Dupilumab for Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Patients 1 to 11 Years of Age.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab is a human monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways and has shown efficacy in five different atopic diseases marked by type 2 inflammation, including eosinophilic esophagitis in adults and adolescents. METHODS: In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 2:2:1:1 ratio, patients 1 to 11 years of age with active eosinophilic esophagitis who had had no response to proton-pump inhibitors to 16 weeks of a higher-exposure or lower-exposure subcutaneous dupilumab regimen or to placebo (two groups) (Part A). At the end of Part A, eligible patients in each dupilumab group continued the same regimen and those in the placebo groups were assigned to higher-exposure or lower-exposure dupilumab for 36 weeks (Part B). At each level of exposure, dupilumab was administered in one of four doses tiered according to baseline body weight. The primary end point was histologic remission (peak esophageal intraepithelial eosinophil count, ≤6 per high-power field) at week 16. Key secondary end points were tested hierarchically. RESULTS: In Part A, histologic remission occurred in 25 of the 37 patients (68%) in the higher-exposure group, in 18 of the 31 patients (58%) in the lower-exposure group, and in 1 of the 34 patients (3%) in the placebo group (difference between the higher-exposure regimen and placebo, 65 percentage points [95% confidence interval {CI}, 48 to 81; P<0.001]; difference between the lower-exposure regimen and placebo, 55 percentage points [95% CI, 37 to 73; P<0.001]). The higher-exposure dupilumab regimen led to significant improvements in histologic, endoscopic, and transcriptomic measures as compared with placebo. The improvements in histologic, endoscopic, and transcriptomic measures between baseline and week 52 in all the patients were generally similar to the improvements between baseline and week 16 in the patients who received dupilumab in Part A. In Part A, the incidence of coronavirus disease 2019, nausea, injection-site pain, and headache was at least 10 percentage points higher among the patients who received dupilumab (at either dose) than among those who received placebo. Serious adverse events were reported in 3 patients who received dupilumab during Part A and in 6 patients overall during Part B. CONCLUSIONS: Dupilumab resulted in histologic remission in a significantly higher percentage of children with eosinophilic esophagitis than placebo. The higher-exposure dupilumab regimen also led to improvements in measures of key secondary end points as compared with placebo. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; EoE KIDS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04394351.).

Mycobacterial Mutagenesis and Drug Resistance Are Controlled by Phosphorylation- and Cardiolipin-Mediated Inhibition of the RecA Coprotease.

Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis continues to cause substantial human mortality, in part because of the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance in tuberculosis is solely the result of chromosomal mutations that modify drug activators or targets, yet the mechanisms controlling the mycobacterial DNA-damage response (DDR) remain incompletely defined. Here, we identify RecA serine 207 as a multifunctional signaling hub that controls the DDR in mycobacteria. RecA S207 is phosphorylated after DNA damage, which suppresses the emergence of antibiotic resistance by selectively inhibiting the LexA coprotease function of RecA without affecting its ATPase or strand exchange functions. Additionally, RecA associates with the cytoplasmic membrane during the mycobacterial DDR, where cardiolipin can specifically inhibit the LexA coprotease function of unmodified, but not S207 phosphorylated, RecA. These findings reveal that RecA S207 controls mutagenesis and antibiotic resistance in mycobacteria through phosphorylation and cardiolipin-mediated inhibition of RecA coprotease function.

