Gene expression analysis of MAOA and the clock gene ARNTL in individuals with bipolar disorder compared to healthy controls

INTRODUCTION

Circadian rhythms are associated with bipolar disorder (BD). This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating ARNTL and MAOA gene expression differences (1) between individuals with BD and controls, (2) between affective episodes, and (3) the relationship between ARNTL and MAOA expression.

METHODS

ARNTL and MAOA gene expression in peripheral mononuclear blood cells were analysed from fasting blood samples (BD n =  81, controls n = 54) with quantitative real-time PCR operating on TaqMan® assays (normalised to 18S RNA expression). ANCOVAs corrected for age, sex, body mass index, and medication was used to evaluate expression differences and correlation analyses for the relation between ARNTL and MAOA expression.

RESULTS

ARNTL gene expression differed between affective episodes (F(2,78) = 3.198, p = 0.047, Partial Eta2= 0.083), but not between BD and controls (n.s.). ARNTL and MAOA expression correlated positively in BD (r = 0.704, p < 0.001) and in controls (r = 0.932, p < 0.001). MAOA expression differed neither between BD and controls nor between affective episodes (n.s.).

DISCUSSION

Clock gene expression changes were observed in different affective states of BD. More precisely, ARNTL gene expression was significantly higher in euthymia than in depression. ARNTL and MAOA gene expression correlated significantly in BD and in controls, which emphasises the strong concatenation between circadian rhythms and neurotransmitter breakdown.

[Meta-analysis to estimate the economic losses caused by reduced milk yield and reproductive performance associated with bovine paratuberculosis in Switzerland]

INTRODUCTION

Especially in regions with intensive cattle farming, paratuberculosis in ruminants can cause considerable economic losses for example through loss of sick animals, reduced milk yield and decreased reproduction performance. Although quantifying the actual economic losses is complex, this study attempts to quantify the losses caused by paratuberculosis in infected dairy farms in Switzerland by means of meta-analyses. For this purpose, in an elaborate selection process, data from 12 studies on milk yield and from three studies on the calving to conception interval were finally selected for further calculations. In addition, data from eight studies each on milk fat concentration and milk protein concentration were evaluated. For the meta-analyses, only studies in which «sick» (seropositive) and «healthy» (seronegative) animals based on the results of serum ELISA tests were compared at the individual animal level were considered. With a paratuberculosis prevalence of 5,99 % in cattle in Switzerland, a total loss of CHF 12 034 329,96 (95 % CI [CHF 8 625 406,02; CHF 16 409 276,30]; 11 095 652,20 € [7 952 624,35 €; 15 129 352,70 €]) per year was calculated for a population of 559 900 dairy cows. The main part of the losses is caused by an extended calving to conception interval: Seropositive animals need an average of 14,93 days longer (95 % CI [1,73; 28,13]) from calving to successful insemination as seronegative animals. This results in total costs for the extended calving to conception interval due to paratuberculosis of CHF 7 365 591,21 per year (95 % CI [CHF 900 394,95; CHF 14 838 087,61]; 6 791 075,10 € [830 164,14 €; 13 680 716,80 €]). Milk yield reduction based on a lactation period of 305 days results in an economic loss of CHF 4 668 738,75 per year (95 % CI [CHF 1 571 188,69; CHF 7 725 011,07]; 4 304 577,13  € [1 448 635,97 €; 7 122 460,21 €]). Milk fat and milk protein content were not found to be significantly changed. Despite a large number of studies in the screening phase, it was not possible to calculate all types of losses attributable to paratuberculosis due to lack of comparability between the studies, which is essential for meta-analyses. Nevertheless, it was possible to carry out four different meta-analyses, the results of which give a first impression of the economic importance of paratuberculosis in dairy cows in Switzerland.

Sex differences in zonulin in affective disorders and associations with current mood symptoms

INTRODUCTION

The bidirectional connection between the brain and the gut within psychiatric entities has gained increasing scientific attention over the last years. As a regulator of intestinal permeability, zonulin acts as a key player on the interface of this interplay. Like several psychiatric disorders, intestinal permeability was associated with inflammation in previous findings.

