Minor Response Research Articles

Naxitamab and GM-CSF for consolidation of high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) patients in complete remission.

10021 Background: Naxitamab was recently approved in the US in combination with GM-CSF for the treatment of patients (pts) with relapse/refractory HR-NB in the bone/bone marrow who have demonstrated a partial response (PR), minor response (MR), or stable disease (SD) to prior therapy. Here we describe the use of 5 cycles of naxitamab and GM-CSF through compassionate use for consolidation of HR-NB pts in first or subsequent complete remission (CR). Methods: HR-NB pts in CR (first or subsequent) after initial multimodal induction treatment were eligible. Disease status was assessed at study entry by histology of BM biopsies/aspirates obtained from bilateral posterior and bilateral anterior iliac crests, I-MIBG SPECT scan, and whole body MRI. FDG-PET was used for MIBG non-avid cases at diagnosis. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to assess MRD in pooled heparinized BM aspirates. Disease response was defined according to the revised INRC. Four BM aspirates and 123I-MIBG SPECT scan or FDG-PET scans were performed after cycles 2 and 5 and every 3 months thereafter for one year in all pts to assess response. Naxitamab was administered over ≥30 min in the outpatient setting on Days 1, 3 and 5 at 3.0 mg/kg/infusion (9.0 mg/kg/cycle) in combination with GM-CSF at 250 ug/m2/day on Days -4 to 0 and at 500 ug/m2/day on days 1 to 5. Treatment cycles were repeated every 4 weeks. Survival curves were built from the time of naxitamab treatment initiation by Kaplan-Meier methods and compared using the log-rank test. Results: From June 2017 to November 30 2020, 73 pts were treated: 55 (75%) in first CR and 18 (25%) in second or more CR. Majority of pts were MYCN non-amplified (n=56, 77%), all stage 4, median age at treatment initiation 4.5 years. 61 (84%) pts had received >5 cycles of induction chemotherapy; 22 (30%) high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT); and 36 (49%) radiotherapy before receiving naxitamab. 58 (79.5%) pts completed naxitamab therapy, 53 (73%) in continued CR. 10 (14%) pts relapsed during treatment and 5 (7%) had grade 4 toxicities: 2 apnea related to naxitamab; and 2 non-related: 1 opioid related chest rigidity syndrome and 1 stroke. 3-y event-free-survival (EFS) for all pts is 58% [95% CI, 43.5; 78.4], 74% for first CR and 19% for second or more CR (p=0.0029). 3-y OS for the whole group is 82% [95% CI, 66.8; 100.0], 92% for first CR and 66% for second or more CR pts (p=0.18). Univariate Cox models for CR group, MYCN status, number of chemotherapies, ASCT, radiotherapy, MRD, and age showed significant p value only for prior relapse as predictor of EFS (p=0.047). Conclusions: Naxitamab for HR-NB pts in CR provided excellent 3-y OS rates regardless of previous management. The only predictor for relapse is prior history of recurrence.

Phase I trial to determine safety and immunogenicity of amplivant, a synthetic toll-like receptor 2 ligand, conjugated to two HPV16 E6 synthetic long peptides.