Dupilumab in Adults and Adolescents with Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, blocks interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 signaling, which have key roles in eosinophilic esophagitis. METHODS: We conducted a three-part, phase 3 trial in which patients 12 years of age or older underwent randomization in a 1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous dupilumab at a weekly dose of 300 mg or placebo (Part A) or in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 300 mg of dupilumab either weekly or every 2 weeks or weekly placebo (Part B) up to week 24. Eligible patients who completed Part A or Part B continued the trial in Part C, in which those who completed Part A received dupilumab at a weekly dose of 300 mg up to week 52 (the Part A-C group); Part C that included the eligible patients from Part B is ongoing. The two primary end points at week 24 were histologic remission (≤6 eosinophils per high-power field) and the change from baseline in the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ) score (range, 0 to 84, with higher values indicating more frequent or more severe dysphagia). RESULTS: In Part A, histologic remission occurred in 25 of 42 patients (60%) who received weekly dupilumab and in 2 of 39 patients (5%) who received placebo (difference, 55 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 40 to 71; P<0.001). In Part B, histologic remission occurred in 47 of 80 patients (59%) with weekly dupilumab, in 49 of 81 patients (60%) with dupilumab every 2 weeks, and in 5 of 79 patients (6%) with placebo (difference between weekly dupilumab and placebo, 54 percentage points; 95% CI, 41 to 66 [P<0.001]; difference between dupilumab every 2 weeks and placebo, 56 percentage points; 95% CI, 43 to 69 [not significant per hierarchical testing]). The mean (±SD) DSQ scores at baseline were 33.6±12.41 in Part A and 36.7±11.22 in Part B; the scores improved with weekly dupilumab as compared with placebo, with differences of -12.32 (95% CI, -19.11 to -5.54) in Part A and -9.92 (95% CI, -14.81 to -5.02) in Part B (both P<0.001) but not with dupilumab every 2 weeks (difference in Part B, -0.51; 95% CI, -5.42 to 4.41). Serious adverse events occurred in 9 patients during the Part A or B treatment period (in 7 who received weekly dupilumab, 1 who received dupilumab every 2 weeks, and 1 who received placebo) and in 1 patient in the Part A-C group during the Part C treatment period who received placebo in Part A and weekly dupilumab in Part C. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with eosinophilic esophagitis, subcutaneous dupilumab administered weekly improved histologic outcomes and alleviated symptoms of the disease. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03633617.).

Differential modulation of allergic rhinitis nasal transcriptome by dupilumab and allergy immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Nasal epithelial cells are important regulators of barrier function and immune signaling; however, in allergic rhinitis (AR) these functions can be disrupted by inflammatory mediators. We aimed to better discern AR disease mechanisms using transcriptome data from nasal brushing samples from individuals with and without AR. METHODS: Data were drawn from a feasibility study of individuals with and without AR to Timothy grass and from a clinical trial evaluating 16 weeks of treatment with the following: dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds interleukin (IL)-4Rα and inhibits type 2 inflammation by blocking signaling of both IL-4/IL-13; subcutaneous immunotherapy with Timothy grass (SCIT), which inhibits allergic responses through pleiotropic effects; SCIT + dupilumab; or placebo. Using nasal brushing samples from these studies, we defined distinct gene signatures in nasal tissue of AR disease and after nasal allergen challenge (NAC) and assessed how these signatures were modulated by study drug(s). RESULTS: Treatment with dupilumab (normalized enrichment score [NES] = -1.73, p = .002) or SCIT + dupilumab (NES = -2.55, p < .001), but not SCIT alone (NES = +1.16, p = .107), significantly repressed the AR disease signature. Dupilumab (NES = -2.55, p < .001), SCIT (NES = -2.99, p < .001), and SCIT + dupilumab (NES = -3.15, p < .001) all repressed the NAC gene signature. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate type 2 inflammation is an important contributor to the pathophysiology of AR disease and that inhibition of the type 2 pathway with dupilumab may normalize nasal tissue gene expression.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA Identifies Asymptomatic Infection in First Responders.