METHODS

In this study we explored differences in zonulin serum levels in currently depressed (n = 55) versus currently euthymic (n = 37) individuals with an affective disorder. Further, we explored sex differences and possible influences on zonulin and affective symptoms like medication, age, body mass index, and smoking status.

RESULTS

Serum zonulin was significantly higher in females than in men independent from affective status (z = -2.412, p = .016). More specifically, females in the euthymic subgroup had higher zonulin levels than euthymic men (z = -2.114, p = .035). There was no difference in zonulin serum levels in individuals taking or not taking a specific psychopharmacotherapy. We found no correlation between zonulin serum levels and depression severity.

DISCUSSION

Increased serum zonulin levels as a proxy for increased intestinal permeability in women may indicate a state of elevated susceptibility for depression-inducing stimuli.

Additive prognostic value of preoperative plasma glucose concentrations in calves undergoing abdominal surgery

Surgical abdominal emergencies in calves are associated with a guarded prognosis, especially if neonates are affected. Because hypoglycemia has been associated with sepsis and endotoxemia, this study aimed to assess the prognostic relevance of preoperative plasma glucose concentrations (GLUC) in calves requiring surgery for an acute abdominal disorder. For this purpose, data from retrospective and prospective case series were analyzed, consisting of 586 and 83 hospitalized calves, respectively. The outcomes of calves were evaluated until hospital discharge (both study populations) and for 3 mo following discharge by a phone call to the farmer (prospective study population). For the retrospective study population, the overall survival rate was 31.2%. Calves with a negative outcome (NO) had significantly lower median GLUC (4.3 mmol/L) than calves with a positive outcome (PO; 5.0 mmol/L). The survival rates of calves with GLUC <2.4 mmol/L and 2.4 to 3.1 mmol/L were 3.6 and 8.3%, respectively. The inclusion of GLUC improved a previous prognostic model based on plasma l-lactate concentration and age. The resulting analyses indicated that NO was associated with low age (<7 d), hyper-l-lactatemia (>8.84 mmol/L), and GLUC <4.4 mmol/L (age 7-20 d) and <3.3 mmol/L (age ≥21 d), respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of this model was 0.79 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.83) and the resulting sensitivity and specificity for NO at the optimal probability cut-point of 0.69 were 66.7 and 85.8%, respectively. For the prospective study population, the established model had sensitivity and specificity for predicting NO after 3 mo (proportion 24%) of 61.9 and 85%, respectively. In both study populations, hypoglycemia was significantly associated with intraoperative evidence of a septic process within the abdominal cavity. The present analyses show that hypoglycemia was highly indicative of a poor prognosis and serious intraoperative findings such as peritonitis. Determination of GLUC should therefore be part of the diagnostic work-up in calves suffering from an acute abdominal emergency.

Comparison of four commercially available point-of-care tests to detect antibodies against canine distemper virus in dogs

Pre-vaccination antibody testing to determine dogs' immunity against canine distemper virus (CDV) is increasingly used. Four point-of-care tests (POC A-D) are available in Europe, but their diagnostic accuracy has not been compared. The study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy and usability of these tests. Sera of client-owned dogs (n = 198; healthy n = 22; unhealthy dogs n = 176) and specific pathogen-free (SPF) dogs (n = 40) were included. Virus neutralisation (VN) was performed as the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and overall accuracy (OA) were determined. McNemar's test was used to determine significant differences between specificity and sensitivity of the tests and Cohen's kappa was used to assess agreement. The prevalence of anti-CDV antibodies by VN was 80% in client-owned dogs overall, with 100% prevalence in healthy dogs, and 0% in SPF dogs. POC-C and POC-D were considered easiest to perform. Specificity of all tests was high using sera from SPF dogs (88-100%). In healthy dogs, sensitivity was variable (45-98%). Specificity was low in all four POC tests when using sera from acutely ill dogs (6-53%) and clinically healthy dogs with chronic disease (5-77%). In client-owned dogs, including healthy and unhealthy dogs, agreement was poor between tests. All POC tests had a low specificity when investigating sera from ill client-owned dogs and usefullness of these tests especially in dogs that are acutely ill or have chronic disease is not supported by this study.

