MRgFUS ablation of a recurrent tenosynovial giant cell tumor in the foot using ExAblate 2100 system in combination with patient immobilization device

INTRODUCTION

Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment for certain anatomy locations can be extremely challenging due to patient positioning and potential motion. This present study describes the treatment of a recurrent tenosynovial giant cell tumor of the plantar forefoot using the ExAblate 2100 system in combination with patient immobilization device.

METHODS

Prior to the treatment, several patient immobilization devices were investigated. Vacuum cushions were selected and tested for safety and compatibility with the treatment task and the MR environment.

RESULTS

During the treatment, one vacuum cushion immobilized the patient's right leg in knee flexion and allowed the bottom of the foot to be securely positioned on the treatment window. Another vacuum cushion supported the patient upper body extended outside the scanner bore. 19 sonications were successfully executed. The treatment was judged to be successful. No immediate complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

MRgFUS treatment of a recurrent tenosynovial giant cell tumor of the right plantar forefoot was successful with the use of patient immobilization vacuum cushions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The immobilization system could be utilized to aid future MRgFUS treatment of lesions in challenging anatomic locations. Various sizes of the vacuum cushions are available to potentially better accommodate other body parts and treatment configurations.

Regulation of human microglial gene expression and function via RNAase-H active antisense oligonucleotides in vivo in Alzheimer's disease

BACKGROUND

Microglia play important roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and neurodegeneration. The discovery of genetic variants in genes predominately or exclusively expressed in myeloid cells, such as Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), as the strongest risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) highlights the importance of microglial biology in the brain. The sequence, structure and function of several microglial proteins are poorly conserved across species, which has hampered the development of strategies aiming to modulate the expression of specific microglial genes. One way to target APOE and TREM2 is to modulate their expression using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs).

METHODS

In this study, we identified, produced, and tested novel, selective and potent ASOs for human APOE and TREM2. We used a combination of in vitro iPSC-microglia models, as well as microglial xenotransplanted mice to provide proof of activity in human microglial in vivo.

RESULTS

We proved their efficacy in human iPSC microglia in vitro, as well as their pharmacological activity in vivo in a xenografted microglia model. We demonstrate ASOs targeting human microglia can modify their transcriptional profile and their response to amyloid-β plaques in vivo in a model of AD.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first proof-of-concept that human microglial can be modulated using ASOs in a dose-dependent manner to manipulate microglia phenotypes and response to neurodegeneration in vivo.

[Literature data mining on the current research status of uveitis in China]

Objective: To analyze the current research status of uveitis in China. Methods: It was a bibliometric analysis study. Using search formulas covering uveitis and its multiple subtypes, uveitis-related literature in English with publication dates from 2013 to 2022 was retrieved in Web of Science core databases through certain search strategies. This study used the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) algorithm to build topic models and analyzed the trends of research topics in recent years. Bibliometric analysis was used to analyze and visualize the bibliometric indicators (e.g., number of publications, citations, and H-index) of the included literature using tools such as VOSviewer software. Results: Over the past decade, China has published 1 657 papers on uveitis, ranking second globally. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of the H-index (58) and citation (12.28 per publication). Countries such as the USA (43.04%) and the United Kingdom (62.54%) were engaged in more international collaboration. We identified ten optimal LDA topics for uveitis literature in China such as immunotherapy, Behçet's disease, and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome. Research on uveitis in China was mostly published in Ocular Immunology and Inflammation (92). Conclusions: China has made remarkable progress in uveitis research. Nonetheless, there is still untapped potential to enhance our global academic influence. It is encouraged to promote international collaborations, harness our expertise in areas like Behçet's disease and VKH syndrome, and publish our scientific achievements in high-impact journals.

Uncertainties and opportunities in delivering environmentally sustainable surgery: the surgeons' view

Surgery is a carbon-heavy activity and creates a high volume of waste. Surgical teams around the world want to deliver more environmentally sustainable surgery but are unsure what to do and how to create change. There are many interventions available, but resources and time are limited. Capital investment into healthcare and engagement of senior management are challenging. However, frontline teams can change behaviours and drive wider change. Patients have a voice here too, as they would like to ensure their surgery does not harm their local community but are concerned about the effects on them when changes are made. Environmentally sustainable surgery is at the start of its journey. Surgeons need to rapidly upskill their generic knowledge base, identify which measures they can implement locally and take part in national research programmes. Surgical teams in the NHS have the chance to create a world-leading programme that can bring change to hospitals around the world. This article provides an overview of how surgeons see the surgical team being involved in environmentally sustainable surgery.

A pilot study to assess the impact of aboriginal and torres strait islander cultural humility webinars on australian medical school students

BACKGROUND

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework helps higher education providers to deliver safe and well-informed cultural humility education. However, there is currently a scarcity of evidence surrounding the efficacy and impact of cultural humility education. This study will use qualitative and quantitative research methods to evaluate learning outcomes from an Indigenous health educational webinar aimed at Australian medical students.

METHODS

A pilot study was conducted following a group of Australian medical students who attended an educational Indigenous health (IH) culturally responsive webinar. Recruitment was conducted via the webinar hosts' social media pages. Quantitative methods involved sending one pre- and two post-webinar questionnaires to attendees. To assess participants' retention of information, one post-webinar survey was sent out immediately after the webinar and another three months after the webinar. These questionnaires were designed to reflect pre-determined learning objectives for the webinar. Qualitative methods involved a focus group discussion to identify common themes from participant feedback.

RESULTS

Twenty-six participants were included in the final quantitative analysis. Most of the participants were clinical students between 18 and 24 years old who did not identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. There was a significant increase (p = 0.007) between pre-intervention (M = 0.35, SD = 0.26) and post-webinar knowledge for the learning outcome exploring the links between health and education (M = 047, SD = 0.25). No results were obtained from the three months post-intervention questionnaire. The qualitative analysis synthesized feedback from three participants and identified presenter delivery style as an important mediator of webinar effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a significant increase in knowledge and understanding for the learning outcome that explored the links between health and education. We attribute this partly to the engaging and conversational delivery style of the webinar presenters. The importance of Indigenous facilitators that encourage reflective teaching should not be understated. Our results suggest that cultural humility webinars can have a positive impact on medical students' understanding of the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health landscape. This pilot study warrants further research on a larger population.

