Nucleic acid vaccine candidates encapsulated with mesoporous silica nanoparticles against MERS-CoV

Middle East respiratory coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a newly emergent, highly pathogenic coronavirus that is associated with 34% mortality rate. MERS-CoV remains listed as priority pathogen by the WHO. Since its discovery in 2012 and despite the efforts to develop coronaviruses vaccines to fight against SARS-CoV-2, there are currently no MERS-CoV vaccine that has been approved. Therefore, there is high demand to continue on the development of prophylactic vaccines against MERS-CoV. Current advancements in vaccine developments can be adapted for the development of improved MERS-CoV vaccines candidates. Nucleic acid-based vaccines, including pDNA and mRNA, are relatively new class of vaccine platforms. In this work, we developed pDNA and mRNA vaccine candidates expressing S.FL gene of MERS-CoV. Further, we synthesized a silane functionalized hierarchical aluminosilicate to encapsulate each vaccine candidates. We tested the nucleic acid vaccine candidates in mice and evaluated humoral antibodies response. Interestingly, we determined that the non-encapsulated, codon optimized S.FL pDNA vaccine candidate elicited the highest level of antibody responses against S.FL and S1 of MERS-CoV. Encapsulation of mRNA with nanoporous aluminosilicate increased the humoral antibody responses, whereas encapsulation of pDNA did not. These findings suggests that MERS-CoV S.FL pDNA vaccine candidate induced the highest level of humoral responses. This study will enhance further optimization of nanosilica as potential carrier for mRNA vaccines. In conclusion, this study suggests MERS-CoV pDNA vaccine candidate as a suitable vaccine platform for further pivotal preclinical testings.

Comparative Analysis of Autophagy and Apoptosis in Disc Degeneration: Understanding the Dynamics of Temporary-Compression-Induced Early Autophagy and Sustained-Compression-Triggered Apoptosis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the initiation of autophagy activation and apoptosis in nucleus pulposus cells under temporary compression (TC) and sustained compression (SC) to identify ideal research approaches in intervertebral disc degeneration. Various techniques were used: radiography (X-ray), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), transmission electron microscope (TEM), H&E staining, Masson's trichrome staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC) (LC3, beclin-1, and cleaved caspase-3), and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for autophagy-related (beclin-1, LC3, and P62) and apoptosis-related (caspase-3 and PARP) gene expression analysis. X-ray and MRI revealed varying degrees of disc degeneration, ranging from moderate to severe in both groups. The severity was directly linked to compression duration, with SC resulting in notably severe central NP cell degeneration. Surprisingly, TC also caused similar, though less severe, degeneration. Elevated expression of LC3 and beclin-1 was identified after 6 weeks, but it notably declined after 12 weeks. Central NP cells in both groups exhibited increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 that was positively correlated with the duration of SC. TC showed fewer apoptotic markers compared to SC. LC3, beclin-1, and P62 mRNA expression peaked after 6 weeks and declined after 12 weeks in both groups. Cleaved caspase-3 and PARP expression peaked in SC, positively correlating with longer compression duration, while TC showed lower levels of apoptosis gene expression. Furthermore, TEM results revealed different events of the autophagic degradation process after 2 weeks of compression. TCmay be ideal for studying early triggered autophagy-mediated degeneration, while SC may be ideal for studying late or slower-triggered apoptosis-mediated degeneration.

Early Stage Preclinical Formulation Strategies to Alter the Pharmacokinetic Profile of Two Small Molecule Therapeutics

Early stage chemical development presents numerous challenges, and achieving a functional balance is a major hurdle, with many early compounds not meeting the clinical requirements for advancement benchmarks due to issues like poor oral bioavailability. There is a need to develop strategies for achieving the desired systemic concentration for these compounds. This will enable further evaluation of the biological response upon a compound-target interaction, providing deeper insight into the postulated biological pathways. Our study elucidates alternative drug delivery paradigms by comparing formulation strategies across oral (PO), intraperitoneal (IP), subcutaneous (SC), and intravenous (IV) routes. While each modality boasts its own set of merits and constraints, it is the drug's formulation that crucially influences its pharmacokinetic (PK) trajectory and the maintenance of its therapeutic levels. Our examination of model compounds G7883 and G6893 highlighted their distinct physio-chemical attributes. By harnessing varied formulation methods, we sought to fine-tune their PK profiles. PK studies showcased G7883's extended half-life using an SC oil formulation, resulting in a 4.5-fold and 2.5-fold enhancement compared with the IP and PO routes, respectively. In contrast, with G6893, we achieved a prolonged systemic coverage time above the desired target concentration through a different approach using an IV infusion pump. These outcomes underscore the need for tailored formulation strategies, which are dictated by the compound's innate properties, to reach the optimal in vivo systemic concentrations. Prioritizing formulation and delivery optimization early on is pivotal for effective systemic uptake, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of biological pathways and expediting the overall clinical drug development timeline.

Ligand Activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Upregulates Epidermal Uridine Diphosphate Glucose Ceramide Glucosyltransferase and Glucosylceramides

Ligand activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) accelerates keratinocyte differentiation and the formation of the epidermal permeability barrier. Several classes of lipids, including ceramides, are critical to the epidermal permeability barrier. In normal human epidermal keratinocytes, the AHR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, increased RNA levels of ceramide metabolism and transport genes: uridine diphosphate glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase (UGCG), ABCA12, GBA1, and SMPD1. Levels of abundant skin ceramides were also increased by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. These included the metabolites synthesized by UGCG, glucosylceramides, and acyl glucosylceramides. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequence analysis and luciferase reporter assays identified UGCG as a direct AHR target. The AHR antagonist, GNF351, inhibited the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-mediated RNA and transcriptional increases. Tapinarof, an AHR ligand approved for the treatment of psoriasis, increased UGCG RNA, protein, and its lipid metabolites hexosylceramides as well as increased the RNA expression of ABCA12, GBA1, and SMPD1. In Ahr-null mice, Ugcg RNA and hexosylceramides were lower than those in the wild type. These results indicate that the AHR regulates the expression of UGCG, a ceramide-metabolizing enzyme required for ceramide trafficking, keratinocyte differentiation, and epidermal permeability barrier formation.

Primary Sebaceous Carcinoma of the Eyebrow: A Case Report

Sebaceous carcinoma (SC) is an uncommon but aggressive malignancy and has a specific anatomic preference for the ocular region, especially the eyelids. However, periocular SC originated from the eyebrow is rare, which may cause poorer outcomes due to a greater likelihood of orbital invasion and excessive tumor volume. In the present case, we exhibited a 68-year-old male presenting with a large solid mass in his right eyebrow region developing in ten months. Based on the patient's history, clinical conditions, orbital computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan results, a malignant tumor was suspected preliminarily. Excisional biopsy was performed, and the histopathologic examination and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining of the tumor revealed SC. The patient declined the enlarged surgery recommended next and ended up with death caused by the distant metastasis of SC. The case highlighted the fact that despite its rarity, SC should be considered as a differential diagnosis of tumors located in the eyebrow region and histopathologic evaluation must be performed to reach a definite diagnosis. Ophthalmologists are supposed to have a comprehensive understanding of the clinicopathological characteristics of this disease and help patients accept the appropriate treatments promptly via properly and adequate communication if necessary.

Comparative Analysis of the Potential for Germ Cell (GC) Differentiation of Bovine Peripheral Blood Derived-Mesenchymal Stem Cells (PB-MSC) and Spermatogonial Stem Cells (SSC) in Co-Culture System with Sertoli Cells (SC)

Although spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) constitute primary candidates for in vitro germ cell (GC) derivation, they are scarce and difficult to maintain in an undifferentiated state. Alternatively, mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are also candidates for GC derivation due to their simplicity for culture and multipotential for transdifferentiation. The aim of the present study was to compare the GC differentiation potentials of bull peripheral blood-derived MSC (PB-MSC) and SSC using an in vitro 3D co-culture system with Sertoli cells (SC). Samples of PB-MSC or SSC co-cultures with SC were collected on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 and analyzed for pluripotency, GC and mesenchymal marker expression. Co-culture of PB-MSC+SC resulted in down-regulation of NANOG and up-regulation of OCT4 at day 7. In comparison, co-culture of SSC+SC resulted in consistent expression of NANOG, OCT4 and SOX2 at day 14. During co-culture, SSC+SC increased the expression of DAZL, PIWIL2, FRAGILIS and STELLA and activated the expression of STRA8, whereas co-culture of PB-MSC+SC only increased the expression of DAZL and PIWIL2. Thus, co-culture of bull PB-MSC+SC and SSC+SC in 3D SACS results in differential expression of pluripotency and GC markers, where bull SSC display a more robust GC differentiation profile compared to PB-MSC.

