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A group convened and led by the Virus Evolution Working Group of the World Health Organization reports on its deliberations and announces a naming scheme that will enable clear communication about SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest and concern.

Academic freedom is a universal concept inherent in the academic community of higher education. But in its implementation, it is always diverse because it attached to the cultural context and locality of the community. This research aims to find out the description of lecturers' understanding of academic freedom and determine challenges in the field based on their experience. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with 15 informants from 10 tertiary institutions located in 5 major islands in Indonesia. Data analysis was performed by describing data qualitatively using analytic reduction of statement identification, determination of core themes, and essence descriptions. The results showed that lecturers have an understanding of academic freedom to conduct or not to carry out activities based on the disciplines they engaged in, in the aspects of teaching, research, publication, and community service without any intervention. Lecturers also get treatment of restrictions on academic freedom conducted by leaders of higher education institutions, fellow lecturer colleagues, government officials, and community groups. Dialogue is the most common way lecturers do when faced with restrictions in academic freedom. Thus, it is important to formulate a broader and more detailed conceptualization to minimize the interpretation of the misuse of interests. Strengthening networks between lecturers and international institutions concerned with academic freedom is a form of academic policy.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between exposure of apalutamide and its active metabolite, N-desmethyl-apalutamide, and selected clinical efficacy and safety parameters in men with high-risk nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Patients and Methods: An exploratory exposure–response analysis was undertaken using data from the 1,207 patients (806 apalutamide and 401 placebo) enrolled in the SPARTAN study, including those who had undergone dose reductions and dose interruptions. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models evaluated the relationships between apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide exposure, expressed as area under the concentration–time curve at steady state, and metastasis-free survival (MFS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models assessed the relationship between apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide exposure and common treatment-emergent adverse events including fatigue, fall, skin rash, weight loss, and arthralgia. Results: A total of 21% of patients in the apalutamide arm experienced dose reductions diminishing the average daily dose to 209 mg instead of 240 mg. Within the relatively narrow exposure range, no statistically significant relationship was found between MFS and apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide exposure. Within apalutamide-treated subjects, skin rash and weight loss had a statistically significant association with higher apalutamide exposure. Conclusions: The use of apalutamide at the recommended dose of 240 mg once daily provided a similar delay in metastases across the SPARTAN patient population, regardless of exposure. The exploratory exposure–safety analysis supports dose reductions in patients experiencing adverse events.

Genomic sequencing has significant potential to inform public health management for SARS-CoV-2. Here we report high-throughput genomics for SARS-CoV-2, sequencing 80% of cases in Victoria, Australia (population 6.24 million) between 6 January and 14 April 2020 (total 1,333 COVID-19 cases). We integrate epidemiological, genomic and phylodynamic data to identify clusters and impact of interventions. The global diversity of SARS-CoV-2 is represented, consistent with multiple importations. Seventy-six distinct genomic clusters were identified, including large clusters associated with social venues, healthcare and cruise ships. Sequencing sequential samples from 98 patients reveals minimal intra-patient SARS-CoV-2 genomic diversity. Phylodynamic modelling indicates a significant reduction in the effective viral reproductive number (Re) from 1.63 to 0.48 after implementing travel restrictions and physical distancing. Our data provide a concrete framework for the use of SARS-CoV-2 genomics in public health responses, including its use to rapidly identify SARS-CoV-2 transmission chains, increasingly important as social restrictions ease globally., Genome sequencing can be used to infer pathogen transmission dynamics and inform public health responses. Here, the authors sequence >1,200 SARS-CoV-2 samples from Victoria, Australia and find genomic support for the effectiveness of social restrictions in reducing transmission.

Two phase I studies assessed the drug–drug interaction potential of apalutamide as a substrate and perpetrator. Study A randomized 45 healthy men to single-dose apalutamide 240 mg alone or with strong inhibitors of cytochrome P450 (CYP)3A4 (itraconazole) or CYP2C8 (gemfibrozil). In study B, 23 patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer received probes for CYP3A4 (midazolam), CYP2C9 (warfarin), CYP2C19 (omeprazole), and CYP2C8 (pioglitazone), and transporter substrates for P-glycoprotein (P-gp) (fexofenadine) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP)/organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 1B1 (rosuvastatin) at baseline and after repeat once-daily administration of apalutamide 240 mg to steady state. Systemic exposure (area under the plasma concentration–time curve) to single-dose apalutamide increased 68% with gemfibrozil but was relatively unchanged with itraconazole (study A). Apalutamide reduced systemic exposure to midazolam ↓92%, omeprazole ↓85%, S-warfarin ↓46%, fexofenadine ↓30%, rosuvastatin ↓41%, and pioglitazone ↓18% (study B). After a single dose, apalutamide is predominantly metabolized by CYP2C8, and less by CYP3A4. Co-administration of apalutamide with CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, P-gp, BCRP or OATP1B1 substrates may cause loss of activity for these medications. Therefore, appropriate mitigation strategies are recommended.

Objectives To describe the first isolation and sequencing of SARS‐CoV‐2 in Australia and rapid sharing of the isolate. Setting SARS‐CoV‐2 was isolated from a 58‐year‐old man from Wuhan, China who arrived in Melbourne on 19 January 2020 and was admitted to the Monash Medical Centre, Melbourne from the emergency department on 24 January 2020 with fever, cough, and progressive dyspnoea. Major outcomes Clinical course and laboratory features of the first reported case of COVID‐19 (the illness caused by SARS‐CoV‐2) in Australia; isolation, whole genome sequencing, imaging, and rapid sharing of virus from the patient. Results A nasopharyngeal swab and sputum collected when the patient presented to hospital were each positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction). Inoculation of Vero/hSLAM cells with material from the nasopharyngeal swab led to the isolation of SARS‐CoV‐2 virus in culture. Electron microscopy of the supernatant confirmed the presence of virus particles with morphology characteristic of viruses of the family Coronaviridae. Whole genome sequencing of the viral isolate and phylogenetic analysis indicated the isolate exhibited greater than 99.99% sequence identity with other publicly available SARS‐CoV‐2 genomes. Within 24 hours of isolation, the first Australian SARS‐CoV‐2 isolate was shared with local and overseas reference laboratories and major North American and European culture collections. Conclusions The ability to rapidly identify, propagate, and internationally share our SARS‐CoV‐2 isolate is an important step in collaborative scientific efforts to deal effectively with this international public health emergency by developing better diagnostic procedures, vaccine candidates, and antiviral agents.