2614 Background: Therapeutic vaccines based on synthetic long peptides (SLPs) have a great potential for immunotherapy of cancer patients as these SLPs include both human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II epitopes and no patient selection for HLA types is required. The antigen-induced immune response can be strengthened with immune stimulating additives. Amplivant (AV) is a synthetic Toll-like receptor 2 ligand which can be directly conjugated to tumor peptide antigens. In preclinical studies, AV-conjugation to antigens led to both enhanced antigen presentation by dendritic cells and T-cell priming and caused superior induction of effective anti-tumor responses. Moreover, AV-conjugated SLPs showed a 100 times higher immune response compared to unconjugated SLP. The current study is a first-in-human trial to investigate safety and immunogenicity of AV-conjugated human papillomavirus (HPV)16-SLPs. Methods: A dose escalation phase I trial was performed in 24 patients with HPV16 positive (pre-) malignant lesions. AV was conjugated to two SLPs derived from the most immunodominant regions of the HPV16 E6 oncoprotein. Four dose groups (1, 5, 20 or 50 μg of each peptide) in 6 patients each were studied. The vaccine was injected three times intradermally in DMSO / water with a three-week interval. Adverse events (AE) were collected according to CTCAE v4.0 up to 26 weeks. Peptide-specific T-cell immune responses were determined in blood samples taken before and after vaccination using complementary immunological assays (proliferation assay, IFNγ-ELISPOT and cytokine bead array). Results: Toxicity after three AV-conjugated HPV16-SLP vaccinations was limited to CTCAE grade 1 or 2, with predominantly inflammation at the vaccination site and sometimes flu-like symptoms, which generally resolved within one day. Dose increase resulted from no AE in the lowest dose group to mild/moderate AE in all vaccinated persons in the highest dose group. In the lowest dose group, minor vaccine-induced T-cell responses were observed in three of six vaccinated persons. In the highest dose group, all patients displayed a strong HPV16-specific T-cell response after vaccination. The induced T-cell response against HPV16 lasted until the end of the trial. Conclusions: This first-in-human study showed that AV conjugated to SLPs can safely be used as an intradermal therapeutic vaccine. AV-conjugated HPV16-SLP was able to induce robust HPV16-specific T-cell immunity in patients treated for HPV16 positive (pre-) malignancies without any other vaccine adjuvant or formulation. Increase in dose resulted in both a higher number of mild adverse events as well as stronger T-cell immunity. Clinical trial information: NCT02821494.

First-in-human phase I, pharmacokinetic (PK), and pharmacodynamic (PD) study of oral GNS561, a palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) inhibitor, in patients with primary and secondary liver malignancies.

e16175 Background: GNS561 belongs to a novel generation of drug blocking cancer cell proliferation by inhibiting late-stage autophagy and dose-dependent accumulation of enlarged lysosomes by interacting with palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-1 (PPT1). Methods: This phase I, multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation trial (3+3 design) explored two dosing schedules: one single oral intake three times a week and twice daily (BID) continuous oral intake of GNS561 in patients with advanced primary and secondary liver cancers (NCT03316222). The primary objective was to determine recommended phase II dose (RP2D) and schedule for further clinical development. The secondary objectives included a preliminary evaluation of the safety, pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and antitumor activity of GNS561. Results: Nineteen treatment-refractory patients were enrolled and were evaluable for primary endpoint: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) (9), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (7), pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (2) and colorectal cancer (CRC) (1). Median age was 60, 89% were male and 37% had received 3 or more lines as prior cancer therapies. Dose escalation ranged from 50 mg three times a week to 200 mg BID. No dose-limiting toxicity were observed. Treatment-related adverse events were grade 1-2 gastrointestinal toxicity, primarily nausea/vomiting, occurring in 8 patients (42%) and diarrhea in 4 patients (21%). Occurrence of nausea/vomiting despite antiemetic prophylaxis prevented increasing doses above 200 mg BID. GNS561 displayed favorable bioavailability with interpatient variability (CV%: 13 to 223% and 21 to 98.2% on plasma concentrations on cycle 1 day 1 and cycle 2 day 1 respectively), and dose proportional exposure in plasma. GNS561 concentrations accumulated after multiple administration (2.60 - 9.00-fold) and exhibited a long half-life. Plasma and liver concentrations at doses ranging 100-200 mg BID were comparable to therapeutic exposures in preclinical models. Five patients (3 HCC and 2 iCCA) experienced tumor stabilization according to RECIST 1.1 criteria, including a minor response (-23%). Conclusions: GNS561 RP2D single agent was set at 200 mg BID based on this favorable safety profile and plasma exposure, GNS561 will be next further evaluated in monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors considering the autophagic activity restriction of major histocompatibility complex-1 promotion of immune invasion. Clinical trial information: NCT03316222.

