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The role of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with acute infectious colitis is still unclear.To examine the usefulness of MDCT in distinguishing the etiology of acute infectious colitis.Overall, 244 patients who met the criteria for acute infectious colitis and visited the Hospital from February 2015 to 2018 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups (bacterial: 204, viral: 40) according to causes of acute colitis, based on stool PCR. Eleven MDCT parameters, including wall thickening, submucosal edema, mucosal enhancement, serosa involvement, empty colon sign, small bowel involvement, comb sign, continuous distribution, accordion sign, mucosal thickening, and lymph node enlargement, were constructed in a blinded fashion.MDCT parameters of wall thickening (OR: 13.60; 95%CI: 5.80-31.88;MDCT provides many clues that can be useful in suggesting a specific etiology of acute infectious colitis.

Nonthermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is emerging as a promising tissue ablation technique. However, maintaining irreversible electroporation (IRE) electrodes against displacement during strong esophageal spasms remains an obstacle. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of newly designed balloon-type endoscopic IRE catheters. Six pigs were randomly allocated to each catheter group, and each pig was subjected to four ablations at alternating voltages of 1500 V and 2000 V. Esophagogastroscopy was performed during the IRE. The ability of balloon-type catheters to execute complete IRE with 40 pulses was assessed. The success rate was higher for the balloon-type catheter than that for the basket-type (12/12 [100%] vs. 2/12 [16.7%], p 2 vs. 140.8 mm2, p = 0.004) and greater damage depth (476 μm vs. 900 μm, p = 0.02). Histopathology of the ablated tissue revealed separated epithelium, inflamed lamina propria, congested muscularis mucosa, necrotized submucosa, and disorganized muscularis propria. Balloon-type catheters demonstrated efficacy, achieving full electrical pulse sequences under NTIRE conditions, and a safe histological profile below 2000 V (1274 V/cm). Optimal electrical conditions and electrode arrays pose ongoing challenges.

Time reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking often generates exotic quantum phases in condensed matter. In superconductors, TRS breaking by an external magnetic field not only suppresses superconductivity but also leads to a novel quantum state called the gapless superconducting state. Here we show that magneto-terahertz spectroscopy provides us with a rare opportunity to access and explore the gapless superconducting state of Nb thin films. We present the complete functional form of the superconducting order parameter for an arbitrary magnetic field, for which a fully self-consistent theory is, surprisingly, yet unavailable. We observe a Lifshitz topological phase transition with a vanishing quasiparticle gap everywhere on the Fermi surface, whereas the superconducting order parameter smoothly crosses over from the gapped to the gapless regime. Our observation of the magnetic pair-breaking effects in Nb challenges traditional perturbative theories and opens a pathway to further exploring and manipulating the exotic state of gapless superconductivity.

Magnetic anisotropy is crucial in examining suitable materials for magnetic functionalities because it affects their magnetic characteristics. In this study, disordered-perovskite RCr0.5Fe0.5O3 (R = Gd, Er) single crystals were synthesized and the influence of magnetic anisotropy and additional ordering of rare-earth moments on cryogenic magnetocaloric properties was investigated. Both GdCr0.5Fe0.5O3 (GCFO) and ErCr0.5Fe0.5O3 (ECFO) crystallize in an orthorhombic Pbnm structure with randomly distributed Cr3+ and Fe3+ ions. In GCFO, the long-range order of Gd3+ moments emerges at a temperature of TGd (the ordering temperature of Gd3+ moments) = 12 K. The relatively isotropic nature of large Gd3+ moment originating from zero orbital angular momentum exhibits giant and virtually isotropic magnetocaloric effect (MCE), with a maximum magnetic entropy change of $$\Delta {S}_{M}$$ Δ S M ≈ 50.0 J/kg·K. In ECFO, the highly anisotropic magnetizations result in a large rotating MCE characterized by a rotating magnetic entropy change $$\Delta {S}_{\theta }$$ Δ S θ = 20.8 J/kg·K. These results indicate that a detailed understanding of magnetically anisotropic characteristics is the key for exploring improved functional properties in disordered perovskite oxides.