Purpose: Apalutamide is a next-generation androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor approved for patients with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and antitumor activity of apalutamide combined with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone (AA-P) in patients with metastatic CRPC (mCRPC). Patients and Methods: Multicenter, open-label, phase Ib drug–drug interaction study conducted in 57 patients with mCRPC treated with 1,000 mg abiraterone acetate plus 10 mg prednisone daily beginning on cycle 1 day 1 (C1D1) and 240 mg apalutamide daily starting on C1D8 in 28-day cycles. Serial blood samples for pharmacokinetic analysis were collected on C1D7 and C2D8. Results: Systemic exposure to abiraterone, prednisone, and prednisolone decreased 14%, 61%, and 42%, respectively, when apalutamide was coadministered with AA-P. No increase in mineralocorticoid excess–related adverse events was observed. Patients without prior exposure to AR signaling inhibitors had longer median treatment duration and greater mean decrease in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) from baseline compared with those who had received prior therapy. Confirmed PSA reductions of ≥50% from baseline at any time were observed in 80% (12/15) of AR signaling inhibitor–naïve patients and 14% (6/42) of AR signaling inhibitor–treated patients. Conclusions: Treatment with apalutamide plus AA-P was well tolerated and showed evidence of antitumor activity in patients with mCRPC, including those with disease progression on AR signaling inhibitors. No clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction was observed between abiraterone and apalutamide; however, apalutamide decreased exposure to prednisone. These data support development of 1,000 mg abiraterone acetate plus 10 mg prednisone daily with 240 mg apalutamide daily in patients with mCRPC.

To identify newborns at risk of developing ASD and to detect ASD biomarkers early after birth, we compared retrospectively ultrasound and biological measurements of babies diagnosed later with ASD or neurotypical (NT) that are collected routinely during pregnancy and birth. We used a supervised machine learning algorithm with a cross-validation technique to classify NT and ASD babies and performed various statistical tests. With a minimization of the false positive rate, 96% of NT and 41% of ASD babies were identified with a positive predictive value of 77%. We identified the following biomarkers related to ASD: sex, maternal familial history of auto-immune diseases, maternal immunization to CMV, IgG CMV level, timing of fetal rotation on head, femur length in the 3rd trimester, white blood cell count in the 3rd trimester, fetal heart rate during labor, newborn feeding and temperature difference between birth and one day after. Furthermore, statistical models revealed that a subpopulation of 38% of babies at risk of ASD had significantly larger fetal head circumference than age-matched NT ones, suggesting an in utero origin of the reported bigger brains of toddlers with ASD. Our results suggest that pregnancy follow-up measurements might provide an early prognosis of ASD enabling pre-symptomatic behavioral interventions to attenuate efficiently ASD developmental sequels.

Attempts to extract early biomarkers and expedite detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have been centered on postnatal measures of babies at familial risk. Here, we suggest that it might be possible to do these tasks already at birth relying on ultrasound and biological measurements routinely collected from pregnant mothers and fetuses during gestation and birth. We performed a gradient boosting decision tree classification analysis in parallel with statistical tests on a population of babies with typical development or later diagnosed with ASD. By focusing on minimization of the false positive rate, the cross-validated specificity of the classifier reached to 96% with a sensitivity of 41% and a positive predictive value of 77%. Extracted biomarkers included sex, maternal familial history of auto-immune diseases, maternal immunization to CMV, IgG CMV level, timing of fetal rotation on head, femoral length in the 3rd trimester, white cells in the 3rd trimester, fetal heart rate during labour, newborn feeding and newborn’s temperature difference between birth and one day after. Statistical models revealed that 38% of babies later diagnosed with ASD had significantly larger fetal cephalic perimeter than age matched neurotypical babies, suggesting an in-utero origin of the bigger brains of toddlers with ASD. Results pave the way to use pregnancy follow-up measurements to provide an early prognosis of ASD and implement pre-symptomatic behavioral interventions to attenuate efficiently ASD developmental sequels.Competing Interest StatementDr. S. Alain reported being a Scientific Expert for GSK, Shire, Sanofi, MSD, Merck, Biotest, BioMerieux and Hologic, and IP France Solstice study (Takeda). Dr. Y. Ben-Ari reported being the CEO and shareholder of BA Biomedical, a company dedicated to the use of artificial intelligence in biomedical research, and Neurochlore, a company dedicated to treat autism. He is also the president of the IBEN foundation, a non-for-profit foundation dedicated to study the early pathogenesis of brain disorders. Dr. S. Hantz reported receiving a congress fee, travel and accommodation by MSD vaccines, a congress fee from Diasorin, and a remuneration as speaker for "Expert days in virology" from Roche Diagnostics. Dr. E. Lemonnier reported being a shareholder of Neurochlore. Dr. H. Rabiei reported his salary paid by Neurochlore. No other disclosures were reported.View Full Text

We describe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)–specific immune responses in a patient with lymphoma and recent programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor therapy with late onset of severe coronavirus disease 2019 disease and prolonged SARS-CoV-2 replication, in comparison to age-matched and immunocompromised controls. High levels of HLA-DR+/CD38+ activation, interleukin 6, and interleukin 18 in the absence of B cells and PD-1 expression was observed. SARS-CoV-2–specific antibody responses were absent and SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells were minimally detected. This case highlights challenges in managing immunocompromised hosts who may fail to mount effective virus-specific immune responses., We describe defects in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2–specific immune responses and persistent viral replication in a patient with lymphoma. This case highlights challenges in managing immunocompromised hosts who may fail to mount effective virus-specific immune responses.

We report the kinetics of immune responses in relation to clinical and virological features of a patient with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) requiring hospitalisation. Increased antibody-secreting cells, follicular T-helper cells, activated CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and IgM/IgG SARS-CoV-2-binding antibodies were detected in blood, prior to symptomatic recovery. These immunological changes persisted for at least 7 days following full resolution of symptoms, indicating substantial anti-viral immunity in this non-severe COVID-19

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERSCoV) was detected in humans in 2012. Since then, sporadic outbreaks with primary transmission through dromedary camels to humans and outbreaks in healthcare settings have shown that MERS-CoV continues to pose a threat to human health. Several serologic assays for MERS-CoV have been developed globally. We describe a collaborative study to investigate the comparability of serologic assays for MERS-CoV and assess any benefit associated with the introduction of a standard reference reagent for MERS-CoV serology. Our study findings indicate that, when possible, laboratories should use a testing algorithm including >2 tests to ensure correct diagnosis of MERS-CoV. We also demonstrate that the use of a reference reagent greatly improves the agreement between assays, enabling more consistent and therefore more meaningful comparisons between results.

Apalutamide is a next-generation androgen receptor inhibitor approved for treatment of subjects with high-risk, non-metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (NM-CRPC). The objective of this study was to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of apalutamide and its metabolite N-desmethyl-apalutamide in healthy male and castration-resistant prostate cancer subjects. Plasma concentration data for apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide from 1092 subjects (seven clinical studies) receiving oral apalutamide (30–480 mg) once daily were pooled for a population pharmacokinetic analysis using a non-linear mixed-effect modelling approach. The impact of clinically relevant covariates was also assessed. Apalutamide absorption was rapid, and the apparent steady-state volume of distribution was large (276 L), reflecting a wide body distribution. Apalutamide was eliminated slowly, with its apparent clearance increasing from 1.31 L/h after the first dose to 2.04 L/h at steady state. No evidence of time-dependent disposition was observed for N-desmethyl-apalutamide, which was also widely distributed and slowly cleared (1.5 L/h). After 4 weeks of treatment, more than 95% of steady-state exposure of apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide was reached. At a dose of apalutamide 240 mg/day, apalutamide and N-desmethyl-apalutamide exposure exhibited 5.3- and 85.2-fold accumulation in plasma, respectively. Inter-individual variability in apalutamide apparent clearance is low (