A synaptic filtering mechanism in visual threat identification in mouse

Predator detection is key to animal's survival. Superior colliculus (SC) orchestrates the animal's innate defensive responses to visually detected threats, but how threat information is transmitted from the retina to SC is unknown. We discovered that narrow-field neurons in SC were key in this pathway. Using in vivo calcium imaging and optogenetics-assisted interrogation of circuit and synaptic connections, we found that the visual responses of narrow-field neurons were correlated with the animal's defensive behaviors toward visual stimuli. Activation of these neurons triggered defensive behaviors, and ablation of them impaired the animals' defensive responses to looming stimuli. They receive monosynaptic inputs from looming-sensitive OFF-transient alpha retinal ganglion cells, and the synaptic transmission has a unique band-pass feature that helps to shape their stimulus selectivity. Our results describe a cell-type specific retinotectal connection for visual threat detection, and a coding mechanism based on synaptic filtering.

Two new Scianna variants causing loss of high prevalence antigens: ERMAP model and 3D analysis of the antigens

BACKGROUND

Scianna (Sc) antigens, seven high and two of low prevalence, are expressed on erythrocyte membrane-associated protein (ERMAP). We investigated SC (ERMAP) in individuals who made antibodies to high prevalence Scianna antigens, and propose a 3D model for ERMAP to precisely localize the residues associated with the known antigens.

METHODS

Serological testing and DNA sequencing was performed by standard methods. A 3D structural model was built using a multi-template homology approach. Protein structures representing missense variants associated with the loss or gain of an antigen were generated. Residue accessibility and intraprotein interactions were compared with the wild-type protein.

RESULTS

Two new SC alleles, one with c.349C > T (p.Arg117Cys) in a woman from South India with anti-Sc3 in her plasma, and a c.217_219delinsTGT (p.Arg73Cys) in an African-American woman with an antibody to a new high prevalence antigen, termed SCAC, were identified. Six structural templates were used to model ERMAP. 3D analysis showed that residues key for Scianna antigen expression were all exposed at the surface of the extracellular domain. The p.Arg117Cys change was predicted to abolish interactions between residues 93 and 117, with no compensating interactions.

CONCLUSION

We confirm the extracellular location of Scianna residues responsible for antigen expression which predicts direct accessibility to antibodies. Loss of intraprotein interactions appear to be responsible for a Sc null and production of anti-Sc3 with p.117Cys, SC*01 N.03, and for loss of a high prevalence antigen with p.73Cys, termed SCAC for Sc Arg to Cys. Comparative modeling aids our understanding of new alleles and Scianna antigen expression.

Subcutaneously-Administered Infliximab in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Short Narrative Review of Current Clinical Evidence

The first subcutaneous (SC) formulation of infliximab CT-P13 has been authorized for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Europe in 2019. Later, in 2020, approved indications were extended also to ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The present review provides summary of the key features of SC infliximab, with particular focus on pharmacokinetic profile, clinical development program in comparison with the intravenous (IV) formulation, and the latest evidence in the literature. We conclude that SC infliximab represents a new and promising approach in the treatment of patients with RA, offering an optimized clinical profile and a more practical option in comparison to the IV formulation. Nevertheless, SC formulation can improve the use of national health systems resources (e.g., through the time of healthcare workers not having to supervise infusions) and facilitate social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the patient can self-inject the medicine at home without going to the hospital. The limitations of the SC infliximab are mainly due to the limited experience of use in clinical practice and the absence of long-term drug retention data.

Stem Cell Differentiation into Cardiomyocytes: Current Methods and Emerging Approaches

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are globally known to be important causes of mortality and disabilities. Common treatment strategies for CVDs, such as pharmacological therapeutics impose serious challenges due to the failure of treatments for myocardial necrosis. By contrast, stem cells (SCs) based therapies are seen to be promising approaches to CVDs treatment. In such approaches, cardiomyocytes are differentiated from SCs. To fulfill SCs complete potential, the method should be appointed to generate cardiomyocytes with more mature structure and well-functioning operations. For heart repairing applications, a greatly scalable and medical-grade cardiomyocyte generation must be used. Nonetheless, there are some challenges such as immune rejection, arrhythmogenesis, tumorigenesis, and graft cell death potential. Herein, we discuss the types of potential SCs, and commonly used methods including embryoid bodies related techniques, co-culture, mechanical stimulation, and electrical stimulation and their applications, advantages and limitations in this field. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32 % of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85 % were due to heart attack and stroke.

Loss and enhancement of layer-selective signals in geniculostriate and corticotectal pathways of adult human amblyopia

How abnormal visual experiences early in life influence human subcortical pathways is poorly understood. Using high-resolution fMRI and pathway-selective visual stimuli, we investigate the influence of amblyopia on response properties and the effective connectivity of subcortical visual pathways of the adult human brain. Compared to the normal and fellow eyes, stimuli presented to the amblyopic eye show selectively reduced response in the parvocellular layers of the lateral geniculate nucleus and weaker effective connectivity to V1. Compared to the normal eye, the response of the amblyopic eye to chromatic stimulus decreases in the superficial layers of the superior colliculus, while response of the fellow eye robustly increases in the deep SC with stronger connectivity from the visual cortex. Therefore, amblyopia leads to selective parvocellular alterations of the geniculostriate and corticotectal pathways. These findings provide the neural basis for amblyopic deficits in visual acuity, ocular motor control, and attention.

Comparative Evaluation of the Transdermal Permeation Effectiveness of Fu's Cupping Therapy on Eight Different Types of Model Drugs

BACKGROUND

Overcoming the skin barrier to achieve the transdermal penetration of drugs across the Stratum Corneum (SC) remains a significant challenge. Our previous study showed that Fu's Cupping Therapy (FCT) contributes to the transdermal enhancement and percutaneous absorption rate of representative drugs and improves their clinical effects. This work evaluated the transdermal enhancement effect of FCT on drugs with different Molecular Weights (MW).

METHODS

We investigated the enhancements in the transdermal penetration of eight types of model drugs through the skin of BALB/c-nu mice and Sprague Dawley rats using Franz diffusion devices. In addition, 3% azone, 5% azone, 3% peppermint oil, and 5% peppermint oil were used as penetration enhancers to study the transdermal behaviour of these drugs.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the BALB/c-nu mouse skin was the best transdermal media, and the optimal time for FCT was 10 min. Compared with other penetration enhancers, FCT exerted a significantly improved effect on enhancing the percutaneous penetration of the selected log(P)- model drugs in addition to the two large MW drugs (ginsenoside Rg1 and notoginsenoside R1). Statistical analysis revealed that the relationship between the log(P) of various model drugs and the permeability coefficient [log(Pcm)] of the FCT group was log(Pcm)=0.080(log(P))2-0.136 (log(P))-0.282.

CONCLUSION

FCT may be used as a novel method for enhancing physical penetration and thus effectively promoting the transdermal absorption of drugs and might lay a foundation for future research on drug transdermal technology.

