Gibbonsmcnulty3542
Together these data support a model where a small initial pool of plasma membrane-localized GPCRs are capable of activating internal receptor-dependent signaling events.In order to identify cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive patients who are at risk of developing CMV infection following first allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), we built up a scoring system based on patient/donor characteristics and transplantation modalities. To this end, 3690 consecutive patients were chronologically divided into a derivation cohort (2010-2012, n = 2180) and a validation cohort (2013-2014, n = 1490). Haploidentical donors were excluded. The incidence of first clinically significant CMV infection (CMV disease or CMV viremia leading to preemptive treatment) at 1, 3, and 6 months in the derivation cohort was 13.8%, 38.5%, and 39.6%, respectively. CMV-seropositive donor, unrelated donor (HLA matched 10/10 or HLA mismatched 9/10), myeloablative conditioning, total body irradiation, antithymocyte globulin, and mycophenolate mofetil significantly and independently affected the incidence of 3-month infection. These six factors were selected to build up the prognostic model. Four risk groups were defined low, intermediate-low, intermediate-high, and high-risk categories, with a 3-month predicted incidence of first clinically significant CMV infection in the derivation cohort of 22.2%, 31.1%, 45.4%, and 56.9%, respectively. This score represents a framework for the evaluation of patients who are at risk of developing clinically significant CMV infection following allo-HCT. Prospective studies using this score may be of benefit in assessing the value of anti-CMV prophylaxis in well-defined patient cohorts.The goal of this phase II trial was to evaluate safety and efficacy of a tandem autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) using sequentially total marrow irradiation (TMI) at the dose of 12 Gy (4 Gy on days -3, -2, and -1) and melphalan 200 mg/m2 for patients with multiple myeloma (MM). TMI was performed using helical tomotherapy. Additional "boosts" (total 24 Gy) were applied for patients with active lesions as revealed by PET-FDG. Fifty patients with median age 58 years (41-64 years) were included and received tandem auto-HCT. TMI resulted in absolute neutropenia in all patients. Selleck PF-06700841 Grade 3 infections were reported in 30% patients. Other toxicities were rare. Proportion of patients who achieved at least very good partial response increased from 46% before the first auto-HCT to 82% after tandem transplantation. Complete remission rates changed from 10% to 42%, respectively. The probabilities of overall and progression-free survival at 5 years were 74% and 55%, respectively. No patient died without progression. We conclude that conditioning with TMI ± PET-guided "boosts" represents personalized treatment approach in MM and is characterized by very good toxicity profile. Tandem auto-HCT using TMI in sequence with high-dose melphalan appears safe with encouraging early efficacy.Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) is a fish species with growing economic significance in the aquaculture industry. However, successful positioning of pikeperch in large-scale aquaculture requires advances in our understanding of its genome organization. In this study, an ultra-high density linkage map for pikeperch comprising 24 linkage groups and 1,023,625 single nucleotide polymorphisms markers was constructed after genotyping whole-genome sequencing data from 11 broodstock and 363 progeny, belonging to 6 full-sib families. The sex-specific linkage maps spanned a total of 2985.16 cM in females and 2540.47 cM in males with an average inter-marker distance of 0.0030 and 0.0026 cM, respectively. The sex-averaged map spanned a total of 2725.53 cM with an average inter-marker distance of 0.0028 cM. Furthermore, the sex-averaged map was used for improving the contiguity and accuracy of the current pikeperch genome assembly. Based on 723,360 markers, 706 contigs were anchored and oriented into 24 pseudomolecules, covering a total of 896.48 Mb and accounting for 99.47% of the assembled genome size. The overall contiguity of the assembly improved with a scaffold N50 length of 41.06 Mb. Finally, an updated annotation of protein-coding genes and repetitive elements of the enhanced genome assembly is provided at NCBI.In experimental studies, pancreatic islet microvasculature is essential for islet endocrine function and mass, and islet vascular morphology is altered in diabetic subjects. Even so, almost no information is available concerning human islet microvascular endothelial cell (MVEC) physiology and gene expression. In this study, islets and exocrine pancreatic tissue were acquired from organ donors with normoglycemia or impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) immediately after islet isolation. Following single-cell dissociation, primary islet- and exocrine MVECs were obtained through fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and transcriptional profiles were generated using AmpliSeq. Multiple gene sets involved in general vascular development and extracellular matrix remodeling were enriched in islet MVEC. In exocrine MVEC samples, multiple enriched gene sets that relate to biosynthesis and biomolecule catabolism were found. No statistically significant enrichment was found in gene sets related to autophagy or endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Although ample differences were found between islet- and exocrine tissue endothelial cells, no differences could be observed between normoglycemic donors and donors with IGM at gene or gene set level. Our data is consistent with active angiogenesis and vascular remodeling in human islets and support the notion of ongoing endocrine pancreas tissue repair and regeneration even in the adult human.This article presents a millimeter-wave diagnostic for the in-situ monitoring of liquid metal jetting additive manufacturing