[Mechanism of piRNA in bisphenol A-promoted invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells]

Objective: To investigate the regulatory mechanisms of piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) in bisphenol A (BPA)-induced prostate cancer cell invasion and migration. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data was used to analyze and screen for piRNAs with significantly increased expression in prostate cancer tissues. PC-3 cells were treated with different concentrations of BPA for 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively, and the 20% inhibitory concentration (IC20) was measured using a CCK-8 assay. The expression levels of piRNAs before and after BPA treatment were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Target genes regulated by BPA and associated with prostate cancer were screened in the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify the relationship between piRNA and target genes, and the expression change of the piRNA target gene was detected by Western blotting. Cell migration and invasion assays were used to determine the effects of piRNA on the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells. Results: After treatment of PC-3 cells with 160 μmol/L BPA, the expression of piR-sno48 was most significantly increased (P<0.05). Transfection of piR-sno48 antagomir resulted in decreased expression of endogenous piR-sno48 and a significant increase in the expression of its target gene GSTP1 (P<0.05). However, the expression of GSTP1 did not change significantly in BPA-treated PC-3 cells after transfection with piR-sno48 antagomir (P>0.05). The dual-luciferase reporter gene confirmed that piR-sno48 inhibited the expression of GSTP1 by forming an inversely complementary sequence with the 3'-UTR of GSTP1. The Transwell assay results showed that treatment with BPA significantly increased the invasion and migration ability of prostate cancer cells (P<0.01), whereas piR-sno48 antagonists significantly inhibited the effects above (P<0.01). Conclusion: BPA promotes the invasion and migration of prostate cancer cells by upregulating the expression of piR-sno48 and suppressing the expression of GSTP1. Interfering with the expression of endogenous piR-sno48 may inhibit the malignant phenotype of prostate cancer cells caused by BPA.

[Characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of lipid metabolism remodeling after malignant transformation of glioma-associated macrophages]

Objective: To observe the lipid metabolism characteristics of tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) after malignant transformation in the glioma micro-environment, and analyze the biological phenotype changes and regulatory mechanisms after inhibiting the lipid metabolism remodeling. Methods: Twelve male Balb/c mice of 6-8 weeks were used in the study. Macrophages (Mφ) were derived from mouse bone marrow, and malignantly transformed macrophages (tMφ₁ and tMφ₂) were cloned from the model of glioma stem cell (GSC) through interaction with Mφ in vivo and in vitro. Intracellular lipid droplet formation and cellular cholesterol content were measured respectively in Mφ, tMφ₁ and tMφ₂. qRT-PCR was performed to detect the genes expression level related with lipid metabolism, including sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), fatty acid synthase (FASN), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate monoacyl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA). Simvastatin (SIM) was used to analyze the proliferation, immigration and invasiveness ability in tMφ₁ and tMφ₂ after inhibition of the lipid metabolism. Differential expression profiles of miRNAs after SIM treatment were constructed in t-Mφ₁ and bio-informatics analysis was screened and verified for miR449a and its target gene sorting micro-tubule connectin 17 (SNX17) associated with lipid metabolism remodeling. The effect on SNX17 by up-regulated miR-449a were analyzed by qRT-PCR and Western blot, meanwhile, the biological phenotype and cholesterol content were observed after up-regulation of miR449a. Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein levels after SNX17 knockdown and intracellular cholesterol content after LDLR knockdown were detected respectively. Results: The numbers of intracellular lipid droplet formation in tMφ₁ and tMφ₂ were more than that in Mφ (P<0.001). Likewise, the relative contents of cholesterol (3.89±0.68 and 3.56±0.53), SREBP (4.78±0.60 and 2.84±0.41), FASN (4.65±0.70 and 3.01±0.45), and HMG-CoA (5.74±0.55 and 2.97±0.34) were significantly higher in tMφ₁ and tMφ₂ than those of Mφ (1.01 wel, 1.02 wel and 0.99 wel, respectively) (all P<0.001). The proliferation rates of tMφ₁ and tMφ₂ decreased from (47.06±5.88) % and (45.29±5.64)% to (23.53±4.70)% and (18.74±5.76)%, respectively after treatment with SIM (both P<0.05). The numbers of migrated cells decreased from 1 025±138 and 350±47 to 205±63 and 99±25, respectively (both P<0.001). And the numbers of invasiveness cells decreased from 919±45 and 527±34 to 220±23 and 114±21, respectively (both P<0.001). While the relative intracellular cholesterol content decreased to 0.52±0.08 and 0.58±0.07 (both P<0.05), respectively. MiR-449a was screened from tMφ₁ by SIM, and the target gene was analyzed and verified to be SNX17. SNX17 expression was down-regulated, and the proliferation rate, the number of migration and invasiveness was significantly decreased after miR-449a over-expression (all P<0.05). Low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) expression was down-regulated after knock-down of SNX17, while the cholesterol content was decreased after knock-down of LDLR in tMφ₁ and tMφ₂ (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Malignantly transformed TAMs undergo lipid metabolism remodeling characterized with enhanced lipid metabolism. MiR-449a regulates the LDLR by targeting SNX17, thereby affecting the lipid metabolism of malignantly transformed macrophages, and subsequently inhibiting its proliferation, migration, and invasion ability. Precise intervention with miR-449a/SNX17/LDLR axis could provide an experimental basis for reversing its tumor-promoting micro-environment remodeled by GSC through metabolic intervention.

[Research progress of new generation intraocular lens calculation formulas]

With the development of the technology of phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, the calculation formula of IOL power has been optimized. The existing formulas are still not accurate enough for some special cases, such as patients with short or long axial length and previous corneal refractive surgery, because the calculation of IOL power is a nonlinear function, and these mathematical formulas based on an optical model can not show the nonlinear relationship well. Therefore, new IOL calculation formulas developed by using an artificial intelligence nonlinear mathematical model have come into being. This review demonstrates the development and application of new IOL calculation formulas, in order to provide guidance for improving the visual quality and clinical application of each calculation method in cataract patients.

[Analysis of risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus in elderly multipara women in the next pregnancy]

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in elderly multipara women in the next pregnancy. Methods: A total of 219 elderly multipara women with 2 consecutive delivery records in Tianjin Binhai New Area Tanggu Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from January 2018 to May 2019 were included. Among them, 141 had normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and 78 of them had GDM. The clinical data of the previous and current pregnancy were collected to analyze the risk factors of GDM in elderly multipara women. Results: The average ages of 219 elderly women in previous pregnancy and this pregnancy were (31.9±2.2) and (36.7±1.5) years old, and the prevalence of GDM was 35.62% (78 cases). Compared to NGT group, GDM patients had higher fasting blood glucose(previous (5.51±1.43) vs (4.63±0.62) mmol/L; current (5.26±0.63) vs (4.59±0.30) mmol/L, 1 h blood glucose(previous (11.74±2.36) vs (9.50±1.82) mmol/L; current (11.03±2.03) vs (9.51±1.14) mmol/L) in 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in both previous and current pregnancy. The rates of cesarean section, in both previous and current pregnancy were higher in GDM group (previous 34.6% vs 4.3%; current 52.6% vs 22.0%). Furthermore, prenatal weight and body mass index (BMI) of the previous pregnancy, pre-pregnancy weight and BMI, and prenatal BMI of this pregnancy were also higher in GDM group, and the differences were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). Logistic multivariate regression analysis indicated cesarean section history (OR=10.80, 95%CI: (4.09-28.54)), GDM history of previous pregnancy (OR=10.64, 95%CI: (4.02-28.20)), 75 g OGTT fasting blood glucose≥ 4.86 mmol/L (OR=2.70, 95%CI: (1.27-5.70)), 1 h blood glucose after glucose administration ≥ 8.45 mmol/L (OR=1.78, 95%CI: (1.37-2.31)) were risk factors for GDM in elderly multipara women of this pregnancy. Conclusion: The risk of GDM in elderly multipara women with a history of cesarean section and GDM increases significantly. Results of OGTT in previous pregnancy also has predictive value.