A189 ELUCIDATING THE MECHANISTIC ROLE OF GLP-1R IN THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE OF MACROPHAGES AND B CELLS TO DIETARY FIBRES

Background

Both diet and the microbiome have been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Fibre is not digested; it is fermented by microbes in the large bowel. High fibre intake is related to lower risk for the development of IBD, and a high fibre diet is usually recommended for individuals with IBD. However, work in our lab suggests that select dietary fibres may be pro-inflammatory in a pediatric IBD cohort. Importantly, large bowel dysbiosis in IBD could limit the fermentation of dietary fibres, leading to reduced production of beneficial microbiome metabolites as well as an accumulation of intact fibre in the large bowel. These intact fibres may then interact with immune cells residing in the large bowel, through specific receptors, and perpetuate the inflammatory state seen in IBD.

Aims

Based on preliminary findings, we hypothesize that the dietary fibre oligofructose acts through GLP-1R on macrophages and B-cells to regulate the inflammatory environment. We expect to find changes in the expression of cytokines and chemokines, and their receptors.

Methods

Changes in immune cell secretions (ELISA) and the expression of selected inflammatory markers (RT-qPCR) were measured to determine potential pathways involved in response to dietary fibres in vitro. Knockdown of proteins of interest (siRNA) was performed to validate the involvement of these pathways in the inflammatory response to dietary fibres. Cells were treated with oligofructose, oligofructose pre-fermented by bacteria, or no fibre. The involvement of the fibre receptor, GLP-1R, was investigated to understand its connection to pathways identified.

Results

Qiagen RT2 profiler array (human inflammatory cytokines and receptors) and cytokine secretion (ELISA) indicated that in response to oligofructose macrophages have a predominantly pro-inflammatory response while B cells have an anti-inflammatory response. Presence of GLP-1R in large bowel and terminal ileum biopsies collected during endoscopy was higher in IBD (Crohn disease n=7; Ulcerative colitis n=7) than non-IBD patients (n=7), and expression was confirmed on both B-cells and macrophages. Knockdown of GLP-1R (siRNA) significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory response (IL-1β ELISA) with oligofructose application in THP-1 macrophage cells

Conclusions

Improving our understanding of the mechanistic link between dietary fibres and immune response will aid us in developing a model for the interactions of oligofructose with the GLP-1R in B cells and macrophages. Findings from this study may be able to inform dietary interventions, prebiotic/probiotic administration, and drug development for treatment of IBDs.

Funding Agencies

CIHRWeston Foundation

A31 COMPLEX ROLE OF DIETARY FIBERS IN IBD: MICROBES MEDIATE FIBER-INDUCED INFLAMMATION

Background

Dietary fibers pass through the bowel undigested and are fermented within the intestine by microbes, typically promoting gut health. However, many IBD patients describe experiencing sensitivity to fibers. β-glucan, found on the surface of fungal cells during fungal infection, has been shown to bind to fiber receptors, such as Dectin-1, on host immune cells, resulting in a pro-inflammatory response. These fungal fibres share properties with dietary fibers.

Aims

As an altered gut microbial composition has been associated with IBD, we hypothesized that the loss of fiber-fermenting microbes populating the gut in IBD could lead to dietary fibers not being efficiently broken down into their beneficial biproducts (e.g. short chain fatty acids; SCFA), resulting in binding of intact fibers to pro-inflammatory host cell receptors.

Methods

Immune and epithelial cell lines and colonic biopsies cultured ex vivo were incubated with oligofructose or inulin (5g/L), or pre-fermented fibers (24hr anaerobic fermentation). Immune responses were measured by cytokine secretion (ELISA), and expression (qPCR). Barrier integrity was measured by transepithelial resistance (TEER). Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data of patient fiber consumption were correlated with gut microbes (shotgun sequencing) and immune responses to fiber in patient biopsies.