Visual Information Processing in the Ventral Division of the Mouse Lateral Geniculate Nucleus of the Thalamus

Even though the lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus (LGN) is associated with form vision, that is not its sole role. Only the dorsal portion of LGN (dLGN) projects to V1. The ventral division (vLGN) connects subcortically, sending inhibitory projections to sensorimotor structures, including the superior colliculus (SC) and regions associated with certain behavioral states, such as fear (Monavarfeshani et al., 2017; Salay et al., 2018). We combined computational, physiological, and anatomical approaches to explore visual processing in vLGN of mice of both sexes, making comparisons to dLGN and SC for perspective. Compatible with past, qualitative descriptions, the receptive fields we quantified in vLGN were larger than those in dLGN, and most cells preferred bright versus dark stimuli (Harrington, 1997). Dendritic arbors spanned the length and/or width of vLGN and were often asymmetric, positioned to collect input from large but discrete territories. By contrast, arbors in dLGN are compact (Krahe et al., 2011). Consistent with spatially coarse receptive fields in vLGN, visually evoked changes in spike timing were less precise than for dLGN and SC. Notably, however, the membrane currents and spikes of some cells in vLGN displayed gamma oscillations whose phase and strength varied with stimulus pattern, as for SC (Stitt et al., 2013). Thus, vLGN can engage its targets using oscillation-based and conventional rate codes. Finally, dark shadows activate SC and drive escape responses, whereas vLGN prefers bright stimuli. Thus, one function of long-range inhibitory projections from vLGN might be to enable movement by releasing motor targets, such as SC, from suppression.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Only the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) connects to cortex to serve form vision; the ventral division (vLGN) projects subcortically to sensorimotor nuclei, including the superior colliculus (SC), via long-range inhibitory connections. Here, we asked how vLGN processes visual information, making comparisons with dLGN and SC for perspective. Cells in vLGN versus dLGN had wider dendritic arbors, larger receptive fields, and fired with lower temporal precision, consistent with a modulatory role. Like SC, but not dLGN, visual stimuli entrained oscillations in vLGN, perhaps reflecting shared strategies for visuomotor processing. Finally, most neurons in vLGN preferred bright shapes, whereas dark stimuli activate SC and drive escape behaviors, suggesting that vLGN enables rapid movement by releasing target motor structures from inhibition.

Safety profile of subcutaneous trastuzumab in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer: The French HERmione non-interventional prospective study

Objectives

HERmione study was conducted to assess, in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive early breast cancer (eBC), the safety profile of subcutaneous (SC) formulation of trastuzumab in real-life in France.

Materials and methods

This prospective, non-interventional study included 511 patients planned to be treated in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings with a follow-up of 12 months maximum in 101 sites. The safety analyses concerned 505 patients. Primary endpoint was the description of systemic safety and local tolerability of the SC trastuzumab.

Results

The median age of patients was 58 years. Over the study, 2449 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 422 (83.6%) patients (asthenia, arthralgia, radiation skin injury, myalgia, hot flush and diarrhea in ≥10% of patients): 92 AEs (3.8%) were grade ≥3 (radiation skin injury in 1.8% of patients and febrile neutropenia in 1.4% of patients), 76 (3.1%) were serious (mainly febrile neutropenia in 1.4% of patients) and 336 (13.7%) were treatment-related (mainly injection site pain in 9.1% of patients). Congestive Heart Failure occurred in 58 (11.5%) patients and was related to treatment in 4.6% of patients. Only 34 AEs (1.4%) in 27 (5.4%) patients led to permanent treatment discontinuation. One death was assessed as not treatment-related. Quality of life (QoL) analyses showed no deterioration of global health status.

Conclusion

The HERmione study showed that, in a real-life setting, the safety of SC trastuzumab administered in HER2-positive eBC patients is consistent with data reported from previous clinical trials, without new safety concerns or QoL deterioration.

Sodium caprylate induced precipitation post Protein A chromatography as an effective means for host cell protein clearance

In downstream processing of monoclonal antibody (mAb), post Protein A neutralization and subsequent intermediate depth filtration are critical steps for host cell protein (HCP) clearance. Previous studies have shown that adding caprylic acid (CA) during neutralization can further improve HCP removal by promoting their precipitation. In this study, we replaced CA with its sodium salt - sodium caprylate (SC). For the five mAbs studied, SC has been shown to be equally effective as CA at precipitating HCPs. As the salt form has a higher solubility, SC stock solution with relatively high concentration can be easily prepared, which facilitates its adding to the Protein A elution pool. Thus, this study not only confirms the effectiveness of CA/SC-induced HCP precipitation but also provides a more convenient way to integrate this method into the downstream process.

Increased expression of TMED2 is an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer

Background: We obtained 2 types of clones which were termed SC (sphere-shaped clone) and NSC (non-sphere-shaped clone) from 4T1 cells by monoclonal culture. SC and NSC were distinct in morphology, surface marker, metabolism and proliferation rate. With the transcriptome sequencing data analysis, we found TMED2 expressed higher in SCs. TMED2 was a member of the transmembrane emp24 domain and might play roles in cancer cell proliferation. However, its prognostic roles in breast cancer remained unknown. We aimed to investigate the prognostic values of TMED2 in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: We used UALCAN (http://ualcan.path.uab.edu) and the Human Protein Atlas (www.proteinatlas.org) to explore the TMED2 expression level and DNA methylation data between breast cancer and normal breast tissue. With Oncomine (www.oncomine.org), we investigated the copy number of TMED2 in breast cancer sample and normal breast tissue. We used the Kaplan–Meier Plotter database (http://kmplot.com/analysis) to analyze prognostic values of TMED2 mRNA expression in all breast cancers and in different intrinsic subtypes. Moreover, protein expression levels of TMED2 were confirmed by Western blot in breast cancer tissues and normal mammary tissue as well as SCs and NSCs.

Results: TMED2 significantly upregulated in breast cancer patients compared to normal mammary samples. Meanwhile, the increased expression of TMED2 mRNA was closely associated with reduced overall survival (OS) in all breast cancers, and with reduced OS in patients with ER-positive, Luminal A or Luminal B breast cancer subtypes. Moreover, western blot confirmed that TMED2 increased expressed was correlated with the reduced OS at protein levels.

Conclusion: Increased expression of TMED2 was significantly related to unfavorable outcomes in patients with breast cancer. Thus, we supposed TMED2 is oncogenic and a potential target for breast cancer therapy and these preliminary findings require further study to determine whether TMED2-targeting reagents might be developed for clinical application in breast cancer.

New Synthetic Cannabinoids Metabolism and Strategies to Best Identify Optimal Marker Metabolites

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) were initially developed as pharmacological tools to probe the endocannabinoid system and as novel pharmacotherapies, but are now highly abused. This is a serious public health and social problem throughout the world and it is highly challenging to identify which SC was consumed by the drug abusers, a necessary step to tie adverse health effects to the new drug's toxicity. Two intrinsic properties complicate SC identification, their often rapid and extensive metabolism, and their generally high potency relative to the natural psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in cannabis. Additional challenges are the lack of reference standards for the major urinary metabolites needed for forensic verification, and the sometimes differing illicit and licit status and, in some cases, identical metabolites produced by closely related SC pairs, i.e., JWH-018/AM-2201, THJ-018/THJ-2201, and BB-22/MDMB-CHMICA/ADB-CHMICA. We review current SC prevalence, establish the necessity for SC metabolism investigation and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of multiple metabolic approaches. The human hepatocyte incubation model for determining a new SC's metabolism is highly recommended after comparison to human liver microsomes incubation, in silico prediction, rat in vivo, zebrafish, and fungus Cunninghamella elegans models. We evaluate SC metabolic patterns, and devise a practical strategy to select optimal urinary marker metabolites for SCs. New SCs are incubated first with human hepatocytes and major metabolites are then identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Although initially difficult to obtain, authentic human urine samples following the specified SC exposure are hydrolyzed and analyzed by high-resolution mass spectrometry to verify identified major metabolites. Since some SCs produce the same major urinary metabolites, documentation of the specific SC consumed may require identification of the SC parent itself in either blood or oral fluid. An encouraging trend is the recent reduction in the number of new SC introduced per year. With global collaboration and communication, we can improve education of the public about the toxicity of new SC and our response to their introduction.

