Multichannel-optical imaging for in vivo evaluating the safety and therapeutic efficacy of stem cells in tumor model in terms of cell tropism, proliferation and NF-κB activity

Stem cell-based cancer treatment has garnered significant attention, yet its safety and efficacy remain incompletely understood. The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, a critical signaling mechanism involved in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and invasion, serves as an essential metric for evaluating the behavior of stem cells in tumor models. Herein, we report the development of a triple-channel imaging system capable of simultaneously monitoring the tropism of stem cells towards tumors, assessing tumor proliferation, and quantifying tumor NF-κB activity. In this system, we generated a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-edited human glioblastoma cell line, GE-U87-MG, which provided a reliable readout of the proliferation and NF-κB activity of tumors by EF1α-RFLuc- and NF-κB-GLuc-based bioluminescent imaging, respectively. Additionally, near infrared-II emitting Tat-PEG-AgAuSe quantum dots were developed for tracking of stem cell tropism towards tumor. In a representative case involving human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), multichannel imaging revealed no discernible effect of hMSCs on the proliferation and NF-κB activity of GE-U87-MG tumors. Moreover, hMSCs engineered to overexpress the necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand were able to inhibit NF-κB activity and growth of GE-U87-MG in vivo. Taken together, our imaging system represents a powerful and feasible approach to evaluating the safety and therapeutic efficacy of stem cells in tumor models.

[Colorectal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation: a clinicopathological analysis of eight cases]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features of colorectal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation (CAED). Methods: Eight cases of CAED diagnosed at the Department of Pathology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China from January 2017 to August 2023 were collected. The histopathological, immunohistochemical, molecular and prognostic features of 8 CAED cases were analyzed. The relevant studies were also reviewed. Results: Among the eight patients, there were six males and two females, with an average age of 58 years (range: 29-77 years, median age: 61.5 years). Preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were elevated in five patients (14.0-286.6 μg/L). Four tumors were located in the colon, and four tumors in the rectum. Two patients were clinically staged as advanced stage (stage Ⅳ), and distant metastasis occurred at the initial diagnosis (one case had liver metastasis, and the other had lung, bone and multiple lymph nodes metastases). Six patients were clinically staged as locally-advanced stage (Stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ). Three of them developed distant metastases after surgery (one case had liver metastasis, one case had lung metastasis, and one case had peritoneal metastasis). Additionally, two patients died at 9 months and 24 months after surgery, respectively. The tumors were composed of various proportions of adenocarcinoma components with enteroblastic differentiation (30%-100%) and classical tubular adenocarcinoma components. The component with enteroblastic differentiation exhibited morphology similar to embryonic intestinal epithelium: cuboidal or columnar tumor cells arranged in tubular, papillary, cribriform, or solid nest patterns, with clear cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical studies showed that tumor cells expressed at least one oncofetal protein (SALL4, Glypican-3, and AFP). In addition, focal squamous differentiation was observed in 3 cases (3/8). Compared to the primary tumor, both CAED and squamous differentiation components were increased in the metastatic tumors. Based on the sequencing results of KRAS, NRAS and BRAF of the primary and/or metastatic tumors, 5 cases were wild-type, while KRAS exon 2 (G13D) mutations were identified in 2 cases. Conclusions: CAED is a rare colorectal malignancy with a dismal prognosis. Accurate pathological diagnosis is prognostically valuable. The histological features of enteroblastic differentiation, elevated serum AFP levels, and the expression of oncofetal proteins play an important role in the tumor diagnosis.

Efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed for TKI-failed leptomeningeal metastases from EGFR+ NSCLC: an expanded, single-arm, phase II clinical trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed (IP) for treating patients with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progressed from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in an expanded, prospective, single-arm, phase II clinical study (ChiCTR1800016615).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with confirmed NSCLC-LM who progressed from TKI received IP (50 mg, day 1/day 5 for 1 week, then every 3 weeks for four cycles, and then once monthly) until disease progression or intolerance. Objectives were to assess overall survival (OS), response rate, and safety. Measurable lesions were assessed by investigator according to RECIST version 1.1. LM were assessed according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria.

RESULTS

The study included 132 patients; 68% were female and median age was 52 years (31-74 years). The median OS was 12 months (95% confidence interval 10.4-13.6 months), RANO-assessed response rate was 80.3% (106/132), and the most common adverse event was myelosuppression (n = 42; 31.8%), which reversed after symptomatic treatment. The results of subgroup analysis showed that absence of brain parenchymal metastasis, good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, good response to IP treatment, negative cytology after treatment, and patients without neck/back pain/difficult defecation had longer survival. Gender, age, previous intrathecal methotrexate/cytarabine, and whole-brain radiotherapy had no significant influence on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further showed that IP is an effective and safe treatment method for the EGFR-TKI-failed NSCLC-LM, and should be recommended for these patients in clinical practice and guidelines.

300 million years apart: the extreme case of macromorphological skeletal convergence between deltocyathids and a turbinoliid coral (Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

The integration of morphological and molecular lines of evidence has enabled the family Deltocyathidae to be erected to accommodate Deltocyathus species that were previously ascribed to the family Caryophylliidae. However, although displaying the same morphological characteristics as other species of Deltocyathus , molecular data suggested that D. magnificus was phylogenetically distant from Deltocyathidae, falling within the family Turbinoliidae instead. To elucidate the enigmatic evolutionary history of this species and skeletal microstructural features, the phylogenetic relationships of Deltocyathidae and Turbinoliidae were investigated using nuclear ultraconserved and exon loci and complete mitochondrial genomes. Both nuclear and mitochondrial phylogenomic reconstructions confirmed the position of D. magnificus within turbinolids. Furthermore, a novel mitochondrial gene order was uncovered for Deltocyathidae species. This gene order was not present in Turbinoliidae or in D. magnificus that both have the scleractinian canonical gene order, further indicating the taxonomic utility of mitochondrial gene order. D. magnificus is therefore formally moved to the family Turbinoliidae and accommodated in a new genus (Dennantotrochus Kitahara, Vaga & Stolarski, gen. nov.). Surprisingly, turbinolids and deltocyathids do not differ in microstructural organisation of the skeleton that consists of densely packed, individualised rapid accretion deposits and thickening deposits composed of fibres perpendicular to the skeleton surface. Therefore, although both families are clearly evolutionarily divergent, macromorphological features indicate a case of skeletal convergence while these may still share conservative biomineralisation mechanisms. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:5F1C0E25-3CC6-4D1F-B1F0-CD9D0014678E.

[Different methods in predicting mortality of pediatric intensive care units sepsis in Southwest China]

Objective: To investigate the value of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), pediatric sequential organ failure assessment (pSOFA) and pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) in predicting mortality of pediatric sepsis in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) from Southwest China. Methods: This was a prospective multicenter observational study. A total of 447 children with sepsis admitted to 12 PICU in Southwest China from April 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Based on the prognosis, the patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group. The physiological parameters of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS were recorded and scored within 24 h after PICU admission. The general clinical data and some laboratory results were recorded. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to compare the predictive value of SIRS, pSOFA and PCIS in mortality of pediatric sepsis. Results: Amongst 447 children with sepsis, 260 patients were male and 187 patients were female, aged 2.5 (0.8, 7.0) years, 405 patients were in the survival group and 42 patients were in the non-survival group. 418 patients (93.5%) met the criteria of SIRS, and 440 patients (98.4%) met the criteria of pSOFA≥2. There was no significant difference in the number of items meeting the SIRS criteria between the survival group and the non-survival group (3(2, 4) vs. 3(3, 4) points, Z=1.30, P=0.192). The pSOFA score of the non-survival group was significantly higher than that of the survival group (9(6, 12) vs. 4(3, 7) points, Z=6.56, P<0.001), and the PCIS score was significantly lower than that of the survival group (72(68, 81) vs. 82(76, 88) points, Z=5.90, P<0.001). The predictive value of pSOFA (AUC=0.82) and PCIS (AUC=0.78) for sepsis mortality was significantly higher than that of SIRS (AUC=0.56) (Z=6.59, 4.23, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference between pSOFA and PCIS (Z=1.35, P=0.176). Platelet count, procalcitonin, lactic acid, albumin, creatinine, total bilirubin, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio were all able to predict mortality of sepsis to a certain degree (AUC=0.64, 0.68, 0.80, 0.64, 0.68, 0.60, 0.77, 0.75, 0.76, all P<0.05). Conclusion: Compared with SIRS, both pSOFA and PCIS had better predictive value in the mortality of pediatric sepsis in PICU.