The SPEAK study rationale and design: A linguistic corpus-based approach to understanding thought disorder

AIM

Psychotic symptoms are typically measured using clinical ratings, but more objective and sensitive metrics are needed. Hence, we will assess thought disorder using the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) heuristic for language production, and its recommended paradigm of "linguistic corpus-based analyses of language output". Positive thought disorder (e.g., tangentiality and derailment) can be assessed using word-embedding approaches that assess semantic coherence, whereas negative thought disorder (e.g., concreteness, poverty of speech) can be assessed using part-of-speech (POS) tagging to assess syntactic complexity. We aim to establish convergent validity of automated linguistic metrics with clinical ratings, assess normative demographic variance, determine cognitive and functional correlates, and replicate their predictive power for psychosis transition among at-risk youths.

METHODS

This study will assess language production in 450 English-speaking individuals in Australia and Canada, who have recent onset psychosis, are at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, or who are healthy volunteers, all well-characterized for cognition, function and symptoms. Speech will be elicited using open-ended interviews. Audio files will be transcribed and preprocessed for automated natural language processing (NLP) analyses of coherence and complexity. Data analyses include canonical correlation, multivariate linear regression with regularization, and machine-learning classification of group status and psychosis outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

This prospective study aims to characterize language disturbance across stages of psychosis using computational approaches, including psychometric properties, normative variance and clinical correlates, important for biomarker development. SPEAK will create a large archive of language data available to other investigators, a rich resource for the field.

Medical Imaging Compatibility of Magnesium- and Iron-Based Bioresorbable Flow Diverters

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Bioresorbable flow diverters are under development to mitigate complications associated with conventional flow-diverter technology. One proposed advantage is the ability to reduce metal-induced artifacts in follow-up medical imaging. In the current work, the medical imaging compatibility of magnesium- and iron-based bioresorbable flow diverters is assessed relative to an FDA-approved control in phantom models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Bioresorbable flow diverters, primarily composed of braided magnesium or antiferromagnetic iron alloy wires, were compared with an FDA-approved control flow diverter. The devices were assessed for MR imaging safety in terms of magnetically induced force and radiofrequency heating using 1.5T, 3T, and 7T field strength clinical scanners. The devices were deployed in phantom models, and metal-induced image artifacts were assessed in the 3 MR imaging scanners and a clinical CT scanner following clinical scan protocols; device visibility was assessed under fluoroscopy.

RESULTS

The magnesium-based bioresorbable flow diverter, iron-based bioresorbable flow diverter, and the control device all demonstrated MR imaging safety in terms of magnetically induced force and radiofrequency heating at all 3 field strengths. The bioresorbable flow diverters did not elicit excessive MR imaging artifacts at any field strength relative to the control. Furthermore, the bioresorbable flow diverters appeared to reduce blooming artifacts in CT relative to the control. The iron-based bioresorbable flow diverter and control device were visible under standard fluoroscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

We have demonstrated the baseline medical imaging compatibility of magnesium and antiferromagnetic iron alloy bioresorbable flow diverters. Future work will evaluate the medical imaging characteristics of the bioresorbable flow diverters in large-animal models.

Early alterations in the MCH system link aberrant neuronal activity and sleep disturbances in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Early Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with hippocampal hyperactivity and decreased sleep quality. Here we show that homeostatic mechanisms transiently counteract the increased excitatory drive to CA1 neurons in App^NL-G-F mice, but that this mechanism fails in older mice. Spatial transcriptomics analysis identifies Pmch as part of the adaptive response in App^NL-G-F mice. Pmch encodes melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), which is produced in sleep-active lateral hypothalamic neurons that project to CA1 and modulate memory. We show that MCH downregulates synaptic transmission, modulates firing rate homeostasis in hippocampal neurons and reverses the increased excitatory drive to CA1 neurons in App^NL-G-F mice. App^NL-G-F mice spend less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. App^NL-G-F mice and individuals with AD show progressive changes in morphology of CA1-projecting MCH axons. Our findings identify the MCH system as vulnerable in early AD and suggest that impaired MCH-system function contributes to aberrant excitatory drive and sleep defects, which can compromise hippocampus-dependent functions.

Quercetin downregulates the expression of IL15 in cancer cells through DNA methylation

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of quercetin on cellular immunity (via IL15 expression) against cancer and to elucidate its regulatory mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

HeLa cells and A549 cells were cultured in vitro and were divided into control (DMSO treated) and experimental groups (treated with different concentrations of quercetin). Transcript levels of IL15 and DNA methyltransferase (DNMTS) were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Genomic DNA was extracted, treated with bisulfite, and the promoter region of IL15 was cloned. Finally, Sanger sequencing was used to detect the degree of promoter methylation.

RESULTS

Following quercetin treatment, the expression of IL15 was significantly downregulated in HeLa and A549 cells. The methylation level of IL15 promoter in HeLa cells was about twice that of the control group, and the methylation level of IL15 promoter in A549 cells was about three times that of the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Quercetin inhibits cancer cell proliferation while downregulating IL15 expression, and this regulation is achieved by increasing the methylation of the IL15 promoter.

Multi-Stage Adaptive Spline Autofocus (MASA) with a Learned Metric for Deformable Motion Compensation in Interventional Cone-Beam CT

Purpose

Cone-beam CT (CBCT) is widespread in abdominal interventional imaging, but its long acquisition time makes it susceptible to patient motion. Image-based autofocus has shown success in CBCT deformable motion compensation, via deep autofocus metrics and multi-region optimization, but it is challenged by the large parameter dimensionality required to capture intricate motion trajectories. This work leverages the differentiable nature of deep autofocus metrics to build a novel optimization strategy, Multi-Stage Adaptive Spine Autofocus (MASA), for compensation of complex deformable motion in abdominal CBCT.