Obinutuzumab and idelalisib in symptomatic patients with relapsed/refractory Waldenström macroglobulinemia

AbstractWe present the results of a phase 2 study evaluating the combination of obinutuzumab + idelalisib in relapsed/refractory (R/R) Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM). The goal was to determine the safety and efficacy of a fixed-duration chemotherapy-free treatment. During the induction phase, patients received idelalisib + obinutuzumab for 6 cycles, followed by a maintenance phase with idelalisib alone for ≤2 years. Forty-eight patients with R/R WM were treated with the induction combination, and 27 patients participated in the maintenance phase. The best responses, reached after a median of 6.5 months (interquartile range, 3.4-7.1; range, 2.6-22.1 months), were very good partial response in 5 patients, partial response in 27 patients, and minor response in 3 patients, leading to overall response rate and major response rate estimates of 71.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56.7-83.4) and 65.3% (95% CI, 50.4-78.3), respectively. With a median follow-up of 25.9 months, median progression-free survival was 25.4 months (95% CI, 15.7-29.0). Univariate analysis focusing on molecular screening found no significant impact of CXCR4 genotypes on responses and survivals but a deleterious impact of TP53 mutations on survival. Although there was no grade 5 toxicity, 26 patients were removed from the study because of side effects; the most frequent were neutropenia (9.4%), diarrhea (8.6%), and liver toxicity (9.3%). The combination of idelalisib + obinutuzumab is effective in R/R WM. Nonetheless, the apparent lack of impact of genotype on outcome could give new meaning to targeting of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway in WM. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02962401.

Navigating Sexual Racism in the Sexual Field: Compensation for and Disavowal of Marginality by Racial Minority Grindr Users in Singapore

Abstract This study investigates racialized sexual desires of Grindr users in Singapore, a multiracial East Asian society. We found that users are continually pigeonholed into racial categories tethered to stereotypes, hierarchizing users such that the Chinese majority are considered more desirable. Users employ race labels to communicate racial membership, circumnavigating Grindr’s preset ethnic categories. Users also creatively appropriate interface affordances to enforce racialized preferences; this includes a preoccupation with verifying racial identities, especially through photos. Racial minorities strategically respond to sexual racism by negotiating for Chinese majority membership, emphasizing the cosmopolitan self over the ethnic self, and/or reframing the situation to disavow victimhood. This research counterbalances the ethnocentric focus of existing sexual racism literature on white-centric contexts by applying sexual fields theory to multiracial East Asia, yielding meaningful theoretical contributions. We also foreground the importance of considering internal dispositions of feelings and attitudes as situated resistance against sexual racism on Grindr.Lay summaryThis article explores how sexual desires of Singaporean users on Grindr (a gay dating app) are socially conditioned to include racial preferences, which in turn constitutes sexual racism. This research is important as it examines the complexities of sexual racism within a multiracial and postcolonial East Asian context, balancing the existing scholarly focus on sexual racism in Western societies. Our interviews with Grindr users in Singapore revealed that users tend to slot themselves (and others) into racial categories that appear fixed and linked to racial stereotypes. This allows a pecking order to emerge, such that the racial majority (Singaporean Chinese users) are generally seen as most desirable. Race is therefore one important dimension of the interactions on Grindr. If racial identity is not immediately obvious on app profiles, users often seek to find out the racial identities of other potential partners by, for example, requesting photos to make guesses about their race. We also studied the responses of racial minorities to sexual racism. These strategies include trying to present a Chinese or Chinese-mixed racial identity, emphasizing an identity that is globalized rather than ethnic, and reframing their situation to disavow their victimhood.

Association of DNA repair gene XPC Ala499Val (rs2228000 C>T) and Lys939Gln (rs2228001 A>C) polymorphisms with the risk of chronic myeloid leukemia: A case-control study in a South Indian population.

Xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XPC), a DNA repair protein, plays an important role in the maintenance of genomic integrity and is essential for the nucleotide excision repair pathway. Polymorphisms in the XPC gene may alter DNA repair leading to genetic instability and oncogenesis. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between the XPC Ala499Val (rs2228000 C>T) and Lys939Gln (rs2228001 A>C) non-synonymous polymorphisms and susceptibility to chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) pathogenesis, disease progression and the response to targeted therapeutic regimen, imatinib mesylate. This case-control study included 212 cases and 212 controls, and the genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assays. Our results showed significant association of variant CT (odds ratio = 1.92, 95% confidence interval = 1.21-3.06, p =0.003) and TT (odds ratio = 2.84, 95% confidence interval = 1.22-6.71, p =0.007) genotypes in patients with the XPC Ala499Val polymorphism and CML risk. In addition, these genotypes were associated with CML progression to advanced phases (p =0.006), splenomegaly (p =0.017) and abnormal lactate dehydrogenase levels (p =0.03). XPC Lys939Gln was found to correlate with a poor response to therapy, showing borderline significant association with minor cytogenetic response (p =0.08) and a poor molecular response (p =0.06). Significant association of the Ala499Val and Lys939Gln polymorphisms with prognosis was observed (Hasford high risk, p = 0.031 and p = 0.019, respectively). Haplotype analysis showed a strong correlation of variant TC haplotype with poor therapy responses (minor cytogenetic response, p = 0.019; poor molecular response, p < 0.0001). In conclusion, our results suggest that XPC Ala499Val is a high-penetrance CML susceptibility polymorphism. Both polymorphisms studied are considered as genetic markers with respect to assessing disease progression, therapy response and prognosis in CML patients.

