First-line nivolumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric,gastroesophageal junction and esophageal adenocarcinoma: CheckMate 649 Chinese subgroup analysis

First-line chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJC) has poor median overall survival (OS; <1 year). We report efficacy and safety results from Chinese patients in the phase III global CheckMate 649 study of nivolumab plus chemotherapy vs chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of GC/GEJC/esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Chinese patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic GC/GEJC/EAC were randomized to receive nivolumab (360 mg Q3W or 240 mg Q2W) plus chemotherapy (XELOX [capecitabine and oxaliplatin] Q3W or FOLFOX [oxaliplatin, leucovorin and 5-fluorouracil] Q2W), nivolumab plus ipilimumab (not reported) or chemotherapy alone. OS, blinded independent central review-assessed progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR) and safety are reported. Of 1581 patients enrolled and randomized, 208 were Chinese. In these patients, nivolumab plus chemotherapy resulted in clinically meaningful improvement in median OS (14.3 vs 10.2 months; HR 0.61 [95% CI: 0.44-0.85]), median PFS (8.3 vs 5.6 months; HR 0.57 [95% CI: 0.40-0.80]), ORR (66% vs 45%) and median DOR (12.2 vs 5.6 months) vs chemotherapy, respectively. The safety profile was acceptable, with no new safety signals observed. Consistent with results from the global primary analysis of CheckMate 649, nivolumab plus chemotherapy demonstrated a clinically meaningful improvement in OS and PFS and higher response rate vs chemotherapy and an acceptable safety profile in Chinese patients. Nivolumab plus chemotherapy represents a new standard first-line treatment for Chinese patients with non-HER2-positive advanced GC/GEJC/EAC.     

Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccine in Hemodialyzed Patients: A Retrospective Study

Infection is one of the leading causes of mortality in dialysis patients, second only to cardiovascular disease. This retrospective study assessed the efficacy and clinical outcomes of influenza vaccination among hemodialysis (HD) patients. In the 2014–2015 season, 104 of 164 (63.6%) HD patients were vaccinated for influenza by the outpatient community health system facilities. Significantly more patients, 159 of 170 (93.8%), were vaccinated in 2015–2016 by the hospital dialysis unit staff during an inpatient HD session (P <0.001). A trend toward fewer complications from influenza infection was observed in vaccinated patients. Among HD patients with diabetes (who comprised 56% of the study population), the incidence of influenza was 17% among nonvaccinated patients vs. 6.3% among those who were vaccinated (P =0.026). The inpatient vaccination policy resulted in a greater rate of vaccination. HD patients with diabetes benefit from influenza vaccination, with a significantly lower incidence of influenza infection.     

Therapeutic cooperation between auranofin,a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor and anti-PD-L1 antibody for treatment of triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBCs) is a very aggressive and lethal form of breast cancer with no effective targeted therapy. Neoadjuvant chemotherapies and radiotherapy remains a mainstay of treatment with only 25–30% of TNBC patients responding. Thus, there is an unmet clinical need to develop novel therapeutic strategies for TNBCs. TNBC cells have increased intracellular oxidative stress and suppressed glutathione, a major antioxidant system, but still, are protected against higher oxidative stress. We screened a panel of antioxidant genes using the TCGA and METABRIC databases and found that expression of the thioredoxin pathway genes is significantly upregulated in TNBC patients compared to non-TNBC patients and is correlated with adverse survival outcomes. Treatment with auranofin (AF), an FDA-approved thioredoxin reductase inhibitor caused specific cell death and impaired the growth of TNBC cells grown as spheroids. Furthermore, AF treatment exerted a significant in vivo antitumor activity in multiple TNBC models including the syngeneic 4T1.2 model, MDA-MB-231 xenograft and patient-derived tumor xenograft by inhibiting thioredoxin redox activity. We, for the first time, showed that AF increased CD8^+Ve T-cell tumor infiltration in vivo and upregulated immune checkpoint PD-L1 expression in an ERK1/2-MYC-dependent manner. Moreover, combination of AF with anti-PD-L1 antibody synergistically impaired the growth of 4T1.2 primary tumors. Our data provide a novel therapeutic strategy using AF in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibody that warrants further clinical investigation for TNBC patients.     