Methods

MASA poses the autofocus problem as a multi-stage adaptive sampling strategy of the motion trajectory, sampled with Hermite spline basis with variable amplitude and knot temporal positioning. The adaptive method permits simultaneous optimization of the sampling phase, local temporal sampling density, and time-dependent amplitude of the motion trajectory. The optimization is performed in a multi-stage schedule with increasing number of knots that progressively accommodates complex trajectories in late stages, preconditioned by coarser components from early stages, and with minimal increase in dimensionality. MASA was evaluated in controlled simulation experiments with two types of motion trajectories: i) combinations of slow drifts with sudden jerk (sigmoid) motion; and ii) combinations of periodic motion sources of varying frequency into multi-frequency trajectories. Further validation was obtained in clinical data from liver CBCT featuring motion of contrast-enhanced vessels, and soft-tissue structures.

Results

The adaptive sampling strategy provided successful motion compensation in sigmoid trajectories, compared to fixed sampling strategies (mean SSIM increase of 0.026 compared to 0.011). Inspection of the estimated motion showed the capability of MASA to automatically allocate larger sampling density to parts of the scan timeline featuring sudden motion, effectively accommodating complex motion without increasing the problem dimension. Experiments on multi-frequency trajectories with 3-stage MASA (5, 10, and 15 knots) yielded a twofold SSIM increase compared to single-stage autofocus with 15 knots (0.076 vs 0.040, respectively). Application of MASA to clinical datasets resulted in simultaneous improvement on the delineation of both contrast-enhanced vessels and soft-tissue structures in the liver.

Conclusion

A new autofocus framework, MASA, was developed including a novel multi-stage technique for adaptive temporal sampling of the motion trajectory in combination with fully differentiable deep autofocus metrics. This novel adaptive sampling approach is a crucial step for application of deformable motion compensation to complex temporal motion trajectories.

3D-2D image registration in the presence of soft-tissue deformation in image-guided transbronchial interventions

Purpose. Target localization in pulmonary interventions (e.g. transbronchial biopsy of a lung nodule) is challenged by deformable motion and may benefit from fluoroscopic overlay of the target to provide accurate guidance. We present and evaluate a 3D-2D image registration method for fluoroscopic overlay in the presence of tissue deformation using a multi-resolution/multi-scale (MRMS) framework with an objective function that drives registration primarily by soft-tissue image gradients.Methods. The MRMS method registers 3D cone-beam CT to 2D fluoroscopy without gating of respiratory phase by coarse-to-fine resampling and global-to-local rescaling about target regions-of-interest. A variation of the gradient orientation (GO) similarity metric (denotedGO') was developed to downweight bone gradients and drive registration via soft-tissue gradients. Performance was evaluated in terms of projection distance error at isocenter (PDE_iso). Phantom studies determined nominal algorithm parameters and capture range. Preclinical studies used a freshly deceased, ventilated porcine specimen to evaluate performance in the presence of real tissue deformation and a broad range of 3D-2D image mismatch.Results. Nominal algorithm parameters were identified that provided robust performance over a broad range of motion (0-20 mm), including an adaptive parameter selection technique to accommodate unknown mismatch in respiratory phase. TheGO'metric yielded median PDE_iso= 1.2 mm, compared to 6.2 mm for conventionalGO.Preclinical studies with real lung deformation demonstrated median PDE_iso= 1.3 mm with MRMS +GO'registration, compared to 2.2 mm with a conventional transform. Runtime was 26 s and can be reduced to 2.5 s given a prior registration within ∼5 mm as initialization.Conclusions. MRMS registration via soft-tissue gradients achieved accurate fluoroscopic overlay in the presence of deformable lung motion. By driving registration via soft-tissue image gradients, the method avoided false local minima presented by bones and was robust to a wide range of motion magnitude.

CD28 signaling strength regulates the cell fate of TCF-1+ PD-1+ CD8 T cells

During chronic infections and cancer, CD8 T cells that recognize pathogens/tumors can persist in a dysfunctional state characterized by high expression of the inhibitory receptor Programmed Cell Death (PD)-1. T cell factor (TCF)-1+PD-1+ progenitor exhausted cells (Tpex) maintain the antigen-specific T cell pool by self-renewal and differentiation into effector-like TCF-1negPD-1+CD8 T cells. Previous studies described that among PD-1+ CD8 T cells, only Tpex respond to PD-1 blockade therapy. However, the molecular mechanisms that support Tpex self-renewal or differentiation are not understood. Tpex have high CD28 expression and we demonstrated that CD28 costimulation is required for response to PD-1 targeted therapy. To better understand the role of CD28 on Tpex, we evaluated how reduction or abrogation of CD28 signaling impacted virus-specific CD8 T cells in mice infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). During established chronic infection, deletion of both Cd28 alleles resulted in reduction of Tpex and TCF-1neg subsets. In contrast, when CD28 signaling was reduced (deletion of one allele), TCF-1negPD-1+ CD8 T cells decreased, but the number of Tpex was not affected. RNA sequencing and metabolic assays revealed that sustained CD28 signaling during persistent antigen stimulation is required to maintain mitochondrial fitness of Tpex. Our work supports the novel hypothesis that CD28 signaling strength modulates Tpex fate decision through metabolic regulation. Our data also suggest continuous CD28 signaling is required for long-term maintenance of antigen-specific PD-1+ CD8 T cells. These findings have important implications for checkpoint therapy in cancer.

