Induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without sintilimab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China (CONTINUUM): a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the role of PD-1 blockade remains unknown in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the addition of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, to standard chemoradiotherapy in this patient population. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was conducted at nine hospitals in China. Adults aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed high-risk non-metastatic stage III-IVa locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (excluding T3-4N0 and T3N1) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using blocks of four to receive gemcitabine and cisplatin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent cisplatin radiotherapy (standard therapy group) or standard therapy with 200 mg sintilimab intravenously once every 3 weeks for 12 cycles (comprising three induction, three concurrent, and six adjuvant cycles to radiotherapy; sintilimab group). The primary endpoint was event-free survival from randomisation to disease recurrence (locoregional or distant) or death from any cause in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints included adverse events. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03700476) and is now completed; follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 21, 2018, and March 31, 2020, 425 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the sintilimab (n=210) or standard therapy groups (n=215). At median follow-up of 41·9 months (IQR 38·0-44·8; 389 alive at primary data cutoff [Feb 28, 2023] and 366 [94%] had at least 36 months of follow-up), event-free survival was higher in the sintilimab group compared with the standard therapy group (36-month rates 86% [95% CI 81-90] vs 76% [70-81]; stratified hazard ratio 0·59 [0·38-0·92]; p=0·019). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 155 (74%) in the sintilimab group versus 140 (65%) in the standard therapy group, with the most common being stomatitis (68 [33%] vs 64 [30%]), leukopenia (54 [26%] vs 48 [22%]), and neutropenia (50 [24%] vs 46 [21%]). Two (1%) patients died in the sintilimab group (both considered to be immune-related) and one (<1%) in the standard therapy group. Grade 3-4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 20 (10%) patients in the sintilimab group. INTERPRETATION: Addition of sintilimab to chemoradiotherapy improved event-free survival, albeit with higher but manageable adverse events. Longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether this regimen can be considered as the standard of care for patients with high-risk locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation, Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission, and Cancer Innovative Research Program of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

In vivo efficacy of phage cocktails against carbapenem resistance Acinetobacter baumannii in the rat pneumonia model.

Acinetobacter baumannii, an opportunistic pathogen, poses a significant threat in intensive care units, leading to severe nosocomial infections. The rise of multi-drug-resistant strains, particularly carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii, has created formidable challenges for effective treatment. Given the prolonged development cycle and high costs associated with antibiotics, phages have garnered clinical attention as an alternative for combating infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. However, the utilization of phage therapy encounters notable challenges, including the narrow host spectrum, where each phage targets a limited subset of bacteria, increasing the risk of phage resistance development. Additionally, uncertainties in immune system dynamics during treatment hinder tailoring symptomatic interventions based on patient-specific states. In this study, we isolated two A. baumannii phages from wastewater and conducted a comprehensive assessment of their potential applications. This evaluation included sequencing analysis, genome classification, pH and temperature stability assessments, and in vitro bacterial inhibition assays. Further investigations involved analyzing histological and cytokine alterations in rats undergoing phage cocktail treatment for pneumonia. The therapeutic efficacy of the phages was validated, and transcriptomic studies of rat lung tissue during phage treatment revealed crucial changes in the immune system. The findings from our study underscore the potential of phages for future development as a treatment strategy and offer compelling evidence regarding immune system dynamics throughout the treatment process.IMPORTANCEDue to the growing problem of multi-drug-resistant bacteria, the use of phages is being considered as an alternative to antibiotics, and the genetic safety and application stability of phages determine the potential of phage application. The absence of drug resistance genes and virulence genes in the phage genome can ensure the safety of phage application, and the fact that phage can remain active in a wide range of temperatures and pH is also necessary for application. In addition, the effect evaluation of preclinical studies is especially important for clinical application. By simulating the immune response situation during the treatment process through mammalian models, the changes in animal immunity can be observed, and the effect of phage therapy can be further evaluated. Our study provides compelling evidence that phages hold promise for further development as therapeutic agents for Acinetobacter baumannii infections.

Access to colorectal cancer screening in populations in China, 2020: A coverage-focused synthesis analysis.