Investigating the Potential Mechanism of Pydiflumetofen Resistance in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

The necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most damaging and economically important plant pathogens. Pydiflumetofen, which was developed by Syngenta Crop Protection, has already been registered in China for the management of Sclerotinia stem rot, which was caused by S. sclerotiorum in oilseed rape. In an attempt to preempt and forestall the development of resistance to this useful fungicide, the current study was initiated to investigate the potential mechanism of resistance in laboratory mutants. Five pydiflumetofen-resistant S. sclerotiorum mutants were successfully generated by repeated exposure to the fungicide under laboratory conditions. Although the mutants had greatly reduced sensitivity to pydiflumetofen, they were also found to have significantly (P < 0.05) reduced fitness, exhibiting reduced mycelial growth and sclerotia formation on potato dextrose agar medium. However, three of the four mutants had significantly (P < 0.05) increased pathogenicity on detached soybean leaves compared with their respective parental isolates, indicating a moderate to high level of fungicide resistance risk according to the criteria of the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee. Sequence analysis of four succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh) target genes identified several nucleotide changes in the sequences of the pydiflumetofen-resistant mutants, most of which were synonymous and caused no changes to the predicted amino acid sequences. However, all of the pydiflumetofen-resistant mutants had two amino acid point mutations (A11V and V162A) in their predicted SsSdhB sequence. No similar changes were found in the SsSdhA, SsSdhC, and SsSdhD genes of any of the mutants tested. In addition, there was a positive cross-resistance between pydiflumetofen and boscalid, and no cross-resistance between pydiflumetofen and other commonly used fungicides, including tebuconazole, fludioxonil, cyprodinil, dimethachlone, prochloraz, pyraclostrobin, fluazinam, procymidone, and carbendazim. These results indicate that pydiflumetofen has great potential as an alternative fungicide for the control of S. sclerotiorum, especially where resistance to other fungicides has already emerged. Mixing or alternate application with fludioxonil, prochloraz, and fluazinam could be used to limit the risk of resistance to pydiflumetofen.

[Role of exosomal miRNA in tumor progression and its possible mechanism]

Exosome is a kind of biological nano-vesicle with a diameter of about 30-100 nm and is synthesized, secreted, and released in almost all types of body cells. Recent studies have found that exosomes contain a variety of functional proteins, including mRNA and microRNAs (miRNAs) and so on, which play an important role in the process of material transfer and information exchange in cells. In addition, the related-exosomal microRNAs secreted by tumor cells play an important role in regulating theoccurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of tumors and other biological processes.. Therefore, the study of tumor-related exosomal microRNAs will help us to explore the mechanism of tumor progression from the perspective of tumor gene regulation and new tumor markers, which will contribute to the early diagnosis, treatment, disease monitoring and prognosis evaluation.

[A case of hand, foot and mouth disease in adults who first diagnosed with conjunctivitis]

A 34-year-old female presented to the doctor with chief complaint of redness in both eyes for 1 week. The slit lamp examination showed slight eyelid swelling, water-like discharge in the conjunctival sac of the lower eyelid, conjunctival follicles, gray-white pseudomembrane and small lamellar subconjunctival hemorrhage on the lower palpebral conjunctiva. Physical examination showed two erythematous macules(size 5 mm×6 mm) on the left palm. One erythematous macule(size 4 mm×5 mm) was seen on the right palm. Multiple erosions were located in the skin of upper and lower lips, oral cavity and the gingival mucosa. A diagnosis of hand, foot and mouth disease was made following by dermatological consultation. After topical antiviral and steroids treatment, the disease quickly relieved.(Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 139-141).

The effect of androgen on wool follicles and keratin production in Hetian sheep

To investigate the optimal androgen concentration for culturing Hetian sheep wool follicle and to detect effects of androgen concentration on wool follicle cell proliferation and apoptosis using immunofluorescence labeling and real-time quantitative fluorescence determinations of wool keratin-associated protein gene expression levels. Wool follicles were isolated by microdissection and wool follicles and skin pieces were cultured in various concentrations of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in culture medium. Next, daily lengthwise growth measurements of wool follicles were obtained using a microscopic micrometer. Cultured Hetian wool follicles were stained using the SACPIC method to reveal wool follicle structure, while sheep skin slices were used to observe cell proliferation by immunostaining and cell apoptosis using the TUNEL method. At the molecular biological level, keratin-associated protein (Kap) gene expression was studied using wool follicles cultured for various numbers of days in vitro. Effects of androgen concentrations on Hetian wool follicle growth and development were experimentally studied. EdU proliferation assays revealed that androgen promoted cell proliferation within wool follicle dermal papillae. TUNEL apoptosis detection demonstrated that androgen treatment could delay cell apoptosis. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results demonstrated that gene expression level patterns of Hetian mountain sheep super-high sulfur protein. Kap1.1, KIF1.2, Kap2.12 and Kap4.2 gene expression level of the mountainous experimental group was significantly higher than plains Hetian sheep. An androgen concentration of 100 nM can promote the growth of Hetian wool follicle cells in vitro, resulting in overexpression of some genes of the Kap family.

[Observation of cosmetic effect of corneal interlamellar staining in patients with corneal leucoma]

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of corneal staining in patients with corneal leucoma. Methods: Restrospective case series study.Thirty eyes of 30 patients (17 males, 13 females) with corneal leucoma who underwent corneal interlamellar staining at Beijing Aier-Intech Eye Hospital from October 2014 to July 2018 were included. The mean age was 31.50±15.66 years. Postoperative follow-up was more than 1 year. All the patients underwent appearance examination, anterior segment examination with a slit lamp, B-scan examination and anterior segment OCT examination preoperatively and postoperatively. The effect of corneal staining, patient satisfaction and the incidence of complications were investigated. Results: The corneal epithelium of all the patients healed completely within 1-3 days after operation. The mean follow-up period was 30.68±18.02 months (range, 12.37-58.10 months). During the postoperative follow-up period, no staining permeation or inflammatory reaction in the anterior chamber occurred. The corneal color and appearance were well maintained in 18 patients (72.0%). Seven patients (28.0%) showed mild corneal color-fading. One patient was treated with enucleation and orbital hydroxyapatite implantation because of eye atrophy and corneal banding degeneration caused by the primary disease at 4 years after operation. The surgeon was satisfied with the improvement of the appearance of all cases; 22 patients (88.0%) were satisfied with the postoperative appearance. No significant complications were observed in all the cases. Conclusions: Corneal interlamellar staining is one of best choices for the treatment of corneal leucoma. It has advantages of quick postoperative recovery, long-standing color staining and good cosmetic effect. The operation is simple and easy to carry out and there is no obvious damage to eye tissues. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:465-472).