Space-time analysis of COVID-19 cases and SARS-CoV-2 wastewater loading: A geodemographic perspective

Severe acute respiratory syndrome - coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to effect communities across the world. One way to combat these effects is to enhance our collective ability to remotely monitor community spread. Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater is one approach that enables researchers to estimate the total number of infected people in a region; however, estimates are often made at the sewershed level which may mask the geographic nuance required for targeted interdiction efforts. In this work, we utilize an apportioning method to compare the spatial and temporal trends of daily case count with the temporal pattern of viral load in the wastewater at smaller units of analysis within Austin, TX. We find different lag-times between wastewater loading and case reports. Daily case reports for some locations follow the temporal trend of viral load more closely than others. These findings are then compared to socio-demographic characteristics across the study area.

Targeted Deformable Motion Compensation for Vascular Interventional Cone-Beam CT Imaging

Purpose

Cone-beam CT has become commonplace for 3D guidance in interventional radiology (IR), especially for vascular procedures in which identification of small vascular structures is crucial. However, its long image acquisition time poses a limit to image quality due to soft-tissue deformable motion that hampers visibility of small vessels. Autofocus motion compensation has shown promising potential for soft-tissue deformable motion compensation, but it lacks specific target to the imaging task. This work presents an approach for deformable motion compensation targeted at imaging of vascular structures.

Methods

The proposed method consists on a two-stage framework for: i) identification of contrast-enhanced blood vessels in 2D projection data and delineation of an approximate region covering the vascular target in the volume space, and, ii) a novel autofocus approach including a metric designed to promote the presence of vascular structures acting solely in the region of interest. The vesselness of the image is quantified via evaluation of the properties of the 3D image Hessian, yielding a vesselness filter that gives larger values to voxels candidate to be part of a tubular structure. A cost metric is designed to promote large vesselness values and spatial sparsity, as expected in regions of fine vascularity. A targeted autofocus method was designed by combining the presented metric with a conventional autofocus term acting outside of the region of interest. The resulting method was evaluated on simulated data including synthetic vascularity merged with real anatomical features obtained from MDCT data. Further evaluation was obtained in two clinical datasets obtained during TACE procedures with a robotic C-arm (Artis Zeego, Siemens Healthineers).

Results

The targeted vascular autofocus effectively restored the shape and contrast of the contrast-enhanced vascularity in the simulation cases, resulting in improved visibility and reduced artifacts. Segmentations performed with a single threshold value on the target vascular regions yielded a net increase of up to 42% in DICE coefficient computed against the static reference. Motion compensation in clinical datasets resulted in improved visibility of vascular structures, observed in maximum intensity projections of the contrast-enhanced liver vessel tree.

Conclusion

Targeted motion compensation for vascular imaging showed promising performance for increased identification of small vascular structures in presence of motion. The development of autofocus metrics and methods tailored to vascular imaging opens the way for reliable compensation of deformable motion while preserving the integrity of anatomical structures in the image.

[The mechanism of circ_0023990/miR-873-5p/ANXA2 axis regulating radiosensitivity and development of thyroid carcinoma]

Objective: To explore the effect and possible mechanism of circ_0023990 on the radiosensitivity of thyroid cancer cells. Methods: qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of circ_0023990 in the cancer tissues of 55 patients with thyroid cancer and thyroid cancer cell lines (TPC-1, KTC-1, FTC-133 and CAL-62), and the relationship between the expression of circ_0023990 in cancer tissues and the clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed. Thyroid cancer cells TPC-1 and KTC-1 were divided into sh-circ_0023990 group, sh-NC group, sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-873-5p group, sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-NC group, miR-873-5p group, miR-NC group, miR-873-5p+pcDNA-ANXA2 group and miR-873-5p+pcDNA group, and then clone formation experiment was used to detect cell radiosensitivity. After each group of cells was irradiated with 4Gy radiation, the expression of γH2AX protein in the cells was detected by Western Blot. The dual luciferase reporter gene experiment verified the targeting relationship between circ_0023990 and miR-873-5p or miR-873-5p and ANXA2. Results: The expression of circ_0023990 in thyroid cancer tissues was higher than that in normal tissues (2.15±0.09 vs. 0.97±0.05, P<0.05), and its expression was closely related to tumor size, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging of patients with thyroid cancer (P<0.05). The expression of circ_0023990 in thyroid cancer cell lines (TPC-1, KTC-1, FTC-133 and CAL-62) were higher than that of normal thyroid cells HTori-3 (3.16±0.38, 2.63±0.28, 1.82±0.24, 1.71±0.22 vs. 1.00±0.10, all P<0.05). The survival scores of TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells in the sh-circ_0023990 group were significantly lower than those in the sh-NC group (P<0.05), and the sensitization ratios were 2.482, 1.643; The survival scores of TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells in the sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-873-5p group were higher than those in the sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-NC group (P<0.05), and the sensitization ratios were 0.305, 0.441, respectively. The survival scores of TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells in the miR-873-5p group were lower than those in the miR-NC group (P<0.05), and the sensitization ratios were 2.044, 1.653 respectively. The survival scores of TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells in the miR-873-5p+pcDNA-ANXA2 group was higher than that in the miR-873-5p+pcDNA group (P<0.05), and the sensitization ratios were 0.496, 0.686, respectively. The expression of γH2AX protein in TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells of the 4 Gy+sh-circ_0023990 group were higher than that in the 4 Gy+sh-NC group (2.68±0.27 vs. 1.87±0.25, 2.46±0.19 vs. 1.77±0.14; all P<0.05), but the expression of γH2AX protein in TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells of the 4 Gy+sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-873-5p group were lower than that in the 4 Gy+sh-circ_0023990+anti-miR-NC group (1.13±0.09 vs. 1.69±0.09, 1.11±0.08 vs. 1.60±0.08; both P<0.05). The expression of γH2AX protein in TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells in the 4 Gy+miR-873-5p group were higher than that in the 4 Gy+miR-NC group (2.35±0.16 vs. 1.84±0.14, 2.26±0.12 vs. 1.77±0.13; both P<0.05), but the expression of γH2AX protein in TPC-1 and KTC-1 cells of the 4 Gy+miR-873-5p+pcDNA-ANXA2 group were lower than that in the 4 Gy+miR-873-5p+pcDNA group (1.96±0.12 vs. 2.41±0.12, 1.92±0.07 vs. 2.28±0.12; both P<0.05). circ_0023990 targeted the negative regulation of miR-873-5p, and ANXA2 was the target gene of miR-873-5p. Conclusion: circ_0023990 was highly expressed in thyroid cancer tissues and cell lines, and it may promote the radiotherapy resistance of thyroid cancer cells in vivo through regulating miR-873-5p/ANXA2 axis.