Results

Unfermented oligofructose induced IL-1β secretion in leukocytes (macrophage, T cell, neutrophil) and in colon biopsies from pediatric Crohn disease (CD; n=38) and ulcerative colitis (UC; n=20) patients cultured ex vivo, but not in non-IBD patients (n=21). IL-1β secretion was greater in patients with more severe disease. Pre-fermentation of oligofructose by whole-microbe intestinal washes from non-IBD patients or remission patients reduced secretion of IL-1β, while whole microbe intestinal washes from severe IBD patients were unable to ferment oligofructose or reduce cytokine secretion. Fiber effects on IL-1β secretion in biopsies positively correlated with effects on barrier integrity in T84 cells. Fiber-associated immune responses in patient biopsies cultured ex vivo (ELISA) correlated with fiber avoidance (FFQ) and gut microbiome (sequencing) in matching patient samples.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that intolerance and avoidance of prebiotic fibers in select IBD patients is associated with the inability to ferment these fibers, leading to pro-inflammatory immune responses and intestinal barrier disruption. This highlights select disease state scenarios, in which administration of fermentable fibers should be avoided and tailored dietary interventions should be considered in IBD patients.

Funding Agencies

CIHRWeston Foundation

Treatment outcomes of integrase inhibitors, boosted protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in antiretroviral-naïve persons starting treatment

OBJECTIVES

Although outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials, experiences from subpopulations defined by age, CD4 count or viral load (VL) in heterogeneous real-world settings are limited.

METHODS

The study design was an international multicohort collaboration. Logistic regression was used to compare virological and immunological outcomes at 12 ± 3 months after starting ART with an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), contemporary nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) or boosted protease inhibitor (PI/b) with two nucleos(t)ides after 1 January 2012. The composite treatment outcome (cTO) defined success as VL < 200 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL with no regimen change and no AIDS/death events. Immunological success was defined as a CD4 count > 750 cells/μL or a 33% increase where the baseline CD4 count was ≥ 500 cells/μL. Poisson regression compared clinical failures (AIDS/death ≥ 14 days after starting ART). Interactions between ART class and age, CD4 count, and VL were determined for each endpoint.

RESULTS

Of 5198 ART-naïve persons in the International Cohort Consortium of Infectious Diseases (RESPOND), 45.4% started INSTIs, 26.0% PI/b and 28.7% NNRTIs; 880 (17.4%) were aged > 50 years, 2539 (49.4%) had CD4 counts < 350 cells/μL and 1891 (36.8%) had VL > 100 000 copies/mL. Differences in virological and immunological success and clinical failure among ART classes were similar across age groups (≤ 40, 40-50 and > 50 years), CD4 count categories (≤ 350 vs. > 350 cells/μL) and VL categories at ART initiation (≤ 100 000 vs. > 100 000 copies/mL), with all investigated interactions being nonsignificant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Differences among ART classes in virological, immunological and clinical outcomes in ART-naïve participants were consistent irrespective of age, immune suppression or VL at ART initiation. While confounding by indication cannot be excluded, this provides reassuring evidence that such subpopulations will equally benefit from contemporary ART.

A15 MICROBES MEDIATE FIBER-INDUCED INFLAMMATION IN IBD

Background

The etiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) remains unknown, although gut microorganisms and diet have been implicated. Dietary fibers pass through the bowel undigested and are fermented within the intestine by microbes, promoting gut health. However, many IBD patients describe experiencing sensitivity to fibres. Interestingly, fiber receptors on immune cells are able to interact with fibers typically found on the surface of fungal cells (which share properties with dietary fibers), for example, resulting in a paradoxical pro-inflammatory response.

Aims

As an altered microbial composition is a hallmark of IBD, we hypothesized that the loss of fiber fermenting-microbes populating the IBD gut could lead to dietary fibers not being efficiently broken down into their beneficial biproducts, resulting in binding of intact fibers to pro-inflammatory host cell receptors. This can ultimately drive pro-inflammatory responses and a microenvironment that promotes continued dysbiosis and increased pathogenicity of select microbes, as observed in IBD.

Methods

Fiber receptor expression gut was examined using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry and demonstrated elevated receptor expression due to increased presence of immune cells in IBD patient biopsies. Cytokine secretion, in response to fiber (5mg/mL) or pre-fermented fibers, cultured with microbes of interest, was measured by ELISAs in cell lines in vitro and biopsy tissues cultured ex vivo.