Immunogenicity and safety of intramuscular versus subcutaneous administration of a combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine to children 12 to 18 months of age

This randomized trial conducted in France compared intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) administration of two doses of a measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) combination vaccine (ProQuad®) administered one month apart to 405 children 12–18 months of age (NCT00402831). The 2-dose regimen of MMRV administered IM was shown to be as immunogenic as the 2-dose regimen administered SC for all antigens 6 weeks post-vaccination for the subjects who were initially seronegative for measles, mumps, rubella, or varicella (lower bounds of the two-sided 95% CIs for the difference in response rates for all antigens greater than −10% [range −2.1 for varicella to −3.0 for mumps]). The antibody response rates for all vaccine antigens 6 weeks after the second dose of MMRV were > 99% in both the IM and SC groups. Fewer subjects in the IM group experienced injection-site AEs compared with the SC group (17.8% and 28.6% post-dose 1, and 20.4% and 29.5% post-dose 2, respectively). From Day 0 to Day 4 post-dose 2, fewer subjects reported erythema and swelling in the IM group than in the SC group (15.4% and 27.0%, and 6.0% and 12.5%, respectively). In both groups, most injection-site AEs started during the first four days after vaccination; their intensity was mainly mild or ≤2.5 cm. The rates of fever were comparable between the two groups after each dose of MMRV. In conclusion, two doses of the MMRV vaccine were highly immunogenic and well tolerated when administered either SC or IM.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00402831

The Role of Gene Therapy in Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Management

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a highly prevalent disorder, characterized by the development of menopause before the age of 40. Most cases are idiopathic; however, in some women the cause of this condition (e.g.; anticancer treatment, genetic disorders, and enzymatic defects) could be identified. Although hormone-replacement therapy, the principal therapeutic approach for POI, helps alleviate the related symptoms, this does not effectively solve the issue of fertility. Assisted reproductive techniques also lack efficacy in these women. Thus, an effective approach to manage patients with POI is highly warranted. Several mechanisms associated with POI have been identified, including the lack of function of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor, alterations in apoptosis control, mutations in Sal-like 4 genes, and thymulin or basonuclin-1 deficiency. The above mentioned may be good targets for gene therapy in order to correct defects leading to POI. The goal of this review is to summarize current experiences on POI studies that employed gene therapy, and to discuss possible future directions in this field.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Assessment of Regional White Matter Changes in the Cervical and Thoracic Spinal Cord in Pediatric Subjects

There are no studies to date,describing changes in the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of the white matter (WM) regions of the entire cervical and thoracic spinal cord (SC) remote from the lesion in pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects. The purpose of this study was to determine whether DTI at sites cephalad and caudal to a lesion provides measures of cord abnormalities in children with chronic SCI. A retrospective study included 10 typically developing subjects (TD) and 10 subjects with chronic SCI who underwent SC imaging in 2014-2017. Axial diffusion tensor images using an inner field of view DTI sequence were acquired to cover the entire cervical and thoracic SC. Regions of interest were drawn on the SC WM: right and left lateral (motor), ventral (motor), and dorsal (sensory) tracts. To detect differences in DTI metrics between TD and SCI of the cord, a one way analysis of variance with pooled t test was performed. A stepwise regression analysis was performed to assess the correlation between DTI metrics and clinical scores. In motor and sensory tracts, fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD) were significantly decreased in the proximal segments of the caudal cord. In motor tracts cephalad to the lesion, FA was significantly decreased whereas AD was significantly increased in the proximal segment; however, AD was decreased in the distal and middle segments. International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) total score was significantly correlated with FA and AD of the motor and sensory tracts cephalad to the lesion. This study demonstrates that FA and AD have the potential to be sensitive biomarkers of the full extent of cord injury and might be useful in detecting remote injuries to the SC and in guiding new treatments.

Resting state dynamics meets anatomical structure: Temporal multiple kernel learning (tMKL) model

Over the last decade there has been growing interest in understanding the brain activity, in the absence of any task or stimulus, captured by the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). The resting state patterns have been observed to be exhibiting complex spatio-temporal dynamics and substantial effort has been made to characterize the dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) configurations. However, the dynamics governing the state transitions that the brain undergoes and their relationship to stationary functional connectivity still remains an open problem. One class of approaches attempts to characterize the dynamics in terms of finite number of latent brain states, however, such attempts are yet to amalgamate the underlying anatomical structural connectivity (SC) with the dynamics. Another class of methods links individual dynamic FCs with the underlying SC but does not characterize the temporal evolution of FC. Further, the latent states discovered by previous approaches could not be directly linked to the SC, thereby motivating us to discover the underlying lower-dimensional manifold that represents the temporal structure. In the proposed approach, the discovered manifold is further parameterized as a set of local density distributions, or latent transient states. We propose an innovative method that learns parameters specific to the latent states using a graph-theoretic model (temporal Multiple Kernel Learning, tMKL) that inherently links dynamics to the structure and finally predicts the grand average FC of the test subjects by leveraging a state transition Markov model. The proposed solution does not make strong assumptions about the underlying data and is generally applicable to resting or task data for learning subject-specific state transitions and for successfully characterizing SC-dFC-FC relationship through a unifying framework. Training and testing were done using the rs-fMRI data of 46 healthy participants. tMKL model performs significantly better than the existing models for predicting resting state functional connectivity based on whole-brain dynamic mean-field model (DMF), single diffusion kernel (SDK) model and multiple kernel learning (MKL) model. Further, the learned model was tested on an independent cohort of 100 young, healthy participants from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and the results establish the generalizability of the proposed solution. More importantly, the model retains sensitivity toward subject-specific anatomy, a unique contribution towards a holistic approach for SC-FC characterization.

Mid-Infrared Standoff Spectroscopy Using a Supercontinuum Laser with Compact Fabry-Pérot Filter Spectrometers

Mid-infrared (MIR) supercontinuum (SC) lasers are an attractive new option in the field of IR spectroscopy, especially for standoff detection. Supercontinuum radiation unites high brightness, high spatial coherence, and broadband spectral coverage, thereby surpassing thermal IR sources and challenging quantum cascade lasers. The employed SC source operates in the spectral region of 1.2-4.6 µm, filling the spectral gap where quantum cascade lasers lack broader availability. In this work, the SC radiation was recorded by compact Fabry-Pérot filter spectrometers ideally suited for sensitive standoff detection with real-time capability. The noise performance of the setup and measurements of different substances at standoff distances are presented, e.g., of different paints on a metal surface and an explosive precursor. Furthermore, the real-time capability of the setup is demonstrated by monitoring the evaporation of liquid 2-propanol.

Social cognition in the course of psychosis and its correlation with biomarkers in a male cohort

INTRODUCTION

Patients diagnosed with schizophrenia display deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM) and Emotion Perception (EP) even before the appearance of full-blown symptomatology.

METHODS

We evaluated ToM and EP in a male cohort consisting of 25 First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and 16 relapsed schizophrenic patients (CHRON) compared to 12 subjects in Ultra-high Risk (UHR) and 23 healthy controls (CTR). Furthermore, we measured the levels of Cortisol, Insulin like Growth Factor (IGF-1), TNF-a, TNF-b and several interleukins as potential biomarkers.

RESULTS

Deficits in EP and ToM were found in FEP, CHRON patients and UHR subjects compared to CTR. The impairments in these two domains seem to follow different patterns in the course of psychosis. EP was more impaired in subjects with a longer history of symptomatology whereas there was no statistically significant difference regarding ToM. On the other hand IL-4 was the only biomarker correlated to ToM and EP scores in two different samples of our study.

CONCLUSION

Social Cognition (SC) domains are impaired in patients with psychosis as well as in UHR subjects compared to healthy controls. There are differences in the progress of ToM and EP deficits in the course of psychosis. Interleukins as IL-4 could correlate to SC.

Electrochromic Asymmetric Supercapacitor Windows Enable Direct Determination of Energy Status by the Naked Eye

Because of the popularity of smart electronics, multifunctional energy storage devices, especially electrochromic supercapacitors (SCs), have attracted tremendous research interest. Herein, a solid-state electrochromic asymmetric SC (ASC) window is designed and fabricated by introducing WO₃ and polyaniline as the negative and positive electrodes, respectively. The two complementary materials contribute to the outstanding electrochemical and electrochromic performances of the fabricated device. With an operating voltage window of 1.4 V and an areal capacitance of 28.3 mF cm^-2, the electrochromic devices show a high energy density of 7.7 × 10^-3 mW h cm^-2. Meanwhile, they exhibit an obvious and reversible color transition between light green (uncharged state) and dark blue (charged state), with an optical transmittance change between 55 and 12% at a wavelength of 633 nm. Hence, the energy storage level of the ASC is directly related to its color and can be determined by the naked eye, which means it can be incorporated with other energy cells to visual display their energy status. Particularly, a self-powered and color-indicated system is achieved by combining the smart windows with commercial solar cell panels. We believe that the novel electrochromic ASC windows will have great potential application for both smart electronics and smart buildings.