Zero TE MRI for Craniofacial Bone Imaging

Zero TE MR imaging is a novel technique that achieves a near-zero time interval between radiofrequency excitation and data acquisition, enabling visualization of short-T2 materials such as cortical bone. Zero TE offers a promising radiation-free alternative to CT with rapid, high-resolution, silent, and artifact-resistant imaging, as well as the potential for "pseudoCT" reconstructions. In this report, we will discuss our preliminary experience with zero TE, including technical principles and a clinical case series demonstrating emerging applications in neuroradiology.

Novel Alzheimer risk genes determine the microglia response to amyloid-β but not to TAU pathology

Polygenic risk scores have identified that genetic variants without genome-wide significance still add to the genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whether and how subthreshold risk loci translate into relevant disease pathways is unknown. We investigate here the involvement of AD risk variants in the transcriptional responses of two mouse models: APPswe/PS1L166P and Thy-TAU22. A unique gene expression module, highly enriched for AD risk genes, is specifically responsive to Aβ but not TAU pathology. We identify in this module 7 established AD risk genes (APOE, CLU, INPP5D, CD33, PLCG2, SPI1, and FCER1G) and 11 AD GWAS genes below the genome-wide significance threshold (GPC2, TREML2, SYK, GRN, SLC2A5, SAMSN1, PYDC1, HEXB, RRBP1, LYN, and BLNK), that become significantly upregulated when exposed to Aβ. Single microglia sequencing confirms that Aβ, not TAU, pathology induces marked transcriptional changes in microglia, including increased proportions of activated microglia. We conclude that genetic risk of AD functionally translates into different microglia pathway responses to Aβ pathology, placing AD genetic risk downstream of the amyloid pathway but upstream of TAU pathology.

Mutation Analysis of Pre-mRNA Splicing Genes PRPF31, PRPF8, and SNRNP200 in Chinese Families with Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa

BACKGROUND

To screen variants in pre-mRNA Splicing genes in 95 Chinese autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) families.

METHODS

Clinical examination and pedigree analysis were performed. Targeted exome sequencing (TES) and / or Sanger sequencing were performed to detect the variants in genes of Splicing factors and conduct intra-familiar segregation analysis with DNA available. In silico analysis was performed to predict pathogenicity of variants in protein level and in vitro splicing assays were performed to compare splicing variants with their corresponding wildtype about their splicing effect.

RESULTS

In this study, total nine different variants were identified in PRPF31, SNRNP200, and PRPF8 respectively, including six PRPF31 variants [five novel variants 322+1G>A, c.527+2T>G, c.590T>C(p.Leu197Pro), c.1035_1036insGC (p.Pro346Argfs X18), and c.1224dupG (p.Gln409AlafsX66) plus one reported variant c.1060C>T (p.Arg354X)], a recurrent PRPF8 variant c.6930G>T (p.Arg2310Ser), two SNRNP200 variants [one heterozygous and homozygous SNRNP200 recurrent variant c.3260G>A (p.Ser1087Leu), and a reported heterozygous c.2042G>A(p.Arg681His)]. In family 20009, incomplete penetrance was observed. A novel PRPF31 missense variant c.590T>C (p.Leu197Pro) was predicted to be pathogenic in protein level via in silico analysis and in vitro splicing assay demonstrated that two novel splicing PRPF31 variants c.322+1G>A and c.527+2T>G affect splicing compared with the wildtype.

CONCLUSIONS

In our studies, RP-causing variants of pre-mRNA Splicing genes (PRPF31, PRPF8 and SNRNP200) were identified in nine of the ninety-five adRP families respectively, which extend the spectra of RP variant and phenotype. And we provide the first example that SNRNP200-related RP can be caused by both heterozygous and homozygous variants of this gene.

FPR2 enhances colorectal cancer progression by promoting EMT process

Formyl peptide receptor-2 (FPR2) has been shown to promote various tumors, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been clearly illuminated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of FPR2 interference on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, pro-angiogenesis of CRC cells, and also the mechanisms involved. Quantitative PCR assays were applied to assess the expression levels of FPR2 in CRC tissues. CRC cell line SW1116 was chosen to perform this study. We knocked down FPR2 gene by sh-RNA. Then, the cell proliferation was assayed by soft agar colony formation assay, the cell migration capacity was checked by wound healing assay, and cell invasion ability was detected by transwell assay. In addition, flow cytometric analysis was used to detect apoptosis, while endothelial tube formation assay was used to evaluate the effects of FPR2 on pro-angiogenesis in vitro. Tumorigenesis experiment in vivo was performed in nude mice. EMT-related proteins were studied by western blotting. Quantitative PCR demonstrated that FPR2 mRNA was highly expressed in the colorectal cancer tissues. SW1116 cells' capacities of proliferation, migration, invasion, anti-apoptosis and pro-angiogenesis were distinctly suppressed after silencing FPR2 in SW1116 by sh-RNA. Suppression FPR2 mRNA in SW1116 cells suppressed tumorigenicity in nude mice. The expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail, Slug and vimentin was changed after suppressing FPR2. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that FPR2 could promote CRC cells progression in vitro and in vivo that may relate to promoting EMT.

Deregulation of neuronal miRNAs induced by amyloid-β or TAU pathology

BACKGROUND

Despite diverging levels of amyloid-β (Aβ) and TAU pathology, different mouse models, as well as sporadic AD patients show predictable patterns of episodic memory loss. MicroRNA (miRNA) deregulation is well established in AD brain but it is unclear whether Aβ or TAU pathology drives those alterations and whether miRNA changes contribute to cognitive decline.