systems. The diagnostic leverages a T-junction waveguide device to monitor impedance changes due to jetted metal droplets in real time. An analytical formulation for the time-domain T-junction operation is presented and supported with a quasi-static full-wave electromagnetic simulation model. The approach is evaluated experimentally with metallic spheres of known diameters ranging from 0.79 to 3.18 mm. It is then demonstrated in a custom drop-on-demand liquid metal jetting system where effective droplet diameters ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 mm are detected. Experimental results demonstrate that this approach can provide information about droplet size, timing, and motion by monitoring a single parameter, the reflection coefficient amplitude at the input port. These results show the promise of the impedance diagnostic as a reliable in-situ characterization method for metal droplets in an advanced manufacturing system.The aim was to compare short-term results of transvaginal hybrid-NOTES (NSR) with traditional laparoscopic technique in sigmoid resection (LSR) in cases of diverticulitis. Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery has been evolved as a minimally invasive procedure to reduce the operative trauma due to the absence of specimen extraction through the abdominal wall causing less postoperative pain, and shorter hospital stay. Despite the increasing use and published case series of NSR for diverticulitis as a laparoscopic procedure with transvaginal stapling and specimen extraction, there are no studies comparing this procedure with LSR. Twenty NSR patients operated at the Cologne-Merheim Medical Center have been documented and compared with 20 female LSR patients matched for body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists-classification (ASA), Hansen/Stock classification, and age. To ensure comparability regarding peri- and postoperative care, only procedures performed by the same surgeon were includeerience and the patient's personal preferences.
Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) has been linked with response to DNA-damaging agents (DDA) and PARP inhibitors. An in-depth understanding of several aspects of its role as a biomarker in cancer is missing, as is a comprehensive analysis of the clinical significance of SLFN11 as a predictive biomarker to DDA and/or DNA damage-response inhibitor (DDRi) therapies.
We used a multidisciplinary effort combining specific immunohistochemistry, pharmacology tests, anticancer combination therapies and mechanistic studies to assess SLFN11 as a potential biomarker for stratification of patients treated with several DDA and/or DDRi in the preclinical and clinical setting.
SLFN11 protein associated with both preclinical and patient treatment response to DDA, but not to non-DDA or DDRi therapies, such as WEE1 inhibitor or olaparib in breast cancer. SLFN11-low/absent cancers were identified across different tumour types tested. Combinations of DDA with DDRi targeting the replication-stress response (ATR, CHK1 and WEE1) could re-sensitise SLFN11-absent/low cancer models to the DDA treatment and were effective in upper gastrointestinal and genitourinary malignancies.
SLFN11 informs on the standard of care chemotherapy based on DDA and the effect of selected combinations with ATR, WEE1 or CHK1 inhibitor in a wide range of cancer types and models.
SLFN11 informs on the standard of care chemotherapy based on DDA and the effect of selected combinations with ATR, WEE1 or CHK1 inhibitor in a wide range of cancer types and models.Recent evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) regulates plasma glucose levels, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. The present study investigated the role of dopaminergic function in the CNS in regulation of plasma glucose levels in mice. I.c.v. injection of neither the dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 nor the antagonist SCH 23390 influenced plasma glucose levels. In contrast, i.c.v. injection of both the dopamine D2 receptor agonist quinpirole and the antagonist l-sulpiride increased plasma glucose levels. Hyperglycemia induced by quinpirole and l-sulpiride was absent in dopamine D2 receptor knockout mice. I.c.v. injection of quinpirole and l-sulpiride each increased mRNA levels of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, which are the key enzymes for hepatic gluconeogenesis. Systemic injection of the β2 adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118,551 inhibited hyperglycemia induced by l-sulpiride, but not by quinpirole. In contrast, hyperglycemia induced by quinpirole, but not by l-sulpiride, was inhibited by hepatic vagotomy. These results suggest that stimulation of central dopamine D2 receptors increases plasma glucose level by increasing hepatic glucose production through parasympathetic nerves, whereas inhibition of central dopamine D2 receptors increases plasma glucose level by increasing hepatic glucose production through sympathetic nerves.Recurrence in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) significantly reduces overall survival. Improved understanding of the host's immune status in head and neck cancer may facilitate identification of patients at higher risk of recurrence and improve patients' selection for ongoing clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPI). We aimed to investigate Sentinel Node-derived T-cells and their impact on survival. We enrolled prospectively 28 OSCC patients treated at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden with primary tumour excision and elective neck dissection. On top of the standard treatment, the enrolled patients underwent sentinel node procedure. T cells derived from Sentinel nodes, non-sentinel nodes, primary tumour and PBMC were analyzed in flow cytometry. Patients who developed recurrence proved to have significantly lower level of CD4+ CD69+ in their sentinel node (31.38 ± 6.019% vs. 43.44 ± 15.33%, p = 0.0103) and significantly higher level of CD8+ CD HLA-DR+ (38.