A 12-week intramuscular toxicity study of risperidone-loaded microspheres in Beagle dogs

Long-acting formulations of antipsychotics are important treatment options to increase the compliance of schizophrenic patients. Risperidone, a 5-HT2 and dopaminergic D2 receptor antagonist, was developed as long-acting sustained-release microspheres with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) as a drug carrier for the treatment of schizophrenia. In the present study, the main objective is to determine the nonclinical safety profile of risperidone-loaded microspheres (RM) in Beagle dogs after intramuscular administration for 3 months, once in 2 weeks, followed by 8-week recovery phase. No animal death was found and no special toxicological findings were observed. The findings, such as hypoactivity, ptosis, increased heart rate, and elevated serum and pituitary prolactin levels, were observed and related to the pharmacological effects of risperidone. The changes in the reproductive system (uterus, ovary, vagina, cervix, and mammary gland) were considered secondary to the prolactin elevation, and the congestion of spleen was related to risperidone. The foreign body granulomas at injection sites might be caused by PLGA. At the end of recovery phase, the above changes mostly recovered to normal, and on administering 3 mg/kg dose level once in 2 weeks on Beagle dogs showed no observed adverse effect. Taken together, RM had exhibited the acceptable safety.

Measurement of J/ψ azimuthal anisotropy in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV

The measurement of J/ψ azimuthal anisotropy is presented as a function of transverse momentum for different centralities in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The measured J/ψ elliptic flow is consistent with zero within errors for transverse momentum between 2 and 10 GeV/c. Our measurement suggests that J/ψ particles with relatively large transverse momenta are not dominantly produced by coalescence from thermalized charm quarks, when comparing to model calculations.

Calycosin induces apoptosis by upregulation of RASD1 in human breast cancer cells MCF-7

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among women, and the failure of normal apoptosis has been proved in the development of breast cancer. The phytoestrogen, calycosin, is extracted from Chinese medical herb Radix astragali. We recently reported that calycosin successfully stimulated proliferation of ER-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cells at low concentration. In the present study, we assessed the proapoptotic function of calycosin in MCF-7 cells at high concentration in vitro, as well as the possible mechanism of its effect. MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of calycosin, and then detected by MTT assay for cellular viability, Hoechst assay, and flow cytometry for apoptosis. RASD1 is identified as a Ras-family member and a regulator in MAPK-mediated cascade leading to cell proliferation or apoptosis. To provide insight into the functions of RASD1 signaling pathway in calycosin-induced apoptosis, the expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and RASD1 in calycosin-treated cells were determined by Western blot assay. The results showed that high concentrations of calycosin significantly suppressed the proliferation of MCF-7 cells and promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, compared with control group, the expression of Bcl-2 decreased with calycosin in MCF-7 cells, while Bax increased, which was significantly correlated with elevated expression of RASD1. Together, we present evidence that at relatively high concentration calycosin triggered cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by upregulating RASD1. And for the first time, this study revealed that calycosin may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

Alterations of the default mode network in functional dyspepsia patients: a resting-state fmri study

BACKGROUND

Increasing brain imaging studies have emphasized the role of regional brain activity abnormalities in functional dyspepsia (FD) during the resting state. The goal of this study was to investigate the default mode network (DMN) in FD patients and healthy controls (HCs).

METHODS

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning was carried out on 49 patients and 39 HCs. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to isolate the DMN in each subject. Group topography of the DMN was compared to study significant alteration in FD. A correlation analysis was then performed in the FD group to investigate the effects of symptom severity and the psychological factors on the DMN.

KEY RESULTS

Significant spatial differences with the DMN in FD patients, compared with HCs, were mainly found in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC), thalamus, parahippocampal gyrus, precuneus, parietal cortex, and temporal pole. Meanwhile, Nepean Dyspepsia Index (NDI) scores were positively correlated with the pACC, and was negative correlated with the OFC. However, both the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores were not correlated with any regions of interest showing differences between the FD patients and the HCs.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

These findings suggested that the DMN might indeed undergo dysfunctional changes due to the abnormal persistent activity in FD patients. To a certain extent, the changes in the DMN were related to the FD-related symptom severity.

Detailed Investigations of Structural Layering Phenomena in Injection Molded Thermotropic LCP

Effects of processing variables on the structural gradients developed in the injection molding of thermotropic wholly aromatic copolyester parts were investigated using optical macro and microscopy combined with image analysis techniques at various sections of the molded LCP parts.