Fruquintinib, a novel, highly selective, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor of VEGF receptors (VEGFRs)-1, -2 and -3, is approved in China for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. FRESCO-2, a global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III study, is investigating the efficacy and safety of fruquintinib in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Key inclusion criteria include: progression on or intolerance to TAS-102 and/or regorafenib; and prior treatment with approved chemotherapy, anti-VEGF therapy, and, ifLay abstract Fruquintinib is a drug that slows down, reduces or prevents the growth of vessels that supply blood to certain tumors. Fruquintinib is approved in China for the treatment of cancer of the colon and rectum that has spread to these parts of the body from the primary site of cancer: metastatic colorectal cancer. The FRESCO-2 study is being conducted globally to determine how safe and effective fruquintinib is at treating patients with metastatic colorectal cancer that has grown or spread following other forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy. About 687 patients will be enrolled globally to receive either fruquintinib or a matching placebo in a 2:1 ratio, respectively. The FRESCO-2 study is enrolling patients in the USA, Europe, Australia and Japan.

In this paper, a steady-state phenomenological rigorous model to simulate a gas turbine’s operation that uses biogas from a sewage treatment plant is presented. The model makes use of isentropic efficiencies and operating curves. The model’s parameters were obtained so that the model reproduces the nominal operating point of the gas turbine presented by Franca Junior [1] that uses biogas produced from sewage sludge. Simulations were further performed in order to analyze the effect of disturbances on the operation of the turbine. Perturbations in ambient air conditions and biogas feed were applied, and the simulator successfully solved the simulation problems. Although the gas turbine exhibited a nonlinear behavior, simulation results showed smooth responses. The simulator enables one to understand how each perturbing variable affects the operation of the turbine. Hence, the simulator can be used not only to predict the operations under different operating scenarios but also as a training tool for the operators of sewage treatment plants.

ForestGEO is a network of scientists and long-term forest dynamics plots (FDPs) spanning the Earth's major forest types. ForestGEO's mission is to advance understanding of the diversity and dynamics of forests and to strengthen global capacity for forest science research. ForestGEO is unique among forest plot networks in its large-scale plot dimensions, censusing of all stems ≥1 cm in diameter, inclusion of tropical, temperate and boreal forests, and investigation of additional biotic (e.g., arthropods) and abiotic (e.g., soils) drivers, which together provide a holistic view of forest functioning. The 71 FDPs in 27 countries include approximately 7.33 million living trees and about 12,000 species, representing 20% of the world's known tree diversity. With >1300 published papers, ForestGEO researchers have made significant contributions in two fundamental areas: species coexistence and diversity, and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, defining the major biotic and abiotic controls on the distribution and coexistence of species and functional types and on variation in species' demography has led to improved understanding of how the multiple dimensions of forest diversity are structured across space and time and how this diversity relates to the processes controlling the role of forests in the Earth system. Nevertheless, knowledge gaps remain that impede our ability to predict how forest diversity and function will respond to climate change and other stressors. Meeting these global research challenges requires major advances in standardizing taxonomy of tropical species, resolving the main drivers of forest dynamics, and integrating plot-based ground and remote sensing observations to scale up estimates of forest diversity and function, coupled with improved predictive models. However, they cannot be met without greater financial commitment to sustain the long-term research of ForestGEO and other forest plot networks, greatly expanded scientific capacity across the world's forested nations, and increased collaboration and integration among research networks and disciplines addressing forest science.

We report the kinetics of the immune response in relation to clinical and virological features of a patient with mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) requiring hospitalisation. Increased antibody-secreting cells, follicular T-helper cells, activated CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and IgM/IgG SARS-CoV-2-binding antibodies were detected in blood, prior to symptomatic recovery. These immunological changes persisted for at least 7 days following full resolution of symptoms, indicating substantial anti-viral immunity in this non-severe COVID-19.Authors Irani Thevarajan and Thi HO Nguyen contributed equally to this work.

To ensure their high proliferation rate, tumor cells have an iron metabolic disorder causing them to have increased iron needs, making them more susceptible to iron deprivation. This vulnerability could be a therapeutic target. In breast cancers, the development of new therapeutic approaches is urgently needed for patients with triple-negative tumors, which frequently relapse after chemotherapy and suffer from a lack of targeted therapies. In this study, we demonstrated that deferasirox (DFX) synergises with standard chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin, cisplatin and carboplatin to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis and autophagy in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Moreover, the combination of DFX with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide delayed recurrences in breast cancer patient-derived xenografts without increasing the side-effects of chemotherapies alone or altering the global iron storage of mice. Antitumor synergy of DFX and doxorubicin seems to involve downregulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase and nuclear factor-κB pathways. Iron deprivation in combination with chemotherapy could thus help to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in TNBC patients without increasing toxicity. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background: Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) plays an integral role in B-cell receptor signaling critical in the development and survival of several subtypes of lymphoma. HMPL-523 is a selective, oral Syk inhibitor that has shown strong anti-tumor efficacy in xenograft models of B-cell and T-cell lymphoma. HMPL-523 had a manageable safety profile and demonstrated anti-tumor activity in a phase I study of lymphoma patients in China (NCT02857998). Here, we report the safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity of HMPL-523 in the dose escalation phase of a phase 1 study of relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients in the United States and Europe (NCT03779113). Methods: The primary objectives of the phase I study were to evaluate the safety and tolerability of HMPL-523 and to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)/recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). Secondary objectives were to assess the pharmacokinetics (PK) and evaluate the preliminary efficacy of HMPL-523. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed lymphoma, exhausted all approved therapy options, and had good organ function, including creatinine clearance ≥ 40 ml/min by Cockcroft-Gault, absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1000/µL, platelet count ≥ 50,000/µL, and hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL. Dose escalation was performed according to a 3+3 study design. Treatment emergent adverse events (AEs) were assessed per NCI CTCAE v5.0. Treatment responses were assessed by Lugano criteria at weeks 8, 16, and 24, and then every 12 weeks. Patients received HMPL-523 treatment daily in 28-day cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Results: As of July 15, 2021, 21 patients had been enrolled and dosed with HMPL-523 at one of six dose levels (100 to 800 mg once daily). Baseline tumor subtypes included Hodgkin lymphoma (HL; n=5); diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; n=4); follicular lymphoma (FL; n=4); marginal zone lymphoma (MZL; n=2); and 1 patient each with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), mixed HL/DLBCL, and Richter's transformation. Patients were predominantly Caucasian (90.5%) and male (71.4%). The median age was 61 years (range 27 to 89 years) and 71.4% had an ECOG performance status of 1. The median lines of prior therapy was 4 (range 2 to 17). The majority of patients had prior anti-CD20 antibody exposure (71.4%), and four patients (19%) received prior Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Five patients continue to receive study treatment. The most frequently reported treatment emergent AEs were aspartate aminotransferase increase (23.8%), anemia (23.8%), neutropenia (19%), hyponatremia (19%), creatinine increase (19%), and nausea (19%). The most common grade ≥ 3 AEs were neutropenia (14.3%), hyponatremia (14.3%), and anemia (9.5%). Three dose limiting toxicities were observed: 1 in the 100 mg cohort (grade 3 confusion) and 2 in the 800 mg cohort (grade 3 fever and grade 3 alanine aminotransferase increase). The dose was deescalated to 700 mg, which was determined to be the MTD and RP2D. Among 17 efficacy evaluable patients, 2 patients (1 HL, 1 FL) dosed at 600 mg and 800 mg (reduced to 600 mg due to toxicity) achieved complete response, and 1 patient (dose increased from 400 to 600 mg) achieved partial response (FL). Stable disease was observed in 5 (29.4%) patients (2 DLBCL, 1 MCL, 1 SLL, 1 PTCL). At steady state, HMPL-523 showed approximately dose proportional PK over the daily dose range of 100 to 700 mg. Conclusions: HMPL-523 was well tolerated at all dose levels within the range of 100 mg to 700 mg and demonstrated proof of activity at dose levels of 400 mg or higher in heavily pre-treated patients. The dose expansion phase of the study will evaluate safety and efficacy in patients with multiple subtypes of B-cell and T-cell lymphoma at the RP2D of 700 mg. Updated safety, PK, and anti-tumor activity will be presented. Disclosures Strati: Astrazeneca-Acerta: Research Funding; Roche-Genentech: Consultancy. González-Barca: Roche: Honoraria, Other: Travel; Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria, Other: Travel; Takeda. Abbvie: Honoraria. Taszner: Roche, Takeda: Consultancy, Other: Travel. Pillai: HUTCHMED: Current Employment. Chien: HUTCHMED: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Nanda: HUTCHMED: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Other: Travel. Rudinski: HUTCHMED: Current Employment. Jayaprakash: HUTCHMED, Bristol Myers Squibb: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months; Astrazeneca: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Hahka-Kemppinen: HUTCHMED: Current Employment, Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company; Eli Lilly: Current holder of individual stocks in a privately-held company. Kania: HUTCHMED: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.