Depth-dependence of visual signals in the human superior colliculus at 9.4 T

The superior colliculus (SC) is a layered structure located in the midbrain. We exploited the improved spatial resolution and BOLD signal strength available at 9.4 T to investigate the depth profile of visual BOLD responses in the human SC based on distortion-corrected EPI data with a 1 mm isotropic resolution. We used high resolution (350 µm in-plane) anatomical images to determine regions-of-interest of the SC and applied a semi-automated method to segment it into superficial, intermediate, and deep zones. A greater than linear increase in sensitivity of the functional signal at 9.4 T allowed us to detect a statistically significant depth pattern in a group analysis with a 20 min stimulation paradigm. Descriptive data showed consistent depth profiles also in single individuals. The highest signals were localized to the superficial layers of the right and left SC during contralateral stimulation, which was in good agreement with its functional architecture known from non-human primates. This study thus demonstrates the potential of 9.4 T MRI for functional neuroimaging even in deeply located, particularly challenging brain structures such as the SC. Hum Brain Mapp 38:574-587, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Color responses and their adaptation in human superior colliculus and lateral geniculate nucleus

We use an fMRI adaptation paradigm to explore the selectivity of human responses in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and superior colliculus (SC) to red-green color and achromatic contrast. We measured responses to red-green (RG) and achromatic (ACH) high contrast sinewave counter-phasing rings with and without adaptation, within a block design. The signal for the RG test stimulus was reduced following both RG and ACH adaptation, whereas the signal for the ACH test was unaffected by either adaptor. These results provide compelling evidence that the human LGN and SC have significant capacity for color adaptation. Since in the LGN red-green responses are mediated by P cells, these findings are in contrast to earlier neurophysiological data from non-human primates that have shown weak or no contrast adaptation in the P pathway. Cross-adaptation of the red-green color response by achromatic contrast suggests unselective response adaptation and points to a dual role for P cells in responding to both color and achromatic contrast. We further show that subcortical adaptation is not restricted to the geniculostriate system, but is also present in the superior colliculus (SC), an oculomotor region that until recently, has been thought to be color-blind. Our data show that the human SC not only responds to red-green color contrast, but like the LGN, shows reliable but unselective adaptation.

Express saccades and superior colliculus responses are sensitive to short-wavelength cone contrast

A key structure for directing saccadic eye movements is the superior colliculus (SC). The visual pathways that project to the SC have been reported to carry only luminance information and not color information. Short-wavelength-sensitive cones (S-cones) in the retina make little or no contribution to luminance signals, leading to the conclusion that S-cone stimuli should be invisible to SC neurons. The premise that S-cone stimuli are invisible to the SC has been used in numerous clinical and human psychophysical studies. The assumption that the SC cannot use S-cone stimuli to guide behavior has never been tested. We show here that express saccades, which depend on the SC, can be driven by S-cone input. Further, express saccade reaction times and changes in SC activity depend on the amount of S-cone contrast. These results demonstrate that the SC can use S-cone stimuli to guide behavior. We conclude that the use of S-cone stimuli is insufficient to isolate SC function in psychophysical and clinical studies of human subjects.

Evaluation of hepatoprotective activity of the commerson's anchovy (Stolephorus commersonnii)

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we have chosen a fish Stolephorus commersonnii which is abundant in whitebait catches along Kerala coast. This fish is reported to contain higher content of essential amino acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and minerals. The medicinal values of this species have not been reported and remain unexplored. Hence, there is a necessity to explore their uses and to conduct the pharmacological studies to ascertain their therapeutic properties. Based on literature search, no study has been carried out to scientifically validate the fish S. commersonnii possesses hepatoprotective property. Hence, this study was carried out to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of the S. commersonnii.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The fish was purchased from the fish market, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. The fish were kept on ice until processed in the lab. Fish is washed and cleaned properly. The tissue is homogenized and extracted with chloroform: methanol solvent system. The extract is transferred to a dark glass container and stored in a freezer. The preliminary analysis of fish extract was carried out by simple qualitative methods. The hepatoprotective activity of Stolephorus commersonnii (SC) extract at 300 mg/kg is carried out in isoniazid induced hepatotoxic model. The albino rats of either sex were used for these studies.

RESULTS

The results of hepatoprotective study revealed that the SC extract showed a liver protective action against isoniazid induced toxicity.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that the extract of S. commersonnii fish has therapeutic potential in the management of drug induced liver toxicity.

Clinical outcomes after autograft reconstruction for sternoclavicular joint instability

BACKGROUND

Instability of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint is a rare condition. However, in some cases, SC joint instability may lead to persistent pain and impairment of shoulder function that requires surgical management. This study evaluated clinical outcomes after SC joint reconstruction with hamstring tendon autograft in patients with SC joint instability.

METHODS

From December 2010 to January 2014, 21 reconstructions of the SC joint with hamstring tendon autograft were performed. Outcomes data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed. Data analyzed included American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, physical component of the Short Form 12, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores. Pain with activities of daily living, work, and sleep were separately analyzed along with painless use of arm for activities. Patients were also questioned regarding postoperative satisfaction.

RESULTS

Nine women and 10 men (2 bilaterals), with a mean age of 30 years (range, 15-56 years), were monitored for a mean of 2 years (range, 12-36 months) postoperatively. Mean American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores significantly improved (P < .001). Pain scores also improved over preoperative baselines, including pain with activities of daily living, work, and sleep (P < .001). Median satisfaction at final follow-up was 8.5 (range, 7-10). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications and no cases of recurrent instability.

CONCLUSION

Free hamstring tendon autograft reconstruction for SC joint instability resulted in significantly improved clinical outcomes with high patient satisfaction and no intraoperative or postoperative complications.

Selective reduction of fMRI responses to transient achromatic stimuli in the magnocellular layers of the LGN and the superficial layer of the SC of early glaucoma patients

Glaucoma is now viewed not just a disease of the eye but also a disease of the brain. The prognosis of glaucoma critically depends on how early the disease can be detected. However, early glaucomatous loss of the laminar functions in the human lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and superior colliculus (SC) remains difficult to detect and poorly understood. Using functional MRI, we measured neural signals from different layers of the LGN and SC, as well as from the early visual cortices (V1, V2 and MT), in patients with early-stage glaucoma and normal controls. Compared to normal controls, early glaucoma patients showed more reduction of response to transient achromatic stimuli than to sustained chromatic stimuli in the magnocellular layers of the LGN, as well as in the superficial layer of the SC. Magnocellular responses in the LGN were also significantly correlated with the degree of behavioral deficits to the glaucomatous eye. Finally, early glaucoma patients showed no reduction of fMRI response in the early visual cortex. These findings demonstrate that 'large cells' in the human LGN and SC suffer selective loss of response to transient achromatic stimuli at the early stage of glaucoma. Hum Brain Mapp 37:558-569, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

T cell-expressed CD40L potentiates the bone anabolic activity of intermittent PTH treatment

T cells are known to potentiate the bone anabolic activity of intermittent parathyroid hormone (iPTH) treatment. One of the involved mechanisms is increased T cell secretion of Wnt10b, a potent osteogenic Wnt ligand that activates Wnt signaling in stromal cells (SCs). However, additional mechanisms might play a role, including direct interactions between surface receptors expressed by T cells and SCs. Here we show that iPTH failed to promote SC proliferation and differentiation into osteoblasts (OBs) and activate Wnt signaling in SCs of mice with a global or T cell-specific deletion of the T cell costimulatory molecule CD40 ligand (CD40L). Attesting to the relevance of T cell-expressed CD40L, iPTH induced a blunted increase in bone formation and failed to increase trabecular bone volume in CD40L(-/-) mice and mice with a T cell-specific deletion of CD40L. CD40L null mice exhibited a blunted increase in T cell production of Wnt10b and abrogated CD40 signaling in SCs in response to iPTH treatment. Therefore, expression of the T cell surface receptor CD40L enables iPTH to exert its bone anabolic activity by activating CD40 signaling in SCs and maximally stimulating T cell production of Wnt10b.