Group-IV monochalcogenides have recently shown great potential for their thermoelectric, ferroelectric, and other intriguing properties. The electrical properties of group-IV monochalcogenides exhibit a strong dependence on the chalcogen type. For example, GeTe exhibits high doping concentration, whereas S/Se-based chalcogenides are semiconductors with sizable bandgaps. Here, we investigate the electrical and thermoelectric properties of gamma-GeSe, a recently identified polymorph of GeSe. gamma-GeSe exhibits high electrical conductivity (~106 S/m) and a relatively low Seebeck coefficient (9.4 uV/K at room temperature) owing to its high p-doping level (5x1021 cm-3), which is in stark contrast to other known GeSe polymorphs. Elemental analysis and first-principles calculations confirm that the abundant formation of Ge vacancies leads to the high p-doping concentration. The magnetoresistance measurements also reveal weak-antilocalization because of spin-orbit coupling in the crystal. Our results demonstrate that gamma-GeSe is a unique polymorph in which the modified local bonding configuration leads to substantially different physical properties.

Supplementary Methods

Table S1. Canine cohort metadata Table S2. Canine library preparation, amplification, and complexity Table S3. COSMIC Cancer Gene Census genes Table S4. Summary of canine RNA-seq data Table S5. RNA-seq validation Table S6. RNA-seq survey Table S7. Enrichment of protein domains in hemangiosarcoma and angiosarcoma Table S8. Canine somatic copy number aberrations by oaCGH Table S9. Comparison of top SCNAs in human Angiosarcoma Project data with canine oaCGH data Figure S1 - Canine exome sequencing workflow Figure S2 - Canine SMGs called in normal vs. overamplified libraries Figure S3 - Mutational landscape of entire canine cohort Figure S4 - Mutational landscape: FFPE vs Frozen Figure S5 - Mutational landscape: Canine Tumor Location Figure S6 - FFPE vs Frozen exome SCNA data clustering

Supplemental Table 7

Table S1. Demographic and pathological features of human patients with angiosarcoma Table S2. Demographic and pathological features of dogs with HSA Table S3. Primary antibodies for immunohistochemical evaluation Table S4. Gene ontology and biological functions of fusion partner genes in human angiosarcomas Table S5. Gene ontology and biological functions of fusion partner genes in canine HSAs Table S6. Detection of fusion genes in canine HSAs by RT-PCR Table S7. Biological functions associated with 490 upregulated genes in human angiosarcomas Table S8. Association of frequency between fusion genes, TP53 and PIK3CA mutations Table S9. Association of fusion genes with dog signalment and tumor histology Table S10. Association of frequency between fusion genes, TP53 and PIK3CA mutations Table S11. 41 differentially expressed genes in PF (n = 4) compared to P (n = 9) group Table S12. 212 differentially expressed genes in PF (n = 4) compared to PK (n = 6) group Table S13. 377 differentially expressed genes in PF (n = 4) compared to PFK (n = 4) group Table S14. Immunohistochemical features of human angiosarcomas Table S15. Immunohistochemical features of canine HSAs

Angiosarcoma is a highly aggressive cancer of blood vessel–forming cells with few effective treatment options and high patient mortality. It is both rare and heterogenous, making large, well-powered genomic studies nearly impossible. Dogs commonly suffer from a similar cancer, called hemangiosarcoma, with breeds like the golden retriever carrying heritable genetic factors that put them at high risk. If the clinical similarity of canine hemangiosarcoma and human angiosarcoma reflects shared genomic etiology, dogs could be a critically needed model for advancing angiosarcoma research. We assessed the genomic landscape of canine hemangiosarcoma via whole-exome sequencing (47 golden retriever hemangiosarcomas) and RNA sequencing (74 hemangiosarcomas from multiple breeds). Somatic coding mutations occurred most frequently in the tumor suppressor TP53 (59.6% of cases) as well as two genes in the PI3K pathway: the oncogene PIK3CA (29.8%) and its regulatory subunit PIK3R1 (8.5%). The predominant mutational signature was the age-associated deamination of cytosine to thymine. As reported in human angiosarcoma, CDKN2A/B was recurrently deleted and VEGFA, KDR, and KIT recurrently gained. We compared the canine data to human data recently released by The Angiosarcoma Project, and found many of the same genes and pathways significantly enriched for somatic mutations, particularly in breast and visceral angiosarcomas. Canine hemangiosarcoma closely models the genomic landscape of human angiosarcoma of the breast and viscera, and is a powerful tool for investigating the pathogenesis of this devastating disease.Implications:We characterize the genomic landscape of canine hemangiosarcoma and demonstrate its similarity to human angiosarcoma.