Results

Whole-fibers induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophage, monocytes, and neutrophils. Specific microbes were capable of fermenting fiber, measured by gas chromatography. Pre-fermentation of fibers by these microbes reduced inflammatory cytokine production. The fiber oligofructose increased IL-1β in pediatric CD (n=44) and UC (n=29) biopsies cultured ex vivo but not in non-IBD (n=25). The increase was greater in patients with more severe disease. Pre-fermentation of oligofructose by bacteria reduced this secretion of IL-1β. Whole-microbe intestinal washes from severe IBD patients were unable to ferment oligofructose or reduce fiber-associated inflammation in macrophage cells compared to remission or non-IBD children. Statistical analysis of food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data on fiber consumption demonstrated that fiber-associated inflammation in patient biopsies cultured ex vivo (ELISA and qPCR) correlated with fiber avoidance (FFQ).

Conclusions

Comparing in vitro findings to our patient FFQs, intestinal washes (microbe abundance), and detailed patient history will better define the relationship between microbes, dietary fibers, and gut inflammation in IBD. This will allow for tailored dietary intervention through dietary recommendations, prebiotic, and/or probiotic therapies.

Funding Agencies

CCCWeston Foundation, WCHRI

Short communication: Design and validation of a hygiene score for calves

The objective of this study was the establishment and validation of a scoring system for calf dirtiness. Defined areas of the belly, side, and rear of the calves were scored according to the percentage of dirtiness: score 1 ranges from 0 to 10% of the area (no or little soiling), score 2 from over 10 to 30% (medium soiling), and score 3 applies to soiling of more than 30% of the area (heavy soiling). The scores of the individual regions were summed up to yield the calf hygiene score (CHS) ranging from 3 to 9. The validation of the CHS was performed by 5 veterinarians on 42 calves. It was validated for its inter- and intra-observer-reliability and against a standard method created by image processing of photographs of calves. The agreement between the observers and the standard method was weak to moderate with kappa values from 0.58 to 0.67. Inter- and intra-observer reliability resulted in a moderate to strong agreement with 29 of 36 kappa values between 0.60 and 0.89. The CHS was thus successfully validated as reliable and could be a useful tool for herd health management.

Prognostic relevance of pre- and postoperative plasma l-lactate measurements in calves with acute abdominal emergencies

In both human and veterinary medicine, l-lactate is a well-established prognostic biomarker of disease severity and mortality and has also attracted increasing attention in bovine medicine due to the availability and validation of cheap and portable l-lactate analyzers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic accuracy of plasma L-lactate measurements in calves with acute abdominal emergencies before and during the initial therapeutic period after surgical intervention. A prospective observational study was carried out involving 83 hospitalized calves up to an age of 7 mo, which required surgical intervention for reasons of an acute abdominal emergency such as gastrointestinal ileus or peritonitis. Plasma l-lactate (L-LAC) concentrations were determined immediately before initiation of surgery and 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h later. The outcome of calves was evaluated 3 mo after discharge by a phone call to the farmer, and a positive outcome was defined if the calf was still alive and the owner was satisfied with the animal's postsurgical progress. A total of 29% of calves were discharged from the hospital and the proportion of calves with a positive outcome after the 3-mo period was 24%. At all sampling times during the first 48 h after initiation of surgical intervention, calves with a negative outcome had significantly higher L-LAC than calves with a positive outcome. A binary logistic regression analysis indicated that the odds for a negative outcome during the 3-mo observation period increased by a factor of 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.44] for every mmol/L increase of L-LAC before initiation of surgical intervention, but by a factor of 5.29 (95% CI: 1.69-16.6) and 5.92 (95% CI: 1.29-27.3) at 12 and 24 h, respectively. The largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for L-LAC was observed at 12 h (0.91; 95% CI: 0.83-0.99), and a cut-point of 2.75 mmol/L was identified that had a sensitivity and specificity for predicting a negative outcome of 68 and 100%, respectively. In conclusion, persistent hyper-l-lactatemia during the early postoperative period is a more reliable indicator for a negative outcome in calves with acute surgical abdominal emergencies than hyper-l-lactatemia before initiation of surgical intervention. Postoperative measurements of L-LAC are therefore a clinically useful tool to identify patients with an increased risk for a negative outcome at an early stage after surgical intervention was carried out.