A self-organizing model of perisaccadic visual receptive field dynamics in primate visual and oculomotor system

We propose and examine a model for how perisaccadic visual receptive field dynamics, observed in a range of primate brain areas such as LIP, FEF, SC, V3, V3A, V2, and V1, may develop through a biologically plausible process of unsupervised visually guided learning. These dynamics are associated with remapping, which is the phenomenon where receptive fields anticipate the consequences of saccadic eye movements. We find that a neural network model using a local associative synaptic learning rule, when exposed to visual scenes in conjunction with saccades, can account for a range of associated phenomena. In particular, our model demonstrates predictive and pre-saccadic remapping, responsiveness shifts around the time of saccades, and remapping from multiple directions.

Designing clinical trials to address the needs of childhood and adult asthma: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's AsthmaNet

In 2008, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute announced its intent to support a new asthma network known as AsthmaNet. This clinical trials consortium, now in its fifth year, has been charged with developing and executing clinical trials to address the most important asthma management questions and identify new treatment approaches in pediatric and adult patients. This review will discuss the organization of AsthmaNet and the scientific context in which the network was developed and began its work, report the results of an internal priority-setting exercise designed to guide the network's scientific strategy, and highlight the portfolio of clinical trials, proof-of-concept studies, and mechanistic studies planned for the 7-year period of the network to update the global asthma community regarding the progress and processes of the network.

Interaction of baicalin with berberine for glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Baicalin and berberine are important coexisting constituents of the combination of Radix Scutellariae and Rhizoma Coptidis, known as scutellaria-coptis herb couple (SC), which has heat clearing and detoxifying effects. The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of the combination of baicalin+berberine on glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes or HepG2 cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Insulin-resistant adipocytes and hepatocytes models were established. Glucose consumption was assayed to evaluate the effects of berberine, baicalin, and berberine+baicalin on glucose uptake, and the interaction of baicalin with berberine for glucose uptake was evaluated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes or HepG2 cells. Moreover, the effects of baicalin on the dose-effect relationship of berberine for glucose uptake was also evaluated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

RESULTS

The results of the present study demonstrated that berberine increased glucose consumption in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, statistical analyses indicated that baicalin (in doses up to 100μmol/L) produced no obvious effect. The effect of berberine+baicalin on glucose uptake was better than that of berberine or baicalin alone, which indicated that berberine and baicalin had the trend of synergetic effect on glucose uptake. Furthermore, these results showed that the synergistic effect occurred in a specific dose range, while the antagonistic effect was present in another dose range in the presence of 10μmol/L baicalin. Interestingly, the entire dose-response curves of berberine shifted down in the presence of 100μmol/L baicalin, and baicalin antagonised the effect of berberine on glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study showed that berberine dose-dependently increased glucose consumption in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and HepG2 hepatocytes. Furthermore, interaction of baicalin with berberine was additive at low doses of baicalin and antagonistic at higher baicalin doses. Thus, it is possible that baicalin is a partial agonist. These results provided a basis for the study of the TCM compatibility mechanism and a new insight into the application for Gegen Qinlian Decoction (GGQLD) or SC in the clinic.

Ultraviolet-B induced changes in morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters of two cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Increase in perception of solar ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation on Earth's surface due to anthropogenic activities has potential in causing detrimental effects on plants. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of elevated UV-B on Pisum sativum L., a leguminous plant with emphasis on nitrogen metabolism, flavonoids and hormonal changes. Elevated UV-B (ambient+7.2 kJ m(-2) day(-1)) negatively affected the growth, biomass, yield and its quality by generating oxidative stress directly or due to elevation of salicylic acid in two cultivars with higher magnitude being observed in HUP-2 as compared to HUDP-15. The increased accumulation of flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) under elevated UV-B neither provided sufficient protection to the photosynthetic machinery nor helped in elevation of biological nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen fixation and its assimilation were negatively affected under elevated UV-B as observed by the decline in nitrogenase, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase activities and leghaemoglobin contents. Higher accumulation of salicylic acid in HUP-2 might be associated with its higher degree of sensitivity against UV-B, while higher induction of jasmonic acid and antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities) provided resistance to HUDP-15 against applied stress vis-a-vis exhibited less reduction in biomass, yield and quality of produce.

A multi-echelon supply chain model for municipal solid waste management system

In this paper, a multi-echelon multi-period solid waste management system (MSWM) was developed by inoculating with multi-echelon supply chain. Waste managers, suppliers, industries and distributors could be engaged in joint strategic planning and operational execution. The principal of MSWM system is interactive planning of transportation and inventory for each organization in waste collection, delivery and disposal. An efficient inventory management plan for MSWM would lead to optimized productivity levels under available capacities (e.g., transportation and operational capacities). The applicability of the proposed system was illustrated by a case with three cities, one distribution and two waste disposal facilities. Solutions of the decision variable values under different significant levels indicate a consistent trend. With an increased significant level, the total generated waste would be decreased, and the total transported waste through distribution center to waste to energy and landfill would be decreased as well.

Characterisation factors for life cycle impact assessment of sound emissions

Noise is a serious stressor affecting the health of millions of citizens. It has been suggested that disturbance by noise is responsible for a substantial part of the damage to human health. However, no recommended approach to address noise impacts was proposed by the handbook for life cycle assessment (LCA) of the European Commission, nor are characterisation factors (CFs) and appropriate inventory data available in commonly used databases. This contribution provides CFs to allow for the quantification of noise impacts on human health in the LCA framework. Noise propagation standards and international reports on acoustics and noise impacts were used to define the model parameters. Spatial data was used to calculate spatially-defined CFs in the form of 10-by-10-km maps. The results of this analysis were combined with data from the literature to select input data for representative archetypal situations of emission (e.g. urban day with a frequency of 63 Hz, rural night at 8000 Hz, etc.). A total of 32 spatial and 216 archetypal CFs were produced to evaluate noise impacts at a European level (i.e. EU27). The possibility of a user-defined characterisation factor was added to support the possibility of portraying the situation of full availability of information, as well as a highly-localised impact analysis. A Monte Carlo-based quantitative global sensitivity analysis method was applied to evaluate the importance of the input factors in determining the variance of the output. The factors produced are ready to be implemented in the available LCA databases and software. The spatial approach and archetypal approach may be combined and selected according to the amount of information available and the life cycle under study. The framework proposed and used for calculations is flexible enough to be expanded to account for impacts on target subjects other than humans and to continents other than Europe.

Subcutaneous golimumab induces clinical response and remission in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Little is known about the efficacy of golimumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -α, for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). We evaluated subcutaneous golimumab induction therapy in TNF-α antagonist-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC despite conventional treatment.

METHODS

We integrated double-blind phase 2 dose-finding and phase 3 dose-confirmation trials in a study of 1064 adults with UC (Mayo score: 6-12; endoscopic subscore ≥ 2; 774 patients in phase 3). Patients were randomly assigned to groups given golimumab doses of 100 mg and then 50 mg (phase 2 only), 200 mg and then 100 mg, or 400 mg and then 200 mg, 2 weeks apart. The phase 3 primary end point was week-6 clinical response. Secondary end points included week-6 clinical remission, mucosal healing, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) score change.

RESULTS

In phase 2, median changes from baseline in the Mayo score were -1.0, -3.0, -2.0, and -3.0, in the groups given placebo, 100 mg/50 mg, 200/100 mg, and 400/200 mg golimumab, respectively. In phase 3, rates of clinical response at week 6 were 51.0% and 54.9% among patients given 200 mg/100 mg and 400 mg/200 mg golimumab, respectively, vs 30.3% among those given placebo (both, P ≤ .0001). Rates of clinical remission and mucosal healing and mean changes in IBDQ scores were significantly greater in both golimumab groups vs the placebo group (P ≤ .0014, all comparisons). Rates of serious adverse events were 6.1% and 3.0%, and rates of serious infection were 1.8% and 0.5%, in the placebo and golimumab groups, respectively. One patient in the 400 mg/200 mg group died as a result of surgical complications of an ischiorectal abscess.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with subcutaneous golimumab induces clinical response, remission, and mucosal healing, and increases quality of life in larger percentages of patients with active UC than placebo. ClinicalTrials.gov Number: NCT00487539.