BACKGROUND: Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is an important component of the early immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Prior serosurveys in high-risk groups employing IgG testing alone have provided discordant estimates. The potential added benefit of IgA in serosurveys has not been established. METHODS: Longitudinal serosurvey of first responders (police, emergency medical service providers, fire fighters, and other staff) employing 3 serologic tests (anti-spike IgA, anti-spike IgG, and anti-nucleocapsid IgG) correlated with surveys assessing occupational and nonoccupational risk, exposure to COVID-19, and illnesses consistent with COVID-19. RESULTS: Twelve percent of first responders in Colorado at baseline and 22% at follow-up were assessed as having SARS-CoV-2 infection. Five percent at baseline and 6% at follow-up were seropositive only for IgA. Among those IgA positive only at baseline, the majority (69%) had a positive antibody at follow-up; 45% of those infected at baseline and 33% at follow-up were asymptomatic. At all time points, the estimated cumulative incidence in our study was higher than that in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: First responders are at high risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2. IgA testing identified a significant portion of cases missed by IgG testing and its use as part of serologic surveys may improve retrospective identification of asymptomatic infection.

Exploring the value of Mycobacterium tuberculosis modified lipoprotein as a potential biomarker for TB detection in children.

BACKGROUND: Current TB diagnostic methods available have been developed for adults and development efforts have neglected the differences in disease and sampling that occur between adults and children. Diagnostic challenges are even greater in HIV co-infected children and infants. METHODS AND RESULTS: We established a sandwich ELISA assay to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis modified lipoprotein (TLP) ex vivo in plasma. The study population contains plasma samples from 21 patients with active TB and 24 control samples with no TB, collected in the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trails (IMPAACT) P1041 study. Retrospective analysis was performed and the results demonstrate that the median plasma levels of TLP in control subjects are 2.7 fold higher than the median plasma values in active TB subjects (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma levels of TLP are elevated with active TB disease in HIV positive subjects and deserves further exploration as an indicator for TB detection in children.

Baseline Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Viral Load Is Associated With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Severity and Clinical Outcomes: Post Hoc Analyses of a Phase 2/3 Trial.

BACKGROUND: Elucidating the relationship between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load and clinical outcomes is critical for understanding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: The SARS-CoV-2 levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) of nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab specimens collected at baseline, and clinical outcomes were recorded over 60 days from 1362 COVID-19 hospitalized patients enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2/3 trial of sarilumab for COVID-19 (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04315298). RESULTS: In post hoc analyses, higher baseline viral load, measured by both RT-qPCR cycle threshold and log10 copies/mL, was associated with greater supplemental oxygenation requirements and disease severity at study entry. Higher baseline viral load was associated with higher mortality, lower likelihood of improvement in clinical status and supplemental oxygenation requirements, and lower rates of hospital discharge. Viral load was not impacted by sarilumab treatment over time versus placebo. CONCLUSIONS: These data support viral load as an important determinant of clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring supplemental oxygen or assisted ventilation.

IpdE1-IpdE2 Is a Heterotetrameric Acyl Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase That Is Widely Distributed in Steroid-Degrading Bacteria.

Steroid-degrading bacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), utilize an architecturally distinct subfamily of acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenases (ACADs) for steroid catabolism. These ACADs are α2ß2 heterotetramers that are usually encoded by adjacent fadE-like genes. In mycobacteria, ipdE1 and ipdE2 (formerly fadE30 and fadE33) occur in divergently transcribed operons associated with the catabolism of 3aα-H-4α(3'-propanoate)-7aß-methylhexahydro-1,5-indanedione (HIP), a steroid metabolite. In Mycobacterium smegmatis, ΔipdE1 and ΔipdE2 mutants had similar phenotypes, showing impaired growth on cholesterol and accumulating 5-OH HIP in the culture supernatant. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that IpdE1 and IpdE2 share many of the features of the α- and ß-subunits, respectively, of heterotetrameric ACADs that are encoded by adjacent genes in many steroid-degrading proteobacteria. When coproduced in a rhodococcal strain, IpdE1 and IpdE2 of Mtb formed a complex that catalyzed the dehydrogenation of 5OH-HIP coenzyme A (5OH-HIP-CoA) to 5OH-3aα-H-4α(3'-prop-1-enoate)-7aß-methylhexa-hydro-1,5-indanedione coenzyme A ((E)-5OH-HIPE-CoA). This corresponds to the initial step in the pathway that leads to degradation of steroid C and D rings via ß-oxidation. Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed that the IpdE1-IpdE2 complex was an α2ß2 heterotetramer typical of other ACADs involved in steroid catabolism. These results provide insight into an important class of steroid catabolic enzymes and a potential virulence determinant in Mtb.

