiation of the cluster target by high intensity laser pulses with a repetition rate of 5 Hz.

The patient's experience of defaecating proctography: Comparing magnetic resonance with conventional fluoroscopy techniques

INTRODUCTION

Fluoroscopy and MRI are currently used to investigate defaecation and pelvic floor dysfunction, with advantages and disadvantages to both modalities. Anecdotally it is suspected that MRI, allowing more privacy, may be better tolerated by patients but that symptoms may be more easily replicated with fluoroscopic technique due to the physiological position. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patient experience of both techniques to potentially help guide the choice of defaecating proctography modality in the future.

METHODS

This prospective study was conducted June 2015-March 2017 in a large teaching hospital. Patients undergoing fluoroscopy (FDP) or MR defaecating proctography (MRDP) completed a post-procedure questionnaire rating their satisfaction (1-5, 5 being most satisfied) of different aspects of the test.

RESULTS

24 patients underwent FDP and 17 MRDP. Both procedures were scored highly in general for all questions with mean >4.1 and median 5, out of 5. Though not statistically significant, the mean scores for all aspects of the test were slightly higher for fluoroscopy than MR. As well as scoring higher for comfort (4.8 vs 4.4) and dignity maintained (4.6 vs 4.1), the patients who underwent fluoroscopy thought it was easier to replicate symptoms than the patient who underwent MR defaecating proctography (4.6 vs 4.2).

CONCLUSION

This study shows that both FDP and MRDP are well tolerated in the investigation of defaecation and pelvic floor dysfunction. FDP was scored consistently higher than MRDP, but this was not statistically significant. Thus, this study suggests that patient tolerance of the test is unlikely to be any worse for FDP than for MRDP. Clinicians and radiologists should take into account risks of radiation exposure as well as potential for surgical management when making their decision as to which test is appropriate. The authors recommend that if the patient is unable to replicate their symptoms in MRDP, fluoroscopy should be performed to ensure significant pathology is not being missed.

High Signal Intensity in the Dentate Nucleus and Globus Pallidus on Unenhanced T1-Weighted MR Images: Comparison between Gadobutrol and Linear Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In view of the recent observations that gadolinium deposits in brain tissue after intravenous injection, our aim of this study was to compare signal changes in the globus pallidus and dentate nucleus on unenhanced T1-weighted MR images in patients receiving serial doses of gadobutrol, a macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent, with those seen in patients receiving linear gadolinium-based contrast agents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective analysis of on-site patients with brain tumors. Fifty-nine patients received only gadobutrol, and 60 patients received only linear gadolinium-based contrast agents. Linear gadolinium-based contrast agents included gadoversetamide, gadobenate dimeglumine, and gadodiamide. T1 signal intensity in the globus pallidus, dentate nucleus, and pons was measured on the precontrast portions of patients' first and seventh brain MRIs. Ratios of signal intensity comparing the globus pallidus with the pons (globus pallidus/pons) and dentate nucleus with the pons (dentate nucleus/pons) were calculated. Changes in the above signal intensity ratios were compared within the gadobutrol and linear agent groups, as well as between groups.

RESULTS

The dentate nucleus/pons signal ratio increased in the linear gadolinium-based contrast agent group (t = 4.215, P < .001), while no significant increase was seen in the gadobutrol group (t = -1.422, P = .08). The globus pallidus/pons ratios followed similarly, with an increase in the linear gadolinium-based contrast agent group (t = 2.931, P < .0001) and no significant change in those receiving gadobutrol (t = 0.684, P = .25).

CONCLUSIONS

Successive doses of gadobutrol do not result in T1 shortening compared with changes seen in linear gadolinium-based contrast agents.

Synthesis of K–Pd doped NiCo2O4−δ by reactive calcination route for oxidation of CO–CH4 emissions from CNG vehicles

The present study is devoted to formulating a doped spinel catalyst by a novel route of calcination for the oxidation of the CO–CH₄ mixture emitted from compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.

International validation of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-BRECON23 quality-of-life questionnaire for women undergoing breast reconstruction

Background

The aim was to carry out phase 4 international field-testing of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) breast reconstruction (BRECON) module. The primary objective was finalization of its scale structure. Secondary objectives were evaluation of its reliability, validity, responsiveness, acceptability and interpretability in patients with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction.

