Development of an IgG-Fc fusion COVID-19 subunit vaccine,AKS-452

AKS-452 is a biologically-engineered vaccine comprising an Fc fusion protein of the SARS-CoV-2 viral spike protein receptor binding domain antigen (Ag) and human IgG1 Fc (SP/RBD-Fc) in clinical development for the induction and augmentation of neutralizing IgG titers against SARS-CoV-2 viral infection to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fc moiety is designed to enhance immunogenicity by increasing uptake via Fc-receptors (FcγR) on Ag-presenting cells (APCs) and prolonging exposure due to neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) recycling. AKS-452 induced approximately 20-fold greater neutralizing IgG titers in mice relative to those induced by SP/RBD without the Fc moiety and induced comparable long-term neutralizing titers with a single dose vs. two doses. To further enhance immunogenicity, AKS-452 was evaluated in formulations containing a panel of adjuvants in which the water-in-oil adjuvant, Montanide™ ISA 720, enhanced neutralizing IgG titers by approximately 7-fold after one and two doses in mice, including the neutralization of live SARS-CoV-2 virus infection of VERO-E6 cells. Furthermore, ISA 720-adjuvanted AKS-452 was immunogenic in rabbits and non-human primates (NHPs) and protected from infection and clinical symptoms with live SARS-CoV-2 virus in NHPs (USA-WA1/2020 viral strain) and the K18 human ACE2-trangenic (K18-huACE2-Tg) mouse (South African B.1.351 viral variant). These preclinical studies support the initiation of Phase I clinical studies with adjuvanted AKS-452 with the expectation that this room-temperature stable, Fc-fusion subunit vaccine can be rapidly and inexpensively manufactured to provide billions of doses per year especially in regions where the cold-chain is difficult to maintain.     

Cardiac-type total anomalous pulmonary venous return is not benign

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the association between morphological variation and postsurgical pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis (PPVS) in patients with cardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC).MethodsThis single-center, retrospective study included 168 pediatric patients who underwent surgical repair of cardiac TAPVC from 2013 to 2019 (connection to the coronary sinus [CS], n = 136; connection directly to the right atrium [RA], n = 32). Three-dimensional computed tomography modeling and geometric analysis were performed to investigate the morphological features; their relevance to the PPVS was examined.ResultsThe connection type had no association with PPVS (CS type: 18% vs right atrial type: 19%; P = .89) but there was a higher incidence of PPVS in patients with a single PV orifice than > 1 orifice (P < .001). Confluence-to-total PV area ratio (hazard ratio, 4.78, 95% CI, 1.86-12.32; P = .001) and length of drainage route (hazard ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.31; P < .001) had a 4- and 1-fold increase in the risk for PPVS in the CS type after adjustment for age and preoperative pulmonary venous obstruction. In the right atrial type, those with anomalous PV return to the RA roof were more likely to develop PPVS than to the posterior wall of the RA (P < .001).ConclusionsThe number of inter-junction PV orifice correlated with PPVS development in cardiac TAPVC. The confluence-to-total PV ratio, length of drainage route, and anomalous PV return to the RA roof are important predictors for PPVS. Morphological subcategorization in this clinical setting can potentially assist in surgical decision-making.     

Quantile regression and empirical likelihood for the analysis of longitudinal data with monotone missing responses due to dropout,with applications to quality of life measurements from clinical trials

The analysis of quality of life (QoL) data can be challenging due to the skewness of responses and the presence of missing data. In this paper, we propose a new weighted quantile regression method for estimating the conditional quantiles of QoL data with responses missing at random. The proposed method makes use of the correlation information within the same subject from an auxiliary mean regression model to enhance the estimation efficiency and takes into account of missing data mechanism. The asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator have been studied and simulations are also conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed estimator. The proposed method has also been applied to the analysis of the QoL data from a clinical trial on early breast cancer, which motivated this study.     

理气中药组方对糖尿病大鼠胃排空延迟的作用

目的:观察理气中药经验组方对糖尿病大鼠胃排空延迟的干预作用。方法:雌雄各半成年SD大鼠110只,随机分为正常组(A组)、糖尿病中药组(B组)、糖尿病胃复安组(C组)、糖尿病组(D组)。A组、D组1次/d按10 mL/只予0.9%生理盐水灌胃,B组1次/d按8 mL/只予中药煎剂灌胃,C组1次/d按0.5 mg/只予胃复安片灌胃。喂养12周后,行13C胃排空实验及甲基橙水溶液胃排空实验,观察各组大鼠胃排空情况。结果:糖尿病大鼠胃排空较正常大鼠明显延迟(P0.01),糖尿病大鼠胃排空延迟模型制作成功。糖尿病中药组和糖尿病胃复安组大鼠胃排空较糖尿病组快(P0.01);糖尿病中药组大鼠胃排空较糖尿病胃复安组大鼠快(P0.05)。结论:常规喂养12周后糖尿病大鼠出现胃排空延迟。理气中药陈皮、枳实、木香、香附组方煎剂和胃复安均能促进糖尿病大鼠胃排空,理气中药组方煎剂的效果优于胃复安。     