Ecclesial Belonging in a World of Pure Experience: William James, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Religious Rationality in Crisis

Abstract The global COVID-19 pandemic has spotlighted several instances of churches violating state issued and scientifically recommended guidelines designed to keep populations healthy and to prevent the further spread of the disease. While these instances are minority responses to these orders, they nonetheless raise questions about the rationality of ecclesial belonging in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this article, I draw on the work of William James and W. E. B. Du Bois to articulate a conception of ecclesial belonging as a social epistemological process engaging a complex, fluid multiplicity of knowers of various scales. I argue that, in this view, ecclesial rationality involves the construction of a concatenation of internal and external practices individual believers and groups can traverse so long as they consistently satisfy a plurality of desiderata. I suggest that what is irrational about religious-based defiance of COVID-19 guidelines is the church-sanctioned severance of internal from external practices. I suggest that this behavior is supported by a failure to grasp the demands of ecclesial rationality rather than embrace them, and that this conception of rationality may have been eroded by the value-neutral skepticism of secular rationality.

Modelling of minor hysteresis loop of shape memory alloy wire actuator and its application in self-sensing

Shape memory alloy (SMA) wire actuators offer large force and displacement capabilities out of the stress and temperature-dependent martensitic phase transformation. Among the various modelling approaches in the literature, the one proposed by Boyd and Lagoudas (1996), is mostly used in analysing SMA based components. In practice, partial actuation is often required and is enacted by aborting and subsequently resuming the phase transformation; exhibiting minor hysteresis response. The existing models are found to be inaccurate in simulating such partial transformation cases. In this study, a novel yield parameter, which depends on the martensite volume fraction, has been proposed; enabling the model of Boyd and Lagoudas to simulate minor hysteresis loop accurately. The corresponding model parameters are derived, satisfying certain practical aspects of the SMA response. Using the modified model, pseudoelastic responses are simulated for different partial loading cases and are compared against the same obtained from the existing models, illustrating its efficacy. Following the proposed model, the discrete form of the system dynamics of a SMA wire actuator is formulated. Using this, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) has been developed, to estimate the output of the system from the change in electrical resistance of the SMA wire during actuation. This approach eliminates the requirement of external sensors for feedback control. Using the developed EKF, the response of an SMA wire actuated system is estimated from the experimentally measured electrical resistance data of the SMA wire and are compared with the corresponding measured responses. The results reveal that a significant level of accuracy can be achieved with the proposed approach.

Prediction of treatment responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Elucidation the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer is important for informing therapeutic decisions. This study aimed at evaluating the potential value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) parameters in predicting breast cancer responses to NAC. We performed CEUS examinations before and after two cycles of NAC. Quantitative CEUS parameters [maximum intensity (IMAX), rise time (RT), time to peak (TTP), and mean transit time (mTT)], tumor diameter, and their changes were measured and compared to histopathological responses, according to the Miller-Payne Grading (MPG) system (score 1, 2, or 3: minor response; score 4 or 5: good response). Prediction models for good response were developed by multiple logistic regression analysis and internally validated through bootstrap analysis. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the performance of prediction models. A total of 143 patients were enrolled in this study among whom 98 (68.5%) achieved a good response and while 45 (31.5%) exhibited a minor response. Several imaging variables including diameter, IMAX, changes in diameter (Δdiameter), IMAX (ΔIMAX) and TTP (ΔTTP) were found to be significantly associated with good therapeutic responses (P<0.05). The areas under the curve (AUC) increased from 0.748 to 0.841 in the multivariate model that combined CEUS parameters and molecular subtypes with a sensitivity and specificity of 0.786, 0.745, respectively. Tumor molecular subtype was the primary predictor of primary endpoint. CEUS is a potential tool for predicting responses to NAC in locally advanced breast cancer patients. Compared to the other molecular subtypes, triple negative and HER2+/ER- subtypes are more likely to exhibit a good response to NAC.