Detailed Methods for Immunohistochemistry Detailed Description of the Canine Clinical Study eBAT Pharmacokinetics and Neutralizing Antibody Assays Supplementary Table 1. Correlation between patient covariates and death Supplementary Table 2: Patient information (TMA) Supplementary Table 3: Cox regression analysis for time-to-progression Supplementary Figure 1. Survival probability based on EGFR Supplementary Figure 2. Quantification of EGFR and uPAR expression in normal canine tissues and in canine hemangiosarcoma Supplementary Figure 3. CONSORT diagram for SRCBST study

Sarcomas differ from carcinomas in their mesenchymal origin. Therapeutic advancements have come slowly, so alternative drugs and models are urgently needed. These studies report a new drug for sarcomas that simultaneously targets both tumor and tumor neovasculature. eBAT is a bispecific angiotoxin consisting of truncated, deimmunized Pseudomonas exotoxin fused to EGF and the amino terminal fragment of urokinase. Here, we study the drug in an in vivo “ontarget” companion dog trial as eBAT effectively kills canine hemangiosarcoma and human sarcoma cells in vitro. We reasoned the model has value due to the common occurrence of spontaneous sarcomas in dogs and a limited lifespan allowing for rapid accrual and data collection. Splenectomized dogs with minimal residual disease were given one cycle of eBAT followed by adjuvant doxorubicin in an adaptive dose-finding, phase I–II study of 23 dogs with spontaneous, stage I–II, splenic hemangiosarcoma. eBAT improved 6-month survival from 450 days. eBAT abated expected toxicity associated with EGFR targeting, a finding supported by mouse studies. Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and EGFR are targets for human sarcomas, so thorough evaluation is crucial for validation of the dog model. Thus, we validated these markers for human sarcoma targeting in the study of 212 human and 97 canine sarcoma samples. Our results support further translation of eBAT for human patients with sarcomas and perhaps other EGFR-expressing malignancies. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(5); 956–65. ©2017 AACR.

Sporadic angiosarcomas are aggressive vascular sarcomas whose rarity and genomic complexity present significant obstacles in deciphering the pathogenic significance of individual genetic alterations. Numerous fusion genes have been identified across multiple types of cancers, but their existence and significance remain unclear in sporadic angiosarcomas. In this study, we leveraged RNA-sequencing data from 13 human angiosarcomas and 76 spontaneous canine hemangiosarcomas to identify fusion genes associated with spontaneous vascular malignancies. Ten novel protein-coding fusion genes, including TEX2-PECAM1 and ATP8A2-FLT1, were identified in seven of the 13 human tumors, with two tumors showing mutations of TP53. HRAS and NRAS mutations were found in angiosarcomas without fusions or TP53 mutations. We found 15 novel protein-coding fusion genes including MYO16-PTK2, GABRA3-FLT1, and AKT3-XPNPEP1 in 11 of the 76 canine hemangiosarcomas; these fusion genes were seen exclusively in tumors of the angiogenic molecular subtype that contained recurrent mutations in TP53, PIK3CA, PIK3R1, and NRAS. In particular, fusion genes and mutations of TP53 cooccurred in tumors with higher frequency than expected by random chance, and they enriched gene signatures predicting activation of angiogenic pathways. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of human angiosarcomas and canine hemangiosarcomas identified shared molecular signatures associated with activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. Our data suggest that genome instability induced by TP53 mutations might create a predisposition for fusion events that may contribute to tumor progression by promoting selection and/or enhancing fitness through activation of convergent angiogenic pathways in this vascular malignancy.Implications:This study shows that, while drive events of malignant vasoformative tumors of humans and dogs include diverse mutations and stochastic rearrangements that create novel fusion genes, convergent transcriptional programs govern the highly conserved morphologic organization and biological behavior of these tumors in both species.