Locomotor transition: how squid jet from water to air

The amazing multi-modal locomotion of flying squid helps to achieve fast-speed migration and predator-escape behavior. Observation of flying squid has been rarely reported in recent years, since it is challenging to clearly record the flying squid's aquatic-aerial locomotion in a marine environment. The existing reports of squid-flying events are rare and merely record the in-air motion. Therefore, the water-air locomotor transition of flying squid is still unknown. This paper proposes the idea of using CFD to simulate the process of the flying squid (Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis (S. oualaniensis)) launching from water into air. The results for the first time reveal the flow field information of squid in launching phase and show the kinematic parameters of flying squid in quantification. Both a trailing jet and pinch-off vortex rings are formed to generate launching thrust, and the formation number L _ω /D _ω is 5.22, demonstrating that the jet strategy is to produce greater time-averaged thrust rather than higher propulsion efficiency. The results also indicate that the maximum flying speed negatively correlates with the launch angle, indicating that a lower launch angle could result in a larger flying speed for the flying squid to escape. These findings explore the multi-modal locomotion of flying squid from a new perspective, helping to explain the trade-off strategy of water-to-air transition, and further enhance the performance of aquatic-aerial vehicles.

Piezoelectric modulation of broadband photoresponse of flexible tellurium nanomesh photodetectors

Flexible photodetector shows great potential applications in intelligent wearable devices, health monitoring, and biological sensing. In this work, single crystal β-tellurium nanowires were grown on flexible muscovite by molecular beam epitaxy, constructing high-density ordered nanomesh structure. The prepared photodetectors based on tellurium nanomesh exhibit excellent mechanical flexibility, fast response in a broad range from ultraviolet to near-infrared, and good photosensitivity. We found that the flexible photodetectors with Shottky contact drastically suppressed dark current, while the response speed was lowered in comparison to the devices with ohmic contact, as holes would take a long time to tunnel through the Shottky barrier between metal and p-type Te. Moreover, the photoresponse of flexible Shottky photodetectors can be modulated by piezoelectricity of tellurium, and pronounced photocurrent increase after bending many times. Under external stress, polarization charges could tune Shottky barrier height of the metal/tellurium, resulting in variation of photocurrent. This research not only explores the broadband photoresponse and piezoelectric effect of tellurium nanomesh, but also promotes the integration and development of broadband flexible optoelectronic devices.

[The mechanism and role of autologous peritoneum transplantation to enterocystoplasty in porcine model]

Objective: To explore the pathological mechanism and role of autologous peritoneum transplantation onenterocystoplasty in porcine model. Methods: Randomly, four experimental female swine were chosen, and each of their body weight was 28-33 kg. By intravenous anesthesia, the transplantation of autologous peritoneum for bladder reconstruction operation was carried out (to transplant the peritoneum onto an ileum segment of which the mucosa and submucosa had been removed. These flaps were used to mend and augment the bladder by suturing the edge of detective bladders). After removal of ureteral catheters and balloon catheter at day 5 respectively, their voiding behaviors were monitored, and respectively 2 swine were euthanized at week 3/6 for routine pathology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopic examinations. Results: Four swine underwent reconstruction, but none died for complications such as peritonitis, ileus and urinary fistula. The length of ileum was 35 cm, and the area of peritoneum was 15 cm×10 cm. Voiding behaviorsof the swine were normal, with clear urine after removal of their catheters. At autopsy, reconstructed bladders were healthy. Pathological examination showed the neobladder had been covered by continuous urothelium while the peritoneum disappeared without ileal mucosa regrowth or residual. Scanning electron microscope showed that the transitional cells of neobladder of swine were complete and orderly, and urothelium around suture border was continuous withoutmalposition. Conclusions: In porcine model, autologous peritoneal transplantation witnessed no immune rejection response for itself, which was replaced by crawling transitional epithelium around anastomosis, rather than by metaplasia.

[An animal model of bladder reconstruction by autologous peritoneum transplantation]

Objective: To establish experimental porcine model of reconstruction the neobladder by ileal seromuscular with transplantation of autologous peritoneum. Methods: This was an animal experiment carried out from January to April 2018 at animal center of Guizhou Medical University. Randomly 6 experimental female porcines were chosen, and their body weight was 28 to 33 kg. By intravenous anesthesia, the transplantation of autologous peritoneum for bladder reconstruction operation was carried out by transplanting the peritoneum onto an ileum segment which mucosa and submucosa had been removed. These flaps were used to mend and reconstruct the neobladder by suturing with edge of the detective bladder. After removal of ureteral catheters and balloon catheter at day 5 and day 7 respectively, voiding behavior was monitored, and animals were euthanized at week 12 for routine pathology, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopic examinations. Results: Six porcines underwent reconstruction, but no one lost to complications such as peritonitis, ileus and urinary fistula. Voiding behavior was normal, and urine was clear in all animals after removal of catheters. At autopsy, reconstructed bladders were healthy. Pathological examination showed the part of reconstruction had been covered by continuous urothelium while the peritoneum disappeared and showed no ileal mucosa regrowth and residual. Scanning electron microscope showed that the transitional cells of neobladder were complete and orderly, and urothelium around suture border was continuous and no malposition. Conclusion: In this experimental porcine model, reconstruction bladder by autologous peritoneum and ileal seromuscular flaps is an ideal approach.

Safety and tolerability of CFI-400945, a first-in-class, selective PLK4 inhibitor in advanced solid tumours: a phase 1 dose-escalation trial

Background

CFI-400945 is a first-in-class oral inhibitor of polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4) that regulates centriole duplication. Primary objectives of this first-in-human phase 1 trial were to establish the safety and tolerability of CFI-400945 in patients with advanced solid tumours. Secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D).

Methods

Continuous daily oral dosing of CFI-400945 was evaluated using a 3+3 design guided by incidence of dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) in the first 28-day cycle. Safety was assessed by CTCAE v4.0. ORR and CBR were evaluated using RECIST v1.1.

Results

Forty-three patients were treated in dose escalation from 3 to 96 mg/day, and 9 were treated in 64 mg dose expansion. After DLT occurred at 96 and 72 mg, 64 mg was established as the RP2D. Neutropenia was a common high-grade (19%) treatment-related adverse event at ≥ 64 mg. Half-life of CFI-400945 was 9 h, with C_max achieved 2–4 h following dosing. One PR (45 cycles, ongoing) and two SD ≥ 6 months were observed (ORR = 2%; CBR = 6%).

Conclusions

CFI-400945 is well tolerated at 64 mg with dose-dependent neutropenia. Favourable pharmacokinetic profiles were achieved with daily dosing. Response rates were low without biomarker pre-selection. Disease-specific and combination studies are ongoing.