In populations in China, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can be mainly accessed through organized screening, opportunistic screening, and physical examination. This screening intervention is found to be effective but the exact coverage rate is difficult to measure. Based on data from published articles, official websites, and available program reports, the screening coverage rate and related indicators were quantified. A rapid review was then conducted to estimate the overall and the breakdown coverage rates of the sub-type screening services, by leveraging the numbers of articles and the by-type median sample sizes. Up to 2020, two central government-funded and four provincial/municipal-level organized CRC screening programs have been initiated and included in this analysis. For populations aged 40-74, the estimated coverage rate of organized programs in China was 2.7% in 2020, and the 2-year cumulative coverage rate in 2019-2020 was 5.3% and the 3-year cumulative coverage rate in 2018-2020 was 7.7%. The corresponding coverage rates of 50-74-year-olds were estimated to be 3.4%, 7.1%, and 10.3%, respectively. Based on the rapid review approach, the overall screening coverage rate for 40-74 years, considering organized screening programs, opportunistic screening, and physical examinations, was then estimated to be 3.0% in China in 2020. However, comparing the findings of this study with the number of health check-ups reported in the local national health statistics yearbooks suggests that the number of CRC physical examinations may be underestimated in this study. The findings suggest that further efforts are needed to improve population access to CRC screening in China. Furthermore, evidence for access to opportunistic CRC screening and physical examination is limited, and more quantitative investigation is needed.

Ketogenic diet ameliorates high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance in mouse skeletal muscle by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress.

OBJECTIVE: Ketogenic diets (KD) have been shown to alleviate insulin resistance (IR) by exerting anti-lipogenic and insulin sensitizing effects in the liver through a variety of pathways. The present study sought to investigate whether a ketogenic diet also improves insulin sensitization in skeletal muscle cells through alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress. METHODS: High-fat diet-induced IR mice were allowed to a 2-week ketogenic diet. Insulin resistance and glucose tolerance were evaluated through GTT, ITT, and HOMA-IR. The C2C12 myoblasts exposed to palmitic acid were used to evaluate the insulin sensitization effects of ß-hydroxybutyric acid (ß-OHB). Molecular mechanisms concerning ER stress signaling activation and glucose uptake were assessed. RESULTS: The AKT/GSK3ß pathway was inhibited, ER stress signaling associated with IRE1, PERK, and BIP was activated, and the number of Glut4 proteins translocated to membrane decreased in the muscle of HFD mice. However, all these changes were reversed after 2 weeks of feeding on a ketogenic diet. Consistently in C2C12 myoblasts, the AKT/GSK3ß pathway was inhibited by palmitic acid (PA) treatment. The endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins, IRE1, and BIP were increased, and the number of Glut4 proteins on the cell membrane decreased. However, ß-OHB treatment alleviated ER stress and improved the glucose uptake of C2C12 cells. CONCLUSION: Our data reveal that KD ameliorated HFD-induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, which was partially mediated by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress. The insulin sensitization effect of ß-OHB is associated with up regulation of AKT/GSK3ß pathway and the increase in the number of Glut4 proteins on the cell membrane.

The optimal threshold of PD-L1 combined positive score to predict the benefit of PD-1 antibody plus chemotherapy for patients with HER2-negative gastric adenocarcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with chemotherapy have become the first-line treatment of metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas (GEACs). This study aims to figure out the optimal combined positive score (CPS) cutoff value. METHODS: We searched for randomized phase III trials to investigate the efficacy of ICIs plus chemotherapy for metastatic GEACs compared with chemotherapy alone. Pooled analyses of hazard ratios (HRs) based on PD-L1 expression were performed. RESULTS: A total of six trials (KEYNOTE-062, KEYNOTE-590, KEYNOTE-859, ATTRACTION-04, CheckMate 649, and ORIENT-16) were included, comprising 5,242 patients. ICIs plus chemotherapy significantly improved OS (HR: 0.79, 95% CI 0.72-0.86 in global patients; HR: 0.75, 95% CI 0.57-0.98 in Asian patients) and PFS (HR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.68-0.82 in global patients; HR: 0.64, 95% CI 0.56-0.73 in Asian patients) compared with chemotherapy alone. The differences in OS (ratio of HR: 1.05, 95% CI 0.79-1.40; predictive value: - 5.1%) and PFS (ratio of HR: 1.16, 95% CI 0.98-1.36; predictive value: - 13.5%) were not statistically significant between the global and Asian patients. Subgroup analyses indicated that the optimal CPS threshold was at ≥ 5 for OS and ≥ 10 for PFS with the highest predictive values. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit derived from ICIs plus chemotherapy is similar between Asian and global GEAC patients. However, those with a PD-L1 CPS < 5 or CPS < 10 may not have significant benefits from ICIs therapy. Therefore, it is advisable to routinely assess PD-L1 expression in GEAC patients considered for ICIs treatment.