Recent reports suggest a potentially beneficial increase in abiraterone exposure when abiraterone acetate plus prednisone is administered with food. We evaluated the basis for current dosing recommendations under modified fasted conditions for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with a PubMed search of studies assessing the impact of food on abiraterone pharmacokinetics. Studies show that abiraterone exposure increases with administration in a fed versus fasted state and with high-fat versus low-fat meals. Food effect is substantially attenuated in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients compared with healthy subjects. The potential variability in absorption, unproven clinical benefits and increased toxicity with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone administration in the fed state underscore the importance of adhering to current dosing recommendations.

Background: RSPO ligands, activators of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, are overexpressed in different cancers. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of RSPOs in breast cancer (BC). Methods: Expression of RSPO and markers of various cancer pathways were measured in breast tumours and cell lines by qRT–PCR. The effect of RSPO on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity was determined by luciferase assay, western blotting, and qRT–PCR. The effect of RSPO2 inhibition on proliferation was determined by using RSPO2 siRNAs. The effect of IWR-1, an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, was examined on the growth of an RSPO2-positive patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of metaplastic triple-negative BC. Results: We detected RSPO2 and RSPO4 overexpression levels in BC, particularly in triple-negative BC (TNBC), metaplastic BC, and triple-negative cell lines. Various mechanisms could account for this overexpression: presence of fusion transcripts involving RSPO, and amplification or hypomethylation of RSPO genes. Patients with RSPO2-overexpressing tumours have a poorer metastasis-free survival (P=3.6 × 10−4). RSPO2 and RSPO4 stimulate Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity. Inhibition of RSPO expression in a TN cell line inhibits cell growth, and IWR-1 significantly inhibits the growth of an RSPO2-overexpressing PDX. Conclusions: RSPO overexpression could therefore be a new prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for TNBC.

Ocular medulloepithelioma (ME) is a rare congenital tumor which occurs usually during childhood but is also reported in adults. They have seen an intraocular tumor in an 89 years-old female with a history of small cell lung carcinoma. Transscleral fine needle aspiration was performed. Aspirates were rich and composed of two distinctive populations of cells. The first consisted of epithelioid large cohesive cells with rare rosettes. Nuclei were oval and chromatin was delicate with small nucleoli. The second population consisted of smaller and dispersed cells with regular nuclei and dusty chromatin. Immunohistochemistry performed on paraffin-embedded cell block sections showed that the larger cells and rosettes were cytokeratin AE1/AE3, Synaptophysin, Chromogranin A, CD56, NSE, and EMA positive, whereas the smaller cells were always negative. Interestingly smaller cells expressed only weak nuclear positivity for TTF1, whereas larger cells were TTF1 negative. Melanocytic markers were negative in both populations. Morphological patterns and immunohistochemical staining confirmed ocular ME and allowed to exclude pulmonary metastasis or primary malignant melanoma. The patient was successfully treated by brachytherapy alone and is alive and well 10 months after treatment. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:561-564. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Human parechovirus (HPeV), particularly type 3 (HPeV3), is an important cause of sepsis-/meningitis-like illness in young infants. Laboratory records identified a total of ten HPeV-positive cases in Southeastern Australia between January and July 2019. The HPeV present in these cases were typed by Sanger sequencing of the partial viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) region and selected cases were further characterised by additional Sanger or Ion Torrent near-full length virus sequencing. In seven of the ten cases, an HPeV type 5 (HPeV5) was identified, and in the remaining three cases, an HPeV type 1 was identified. The HPeV5-positive cases were infants under the age of 3 months admitted to hospital with fever, rash, lethargy and/or sepsis-like clinical signs. Near full-length virus sequencing revealed that the HPeV5 was most likely a recombinant virus, with structural genes most similar to an HPeV5 from Belarus in 2018, and a polymerase gene most similar to an HPeV3 from Australia in 2013/14. While HPeV5 is not typically associated with severe clinical signs, the HPeV5 identified here may have been able to cause more severe disease in young infants through the acquisition of genes from a more virulent HPeV.

Human parechovirus type 3 (HPeV3) can cause severe sepsis-like illness in young infants and may be associated with long term neurodevelopmental delay later in childhood. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of HPeV infection in thirty three infants requiring hospitalization before, during and after the peak of the 2017/18 HPeV epidemic wave in Australia. During the peak of the epidemic, all cases were infected with an HPeV3, while before and after the peak, HPeV1 was the predominant type detected. The predominant HPeV3 was the recombinant HPeV3 also detected in the 2013/14 and 2015/16 Australian epidemics. Sepsis-like or meningitis-like symptoms were only reported in cases infected with the recombinant HPeV3. Phylogenetic analysis of the recombinant HPeV3 revealed that the virus continued to evolve, also between the Australian outbreaks, thus indicating continued circulation, despite not being detected and reported in Australia or elsewhere in between epidemic waves. The recombinant HPeV3 continued to show a remarkable stability in its capsid amino acid sequence, further strengthening our previous argument for development of a vaccine or immunotherapeutics to reduce the severity of HPeV3 outbreaks due to this virus.