Trial Registration

Clinical Trials Registration Number – NCT01954316 (Oct 1st, 2013)

[Establishment and evaluation of a triple-color human papillomavirus pseudovirion neutralization assay]

Objective: To establish a triple-color pseudovirion-based neutralization assay (PBNA) and evaluate its capability of detecting immunogenicity of the sera generated by the immunization of HPV 9-valent vaccine. Methods: HPV pseudovirus (PsVs) 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58 with the encapsidated fluorescence expressing red fluorescent plasmid N31-MCHREEY, green fluorescent N31-EGFP or blue fluorescent N31-mTagBFP were generated. The concentration of HPV PsVs and the infection titers of HPV PsVs were detected by double-antibody sandwich ELISA and TCID(50), respectively. The single- and triple color HPV 16/33/45 PsVs were used to detect the neutralization titers of mice sera immunized with HPV 9-valent vaccine and confirmed the accuracy and specificity of the triple-color PBNAs. Then, the single- and triple color HPV 6/11/18/31/33/45/52/58 PsVs were employed to detect the neutralization titers of cynomolgus macaques sera immunized with HPV 9-valent vaccine and determined whether the triple-color PBNAs could be applied to evaluate the immunogenicity of the sera generated by the immunization of HPV9-valent vaccine. Results: The concentration of HPV16 PsVs encapsulating green, red or blue fluorescent plasmid was 5.0 to 6.0 μg/ml and HPV6/11/18/31/33/45/52/59 triple-color HPV PsVs was about 1.0 to 3.0 μg/ml. 9 types HPV PsVs containing EGFP, Mcherry or mTagBFP reporter plasmid were obtained and the concentration can meet the need of neutralization detection. 9 types single-color fluorescent HPV PsVs had similar infectivity against 293FT cells with the infection titer values between 1×10(4) and 1×10(5). The results of PBNAs showed that there was no significant difference in the anti-HPV neutralization titers of mice sera induced by HPV 9-valent vaccine between single-color and triple-color HPV16/33/45 PsVs (P>0.05). Similarly, there was also no significant difference in the anti-HPV neutralization titers of cynomolgus macaques sera induced by HPV 9-valent vaccine between single-color and triple-color HPV6/11/18/31/33/45/52/58 PsVs (P>0.05). Conclusion: We successfully established the triple-color PBNAs and verified the accuracy and specificity of triple-color PBNAs consistent with single-color PBNAs. The triple-color PBNAs can be applied to evaluate the immunogenicity of HPV 9-valent vaccine's immune serum.

Clinical significance of angiopoietin-like protein 3 expression in patients with glioblastoma

There is strong evidence that angiopoietin-like peptide family is involved in the invasiveness and metastasis of cancer. Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) is proven to be involved in angiogenesis and tumor development. However, there is no published data on the role ANGPLT3 plays in glioblastomas. The present study was conducted to examine ANGPLT3 proteins expression and its association with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in human glioblastomas. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate the expression of ANGPTL3, EGFR and VEGFR. We found that 33 cases (57.9%) that showed strong immunostaining for ANGPTL3 proteins. However, there was no significant difference between the expression of ANGPTL3 and the proangiogenic factors, including EGFR or VEGFR. Patients with high/moderate expression of ANGPTL3 had a significantly shorter survival time (6.3 months) than those (median survival time 13.8 months) with low/negative expression. The overall survival (OS) was also investigated and analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method, which showed a significant difference (P=0.0045, Breslow test). The present data leads to new insights into the role of ANGPTL3 in glioblastomas and provides an independent predictive factor.

Development and validation of a new cognitive screening test: The Hong Kong Brief Cognitive Test (HKBC)

OBJECTIVES

To develop and examine the validity of a new brief cognitive test with less educational bias for screening cognitive impairment.

METHODS

A new cognitive test, Hong Kong Brief Cognitive Test (HKBC), was developed based on review of the literature, as well as the views of an expert panel. Three groups of subjects aged 65 or above were recruited after written consent: normal older people recruited in elderly centres, people with mild NCD (neurocognitive disorder), and people with major NCD. The brief cognitive test, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), were administered to the subjects. The performance of HKBC in differentiating subjects with major NCD, mild NCD, and normal older people were compared with the clinical diagnosis, as well as the MMSE and MoCA scores.

RESULTS

In total, 359 subjects were recruited, with 99 normal controls, 132 subjects with major NCD, and 128 with mild NCD. The mean MMSE, MoCA, and HKBC scores showed significant differences among the 3 groups of subjects. In the receiving operating characteristic curve analysis of the HKBC in differentiating normal subjects from those with cognitive impairment (mild NCD + major NCD), the area under the curve was 0.955 with an optimal cut-off score of 21/22. The performances of MMSE and MoCA in differentiating normal from cognitively impaired subjects are slightly inferior to the HKBC.

CONCLUSIONS

The HKBC is a brief instrument useful for screening cognitive impairment in older adults and is also useful in populations with low educational level.

A wind tunnel study of effects of twisted wind flows on the pedestrian-level wind field in an urban environment

The influence of twisted wind flows on the pedestrian-level wind (PLW) field of an urban area was evaluated by testing a typical urban site (Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong) in a boundary layer wind tunnel. Four twisted wind profiles with different magnitudes and directions of yaw angles were employed to investigate variations in wind speed with the properties of the twisted wind flows at the pedestrian level. An additional conventional wind profile with similar wind speeds and turbulence intensities to the twisted winds but with zero yaw angles was simulated for comparisons. The mean wind speeds at 77 locations including the perimeter, roadsides, and groups of high-rise buildings were analysed for the conventional and the four twisted wind flows. The comparisons show a tendency of twisted winds to generate higher wind speeds at the pedestrian level than the conventional wind profile. The wind speeds of the twisted winds have a strong dependence on the magnitude and direction of the yaw angles, particularly at locations where the densities of buildings in the neighbourhood are low and hence local wind circulations are significantly modified by the twisted winds.

[Experts consensus on the management of the right heart function in critically ill patients]