METHODS

miRNAseq was performed on cognitively intact (4 months) and impaired (10 months) male APPtg (APPswe/PS1L166P) and TAUtg (THY-Tau22) mice and their wild-type littermates (APPwt and TAUwt). We analyzed the hippocampi of 12 mice per experimental group (n = 96 in total), and employed a 2-way linear model to extract differentially expressed miRNAs. Results were confirmed by qPCR in a separate cohort of 4 M and 10 M APPtg and APPwt mice (n = 7-9 per group) and in human sporadic AD and non-demented control brain. Fluorescent in situ hybridization identified their cellular expression. Functional annotation of predicted targets was performed using GO enrichment. Behavior of wild-type mice was assessed after intracerebroventricular infusion of miRNA mimics.

RESULTS

Six miRNAs (miR-10a-5p, miR-142a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-211-5p, miR-455-5p) are commonly upregulated between APPtg and TAUtg mice, and four of these (miR-142a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p and miR-455-5p) are altered in AD patients. All 6 miRNAs are strongly enriched in neurons. Upregulating these miRNAs in wild-type mice is however not causing AD-related cognitive disturbances.

CONCLUSION

Diverging AD-related neuropathologies induce common disturbances in the expression of neuronal miRNAs. 4 of these miRNAs are also upregulated in AD patients. Therefore these 4 miRNAs (miR-142a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p and miR-455-5p) appear part of a core pathological process in AD patients and APPtg and TAUtg mice. They are however not causing cognitive disturbances in wild-type mice. As some of these miRNA target AD relevant proteins, they may be, in contrast, part of a protective response in AD.

miR-155 Aggravates Liver Ischemia/reperfusion Injury by Suppressing SOCS1 in Mice

Liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) occurs during partial liver resection and liver transplantation. Activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) is a key event triggered by a range of proinflammatory cytokines during liver I/R. Although it has been reported that miR-155 takes part in both innate and adaptive immune responses, the potential role of miR-155 in liver IRI remains unknown. In this study, we found that expression of miR-155 was upregulated during liver I/R by many inflammatory cytokines, and forced expression of miR-155 aggravated hepatocyte injury following liver I/R both in vivo and in vitro. Mice transfected with Ago-miR-155-a chemically modified miR-155-showed enhanced liver severity compared to those transfected with negative control miRNA by inhibiting the expression of SOCS1, the target of miR-155. Thus by the inhibition of SOCS1, the overexpression of miR-155 promoted activation of NF-κB, and elevating the production of proinflammatory cytokines, such TNF-α and IL-6. In conclusion, miR-155 aggravates liver I/R injury in vivo and hepatocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation injury by suppressing the expression of SOCS1.

Laparoscopic abdominoperineal excision with trans-abdominal individualized levator transection: interim analysis of a randomized controlled trial

AIM

Extralevator abdominoperineal excision (ELAPR) is challenging 'conventional' abdominoperineal excision (APR), yet the safety and efficacy of ELAPR is still under debate. We therefore developed a laparoscopic APR with trans-abdominal individualized levator transection (LAPR-TILT) approach and compared the outcome with a conventional laparoscopic APR (CLAPR).

METHOD

All eligible patients were entered a single-centre randomized controlled trial to compare CLAPR and LAPR-TILT. We assessed the first 185 patients, including operative findings, complications, histopathology and urogenital function.

RESULTS

Ninety-three patients in the CLAPR group and 92 patients in the APR-TILT group were included for analysis. The APR-TILT procedure took less time [137 (101-175) min vs 146 (102-187) min; P = 0.03], mainly owing to faster perineal dissection. APR-TILT resulted in a reduced rate of bowel perforation (1.1% vs 8.6%; P = 0.04), circumferential resection margin positivity (1.1% vs 10.8%; P = 0.01) and postoperative wound complications (5.4% vs 16.2%; P = 0.02) compared with the CLAPR procedure. At a median follow-up of 19 months after surgery, three patients (3.2%) in the CLAPR group had tumour recurrence while no tumour recurrence occurred in the LAPR-TILT group. Patients who underwent LAPR-TILT reported fewer urinary or sexual problems (LAPR-TILT vs CLAPR, 10.9% vs 24.7% and 17.4% vs 38.7%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Compared with CLAPR, LAPR-TILT achieved better pathological results for factors that are surrogate parameters for local recurrence. LAPR-TILT could also reduce the risk of urogenital dysfunction.

Characterization of an entomopathogenic fungi target integument protein, Bombyx mori single domain von Willebrand factor type C, in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The insect cuticle works as the first line of defence to protect insects from pathogenic infections and water evaporation. However, the old cuticle must be shed in order to enter the next developmental stage. During each ecdysis, moulting fluids are produced and secreted into the area among the old and new cuticles. In a previous study, the protein Bombyx mori single domain von Willebrand factor type C (BmSVWC; BGIBMGA011399) was identified in the moulting fluids of Bo. mori and demonstrated to regulate ecdysis. In this study we show that in Bo. mori larvae, BmSVWC primarily locates to the integument (epidermal cells and cuticle), wing discs and head. During the moulting stage, BmSVWC is released into the moulting fluids, and is then produced again by epidermal cells after ecdysis. Fungal infection was shown to decrease the amount of BmSVWC in the cuticle, which indicates that BmSVWC is a target protein of entomopathogenic fungi. Thus, BmSVWC is mainly involved in maintaining the integrity of the integument structure, which serves to protect insects from physical damage and pathogenic infection.