[Long bone fractures in cattle: A retrospective study of treatment and outcome in 194 cases]

INTRODUCTION

The present retrospective study investigated the localization, cause, treatment and healing of long bone fractures in cattle. Over a period of ten years, medical records of 194 cattle of all ages with a long bone fracture, presented at the Clinic for Ruminants with Ambulatory and Herd Health Services at LMU Munich, were evaluated. The majority of patients (n = 131, 67.5%) were younger than two weeks of age. Of these, 118 calves sustained the fracture on the day of birth (60.8%). An obstetrical assistance was found in 57.4% (n = 58) of birth-related cases as a fracture cause. The femur was most frequently affected in calves aged up to two weeks (n = 35; 26.7%). The second most frequent fractures occurred in the metacarpus (n = 31; 22.9%) in this age group, followed by metatarsus (n = 28; 21.4%) and tibia (n = 27; 20.6%). Fractures of the antebrachium (n = 9; 6.9%) and the humerus were rare (n = 1; 0.8%). A total of 194 patients were diagnosed with 50 femur fractures (25.8%), 53 metacarpal fractures (27.3%), 43 metatarsal fractures (22.2%), 30 tibial fractures (15.5%), 11 antebrachial fractures (5.7%) and 7 humeral fractures (3.6%). Of the 194 animals, 78 (40.2%) had to be euthanized, 42 of them (53.8%) without treatment. In 150 patients, treatment was initiated, of which 110 patients (73.3%) were dismissed healthy from the clinic. Among the conservative treatment methods were stall rest, casts, casts combined with a U-shaped metal rail (walking casts) and the Thomas splint. Surgical therapy (internal fixation with plates or screws, transfixation pin casts) was used to treat 65 animals (33.5%). While 86.9% (74 out of 85) of the conservatively treated animals left the clinic alive, it were only 58.1% (36 out of 65) animals after surgical treatment. In the newborn calves, colostrum supply had a significant effect on the success of the treatment. If the gamma-glutamyl transferase concentration was below 200 IU/L in the calves aged under 4 days, the healing rate was significantly different from the cure rate of sufficiently immunized patients (26.9% (7 out of 26) vs. 65.3% (47 out of 72), P = 0.001).

Prognostic value of preoperative plasma l-lactate concentrations in calves with acute abdominal emergencies

Acute abdominal emergencies in calves due to abomasal disorders, gastrointestinal ileus, or peritonitis are characterized by a rapid disease progression and usually require immediate surgical intervention. Those conditions are associated with a guarded prognosis, and the aim of the present study was to assess the prognostic relevance of preoperatively measured plasma l-lactate concentrations (l-LAC) in a large study population of calves with a broad spectrum of acute abdominal emergencies. For the purpose of this study, the medical records of 587 calves admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital over a 10-yr period were analyzed retrospectively. Plasma l-LAC was measured as part of a routinely performed biochemistry panel before initiation of surgical intervention. Hyper-l-lactatemia (plasma l-LAC >2.2 mmol/L) was evident in 75% of calves, and the overall survival rate until hospital discharge was 31%. Calves with a negative outcome were younger (median: 3.4 vs. 6 wk) and had higher plasma l-LAC (median: 4.96 vs. 3.09 mmol/L) than calves with a positive outcome. At the individual diagnosis level, l-LAC was associated with mortality in calves with a diagnosis of mesenteric torsion, right-sided dilated abomasum, small intestinal volvulus, or paralytic ileus, but not in calves suffering from peritonitis, malformations, abomasal volvulus, bloat, or small intestinal intussusceptions. Considering the whole study population, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for plasma l-LAC was 0.66 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-0.70]. A classification tree analysis indicated that l-LAC >8.84 mmol/L and age categories of <3 wk and <1 wk were independent predictors of mortality. The area under the ROC curve of this model was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71-0.79) and the resulting sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of nonsurvival at the optimal probability cut-point of 0.62 were 67.7 and 76.6%, respectively. In conclusion, hyper-l-lactatemia is common in calves suffering from acute abdominal emergencies. Markedly increased plasma l-LAC is associated with an increased mortality risk, but it is not possible to reliably predict the outcome of affected calves based on a single, preoperative measurement. However, a clinically important finding of this study was that the ability to predict a negative outcome is improved when the age of the calf is considered in addition to plasma l-LAC.