To establish the experts consensus on the right heart function management in critically ill patients. The panel of consensus was composed of 30 experts in critical care medicine who are all members of Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collaboration Group (CHTC Group). Each statement was assessed based on the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) principle. Then the Delphi method was adopted by 52 experts to reassess all the statements. (1) Right heart function is prone to be affected in critically illness, which will result in a auto-exaggerated vicious cycle. (2) Right heart function management is a key step of the hemodynamic therapy in critically ill patients. (3) Fluid resuscitation means the process of fluid therapy through rapid adjustment of intravascular volume aiming to improve tissue perfusion. Reversed fluid resuscitation means reducing volume. (4) The right ventricle afterload should be taken into consideration when using stroke volume variation (SVV) or pulse pressure variation (PPV) to assess fluid responsiveness.(5)Volume overload alone could lead to septal displacement and damage the diastolic function of the left ventricle. (6) The Starling curve of the right ventricle is not the same as the one applied to the left ventricle,the judgement of the different states for the right ventricle is the key of volume management. (7) The alteration of right heart function has its own characteristics, volume assessment and adjustment is an important part of the treatment of right ventricular dysfunction (8) Right ventricular enlargement is the prerequisite for increased cardiac output during reversed fluid resuscitation; Nonetheless, right heart enlargement does not mandate reversed fluid resuscitation.(9)Increased pulmonary vascular resistance induced by a variety of factors could affect right heart function by obstructing the blood flow. (10) When pulmonary hypertension was detected in clinical scenario, the differentiation of critical care-related pulmonary hypertension should be a priority. (11) Attention should be paid to the change of right heart function before and after implementation of mechanical ventilation and adjustment of ventilator parameter. (12) The pulmonary arterial pressure should be monitored timingly when dealing with critical care-related pulmonary hypertension accompanied with circulatory failure.(13) The elevation of pulmonary aterial pressure should be taken into account in critical patients with acute right heart dysfunction. (14) Prone position ventilation is an important measure to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance when treating acute respiratory distress syndrome patients accompanied with acute cor pulmonale. (15) Attention should be paid to right ventricle-pulmonary artery coupling during the management of right heart function. (16) Right ventricular diastolic function is more prone to be affected in critically ill patients, the application of critical ultrasound is more conducive to quantitative assessment of right ventricular diastolic function. (17) As one of the parameters to assess the filling pressure of right heart, central venous pressure can be used to assess right heart diastolic function. (18). The early and prominent manifestation of non-focal cardiac tamponade is right ventricular diastolic involvement, the elevated right atrial pressure should be noticed. (19) The effect of increased intrathoracic pressure on right heart diastolic function should be valued. (20) Ttricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) is an important parameter that reflects right ventricular systolic function, and it is recommended as a general indicator of critically ill patient. (21) Circulation management with right heart protection as the core strategy is the key point of the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome. (22) Right heart function involvement after cardiac surgery is very common and should be highly valued. (23) Right ventricular dysfunction should not be considered as a routine excuse for maintaining higher central venous pressure. (24) When left ventricular dilation, attention should be paid to the effect of left ventricle on right ventricular diastolic function. (25) The impact of left ventricular function should be excluded when the contractility of the right ventricle is decreased. (26) When the right heart load increases acutely, the shunt between the left and right heart should be monitored. (27) Attention should be paid to the increase of central venous pressure caused by right ventricular dysfunction and its influence on microcirculation blood flow. (28) When the vasoactive drugs was used to reduce the pressure of pulmonary circulation, different effects on pulmonary and systemic circulation should be evaluated. (29) Right atrial pressure is an important factor affecting venous return. Attention should be paid to the influence of the pressure composition of the right atrium on the venous return. (30) Attention should be paid to the role of the right ventricle in the acute pulmonary edema. (31) Monitoring the difference between the mean systemic filling pressure and the right atrial pressure is helpful to determine whether the infusion increases the venous return. (32) Venous return resistance is often considered to be a insignificant factor that affects venous return, but attention should be paid to the effect of the specific pathophysiological status, such as intrathoracic hypertension, intra-abdominal hypertension and so on. Consensus can promote right heart function management in critically ill patients, optimize hemodynamic therapy, and even affect prognosis.

[Clinical effects of pediatric penetrating keratoplasty for congenital corneal opacity]

Objective: To report the clinical results of pediatric penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) in patients under 3 years old with congenital corneal opacity. Methods: Retrospective study. Sixteen eyes of 12 patients who were treated with PKP in Aier Eye Hospital Group from June 2009 to December 2016 were enrolled in this study. All the patients were diagnosed as congenital corneal opacities: 8 cases (11 eyes) with Peter's anomaly I, 2 cases (3 eyes) with sclerocornea, and 2 cases (2 eyes) with corneal dermoid tumor combined with iris synechia. Seven cases (7 eyes) were under 1 year old. Eight cases (10 eyes) could not follow the light. Only 1 case (2 eyes) received PKP with extracapsular cataract extraction, and the others only had PKP. Postoperative examinations were performed more frequently than in adults, and sometimes general anesthesia was needed. Results: The follow-up period was from 8 months to 6 years (33.17±22.60 months). The postoperative visual acuity improvement was found in all eyes from 1 week to 1 month after surgery except a 3-year-old patient with corneal dermoid tumor with serious esotropia. All the surgeries were successful without intraoperative complications. Graft rejection occurred in 4 cases (4 eyes). The graft of a 33-month-old patient became semitransparent. The grafts of 2 cases under 1 year old were clear after drug therapy. And the vision of a 3-year-old patient with Peter anomaly improved obviously, but immune rejection occurred 2 years after surgery. The second PKP was performed, but rejection occurred again. Secondary glaucoma was found in the other eye early after operation; anti-glaucoma surgery failed, and the graft became cloudy. Graft infection associated with loosened sutures was observed in one case (2 eyes) of sclerocornea, and the second PKP failed. Conclusions: For the patients with congenital corneal opacities, there is often a noticeable visual improvement after PKP. Good postoperative care, appropriate amblyopia treatment and timely examination are the keys to success. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 941-946).

Evaluation of pedestrian wind comfort near 'lift-up' buildings with different aspect ratios and central core modifications

Owing to the void space at lower heights, lift-up buildings have high building permeability at ground level and subsequently improve the air circulation in congested urban areas. Despite this advantage, the lift-up design has been sparsely adopted for buildings in urban areas partly because of the lack of understanding of the combined effects of building dimensions and lift-up design on the surrounding pedestrian level wind (PLW) field. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the influence of lift-up buildings with different aspect ratios (height/width) on the surrounding PLW field and pedestrian wind comfort level. Five lift-up buildings with aspect ratios 4:1 to 0.5:1 were tested in a boundary layer wind tunnel and results were compared with those of five buildings with similar dimensions but without lift-up design. The results reveal a strong dependence of the maximum wind speed in lift-up areas with building height, which results subsequently a small area of acceptable wind conditions near tall and slender lift-up buildings. Lift-up designs adopted for short and wide buildings produce larger areas of pedestrian wind comfort. The central cores modified with corner modifications are effective in increasing the pedestrian wind comfort in the lift-up area of tall and slender buildings.

Adopting 'lift-up' building design to improve the surrounding pedestrian-level wind environment

Modern megacities are teeming with closely-spaced tall buildings, which limit air circulation at the pedestrian level. The resultant lack of air circulation creates poorly ventilated areas with accumulated air pollutants and thermal discomfort in the summer. To improve air circulation at the pedestrian level, buildings may be designed to have a 'lift-up' shape, in which the main structure is supported by a central core, columns or shear walls. However, a lack of knowledge on the influence of the 'lift-up' design on the surrounding wind environment limits the use of 'lift-up' buildings. This study aims to investigate the influence of 'lift-up' buildings and their dimensions on the pedestrian-level wind environments using wind tunnel tests. A parametric study was undertaken by using 9 'lift-up' building models with different core heights and widths. The results were compared with the surrounding wind environment of a control building with similar dimensions. The results reveal that the 'lift-up' core height is the most influential parameter and governs the area and magnitude of high and low wind speed zones around such buildings. Based on wind tunnel test results and a selected comfort criterion, appropriate core dimensions could be selected to have acceptable wind conditions near lift-up buildings.

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Improved Angiogenesis of Vitrified Human Ovarian Tissues after in vitro Culture and Xenotransplantation

BACKGROUND

Basic fibroblast growth factor is a potent angiogenic factor.