Seed priming with copper‐loaded chitosan nanoparticles promotes early growth and enzymatic antioxidant defense of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe unique features of nanoparticles can improve the effectiveness of seed priming with metallic ions, boosting plant growth and the defense response. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of nanopriming of maize (Zea mays L.) seeds with chitosan nanoparticles containing copper ions (NPCu) on the growth and photosynthetic activity of non‐stressed seedlings, as well as on the germination and antioxidant response of seeds undergoing deterioration caused by high relative humidity and temperature.RESULTSSeed priming with bulk or nanoencapsulated Cu2+ influenced the initial development of greenhouse‐grown maize seedlings, mainly by increasing shoot growth and photosynthetic electron transport, compared to the control. Chitosan nanoparticles without Cu (NP) induced minor morphophysiological responses. In the laboratory assay with stressed seeds, NPCu stood out for strongly increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. In contrast, priming with NP induced oxidative stress in maize seedlings.CONCLUSIONUnder normal growing conditions, Cu2+ promoted the initial growth of maize seedlings regardless of the nanoencapsulation. In the stressful condition caused by the deterioration process, NPCu combined the properties of chitosan with the essentiality of Cu2+, promoting the enzymatic antioxidant response. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Low-cost flexible laminated graphene paper solid-contact ion-selective electrodes

We report here the fabrication of laminated graphene paper solid-contact ion-selective electrodes (SCISE) with performance characteristics equal to the state of the art SCISEs. Several identical and flexible graphene paper electrodes were first prepared from commercially available graphene paper with a standard pouch laminator in a single lamination step to a price of less than $1 per electrode. After that the solid contact consisting of polyaniline (PANI) doped with dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid and the K+-selective plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membrane were deposited in two steps by drop casting on the surface of the graphene paper. The lamination of 10–15 identical graphene paper electrodes takes only one minute and we obtained fully functional graphene paper electrodes in ca. 40 min, including all manual pre-fabrication steps and 10 min of argon plasma cleaning to remove organic contaminants from the graphene surface. We found that plasma cleaning was necessary to improve the reversibility of the electron transfer of the Fe(CN)63−/4− redox couple. The laminated graphene paper K-SCISEs had a Nernstian slope of 56.9 ± 0.1 mV pK-1, a high E° reproducibility of ±4.4 mV (n = 6) still after more than 24 h, high selectivity against Na+, Li+, H+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, and they showed no water layer formation, light and oxygen gas sensitivity.· However, we observed a minor response to carbon dioxide (pH) because of the pH response of PANI. In this work, we show that laminated graphene paper electrodes are a cost-effective alternative for example to commercially available glassy carbon and platinum rod electrodes.

Characterization of the pathophysiological determinants of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli infection using a challenge model in healthy adults

An experimental human challenge model with an attenuated diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain has been used in food intervention studies aimed to increase resistance to E. coli infection. This study was designed to refine and expand this challenge model. In a double-blind study, healthy male subjects were orally challenged with 1E10 or 5E10 colony-forming units (CFU) of E. coli strain E1392/75-2A. Three weeks later, subjects were rechallenged with 1E10 CFU of E. coli. Before and after both challenges, clinical symptoms and infection- and immune-related biomarkers were analyzed. Subset analysis was performed on clinically high- and low-responders. Regardless of inoculation dose, the first challenge induced clinical symptoms for 2–3 days. In blood, neutrophils, CRP, CXCL10, and CFA/II-specific IgG were induced, and in feces calprotectin and CFA/II-specific IgA. Despite clinical differences between high- and low-responders, infection and immune biomarkers did not differ. The first inoculation induced protection at the second challenge, with a minor clinical response, and no change in biomarkers. The refined study design resulted in a larger dynamic range of symptoms, and identification of biomarkers induced by a challenge with the attenuated E. coli strain E1392/75-2A, which is of value for future intervention studies. Addition of a second inoculation allows to study the protective response induced by a primary infection.Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT02541695 (04/09/2015).