Methods

The EORTC module development guidelines were followed. Patients were recruited from 28 centres in seven countries. A prospective cohort completed the QLQ-BRECON15 before mastectomy and the QLQ-BRECON24 at 4–8 months after reconstruction. The cross-sectional cohort completed the QLQ-BRECON24 at 1–5 years after reconstruction, and repeated this 2–8 weeks later (test–retest reliability). All participants completed debriefing questionnaires.

Results

A total of 438 patients were recruited, 234 in the prospective cohort and 204 in the cross-sectional cohort. A total of 414 reconstructions were immediate, with a comparable number of implants (176) and donor-site flaps (166). Control groups comprised patients who underwent two-stage implant procedures (72, 75 per cent) or delayed reconstruction (24, 25 per cent). Psychometric scale validity was supported by moderate to high item-own scale and item-total correlations (over 0·5). Questionnaire validity was confirmed by good scale-to-sample targeting, and computable scale scores exceeding 50 per cent, except nipple cosmesis (over 40 per cent). In known-group comparisons, QLQ-BRECON24 scales and items differentiated between patient groups defined by clinical criteria, such as type and timing of reconstruction, postmastectomy radiotherapy and surgical complications, with moderate effect sizes. Prospectively, sexuality and surgical side-effects scales showed significant responsiveness over time (P &lt; 0·001). Scale reliability was supported by high Cronbach's α coefficients (over 0·7) and test–retest (intraclass correlation more than 0·8). One item (finding a well fitting bra) was excluded based on high floor/ceiling effects, poor test–retest and weak correlations in factor analysis (below 0·3), thus generating the QLQ-BRECON23 questionnaire.

Conclusion

The QLQ-BRECON23 is an internationally validated tool to be used alongside the EORTC QLQ-C30 (cancer) and QLQ-BR23 (breast cancer) questionnaires for evaluating quality of life and satisfaction after breast reconstruction.

Gated ion spectrometer for spectroscopy of neutral particles

A new design of an ion mass spectrometer for the laser-plasma particle diagnostic, which is capable to detect simultaneously also neutral particles, is described. The particles are detected with micro-channel-plate detector operating in a gated mode. This allows us to separate x-rays and energetic electrons from other stray plasma emissions, e.g., neutral particles, which hit the detector in the same place. The ion energies are measured with the spectrometer in energy intervals corresponding to their time-of-flight within the gating window. The latter also defines the energy interval of neutrals recorded with the same time-of-flight. The spectrum of neutral particles can be reconstructed by subsequently collecting different parts of the spectrum while applying different delays on the gate pulse. That separation-in-time technique (time-of-flight mass spectrometry) in combination with the spatially separating mass analyzer (ion mass spectrometer) is used for the neutral particles spectroscopy.

Drug-sensitive FGFR3 mutations in lung adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths across the world. In this study, we present therapeutically relevant genetic alterations in lung adenocarcinoma of Indian origin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-five primary lung adenocarcinoma tumors were sequenced for 676 amplicons using RainDance cancer panel at an average coverage of 1500 × (reads per million mapped reads). To validate the findings, 49 mutations across 23 genes were genotyped in an additional set of 363 primary lung adenocarcinoma tumors using mass spectrometry. NIH/3T3 cells over expressing mutant and wild-type FGFR3 constructs were characterized for anchorage independent growth, constitutive activation, tumor formation and sensitivity to FGFR inhibitors using in vitro and xenograft mouse models.

RESULTS

We present the first spectrum of actionable alterations in lung adenocarcinoma tumors of Indian origin, and shows that mutations of FGFR3 are present in 20 of 363 (5.5%) patients. These FGFR3 mutations are constitutively active and oncogenic when ectopically expressed in NIH/3T3 cells and using a xenograft model in NOD/SCID mice. Inhibition of FGFR3 kinase activity inhibits transformation of NIH/3T3 overexpressing FGFR3 constructs and growth of tumors driven by FGFR3 in the xenograft models. The reduction in tumor size in the mouse is paralleled by a reduction in the amounts of phospho-ERK, validating the in vitro findings. Interestingly, the FGFR3 mutations are significantly higher in a proportion of younger patients and show a trend toward better overall survival, compared with patients lacking actionable alterations or those harboring KRAS mutations.