[Preliminary study on the effect of Echinococcus multilocaris on phenotypic transformations of glucose metabolism and polarization types in macrophages]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of Echinococcus multilocularis on the phenotypic transformations of glucose metabolism, polarization types and inflammatory responses in macrophages, so as to provide insights into elucidation of echinococcosis pathogenesis.

METHODS

Bone marrow cells were isolated from C57BL/6J mice at ages of 6 to 8 weeks, and induced into bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) with mouse macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), which served as controls (BMDMs-M0). BMDMs-M0 induced M2 macrophages by interleukin-4 for 24 hours served as the IL-4 induction group, and BMDMs-M0 co-cultured with 2.4 ng/mL E. multilocularis cystic fluid (CF) served as the BMDM-CF co-culture group, while BMDMs-M0 co-cultured with E. multilocularis protoscolex (PSC) at a ratio of 500:1 served as the BMDM-PSC co-culture group. The types of polarization of BMDMs co-cultured with E. multilocularis CF and PSC were analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expression of macrophage markers, inflammatory factors, and glucose metabolism-related enzymes was quantified using fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting assays.

RESULTS

There were significant differences among the four groups in terms of Arginase-1 (Arg1) (F = 1 457.00, P < 0.000 1), macrophages-derived C-C motif chemokine 22 (Ccl22) (F = 22 203.00, P < 0.000 1), resistin-like α (Retnla) (F = 151.90, P < 0.000 1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) (F = 107.80, P < 0.001), hexokinase (HK) (F = 9 389.00, P < 0.000 1), pyruvate kinase (PK) (F = 641.40, P < 0.001), phosphofructokinase 1 (PFK1) (F = 43.97, P < 0.01), glucokinase (GK) (F = 432.50, P < 0.000 1), pyruvate dehydrogenase kinases1 (PDK1) (F = 737.30, P < 0.000 1), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) (F = 3 632.00, P < 0.000 1), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) (F = 532.40, P < 0.000 1), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) (F = 460.00, P < 0.000 1), citrate synthase (CS) (F = 5 642.00, P < 0.01), glycogen synthase1 (GYS1) (F = 273.30, P < 0.000 1), IL-6 (F = 1 823.00, P < 0.000 1), IL-10 (F = 291.70, P < 0.000 1), IL-1β (F = 986.60, P < 0.000 1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (F = 334.80, P < 0.000 1) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β mRNA expression (F = 163.30, P < 0.001). The proportion of M2 macrophages was significantly higher than that of M1 macrophages in the BMDM-PSC co-culture group [(22.87% ±1.48%) vs. (1.70% ±0.17%); t = 24.61, P < 0.001], and the proportion of M2 macrophages was significantly higher than that of M1 macrophages in the BMDM-CF co-culture group [(20.07% ±0.64%) vs. (1.93% ±0.25%); t = 45.73, P < 0.001]. The mRNA expression of M2 macrophages markers Arg1, Ccl22 and Retnla was significantly higher in the BMDM-CF and BMDM-PSC co-culture groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.01), and no significant difference was seen in the mRNA expression of the M1 macrophage marker iNOS among the three groups (P > 0.05), while qPCR assay quantified higher mRNA expression of key glycolytic enzymes HK, PK and PFK, as well as inflammatory factors IL-10, IL-1β, TNF-α and TGF-β in the BMDM-CF and BMDM-PSC co-culture groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.01). Western blotting assay determined higher HK, PK and PFK protein expression in the BMDM-PSC co-culture group than in the control group (all P values < 0.05), and qPCR quantified higher GLUT1, GAPDH and IL-6 mRNA expression in the BMDM-CF co-culture group than in the control group (all P values < 0.05), while higher HK, PK and PFK protein and mRNA expression (all P values < 0.01), as well as lower IL-6 and TNF-α and higher TGF-β mRNA expression (both P values < 0.05) was detected in the IL-4 induction group than in the control group. Glycolytic stress test showed no significant difference in the extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) of mouse BMDM among the control group, IL-4 induction group and BMDM-PSC co-culture group (F = 124.4, P < 0.05), and a higher ECAR was seen in the BMDM-PSC co-culture group and a lower ECAR was found in the IL-4 induction group than in the control group (both P values < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of E. multilocularis CF or PSC mainly causes polarization of BMDM into M2 macrophages, and phenotypic transformation of glucose metabolism into high-energy and high-glycolytic metabolism, and affects inflammatory responses in BMDM.

Theoretical and numerical simulation to control the wideband three-dimensional interfering noise by the broadband constant beam pattern method for a spherical array

The broadband constant beam pattern (CBP) spherical array synthesis theory is applied to suppress or to cancel wideband three-dimensional interfering noise sources by implanting zeros in the array's original synthesized shading function. This modified array angular shading function can be expanded by a series of spherical harmonics that will converge to the beam pattern in the far-field such that the created nulls are in the wideband interfering noise source directions per the CBP theory where the ratio of the spherical array radius to the operating frequency wavelength is large. The simulated numerical examples given for this wideband noise source suppression method demonstrate that a broadband CBP performance is maintained for the spherical array with a Legendre polynomial shading function, the classic Dolph-Chebyshev shading function, or a combination. With the CBP design, one set of the real shading functions works for all frequencies in the array's operating band to cancel or to suppress three-dimensional wideband interfering noise sources.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel donepezil-tacrine hybrids as multi-functional agents with low neurotoxicity against Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory loss and deficits in cognitive domains. Low choline levels, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation are the primary mechanisms implicated in AD progression. Simultaneous inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by a single molecule may provide a new breath of hope for AD treatment. Here, we describe donepezil-tacrine hybrids as inhibitors of AChE and ROS. Four series of derivatives with a β-amino alcohol linker were designed and synthesized. In this study, the target compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in vitro, using tacrine (hAChE, IC50 = 305.78 nM; hBuChE, IC50 = 56.72 nM) and donepezil (hAChE, IC50 = 89.32 nM; hBuChE, IC50 = 9137.16 nM) as positive controls. Compound B19 exhibited an excellent and balanced inhibitory potency against AChE (IC50 = 30.68 nM) and BuChE (IC50 = 124.57 nM). The cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the PC12 cell viability rates of compound B19 (84.37 %) were close to that of tacrine (87.73 %) and donepezil (79.71 %). Potential therapeutic effects in AD were evaluated using the neuroprotective effect of compounds against H2O2-induced toxicity, and compound B19 (68.77 %) exhibited substantially neuroprotective activity at the concentration of 25 μM, compared with the model group (30.34 %). Furthermore, compound B19 protected PC12 cells from H2O2-induced apoptosis and ROS production. These properties of compound B19 suggested that it was a multi-functional agent with AChE inhibition, anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory activities, and low toxicity and that it deserves further investigation as a promising agent for AD treatment.

Design and Synthesis of Novel Cereblon Binders for Use in Targeted Protein Degradation

Modulating the chemical composition of cereblon (CRBN) binders is a critical step in the optimization process of protein degraders that seek to hijack the function of this E3 ligase. Small structural changes can have profound impacts on the overall profile of these compounds, including depth of on-target degradation, neosubstrate degradation selectivity, as well as other drug-like properties. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a series of novel CRBN binding moieties. These CRBN binders were evaluated for CRBN binding and degradation of common neosubstrates Aiolos and GSPT1. A selection of these binders was employed for an exploratory matrix of heterobifunctional molecules, targeting CRBN-mediated degradation of the androgen receptor.