Long-term and multiscale assessment of methanogenesis enhancement mechanisms in magnetite nanoparticle-mediated anaerobic digestion reactor.

Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) have been demonstrated to be involved in direct interspecies electron transfer between syntrophic bacteria, yet a comprehensive assessment of the ability of Fe3O4-NPs to cope with process instability and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulation in scaled-up anaerobic reactors is still lacking. Here, we investigated the start-up characteristics of an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) with Fe3O4-NPs as an adjuvant at high organic loading rate (OLR). The results showed that the methane production rate of R1 (with Fe3O4-NPs) was approximately 1.65 folds of R0 (control), and effluent COD removal efficiency was maintained at approximately 98.32% upon 20 kg COD/(m3·d) OLR. The components of volatile fatty acids are acetate and propionate, and the rapid scavenging of propionate accumulation was the difference between R1 and the control. The INT-ETS activity of R1 was consistently higher than that of R0 and R2, and the electron transfer efficiencies increased by 68.78% and 131.44%, respectively. Meanwhile, the CV curve analysis showed that the current of R1 was 40% higher than R3 (temporary addition of Fe3O4-NPs), indicating that multiple electron transfer modes might coexist. High-throughput analysis further revealed that it was difficult to reverse the progressive deterioration of system performance with increasing OLR by simply reconfiguring bacterial community structure and abundance, demonstrating that the Fe3O4-NPs-mediated DIET pathway is a prerequisite for establishing multiple electron transfer systems. This study provides a long-term and multi-scale assessment of the gaining effect of Fe3O4-NPs in anaerobic digestion scale-up devices, and provides technical support for their practical engineering applications.

A novel Saclayvirus Acinetobacter baumannii phage genomic analysis and effectiveness in preventing pneumonia.

Acinetobacter baumannii, which is resistant to multiple drugs, is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe nosocomial infections. With no antibiotics available, phages have obtained clinical attention. However, since immunocompromised patients are often susceptible to infection, the appropriate timing of administration is particularly important. During this research, we obtained a lytic phage vB_AbaM_P1 that specifically targets A. baumannii. We then assessed its potential as a prophylactic treatment for lung infections caused by clinical strains. The virus experiences a period of inactivity lasting 30 min and produces approximately 788 particles during an outbreak. Transmission electron microscopy shows that vB_AbaM_P1 was similar to the Saclayvirus. Based on the analysis of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics, vB_AbaM_P1 consists of 107537 bases with a G + C content of 37.68%. It contains a total of 177 open reading frames and 14 tRNAs. No antibiotic genes were detected. In vivo experiments, using a cyclophosphamide-induced neutrophil deficiency model, tested the protective effect of phage on neutrophil-deficient rats by prophylactic application of phage. The use of phages resulted in a decrease in rat mortality caused by A. baumannii and a reduction in the bacterial burden in the lungs. Histologic examination of lung tissue revealed a decrease in the presence of immune cells. The presence of phage vB_AbaM_P1 had a notable impact on preventing A. baumannii infection, as evidenced by the decrease in oxidative stress in lung tissue and cytokine levels in serum. Our research offers more robust evidence for the early utilization of bacteriophages to mitigate A. baumannii infection. KEY POINTS: •A novel Saclayvirus phage infecting A. baumannii was isolated from sewage. •The whole genome was determined, analyzed, and compared to other phages. •Assaying the effect of phage in preventing infection in neutrophil-deficient models.

Risk-stratified Approach for Never- and Ever-Smokers in Lung Cancer Screening: A Prospective Cohort Study in China.