Mammalian Target of Rapamycin: A Metabolic Rheostat for Regulating Adipose Tissue Function and Cardiovascular Health.

The complex relationship between diet and metabolism is an important contributor to cellular metabolism and health. Over the past few decades, a central role for mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) in the regulation of multiple cellular processes, including the response to food intake, maintaining homeostasis, and the pathogenesis of disease, has been shown. Herein, we first review our current understanding of the biochemical functions of mTOR and its response to fluctuations in hormone levels, like insulin. Second, we highlight the role of mTOR in lipogenesis, adipogenesis, ß-oxidation of lipids, and ketosis of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Special attention is paid to recent advances in mTOR signaling in white versus brown adipose tissues. Finally, we review how mTOR regulates cardiovascular health and disease. Together, these insights define a clearer picture of the connection between mTOR signaling, metabolic health, and disease.

Pathogen roid rage: cholesterol utilization by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The ability of science and medicine to control the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) requires an understanding of the complex host environment within which it resides. Pathological and biological evidence overwhelmingly demonstrate how the mammalian steroid cholesterol is present throughout the course of infection. Better understanding Mtb requires a more complete understanding of how it utilizes molecules like cholesterol in this environment to sustain the infection of the host. Cholesterol uptake, catabolism and broader utilization are important for maintenance of the pathogen in the host and it has been experimentally validated to contribute to virulence and pathogenesis. Cholesterol is catabolized by at least three distinct sub-pathways, two for the ring system and one for the side chain, yielding dozens of steroid intermediates with varying biochemical properties. Our ability to control this worldwide infectious agent requires a greater knowledge of how Mtb uses cholesterol to its advantage throughout the course of infection. Herein, the current state of knowledge of cholesterol metabolism by Mtb is reviewed from a biochemical perspective with a focus on the metabolic genes and pathways responsible for cholesterol steroid catabolism.

Digital wearable insole-based identification of knee arthropathies and gait signatures using machine learning.

Gait is impaired in musculoskeletal conditions, such as knee arthropathy. Gait analysis is used in clinical practice to inform diagnosis and monitor disease progression or intervention response. However, clinical gait analysis relies on subjective visual observation of walking as objective gait analysis has not been possible within clinical settings due to the expensive equipment, large-scale facilities, and highly trained staff required. Relatively low-cost wearable digital insoles may offer a solution to these challenges. In this work, we demonstrate how a digital insole measuring osteoarthritis-specific gait signatures yields similar results to the clinical gait-lab standard. To achieve this, we constructed a machine learning model, trained on force plate data collected in participants with knee arthropathy and controls. This model was highly predictive of force plate data from a validation set (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve [auROC] = 0.86; area under the precision-recall curve [auPR] = 0.90) and of a separate, independent digital insole dataset containing control and knee osteoarthritis subjects (auROC = 0.83; auPR = 0.86). After showing that digital insole-derived gait characteristics are comparable to traditional gait measurements, we next showed that a single stride of raw sensor time-series data could be accurately assigned to each subject, highlighting that individuals using digital insoles can be identified by their gait characteristics. This work provides a framework for a promising alternative to traditional clinical gait analysis methods, adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding wearable technology analytical pipelines, and supports clinical development of at-home gait assessments, with the potential to improve the ease, frequency, and depth of patient monitoring.