Integrating UHPLC-MS/MS quantitative analysis and exogenous purine supplementation to elucidate the antidepressant mechanism of Chaigui granules by regulating purine metabolism

Chaigui granules (CG) are a compound composed of six herbal medicines with significant antidepressant effects. However, the antidepressant mechanism of CG remains unclear. In the present study, we attempted to elucidate the antidepressant mechanism of CG by regulating purine metabolism and purinergic signaling. First, the regulatory effect of CG on purine metabolites in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rats was analyzed by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) targeted quantitative analysis. Meanwhile, purinergic receptors (P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), A1 receptor (A1R) and A2A receptor (A2AR)) and signaling pathways (nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome pathway and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway) associated with purine metabolism were analyzed by western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Besides, antidepressant mechanism of CG by modulating purine metabolites to activate purinergic receptors and related signaling pathways was dissected by exogenous supplementation of purine metabolites and antagonism of purinergic receptors in vitro. An in vivo study showed that the decrease in xanthine and the increase in four purine nucleosides were closely related to the antidepressant effects of CG. Additionally, purinergic receptors (P2X7R, A1R and A2AR) and related signaling pathways (NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and cAMP-PKA pathway) were also significantly regulated by CG. The results of exogenous supplementation of purine metabolites and antagonism of purinergic receptors showed that excessive accumulation of xanthine led to activation of the P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, and the reduction of adenosine and inosine inhibited the A1R-cAMP-PKA pathway, which was significantly ameliorated by CG. Overall, CG could promote neuroprotection and ultimately play an antidepressant role by inhibiting the xanthine-P2X7R-NLRP3 inflammasome pathway and activating the adenosine/inosine-A1R-cAMP-PKA pathway.

Evidence from Mendelian randomization: increased risk of miscarriage in patients with asthma

OBJECTIVE

Several observational studies have revealed a possible association between asthma and miscarriage. However, inferring causal relationships from observational studies may be fraught with problems like bias, reverse causation, and residual confounding. Therefore, to assess the possible causal effect of asthma on miscarriage, we performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Asthma (56,167 cases and 352,255 controls) and miscarriage (9,113 cases and 89,340 controls) data from two GWAS of European ancestry were evaluated. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used as instrumental variables (IVs). The random effect inverse-variance weighted (IVW) Mendelian randomization approach was used as the primary method, and MR-Egger, weighted-median, and MR-PRESSO approaches were replenished as sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the results.

RESULTS

In total, 70 SNPs were obtained using the SNP criteria. Additionally, the MR study found substantial evidence of the causality between asthma and miscarriage [IVW, OR=1.092; 95% CI=1.017-1.174; p<0.05]. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated the reliability of the MR findings [horizontal pleiotropy (MR-Egger, intercept=-0.0002; Standard error of mean, se=0.006; p=0.975)].

CONCLUSIONS

Asthma is a causal risk factor for miscarriage in European populations, according to MR evidence. Our results emphasize the significance of asthma management in reducing the risk of miscarriage in individuals with asthma.

Multi-dimensional radiomics analysis to predict visceral pleural invasion in lung adenocarcinoma of ≤3 cm maximum diameter

AIM

To explore the value of radiomics analysis in preoperatively predicting visceral pleural invasion (VPI) of lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) with ≤3 cm maximum diameter and to compare the performance of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) radiomics models.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 391 LAC patients were enrolled retrospectively, of whom 142 were VPI (+) and 249 were VPI (-). Radiomics features were extracted from 2D and 3D regions of interest (ROIs) of tumours in CT images. 2D and 3D radiomics models were developed combining the optimal radiomics features by using the logistic regression machine-learning method and radiomics scores (rad-scores) were calculated. Nomograms were constructed by integrating independent risk factors and rad-scores. The performance of each model was evaluated by using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), clinical impact curve (CIC), and calculating the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

There was no difference in the VPI prediction between 2D and 3D radiomics models (training group: 2D AUC=0.835, 3D AUC=0.836, p=0.896; validation group: 2D AUC=0.803, 3D AUC=0.794, p=0.567). The 2D and 3D nomograms performed similarly regarding discrimination (training group: 2D AUC=0.867, 3D AUC=0.862, p=0.409, validation group: 2D AUC=0.835, 3D AUC=0.827, p=0.558), and outperformed their corresponding radiomics models and the clinical model. DCA and CIC revealed that the 2D nomogram had slightly better clinical utility.

CONCLUSION

The 2D radiomics model has a similar discrimination capability compared with the 3D radiomics model. The 2D nomogram performs slightly better for individual VPI prediction in LAC.

Measurement of oesophageal hiatus surface area by multiplanar reconstruction of MDCT: relationship with lower oesophageal sphincter pressure and acid reflux

AIM

To evaluate the relationship between oesophageal hiatus surface area (OHSA) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent 24-h pH monitoring, oesophageal high-resolution manometry, and upper abdominal contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) during 2014-2021 were enrolled. Patients with a hiatus hernia (HH) on MDCT or who had a history of gastro-oesophageal surgery were excluded. Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) of the MDCT image was used for the measurement of OHSA. Correlations of OHSA with acid exposure time (AET) and lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) pressure of all patients were analysed.

RESULTS

Seventy-eight patients were included in the study. OHSA was much less in the AET <4% group than in the AET >6% group (1.61 ± 0.42 versus 2.09 ± 0.55 cm2, p<0.001). Correlation analysis reveals that OHSA correlated positively with AET (correlation coefficient = 0.47, p<0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis reveals that OHSA can significantly distinguish patients in different groups divided by AET (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63-0.90). OHSA was not related to LOS pressure (correlation coefficient = -0.268, p=0.051). There was no difference in OHSA between the low LOS pressure group and the normal LOS pressure group (1.84 ± 0.61 versus 1.74 ± 0.50 cm2, p=0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

OHSA significantly correlated with AET but has no relationship with LOS pressure. It may be an independent risk factor of GERD.

Evidence for a liquid silicate layer atop the Martian core

Seismic recordings made during the InSight mission1 suggested that Mars's liquid core would need to be approximately 27% lighter than pure liquid iron2,3, implying a considerable complement of light elements. Core compositions based on seismic and bulk geophysical constraints, however, require larger quantities of the volatile elements hydrogen, carbon and sulfur than those that were cosmochemically available in the likely building blocks of Mars4. Here we show that multiply diffracted P waves along a stratified core-mantle boundary region of Mars in combination with first-principles computations of the thermoelastic properties of liquid iron-rich alloys3 require the presence of a fully molten silicate layer overlying a smaller, denser liquid core. Inverting differential body wave travel time data with particular sensitivity to the core-mantle boundary region suggests a decreased core radius of 1,675 ± 30 km associated with an increased density of 6.65 ± 0.1 g cm-3, relative to previous models2,4-8, while the thickness and density of the molten silicate layer are 150 ± 15 km and 4.05 ± 0.05 g cm-3, respectively. The core properties inferred here reconcile bulk geophysical and cosmochemical requirements, consistent with a core containing 85-91 wt% iron-nickel and 9-15 wt% light elements, chiefly sulfur, carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. The chemical characteristics of a molten silicate layer above the core may be revealed by products of Martian magmatism.

Long-Term Results of Induction Chemotherapy Followed by 50 Gy Radiation Therapy Alone for Low-Risk HPV-Positive Oropharynx Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The standard of care for non-operative management of human papillomavirus-related oropharynx cancer (HPV-OPC) consists of concurrent cisplatin chemotherapy with radiotherapy (RT) to a total dose of 70 Gy. While the oncologic outcomes of this treatment approach have been excellent, there are considerable acute and late toxicities. Here, we report the 5-year survival and toxicity outcomes of 2 prospective HPV-OPC response-adapted de-escalation trials, in which low-risk (LR) patients were treated with dose-reduced RT to 50 Gy, without concurrent chemotherapy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with LR HPV-OPC and ≥50% response to induction by RECIST 1.1 treated per 2 prospective phase II trials as well as on a prospective cohort registry were included for analysis. Patients were considered LR if the following criteria were met: T1-T3, N0-N2b (AJCC 7th edition), and ≤20 pack-year smoking history. Patients were treated with induction chemo- or chemoimmunotherapy followed by RT alone to 50 Gy. In the early trial iteration, patients underwent a planned neck dissection following RT to confirm pathologic clearance of lymph nodes. Clinicodemographic characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local control (LC) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

From January 2015 through March 2020, 73 patients met LR criteria, of which, 54 (74%) had ≥50% response by RECIST and were de-escalated to RT alone. The median follow-up was 58 (range 10-92) months. The median age was 58 (range 38-84) years, and 92.6% were male. 57.4% of patients never smoked, and 42.6% smoked no more than 20 pack-years. The primary site was tonsil for 53.7% and base of tongue for 46.3%. 24.1% were T1, 53.7% were T2, and 22.2% were T3. 1.9% were N0, 5.6% were N1, 11.1% were N2a, and 81.5% were N2b. The 5-year OS, PFS, and LC were 96.3% (95% CI 91.3%-100%), 96.2% (95% CI 91.2%-100%), and 98.1% (95% CI 94.6%-100%), respectively. 2 (3.7%) patients required a G-tube during RT and none at 1 year following completion of RT. Of the 30 patients with a planned neck dissection, 2 (6.7%) had residual pathologic nodal disease.