PLANETTE: A modular phase IIa multicenter open-label study evaluating the ATR inhibitor ceralasertib (AZD6738) in ATM mutant advanced solid tumors.

TPS189 Background: Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) are kinases that orchestrate cellular responses to DNA damage. ATM is primarily activated by DNA double strand breaks, and ATR is recruited to regions of single stranded DNA that arise due to collapsed or stalled replication forks. Although ATM and ATR are activated by distinct pathways, their downstream targets and effects partially overlap to activate cell cycle checkpoints and DNA damage repair. Ceralasertib is a potent, oral, selective inhibitor of ATR. Pre-clinical studies have consistently demonstrated synthetic lethality of ATR inhibitors, including ceralasertib, in ATM-deficient models across multiple tumor types (Kwok et al 2017, Min et al 2017, Lloyd et al 2020, Hustedt et al 2019). Early clinical evidence of efficacy is from a phase I study of ceralasertib in combination with olaparib in relapsed, refractory cancer (NCT02576444). Amongst 5 participants with a range of solid tumors harboring deleterious ATM mutations, there was 1 complete response, 3 stable diseases (1 with minor response 20-30%) and 1 patient with disease progression. Two participants had clinical benefit ongoing for more than 12 months (Eder et al 2019). ATM deficiency may be detected through genomic testing for loss-of-function alterations in the gene, or through immunohistochemical methods to detect loss of protein expression. Genomic alterations in ATM occur across multiple solid tumor types, including approximately 4% of advanced prostate cancers. Methods: PLANETTE (clinicaltrials.gov identifier (NCT 04564027) is a modular phase 2a multicenter open-label study investigating DNA-damage response agents in patients with advanced cancers that harbor molecular alterations. Module 1 will study the ATR inhibitor ceralasertib in tumors with deleterious or suspected deleterious mutations in ATM. Patients will be identified at cancer centers which routinely perform molecular profiling to detect ATM mutations. Central confirmation of ATM mutation by NGS and ATM IHC testing will be conducted retrospectively. Cohort A will enroll ~25 patients with advanced solid tumors (except NSCLC and prostate cancer), cohort B will include ~27 patients with metastatic CRPC who have previously progressed on a novel hormonal agent. The primary endpoints are investigator assessed ORR in Cohort A and composite response that includes radiographic, PSA, and CTC response per PCWG criteria in Cohort B. Secondary endpoints include duration of response, and progression free survival. Pharmacodynamic and other biomarkers will be explored. Enrolment is planned to start in November 2020. Clinical trial information: 04564027.

The narrow-spectrum anthelmintic oxantel is a potent agonist of a novel acetylcholine receptor subtype in whipworms.

In the absence of efficient alternative strategies, the control of parasitic nematodes, impacting human and animal health, mainly relies on the use of broad-spectrum anthelmintic compounds. Unfortunately, most of these drugs have a limited single-dose efficacy against infections caused by the whipworm, Trichuris. These infections are of both human and veterinary importance. However, in contrast to a wide range of parasitic nematode species, the narrow-spectrum anthelmintic oxantel has a high efficacy on Trichuris spp. Despite this knowledge, the molecular target(s) of oxantel within Trichuris is still unknown. In the distantly related pig roundworm, Ascaris suum, oxantel has a small, but significant effect on the recombinant homomeric Nicotine-sensitive ionotropic acetylcholine receptor (N-AChR) made up of five ACR-16 subunits. Therefore, we hypothesized that in whipworms, a putative homolog of an ACR-16 subunit, can form a functional oxantel-sensitive receptor. Using the pig whipworm T. suis as a model, we identified and cloned a novel ACR-16-like subunit and successfully expressed the corresponding homomeric channel in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Electrophysiological experiments revealed this receptor to have distinctive pharmacological properties with oxantel acting as a full agonist, hence we refer to the receptor as an O-AChR subtype. Pyrantel activated this novel O-AChR subtype moderately, whereas classic nicotinic agonists surprisingly resulted in only minor responses. We observed that the expression of the ACR-16-like subunit in the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans conferred an increased sensitivity to oxantel of recombinant worms. We demonstrated that the novel Tsu-ACR-16-like receptor is indeed a target for oxantel, although other receptors may be involved. These finding brings new insight into the understanding of the high sensitivity of whipworms to oxantel, and highlights the importance of the discovery of additional distinct receptor subunit types within Trichuris that can be used as screening tools to evaluate the effect of new synthetic or natural anthelmintic compounds.