The studies indicate the existence of a multi-layer structure from skin to core of the parts. These include: a skin layer, a transition zone composed of a sub-skin layer, a shear layer and a core region. The effects of processing conditions including injection speed, mold temperature, and mold size on the structural features were evaluated. An interesting buckling phenomenon resembling features observed in jetting at core regions near the end of the cavity after the divergence section was observed for the samples molded at the lowest injection speed and mold temperature.

Digital image analysis of the images of the sectioned parts revealed that there are more layers than one observes macroscopically. In certain instances as many as 15 layers were detected. Orientation behavior and the positional light reflection intensity appear to correlate with each other particularly away from the skin regions. This may be the manifestation of high visible light absorption anisotropy exhibited by these aromatic polymers.

Observation of an energy-dependent difference in elliptic flow between particles and antiparticles in relativistic heavy ion collisions

Elliptic flow (v(2)) values for identified particles at midrapidity in Au + Au collisions, measured by the STAR experiment in the beam energy scan at RHIC at sqrt[s(NN)] = 7.7-62.4 GeV, are presented. A beam-energy-dependent difference of the values of v(2) between particles and corresponding antiparticles was observed. The difference increases with decreasing beam energy and is larger for baryons compared to mesons. This implies that, at lower energies, particles and antiparticles are not consistent with the universal number-of-constituent-quark scaling of v(2) that was observed at sqrt[s(NN)] = 200 GeV.

Galectin-1 prolongs survival of mouse liver allografts from Flt3L-pretreated donors

Liver allografts are spontaneously accepted across MHC barriers in mice. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Galectin-1, an endogenous lectin expressed in lymphoid organs, plays a vital role in maintaining central and peripheral tolerance. This study was to investigate the role of galectin-1 in spontaneous tolerance of liver allografts in mice, and to evaluate the therapeutic effects of galectin-1 on liver allograft rejection induced by donor Flt3L pretreatment. Blockade of the galectin-1 pathway via neutralizing antigalectin-1 mAb did not affect survival of the liver allografts from B6 donors into C3H recipients. Administration of rGal-1 significantly prolonged survival of liver allografts from Flt3L-pretreated donors and ameliorated Flt3L-triggered liver allograft rejection. This effect was associated with increased apoptosis of T cells in both allografts and spleens, decreased frequencies of Th1 and Th17 cells, decreased expression of Th1-associated cytokines (IL-12, IL-2 and IFN-γ), Th17-associated cytokines (IL-23 and IL-17) and granzyme B, in parallel with selectively increased IL-10 expression in liver allografts. In vitro, galectin-1 inhibited Flt3L-differentiated DC-mediated proliferation of allo-CD4(+) T cells and production of IFN-γ and IL-17. These data provide new evidence of the potential regulatory effects of galectin-1 in alloimmune responses in a murine model of liver transplantation.

Effect of erythropoietin on mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and secretion in vitro in an acute kidney injury microenvironment

We investigated the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on differentiation and secretion of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in an acute kidney injury microenvironment. Acute kidney injury mouse models were prepared. Both renal cortices were then immediately collected to produce the ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant. The morphological and ultrastructural changes in the cells were observed using an inverted microscope and a transmission electron microscope. Cytokeratin-18 was detected using flow cytometry. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 levels, hepatocyte growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor in the culture medium were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cells had high CD29 and CD44 expression, as well as low CD34 and CD45 expression. More round and oval cells with cobble-like appearances were observed after EPO treatment. In addition, an increase in the number of rough endoplasmic reticula, lysosomes, and mitochondria was observed in the cytoplasm; the intercellular junction peculiar to epithelial cells was also seen on the cell surface. After treatment with ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant, cytokeratin-18 expression increased significantly and EPO could magnify its expression. Bone morphogenetic protein-7 levels, hepatocyte growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor levels after treatment with ischemia/reperfusion kidney homogenate supernatant significantly decreased, whereas EPO increased the cytokine secretion. The acute kidney injury microenvironment can induce the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to partially differentiate into renal tubular epithelium-shaped cells, but weaken their secretion function. EPO intervention can boost up their differentiation function and reverse their low secretion effect.

T cell-derived leptin contributes to increased frequency of T helper type 17 cells in female patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

Leptin modulates T cell function and plays an important role in autoimmune diseases. Our study aimed to explore the role of leptin and T helper type 17 (Th17) cells in Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients. Twenty-seven patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and 20 healthy controls were enrolled into the current study. A modest increase of plasma leptin in HT patients and the CD4(+) T cell-derived leptin from HT patients was stronger than that from healthy controls. In HT patients, there are no statistically significant correlations between plasma leptin concentrations and the percentage of Th17 cells or the level of retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt), but strong positive correlations were observed between CD4(+) T cell-derived leptin and the percentage of Th17 cells or the level of RORγt mRNA, and additionally significantly up-regulated leptin, interleukin (IL)17 and RORγt mRNA levels in the thyroid tissue. Furthermore, neutralization of leptin decreases the frequency of Th17 cells in vitro. Current study has revealed an increased leptin involvment in Hashimoto's thyroiditis associated with an increased number of Th17 cells.