S1. Representative putative inter-chromosomal fusion transcripts in human AS and canine HSA. SCLT1-NIPBL fusion in human angiosarcoma. S2. Fusion genes and their association with tumor content and sequencing depth in canine HSA tissues. S3. A, Primers designed for amplification of SCLT1-NIPBL fusion transcripts identified in human angiosarcoma. B, SCLT1-NIPBL fusion gene amplification by quantitative RT-PCR. Expression value represents 2(-â^†Ct)(Fusion gene/GAPDH). C, Primers designed for amplification of four fusion transcripts identified in canine hemangiosarcomas. D, Fusion gene amplification was confirmed in canine tumors by quantitative RT-PCR. E, Electrophoresis (1% agarose gel) of DNA product by RTPCR was done. S4. Genetic alterations of fusion partner genes identified in human AS. S5. Cell type enrichment analysis in ASs and TCGA sarcomas. S6. Three distinct molecular groups of canine HSAs. S7. Kaplan-Meier probability of survival for dogs with angiogenic and inflammatory HSA. S8. Association of the fusion events with demographic and histopathologic features in canine HSA. S9. Gene pathways associated with commonly enriched genes in tumors with fusion genes and TP53 mutations in canine HSA. S10. Violin plots display IHC scores of p53, p-p53 (Ser15), and p-p53 (Ser20) in human AS and canine HSA. S11. Violin plots present IHC scores of AKT and p-AKT (Thr308) in human AS and canine HSA. S12. IHC scores of mTOR and p-mTOR (Ser2448) in human AS.

The influence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in antiferromagnets is evident in a spin flip or flop transition. Contrary to spin flops, a spin-flip transition has been scarcely presented due to its specific condition of relatively strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy and the role of spin-flips on anisotropic phenomena has not been investigated in detail. In this study, we present antiferromagnet-based functional properties on an itinerant Ising antiferromagnet Ca0.9Sr0.1Co2As2. In the presence of a rotating magnetic field, anomalous Hall conductivity and anisotropic magnetoresistance are demonstrated, the effects of which are maximized above the spin-flip transition. Moreover, a joint experimental and theoretical study is conducted to provide an efficient tool to identify various spin states, which can be useful in spin-processing functionalities.

A helimagnet comprises a noncollinear spin structure formed by competing exchange interactions. Recent advances in antiferromagnet-based functionalities have broadened the scope of target materials to include noncollinear antiferromagnets. However, a microscopic understanding of the magnetic anisotropy associated with the intricate evolution of noncollinear spin states has not yet been accomplished. Here, we have explored the anisotropic magnetic aspects in a layered helimagnet of EuCo2As2 by measuring the magnetic field and angle dependence of the magnetic torque. By adopting an easy-plane anisotropic spin model, we can visualize the detailed spin configurations that evolve in the presence of rotating magnetic fields. This is directly related to the two distinctive magnetic phases characterized by the reversal of the magnetic torque variation across the helix-to-fan transition. Our advanced approach provides an in-depth understanding of the anisotropic properties of noncollinear-type antiferromagnets and a useful guidance for potential applications in spin-processing functionalities.

The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary palm kernel meal (PKM) and β-xylanase supplementation on productive performance, egg quality, fatty liver incidence, and excreta characteristics in laying hens. A total of 320 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (33 weeks of age) were allotted to 1 of 4 treatments with 8 replicates in a feeding trial. Each replicate consisted of 10 consecutive cages with 1 hen per cage. The corn-soybean meal-based control diet was prepared. Additional diet was prepared by including 10% of PKM in the control diet with a partial replacement of corn, soybean meal, and animal fat. In addition, 0.025% β-xylanase was supplemented at the expense of celite to those 2 diets to produce 4 treatment diets in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. All hens were provided the diet and water ad libitum for 8 weeks. Results indicated no significant interactions between inclusion of dietary PKM and β-xylanase for all measurements; therefore, the main effects were mainly discussed. Hens fed diets containing 10% PKM had greater (p < 0.05) feed intake and yolk color than those fed diets containing no PKM. However, dietary PKM did not influence fatty liver incidence and excreta characteristics. Dietary β-xylanase supplementation had no effects on all measurements, regardless of inclusion of PKM. In conclusion, PKM can be a potential feed ingredient for laying hens at the inclusion of 10% in the diet. It appears that dietary β-xylanase used in the current experiment has little effect on layer productivity, regardless of inclusion of 10% PKM in the diet.

Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is emerging as a promising tissue ablation technique. However, maintaining irreversible electroporation (IRE) electrodes against displacement from the forces of strong esophageal spasms remains an obstacle. Therefore, the present study evaluates the efficacy and safety of newly designed balloon-type endoscopic IRE catheters. Six pigs were randomly allocated to each catheter group, and four ablations were performed on each at alternating voltages (1500 and 2000 V). Esophagogastroscopy was performed during IRE. The ability of balloon-type catheters to deliver full NTIRE sequences was assessed, followed by a histopathologic analysis. The success rate was higher for the balloon- than basket-type catheter (12/12 [100%] vs. 2/12 [16.7%], p < 0.001). Gross inspection and histologic analysis of the 2000-V vs. 1000-V balloon-type catheter revealed a larger mucosal damage area (105.3 mm2 vs. 140.8 mm2, p = 0.004) and deeper damage depth (476 μm vs. 900 μm, p = 0.02). Histopathology of the ablated tissue revealed a separated epithelium, inflamed lamina propria, congested muscularis mucosa, necrotized submucosa, and disorganized muscularis propria. Balloon-type catheters demonstrated remarkable efficacy, achieving full electrical pulse sequences under NTIRE conditions and a safe histological profile below 2000 V (1274 V/cm).

Objective: The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary hatchery by-products (HBPs) as a replacement of fish meal (FM) on growth performance, relative organ weight, plasma measurements, immune organ index, meat quality, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 720 broiler chickens (3 d of age) were randomly allotted to 1 of 9 treatments with 8 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 5 male and 5 female birds. The basal diet was formulated to contain 5.0% commercial FM, whereas eight treatment diets were prepared by replacing 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of FM in the basal diet with infertile eggs (IFE) or a mixture of various HBPs (MIX); therefore, the inclusion levels of IFE or MIX in the experimental diets were 1.25%, 2.50%, 3.75%, or 5.00%. The diets and water were provided on an ad libitum basis for 32 d. Results: Increasing inclusion levels of IFE as a replacement of FM in diets had no effects on growth performance, plasma measurements, immune organ index, and tibia characteristics of broiler chickens. Increasing inclusion levels of IFE in diets increased (linear, p

Magnetic properties can be manipulated to enhance certain functionalities by tuning different material processing parameters. Here, we present the controllable magnetization steps of hysteresis loops in double-perovskite single crystals of Eu2CoMnO6. Ferromagnetic order emerges below TC ≈ 122 K along the crystallographic c axis. The difficulty in altering Co2+ and Mn4+ ions naturally induces additional antiferromagnetic clusters in this system. Annealing the crystals in different gas environments modifies the mixed magnetic state, and results in the retardation (after O2-annealing) and bifurcation (after Ar-annealing) of the magnetization steps of isothermal magnetization. This remarkable variation offers an efficient approach for improving the magnetic properties of double-perovskite oxides.