Rationale: Over 40% of lung cancer cases occurred in never-smokers in China. However, high-risk never-smokers were precluded from benefiting from lung cancer screening as most screening guidelines did not consider them. Objectives: We sought to develop and validate prediction models for 3-year lung cancer risks for never- and ever-smokers, named the China National Cancer Center Lung Cancer models (China NCC-LCm2021 models). Methods: 425,626 never-smokers and 128,952 ever-smokers from the National Lung Cancer Screening program were used as the training cohort and analyzed using multivariable Cox models. Models were validated in two independent prospective cohorts: one included 369,650 never-smokers and 107,678 ever-smokers (841 and 421 lung cancers), and the other included 286,327 never-smokers and 78,469 ever-smokers (503 and 127 lung cancers). Measurements and Main Results: The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves in the two validation cohorts were 0.698 and 0.673 for never-smokers and 0.728 and 0.752 for ever-smokers. Our models had higher areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves than other existing models and were well calibrated in the validation cohort. The China NCC-LCm2021 ⩾0.47% threshold was suggested for never-smokers and ⩾0.51% for ever-smokers. Moreover, we provided a range of threshold options with corresponding expected screening outcomes, screening targets, and screening efficiency. Conclusion: The construction of the China NCC-LCm2021 models can accurately reflect individual risk of lung cancer, regardless of smoking status. Our models can significantly increase the feasibility of conducting centralized lung cancer screening programs because we provide justified thresholds to define the high-risk population of lung cancer and threshold options to adapt different configurations of medical resources.