Usefulness of specific OA biomarkers, thrombin-cleaved osteopontin, in the posterior cruciate ligament OA rabbit model

OBJECTIVE

We undertook this study to determine whether thrombin-cleaved osteopontin (OPN) in synovial fluid (SF) represents a useful marker of osteoarthritis (OA) progression in the posterior cruciate ligament transection (PCLT) OA rabbit model.

METHOD

PCLT was performed on the right knee joints of 48 rabbits. The rabbits were then sacrificed separately at 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks post-surgery, when the joint was harvested and macroscopic and histological assessments of articular cartilage were performed. Thrombin-cleaved OPN product in SF was determined using Western blotting and the levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay.

RESULTS

The macroscopic and histological scores for PCLT knees were already elevated 4 weeks after surgery and increased with time. Western blotting showed the presence of thrombin-cleaved OPN in SF from PCLT knees. Thrombin-cleaved OPN levels in SF were elevated at 4 weeks (P < 0.001) and were elevated peaking at 24 weeks (P < 0.00001) after PCLT compared to baseline. A positive significant correlation was found between thrombin-cleaved OPN levels and the macroscopic scores (8 weeks: ρ = 0.695, P = 0.012; 16 weeks: ρ = 0.751, P = 0.005; 24 weeks: ρ = 0.660, P = 0.020). Furthermore, the same correlation was noted between thrombin-cleaved OPN levels and the histological scores (4 weeks: ρ = 0.609, P = 0.036; 8 weeks: ρ = 0.662, P = 0.019; 16 weeks: ρ = 0.827, P = 0.001; 24 weeks: ρ = 0.813, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In this rabbit model of PCLT, thrombin-cleaved OPN levels in SF appear to provide a useful marker of OA disease severity and progression.

A simple novel technique for heterotopic intestinal transplantation in mice

The murine heterotopic intestinal transplant model is of particular value for addressing the unique immune response in the gut and addressing the underlying immune mechanism during transplantation. Anastomotic stenosis, anastomotic bleeding, and septic shock continue to hamper procedures and plague the success. In this study, we assessed a refined technique designed to improve the success of heterotopic intestinal transplant in mice. Important factors in our refined technique included (1) a refined procedure for graft portal vein preparation, (2) a novel procedure for graft exteriorization, and most importantly (3) a knotless suturing technique designed to allow the surgeon to alter the size of the anastomosis, thus reducing anastomotic bleeding and stenosis rate. Our refined knotless method improved recipient survival to 67.5% when compared to the standard technique (53.8%). In comparison to standard knot suturing technique, which had an anastomotic stenosis rate of 8.3%, the knotless suturing technique significantly reduced the rate of anastomotic stenosis to only 2.4%. Anastomotic bleeding presented in the knotless technique in only 1.2%, whereas it presented in 6.2%, of mice in the standard technique (P < .05). This refined knotless technique offers an easy and effective method for murine heterotopic intestinal transplantation.

IL-17 and IFN-γ production in peripheral blood following BCG vaccination and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in human

BACKGROUND

During Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, cells of the immune system rely on cytokines to regulate the activity of other immune and structural cells such as IFN-gamma and IL-4. Recent studies suggest that Th17 cells secreting IL-17 may play a potential role in tuberculosis (TB) development.

AIM

To assess the effect of IL-17 on TB development, we provide a systematic review on the production of IL-17, IFN-gamma and IL-4 in infants or children vaccinated with BCG and in TB patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The literature relevant with IL-17 and IFN-gamma production with or without IL-4 on human TB was retrieved from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, BIOSIS Previews and the China Biomedicine Literature Databases (CBM) using the search terms "Interleukin-17 or Th17 cells" and "Tuberculosis". The information of included studies, the production of IL-17 and IFN-gamma responding to antigens in the peripheral blood in vitro, was independently extracted by the first two researchers and subsequently qualitatively analyzed.

RESULTS

Nine studies from a total of 226 retrieved publications met the criteria. These included studies showed that BCG vaccination induced dramatically high level of IL-17 similar to IFN-gamma; The level of IL-17 and IFN-gamma were low while IL-4 was high in patients with active TB; IL-17 and IFN-gamma had a similar trend of increase during the conversion from active to latent TB while IL-4 inclined to decrease in this process.