OBJECTIVE To determine if dogs with neoplasia produce more coated platelets, a subpopulation of activated platelets generated by dual stimulation with thrombin and convulxin, a glycoprotein VI agonist, than healthy control dogs. ANIMALS Client-owned dogs diagnosed with lymphoma (n = 19) or solid tumors (14) and healthy control dogs (14). PROCEDURES Platelets were stimulated ex vivo with thrombin and convulxin. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the percentage of coated platelets based on high levels of surface fibrinogen. To compare the percentage of coated platelets between the three groups, an ANOVA was performed followed by pairwise 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for multiple comparisons using Tukey’s method. RESULTS We observed a greater mean percentage of coated platelets in dogs with solid tumors, compared with healthy control dogs, by 10.9 percentage points (95% CI: −1.0, 22.8), and a mean percentage of coated platelets in dogs with lymphoma that was less than healthy control dogs by 0.3 percentage points (95% CI: −11.4, 10.8). CLINICAL RELEVANCE This study provides the first data-based evidence that dogs with solid tumors may have a greater mean coated platelet percentage when compared with healthy control dogs, although there is overlap between groups. Further studies are needed investigating coated platelets in specific subsets of neoplasia and investigating additional mechanisms of hypercoagulability in dogs with neoplasia.

Cancer is the leading cause of death in companion animals, and successful early treatment has been a challenge in the veterinary field. We have developed the Non-Invasive Cancer Screening (N.C.S.) Study to perform cancer detection through the analysis of canine urine samples. The test makes use of the strong olfactory system of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which was previously shown to positively respond to urine samples from human cancer patients. We performed a proof-of-concept study to optimize the detection capability in urine samples obtained from dogs with naturally occurring cancers. In this study, we established a scale for identifying the cancer risk based on the magnitude of the chemotaxis index of C. elegans toward a canine urine sample. Through validation, the N.C.S. Study achieved a sensitivity of 85%, showing that it is highly sensitive to indicate the presence of cancer across multiple types of common canine cancers. The test also showed a 90% specificity to cancer samples, indicating a low rate of over-identifying cancer risk. From these results, we have demonstrated the ability to perform low-cost, non-invasive cancer detection in companion animals—a method that can increase the ability to perform cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Spin-flip transition can occur in antiferromagnets with strong magnetocrystalline anisotropy, inducing a significant modification of the anisotropic magnetic properties through phase conversion. In contrast to ferromagnets, antiferromagnets have not been thoroughly examined in terms of their anisotropic characteristics. We investigated the magnetic-field and angle-dependent magnetic properties of Ising-type antiferromagnetic Ca0.9Sr0.1Co2As2 using magnetic torque measurements. An A-type antiferromagnetic order emerges below TN = 97 K aligned along the magnetically easy c-axis. The reversal of the angle-dependent torque across the spin-flip transition was observed, revealing the strong influence of the magnetocrystalline anisotropy on the magnetic properties. Based on the easy-axis anisotropic spin model, we theoretically generated torque data and identified specific spin configurations associated with the magnetic torque variation in the presence of a rotating magnetic field. Our results enrich fundamental and applied research on diverse antiferromagnetic compounds by shedding new light on the distinct magnetic features of the Ising-type antiferromagnet.

ObjectivesThe relationship of body mass index (BMI) changes and variability with amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition remained unclear, although there were growing evidence that BMI is associated with the risk of developing cognitive impairment or AD dementia. To determine whether BMI changes and BMI variability affected Aβ positivity, we investigated the association of BMI changes and BMI variability with Aβ positivity, as assessed by PET in a non-demented population.MethodsWe retrospectively recruited 1,035 non-demented participants ≥50 years of age who underwent Aβ PET and had at least three BMI measurements in the memory clinic at Samsung Medical Center. To investigate the association between BMI change and variability with Aβ deposition, we performed multivariable logistic regression. Further distinctive underlying features of BMI subgroups were examined by employing a cluster analysis model.ResultsDecreased (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16–2.42) or increased BMI (OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.11–2.32) was associated with a greater risk of Aβ positivity after controlling for age, sex, APOE e4 genotype, years of education, hypertension, diabetes, baseline BMI, and BMI variability. A greater BMI variability (OR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.07–2.80) was associated with a greater risk of Aβ positivity after controlling for age, sex, APOE e4 genotype, years of education, hypertension, diabetes, baseline BMI, and BMI change. We also identified BMI subgroups showing a greater risk of Aβ positivity.ConclusionOur findings suggest that participants with BMI change, especially those with greater BMI variability, are more vulnerable to Aβ deposition regardless of baseline BMI. Furthermore, our results may contribute to the design of strategies to prevent Aβ deposition with respect to weight control.