Toripalimab combined with definitive chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (EC-CRT-001): a single-arm, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Toripalimab is a PD-1 inhibitor that is approved for the treatment of advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but its efficacy in locally advanced disease is unclear. We administered toripalimab with definitive chemoradiotherapy to patients with unresectable locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and aimed to investigate the activity and safety of this regimen, and potential biomarkers. METHODS: EC-CRT-001 was a single-arm, phase 2 trial done at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, China). Patients aged 18-70 years with untreated, unresectable, stage I-IVA oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, with an ECOG performance status of 0-2, and adequate organ and bone marrow function were eligible for inclusion. Patients received concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (50·4 Gy in 28 fractions), chemotherapy (five cycles of weekly intravenous paclitaxel [50 mg/m2] and cisplatin [25 mg/m2]), and toripalimab (240 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 1 year, or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity). The primary endpoint was the complete response rate at 3 months after radiotherapy by investigator assessment. Secondary endpoints were overall survival, progression-free survival, duration of response, quality of life (not reported here), and safety. All enrolled patients were included in the activity and safety analyses. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04005170; enrolment is completed and follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Nov 12, 2019, and Jan 25, 2021, 42 patients were enrolled. The median age was 56 years (IQR 53-63), 39 (93%) of 42 patients had stage III or IVA disease, and 32 (76%) patients were male and 10 (24%) were female. 40 (95%) of 42 patients completed the planned chemoradiotherapy and 26 (62%; 95% CI 46-76) of 42 had a complete response. The median duration of response was 12·1 months (95% CI 5·9-18·2). After a median follow-up of 14·9 months (IQR 11·9-18·4), 1-year overall survival was 78·4% (95% CI 66·9-92·0) and 1-year progression-free survival was 54·5% (41·3-72·0). The most common grade 3 or worse adverse event was lymphopenia (36 [86%] of 42). One (2%) patient died from treatment-related pneumonitis. INTERPRETATION: Combining toripalimab with definitive chemoradiotherapy provided encouraging activity and acceptable toxicity in patients with locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and this regimen warrants further investigation. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China and Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangzhou. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine versus cisplatin-fluorouracil chemotherapy for N2-3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with N2-3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma have a high risk of treatment being unsuccessful despite the current practice of using a concurrent adjuvant cisplatin-fluorouracil regimen. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of concurrent adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine with cisplatin-fluorouracil in N2-3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: We conducted an open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial at four cancer centres in China. Eligible patients were aged 18-65 years with untreated, non-keratinising, stage T1-4 N2-3 M0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0-1, and adequate bone marrow, liver, and renal function. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive concurrent cisplatin (100 mg/m2 intravenously) on days 1, 22, and 43 of intensity-modulated radiotherapy followed by either gemcitabine (1 g/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 intravenously for 4 h on day 1) once every 3 weeks or fluorouracil (4 g/m2 in continuous intravenous infusion for 96 h) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 intravenously for 4 h on day 1) once every 4 weeks, for three cycles. Randomisation was done using a computer-generated random number code with a block size of six, stratified by treatment centre and nodal category. The primary endpoint was 3-year progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population (ie, all patients randomly assigned to treatment). Safety was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of chemoradiotherapy. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03321539, and patients are currently under follow-up. FINDINGS: From Oct 30, 2017, to July 9, 2020, 240 patients (median age 44 years [IQR 36-52]; 175 [73%] male and 65 [27%] female) were randomly assigned to the cisplatin-fluorouracil group (n=120) or cisplatin-gemcitabine group (n=120). As of data cutoff (Dec 25, 2022), median follow-up was 40 months (IQR 32-48). 3-year progression-free survival was 83·9% (95% CI 75·9-89·4; 19 disease progressions and 11 deaths) in the cisplatin-gemcitabine group and 71·5% (62·5-78·7; 34 disease progressions and seven deaths) in the cisplatin-fluorouracil group (stratified hazard ratio 0·54 [95% CI 0·32-0·93]; log rank p=0·023). The most common grade 3 or worse adverse events that occurred during treatment were leukopenia (61 [52%] of 117 in the cisplatin-gemcitabine group vs 34 [29%] of 116 in the cisplatin-fluorouracil group; p=0·00039), neutropenia (37 [32%] vs 19 [16%]; p=0·010), and mucositis (27 [23%] vs 32 [28%]; p=0·43). The most common grade 3 or worse late adverse event (occurring from 3 months after completion of radiotherapy) was auditory or hearing loss (six [5%] vs ten [9%]). One (1%) patient in the cisplatin-gemcitabine group died due to treatment-related complications (septic shock caused by neutropenic infection). No patients in the cisplatin-fluorouracil group had treatment-related deaths. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that concurrent adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine could be used as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of patients with N2-3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, although long-term follow-up is required to confirm the optimal therapeutic ratio. FUNDING: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research, Sci-Tech Project Foundation of Guangzhou City, Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program, Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in Shanghai, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province for Distinguished Young Scholar, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program, Pearl River S&T Nova Program of Guangzhou, Planned Science and Technology Project of Guangdong Province, Key Youth Teacher Cultivating Program of Sun Yat-sen University, the Rural Science and Technology Commissioner Program of Guangdong Province, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Modifiable risk-attributable and age-related burden of lung cancer in China, 1990-2019.

BACKGROUND: There were limited studies on the quantification of the modifiable and nonmodifiable lung cancer burden over time in China. Furthermore, the potential effect of risk factor reduction for lung cancer on gains in life expectancy (LE) remains unknown. METHODS: This study explored temporal trends in lung cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) attributable to modifiable risk factors from 1990 to 2019, based on the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study. The abridged period life table method was used to quantify the effect of risk factors on LE. The authors used the decomposition approach to estimate contributions of aging metrics to change in the lung cancer burden. RESULTS: Nationally, the majority of lung cancer deaths and DALYs were attributable to behavioral and environmental risk clusters. Potential gains in life expectancy (PGLE) at birth would be 0.78 years for males and 0.35 years for females if the exposure to risk factors was mitigated to the theoretical minimum level. Tobacco use had the most robust impact on LE for both sexes (PGLE: 0.71 years for males and 0.19 years for females). From 1990 to 2019, risk-attributable age-standardized death and DALY rates of lung cancer showed an increasing trend in both sexes; adult population growth imposed 245.9 thousand deaths and 6.2 million DALYs for lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The modifiable risk-attributable lung cancer burden remains high in China. Effective tobacco control is the critical step toward addressing the lung cancer burden. Adult population growth was the foremost driver of transition in the age-related lung cancer burden. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We estimate the lung cancer burden attributable to modifiable and nonmodifiable contributors and the effect of risk factor reduction for lung cancer on the life expectancy in China. The findings suggest that the majority of lung cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life years were attributable to behavioral risk clusters, and the risk-attributable lung cancer burden increased nationally from 1990 to 2019. The average gains in life expectancy would be 0.78 years for males and 0.35 years for females if the exposure to risk factors for lung cancer was reduced to the theoretical minimum risk exposure level. Adult population growth was identified as the foremost driver of variation in the aging lung cancer burden.