轴向载荷分担比指导外固定器动力化的临床应用

目的:探讨轴向载荷分担比用于胫腓骨骨干骨折术后指导外固定器轴向动力化促进骨折愈合的有效性。方法:选取外固定器治疗的胫腓骨骨干骨折患者100例,随机分为观察组50例,对照组50例。观察组在轴向载荷分担比指导下行外固定器轴向动力化治疗,对照组未行动力化,随访比较两组的治疗效果。结果:所有患者均获随访,随访时间4～12个月,平均6.5个月,治疗期间所有患者均未出现外固定针断裂、松动及再骨折等并发症,观察组1例骨搬移患者轴向载荷分担比5%,X线片显示骨折断端有连续性骨痂通过,拆除外固定器连接杆后发生移位,恢复原数值行轴向加压再动力化,现已愈合。观察组除外1例骨搬移患者,其余49例患者外固定器固定时间为[(24.4±4.7)周],骨折临床愈合时间为[(22.4±4.7)周],与对照组50例患者外固定器固定时间[(29.3±5.6)周],骨折临床愈合时间[(27.3±5.6)周]比较,显著减少(P0.05)。结论:外固定器轴向载荷分担比指导胫腓骨骨干骨折外固定术后轴向动力化可以加速骨折愈合,但不适合骨搬移截骨端已硬化患者。     

Tumour volume distribution can yield information on tumour growth and tumour control

BackgroundIt is shown that tumour volume distributions can yield information on two aspects of cancer research: tumour induction and tumour control.Materials and methodsFrom the hypothesis that the intrinsic distribution of breast cancer volumes follows an exponential distribution, firstly the probability density function of tumour growth time was deduced via a mathematical transformation of the probability density functions of tumour volumes. In a second step, the distribution of tumour volumes was used to model the variation of the clonogenic cell number between patients in order to determine tumour control probabilities for radiotherapy patients.ResultsDistribution of lag times, i.e. the time from the appearance of the first fully malignant cell until a clinically observable cancer, can be used to deduce the probability of tumour induction as a function of patient age. The integration of the volume variation with a Poisson-TCP model results in a logistic function which explains population-averaged survival data of radiotherapy patients.ConclusionsThe inclusion of tumour volume distributions into the TCP formalism enables a direct link to be deduced between a cohort TCP model (logistic) and a TCP model for individual patients (Poisson). The TCP model can be applied to non-uniform tumour dose distributions.     

基于自动勾画和快速蒙特卡罗计算的放射治疗全身器官剂量数据库平台的可行性研究

目的:探讨建立一种放射治疗全身器官剂量数据库平台的可行性。方法:使用基于深度学习的自动勾画软件DeepViewer?1例食管癌患者的全身CT上勾画全身器官，然后利用基于GPU加速的蒙特卡罗软件ARCHER计算相应的器官剂量分布，最后利用Lyman-Kutcher-Burman（LKB）模型评估放疗患者正常组织并发症概率（NTCP）。结果:针对该病例，成功建立基于DeepViewer?ARCHER和LKB模型的全身器官剂量数据库，发现距离靶区越近的器官剂量越大，其中心脏与靶区间距离最小，剂量为14.11 Gy，但因其模型参数特殊，通过LKB模型计算的NTCP为0.00%；左、右肺的剂量分别为3.19和1.16 Gy，但是NTCP值却很大，分别为2.13%和1.60%。对于距离靶区较远的头颈部器官（视交叉、视神经和眼）和腹部器官（直肠、膀胱和股骨头）剂量分别约为9和2 mGy，并且NTCP均近似为0.00%。结论:研究结果证明通过自动勾画软件DeepViewer?蒙特卡罗软件ARCHER和LKB模型建立全身器官剂量数据库的可行性。     

Outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with heart failure with a midrange ejection fraction

BackgroundCoronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) improves survival in patients with heart failure and severely reduced left ventricular systolic function (LVEF). Limited data exist regarding adverse cardiovascular event rates after CABG in patients with heart failure with midrange ejection fraction (HFmrEF; LVEF > 40% and < 55%).MethodsWe analyzed data on isolated CABG patients from the Veterans Affairs national database (2010-2019). We stratified patients into control (normal LVEF and no heart failure), HFmrEF, and heart failure with reduced LVEF (HFrEF) groups. We compared all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization rates between groups with a Cox model and recurrent events analysis, respectively.ResultsIn 6533 veterans, HFmrEF and HFrEF was present in 1715 (26.3%) and 566 (8.6%) respectively; the control group had 4252 (65.1%) patients. HFrEF patients were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (59%), insulin therapy (36%), and previous myocardial infarction (31%). Anemia was more prevalent in patients with HFrEF (49%) as was a lower serum albumin (mean, 3.6 mg/dL). Compared with the control group, a higher risk of death was observed in the HFmrEF (hazard ratio [HR], 1.3 [1.2-1.5)] and HFrEF (HR, 1.5 [1.2-1.7]) groups. HFmrEF patients had the higher risk of myocardial infarction (subdistribution HR, 1.2 [1-1.6]; P = .04). Risk of heart failure hospitalization was higher in patients with HFmrEF (HR, 4.1 [3.5-4.7]) and patients with HFrEF (HR, 7.2 [6.2-8.5]).ConclusionsHeart failure with midrange ejection fraction negatively affects survival after CABG. These patients also experience higher rates myocardial infarction and heart failure hospitalization.     

The prognostic value of elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio for cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Patients undergoing cardiac surgery are at significant risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a widely available inflammatory biomarker which may be of prognostic value in this setting.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting associations between perioperative NLR with postoperative AKI. We searched Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library, without language restriction, from inception to May 2022 for relevant studies. We meta-analysed the reported odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for both elevated preoperative and postoperative NLR with risk of postoperative AKI and need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). We conducted a meta-regression to explore inter-study statistical heterogeneity.

Results

Twelve studies involving 10,724 participants undergoing cardiac surgery were included, with eight studies being deemed at high risk of bias using PROBAST modelling. We found statistically significant associations between elevated preoperative NLR and postoperative AKI (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.18–1.77), as well as postoperative need for RRT (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.50–3.72). Postoperative NLR measurements were not of prognostic significance.

Conclusions

Elevated preoperative NLR is a reliable inflammatory biomarker for predicting AKI following cardiac surgery.