OBJECTIVE

To study the concentration and in vitro culture time of bFGF that maximize the angiogenesis for transplanted human ovarian tissues.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Vitrified and rewarmed human ovarian tissues were cultured in vitro with bFGF (0, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 ng/ml) for different periods (1 h, 2 d, 5 d and 7 d) before transplantation. The effect of bFGF on follicle survival was studied by evaluating the pregraft group, control group (no bFGF) and bFGF-treated group. CD34, Ki-67 and AC-3 immuno-histochemical (IHC) staining and histological analysis was used to evaluate angiogenesis, proliferration, apoptosis and follicular quantity.

RESULTS

Treatments with 100 and 150 ng/ml bFGF improved the angiogenesis for grafted human ovarian tissues after in vitro culture for 2 days. The proliferation and survival of follicles were significantly increased.

CONCLUSION

bFGF improved the quality of vitrified-warmed human ovarian tissues after transplantation.

Discovery of Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine TTK Inhibitors: CFI-402257 is a Potent, Selective, Bioavailable Anticancer Agent

This work describes a scaffold hopping exercise that begins with known imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazines, briefly explores pyrazolo[1,5-a][1,3,5]triazines, and ultimately yields pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines as a novel class of potent TTK inhibitors. An X-ray structure of a representative compound is consistent with 1(1)/2 type inhibition and provides structural insight to aid subsequent optimization of in vitro activity and physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Incorporation of polar moieties in the hydrophobic and solvent accessible regions modulates physicochemical properties while maintaining potency. Compounds with enhanced oral exposure were identified for xenograft studies. The work culminates in the identification of a potent (TTK K i = 0.1 nM), highly selective, orally bioavailable anticancer agent (CFI-402257) for IND enabling studies.

Significance of histologic pattern of carcinoma and sarcoma components on survival outcomes of uterine carcinosarcoma

BACKGROUND

To examine the effect of the histology of carcinoma and sarcoma components on survival outcome of uterine carcinosarcoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A multicenter retrospective study was conducted to examine uterine carcinosarcoma cases that underwent primary surgical staging. Archived slides were examined and histologic patterns were grouped based on carcinoma (low-grade versus high-grade) and sarcoma (homologous versus heterologous) components, correlating to clinico-pathological demographics and outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 1192 cases identified, 906 cases were evaluated for histologic patterns (carcinoma/sarcoma) with high-grade/homologous (40.8%) being the most common type followed by high-grade/heterologous (30.9%), low-grade/homologous (18.0%), and low-grade/heterologous (10.3%). On multivariate analysis, high-grade/heterologous (5-year rate, 34.0%, P = 0.024) and high-grade/homologous (45.8%, P = 0.017) but not low-grade/heterologous (50.6%, P = 0.089) were independently associated with decreased progression-free survival (PFS) compared with low-grade/homologous (60.3%). In addition, older age, residual disease at surgery, large tumor, sarcoma dominance, deep myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, and advanced-stage disease were independently associated with decreased PFS (all, P < 0.01). Both postoperative chemotherapy (5-year rates, 48.6% versus 39.0%, P < 0.001) and radiotherapy (50.1% versus 44.1%, P = 0.007) were significantly associated with improved PFS in univariate analysis. However, on multivariate analysis, only postoperative chemotherapy remained an independent predictor for improved PFS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27-0.43, P < 0.001]. On univariate analysis, significant treatment benefits for PFS were seen with ifosfamide for low-grade carcinoma (82.0% versus 49.8%, P = 0.001), platinum for high-grade carcinoma (46.9% versus 32.4%, P = 0.034) and homologous sarcoma (53.1% versus 38.2%, P = 0.017), and anthracycline for heterologous sarcoma (66.2% versus 39.3%, P = 0.005). Conversely, platinum, taxane, and anthracycline for low-grade carcinoma, and anthracycline for homologous sarcoma had no effect on PFS compared with non-chemotherapy group (all, P > 0.05). On multivariate analysis, ifosfamide for low-grade/homologous (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07-0.63, P = 0.005), platinum for high-grade/homologous (HR 0.36, 95% CI 0.22-0.60, P < 0.001), and anthracycline for high-grade/heterologous (HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.14-0.62, P = 0.001) remained independent predictors for improved PFS. Analyses of 1096 metastatic sites showed that carcinoma components tended to spread lymphatically, while sarcoma components tended to spread loco-regionally (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Characterization of histologic pattern provides valuable information in the management of uterine carcinosarcoma.

Sirolimus-Based Immunosuppressive Regimens in Renal Transplantation: A Systemic Review

Sirolimus (SRL)-based immunosuppressive regimens have been used for preventing rejection after kidney transplantation. This review analyzes their merits and demerits compared with other conventional regimes from the aspects of acute rejection rate, graft function, as well as patient/graft survival rates. In general, SRL is mostly recommended to be used as conversion therapy from calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) after kidney transplantation in most studies. Minimization or withdrawal of cyclosporine A (CsA) could also be considered when it was combined with SRL. SRL can replace mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and the CNI dose should be reduced appropriately in this setting. Quadruple maintenance regimens containing SRL need future study to clarify their superiority. De novo use of low-dose CNI combined with SRL has no apparent merits and thus is not recommended. De novo use of standard-dose CNI combined with SRL followed by maintenance, de novo use of CNI-free regimens, as well as SRL use in delayed graft function (DGF) patients who spare antibody induction and postpone CNI administration should also be avoided. SRL supports steroids withdrawal after kidney transplantation, and SRL combined with tacrolimus is recommended in this setting. Loading dose is recommended when initiating SRL treatment and its trough blood level should be routinely monitored.

An outbreak of Candida parapsilosis fungemia among preterm infants

In this article, we describe the first outbreak of Candida parapsilosis fungemia in our hospital. We examined a cluster of four nosocomial cases of C. parapsilosis fungemia that occurred in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Affiliated Xingtai People's Hospital of Hebei Medical University over a two-week period. We ascertained patient parameters including clinical characteristics, blood and sputum cultures, and drug sensitivity test results. Cultures from eight blood samples obtained from the four infected preterm infants showed identical characteristics and were identified as C. parapsilosis. In order to determine the infection-related factors and to control the spread of the infection among the population, we immediately initiated the emergency plan. All four of the preterm infants recovered from the infection; there were no deaths. Outbreaks of C. parapsilosis, mostly involving preterm infants of very low birth weight or extremely low birth weight, can and do occur in NICUs. Cultures prepared using multiple samples taken from different patients contribute to a more definitive diagnosis. Established measures that control and prevent the infection, as well as effective and comprehensive treatments, can lead to a favorable outcome. That is to say, improving both disinfection and isolation, as well as interrupting the pathway of transmission, is the key to controlling the spread of infection.

Six-month Follow-up of Cognitive Impairment and Depressive Symptoms in Late-onset Depression

OBJECTIVE

To assess cognitive performance in elderly depressed patients following treatment for 6 months. Remission rate of depression after 6 months of treatment was calculated.

METHODS

The study was performed in a consecutive group of patients aged ≥ 65 years with late-onset depression. Severity of depression was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Scale, cognitive performance by the Hong Kong Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and functional level by the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale.