Susceptibility-Weighted MR Imaging Hypointense Rim in Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy: The End Point of Neuroinflammation and a Potential Outcome Predictor

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) represents a life-threatening demyelinating disorder of the brain caused by reactivation of a rare opportunistic infection with JC Polyomavirus. The aims of this study were to describe the incidence of a susceptibility-weighted imaging hypointense rim in patients with multifocal leukoencephalopathy and to explore the histologic correlates and prognostic value of the rim with regard to the clinical outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 18 patients with a definite diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Ten patients were HIV-positive, 3 patients had natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, 1 patient had multiple myeloma, 3 patients had a history of lymphoma, and 1 was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Patients were divided into short- (up to 12 months) and long-term (>12 months) survivors. A total of 93 initial and follow-up MR imaging examinations were reviewed. On SWI, the presence and development of a hypointense rim at the periphery of the progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy lesions were noted. A postmortem histologic examination was performed in 2 patients: A rim formed in one, and in one, there was no rim.

RESULTS

A total of 73 progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy lesions were observed. In 13 (72.2%) patients, a well-defined thin, linear, hypointense rim at the periphery of the lesion toward the cortical side was present, while in 5 (27.8%) patients, it was completely absent. All 11 long-term survivors and 2 short-term survivors presented with a prominent SWI-hypointense rim, while 5/7 short-term survivors did not have this rim.

CONCLUSIONS

The thin, uniformly linear, gyriform SWI-hypointense rim in the paralesional U-fibers in patients with definite progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy might represent an end-point stage of the neuroinflammatory process in long-term survivors.

Technical note: Automatic evaluation of infrared thermal images by computerized active shape modeling of bovine udders challenged with Escherichia coli

Mastitis causes substantial economic losses and animal suffering in the dairy industry. The trend toward larger herd sizes complicates the monitoring of udder health in individual animals. Infrared thermography has successfully been used for early mastitis detection. However, manual thermogram analysis is time consuming and requires a skilled examiner, and automated image processing has not been tested. The aim of this study was to determine whether automatic evaluation of thermograms showed results comparable to those of manual evaluation of thermograms. Five healthy cows underwent an intramammary challenge with Escherichia coli to induce clinical mastitis. Multiple udder thermograms were taken every 2 h for 24 h before and after the challenge, resulting in 4,143 images in total. All images were evaluated using image recognition software (automatically) and a polygon tool (manually) to calculate the average and maximum surface temperatures. Because of the slightly different regions of interest, temperatures ascertained from the thermograms using the automatic method were consistently lower than those ascertained using the manual method. However, average udder surface temperatures evaluated using both methods were strongly correlated (r = 0.98 in the left hindquarter, and r = 0.99 in the right hindquarter) and showed maximum temperature peaks at the same time, 13 and 15 h after intramammary challenge. In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, both methods provided good results for sensitivity and specificity in detecting clinical E. coli-induced mastitis at different threshold values. For automatically evaluated maximum right hindquarter temperature, sensitivity was 93.75% and specificity was 94.96%, and for manually evaluated maximum right hindquarter temperature, sensitivity was 93.75% and specificity was 96.40%. Thus, automatic thermogram evaluation is a promising tool for automated mastitis detection.