Microbial production of trans-aconitic acid.

Trans-aconitic acid (TAA) is a promising bio-based chemical with the structure of unsaturated tricarboxylic acid, and also has the potential to be a non-toxic nematicide as a potent inhibitor of aconitase. However, TAA has not been commercialized because the traditional production processes of plant extraction and chemical synthesis cannot achieve large-scale production at a low cost. The availability of TAA is a serious obstacle to its widespread application. In this study, we developed an efficient microbial synthesis and fermentation production process for TAA. An engineered Aspergillus terreus strain producing cis-aconitic acid and TAA was constructed by blocking itaconic acid biosynthesis in the industrial itaconic acid-producing strain. Through heterologous expression of exogenous aconitate isomerase, we further designed a more efficient cell factory to specifically produce TAA. Subsequently, the fermentation process was developed and scaled up step-by-step, achieving a TAA titer of 60 g L-1 at the demonstration scale of a 20 m3 fermenter. Finally, the field evaluation of the produced TAA for control of the root-knot nematodes was performed in a field trial, effectively reducing the damage of the root-knot nematode. Our work provides a commercially viable solution for the green manufacturing of TAA, which will significantly facilitate biopesticide development and promote its widespread application as a bio-based chemical.

Comparison of Short-Term Outcomes Between Robot-Assisted and Video-Assisted Segmentectomy for Small Pulmonary Nodules: A Propensity Score-Matching Study.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes between robot-assisted segmentectomy (RAS) and video-assisted segmentectomy (VAS) for small pulmonary nodules. METHODS: The study included of 299 segmentectomies (132 RAS and 167 VAS procedures) for small pulmonary nodules between June 2018 and November 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: the RAS group and the VAS group. Propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis was performed to minimize bias. A logistic regression model was performed to identify the independent risk factors associated with complications. RESULTS: Before PSM, the following clinical variables were not balanced: age (P = 0.004), tumor size (P < 0.001), forced expiratory volume for 1 s (FEV1), and FEV1 percentage (P < 0.001). The patients with RAS had a shorter operative time (P = 0.014), less blood loss, a shorter postoperative hospital stay, less use of strong opioids, less drainage on postoperative day 1, and less postoperative total drainage, but more cost (all P < 0.001). Conversion to open surgery was performed for two patients in the VAS group but none in the RAS group. After PSM, 53 pairs were successfully matched. The data again suggested that the patients with RAS had less blood loss, a shorter postoperative hospital stay, and less use of strong opioids, but more cost (all P < 0.001). The operation time also was shorter in the RAS group, with a borderline statistically significant P value (0.053). CONCLUSIONS: In our study, RAS had better short-term outcomes than VAS, indicating a safer and more efficient technique than VAS.