The way we walk ­ our 'gait' ­ is a key indicator of health. Gait irregularities like limping, shuffling or a slow pace can be signs of muscle or joint problems. Assessing a patient's gait is therefore an important element in diagnosing these conditions, and in evaluating whether treatments are working. Gait is often assessed via a simple visual inspection, with patients being asked to walk back and forth in a doctor's office. While quick and easy, this approach is highly subjective and therefore imprecise. 'Objective gait analysis' is a more accurate alternative, but it relies on tests being conducted in specialised laboratories with large-scale, expensive equipment operated by highly trained staff. Unfortunately, this means that gait laboratories are not accessible for everyday clinical use. In response, Wipperman et al. aimed to develop a low-cost alternative to the complex equipment used in gait laboratories. To do this, they harnessed wearable sensor technologies ­ devices that can directly measure physiological data while embedded in clothing or attached to the user. Wearable sensors have the advantage of being cheap, easy to use, and able to provide clinically useful information without specially trained staff. Wipperman et al. analysed data from classic gait laboratory devices, as well as 'digital insoles' equipped with sensors that captured foot movements and pressure as participants walked. The analysis first 'trained' on data from gait laboratories (called force plates) and then applied the method to gait measurements obtained from digital insoles worn by either healthy participants or patients with knee problems. Analysis of the pressure data from the insoles confirmed that they could accurately predict which measurements were from healthy individuals, and which were from patients. The gait characteristics detected by the insoles were also comparable to lab-based measurements ­ in other words, the insoles provided similar type and quality of data as a gait laboratory. Further analysis revealed that information from just a single step could reveal additional information about the subject's walking. These results support the use of wearable devices as a simple and relatively inexpensive way to measure gait in everyday clinical practice, without the need for specialised laboratories and visits to the doctor's office. Although the digital insoles will require further analytical and clinical study before they can be widely used, Wipperman et al. hope they will eventually make monitoring muscle and joint conditions easier and more affordable.

Shrinking the FadE proteome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: insights into cholesterol metabolism through identification of an α2ß2 heterotetrameric acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase family.

The ability of the pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis to metabolize steroids like cholesterol and the roles that these compounds play in the virulence and pathogenesis of this organism are increasingly evident. Here, we demonstrate through experiments and bioinformatic analysis the existence of an architecturally distinct subfamily of acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) dehydrogenase (ACAD) enzymes that are α2ß2 heterotetramers with two active sites. These enzymes are encoded by two adjacent ACAD (fadE) genes that are regulated by cholesterol. FadE26-FadE27 catalyzes the dehydrogenation of 3ß-hydroxy-chol-5-en-24-oyl-CoA, an analog of the 5-carbon side chain cholesterol degradation intermediate. Genes encoding the α2ß2 heterotetrameric ACAD structures are present in multiple regions of the M. tuberculosis genome, and subsets of these genes are regulated by four different transcriptional repressors or activators: KstR1 (also known as KstR), KstR2, Mce3R, and SigE. Homologous ACAD gene pairs are found in other Actinobacteria, as well as Proteobacteria. Their structures and genomic locations suggest that the α2ß2 heterotetrameric structural motif has evolved to enable catalysis of dehydrogenation of steroid- or polycyclic-CoA substrates and that they function in four subpathways of cholesterol metabolism.

Experimental evidence of a cyclopropylcarbinyl conjugative electronic effect.

Bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-enes undergo thermal rearrangement to norbornenes via diradical transition structures. The synthesis of exo-7-cyclopropylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene has been achieved by cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene and cyclopropylketene, generated by treatment of cyclopropylacetyl chloride with triethylamine. A comparison of the cyclopropyl substituent effect with that of other C7 substituents provides experimental evidence of an electron-donating conjugative effect on the transient diradical transition structure in the thermal reaction of exo-7-cyclopropylbicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene.

Defining a Unique Gene Expression Profile in Mature and Developing Keloids.