Subcutaneous golimumab maintains clinical response in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Subcutaneous golimumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), was evaluated as maintenance therapy in TNFα antagonist-naive adults with moderate-to-severe active ulcerative colitis, despite conventional therapy, who responded to golimumab induction therapy.

METHODS

We performed a phase 3, double-blind trial of patients who completed golimumab induction trials (Program of Ulcerative Colitis Research Studies Utilizing an Investigational Treatment, eg, PURSUIT). Patients who responded to induction therapy with golimumab (n = 464) were assigned randomly to groups given placebo or injections of 50 or 100 mg golimumab every 4 weeks through week 52. Patients who responded to placebo in the induction study continued to receive placebo. Nonresponders in the induction study received 100 mg golimumab. The primary end point was clinical response maintained through week 54; secondary end points included clinical remission and mucosal healing at both weeks 30 and 54.

RESULTS

Clinical response was maintained through week 54 in 47.0% of patients receiving 50 mg golimumab, 49.7% of patients receiving 100 mg golimumab, and 31.2% of patients receiving placebo (P = .010 and P < .001, respectively). At weeks 30 and 54, a higher percentage of patients who received 100 mg golimumab were in clinical remission and had mucosal healing (27.8% and 42.4%) than patients given placebo (15.6% and 26.6%; P = .004 and P = .002, respectively) or 50 mg golimumab (23.2% and 41.7%, respectively). Percentages of serious adverse events were 7.7%, 8.4%, and 14.3% among patients given placebo, 50 mg, or 100 mg golimumab, respectively; percentages of serious infections were 1.9%, 3.2%, and 3.2%, respectively. Among all patients given golimumab in the study, 3 died (from sepsis, tuberculosis, and cardiac failure, all in patients who received 100 mg golimumab) and 4 developed active tuberculosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Golimumab (50 mg or 100 mg) maintained clinical response through week 54 in patients who responded to induction therapy with golimumab and had moderate-to-severe active ulcerative colitis; patients who received 100 mg golimumab had clinical remission and mucosal healing at weeks 30 and 54. Safety was consistent with that reported for other TNFα antagonists and golimumab in other approved indications. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00488631.

Possible new therapeutic strategy to regulate atopic dermatitis through upregulating filaggrin expression

BACKGROUND

Nonsense mutations in filaggrin (FLG) represent a significant genetic factor in the cause of atopic dermatitis (AD).

OBJECTIVE

It is of great importance to find drug candidates that upregulate FLG expression and to determine whether increased FLG expression controls the development of AD.

METHODS

We screened a library of bioactives by using an FLG reporter assay to find candidates that promoted FLG mRNA expression using a human immortalized keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). We studied the effect of the compound on keratinocytes using the human skin equivalent model. We examined the effect of the compound on AD-like skin inflammation in NC/Nga mice.

RESULTS

JTC801 promoted FLG mRNA and protein expression in both HaCaT and normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Intriguingly, JTC801 promoted the mRNA and protein expression levels of FLG but not the mRNA levels of other makers for keratinocyte differentiation, including loricrin, keratin 10, and transglutaminase 1, in a human skin equivalent model. In addition, oral administration of JTC801 promoted the protein level of Flg and suppressed the development of AD-like skin inflammation in NC/Nga mice.

CONCLUSION

This is the first observation that the compound, which increased FLG expression in human and murine keratinocytes, attenuated the development of AD-like skin inflammation in mice. Our findings provide evidence that modulation of FLG expression can be a novel therapeutic target for AD.

A sensory neuron-expressed IL-31 receptor mediates T helper cell-dependent itch: Involvement of TRPV1 and TRPA1

BACKGROUND

Although the cytokine IL-31 has been implicated in inflammatory and lymphoma-associated itch, the cellular basis for its pruritic action is yet unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine whether immune cell-derived IL-31 directly stimulates sensory neurons and to identify the molecular basis of IL-31-induced itch.

METHODS

We used immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR to determine IL-31 expression levels in mice and human subjects. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, quantitative real-time PCR, in vivo pharmacology, Western blotting, single-cell calcium imaging, and electrophysiology were used to examine the distribution, functionality, and cellular basis of the neuronal IL-31 receptor α in mice and human subjects.

RESULTS

Among all immune and resident skin cells examined, IL-31 was predominantly produced by TH2 and, to a significantly lesser extent, mature dendritic cells. Cutaneous and intrathecal injections of IL-31 evoked intense itch, and its concentrations increased significantly in murine atopy-like dermatitis skin. Both human and mouse dorsal root ganglia neurons express IL-31RA, largely in neurons that coexpress transient receptor potential cation channel vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1). IL-31-induced itch was significantly reduced in TRPV1-deficient and transient receptor channel potential cation channel ankyrin subtype 1 (TRPA1)-deficient mice but not in c-kit or proteinase-activated receptor 2 mice. In cultured primary sensory neurons IL-31 triggered Ca(2+) release and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation, inhibition of which blocked IL-31 signaling in vitro and reduced IL-31-induced scratching in vivo.

CONCLUSION

IL-31RA is a functional receptor expressed by a small subpopulation of IL-31RA(+)/TRPV1(+)/TRPA1(+) neurons and is a critical neuroimmune link between TH2 cells and sensory nerves for the generation of T cell-mediated itch. Thus targeting neuronal IL-31RA might be effective in the management of TH2-mediated itch, including atopic dermatitis and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Diagnosis of sclerosing cholangitis in children: blinded, comparative study of magnetic resonance versus endoscopic cholangiography

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) has been validated as comparable to endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) for the diagnosis of sclerosing cholangitis (SC) in adult patients. In children, MRC is widely used based mainly on non-comparative studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

ERCs and MRCs of seven children (median age 9, range: 7-20 years) with SC and 17 controls (median age 6, range: 2 months-20 years) with other chronic liver diseases were reviewed in a blinded, random and independent way. All patients underwent both examinations within a 6-months slot. All ERCs and 17 MRCs were performed under general anesthesia. One radiologist evaluated both ERCs and MRCs and one interventional endoscopist independently reviewed only ERCs. Reviewers did not receive any clinical information. Diagnosis of SC, established on the basis of history, laboratory data, radiological examinations and clinical course, was used as gold standard to compare ERC and MRC diagnostic accuracy.

RESULTS

Overall image quality was graded as very good in 57% of MRC and in 71% of ERC cases; difference was not statistically significant (P=0.24) although the probability for MRC to be diagnostic increased with patient's age. Depiction of first, second and fourth-order intrahepatic bile duct was better in ERC (P=0.004, 0.02 and 0.023, respectively); depiction of the extrahepatic bile duct was comparable (P=0.052). Diagnostic accuracy of MRC and ERC was very high, without statistically significant difference (P=0.61).

CONCLUSION

Despite an overall better depiction of the biliary tree by ERC, MRC is comparable for the diagnosis of SC in children. These data support MRC as the first imaging approach in children with suspected SC.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of water and sediment samples from gypsum mining area in channel catfish ovary (CCO) cells

Man-made activities such as mining generate certain amounts of metal contaminated wastes which can reach aquatic environment and cause the serious effects on different organisms and ecosystem. Chemical analysis of the environmental samples is the most direct approach to reveal their pollution status but it cannot always provide information on biological effects to different organisms, including fish. This study was aimed to investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of water and sediment samples from gypsum mining area using the channel catfish ovary (CCO) cell line. Results obtained by the WST-1 assay and alkaline comet assay revealed that exposure of CCO cells to the same concentrations of contaminated water and sediment samples caused significant decrease in cell viability and increased DNA damages. Chemical analysis of water and sediment samples showed that increased concentrations of strontium, aluminum and iron were mainly responsible for the observed cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in CCO cells. The study suggested that fish CCO cells could be useful biological test-system for water and sediment cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assessments.