CONCLUSIONS

IL-17 acts as an effector molecule similar to IFN-gamma after BCG vaccination and Mtb infection to protect human against TB. The current findings do not support IL-17 as an inducer of tissue damage in TB.

A novel lentivirus for quantitative assessment of gene knockdown in stem cell differentiation

Loss of gene function is a valuable tool for screening genes in cellular processes including stem cell differentiation differentiation. However, the criteria for evaluating gene knockdown are usually based on end-point analysis and real-time, dynamic information is lacking. To overcome these limitations, we engineered a shRNA encoding LentiViral Dual Promoter vector (shLVDP) that enabled real-time monitoring of mesenchymal stem (MSC) differentiation and simultaneous gene knockdown. In this vector, the activity of the alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) promoter was measured by the expression of a destabilized green fluorescent protein, and was used as an indicator of myogenic differentiation; constitutive expression of discosoma red fluorescent protein was used to measure transduction efficiency and to normalize αSMA promoter activity; and shRNA was encoded by a doxycycline (Dox)-regulatable H1 promoter. Importantly, the normalized promoter activity was independent of lentivirus titer allowing quantitative assessment of gene knockdown. Using this vector, we evaluated 11 genes in the TGF-β1 or Rho signaling pathway on SMC maturation and on MSC differentiation along the myogenic lineage. As expected, knockdown of genes such as Smad2/3 or RhoA inhibited myogenic differentiation, while knocking down the myogenic differentiation inhibitor, Klf4, increased αSMA promoter activity significantly. Notably, some genes for example, Smad7 or KLF4 showed differential regulation of myogenic differentiation in MSC from different anatomic locations such as bone marrow and hair follicles. Finally, Dox-regulatable shRNA expression enabled temporal control of gene knockdown and provided dynamic information on the effect of different genes on myogenic phenotype. Our data suggests that shLVDP may be ideal for development of lentiviral microarrays to decipher gene regulatory networks of complex biological processes such as stem cell differentiation or reprogramming.

Induction of microRNA-24 by HIF-1 protects against ischemic injury in rat cardiomyocytes

MicroRNAs are emerging as important regulators of cardiac function. This study investigated the role of microRNA-24 (miR-24) in ischemic cardiomyocytes, based on the observation that miR-24 expression was significantly enhanced in the ischemic myocardium of rats. Using primary cultured rat cardiomyocytes, cell injury was induced by ischemic conditions, and the cells were evaluated for changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, cell viability, apoptosis and necrosis. The results showed that miR-24 was increased in myocytes exposed to ischemia. When miR-24 was further overexpressed in ischemic myocytes using the mimic RNA sequence, LDH release was reduced, cell viability was enhanced, and apoptosis and necrosis rates were both decreased. By contrast, a deficiency in miR-24 resulted in the largest LDH release, lowest cell viability and highest apoptosis and necrosis rates in normal and ischemic myocytes, with significant changes compared to that of non-transfected myocytes. Additionally, the mRNA and protein levels of the pro-apoptotic gene, BCL2L11, were down-regulated by miR-24 overexpression and up-regulated by miR-24 deficiency. The luciferase reporter assay confirmed BCL2L11 to be a target of miR-24. Overall, this study showed a protective role for miR-24 against myocardial ischemia by inhibiting BCL2L11, and may represent a potential novel treatment for ischemic heart disease.

Combination therapy an ACE inhibitor and an angiotensin receptor blocker for IgA nephropathy: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is still unknown. Combination therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) plus angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) might provide more benefits to IgAN patients. We conducted a systematic review to assess the efficacy of combination therapy for IgAN.

METHODS

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and article reference lists were searched for randomised clinical trials (RCTs) which involved combination therapy ACEI plus ARB in only one arm. A meta-analysis was performed on the outcomes of proteinuria and renal function in IgAN patients.

RESULTS

Six RCTs involving 109 patients were included in the review. Combined treatment with ACEI plus ARB was more effective than with ACEI/ARB alone for reducing daily proteinuria. This did not translate into an improvement in GFR. Patients receiving ACEI plus ARB therapy did not have an increased risk of hyperkalemia.

CONCLUSIONS

The current cumulative evidence suggests that combination therapy ACEI plus ARB may provide more benefits to IgAN patients for reducing daily proteinuria. Long-term effects of these agents on renal outcomes, and safety need to be established.