Head and neck MRI-based T stage and [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N/M stage improved prognostic stratification in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether MRI-based T stage (TMRI), [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N (NPET/CT), and M stage (MPET/CT) are superior in NPC patients' prognostic stratification based on long-term survival evidences, and whether TNM staging method involving TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT could improve NPC patients' prognostic stratification. METHODS: From April 2007 to December 2013, 1013 consecutive untreated NPC patients with complete imaging data were enrolled. All patients' initial stages were repeated based on (1) the NCCN guideline recommended "TMRI + NMRI + MPET/CT" ("MMP") staging method; (2) the traditional "TMRI + NMRI + Mconventional work-up (CWU)" ("MMC") staging method; (3) the single-step "TPET/CT + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("PPP") staging method; or (4) the "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") staging method recommended in present research. Survival curve, ROC curve, and net reclassification improvement (NRI) analysis were used to evaluate the prognosis predicting ability of different staging methods. RESULTS: [18F]FDG PET/CT performed worse on T stage (NRI = - 0.174, p < 0.001) but better on N (NRI = 0.135, p = 0.004) and M stage (NRI = 0.126, p = 0.001). The patients whose N stage upgraded by [18F]FDG PET/CT had worse survival (p = 0.011). The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") method performed better on survival prediction when compared with "MMP" (NRI = 0.079, p = 0.007), "MMC" (NRI = 0.190, p < 0.001), or "PPP" method (NRI = 0.107, p < 0.001). The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") method could reclassify patients' TNM stage to a more appropriate stage. The improvement is significant in patients with more than 2.5-years follow-up according to the time-dependent NRI values. CONCLUSIONS: The MRI is superior to [18F]FDG PET/CT in T stage, and [18F]FDG PET/CT is superior to CWU in N/M stage. The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") staging method could significantly improve NPC patients' long-term prognostic stratification. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The present research provided long-term follow-up evidence for benefits of MRI and [18F]FDG PET/CT in TNM staging for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and proposes a new imaging procedure for TNM staging incorporating MRI-based T stage and [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N and M stage, which significantly improves long-term prognostic stratification for patients with NPC. KEY POINTS: • The long-term follow-up evidence of a large-scale cohort was provided to evaluate the advantages of MRI, [18F]FDG PET/CT, and CWU in the TNM staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. • A new imaging procedure for TNM stage of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was proposed.

Construction of Functionalized 2H-Pyran-2-ones via N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed [3 + 3] Annulation of Alkynyl Esters with Enolizable Ketones.

A new synthesis of functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones has been developed through N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed formal [3 + 3] annulation of alkynyl esters with enolizable ketones. The key to the success of this protocol relies on the use of an NHC instead of a tertiary amine as the catalyst. This protocol also features a broad substrate scope and mild metal-free conditions, offering simple and rapid access to the target molecules in a highly regioselective manner.

Elective upper-neck versus whole-neck irradiation of the uninvolved neck in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an open-label, non-inferiority, multicentre, randomised phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this trial was to address whether elective ipsilateral upper-neck irradiation (UNI) sparing the uninvolved lower neck provides similar regional relapse-free survival compared with standard whole-neck irradiation (WNI) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS: This open-label, non-inferiority, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was done at three Chinese medical centres. Patients aged 18-65 years with untreated, non-keratinising, non-distant metastatic (M0) nasopharyngeal carcinoma; with N0-N1 disease (according to International Union Against Cancer-American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM classification, seventh edition); and a Karnofsky performance status score of 70 or higher were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive elective UNI or WNI of the uninvolved neck. Total radiation doses of 70 Gy (for the primary tumour volume and the enlarged retropharyngeal nodes), 66-70 Gy (for the involved cervical lymph nodes), 60-62 Gy (for the high-risk target volume), and 54-56 Gy (for the low-risk target volume) were administered in 30-33 fractions, five fractions per week. Patients with stage II-IVA disease were recommended to receive combined intravenous cisplatin-based chemotherapy (either induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone). Randomisation was done centrally by the Clinical Trials Centre of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre by means of a computer-generated random number code with a block size of four. Patients were stratified according to treatment centre and nodal status. Investigators and patients were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was regional relapse-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. Non-inferiority was indicated if the upper limit of the 95% CI of the difference in 3-year regional relapse-free survival between the UNI and WNI groups was within 8%. Adverse events were analysed in the safety population (defined as all patients who commenced the randomly assigned treatment). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02642107, and is closed. FINDINGS: Between Jan 22, 2016, and May 23, 2018, 446 patients from 469 screened were randomly assigned to receive UNI (n=224) or WNI (n=222). Median follow-up was 53 months (IQR 46-59). 3-year regional relapse-free survival was similar in the UNI and WNI groups (97·7% [95% CI 95·7-99·7] in the UNI group vs 96·3% [93·8-98·8] in the WNI group; difference -1·4% [95% CI -4·6 to 1·8]; pnon-inferiority<0·0001). Although acute radiation-related toxic effects were similar between the groups, the incidence of late toxicity was lower in the UNI group than in the WNI group, including any-grade hypothyroidism (66 [30%] of 222 patients vs 87 [39%] of 221), skin toxicity (32 [14%] vs 55 [25%]), dysphagia (38 [17%] vs 71 [32%]), and neck tissue damage (50 [23%] vs 88 [40%]). No patients died during treatment. After treatment, one patient in the WNI group died from a non-cancer-related cause (dermatomyositis). INTERPRETATION: Elective UNI of the uninvolved neck provides similar regional control and results in less radiation toxicity compared with standard WNI in patients with N0-N1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program, the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, and the Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of capecitabine maintenance therapy versus routine follow-up for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer patients after standard treatment from a perspective of Chinese society.