不同氮素形态和浓度水平对浙贝母产量和品质的影响

目的:研究不同氮素形态配施对浙贝母产量和品质的影响,为浙贝母氮肥的科学施用及重庆地区的迁地引种提供依据。方法:采用盆栽试验法,研究了2种氮素形态的5种浓度水平即硝态氮(NO_3~--N)-铵态氮(NH_4~+-N)为15∶0(N1),12∶3(N2),7. 5∶7. 5(N3),3∶12(N4),0∶15(N5)处理下,引种栽培的浙贝母生长及生理生化、土壤因子、生物碱含量及产量的变化。结果:与不施氮(CK)处理组相比,不同氮素营养配施对浙贝母生长和品质均有显著提高,相互间存在差异。其中,随着铵态氮浓度的增加:①在硝态氮-铵态氮比为3∶12时,株高、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性达到最大,较CK组分别增加了9. 27%,206. 62%;②在硝态氮-铵态氮比为0∶15时,叶长,叶宽,茎粗,叶绿素a,叶绿素b,叶绿素总量,速效磷含量,有机质含量、总生物碱含量/产量达到最大,分别高于CK处理组14. 02%,16. 44%,13. 68%,40. 75%,45. 31%,41. 72%,77. 70%,14. 70%,24. 61%/47. 39%;随着硝态氮浓度的增加;③在硝态氮-铵态氮比为7. 5∶7. 5时,叶形指数、可溶性蛋白含量、贝母辛含量/产量、贝母素乙产量、鳞茎干重均达到最大,分别高于CK处理组2. 54%,5. 92%,21. 76%/54. 55%,60. 61%,26. 93%;④在硝态氮-铵态氮比为12∶3时,类胡萝卜素含量、色素含量、过氧化物酶(POD)活性、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、贝母素甲含量/产量、贝母素乙含量、贝母素(甲+乙)含量/产量、贝母素(甲+乙)+贝母辛含量/产量、鳞茎湿重均达到最大,分别高于CK处理组45. 39%,45. 31%,271. 38%,67. 45%,39. 82%/64. 87%,36. 01%,38. 90%/63. 80%,37. 03%/61. 57%,20. 29%。结论:较高比例的铵态氮利于浙贝母的生长;而较高比例的硝态氮利于浙贝母鳞茎的生长以及代谢产物生物碱的积累。氮素配比施用(硝态氮-铵态氮比为12:3)较单一形态氮素更有利于提高浙贝母的产量和品质。     

Bisphosphonate Use Is Protective of Radiographic Knee Osteoarthritis Progression Among those With Low Disease Severity and Being Non-Overweight: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Antiresorptive medications have been explored for treating knee osteoarthritis (OA); however, little data exist on the effects of today's more potent nitrogen-containing oral bisphosphonates on radiographic disease-progression in patients with varying disease-severity, especially those who are not overweight. The primary objective of this cohort study was to determine if the use of bisphosphonates is protective against 2-year radiographic-progression of knee OA in Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants, stratified by baseline radiographic disease status. Secondary objectives were to examine effects in non-overweight participants (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m²) and cumulative bisphosphonate exposure effects. We identified female OAI participants aged ≥50 years and excluded those missing baseline radiograph readings, bisphosphonate use information, or all clinical questionnaire information at baseline. Participants reporting bisphosphonate use (69% alendronate) were propensity-matched 1:1 to non–bisphosphonate users and followed until first radiographic knee OA progression (1-unit increase in Kellgren and Lawrence [KL] grade) or data were censored (first missed visit or end of 2-year follow-up). Discrete-time logistic regression models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) between bisphosphonate users versus nonusers, with an interaction term for baseline KL grade (KL <2 or KL ≥2). We identified 1977 eligible women (n = 346 bisphosphonate users). Propensity-matched results indicated that bisphosphonate users with KL grade <2 were protected against progression (HR_KL<2 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.79), while bisphosphonate use was not associated with radiographic progression in those with KL grade ≥2 (HR_KL≥2 1.06; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.35). When restricting analyses to those with BMI <25 kg/m², effects were strengthened (HR_KL<2 0.49 [95% CI, 0.26 to 0.92]; HR_KL≥2 0.69 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.26]). Duration of bisphosphonate use had no effect on progression, though sample size was limited. Bisphosphonate therapy may be protective against radiographic knee OA progression in early-stage patients, particularly those who are non-overweight, but less so for those with more advanced disease or more weight-bearing joint stress. © 2020 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).