Simultaneous bilateral hip joint imaging at 7 Tesla using fast transmit B₁ shimming methods and multichannel transmission - a feasibility study

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of simultaneous bilateral hip imaging at 7 Tesla. Hip joint MRI becomes clinically critical since recent advances have made hip arthroscopy an efficacious approach to treat a variety of early hip diseases. The success of these treatments requires a reliable and accurate diagnosis of intraarticular abnormalities at an early stage. Articular cartilage assessment is especially important to guide surgical decisions but is difficult to achieve with current MR methods. Because of gains in tissue contrast and spatial resolution reported at ultra high magnetic fields, there are strong expectations that imaging the hip joint at 7 Tesla will improve diagnostic accuracy. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that the majority of these hip abnormalities occur bilaterally, emphasizing the need for bilateral imaging. However, obtaining high quality images in the human torso, in particular of both hips simultaneously, must overcome a major challenge arising from the damped traveling wave behaviour of RF waves at 7 Tesla that leads to severe inhomogeneities in transmit B1 (B(1) (+) ) phase and magnitude, typically resulting in areas of low signal and contrast, and consequently impairing use for clinical applications. To overcome this problem, a 16-channel stripline transceiver RF coil was used, together with a B1 shimming algorithm aiming at maximizing B(1) (+) in six regions of interest over the hips that were identified on axial scout images. Our successful results demonstrate that this approach effectively reduces inhomogeneities observed before B1 shimming and provides high joint tissue contrast in both hips while reducing the required RF power. Critical to this success was a fast small flip angle B(1) (+) calibration scan that permitted the computation of subject-specific B1 shimming solutions, a necessary step to account for large spatial variations in B(1) (+) phase observed in different subjects.

MicroRNA-337 is associated with chondrogenesis through regulating TGFBR2 expression

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in regulating diverse cellular pathways and involved in development and inflammation. This study aimed to examine six miRNAs expression during the cartilage development and identify the key miRNA which is associated with chondrogenesis.

METHODS

The expression of six miRNAs in cartilage tissue during development was screened by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Rat models of bone matrix gelatin induced endochondral ossification, collagen-induced arthritis and pristane-induced arthritis were established to examine whether miR-337 is involved in chondrogenesis. Furthermore, the regulation of transforming growth factor-b type II receptor (TGFBR2) expression by miR-337 was determined with the luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot. The expression of some specific genes relevant to cartilage tissue was tested by RT-qPCR after miR-337 mimic or inhibitor transfection.

RESULTS

MiR-337 expression was significantly down-regulated and almost disappeared in the maturation phases of endochondral ossification. The results of histology and RT-qPCR from three rat models showed that miR-337 is directly bound up with chondrogenesis. Furthermore, the results from the luciferase reporter gene assay and Western blot indicated that miR-337 regulated TGFBR2 expression. Our study also found that the enhancement of miR-337 may modulate the expression of cartilage-specific genes such as AGC1 in C-28/I2 chondrocytes.

CONCLUSION

We proved that miRNA-337 is associated with chondrogenesis through regulating TGFBR2 expression, and miRNA-337 can also influence cartilage-specific gene expression in chondrocytes. These findings may provide an important clue for further research in the arthritis pathogenesis and suggest a new remedy for arthritis treatment.

Directed flow of identified particles in Au+Au collisions at √[SNN]=200 GeV at RHIC

STAR's measurements of directed flow (v1) around midrapidity for π±, K±, KS0, p, and p[over ¯] in Au+Au collisions at √[sNN]=200  GeV are presented. A negative v1(y) slope is observed for most of produced particles (π±, K±, KS0, and p[over ¯]). In 5%-30% central collisions, a sizable difference is present between the v1(y) slope of protons and antiprotons, with the former being consistent with zero within errors. The v1 excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, UrQMD, AMPT, QGSM with parton recombination, and a hydrodynamics model with a tilted source) are made. For those models which have calculations of v1 for both pions and protons, none of them can describe v1(y) for pions and protons simultaneously. The hydrodynamics model with a tilted source as currently implemented cannot explain the centrality dependence of the difference between the v1(y) slopes of protons and antiprotons.

Peak expiratory flow as a screening tool to detect airflow obstruction in a primary health care setting

BACKGROUND

Peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurement is less expensive and requires fewer skills than spirometry testing. It is thus expected to be a reasonable substitute for spirometry in airflow obstruction screening when spirometry is unavailable.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the validation of PEF measurement in the detection of airflow obstruction using newly established regression equations.

METHODS

The PEFs of 553 'normal' participants aged 40-85 years were measured using mechanical devices. Based on these data, regression equations were generated to predict normal PEF values. Data were then collected from 3379 subjects. The specificity and sensitivity of the different predicted PEF cut-off points for detecting airflow obstruction were evaluated by spirometry, based on previously generated regression equations.