RESULTS

A total of 52 patients were recruited. In all, 28 (53.8%) were found to have cognitive impairment at baseline and 8 (28.6%) of them had improvement after 6 months. This cognitively impaired group was older and had a lower Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale score. The remission rate of depression was 61.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive impairment constituted a stable feature in a considerable number of elderly patients with depression. About two-thirds of patients achieved remission of depression after 6 months of treatment.

Polarization dependent photocurrent in the Bi2Te3 topological insulator film for multifunctional photodetection

Three dimensional Z₂ Topological insulator (TI) is an unconventional phase of quantum matter possessing insulating bulk state as well as time-reversal symmetry-protected Dirac-like surface state, which is demonstrated by extensive experiments based on surface sensitive detection techniques. This intriguing gapless surface state is theoretically predicted to exhibit many exotic phenomena when interacting with light, and some of them have been observed. Herein, we report the first experimental observation of novel polarization dependent photocurrent of photodetectors based on the TI Bi₂Te₃ film under irradiation of linearly polarized light. This photocurrent is linearly dependent on both the light intensity and the applied bias voltage. To pursue the physical origin of the polarization dependent photocurrent, we establish the basic TI surface state model to treat the light irradiation as a perturbation, and we adopt the Boltzmann equation to calculate the photocurrent. It turns out that the theoretical results are in nice qualitative agreement with the experiment. These findings show that the polycrystalline TI Bi₂Te₃ film working as a multifunctional photodetector can not only detect the light intensity, but also measure the polarization state of the incident light, which is remarkably different from conventional photodetectors that usually only detect the light intensity.

Construction of a tissue engineered intervertebral disc with high biological activity using an allogeneic intervertebral disc supplemented with transfected nucleus pulposus cells expressing exogenous dopamine beta-hydroxylase

This study addressed the in vitro construction and biological activity of tissue engineered intervertebral discs with exogenous human dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) nucleus pulposus cells. pSNAV2.0-DBH expression plasmids were utilized to enhance the survival rates of intervertebral disc tissue cells. Various concentrations of transfected nucleus pulposus cells were injected into the discs, and DBH mRNA expression was determined using polymerase chain reaction amplification. Polysaccharide content and total collagen protein content in the engineered disc nucleus pulposus tissue were determined. The visible fluorescence intensities of the 1 x 10(5) and 1 x 10(6) groups vs the 1 x 10(4) group were significantly increased (P < 0.05); no significant difference was observed between the 1 x 10(5) and 1 x 10(6) groups (P > 0.05) at 7 days after injection. DBH mRNA expression could be detected in the all but the EGFP control group at 14 days culture. No significant difference was observed in the protein content between the 1 x 10(4) and the control groups at various times, while the protein content was significantly higher in the 1 x 10(5) vs the control and the 1 x 10(4) groups at 7-, 14-, and 21-day cultures. These results demonstrate that a tissue engineered intervertebral disc with high biological activity can be constructed by utilizing allogeneic intervertebral discs stored in liquid nitrogen and a 1 x 10(5) transfected nucleus pulposus cell complex with in vitro culture for 14 days. This model can be used in animal experiments to study the biological activity of the engineered discs.

Patterns of Tumor Contrast Enhancement Predict the Prognosis of Anaplastic Gliomas with IDH1 Mutation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It is proposed that isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutation predicts the outcome in patients with high-grade glioma. In addition, contrast enhancement on preoperative MR imaging reflects tumor biologic features. Patients with anaplastic glioma with the IDH1 mutation were evaluated by using MR imaging to determine whether tumor enhancement is a prognostic factor and can be used to predict survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cohort of 216 patients with histologically confirmed anaplastic glioma was reviewed retrospectively. Tumor contrast-enhancement patterns were classified on the basis of preoperative T1 contrast MR images. Tumor IDH1 status was examined by using RNA sequencing. We used univariate analysis and the multivariate Cox model to evaluate the prognostic value of the IDH1 mutation and tumor contrast-enhancement pattern for progression-free survival and overall survival.

RESULTS

In all 216 patients, IDH1 mutation was associated with longer progression-free survival (P = .004, hazard ratio = 0.439) and overall survival (P = .002, hazard ratio = 0.406). For patients with IDH1 mutant anaplastic glioma, the absence of contrast enhancement was associated with longer progression-free survival (P = .038, hazard ratio = 0.473) and overall survival (P = .043, hazard ratio = 0.436). Furthermore, we were able to stratify the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with IDH1 mutation by using the tumor contrast-enhancement patterns (P = .022 and 0.029, respectively; log-rank).

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor enhancement on postcontrast MR imaging is a valuable prognostic factor for patients with anaplastic glioma and IDH1 mutation. Furthermore, the contrast-enhancement patterns could potentially be used to stratify the survival outcome of such patients.

The discovery of Polo-like kinase 4 inhibitors: identification of (1R,2S).2-(3-((E).4-(((cis).2,6-dimethylmorpholino)methyl)styryl). 1H.indazol-6-yl)-5'-methoxyspiro[cyclopropane-1,3'-indolin]-2'-one (CFI-400945) as a potent, orally active antitumor agent

Previous publications from our laboratory have introduced novel inhibitors of Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4), a mitotic kinase identified as a potential target for cancer therapy. The search for potent and selective PLK4 inhibitors yielded (E)-3-((1Hindazol-6-yl)methylene)indolin-2-ones, which were superseded by the bioisosteric 2-(1H-indazol-6-yl)spiro[cyclopropane-1,3'-indolin]-2'-ones, e.g., 3. The later scaffold confers improved drug-like properties and incorporates two stereogenic centers. This work reports the discovery of a novel one-pot double SN2 displacement reaction for the stereoselective installation of the desired asymmetric centers and confirms the stereochemistry of the most potent stereoisomer, e.g., 44. Subsequent work keys on the optimization of the oral exposure of nanomolar PLK4 inhibitors with potent cancer cell growth inhibitory activity. A short list of compounds with superior potency and pharmacokinetic properties in rodents and dogs was studied in mouse models of tumor growth. We conclude with the identification of compound 48 (designated CFI-400945) as a novel clinical candidate for cancer therapy.

Evidence of b-jet quenching in PbPb collisions at √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV

The production of jets associated to bottom quarks is measured for the first time in PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per nucleon pair. Jet spectra are reported in the transverse momentum (p(T)) range of 80-250  GeV/c, and within pseudorapidity |η|<2. The nuclear modification factor (R(AA)) calculated from these spectra shows a strong suppression in the b-jet yield in PbPb collisions relative to the yield observed in pp collisions at the same energy. The suppression persists to the largest values of p(T) studied, and is centrality dependent. The R(AA) is about 0.4 in the most central events, similar to previous observations for inclusive jets. This implies that jet quenching does not have a strong dependence on parton mass and flavor in the jet p(T) range studied.