CONCLUSION

With a median follow-up of 5 years, this analysis demonstrates excellent long-term local control, survival, and swallowing function among patients with low-risk HPV+ oropharynx cancer treated with induction systemic therapy followed by radiotherapy to 50 Gy without concurrent chemotherapy, including a large proportion of patients with N2b disease. Chemo-selection provides a means of identifying a favorable cohort of HPV+ oropharynx cancer patients who can safely receive RT dose de-escalation. Further work is needed to identify this population by other means, including radiographic and genomic factors.

Pseudo CT Synthesis Using Cone-Beam CT of Cervical Cancer with GAN-Based Neural Network Model

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Cervical cancer (CC) is a tumor disease that threatens the health of women. As an important treatment of CC, radiotherapy has been widely used in clinic. With the rapid development of radiotherapy technology, adaptive radiotherapy has received much attention. Adaptive radiotherapy means more accurate radiation dose and more accurate radiation area, which can effectively protect normal tissue. It is significant to improve the local control rate of tumor and the quality of life of patients. However, the Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) images collected during radiotherapy are of poor quality and cannot provide real-time radiation effect information, resulting in timely and effective adjustment of radiation dose and radiation area in the process of radiotherapy for cervical cancer. To alleviate this issue, this study will establish a model to leverage CC CBCT images to synthetize pseudo computed tomography (CT) images with high quality, so as to achieve the purpose of quality improvement.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This study included the data of 20 patients with CC in ** hospital. The planning CT and CBCT scan data of each patient before radiotherapy were collected, and the interval between the two kinds of image data was required to be less than one week. After data preprocessing, a total of 1206 pairs of images were trained and tested. The generative adversarial network (GAN) is constructed. In order to ensure the similarity between the input image and the output image, the L1 loss function is leveraged. And the full supervision method is used to train the model to achieve a better effect of image synthesis and improve the quality of CBCT image. Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity (SSIM) were used as evaluation indexes.

RESULTS

Using five-fold cross-validation, the values of PSNR between the pseudo-CT (sCT) and the planning CT (pCT) image and between the CBCT and the pCT image are calculated. The results are 26.9 and 22.6, respectively. The sCT obtained from the GAN model increases the peak signal-to-noise ratio by 19% compared with the original CBCT, which means that the proposed model built in this study can improve the useful information of the CBCT image. The SSIM values between sCT and pCT and between CBCT and pCT are also calculated, and the average values of them are 0.89 and 0.63, respectively. Therefore, in this experiment, the structure of the sCT obtained by the proposed model is closer to pCT. And the SSIM increases by 41.2% compared with the original CBCT, which means that the sCT by the proposed model is more similar to the pCT in structure. These results could make a more accurate judgment on the effect of radiotherapy.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the pseudo-CT synthesis method based on GAN can improve the quality of CC CBCT image. The results show this method makes the structure clearer and could assist doctors to adjust the radiation dose and radiation area in time. This study is able to facilitate the development of adaptive radiotherapy for CC.

Involved Site Radiotherapy in HPV Positive Oropharyngeal Cancer: Patterns of Failure Analysis Across Prospective De-Escalation Trials

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers (HPV+OPC) have a favorable prognosis with ongoing efforts to reduce long term toxicity while maintaining oncologic outcomes. One method under investigation includes lowering the elective radiation dose or in some cases omitting radiation to elective lymphatic nodal stations. Furthermore, pre-clinical evidence demonstrates that elective nodal irradiation blunts the anti-tumor immune response in head and neck cancer. This is a pooled secondary analysis reporting patterns of failure in patients (pts) with HPV+OPC enrolled on consecutive induction chemo- or chemoimmunotherapy (IC) based response-adaptive de-escalation trials and treated with involved-site radiotherapy (ISRT).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Pts treated on two prospective phase II trials as well as on a prospective cohort registry were included for analysis. Pts with ≥ 50% response to IC based on RECIST 1.1 who received de-escalated definitive radiotherapy (RT) or concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) with ISRT were evaluable. Pts with locally advanced low risk or high-risk HPV+OPC (LR and HR, respectively) were eligible for enrollment. Pts were considered to have HR if at least one of the following criteria was met: T4 primary, N2c-N3 disease (AJCC 7th ed.), or > 10-20 pack years smoking. In the first trial, pts with ≥ 50% response to IC received RT to gross disease plus a 1.5 cm margin (PTV1) and to the next echelon of uninvolved nodes (PTV2). Pts with LR received 50 Gy in 2 Gy daily fractions without chemotherapy; pts with HR received 30 Gy in 1.5 Gy BID fractions to PTV2 with a 15 Gy sequential boost to PTV1 with CRT. In the subsequent trial, pts with ≥ 50% response received RT to PTV1 alone to 50 Gy in 2 Gy daily fractions; concurrent CRT was included if pts had HR. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan Meier method for progression free survival (PFS), locoregional PFS (LRPFS), and overall survival (OS). Patterns of failure analysis was performed by comparing RT plans to radiographic surveillance scans.

RESULTS

Of 172 evaluable pts, 119 (69.2%) achieved a ≥ 50% response to IC and received definitive ISRT. 45 (37.8%) pts evaluated received RT to gross disease only plus margin without the next nodal echelon included. With a median follow up of 46 (IQR 34-65) months, 3-year PFS, LRPFS, and OS with their 95% confidence intervals were 96.2% (90.1-98.5%), 97.1% (91.1-99.0%), and 96.2% (90.3-98.6%), respectively. All locoregional failures were in-field and in the high dose region. No failures were observed in the RT omitted neck.

CONCLUSION

This prospective experience demonstrates feasible volume de-escalation using IC response-based selection with progressively smaller elective volumes over time. Notably, despite a marked reduction in elective treatment volume, there were no regional out-of-field failures. IC may allow for selection of pts with favorable tumor biology and microscopic disease sterilization in the regional nodes. Further efforts at elective nodal de-escalation are needed.

Discovery of Gamma Rays from the Quiescent Sun with HAWC

We report the first detection of a TeV γ-ray flux from the solar disk (6.3σ), based on 6.1 years of data from the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory. The 0.5-2.6 TeV spectrum is well fit by a power law, dN/dE=A(E/1  TeV)^{-γ}, with A=(1.6±0.3)×10^{-12}  TeV^{-1} cm^{-2} s^{-1} and γ=3.62±0.14. The flux shows a strong indication of anticorrelation with solar activity. These results extend the bright, hard GeV emission from the disk observed with Fermi-LAT, seemingly due to hadronic Galactic cosmic rays showering on nuclei in the solar atmosphere. However, current theoretical models are unable to explain the details of how solar magnetic fields shape these interactions. HAWC's TeV detection thus deepens the mysteries of the solar-disk emission.

Decadal stability in coral cover could mask hidden changes on reefs in the East Asian Seas

Coral reefs in the Central Indo-Pacific region comprise some of the most diverse and yet threatened marine habitats. While reef monitoring has grown throughout the region in recent years, studies of coral reef benthic cover remain limited in spatial and temporal scales. Here, we analysed 24,365 reef surveys performed over 37 years at 1972 sites throughout East Asia by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network using Bayesian approaches. Our results show that overall coral cover at surveyed reefs has not declined as suggested in previous studies and compared to reef regions like the Caribbean. Concurrently, macroalgal cover has not increased, with no indications of phase shifts from coral to macroalgal dominance on reefs. Yet, models incorporating socio-economic and environmental variables reveal negative associations of coral cover with coastal urbanisation and sea surface temperature. The diversity of reef assemblages may have mitigated cover declines thus far, but climate change could threaten reef resilience. We recommend prioritisation of regionally coordinated, locally collaborative long-term studies for better contextualisation of monitoring data and analyses, which are essential for achieving reef conservation goals.