Many authors have described clinicopathologic parameters as factors related to cervical lymph node metastasis development in CN0 stage lip cancer. However, predictive factors for occult lymph node metastasis and criteria for elective neck dissection, especially for early tumour, remain undefined. A multi-institutional study with 193 consecutive patients with early lip SCC treated from January 1990 to March 2006 was carried out retrospectively to determine factors predicting occult metastasis. The overall late LNM rate was 13% (25/193). In the multivariate logistic regression study, tumour size and pattern of tumour invasion were factors related to the occurrence of late LNM with rates of sensitivity, specifity and accuracy for occult LNM prediction of 50%, 89.5% and 87%, respectively. Our results indicate that patients with stage I and II SCC of the lip with tumour size greater than 18 mm and more aggressive pattern of invasion must be considered a high-risk group for LNM and an END should be performed.

TPS154 Background: Pts with mCRC have limited treatment options following progression on standard therapies. Current standard of care (SOC) after pts progress on trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) or regorafenib is re-challenge with previous systemic treatments, enrollment in a clinical trial, or best supportive care (BSC). Fruquintinib (Elunate) is a novel, highly selective, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2, and -3 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) ( Cancer Biol Ther 2014;15:1635-1645). Fruquintinib is approved in China to treat pts with mCRC who received or are intolerant to fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, anti-VEGF therapy, and, if RAS wild type, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy. Approval was based on results of the phase 3 FRESCO study (2013-013-00CH1; NCT02314819; JAMA 2018;319:2486-2496), in which fruquintinib 5 mg daily (QD), 3 weeks on, 1 week off (3 on/1 off), significantly improved overall survival (OS) in pts with mCRC in the 3rd-line+ setting when compared to placebo (median OS 9.3 months [mo] versus 6.6 mo; hazard ratio [HR] 0.65; p < .001). Progression-free survival (PFS) was also superior (median PFS 3.7 mo versus 1.8 mo; HR 0.26; p < .001). The toxicities of fruquintinib were consistent with those of other VEGF TKIs and were manageable. At the time FRESCO was conducted in China, SOC for pts with mCRC differed from that in the US, EU, and Japan. We describe here a global phase 3 study (FRESCO-2; 2019-013-GLOB1; NCT04322539) being conducted to investigate fruquintinib’s efficacy and safety in pts with refractory mCRC and a treatment profile representative of the global SOC. Methods: FRESCO-2 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to compare fruquintinib + BSC to placebo + BSC. Key inclusion criteria are progression on or intolerance to treatment with TAS-102 and/or regorafenib; previous treatment with standard approved therapies including chemotherapy, anti-VEGF therapy, and, if RAS wild type, anti-EGFR therapy. Prior therapy with immune checkpoint or BRAF inhibitors is required for pts with corresponding tumor alterations. Pts (~522) will be randomized 2:1 to receive either fruquintinib 5 mg orally (PO) QD + BSC or placebo 5 mg PO QD + BSC, with a 3 on/1 off schedule. Randomization will be stratified by prior therapy, RAS status, and duration of metastatic disease. The primary endpoint is OS; secondary endpoints include PFS, disease control rate, objective response rate, duration of response, and safety. Final OS analyses will be performed when 364 OS events are observed; futility analysis will be conducted with 1/3 (121) OS events. If enrichment of post-regorafenib pts occurs, enrollment to that strata will be capped at approximately 262. FRESCO-2 will be activated in the US, EU, and Japan; global enrollment is anticipated over 13 mo. Clinical trial information: NCT04322539.

Innovations in novel enzyme discoveries impact upon a wide range of industries for which biocatalysis and biotransformations represent a great challenge, i.e., food industry, polymers and chemical industry. Key tools and technologies, such as bioinformatics tools to guide mutant library design, molecular biology tools to create mutants library, microfluidics/microplates, parallel miniscale bioreactors and mass spectrometry technologies to create high-throughput screening methods and experimental design tools for screening and optimization, allow to evolve the discovery, development and implementation of enzymes and whole cells in (bio)processes. These technological innovations are also accompanied by the development and implementation of clean and sustainable integrated processes to meet the growing needs of chemical, pharmaceutical, environmental and biorefinery industries. This review gives an overview of the benefits of high-throughput screening approach from the discovery and engineering of biocatalysts to cell culture for optimizing their production in integrated processes and their extraction/purification.

Although several clinical trials are now underway to test possible therapies, the worldwide response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been largely limited to monitoring/containment. We report here that Ivermectin, an FDA-approved anti-parasitic previously shown to have broad-spectrum anti-viral activity in vitro, is an inhibitor of the causative virus (SARS-CoV-2), with a single addition to Vero-hSLAM cells 2 h post infection with SARS-CoV-2 able to effect ~5000-fold reduction in viral RNA at 48 h. Ivermectin therefore warrants further investigation for possible benefits in humans.

BACKGROUND. A common germline variant in HSD3B1(1245A>C) encodes for a hyperactive 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (3βHSD1) missense that increases metabolic flux from extragonadal precursor steroids to DHT synthesis in prostate cancer. Enabling of extragonadal DHT synthesis by HSD3B1(1245C) predicts for more rapid clinical resistance to castration and sensitivity to extragonadal androgen synthesis inhibition. HSD3B1(1245C) thus appears to define a subgroup of patients who benefit from blocking extragonadal androgens. However, abiraterone, which is administered to block extragonadal androgens, is a steroidal drug that is metabolized by 3βHSD1 to multiple steroidal metabolites, including 3-keto-5α-abiraterone, which stimulates the androgen receptor. Our objective was to determine if HSD3B1(1245C) inheritance is associated with increased 3-keto-5α-abiraterone synthesis in patients. METHODS. First, we characterized the pharmacokinetics of 7 steroidal abiraterone metabolites in 15 healthy volunteers. Second, we determined the association between serum 3-keto-5α-abiraterone levels and HSD3B1 genotype in 30 patients treated with abiraterone acetate (AA) after correcting for the determined pharmacokinetics. RESULTS. Patients who inherit 0, 1, and 2 copies of HSD3B1(1245C) have a stepwise increase in normalized 3-keto-5α-abiraterone (0.04 ng/ml, 2.60 ng/ml, and 2.70 ng/ml, respectively; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION. Increased generation of 3-keto-5α-abiraterone in patients with HSD3B1(1245C) might partially negate abiraterone benefits in these patients who are otherwise more likely to benefit from CYP17A1 inhibition. FUNDING. Prostate Cancer Foundation Challenge Award, National Cancer Institute.