CONCLUSION

We present the first actionable mutation spectrum in Indian lung cancer genome. These findings implicate FGFR3 as a novel therapeutic in lung adenocarcinoma.

Preparation and application of effective different catalysts for simultaneous control of diesel soot and NOX emissions: An overview

Soot particulates and nitrogen oxides (NO_X) from diesel engine exhaust have been causing serious problems to human health and the global environment.

Population-based cohort study of variation in the use of emergency cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases

Background

The aims of this prospective population-based cohort study were to identify the patient and hospital characteristics associated with emergency cholecystectomy, and the influences of these in determining variations between hospitals.

Methods

Data were collected for consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing the performance of emergency cholecystectomy were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two-level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2).

Results

Data were collected on 4744 cholecystectomies from 165 hospitals. Increasing age, lower ASA fitness grade, biliary colic, the need for further imaging (magnetic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), endoscopic interventions (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and admission to a non-biliary centre significantly reduced the likelihood of an emergency cholecystectomy being performed. The multilevel model was used to calculate the probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy for a woman aged 40 years or over with an ASA grade of I or II and a BMI of at least 25·0 kg/m2, who presented with acute cholecystitis with an ultrasound scan showing a thick-walled gallbladder and a normal common bile duct. The mean predicted probability of receiving an emergency cholecystectomy was 0·52 (95 per cent c.i. 0·45 to 0·57). The predicted probabilities ranged from 0·02 to 0·95 across the 165 hospitals, demonstrating significant variation between hospitals.

Conclusion

Patients with similar characteristics presenting to different hospitals with acute gallbladder pathology do not receive comparable care.

Impact of oxidative and osmotic stresses on Candida albicans biofilm formation

Candida albicans possesses an ability to grow under different host-driven stress conditions by developing robust protective mechanisms. In this investigation the focus was on the impact of osmotic (2M NaCl) and oxidative (5 mM H2O2) stress conditions during C. albicans biofilm formation. Oxidative stress enhanced extracellular DNA secretion into the biofilm matrix, increased the chitin level, and reduced virulence factors, namely phospholipase and proteinase activity, while osmotic stress mainly increased extracellular proteinase and decreased phospholipase activity. Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis of mannan isolated from the C. albicans biofilm cell wall revealed a decrease in mannan content and reduced β-linked mannose moieties under stress conditions. The results demonstrate that C. albicans adapts to oxidative and osmotic stress conditions by inducing biofilm formation with a rich exopolymeric matrix, modulating virulence factors as well as the cell wall composition for its survival in different host niches.

Valence fluctuation and magnetic ordering in EuNi2(P(1-x)Ge(x))2 single crystals

Unusual phases and phase transitions are seen at the magnetic-nonmagnetic boundary in Ce-, Eu- and Yb-based compounds. EuNi2P2 is a very unusual valence fluctuating Eu system, because at low temperatures the Eu valence stays close to 2.5 instead of approaching an integer value. The Eu valence, and thus the magnetic property in this system, can be tuned by Ge substitution in the P site as EuNi2Ge2 is known to exhibit the antiferromagnetc (AFM) ordering of divalent Eu moments with T(N)=30K. We have grown EuNi2(P(1-x)Ge(x))2 (0.0≤ x ≤0.5)) single crystals and studied their magnetic, thermodynamic and transport properties. Increasing Ge doping to x  >  0.4 results in a well-defined AFM ordered state with T(N)=12K for x  =  0.5. Moreover, the reduced value of magnetic entropy for x  =  0.5 at T(N) suggests the presence of valance fluctuation/the Kondo effect in this compound. Interestingly, the specific heat exhibits an enhanced Sommerfeld coefficient upon Ge doping. Subsequently, electronic structure calculations lead to a non-integral valence in EuNi2P2 but a stable divalent Eu state in EuNi2Ge2, which is in good agreement with the experimental results.