Analysis of dietary patterns on cardiovascular risks in children: from a cross-sectional and a longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES

Diet is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), while the evidence about the relationship between dietary pattern (DP) and CVD in children is scarce. This study aims to explore the association between DP and CVD risk in children.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

METHODS

This research was conducted among 4351 children aged 6-12 years old in 2014, then the subgroup children in 2014 were followed up in 2019. Dietary intakes were assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. DP was clustered based on 15 food items, and finally, four main DPs were obtained.

RESULTS

Four major DPs were identified: (1) low intake of nuts and algae pattern, (2) low-energy intake pattern, (3) high-energy intake pattern, and (4) regular DP. Compared with the regular diet pattern, the low intake of nuts and algae pattern was associated with the increased risk of higher systolic blood pressure (107.71 mm Hg vs 105.78 mm Hg, P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (64.98 mm Hg vs 63.91 mm Hg, P = 0.0056), hypertension (odds ratio [OR]:1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10, 1.88; P = 0.0036), dyslipidemia (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.52; P = 0.0194), and obesity (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.89; P = 0.0003) in children from a cross-sectional aspect in 2014 and it was also found associated with an increased risk of hypertension (OR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.45, 4.92; P = 0.0017) in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

Low nuts and algae intake combinations in children seemed associated with increased CVD risk. Such findings are imperative for national development of dietary recommendation for the prevention of CVDs.

[Short-course radiotherapy combined with CAPOX and PD-1 inhibitor for the total neoadjuvant therapy of locally advanced rectal cancer: the preliminary single-center findings of a prospective, multicentre, randomized phase II trial (TORCH)]

Objective: Total neoadjuvant therapy has been used to improve tumor responses and prevent distant metastases in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Patients with complete clinical responses (cCR) then have the option of choosing a watch and wait (W&W) strategy and organ preservation. It has recently been shown that hypofractionated radiotherapy has better synergistic effects with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors than does conventionally fractionated radiotherapy, increasing the sensitivity of microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer to immunotherapy. Thus, in this trial we aimed to determine whether total neoadjuvant therapy comprising short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) combined with a PD-1 inhibitor improves the degree of tumor regression in patients with LARC. Methods: TORCH is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, phase II trial (TORCH Registration No. NCT04518280). Patients with LARC (T3-4/N+M0, distance from anus ≤10 cm) are eligible and are randomly assigned to consolidation or induction arms. Those in the consolidation arm receive SCRT (25Gy/5 Fx), followed by six cycles of toripalimab plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin (ToriCAPOX). Those in the induction arm receive two cycles of ToriCAPOX, then undergo SCRT, followed by four cycles of ToriCAPOX. Patients in both groups undergo total mesorectal excision (TME) or can choose a W&W strategy if cCR has been achieved. The primary endpoint is the complete response rate (CR, pathological complete response [pCR] plus continuous cCR for more than 1 year). The secondary endpoints include rates of Grade 3-4 acute adverse effects (AEs) etc. Results: Up to 30 September 2022, 62 patients attending our center were enrolled (Consolidation arm: 34, Induction arm:28). Their median age was 53 (27-69) years. Fifty-nine of them had MSS/pMMR type cancer (95.2%), and only three MSI-H/dMMR. Additionally, 55 patients (88.7%) had Stage III disease. The following important characteristics were distributed as follows: lower location (≤5 cm from anus, 48/62, 77.4%), deeper invasion by primary lesion (cT4 7/62, 11.3%; mesorectal fascia involved 17/62, 27.4%), and high risk of distant metastasis (cN2 26/62, 41.9%; EMVI+ 11/62, 17.7%). All 62 patients completed the SCRT and at least five cycles of ToriCAPOX, 52/62 (83.9%) completing six cycles of ToriCAPOX. Finally, 29 patients achieved cCR (46.8%, 29/62), 18 of whom decided to adopt a W&W strategy. TME was performed on 32 patients. Pathological examination showed 18 had achieved pCR, four TRG 1, and 10 TRG 2-3. The three patients with MSI-H disease all achieved cCR. One of these patients was found to have pCR after surgery whereas the other two adopted a W&W strategy. Thus, the pCR and CR rates were 56.2% (18/32) and 58.1% (36/62), respectively. The TRG 0-1 rate was 68.8% (22/32). The most common non-hematologic AEs were poor appetite (49/60, 81.7%), numbness (49/60, 81.7%), nausea (47/60, 78.3%) and asthenia (43/60, 71.7%); two patients did not complete this survey. The most common hematologic AEs were thrombocytopenia (48/62, 77.4%), anemia (47/62, 75.8%), leukopenia/neutropenia (44/62, 71.0%) and high transaminase (39/62, 62.9%). The main Grade III-IV AE was thrombocytopenia (22/62, 35.5%), with three patients (3/62, 4.8%) having Grade IV thrombocytopenia. No Grade V AEs were noted. Conclusions: SCRT-based total neoadjuvant therapy combined with toripalimab can achieve a surprisingly good CR rate in patients with LARC and thus has the potential to offer new treatment options for organ preservation in patients with MSS and lower-location rectal cancer. Meanwhile, the preliminary findings of a single center show good tolerability, the main Grade III-IV AE being thrombocytopenia. The significant efficacy and long-term prognostic benefit need to be determined by further follow-up.

[Poly-G for tumor matched samples chronicles the evolution of human colorectal cancer]

Objective: To analyze poly-guanine (poly-G) genotypes and construct the phylogenetic tree of colorectal cancer (CRC) and provide an efficient and convenient method for the study of intra-tumor heterogeneity and tumor metastasis pathway. Methods: The clinicopathological information of patients with primary colorectal cancer resection with regional lymph node metastases were retrospectively collected in the Department of General Surgery, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from January 2017 to December 2017. The paraffin sections of the paired tumor samples were performed consecutively, and multi-region microdissection was performed after histogene staining. The phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation scheme was used to obtain DNA, and Poly-G multiplex PCR amplification and capillary electrophoresis detection were performed. The correlation between Poly-G mutation frequency and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Based on the difference of Poly-G genotypes between paired samples, the distance matrix was calculated, and the phylogenetic tree was constructed to clarify the tumor metastasis pathway. Results: A total of 237 paired samples were collected from 20 patients including 134 primary lesions, 66 lymph node metastases, 37 normal tissues, and Poly-G mutation was detected in 20 patients (100%). The mutation frequency of Poly-G in low and undifferentiated patients was (74.10±23.11)%, higher than that in high and medium differentiated patients [(31.36±12.04)%, P<0.001]. In microsatellite instability patients, the mutation frequency of Poly-G was (68.19±24.80)%, which was higher than that in microsatellite stable patients [(32.40±14.90)%, P=0.003]. The Poly-G mutation frequency was not correlated with age, gender, and pathological staging (all P>0.05). Based on Poly-G genotype difference of the paired samples, the phylogenetic trees of 20 patients were constructed, showing the evolution process of the tumor, especially the subclonal origins of lymph node metastasis. Conclusion: Poly-G mutations accumulate in the occurrence and development of CRC, and can be used as genetic markers to generate reliable maps of intratumor heterogeneity in large numbers of patients with minimal time and cost expenditure.

Study protocol for a Developmental Epidemiological Study of Children born through Reproductive Technologies (DESCRT)

STUDY QUESTIONS

The primary objective of this study is to determine what parental factors or specific ART may influence the risk for adverse cardiometabolic outcomes among children so conceived and their parents. The secondary objective of this study is to prospectively examine the effects of infertility or ART on the intrauterine environment, obstetric and neonatal outcomes.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

Pregnancies conceived with ART are at an increased risk of being affected by adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes when compared to spontaneously conceived (SC) pregnancies among fertile women. Small cohort studies have suggested ART-conceived children may have a higher risk of long-term cardiometabolic disturbances as well. Currently, few studies have compared long-term cardiometabolic outcomes among ART-conceived children and non-IVF treated (NIFT) children, to children conceived spontaneously to parents with infertility (subfertile parents).

STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION

The Developmental Epidemiological Study of Children born through Reproductive Technologies (DESCRT) is a prospective cohort study that aims to: establish a biobank and epidemiological cohort of children born to subfertile or infertile parents who either conceived spontaneously (without assistance) or used reproductive technologies to conceive (all offspring were from couples assessed and/or treated in the same institute); prospectively examine the effects of infertility or ART on the intrauterine environment, obstetric and neonatal outcomes; and determine what parental factors or ART may influence the cardiometabolic risk of children so conceived. Pregnancies and resultant children will be compared by mode of conception, namely offspring that were conceived without medical assistance or SC or following NIFT, IVF with fresh embryo transfer or frozen embryo transfer (FET), and by fertilization method (conventional versus ICSI). DESCRT has a Child group evaluating long-term outcomes of children as well as a Pregnancy group that will compare obstetric and neonatal outcomes of children conceived since the commencement of the study. Recruitment started in May of 2017 and is ongoing. When the study began, we estimated that ∼4000 children would be eligible for enrollment.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS

Eligible participants are first-trimester pregnancies (Pregnancy group) or children (Child group) born to parents who were evaluated at an infertility center in the University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA who were SC or conceived after reproductive treatments (NIFT, IVF ± ICSI, FET). Children in the Child group were conceived at UCSF and born from 2001 onwards. In the Pregnancy group, enrollment began in November of 2017.The primary outcome is the cardiometabolic health of offspring in the Child group, as measured by blood pressure and laboratory data (homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), oral glucose disposition). There are several secondary outcome measures, including: outcomes from parental survey response (assessing parent/child medical history since delivery-incidence of cardiometabolic adverse events), anthropomorphic measurements (BMI, waist circumference, skinfold thickness), and laboratory data (liver enzymes, lipid panel, metabolomic profiles). In the Pregnancy group, outcomes include laboratory assessments (bhCG, maternal serum analytes, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT-1), and placental growth factor (PlGF)) and placental assessments (placental volume in the second and third trimester and placental weight at delivery). Importantly, aliquots of blood and urine are stored from parents and offspring as part of a biobank. The DESCRT cohort is unique in two ways. First, there is an extensive amount of clinical and laboratory treatment data: parental medical history and physical examination at the time of treatment, along with ovarian reserve and infertility diagnosis; and treatment specifics: for example, fertilization method, culture O₂ status, embryo quality linked to each participant. These reproductive data will aid in identifying explanatory variables that may influence the primary cardiometabolic outcomes of the offspring-and their parents. Second, the DESCRT control group includes pregnancies and children SC from parents with subfertility, which may help to assess when infertility, as opposed to reproductive treatments, may be affecting offspring cardiometabolic health.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health NICHD (1R01HD084380-01A1). A.J.A. is a shareholder in Carrot and consultant for Flo Health. The other authors have no conflicts of interest.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03799107.

TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE

10 January 2019.

DATE OF FIRST PATIENT’S ENROLLMENT

10 May 2017.

Multiscale NIR-II Imaging-Guided Brain-Targeted Drug Delivery Using Engineered Cell Membrane Nanoformulation for Alzheimer's Disease Therapy

Effective drug delivery in the central nervous system (CNS) needs to have long blood-circulation half-lives, to pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and subsequently to be taken up by target cells. Herein, a traceable CNS delivery nanoformulation (RVG-NV-NPs) is developed by encapsulating bexarotene (Bex) and AgAuSe quantum dots (QDs) within Lamp2b-RVG-overexpressed neural stem cell (NSC) membranes. The high-fidelity near-infrared-II imaging by AgAuSe QDs offers a possibility of in vivo monitoring the multiscale delivery process of the nanoformulation from the whole-body to the single-cell scale. It was revealed the synergy of acetylcholine receptor-targeting of RVG and the natural brain-homing and low immunogenicity of NSC membranes prolong the blood circulation, facilitate BBB crossing and nerve cell targeting of RVG-NV-NPs. Thus, in Alzheimer's disease (AD) mice, the intravenous delivery of as low as 0.5% of oral dose Bex showed highly effective up-regulation of the apolipoprotein E expression, resulting rapid alleviation of ∼40% β-amyloid (Aβ) level in the brain interstitial fluid after a single dose administration. The pathological progression of Aβ in AD mice is completely suppressed during a 1 month treatment, thus effectively protecting neurons from Aβ-induced apoptosis and maintaining the cognitive abilities of AD mice.

NLRP3 Disturbs Treg/Th17 Cell Balance to Aggravate Apical Periodontitis

Apical periodontitis is an inflammatory condition that is considered an immunological reaction of the periapical tissue to invading bacteria and their pathogenic components. Recent research has revealed that NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) is crucial to the pathogenesis of apical periodontitis and serves as a link between innate and adaptive immunity. The balance between regulatory T-cell (Treg) and T helper cell 17 (Th17 cell) determines the direction of the inflammatory response. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether NLRP3 exacerbated periapical inflammation by disturbing Treg/Th17 balance and the underlying regulatory mechanisms. In the present study, NLRP3 was raised in apical periodontitis tissues as opposed to healthy pulp tissues. Low NLRP3 expression in dendritic cells (DCs) increased transforming growth factor β secretion while decreasing interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 production. The Treg ratio and IL-10 secretion rose when CD4⁺ T cells were cocultured with DCs primed with IL-1β neutralizing antibody (anti-IL-1β) and specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting NLRP3 (siRNA NLRP3), but the proportion of Th17 cells and IL-17 release dropped. Furthermore, siRNA NLRP3-mediated suppression of NLRP3 expression aided Treg differentiation and elevated Foxp3 expression as well as IL-10 production in CD4⁺ T cells. Inhibition of NLRP3 activity by MCC950 boosted the percentage of Tregs while decreasing the ratio of Th17 cells, leading to reduced periapical inflammation and bone resorption. Nigericin administration, however, exacerbated periapical inflammation and bone destruction with an unbalanced Treg/Th17 response. These findings demonstrate that NLRP3 is a pivotal regulator by regulating the release of inflammatory cytokines from DCs or directly suppressing Foxp3 expression to disturb Treg/Th17 balance, thus exacerbating apical periodontitis.

Acute Lower Extremity Fracture Management in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: 2022 Delphi Consensus Recommendations

Our objective was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the treatment of acute lower extremity fractures in persons with a chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).

METHODS

Information from a previous systematic review that addressed lower extremity fracture care in persons with an SCI as well as information from interviews of physical and occupational therapists, searches of the literature, and expert opinion were used to develop this CPG. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system was used to determine the quality of evidence and the strength of the recommendations. An overall GRADE quality rating was applied to the evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with a chronic SCI who sustain an acute lower extremity fracture should be provided with education regarding the risks and benefits of operative and nonoperative management, and shared decision-making for acute fracture management should be used. Nonoperative management historically has been the default preference; however, with the advent of greater patient independence, improved surgical techniques, and advanced therapeutics and rehabilitation, increased use of surgical management should be considered. Physical therapists, kinesiotherapists, and/or occupational therapists should assess equipment needs, skills training, and caregiver assistance due to changes in mobility resulting from a lower extremity fracture. Therapists should be involved in fracture management as soon as possible following fracture identification. Pressure injuries, compartment syndrome, heterotopic ossification, nonunion, malunion, thromboembolism, pain, and autonomic dysreflexia are fracture-related complications that clinicians caring for patients who have an SCI and a lower extremity fracture may encounter. Strategies for their treatment are discussed. The underlying goal is to return the patient as closely as possible to their pre-fracture functional level with operative or nonoperative management.