Purpose Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) collect in the bone marrow and indicate micrometastatic spread. We previously reported that DTCs could be a predictive factor for the efficacy of regional node irradiation (internal mammary nodes [IMNs]/supra- and infraclavicular nodes [SCNs]). In this article, we report the long-term results (>10 years) on the impact of DTC status in early stage breast cancer. Methods and Materials Patients with localized breast cancer were eligible for inclusion in this prospective cohort. DTCs were obtained from a medullary iliac crest sample performed before any primary therapy. DTC status was prospectively assessed by pathologists. Irradiation volumes were defined per standard of care. Cumulative incidence rates and hazard ratios were obtained using both Cox and Fine-Gray models. Interaction tests were performed to confirm the predictive value of DTC status in a multivariate analysis. Results Six hundred twenty patients with localized breast cancer were included. Overall, 94 patients (15.2%) were DTC-positive. After a median follow-up of 11.7 years, 47 patients (7.6%) experienced locoregional relapse. DTC detection was associated with a higher risk of locoregional relapse in univariate and multivariate analyses (Cox hazard ratio, 3.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.7; P = .001). In the multivariate subgroup analysis, IMN/SCN irradiation significantly reduced locoregional relapse among DTC-positive patients compared with DTC-negative patients (interaction test: hazard ratio, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.9; P = .02). IMN/SCN was the only irradiation volume with an impact on locoregional relapse in patients according to DTC status, and the predictive value of DTC status for the benefit of locoregional irradiation was independent of locoregional nodal status. Conclusions This long-term analysis confirms the predictive impact of DTC status on the efficacy of regional radiation therapy for locoregional relapse in early breast cancer. After further studies, DTC status could be used as a decision tool to better tailor adjuvant radiation therapy in patients with early stage breast cancer.

Thrombocytopenic thrombotic purpura (TTP) is a severe hemorrhagic syndrome characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and microvascular occlusion, besides the associated symptoms that may or may not be present: fever, neurological and renal impairment. The pathophysiology involves the autoimmune or genetic deficiency of a metalloproteinases activity (ADAMTS-13), responsible for the von Willebrand Factor cleavage. The treatment is based on plasmapheresis; and in acute or recurrent cases, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants are associated. In this article, we will discuss a case report about this disease, initially treated in the Emergency Room and followed in the Intensive Care Unit of a public reference hospital in São Paulo city, Brazil. All clinical diagnostic criteria were completely filled, facilitating the therapeutic approach of the patient. The report evidences that rapid intervention when made early diagnosis evolves with a good prognosis, and this pathology must be present as a differential diagnosis in the medical routine.

Purpose Phase Ib study evaluating the effect of apalutamide, at therapeutic exposure, on ventricular repolarization by applying time-matched pharmacokinetics and electrocardiography (ECG) in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. Safety of daily apalutamide was also assessed. Methods Patients received 240 mg oral apalutamide daily. Time-matched ECGs were collected via continuous 12-lead Holter recording before apalutamide (Day − 1) and on Days 1 and 57 (Cycle 3 Day 1). Pharmacokinetics of apalutamide were assessed on Days 1 and 57 at matched time points of ECG collection. QT interval was corrected for heart rate using Fridericia correction (QTcF). The primary endpoint was the maximum mean change in QTcF (ΔQTcF) from baseline to Cycle 3 Day 1 (steady state). Secondary endpoints were the effect of apalutamide on other ECG parameters, pharmacokinetics of apalutamide and its active metabolite, relationship between plasma concentrations of apalutamide and QTcF, and safety. Results Forty-five men were enrolled; 82% received treatment for ≥ 3 months. At steady state, the maximum ΔQTcF was 12.4 ms and the upper bound of its associated 90% CI was 16.0 ms. No clinically meaningful effects of apalutamide were reported for heart rate or other ECG parameters. A concentration-dependent increase in QTcF was observed for apalutamide. Most adverse events (AEs) (73%) were grade 1–2 in severity. No patients discontinued due to QTc prolongation or AEs. Conclusion The effect of apalutamide on QTc prolongation was modest and does not produce a clinically meaningful effect on ventricular repolarization. The AE profile was consistent with other studies of apalutamide.

Food effect on abiraterone pharmacokinetics and safety on abiraterone acetate coadministration with low-fat or high-fat meals was examined in healthy subjects and metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Healthy subjects (n = 36) were randomized to abiraterone acetate (single dose, 1000 mg) + low-fat meal, + high-fat meal, and fasted state. mCRPC patients received repeated doses (abiraterone acetate 1000 mg + 5 mg prednisone twice daily; days 1-7) in a modified fasting state followed by abiraterone acetate plus prednisone within 0.5 hours post-low-fat (n = 6) or high-fat meal (n = 18; days 8-14). In healthy subjects, geometric mean (GM) abiraterone area under plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) increased ∼5- and ∼10-fold, respectively, with low-fat and high-fat meals versus fasted state (GM [coefficient of variation], 1942 [48] and 4077 [37] ng · h/mL vs 421 [67] ng · h/mL, respectively). In mCRPC patients, abiraterone AUC was ∼2-fold higher with a high-fat meal and similar with a low-fat meal versus modified fasting state (GM [coefficient of variation]: 1992 [34] vs 973 [58] ng · h/mL and 1264 [65] vs 1185 [90] ng · h/mL, respectively). Adverse events (all grade ≤ 3) were similar, with high-fat/low-fat meals or fasted/modified fasting state. Short-term dosing with food did not alter abiraterone acetate safety.

Reciprocal interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment vitally impact tumor progression. In this study, we show that GM-CSF produced by primary breast tumor cells induced the activation of plasmacytoid predendritic cells (pDC), a cell type critical to anti-viral immunity. pDC that expressed the GM-CSF receptor were increased in breast tumors compared with noninvolved adjacent breast tissue. Tumor-activated pDC acquired naïve CD4+ T-cell stimulatory capacity and promoted a regulatory Th2 response. Finally, the concomitant increase of GM-CSF and pDC was significantly associated with relatively more aggressive breast cancer subtypes. Our results characterize the first tumor-derived factor that can activate pDC to promote a regulatory Th2 response, with implications for therapeutic targeting of a tumor-immune axis of growing recognition in its significance to cancer. Cancer Res; 75(14); 2775–87. ©2015 AACR.

Purpose: This phase I/II study investigated JNJ-40346527, a selective inhibitor of the colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF-1R) tyrosine kinase as treatment for relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Experimental Design: Patients ≥18 years with histopathologically confirmed initial diagnosis of cHL that had relapsed or was refractory after ≥1 appropriate therapies were assigned to sequential cohorts of oral daily doses of JNJ-40346527 (150, 300, 450, 600 mg every day, and 150 mg twice a day). For the dose-escalation phase, the primary endpoint was to establish the recommended phase II dose. Secondary endpoints included safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Results: Twenty-one patients [(150 mg: 3; 300 mg: 5; 450 mg: 3, 600 mg: 3) every day, and 150 mg twice a day: 7] were enrolled, 10 men, median age 40 (range, 19–75) years, median number of prior systemic therapies 6 (range, 3–14). No dose-limiting toxicities were observed; maximum-tolerated dose was not established. Best overall response was complete remission in 1 patient (duration, +352 days) and stable disease in 11 patients: (duration, 1.5–8 months). Median number of cycles: 4 (range, 1–16). Most common (≥20% patients) possibly drug-related adverse events (per investigator assessment) were nausea (n = 6), headache, and pyrexia (n = 5 each). JNJ-40346527 exposure increased in near dose-proportional manner over a dose range of 150 to 450 mg every day, but plateaued at 600 mg every day. Target engagement was confirmed (>80% inhibition of CSF-1R phosphorylation, 4 hours after dosing). Conclusions: JNJ-40346527, a selective inhibitor of CSF-1R was well tolerated, and preliminary antitumor results suggested limited activity in monotherapy for the treatment of cHL. Clin Cancer Res; 21(8); 1843–50. ©2015 AACR.