Pectobacterium atrosepticum and Pectobacterium carotovorum Harbor Distinct, Independently Acquired Integrative and Conjugative Elements Encoding Coronafacic Acid that Enhance Virulence on Potato Stems

Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) play a central role in the evolution of bacterial virulence, their transmission between bacteria often leading to the acquisition of virulence factors that alter host range or aggressiveness. Much is known about the functions of the virulence determinants that ICEs harbor, but little is understood about the cryptic effects of ICEs on their host cell. In this study, the importance of horizontally acquired island 2 (HAI2), an ICE in the genome of Pectobacterium atrosepticum SCRI1043, was studied using a strain in which the entire ICE had been removed by CRISPR-Cas-mediated genome editing. HAI2 encodes coronafacic acid, a virulence factor that enhances blackleg disease of potato stems caused by P. atrosepticum SCRI1043. As expected, deletion of HAI2 resulted in reduced blackleg symptoms in potato stems. A subsequent screen for HAI2-related ICEs in other strains of the Pectobacterium genus revealed their ubiquitous nature in P. atrosepticum. Yet, HAI2-related ICEs were only detected in the genomes of a few P. carotovorum strains. These strains were notable as blackleg causing strains belonging to two different subspecies of P. carotovorum. Sequence analysis of the ICEs in different strains of both P. atrosepticum and P. carotovorum confirmed that they were diverse and were present in different locations on the genomes of their bacterial host, suggesting that the cfa cluster was probably acquired independently on a number of occasions via chromosomal insertion of related ICEs. Excision assays also demonstrated that the ICEs in both P. atrosepticum and P. carotovorum are mobilized from the host chromosome. Thus, the future spread of these ICEs via lateral gene transfer might contribute to an increase in the prevalence of blackleg-causing strains of P. carotovorum.

NF-κB inhibition reveals a novel role for HGF during skeletal muscle repair

The transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)/p65 is the master regulator of inflammation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Disease severity is reduced by NF-κB inhibition in the mdx mouse, a murine DMD model; however, therapeutic targeting of NF-κB remains problematic for patients because of its fundamental role in immunity. In this investigation, we found that the therapeutic effect of NF-κB blockade requires hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) production by myogenic cells. We found that deleting one allele of the NF-κB subunit p65 (p65+/-) improved the survival and enhanced the anti-inflammatory capacity of muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs) following intramuscular transplantation. Factors secreted from p65+/- MDSCs in cell cultures modulated macrophage cytokine expression in an HGF-receptor-dependent manner. Indeed, we found that following genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of basal NF-κB/p65 activity, HGF gene transcription was induced in MDSCs. We investigated the role of HGF in anti-NF-κB therapy in vivo using mdx;p65+/- mice, and found that accelerated regeneration coincided with HGF upregulation in the skeletal muscle. This anti-NF-κB-mediated dystrophic phenotype was reversed by blocking de novo HGF production by myogenic cells following disease onset. HGF silencing resulted in increased inflammation and extensive necrosis of the diaphragm muscle. Proteolytic processing of matrix-associated HGF is known to activate muscle stem cells at the earliest stages of repair, but our results indicate that the production of a second pool of HGF by myogenic cells, negatively regulated by NF-κB/p65, is crucial for inflammation resolution and the completion of repair in dystrophic skeletal muscle. Our findings warrant further investigation into the potential of HGF mimetics for the treatment of DMD.

Decreased infarct volume and intracranial hemorrhage associated with intra-arterial nonionic iso-osmolar contrast material in an MCA occlusion/reperfusion model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Infarct volume and intracranial hemorrhage after reperfusion with nonionic low-osmolar and iso-osmolar iodinated IRCM has not been previously compared. We postulated that iso-osmolar and low-osmolar iodinated contrast media exert varied effects on cerebral infarct after intra-arterial injection. We compared infarct volume and hemorrhagic changes following intra-arterial infusion of iodixanol, iopamidol, or normal saline in a rat MCA occlusion/reperfusion model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Infarct was induced in 30 rats by a previously validated method of MCA suture occlusion. Reperfusion was performed after 5 hours with either iodixanol (n = 9), iopamidol (n = 12), or saline (n = 9). MR images were obtained at both 6 and 24 hours after ischemia, followed by sacrifice. Infarct volume was measured with T2WI and DWI by semiautomatic segmentation. Incidence and area of hemorrhage were measured on brain sections postmortem.

RESULTS

T2WI mean infarct volumes were 242 ± 89, 324 ± 70, and 345 ± 92 mm(3) at 6 hours, and 341 ± 147,470 ± 91, and 462 ± 71 mm(3) at 24 hours in the iodixanol, iopamidol, and saline groups, respectively. Differences in infarct volume among groups were significant at 6 hours (P < .03) and 24 hours (P < .05). In the iodixanol, iopamidol, and saline groups, mean areas for cortical intracranial hemorrhage were 0.8, 18.2, and 25.7 mm(2); and 28, 31, and 56.7 mm(2), respectively, for deep intracranial hemorrhage. The differences in intracranial hemorrhage area among groups were statistically significant for cortical intracranial hemorrhage (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-arterial infusion of nonionic iso-osmolar iodixanol showed reduced infarct volume and reduced cortical intracranial hemorrhage areas in comparison with nonionic low-osmolar iopamidol and saline. Our results may be relevant in the setting of intra-arterial therapy for acute stroke in humans, warranting further investigation.

The Processing Behavior of Liquid Sn/Molten Polyethylene during Internal Mixing

In our study, liquid tin (Sn) was mixed with molten polyethylene using an internal mixer; the interfacial tension between the liquid Sn and molten polyethylene was measured using the deformed drop retraction method. The results showed that liquid Sn separated when the Sn content was higher than approximately 2 % by volume because of the interfacial tension of up to 167 mN/m and the 106-fold viscosity difference between the liquid Sn and the molten polyethylene. When Sn separation did not occur, the effects of the mixing time and rotary speed on the degree of mixing and the Sn particle size were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the effects of mixing time and rotary speed on the degree of mixing and Sn particle size can be combined as the impact of specific energy input. With increasing specific energy input, the degree of mixing initially increased and subsequently remained constant, while the Sn particle size initially decreased and subsequently remained constant. The refinement of the dispersed phase was completed with a low specific energy input, but the homogenization of the dispersed phase required a higher specific energy input to achieve completion, revealing the relationship between distributive mixing and dispersive mixing.