Naxitamab: First Approval.

Naxitamab (DANYELZA®, naxitamab-gqgk) is a humanised (IgG1) anti-GD2 (hu3F8) monoclonal antibody was developed by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (with commercial rights licenced to Y-mAbs therapeutics Inc.) for the treatment of neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma and other GD2-positive cancers. Naxitamab was recently granted accelerated approval by the US FDA for marketing as treatment (in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) for paediatric patients at least one year of age and adult patients with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow demonstrating a partial response, minor response, or stable disease to prior therapy. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of naxitamab leading to this first approval.

Dynamic response of stand-alone and adjacent footing on saturated sand

This paper presents results from geotechnical centrifuge tests performed at the Japanese Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (JNIOSH) in Tokyo, Japan. A range of shallow footing configurations with different bearing pressures founded on saturated sand in a laminar box on a shake table was studied using harmonic excitations. The free-field condition was also studied as a reference. The study aimed to address the influence of stand-alone and closely adjacent shallow foundations on the dynamic response of the soil-foundation-structure system. A partially drained response of the soil and a minor dilative response for large values of shear strain were observed for the free-field case. In the case with footings, the settlement was found to be largely due to the footing penetrating the supporting sand. A dilative response of the soil beneath the footings was observed for the stand-alone configurations at the beginning of the base motions, this was not observed in the case of adjacent footings. Adjacent footings also tilt inwards consistently while stand-alone footings did not present a clear tilt pattern. In terms of the acceleration recorded in the near-surface soil beneath the footings, a reduction was observed after a few cycles in the free-field case. This reduction was considerably smaller in the case with footings with no significant differences between the response of the stand-alone and that of the closely adjacent footings.

Identifying response in colorectal liver metastases treated with bevacizumab: development of RECIST by combining contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MRI.

Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) often fail to identify clinically meaningful response to bevacizumab-containing therapy in colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). This study aimed to develop RECIST by combining contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A total of 126 patients with CRLM who underwent hepatic resection after bevacizumab-containing chemotherapy were split into initial analyses cohort (N = 42, with 76 indexed liver metastases) and validation cohort (N = 84). In lesion-based analyses, percentage decrease of arterial enhancement area and percentage increase of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from baseline to post-chemotherapy were measured. Their optimal cutoff values for distinguishing pathology-confirmed major and minor response were determined. Then, the developed RECIST (D-RECIST) was established by combining functional and size-based items. Survival relevance of D-RECIST and RECIST was examined in the validation cohort. Percentage decrease of arterial enhancement area and increase of ADC value significantly differed between lesions of pathologic major or minor response, with optimal cutoffs of approximately 33% and 19%, respectively. Patients defined as responders by D-RECIST had a significantly longer median disease-free survival (DFS) than non-responders (p = 0.021; 12.9 versus 8.6 months). No significant difference was observed with RECIST (p = 0.524). In a Cox regression model, D-RECIST- but not RECIST-defined responses independently predicted the DFS (p = 0.034 and 0.811). D-RECIST-defined responses provided significant prognostic information, and thus may serve as a better response evaluation approach than RECIST in CRLM treated with bevacizumab-containing therapy. • Changes in arterial enhancement area and apparent diffusion coefficient value are associated with pathological response in colorectal liver metastases treated with bevacizumab. • The MRI-based response criteria developed by combining size-based and functional features can provide significant prognostic information.