Measurement of succinyl-carnitine and methylmalonyl-carnitine on dried blood spot by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) is one of the most frequent organic acidurias, a class of diseases caused by enzymatic defects mainly involved in the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids. Recently, mild MMA and C4-dicarboxylyl-carnitine (C4DC-C) accumulation have been reported in patients carrying mutation in genes encoding the α-subunit (SUCLG1) and the β-subunit (SUCLA2) of the ADP-forming succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS). We developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to quantify in dried blood spot the two isobaric compounds of C4DC-C, succinyl-carnitine and methylmalonyl-carnitine, to allow the differential diagnosis between classical MMA and SCS-related defects. This method, with an easy liquid-phase extraction and derivatization procedure, has been validated to demonstrate the specificity, linearity, recovery, lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ), accuracy and precision for quantitative determination of blood succinyl-carnitine and methylmalonyl-carnitine. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 0.025-10 μmol/L and achieved the LLOQ of 0.025 μmol/L for both metabolites. The average slope, intercept, and coefficient of linear regression (r(2)) were respectively: 0.3389 (95% confidence interval 0.2888-0.3889), 0.0113 (95% confidence interval -0.0157 to 0.0384), 0.9995 (95% confidence interval 0.9990-1.0000) for succinyl-carnitine and 0.5699 (95% confidence interval 0.5263-0.6134), 0.0319 (95% confidence interval -0.0038 to 0.0677), 0.9997 (95% confidence interval 0.9995-1.0000) for methylmalonyl-carnitine. Within-day and between-day coefficients of variation (CV) were 1.94% and 3.19% for succinyl-carnitine and 3.21%, and 2.56 for methylmalonyl-carnitine. This method is accurate and provides a new tool to differentiate patients with classical methylmalonic acidemia from those with SCS-related defects.

Identification of acyl-CoA synthetases involved in the mammalian sphingosine 1-phosphate metabolic pathway

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) plays important roles both as a bioactive lipid molecule and an intermediate of the sphingolipid-to-glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway. To identify human acyl-CoA synthetases (ACSs) involved in S1P metabolism, we cloned all 26 human ACS genes and examined their abilities to restore deficient sphingolipid-to-glycerophospholipid metabolism in a yeast mutant lacking two ACS genes, FAA1 and FAA4. Here, in addition to the previously identified ACSL family members (ACSL1, 3, 4, 5, and 6), we found that ACSVL1, ACSVL4, and ACSBG1 also restored metabolism. All 8 ACSs were localized either exclusively or partly to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where S1P metabolism takes place. We previously proposed the entire S1P metabolic pathway from results obtained using yeast cells, i.e., S1P is metabolized to glycerophospholipids via trans-2-hexadecenal, trans-2-hexadecenoic acid, trans-2-hexadecenoyl-CoA, and palmitoyl-CoA. However, as S1P is not a naturally occurring long-chain base 1-phosphate in yeast, the validity of this pathway required further verification using mammalian cells. In the present study, we treated HeLa cells with the ACS inhibitor triacsin C and found that inhibition of ACSs resulted in accumulation of trans-2-hexadecenoic acid as in ACS mutant yeast. From these results, we conclude that S1P is metabolized by a common pathway in eukaryotes.

Knockdown of Lingo1b protein promotes myelination and oligodendrocyte differentiation in zebrafish

Demyelinating diseases include multiple sclerosis, which is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by immune attacks on the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in myelin sheath damage and axonal loss. Leucine-rich repeat and immunoglobulin domain-containing neurite outgrowth inhibitory protein (Nogo) receptor-interacting protein-1 (LINGO-1) have been identified as a negative regulator of oligodendrocytes differentiation. Targeted LINGO-1 inhibition promotes neuron survival, axon regeneration, oligodendrocyte differentiation, and remyelination in diverse animal models. Although studies in rodent models have extended our understanding of LINGO-1, its roles in neural development and myelination in zebrafish (Danio rerio) are not yet clear. In this study, we cloned the zebrafish homolog of the human LINGO-1 and found that lingo1b regulated myelination and oligodendrocyte differentiation. The expression of lingo1b started 1 (mRNA) and 2 (protein) days post-fertilization (dpf) in the CNS. Morpholino oligonucleotide knockdown of lingo1b resulted in developmental abnormalities, including less dark pigment, small eyes, and a curly spinal cord. The lack of lingo1b enhanced myelination and oligodendrocyte differentiation during embryogenesis. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry and movement analysis showed that lingo1b was involved in the axon development of primary motor neurons. These results suggested that Lingo1b protein functions as a negative regulator of myelination and oligodendrocyte differentiation during zebrafish development.

Factors modulating neural reactivity to drug cues in addiction: a survey of human neuroimaging studies

Human neuroimaging studies suggest that neural cue reactivity is strongly associated with indices of drug use, including addiction severity and treatment success. However, little is known about factors that modulate cue reactivity. The goal of this review, in which we survey published fMRI and PET studies on drug cue reactivity in cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco cigarette users, is to highlight major factors that modulate brain reactivity to drug cues. First, we describe cue reactivity paradigms used in neuroimaging research and outline the brain circuits that underlie cue reactivity. We then discuss major factors that have been shown to modulate cue reactivity and review specific evidence as well as outstanding questions related to each factor. Building on previous model-building reviews on the topic, we then outline a simplified model that includes the key modulatory factors and a tentative ranking of their relative impact. We conclude with a discussion of outstanding challenges and future research directions, which can inform future neuroimaging studies as well as the design of treatment and prevention programs.

A diagnostic score for the prediction of spontaneous resolution of acute hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND & AIMS

IL28B polymorphisms, jaundice, decline in HCV-RNA, IP-10, and gender have been proposed to be indicative of spontaneous clearance of acute hepatitis C virus infection. The aim of this study was to define a score enabling the discrimination of patients with spontaneous clearance of HCV from those with development of viral persistence and need for early antiviral treatment.

METHODS

136 patients (74 male; 35 ± 15 years) were analyzed. From variables predictive of spontaneous clearance, calculated by univariate analysis, three scores were built. Analogous cut-offs were evaluated by computing area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Candidate variables and cut-offs were: (I) presence of IL28B C/C (p=0.027), (II) age (p=0.031; cut-off: 35 years), (III) peak-bilirubin (p=0.018; cut-off: 6 mg/dl), (IV) HCV-RNA decline within 4 weeks (p<0.001;cut-off: >2.5 log), (V) serum IP-10 (p=0.003; cut-off: 546 pg/ml), (VI) presence of CD4(+) Th1 cells (p=0.024). Each variable was allocated to 0 or 1 point, an HCV-RNA decline of ≥ 1 log 10 but <2.5 log 10 to 1 point, a decline of ≥ 2.5 log 10 to 2 points. Three scores were evaluated (Score 1: I-IV; Score 2: I-V; Score 3: I-VI).

RESULTS

A cut-off of ≥ 3 points out of 5 in Score 1 (AUROC: 0.82; DeLong 95% CI: 0.76-0.93) predicted spontaneous clearance with a sensitivity of 71% (95% CI: 0.53-0.86) and specificity of 87% (95% CI: 0.73-0.95). PPV and NPV were 79% and 82%. Corresponding findings for Score 2 including IP-10 (AUROC: 0.93; DeLong 95% CI: 0.86-0.93) at a cut-off of ≥ 4 were: sensitivity 81%, specificity 95% (PPV: 100%; NPV: 77%). A cut-off of ≥ 5 in Score 3 (AUROC: 0.98; DeLong 95% CI: 0.95-1.0) predicted spontaneous resolution with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100% (PPV: 100%; NPV: 88%).

CONCLUSIONS

The scores enable a reliable discrimination between AHC-patients with high potential for spontaneous clearance from candidates for early therapeutic intervention due to marginal chance of spontaneous resolution.

The expression patterns of bromelain and AcCYS1 correlate with blackheart resistance in pineapple fruits submitted to postharvest chilling stress

Blackheart is a physiological disorder induced by postharvest chilling storage during pineapple fruit export shipping. The aim of this study was to check the involvement of bromelain, the cysteine protease protein family abundantly present in pineapple fruits, and AcCYS1, an endogenous inhibitor of bromelain, in the development of blackheart. For this we checked the response to postharvest chilling treatment of two pineapple varieties (MD2 and Smooth Cayenne) differing in their resistance to blackheart. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed that postharvest chilling treatment induced a down-regulation of bromelain transcript accumulation in both varieties with the most dramatic drop in the resistant variety. Regarding AcCYS1 transcript accumulation, the varieties showed opposite trends with an up-regulation in the case of the resistant variety and a down-regulation in the susceptible one. Taken together our results suggest that the control of bromelain and AcCYS1 expression levels directly correlates to the resistance to blackheart development in pineapple fruits.