Administration of S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline protects against brain injuries after intracerebral hemorrhage

Although intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) increases the level of glutamate in the perihematomal area and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the ICH acute phase, it is unclear whether elevated glutamate activates neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the ICH brain and whether nNOS is an important target for ICH treatment. Here, we assessed the role of the nNOS inhibitor S-methyl-l-thiocitrulline (SMTC) in the activity of NADPH-d and ICH-induced brain injuries. An autologous blood intracerebral infusion model in male rats was used. All of the rats were sacrificed 24h after ICH. ICH increased NADPH-d activity in the striatum. Administering SMTC 3h after ICH decreased the activity of NADH-d (p<0.05 vs. the ICH group). The activation of gelatinolytic enzymes in the perihematomal region of the striatum was reduced by SMTC treatment (p<0.01, vs. the ICH group). The loss of laminin- and occludin-stained vessels was significant in perihematomal regions after 24h of ICH and was significantly attenuated by the administration of SMTC (p<0.01 for laminin, p<0.05 for occluding, compared with the ICH group). Neuronal death and neurological deficits after ICH were also decreased in SMTC treatment rats (p<0.01, vs. the ICH group). The results suggest that the administration of the nNOS inhibitor SMTC after ICH protects against ICH-induced brain injuries and improves neurological function.

The draft genome sequence of European pear (Pyrus communis L. 'Bartlett')

We present a draft assembly of the genome of European pear (Pyrus communis) 'Bartlett'. Our assembly was developed employing second generation sequencing technology (Roche 454), from single-end, 2 kb, and 7 kb insert paired-end reads using Newbler (version 2.7). It contains 142,083 scaffolds greater than 499 bases (maximum scaffold length of 1.2 Mb) and covers a total of 577.3 Mb, representing most of the expected 600 Mb Pyrus genome. A total of 829,823 putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected using re-sequencing of 'Louise Bonne de Jersey' and 'Old Home'. A total of 2,279 genetically mapped SNP markers anchor 171 Mb of the assembled genome. Ab initio gene prediction combined with prediction based on homology searching detected 43,419 putative gene models. Of these, 1219 proteins (556 clusters) are unique to European pear compared to 12 other sequenced plant genomes. Analysis of the expansin gene family provided an example of the quality of the gene prediction and an insight into the relationships among one class of cell wall related genes that control fruit softening in both European pear and apple (Malus × domestica). The 'Bartlett' genome assembly v1.0 (http://www.rosaceae.org/species/pyrus/pyrus_communis/genome_v1.0) is an invaluable tool for identifying the genetic control of key horticultural traits in pear and will enable the wide application of marker-assisted and genomic selection that will enhance the speed and efficiency of pear cultivar development.

Performance of standard and stochastic branch-site models for detecting positive selection among coding sequences

The branch-site model is a widely popular approach that accommodates for the lineage- and the site-specific heterogeneity of natural selection regimes among coding sequences. This model relies on prior knowledge of the (foreground) lineage(s) evolving under positive selection at some sites. Unfortunately, such prior information is not always available in practice. A more recent technique (Guindon S, Rodrigo A, Dyer K, Huelsenbeck J. 2004. Modeling the site-specific variation of selection patterns along lineages. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:12957-12962) alleviates this issue by explicitly modeling the variability of selection patterns using a stochastic process. However, the performance of this approach for deciding whether a set of homologous sequences evolved under positive selection at some point has not been assessed yet. This study compares the sensitivity and specificity of tests for positive selection derived from both the standard and the stochastic approaches using extensive simulations. We show that the two methods have low proportions of type I errors, that is, they tend to be conservative when testing the null hypothesis of no positive selection if sequences truly evolve under neutral or negative selection regimes. Also, the standard approach is more powerful than the stochastic one when the prior knowledge on foreground lineages is correct. When this prior is incorrect, however, the stochastic approach outperforms the standard model in a broad range of conditions. Additional comparisons also suggest that the stochastic branch-site method compares favorably with the recently proposed mixed-effects model of evolution of Murrell et al. (Murrell B, Wertheim JO, Moola S, Weighill T, Scheffler K, Pond SLK. 2012. Detecting individual sites subject to episodic diversifying selection. PLoS Genet. 8:e1002764). Altogether, our results show that the standard branch-site model is well suited to confirmatory analyses, whereas the stochastic approach should be preferred over the standard or the mixed-effects ones for exploratory studies.

Matrix metalloproteinase-2 deletions protect against hemorrhagic transformation after 1 h of cerebral ischemia and 23 h of reperfusion

Although elevated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 levels were highly related to the degradation of tight junction (TJ) proteins and basal lamina and neuronal injury after ischemia, until very recently, little experimental evidence was available to test the role of the MMP-2 knockout (KO) in blood-brain-barrier (BBB) injury and the development of hemorrhage transformation (HT). Here, we assessed the role of the MMP-2 KO in BBB injury, HT and other brain injuries after 1h of ischemia and 23 h of reperfusion. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed in MMP-2 KO mice. Reperfusion was started 1h after the onset of MCAO. All mice were sacrificed 24h after the MCAO. MMP-2 deficiency reduced the decrease in protein levels of collagen IV and cellular membrane occludin (p<0.01 and 0.05 vs. wild-type (WT), respectively) and attenuated increase in cytosol occludin level in ischemic brain (p<0.01 vs. WT). The hemorrhage volume and brain infarction were significantly decreased in both the cortex and striatum in the MMP-2 KO mice (p<0.01 vs. WT). The MMP-2 KO also had reduced brain swelling in the cortex and improved neurological deficits (p<0.01 vs. WT). These studies provide direct evidence that targeting MMP-2 will effectively protect against collagen and occludin loss and HT after ischemia and reperfusion.