A trial of antithrombotic therapy in patients with refractory migraine and antiphospholipid antibodies: A retrospective study of 75 patients

It has been reported that patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and refractory migraine may experience symptomatic improvement with antithrombotic therapy, but this phenomenon has not been well studied. This study was undertaken to detail the response to trials of antithrombotic therapy in these patients. This is a retrospective study of 75 patients with refractory migraine and aPL who were given a 2-4 week trial of aspirin, clopidogrel and/or anticoagulation. Major response was defined as 50-100% improvement in frequency and/or severity of migraine; minor response: 25-49% improvement; no response: <25% improvement. 66 patients were given a trial of aspirin: 47% responded (21% major); 60 patients were given a trial of clopidogrel: 83% responded (67% major); and 34 patients were given a trial of anticoagulation (usually apixaban): 94% responded (85% major). The response rate to any anti-thrombotic therapy was 89% (83% major). Many patients also noted improvement in non-headache symptoms. No patient experienced stroke. There was no major bleeding during any 2-4 week treatment trial and only 3 of 69 patients maintained on an antithrombotic regimen for a median follow up of 29.9 months (5-100) experienced major bleeding. There was a high rate of symptomatic response to antithrombotic therapy in this context and long-term follow up suggested an individualized symptom-derived antithrombotic regimen may be associated with a low bleeding risk. Our data support consideration of a 2-4 week trial of antithrombotic therapy, usually starting with antiplatelet therapy, in aPL-positive patients with refractory migraine, particularly if other treatment options have been exhausted. As a retrospective study, our data provide only Class IV level of evidence, but they suggest randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate these encouraging findings.

Comparison of the renal response of bortezomib-based induction and conventional regimen in multiple myeloma patients with renal failure

Aim: Vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone (VAD) was the commonly used first-line treatment for multiple myeloma (MM) patients with renal failure before bortezomib entered clinical practice. In this trial, we aimed to compare the effect of VAD and bortezomib-cyclophosphamide-dexamethasone (VCD) chemotherapy regimens on improving kidney function in MM patients with renal failure. Materials and Methods: The records of MM patients in our center between January 2010 and February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who received VAD or VCD as a first treatment chemotherapy protocol and whose initially estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 50 mL/min/1.73 m2 and below were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to the chemotherapy regimens they received. Results: Sixty one MM patients (VAD: 26, VCD: 35) were included in the study. No significant difference was found between the VAD and VCD groups when the baseline, 1st and 2nd month eGFRs were compared (p>0.05). Overall renal response rate (at least minor response) in the VCD group at the end of the 1st month were higher than in the VAD group (p=0.002). Also, renal response rate in the VCD group at the end of the 2nd month were higher than in the VAD group (p=0.033). Conclusion: In MM patients with renal insufficiency, overall renal response rates have increased with the use of VCD instead of VAD as a standard induction regimen.

Real-world effectiveness and safety of daratumumab, bortezomib and dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in Slovakia.

Real-world data on regimens for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) are limited. Daratumumab in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone is a promising new treatment. The aim of this analysis was to assess the outcomes of daratumumab-bortezomib-dexamethasone (DVd) combination for the treatment of patients with RRMM in a real-world setting. All consecutive RRMM patients who received at least two cycles of DVd treatment between December 2016 and July 2020 were identified. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and survival of 47 patients treated at 7 Slovak centers outside of the clinical trials. The median age was 65 years (range, 35 to 83). The median (range) number of lines of therapy per patient was 3 (2-6). All patients were previously exposed to PIs (proteasome inhibitors) and IMIDs (immunomodulatory drugs), the majority of patients (70.2%) had double refractory (IMIDs and PI) disease and 72.3% of patients were refractory to their last therapy. Most patients presented with high-risk characteristics, including 25.6% adverse cytogenetics and 25.5% extramedullary disease. The majority of patients responded with an overall response rate of 78%, we found complete response in 3, very good partial response in 22, partial response in 12, minor response or stable disease in 9, and progressive disease in 1 patient. After a median follow-up period of 8 months, the median progression-free survival was 10 months. There was a longer progression-free survival in those with 2 vs. >2 prior treatments, with equally good effectivity in standard-risk and high-risk cytogenetic groups. The adverse events were usually mild, none leading to permanent drug interruptions. Daratumumab-bortezomib-based combinations are efficacious and safe regimens in RRMM patients in the real-world setting. This is the first analysis in Slovakia addressing the DVd combination outside of the clinical trial setting.