RESULTS

Using newly established reference values for PEF, PEF had higher sensitivity and specificity than the questionnaire in detection of airflow obstruction. That PEF < 80% of predicted was more effective in the detection of airflow obstruction was confirmed by the lower limit of normal of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), and GOLD plus symptom, with a sensitivity of 78.7%, 76.8%, 85.3% and a specificity of 81.9%, 83.8%, 81.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanical PEF may be a reasonable method of screening for airflow obstruction in settings where spirometry is unavailable.

Identified hadron compositions in p+p and Au+Au collisions at high transverse momenta at √S(NN)=200 GeV

We report transverse momentum (p(T)≤15  GeV/c) spectra of π(±), K(±), p, p[over ¯], K(S)(0), and ρ(0) at midrapidity in p+p and Au+Au collisions at √S(NN)=200  GeV. Perturbative QCD calculations are consistent with π(±) spectra in p+p collisions but do not reproduce K and p(p[over ¯]) spectra. The observed decreasing antiparticle-to-particle ratios with increasing p(T) provide experimental evidence for varying quark and gluon jet contributions to high-p(T) hadron yields. The relative hadron abundances in Au+Au at p(T)≳8  GeV/c are measured to be similar to the p+p results, despite the expected Casimir effect for parton energy loss.

Strangeness enhancement in Cu-Cu and Au-Au collisions at √S(NN)=200 GeV

We report new STAR measurements of midrapidity yields for the Λ, Λ[over ¯], K(S)(0), Ξ(-), Ξ[over ¯](+), Ω(-), Ω[over ¯](+) particles in Cu+Cu collisions at √S(NN)==200  GeV, and midrapidity yields for the Λ, Λ[over ¯], K(S)(0) particles in Au+Au at √S(NN)==200  GeV. We show that, at a given number of participating nucleons, the production of strange hadrons is higher in Cu+Cu collisions than in Au+Au collisions at the same center-of-mass energy. We find that aspects of the enhancement factors for all particles can be described by a parametrization based on the fraction of participants that undergo multiple collisions.

P4-05-02: Early Developmental Exposures to a High Carbohydrate/High Fat Diet Affect Glucose Metabolism and Mammary Cancer Susceptibility

Background

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. has substantially increased the number of people with altered glucose metabolism. Alterations in metabolic programming, resulting from early exposures can affect development, metabolism as well as propensity to later diseases, including cancer. The Warburg effect describes a mechanism by which diet-induced hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia can contribute to cellular transformation. To investigate the effect of a hyperinsulinemia-, hyperglycemia-inducing (HI/HG) diet on metabolic programming and susceptibility to mammary cancer, we exposed developing mouse pups during three developmental stages: gestation, lactation and post-weaning.

Materials and Methods: Female SENCAR mice were fed either a mildly restricted, defined, “chow like” control diet (DR) or a HI/HG, high sucrose/high fat (HS/HF) diet. At 14 weeks, both DR and HS/HF fed female mice were bred and the resulting offspring were randomized into 8 groups to model all combinations of gestational, lactational and post-weaning dietary exposures. Body weights (BW) were recorded weekly and Glucose Tolerance Tests (GTTs) were conducted on the female offspring at 10–12 weeks of age. Starting at 7–9 weeks of age, mice received 20 mg/day of DMBA or vehicle by daily gavage to induce mammary carcinogenesis.

Results: Animals in the DR/DR/DR (gestational diet/nursing diet/post-weaning diet) and HS/DR/DR groups had the lowest average BW and retained normal response to glucose, while mice in the DR/HS/HS and HS/HS/HS groups had the highest average BW. Interestingly, animals born to DR-fed and nursed by HS/HF mothers and weaned onto a HS/HF diet (DR/HS/HS) were the most glucose intolerant. In response to DMBA, animals in the different dietary regimens partitioned into high, moderate or low mammary tumor incidence groups. Mice fed consistent diets throughout gestation, lactation and post-weaning (DR/DR/DR or HS/HS/HS) had intermediate tumor incidence. However, mice exposed to DR during gestation and/or lactation and then switched to a HS/HF diet at weaning had the highest tumor incidence and shortest latency. Mice exposed to a HS/HF diet during gestation and/or lactation and then switched to a DR diet at weaning had the fewest mammary tumors and longest latency.

Conclusion: Our data indicate that substantial changes in the type and abundance of calories during gestation and/or lactation had long-lasting impacts on BW, glucose metabolism, and mammary tumorigenesis. Since BW did not consistently correlate with GTT results, the effects of dietary manipulation on obesity and glucose metabolism appear to be distinguishable. Results also indicate that diet-induced changes in the glucose metabolism of the mother profoundly affected tumor susceptibility in the exposed female offspring. These findings support the contention that rising levels of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes, especially in young individuals, may contribute to the increasing incidence of early onset breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-05-02.