Keloids are benign, fibroproliferative dermal tumors that typically form owing to abnormal wound healing. The current standard of care is generally ineffective and does not prevent recurrence. To characterize keloid scars and better understand the mechanism of their formation, we performed transcriptomic profiling of keloid biopsies from a total of 25 subjects of diverse racial and ethnic origins, 15 of whom provided a paired nonlesional sample, a longitudinal sample, or both. The transcriptomic signature of nonlesional skin biopsies from subjects with keloids resembled that of control skin at baseline but shifted to closely match that of keloid skin after dermal trauma. Peripheral keloid skin and rebiopsied surrounding normal skin both showed upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers, extracellular matrix organization, and collagen genes. These keloid signatures strongly overlapped those from healthy wound healing studies, usually with greater perturbations, reinforcing our understanding of keloids as dysregulated and exuberant wound healing. In addition, 219 genes uniquely regulated in keloids but not in normal injured or uninjured skin were also identified. This study provides insights into mature and developing keloid signatures that can act as a basis for further validation and target identification in the search for transformative keloid treatments.

Association of complement pathways with COVID-19 severity and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Complement activation has been implicated in COVID-19 pathogenesis. This study aimed to assess the levels of complement activation products and full-length proteins in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, and evaluated whether complement pathway markers are associated with outcomes. METHODS: Longitudinal measurements of complement biomarkers from 89 hospitalized adult patients, grouped by baseline disease severity, enrolled in an adaptive, phase 2/3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and treated with intravenous sarilumab (200 mg or 400 mg) or placebo (NCT04315298), were performed. These measurements were then correlated with clinical and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: All complement pathways were activated in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Alternative pathway activation was predominant earlier in the disease course. Complement biomarkers correlated with multiple variables of multi-organ dysfunction and inflammatory injury. High plasma sC5b-9, C3a, factor Bb levels, and low mannan-binding lectin levels were associated with increased mortality. Sarilumab treatment showed a modest inhibitory effect on complement activation. Moreover, sera from patients spontaneously deposited C5b-9 complex on the endothelial surface ex vivo, suggesting a microvascular thrombotic potential. CONCLUSION: These results advance our understanding of COVID-19 disease pathophysiology and demonstrate the importance of specific complement pathway components as prognostic biomarkers in COVID-19.

Thermal isomerizations of cis,anti,cis-tricyclo[7.4.0.0(2,8)]tridec-10-ene.

cis,anti,cis-Tricyclo[7.4.0.0(2,8)]tridec-10-ene (13TCT) undergoes [1,3] sigmatropic rearrangements at 315 °C in the gas phase to the si product 1 and to the sr product 2 with si/sr = 2.1. The dominant thermal isomerization process, however, is epimerization at C8 to afford product 3. That stereomutation at C8 occurs 50% faster than the si and sr shifts combined.

Elevated serum IgA following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of high-risk first responders.

IgA plays an important early neutralizing role after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Systemically administered vaccines typically produce an IgM/IgG predominant response. We evaluated the serum anti-spike (anti-S) IgG, anti-nucleocapsid (anti-N) IgG and anti-S IgA response following vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of first-responders. Among the 378 completely vaccinated participants, 98% were positive for anti-S IgG and 96% were positive for anti-S IgA. Nine percent were positive for anti-N IgG suggesting prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2. No statistically significant difference was seen in IgA response based on prior evidence infection (p = 0.18). Ninety-eight of those receiving the Moderna vaccine (98%) were positive for anti-S IgA as compared to 91% of those who received the Pfizer vaccine (p = 0.0009). The high proportion of participants observed to have a positive anti-S IgA response after vaccination suggests that the vaccines elicit a systemic response characterized by elevated levels of both IgG and IgA.

A pilot study of the Earable device to measure facial muscle and eye movement tasks among healthy volunteers.