Mapping p53 mutations in low-grade glioma: a voxel-based neuroimaging analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Brain tumor location has proved to be a prognostic factor that may be associated with features of neoplastic origin. Mutation of p53 is an atypical genetic change that occurs during tumorigenesis. Thus, a potential correlation may exist between tumor location and p53 status. The purpose of the current study was to identify anatomic characteristics of mutant p53 expression by using quantitative neuroimaging analyses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preoperative MR images from 182 patients with histologically confirmed low-grade gliomas were retrospectively analyzed. All tumors were manually marked and registered to the standard space. Using a voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping analysis, we located brain regions associated with a high occurrence of p53 mutation and corrected them by using a permutation test. The acquired clusters were further included as a factor in survival analyses.

RESULTS

Statistical analysis demonstrated that the left medial temporal lobe and right anterior temporal lobe were specifically associated with high expression of mutant p53. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that tumors located in these regions were associated with significantly worse progression-free survival compared with tumors occurring elsewhere.

CONCLUSIONS

Our voxel-level imaging analysis provides new evidence that genetic changes during cancer may have anatomic specificity. Additionally, the current study suggests that tumor location identified on structural MR images could potentially be used for customized presurgical outcome prediction.

Observation of the associated production of a single top quark and a W boson in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV

The first observation of the associated production of a single top quark and a W boson is presented. The analysis is based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.2 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Events with two leptons and a jet originating from a b quark are selected. A multivariate analysis based on kinematic and topological properties is used to separate the signal from the dominant tt background. An excess consistent with the signal hypothesis is observed, with a significance which corresponds to 6.1 standard deviations above a background-only hypothesis. The measured production cross section is 23.4 ± 5.4 pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction.

Measurement of inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV

A measurement of total and fiducial inclusive W and Z boson production cross sections in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV is presented. Electron and muon final states are analyzed in a data sample collected with the CMS detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.2 ± 0.5 pb(-1). The measured total inclusive cross sections times branching fractions are σ(pp → WX)×B(W → ℓν) = 12.21 ± 0.03(stat) ± 0.24(syst) ± 0.32(lum) nb and σ(pp → ZX) × B(Z → ℓ+ℓ-) = 1.15 ± 0.01(stat) ± 0.02(syst) ± 0.03(lum) nb for the dilepton mass in the range of 60-120 GeV. The measured values agree with next-to-next-to-leading-order QCD cross section calculations. Ratios of cross sections are reported with a precision of 2%. This is the first measurement of inclusive W and Z boson production in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV.

Measurements of tt spin correlations and top-quark polarization using dilepton final states in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV

Spin correlations and polarization in the top quark-antiquark system are measured using dilepton final states produced in pp collisions at the LHC at sqrt[s]=7  TeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.0  fb(-1) collected with the CMS detector. The measurements are performed using events with two oppositely charged leptons (electrons or muons), a significant imbalance in transverse momentum, and two or more jets, where at least one of the jets is identified as originating from a b quark. The spin correlations and polarization are measured through asymmetries in angular distributions of the two selected leptons, unfolded to the parton level. All measurements are found to be in agreement with predictions of the standard model.

Search for top-quark partners with charge 5/3 in the same-sign dilepton final state

A search for the production of heavy partners of the top quark with charge 5/3 is performed in events with a pair of same-sign leptons. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb(-1) and was collected at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV by the CMS experiment. No significant excess is observed in the data above the expected background, and the existence of top-quark partners with masses below 800 GeV is excluded at a 95% confidence level, assuming they decay exclusively to tW. This is the first limit on these particles from the LHC, and it is significantly more restrictive than previous limits.

Search for flavor-changing neutral currents in top-quark decays t → Zq in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV

A search for flavor-changing neutral currents in top-quark decays t → Zq is performed in events produced from the decay chain tt → Zq+Wb, where both vector bosons decay leptonically, producing a final state with three leptons (electrons or muons). A data set collected with the CMS detector at the LHC is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. No excess is seen in the observed number of events relative to the standard model prediction; thus, no evidence for flavor-changing neutral currents in top-quark decays is found. A combination with a previous search at 7 TeV excludes a t → Zq branching fraction greater than 0.05% at the 95% confidence level.

Niv versus dropping vitrification in cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue

BACKGROUND

The containers for vitrification of tissues include cryovials, copper grids, Pasteur pipettes, the solid-surface method and etc. Recently the acupuncture needle was used to achieve better result in vitrification of human ovarian tissue.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the needle immersed vitrification method (NIV) is a promising approach to vitrify the human ovarian tissue.

METHODS

Human ovarian biopsies from five patients were vitrified using NIV and Dropping vitrification. After 14 days of in vitro culture, the incidence of apoptotic primordial follicles from fresh and vitrified groups was assessed by TUNEL assay. 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) were detected in the media after culturing of vitrified and fresh ovarian tissues.

RESULTS

The incidence of apoptotic primordial follicles was significantly higher in the dropping vitrification group than in the NIV group (P < 0.05). E2 and P4 concentrations were significantly higher in NIV groups than in Dropping vitrification group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

NIV was an appropriate method to vitrify ovarian tissue by improving the growth potential of frozen-warmed ovarian tissue in vitro culture.

Search for top squark and Higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top quark (the top squark) and the Higgs boson (Higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7  fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at s=8  TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the top squark mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the Higgsino mass.

Superficial parotid lobe-sparing delineation approach: a better method of dose optimization to protect the parotid gland in intensity-modulated radiotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

PURPOSE

We used a superficial parotid lobe-sparing delineation approach for dose optimization with better protection for the parotid glands in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (imrt) for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (npc) patients.

METHODS

Compared with traditional contouring of the entire parotid glands as organs at risk (oars) in imrt for npc, we used a superficial parotid lobe-sparing delineation approach of contouring the superficial parotid lobes as oars. Changes in dose to the parotid glands, the targets, and other oars were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean dose to the parotid glands overall decreased by more than 4 Gy in the test plans. Impressively, the mean dose to the superficial parotid lobes in the test plans was not more than 30 Gy, regardless of clinical stage. In T1-3 npc patients, the dose distributions for targets were not significantly different in the control plans and the test plans. However, for some T4 patients, the dose distributions for targets and brainstem in the test plans could not meet clinical requirements.

CONCLUSIONS

The superficial parotid lobe-sparing delineation approach can significantly lower the mean dose to the entire parotid and to the superficial parotid lobe in T1-3 npc patients, which would be expected to result in less xerostomia and better quality of life for those patients.

High-performance Bi(2)Te(3)-based topological insulator film magnetic field detector

Topological insulators with the nanoscaled metallic surface state (3-5 nm) are actually of typical functional nanostructures. Significant efforts have been devoted to study new families of topological insulators and identifications of topological surface state, as well as fundamental physics issues relating to spin-polarized surface electronic states in the past few years. However, transport investigations that can provide direct experimental evidence for potentially practical applications of topological insulators are limited, and realization of functional devices based on topological insulators is still under exploration. Here, using the Sn-doping Bi2Te3 polycrystalline topological insulator films, we fabricated high-performance current-controlled magnetic field detectors. When a parallel magnetic field is applied, the as-fabricated device exhibits a stable and reproducible magneto-resistance (MR) switching behavior, and the corresponding MR ratio can be modulated by the applied current. Even under such a low magnetic field (0.5 kG), the device still shows a distinguishable MR switching performance, suggesting that topological insulator devices are very sensitive to external stimulation and potentially applicable to weak magnetic field detection.