Interindividual reaction time variability is related to resting-state network topology: an electroencephalogram study

Both anatomical and functional brain network studies have drawn great attention recently. Previous studies have suggested the significant impacts of brain network topology on cognitive function. However, the relationship between non-task-related resting-state functional brain network topology and overall efficiency of sensorimotor processing has not been well identified. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between non-task-related resting-state functional brain network topology and reaction time (RT) in a Go/Nogo task using an electroencephalogram (EEG). After estimating the functional connectivity between each pair of electrodes, graph analysis was applied to characterize the network topology. Two fundamental measures, clustering coefficient (functional segregation) and characteristic path length (functional integration), as well as "small-world-ness" (the ratio between the clustering coefficient and characteristic path length) were calculated in five frequency bands. Then, the correlations between the network measures and RT were evaluated in each band separately. The present results showed that increased overall functional connectivity in alpha and gamma frequency bands was correlated with a longer RT. Furthermore, shorter RT was correlated with a shorter characteristic path length in the gamma band. This result suggested that human RTs were likely to be related to the efficiency of the brain integrating information across distributed brain regions. The results also showed that a longer RT was related to an increased gamma clustering coefficient and decreased small-world-ness. These results provided further evidence of the association between the resting-state functional brain network and cognitive function.

Comparison between eight- and sixteen-channel TEM transceive arrays for body imaging at 7 T

Eight- and sixteen-channel transceive stripline/TEM body arrays were compared at 7 T (297 MHz) both in simulation and experiment. Despite previous demonstrations of similar arrays for use in body applications, a quantitative comparison of the two configurations has not been undertaken to date. Results were obtained on a male pelvis for assessing transmit, signal to noise ratio, and parallel imaging performance and to evaluate local power deposition versus transmit B(1) (B(1) (+) ). All measurements and simulations were conducted after performing local B(1) (+) phase shimming in the region of the prostate. Despite the additional challenges of decoupling immediately adjacent coils, the sixteen-channel array demonstrated improved or nearly equivalent performance to the eight-channel array based on the evaluation criteria. Experimentally, transmit performance and signal to noise ratio were 22% higher for the sixteen-channel array while significantly increased reduction factors were achievable in the left-right direction for parallel imaging. Finite difference time domain simulations demonstrated similar results with respect to transmit and parallel imaging performance, however, a higher transmit efficiency advantage of 33% was predicted. Simulations at both 3 and 7 T verified the expected parallel imaging improvements with increasing field strength and showed that, for a specific B(1) (+) shimming strategy used, the sixteen-channel array exhibited lower local and global specific absorption rate for a given B(1) (+) .

Effect of donor cell type on nuclear remodelling in rabbit somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos

Cloned rabbits have been produced for many years by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The efficiency of cloning by SCNT, however, has remained extremely low. Most cloned embryos degenerate in utero, and the few that develop to term show a high incidence of post-natal death and abnormalities. The cell type used for donor nuclei is an important factor in nuclear transfer (NT). As reported previously, NT embryos reconstructed with fresh cumulus cells (CC-embryos) have better developmental potential than those reconstructed with foetal fibroblasts (FF-embryos) in vivo and in vitro. The reason for this disparity in developmental capacity is still unknown. In this study, we compared active demethylation levels and morphological changes between the nuclei of CC-embryos and FF-embryos shortly after activation. Anti-5-methylcytosine immunofluorescence of in vivo-fertilized and cloned rabbit embryos revealed that there was no detectable active demethylation in rabbit zygotes or NT-embryos derived from either fibroblasts or CC. In the process of nuclear remodelling, however, the proportion of nuclei with abnormal appearance in FF-embryos was significantly higher than that in CC-embryos during the first cell cycle. Our study demonstrates that the nuclear remodelling abnormality of cloned rabbit embryos may be one important factor for the disparity in developmental success between CC-embryos and FF-embryos.

Annexin 1 exerts anti-nociceptive effects after peripheral inflammatory pain through formyl-peptide-receptor-like 1 in rat dorsal root ganglion

BACKGROUND

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) has analgesic effects in inflammatory pain. We aimed to investigate the anti-nociceptive role of ANXA1, at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) level, through an interaction with formyl-peptide-receptor-like 1 (FPR2/ALX).