OBJECTIVES: To present the clinical features and outcomes of outpatients who suffer from refractory ascites. METHODS: This prospective observational study consecutively enrolled patients with cirrhotic ascites who submitted to a clinical evaluation, a sodium restriction diet, biochemical blood tests, 24 hour urine tests and an ascitic fluid analysis. All patients received a multidisciplinary evaluation and diuretic treatment. Patients who did not respond to the diuretic treatment were controlled by therapeutic serial paracentesis, and a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt was indicated for patients who required therapeutic serial paracentesis up to twice a month. RESULTS: The most common etiology of cirrhosis in both groups was alcoholism [49 refractory (R) and 11 non-refractory ascites (NR)]. The majority of patients in the refractory group had Child-Pugh class B cirrhosis (p=0.034). The nutritional assessment showed protein-energy malnutrition in 81.6% of the patients in the R group and 35.5% of the patients in the NR group, while hepatic encephalopathy, hernia, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, upper digestive hemorrhage and type 2 hepatorenal syndrome were present in 51%, 44.9%, 38.8%, 38.8% and 26.5% of the patients in the R group and 9.1%, 18.2%, 0%, 0% and 0% of the patients in the NR group, respectively (p=0.016, p=0.173, p=0.012, p=0.012, and p=0.100, respectively). Mortality occurred in 28.6% of the patients in the R group and in 9.1% of the patients in the NR group (p=0.262). CONCLUSION: Patients with refractory ascites were malnourished, suffered from hernias, had a high prevalence of complications and had a high postoperative death frequency, which was mostly due to infectious processes.

We describe a fatal case of Japanese encephalitis virus infection following short-term travel to Thailand. Viral RNA was detected in urine and whole blood out to 26 and 28 days, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. Live virus was isolated from a urine specimen from day 14.

We evaluated the impact of a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor, ketoconazole, and a strong inducer, rifampicin, on the pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure of abiraterone in two studies in healthy men. All subjects received 1,000 mg of abiraterone acetate on Days 1 and 14. Study A subjects (n = 20) received 400 mg ketoconazole on Days 11-16. Study B subjects (n = 19) received 600 mg rifampicin on Days 8-13. Serial PK sampling was done on Days 1 and 14. Study A: When given with ketoconazole, abiraterone exposure increased by 9% for maximum plasma concentration (Cmax ) and 15% for area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to time of the last quantifiable concentration (AUClast ) and AUC from time 0 to infinity (AUC∞ ) compared to abiraterone acetate alone. Study B: When given with rifampicin, abiraterone exposure was reduced to 45% for Cmax and AUC∞ and to 42% for AUClast compared to abiraterone acetate alone. Ketoconazole had no clinically meaningful impact on abiraterone exposure. Rifampicin decreased abiraterone exposure by half. Hence, strong CYP3A4 inducers should be avoided or used with careful evaluation of clinical efficacy when administered with abiraterone acetate.

The aim was to evaluate the agreement between and the reproducibility of transperineal and transvaginal ultrasound cervical length measurements performed by the duty obstetrical team in case of preterm labor. The acceptability of transperineal ultrasonography was also assessed. Pregnant patients between 25 and 34 weeks of gestation with contractions and a clinically modified cervix were included. Order of ultrasonography examination (transperineal or transvaginal first) and rank of operator (resident or senior) were allocated randomly. Agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland and Altman plot. The patient’s discomfort and preference for either method were assessed with a questionnaire. 62 patients admitted for preterm labor between 25 and 34 weeks of gestation were included. Six seniors and nine residents took part in the study. Among the 51 patients with an interpretable transperineal ultrasound scan, median cervical length measurements with the transperineal and the transvaginal technique were, respectively, 25 mm (0–53) and 27 mm (4–51). Concordance was good with an ICC of 0.83 [IC 95 % = (0.73–0.90)]. Transperineal ultrasonography was preferred in 56.5 % of cases. In case of preterm labor, cervical length measurement with transperineal ultrasonography seems reproducible and can be performed by the obstetric team on duty.

Three open-label, single-dose studies investigated the impact of hepatic or renal impairment on abiraterone acetate pharmacokinetics and safety/tolerability in non-cancer patients. Patients (n = 8 each group) with mild/moderate hepatic impairment or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and age-, BMI-matched healthy controls received a single oral 1,000 mg abiraterone acetate (tablet dose); while patients (n = 8 each) with severe hepatic impairment and matched healthy controls received 125- and 2,000-mg abiraterone acetate (suspension doses), respectively (systemic exposure of abiraterone acetate suspension is approximately half to that of tablet formulation). Blood was sampled at specified timepoints up to 72 or 96 hours postdose to measure plasma abiraterone concentrations. Abiraterone exposure was comparable between healthy controls and patients with mild hepatic impairment or ESRD, but increased by 4-fold in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Despite a 16-fold reduction in dose, abiraterone exposure in patients with severe hepatic impairment was about 22% and 44% of the Cmax and AUC∞ of healthy controls, respectively. These results suggest that abiraterone pharmacokinetics were not changed markedly in patients with ESRD or mild hepatic impairment. However, the capacity to eliminate abiraterone was substantially compromised in patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment. A single-dose administration of abiraterone acetate was well-tolerated.

The cervical lymph nodes are relevant due to the diversity of clinical entities. The use of immunohistochemistry is a real method to elucidate the diagnosis of adenopathy, both primary and metastatic neoplasms. OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes malignancies. METHOD: Retrospective study of the database histopathological specimens from 2009 to 2011. RESULTS: Out of 32 biopsies of cervical lymph nodes, in 16 (50%) the immunohistochemistry was employed, being 68.75% (11) in hematological neoplasms and 31.25% (5) in carcinomas. It was used in all cases of lymphoma. CONCLUSION: The immunohistochemistry was used in 50% of the biopsies of lymph nodes under suspicion of malignancy, being 31.25% in epithelial lesions and 68.75% in lymphoproliferative lesions.