Single-particle fluorescence tracking combined with TrackMate assay reveals highly heterogeneous and discontinuous lysosomal transport in freely orientated axons

Axonal transport plays a significant role in the establishment of neuronal polarity, axon growth, and synapse formation during neuronal development. The axon of a naturally growing neuron is a highly complex and multifurcated structure with a large number of bends and branches. Nowadays, the study of dynamic axonal transport in morphologically complex neurons is greatly limited by the technological barrier. Here, a sparse gene transfection strategy was developed to locate fluorescent mCherry in the lysosome of primary neurons, thus enabling us to track the lysosome-based axonal transport with a single-particle resolution. Thereby, several axonal transport models were observed, including the forward or backward transport model, stop-and-go model, repeated back-and-forth transport model, and cross-branch transport model. Then, the accurate single-particle velocity quantification by TrackMate revealed a highly heterogeneous and discontinuous transportation process of lysosome-based axonal transport in freely orientated axons. And, multiple physical factors, such as the axonal structure and the size of particles, were disclosed to affect the velocity of particle transporting in freely orientated axons. The combined single-particle fluorescence tracking and TrackMate assay can be served as a facile tool for evaluating axonal transport in neuronal development and axonal transport-related diseases.

The U-Shaped Relationship Between Serum Uric Acid and Long-Term All-Cause Mortality in Coronary Artery Disease Patients: A Cohort Study of 33,034 Patients

Background

Associations between high serum uric acid (SUA) and cardiovascular diseases have been reported. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the relationship between SUA and long-term all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Our study aims to investigate the relationship between SUA and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with CAD.

Methods

From January 2007 to December 2018, we divided 33,034 patients with CAD admitted in the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital into five groups (quintile 1: SUA <5.05 mg/dl, quintile 2: 5.05 mg/dl ≤ SUA <5.59 mg/dl, quintile 3:5.59 mg/dl ≤ SUA <6.8 mg/dl, quintile 4, 6.8 mg/dl ≤ SUA <7.93 mg/dl, and quintile 5, SUA ≥7.93 mg/d;). This study used Kaplan–Meier survival analysis to evaluate patient outcomes with different ranges of SUA. Cox proportional hazards regression models and restricted cubic spline were applied to determine the association between serum uric and long-term all-cause mortality.

Results

A total of 33,034 participants were recruited, including 24,780 (75.01%) men and 8,254 (24.99) women in this cohort study. Median follow-up was 4.91 years. We found that SUA is an independent risk factor of long-term all-cause mortality according to the result of Cox proportional hazards models. This study also illustrated an approximate U-shape association between SUA and all-cause mortality when compared with 5.95 mg/lL ≤ SUA <6.8 mg/dl, SUA <5.0 5mg/dl (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) =1.13, 95% CI: 1.01–1.26, p = 0.03), and SUA ≥8 mg/dL (aHR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.06-1.32, p = 0.003).

Conclusion

Our study indicated a U-shaped relationship between SUA and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with CAD. No matter whether SUA is too high or too low, it increased the all-cause mortality in the CAD population, which deserves to be closely monitored.

Theoretical and numerical simulation to control the wideband interfering noise by the broadband constant beam pattern method for a cylindrical array

The broadband azimuthal constant beam pattern (CBP) cylindrical array synthesis theory is applied to suppress or to cancel wideband interfering directional noise sources on this plane by implanting zeros in the array's original synthesized shading function. This modified array shading function can be expanded by Fourier cosine and sine series, which are converged to the beam pattern in the far-field such that the created nulls (or reduced-response beam sidelobes) are in the wideband interfering noise source directions per the CBP theory for the large ratio of the cylindrical array radius to the operating frequency wavelength. The simulated numerical examples given for this wideband noise source suppression method for modified Legendre polynomial, classic Dolph-Chebyshev, and Taylor shading functions maintain a broadband CBP performance in the azimuthal plane for a cylindrical array. With the CBP design, one set of the real shading functions works for all frequencies in the array's operating band to cancel or to suppress wideband interfering noise sources.

Dissecting B/Plasma Cells in Periodontitis at Single-Cell/Bulk Resolution

In recent decades, our understanding of periodontitis has evolved from that based on a gross/histologic level to one on a cellular/molecular level. Previous landscape studies have explored molecular subtyping, diagnosis, and gingival tissue cell decomposition in periodontitis, and meaningful results have been obtained at a transcriptomic level. However, current periodontitis transcriptomic studies lack a finer dissection of the intercommunication between immune cells and the biological processes of specific immune cell subtypes. In this study, we classified 15 immune cell types in periodontitis at a single-cell level and conducted a cell communication analysis based on a multicenter integrated single-cell transcriptome profile, in which plasma cell-generated macrophage migration inhibitory factor can communicate with most other immune cells in periodontitis. A pseudotime analysis focusing on B/plasma cell infiltration in periodontitis revealed 2 distinct cell fates (CFs) for B/plasma cells. In addition, at a bulk tissue level, a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis showed a similar immune cell infiltration trend, and a weighted gene coexpression network analysis identified an immune-related gene module. Combined with the above findings, we used machine learning methods to further narrow down potential gene candidates for developing and validating molecular diagnostic models of periodontitis. Multivariable logistic regression of a large public cohort (68 healthy vs. 235 periodontitis) and an independent validation cohort (12 healthy vs. 7 periodontitis) showed the CF1 signature provides a good discrimination and calibration performance with clinical benefits at a proper threshold probability. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction validation of the gene candidates was performed in both snap-frozen gingival tissues and gingival crevicular fluids. Our transcriptomic landscape analysis at both single-cell and bulk tissue resolutions thereby illustrates the B/plasma cell infiltration process in periodontitis and reveals a gene signature that may assist in molecular diagnosis of the disease.

Metabolomics Based on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Dissect the Mechanisms of Chaigui Granules for Treating Depression

Chaigui granules were a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation with antidepressant effects derived from a famous antidepressant prescription. It was of great significance to clarify the antidepressant mechanism of Chaigui granules for the clinical application of this drug. In this study, a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model was successfully established, and behavioral indicators were used to evaluate the antidepressant effect. Second, the CD4+, CD8+, and CD4+/CD8+ levels were detected in peripheral blood. Meanwhile, the amount of inflammatory cytokines was determined in serum. Correspondingly, LC/MS-based peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) metabolomics was used to investigate vital metabolic pathways participating in the antidepressive effects of Chaigui granules. Finally, bioinformatics technology was further employed to discover the potential antidepressant mechanism of Chaigui granules regulating the immune system. The results suggested that the administration of Chaigui granules significantly improved CUMS-induced depressive symptoms. Chaigui granules could improve immune function by regulating T lymphocyte subsets, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokine levels of IL-2 and IL-10, and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. In addition, metabolomics results of PBMCs showed that Chaigui granules improved 14 of the 25 potential biomarkers induced by CUMS. Metabolic pathway analyses indicated that purine metabolism was the critical metabolic pathway regulated by Chaigui granules. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that 13 key biomarkers were related to immune-related indicators. The metabolite-gene network of 13 key biomarkers was investigated by using bioinformatics. The investigation showed that 10 targets (5'-nucleotidase ecto; 5'-nucleotidase, cytosolic IB; 5'-nucleotidase, cytosolic II; etc.), mainly belong to the purine metabolism, might be potential targets for Chaigui granules to exert their antidepressant effects by improving immune function impairment. Together, our results suggested that Chaigui granules might exert antidepressant effects by improving immune function and regulating the purine metabolic pathway in PBMCs. This work used PBMCs metabolomics as an entry point to study the antidepressant mechanism of Chaigui granules, which provided a new way to elucidate the mechanism of a traditional Chinese medicine prescription.

Prevalence and Mortality of Moderate or Severe Mitral Regurgitation Among Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With or Without Heart Failure: Results From CIN Study With 28,358 Patients

Aim

This study investigated the prevalence and mortality associated with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with or without heart failure (HF).

Methods

We analyzed patients undergoing PCI without mitral valve surgery from the Cardiorenal ImprovemeNt (CIN) study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04407936). Patients without echocardiography to determine MR occurrence or lacking follow-up death data were excluded. Primary endpoints were 1-year and long-term all-cause mortality, with a median follow-up time of 5 years (interquartile range: 3.1–7.6).