Epigenetics of the molecular clock and bacterial diversity in bipolar disorder

Objectives The gut microbiome harbors substantially more genetic material than our body cells and has an impact on a huge variety of physiological mechanisms including the production of neurotransmitters and the interaction with brain functions through the gut-brain-axis. Products of microbiota can affect methylation according to preclinical studies. The current investigation aimed at analyzing the correlation between gut microbiome diversity and the methylation of the clock gene ARNTL in individuals with Bipolar Disorder (BD). Methods Genomic DNA was isolated from fasting blood of study participants with BD (n = 32). The methylation analysis of the ARNTL CG site cg05733463 was performed by bisulfite treatment of genomic DNA with the Epitect kit, PCR and pyrosequencing. Additionally, DNA was extracted from stool samples and subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing. QIIME was used to analyze microbiome data. Results Methylation status of the ARNTL CpG position cg05733463 correlated significantly with bacterial diversity (Simpson index: r= -0.389, p =  0.0238) and evenness (Simpson evenness index: r= -0.358, p =  0.044). Furthermore, bacterial diversity differed significantly between euthymia and depression (F(1,30) = 4.695, p =  0.039). Discussion The results of our pilot study show that bacterial diversity differs between euthymia and depression. Interestingly, gut microbiome diversity and evenness correlate negatively with methylation of ARNTL, which is known to regulate monoamine oxidase A transcription. We propose that alterations in overall diversity of the gut microbiome represent an internal environmental factor that has an epigenetic impact on the clock gene ARNTL which is thought to be involved in BD pathogenesis.

The relationship between "Eyes Reading" ability and verbal memory in bipolar disorder

In psychiatric disorders, neurocognitive impairments are prevalent and have been associated with poor outcome. Deficits in Theory of Mind (ToM, "mentalising") have also been observed in bipolar disorder (BD); however, the literature shows inconsistent data. The aim of this study was to explore ToM performance in a well-characterized sample of euthymic individuals with BD and its relationship with neurocognitive function. One hundred sixteen euthymic patients with BD between 18 and 74 years (mean age = 42.4, SD = 13.8) and 79 healthy controls (mean age = 39.8, SD = 16.5) were investigated with an extensive neurocognitive test battery (Trail Making Test A/B, d2 Test of Attention, Stroop Color-Word Test, California Verbal Learning Test, Multiple Choice Vocabulary Test). Additionally, all participants were given the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) to measure affective ToM, the ability to make assumptions about other people´s feelings. Overall, "Eyes Reading" performance was not impaired in individuals with BD compared with controls. However, a significant relationship between RMET and verbal memory in BD was shown, particularly in males. Data showed worse RMET performance in patients with memory deficits compared to patients without memory deficits and controls. Due to cross-sectional data, no conclusions can be made with respect to cause and effect.

BIOLAP: biological versus synthetic mesh in laparo-endoscopic inguinal hernia repair: study protocol for a randomized, multicenter, self-controlled clinical trial

Background

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most common surgical operations globally; more than 20 million groin herniae are repaired annually worldwide. Recurrence after an inguinal hernia operation is a considerable clinical problem. Another remaining problem after hernia surgery is the occurrence of chronic pain. Up to now, the use of synthetic meshes is the standard procedure, but there is increasing evidence that biological meshes could be advantageous concerning the occurrence of chronic pain due to different postoperative remodeling, without the disadvantages of a life-long implant.

We hypothesize that the use of a biological mesh reduces postoperative pain without being inferior in terms of recurrence rate compared with a synthetic mesh.

Methods/design

The trial compares possible the advantages of biological matrices to synthetic meshes in laparo-endoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Four hundred and ninety-six patients with primary bilateral inguinal herniae in 20 German hernia centers will be enrolled. Biological mesh is used for one of the bilateral herniae, the other side will be operated on with a synthetic mesh. Randomization will preset which side is repaired with which material and trial participants will not be informed about the location of each mesh type. The primary endpoints will be intensity of postoperative local pain and the incidence of recurrent hernia after 2 years.

Discussion

There is no reasonably sized trial that assesses the use of biological meshes in laparo-endoscopic inguinal hernia repair.

Our self-controlled trial design allows a direct comparison of the two meshes with very few confounding factors as well as minimizing the exclusion criteria. As we compare CE-certified medical devices in their designated indication the medical risk is not different compared to routine clinical care. Due to the common nature of bilateral inguinal hernia, a high recruitment rate is achievable. Because guidelines for hernia repair have stressed the need for reliable data on the already frequent use of biological meshes, we can expect our trial to have a direct implication on hernia-repair standards.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register, ID: DRKS00010178. Registered on 16.June.2016. BIOLAP underwent full external peer review as part of the funding process with the German Research Foundation.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-018-3122-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.