The Earable device is a behind-the-ear wearable originally developed to measure cognitive function. Since Earable measures electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG), and electrooculography (EOG), it may also have the potential to objectively quantify facial muscle and eye movement activities relevant in the assessment of neuromuscular disorders. As an initial step to developing a digital assessment in neuromuscular disorders, a pilot study was conducted to determine whether the Earable device could be utilized to objectively measure facial muscle and eye movements intended to be representative of Performance Outcome Assessments, (PerfOs) with tasks designed to model clinical PerfOs, referred to as mock-PerfO activities. The specific aims of this study were: To determine whether the Earable raw EMG, EOG, and EEG signals could be processed to extract features describing these waveforms; To determine Earable feature data quality, test re-test reliability, and statistical properties; To determine whether features derived from Earable could be used to determine the difference between various facial muscle and eye movement activities; and, To determine what features and feature types are important for mock-PerfO activity level classification. A total of N = 10 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Each study participant performed 16 mock-PerfOs activities, including talking, chewing, swallowing, eye closure, gazing in different directions, puffing cheeks, chewing an apple, and making various facial expressions. Each activity was repeated four times in the morning and four times at night. A total of 161 summary features were extracted from the EEG, EMG, and EOG bio-sensor data. Feature vectors were used as input to machine learning models to classify the mock-PerfO activities, and model performance was evaluated on a held-out test set. Additionally, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was used to classify low-level representations of the raw bio-sensor data for each task, and model performance was correspondingly evaluated and compared directly to feature classification performance. The model's prediction accuracy on the Earable device's classification ability was quantitatively assessed. Study results indicate that Earable can potentially quantify different aspects of facial and eye movements and may be used to differentiate mock-PerfO activities. Specially, Earable was found to differentiate talking, chewing, and swallowing tasks from other tasks with observed F1 scores >0.9. While EMG features contribute to classification accuracy for all tasks, EOG features are important for classifying gaze tasks. Finally, we found that analysis with summary features outperformed a CNN for activity classification. We believe Earable may be used to measure cranial muscle activity relevant for neuromuscular disorder assessment. Classification performance of mock-PerfO activities with summary features enables a strategy for detecting disease-specific signals relative to controls, as well as the monitoring of intra-subject treatment responses. Further testing is needed to evaluate the Earable device in clinical populations and clinical development settings.

Influence of the early-life gut microbiota on the immune responses to an inhaled allergen.

Antibiotics, among the most used medications in children, affect gut microbiome communities and metabolic functions. These changes in microbiota structure can impact host immunity. We hypothesized that early-life microbiome alterations would lead to increased susceptibility to allergy and asthma. To test this, mouse pups between postnatal days 5-9 were orally exposed to water (control) or to therapeutic doses of azithromycin or amoxicillin. Later in life, these mice were sensitized and challenged with a model allergen, house dust mite (HDM), or saline. Mice with early-life azithromycin exposure that were challenged with HDM had increased IgE and IL-13 production by CD4+ T cells compared to unexposed mice; early-life amoxicillin exposure led to fewer abnormalities. To test that the microbiota contained the immunological cues to alter IgE and cytokine production after HDM challenge, germ-free mice were gavaged with fecal samples of the antibiotic-perturbed microbiota. Gavage of adult germ-free mice did not result in altered HDM responses, however, their offspring, which acquired the antibiotic-perturbed microbiota at birth showed elevated IgE levels and CD4+ cytokines in response to HDM, and altered airway reactivity. These studies indicate that early-life microbiota composition can heighten allergen-driven Th2/Th17 immune pathways and airway responses in an age-dependent manner.

The Activin/FLRG Pathway Associates with Poor COVID-19 Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients.

A subset of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, particularly the aged and those with comorbidities, develop the most severe form of the disease, characterized by acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS), coincident with experiencing a "cytokine storm." Here, we demonstrate that cytokines which activate the NF-κB pathway can induce activin A. Patients with elevated activin A, activin B, and FLRG at hospital admission were associated with the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, including the requirement for mechanical ventilation, and all-cause mortality. A prior study showed that activin A could decrease viral load, which indicated there might be a risk to giving COVID-19 patients an inhibitor of activin. To evaluate this, the role for activin A was examined in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, via blockade of activin A signaling. The hamster model demonstrated that use of an anti-activin A antibody did not worsen the disease and there was no evidence for increase in lung viral load and pathology. The study indicates blockade of activin signaling may be beneficial in treating COVID-19 patients experiencing ARDS.