Results

Of 28,358 patients undergoing PCI treatment [mean age: 62.7 ± 10.7; women: 6,749 (25.6%)], 3,506 (12.4%) had moderate or severe MR, and there was a higher rate of moderate or severe MR in HF group than non-HF group (28.8 vs. 5.6%, respectively). Regardless of HF conditions, patients with moderate or severe MR were older and had worse cardio-renal function and significantly increased 1-year mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.51–2.2], and long-term mortality [aHR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.3–1.58]. There was no significant difference between patients with HF and those with non-HF (P for interaction > 0.05).

Conclusion

One-eighth of the patients undergoing PCI had moderate or severe MR. Furthermore, one-third and one-seventeenth experienced moderate or severe MR with worse cardiorenal function in the HF and non-HF groups, and increased consistent mortality risk. Further studies should explore the efficacy of mitral interventional procedures for moderate or severe MR after PCI treatment, regardless of HF.

Preoperative MRI of breast squamous cell carcinoma: diagnostic value of distinguishing between two subtypes

AIM

To retrospectively analyse the clinical and MRI data of primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), particularly pure squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) and mixed squamous cell carcinoma (MSCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The MRI data and clinicopathological characteristics of 20 patients with histopathologically confirmed SCC of the breast, including eight PSCC patients and 12 MSCC patients, from multiple centres between January 2013 and December 2020 were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Nine of 12 patients in the MSCC group showed hyperintensity on T1-weighted imaging (WI), while this feature was not observed in the PSCC group (p=0.001). Most of the PSCC group showed rim enhancement, whereas most of the MSCC group showed heterogeneous enhancement (p=0.007). In addition, there was no significant difference in the thickness of the rim enhancement and the percentage of necrotic components in the tumours between the two types of SCCs of the breast (p=0.545 and p=0.662, respectively). Four patients (4/12) in the MSCC group had sentinel lymph node metastasis, while only one patient (1/8) in the PSCC group showed lymph node metastasis (p=0.603). Metastatic disease occurred in 25% of patients with PSCC and in approximately 41.7% of patients with MSCC.

CONCLUSION

The signal on T1WI and internal enhancement characteristics were the key features for differentiating PSCC and MSCC. Therefore, MRI phenotypes may provide additional information for the pathological classification of breast SCC.

Linear-branched poly(β-amino esters)/DNA nano-polyplexes for effective gene transfection and neural stem cell differentiation

Controllable regulation of stem cell differentiation is a critical concern in stem cell-based regenerative medicine. In particular, there are still great challenges in controlling the directional differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) into neurons. Herein, we developed a novel linear-branched poly(β-amino esters) (S4-TMPTA-BDA-DT, STBD) through a two-step reaction. The synthesized STBD linear branched polymers possess multiple positively charged amine terminus and degradable intermolecular ester bonds, thus endowing them with excellent properties such as high gene load, efficient gene delivery, and effective gene release and transcription in cells. In the mCherry transfection test, a high transfection efficiency of approximately 70% was achieved in primary NSCs after a single transfection. Moreover, STBD also showed high biocompatibility to NSCs without disturbing their viability and neural differentiation. With the high gene delivery property, STBD is capable of delivering siRNA (shSOX9) expression plasmid into NSCs to significantly interfere with the expression of SOX9, thus enhancing the neuronal differentiation and maturation of NSCs. The STBD/DNA nano-polyplex represents a powerful non-viral approach of gene delivery for manipulating the differentiation of stem cells, showing broad application prospects in NSC-based regenerative therapy for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Prevalence and mortality of transient acute kidney injury within 48 h, as new subtype, following coronary angiography: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association of transient acute kidney injury (AKI) with mortality was controversial. Our study aims to investigate the prevalence and impact of transient AKI on mortality in patients following coronary angiography (CAG).

METHODS

Our study retrospectively enrolled 3970 patients with pre-operative serum creatinine (Scr) and twice measurements within 48 h after procedure. Transient AKI defined as the diagnosis of AKI (Scr > 0.3 mg/dL or > 50% from the baseline level) on day 1 when Scr failed to meet the criteria for AKI on the day 2. Maintained AKI was defined as AKI not meeting the definition for transient AKI. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between transient AKI and 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

Among 3,970 participants, 861 (21.7%) occurred AKI, of whom 128 (14.9%) was transient AKI and 733 (85.1%) was maintained AKI. 312 (7.9%) patients died within 1-year after admission. After multivariable analysis, transient AKI was not associated with higher 1-year mortality [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.37; CI 0.68-2.51] compared without AKI. Among AKI patients, transient AKI was associated with a 52% lower 1-year mortality compared with maintained AKI. Additionally, maintained AKI was significantly associated with higher 1-year mortality (aOR, 2.67; CI 2.05-3.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggested that transient AKI within 48 h was a common subtype of AKI following CAG, without increasing mortality. More attention needs to be paid to the patients suffering from maintained AKI following CAG.

Caloric restriction and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass promote white adipose tissue browning in mice

PURPOSE

Caloric restriction (CR) and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) are considered effective means of body weight control, but the mechanism by which CR and RYGB protect against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity remains elusive. The browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a potential approach to combat obesity. Here we assess whether browning of WAT is involved in CR- and RYGB-treatment.

METHODS

The average size of adipocytes was determined by histological analysis. Expression of thermogenic genes in both human subjects and mice were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

The average size of adipocytes was bigger, while the expression of thermogenic genes such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), nuclear factor erythroid-2 like 1 (NRF1) and PPARγ coactivator-1 α (PGC1α) were lower in the WAT of obese subjects when compared to lean controls. Both CR and RYGB promoted weight and fat loss. Increment of the average adipocytes size and down-regulation of thermogenic genes were significantly reversed by both CR and RYGB in the WAT of obese mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that CR and RYGB significantly improved high-fat diet-induced lipid accumulation by promoting the browning of WAT.

Optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-contact method for imaging the topological and internal microstructure of samples in three dimensions. OCT can be configured as a conventional microscope, as an ophthalmic scanner, or using endoscopes and small diameter catheters for accessing internal biological organs. In this Primer, we describe the principles underpinning the different instrument configurations that are tailored to distinct imaging applications and explain the origin of signal, based on light scattering and propagation. Although OCT has been used for imaging inanimate objects, we focus our discussion on biological and medical imaging. We examine the signal processing methods and algorithms that make OCT exquisitely sensitive to reflections as weak as just a few photons and that reveal functional information in addition to structure. Image processing, display and interpretation, which are all critical for effective biomedical imaging, are discussed in the context of specific applications. Finally, we consider image artifacts and limitations that commonly arise and reflect on future advances and opportunities.

Prevalence and Mortality of Hypochloremia Among Patients Suffering From Coronary Artery Disease and Congestive Heart Failure: An Analysis of Patients in CIN-I and MIMIC-III Databases

Background: Hypochloremia is an independent predictor for mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) but whether the same correlation exists in CAD patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) is unclear.

Methods: This is an analysis of data stored in the databases of the CIN-I [a registry of Cardiorenal Improvement (NCT04407936) in China from January 2007 to December 2018] and Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-III. CAD patients with CHF were included. The outcome measures were 90-day all-cause mortality (ACM) and long-term ACM.

Results: Data from 8,243 CAD patients with CHF were analyzed. We found that 10.2% of the study population had hypochloremia (Cl− &lt;98 mmol/L) in CIN-I (n = 4,762) and 20.1% had hypochloremia in MIMIC-III (n = 3,481). Patients suffering from hypochloremia were, in general, older and had a higher prevalence of comorbidities. After adjustment for confounders, hypochloremia remained a significant predictor of short-term mortality risk [90-day ACM: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.69; 95% CI, 1.27–2.25; P &lt; 0.001 in CIN-I, and 1.36 (1.17–1.59); P &lt; 0.001 in MIMIC-III]. Hypochloremia was also associated with long-term mortality [aHR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.06–1.50; P = 0.009 in CIN-I, and 1.48 (1.32–1.66); P &lt; 0.001 in MIMIC-III]. Prespecified subgroup analyses revealed an association of hypochloremia with long-term ACM to be attenuated slightly in the women of the two databases (P interaction &lt; 0.05).

Conclusions: Hypochloremia is independently associated with higher short-term and long-term ACM. Further studies are needed to determine if early preventive measurements and active intervention of hypochloremia can reduce the mortality risk of CAD patients with CHF.