METHODS

Inflammatory pain was evoked by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA, 50 μl) into the hindpaw of male Sprague-Dawley rats. The distribution of ANXA1 and FPR2/ALX in L4/5 DRGs was evaluated by immunofluorescence. The expression of ANXA1 was measured by western blot. The involvement of FPR2/ALX in the anti-nociception of ANXA1 was investigated by thermal (irradiant heat) and mechanical (von Frey filament) pain tests with intrathecal (i.t.) ANXA1-derived peptide (Anxa1(2-26)), FPR2/ALX agonist 5(S)-6(R)-7-trihydroxyheptanoic-acid-methyl-ester (BML-111), and antagonist N-t-Boc-Phe-Leu-Phe-Leu-Phe (Boc1).

RESULTS

ANXA1 and FPR2/ALX localized in the satellite glial cells and neurones in L4/5 DRGs. CFA treatment (n=20) increased ANXA1 expression in L4/5 DRGs within 7 days (P<0.01). I.T. Anxa1(2-26) (20 and 100 µg µl(-1)) and BML-111 (10 and 100 nmol) reduced CFA-induced thermal and mechanical nociception within 48 h (n=40) (P<0.05). However, i.t. Boc1 10 µg intensified inflammatory pain (P<0.05) and reversed the anti-nociceptive effect of Anxa1(2-26) (n=25) (P<0.05). Moreover, ANXA1 expression increased in L4/5 DRGs after i.t. Anxa1(2-26) (20 µg µl(-1)) (P<0.05) and BML-111 (10 nmol) (P<0.01) but decreased after i.t. Boc1 (10 and 100 µg) alone (P<0.01) or Boc1 (10 µg) co-injection with Anxa1(2-26) (20 µg µl(-1)) (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Endogenous ANXA1 expression at the DRG level is involved in CFA-induced inflammatory pain, and i.t. ANXA1 20 µg µl(-1) produces its anti-nociceptive effect through FPR2/ALX.

Analysis of antigen epitopes and molecular pathogenic characteristics of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza A virus in China

In order to further predict the epidemic trend and develop vaccines for 2009 H1N1 virus, we monitored its epitopes and molecular pathogenic characteristics during the epidemic process. We also analyzed the similarity of antigenic and genetic characteristics among the novel 2009 H1N1, representative seasonal H1N1 strains, and vaccine strains. 2009 H1N1 isolates had high similarity of hemagglutinin (HA) antigenic sites with H1N1 viruses isolated before 1940 and up to 80.0% similarity with 1918 H1N1. The elderly people born before 1940 have relatively low 2009 H1N1 infection rate, which might be responsible for their previous infection with either 1918 H1N1 virus or an early progeny. Compared to seasonal H1N1 vaccine strains from 1999 to 2010, the HA, neuraminidase (NA), and nucleoprotein (NP) proteins of the isolates had highly conserved CTL epitopes (60.5-65.8%, 69.6-82.6%, and 76.7%, respectively). The seriousness and mortality rate of 2009 H1N1 infections were similar to seasonal influenza, which may be related to the molecular characteristics of low toxicity of 2009 H1N1 and cross-T-cell immunity, due to vaccination or exposure to seasonal H1N1 virus. Some strains of 2009 H1N1 acquired mutations at antigenic and glycosylation sites. It is of particular interest that Haishu/SWL110/10 and Beijing/SE2649/09, isolated after November 2009, gained a new glycosylation site at the position 179 of HA protein, near the RBD. Thus, in the future, vaccination with glycosylated 2009 H1N1 virus may prevent the seasonal epidemic caused by strains with glycosylation site mutation near the receptor binding domain (RBD).

Data linkage between existing healthcare databases to support hospital epidemiology

Enhancing the use of existing datasets within acute hospitals will greatly facilitate hospital epidemiology, surveillance, the monitoring of a variety of processes, outcomes and risk factors, and the provision of alert systems. Multiple overlapping data systems exist within National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the UK, and many duplicate data recordings take place because of the lack of linkage and interfaces. This results in hospital-collected data not being used efficiently. The objective was to create an inventory of all existing systems, including administrative, management, human resources, microbiology, patient care and other platforms, to describe the data architecture that could contribute valuable information for a hospital epidemiology unit. These datasets were investigated as to how they could be used to generate surveillance data, key performance indicators and risk information that could be shared at board, clinical programme group, specialty and ward level. An example of an output of this integrated data platform and its application in influenza resilience planning and responsiveness is described. The development of metrics for staff absence and staffing levels may also be used as key indicators for risk-monitoring for infection prevention. This work demonstrates the value of such a data inventory and linkage and the importance of more sophisticated uses of existing NHS data, and innovative collaborative approaches to support clinical care, quality improvement, surveillance, emergency planning and research.