// Marie-Paule Sablin 1, * , Coraline Dubot 1, 2, * , Jerzy Klijanienko 3 , Sophie Vacher 2 , Lamia Ouafi 3 , Walid Chemlali 2 , Martial Caly 3 , Xavier Sastre-Garau 3 , Emmanuelle Lappartient 3 , Odette Mariani 3 , Jose Rodriguez 4 , Thomas Jouffroy 4 , Angelique Girod 4 , Valentin Calugaru 5 , Caroline Hoffmann 4 , Rosette Lidereau 2 , Frederique Berger 4, 6 , Maud Kamal 1 , Ivan Bieche 2, 7 , Christophe Le Tourneau 1, 8 1 Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Curie, Paris and Saint-Cloud, France 2 Unit of Pharmacogenomics, Department of Genetics, Institut Curie, Paris, France 3 Department of Biopathology, Institut Curie, Paris, France 4 Department of Surgery, Institut Curie, Paris, France 5 Department of Radiotherapy, Institut Curie, Paris, France 6 Department of Biostatistics, Institut Curie, Paris, France 7 EA7331, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculty of Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences, Paris, France 8 EA7285, Versailles-Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University, Versailles, France * These authors equally contributed to this work Correspondence to: Coraline Dubot, email: coraline.dubot@curie.fr Keywords: head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, gene expression, clinical prognostic and theranognostic biomarkers Received: January 21, 2016 Accepted: June 01, 2016 Published: June 18, 2016 ABSTRACT Background: We aimed at identifying druggable molecular alterations at the RNA level from untreated HNSCC patients, and assessing their prognostic significance. Methods: We retrieved 96 HNSCC patients who underwent primary surgery. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to analyze a panel of 42 genes coding for major druggable proteins. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the prognostic significance of overexpressed genes. Results: Median age was 56 years [35–78]. Most of patients were men (80%) with a history of alcohol (70.4%) and/or tobacco consumption (72.5%). Twelve patients (12%) were HPV-positive. Most significantly overexpressed genes involved cell cycle regulation (CCND1 [27%], CDK6 [21%]), tyrosine kinase receptors ( MET [18%], EGFR [14%]), angiogenesis ( PGF [301%], VEGFA [14%]), and immune system ( PDL1/CD274 [28%]). PIK3CA expression was an independent prognostic marker, associated with shorter disease-free survival. Conclusions: We identified druggable overexpressed genes associated with a poor outcome that might be of interest for personalizing treatment of HNSCC patients.

Background Several studies have shown that the distribution of cardiac output to the intra-abdominal organs may vary during low-flow states. In this study, we developed an experimental model to selectively reduce the abdominal aortic blood flow in order to assess the initial impact of selective hepatosplanchnic hypoperfusion on regional blood flow redistribution. Methods Eight anesthetized and mechanically ventilated mongrel dogs were subjected to aortic blood flow reduction with an occluder in a stepwise manner by 50% and 100% for 45 min. After the ischemic period, the occluder was released, and animals were observed for an additional 45 min. Systemic hemodynamics were evaluated through a Swan-Ganz and arterial catheters, and gastrointestinal tract perfusion was evaluated by portal vein and hepatic arterial blood flows measurements (ultrasonic flowprobe). Intestinal O 2 -derived variables, intestinal mucosal (tonometric)-arterial and tonometric-(end-tidal-carbon-dioxide) gradients (D t-a pCO 2 and D t-Et pCO 2 ) were also calculated. Results No significant changes in systemic and regional oxygen consumption were observed during the 50% reduction of aortic blood flow. On the other hand, both microregional pCO 2 gradients (D t-a pCO 2 e D t-Et pCO 2 ) showed a significant increase during this period. Aortic occlusion was associated with a marked reduction of systemic and regional oxygen delivery and consumption. During the reperfusion, no significant improvement in the tonometry-based pCO 2 gradients was observed, in spite of the partial reestablishment of blood flow to the hepatosplanchnic territory. Conclusion During selective intra-abdominal low-flow, a proportional reduction in the splanchnic and hepatic blood flows occurs. A selective reduction of approximately 50% in splanchnic oxygen delivery was not associated with significant changes in macroregional markers of hypoperfusion. In this situation, tonometry-based pCO 2 gradients can be used for the assessment of hepatosplanchnic perfusion and histologic changes.

Introduction: AdjuvantOnline is a web-based application designed to provide 10 years survival probability patients with breast cancer. Few validation studies have underlined some limitations, particularly an overestimation of the prognosis among certain subgroups of patients. Moreover, several predictors such as HER2 over expression status and proliferation markers have not been assessed in Adjuvant! original study. We provide the validation of AdjuvantOnline algorithm on two breast cancer datasets collected from two large European cancer centres, and we determined whether the accuracy of AdjuvantOnline is improved by others well known prognostic factors. Material and Methods: The French data set is composed of 456 women with early breast cancer, treated at the Institut Curie between 1995 and 1996. The dutch data set is composed of 295 women less that 52 years treated at the Netherlands Cancer Institute between 1984 and 1995. Agreement between observation and Adjuvant! prediction was checked by testing that the calibration slope was equal to 1. Logistic models were performed to evaluate whether risk factors adds significant prognostic information, including AdjuvantOnline a priori information as an offset. Results: Ten years survival status was known for 383 patients in the French data set and 247 patients in the Dutch data set. Adjuvant! prediction was globally well calibrated in the French data set (observed survival 86%, predicted survival 85%), but was overestimated in high grade, HER2 positive and Ki67 > 20% subgroups. HER2 status, Mitotic Index, Ki67 and treatment type were strongly associated with 10-year survival, even considering AdjuvantOnline a priori information. In the Dutch data set, the overall 10-year survival was overestimated by AdjuvantOnline (observed 66%, predicted 79%), particularly in patients less than 40 years old. Conclusion: AdjuvantOnline needs to be updated to adjust overoptimistic results in young and high grade patients, and should consider candidates, such as Ki67, HER2 and Mitotic Index. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-13.

Background: Elston-Ellis grading (EE) is one of the key criteria for adjuvant therapy decision in ER+/HER2-/pN0/pT1 -2 tumors. The genomic grade index (GGI) is a 97-gene micro-array assay able to identify tumors of high or low genomic grade. GGI has been developed in order to improve the prognosis determination, especially in EE2 tumors which represent a significant proportion of breast carcinomas and where the inter-assessor variability is the highest. The aim of the present study was to model the influence of the GGI on adjuvant treatment decision in EE2 patients, using a cohort of ER+/HER2-/pN0/pT1-2 tumors. Methods: A randomly selected series of pT1-2, pN0 breast cancers from the Institut Curie 1995-1996 cohort was profiled using Affymetrix HGU133 Plus 2.0 gene chips. The GGI was calculated using Ipsogen Mapßuant Dx®. Treatment decisions were made for EE2 cases based on the Institut Curie adjuvant treatment guidelines (www.curie.fr). The treatment decision algorithm was firstly run using the grade as defined by Elston Ellis, and secondly using the GGI (undetermined cases were classified as grade2). Results: Out of 72 EE2 tumors, 35 were classified as GGI-1 (49%) and 13 (18%) as GGI-3. Based on EE, 7% of patients would have received adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) alone (all were ER-/PR-), 50% adjuvant hormonal therapy (AHT) alone, and 43% both. Using the GGI, 7% (n=5) of patients would have been spared AHT and 10% (n=7) ACT. In the ER+/HER2- subgroup of 62 pts, 58% of patients would have received AHT alone and 42% AHT+ACT based on EE; GGI would have lead to a 14% reduction in AHT prescription and to a 26% reduction in ACT prescription. Conclusion: Applying the Genomic Grade Index instead of the Elston Ellis Grade to determine the adjuvant treatment strategy in a series of EE2/ER+/HER2-/pN0/pT1-2 breast carcinomas would lead to a 14% and 27% reduction in the administration of, respectively, adjuvant hormone-therapy and chemotherapy. Adjuvant treatment decision: models based on Elston-Ellis or Genomic Grading Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-13-11.