BACKGROUND: Capecitabine maintenance therapy is safe and efficacious for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, but the cost-effectiveness of its long-term use has not been investigated. Here, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of capecitabine maintenance therapy, compared with routine follow-up, in early-stage TNBC patients after standard treatment from a perspective of Chinese society. METHODS: A three-state Markov model based on the data from the SYSUCC-001 trial was constructed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of capecitabine maintenance therapy in a month cycle over a period of 30-year time horizon. A 5% annual discount rate was set for all costs and benefits. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to explore the model uncertainties. The main outcomes include quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), and the number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one additional event. RESULTS: Compared with routine follow-up, 1-year capecitabine maintenance therapy yielded an additional 1.29 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) at an additional cost of $3391.70, with an ICER of $2630.53 (95% CI: $1159.81-$5090.12) per QALY gained. The ICER was considerably lower than the recommended willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold (i.e., $28,130.00 per QALY). The results were sensitive to the discount rate, drug cost, and treatment cost after relapse. Further, the NNT to prevent one additional relapse case was 29.2 (95% CI: 13.2-196.6), 16.7 (95% CI: 8.4-111.6), and 12.0 (95% CI: 5.7-82.6) at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: One-year capecitabine maintenance therapy for early-stage TNBC after standard treatment, compared with routine follow-up, was found to be highly cost-effective with promising clinical benefits and acceptable increased costs. Real-world studies are warranted to validate our findings in the future.

Microbial production of the plant-derived fungicide physcion.

Physcion is a characteristic component of the traditional herb rhubarb with diverse pharmacological activities that has been commercially approved as an herbal fungicide. Nevertheless, its extremely low contents, costly purification procedure and geographically restricted planting severely hinder its application. Here, a cell factory was constructed in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus terreus for physcion production via microbial fermentation by integrating a pathway-modified emodin accumulation module and a position-selective emodin methylation module. Specifically, 1.71 g/L emodin accumulated when the transcriptional activator GedR and the emodin-1-OH-O-methyltransferase GedA in the geodin biosynthetic pathway were overexpressed and knocked out, respectively. Subsequently, potential emodin-3-OH-O-methyltransferase candidates were enzymatically screened in vitro and introduced into the emodin-accumulating mutant in vivo to generate a physcion-producing strain showing the highest titre of 6.3 g/L in fed-batch fermentation. Thus, our study provides an alternative strategy for the highly efficient, economical production of physcion and a representative example for microbial synthetic biology.

The breakdown of protein hydrogen bonding networks facilitates biotransformation of protein wastewaters during anaerobic digestion methanogenesis: Focus on protein structure and conformation.

The low methanogenic efficiency of protein wastewater during anaerobic digestion can be attributed to the hydrolysis rate-limiting caused by the complex native structure of protein. In this study, the characterization of secondary structure alterations of protein molecules under acid-base stress was investigated and the effect of structure and conformation alterations on the methanogenic efficiency of protein wastewater biotransformation was analyzed. The optimal methane yields were obtained for protein wastewater pretreated with acid and base at pH = 3 and pH = 12, which was 29.4% and 35.7% higher than that of the control group (without pretreatment), reaching 142.6 ± 4.0 mL/g protein and 149.6 ± 16.1 mL/g protein, respectively. The time economy evaluation showed that 6 h pretreatment time was scientific and reasonable whether pH = 3 or pH = 12, since the methane gain effect reached 74.4% and 82.2% longing with the anaerobic digestion proceeded to 120 h, respectively. Endogenous fluorescence characteristics illustrated that the microenvironment of protein molecules has changed regardless of acid or alkali pretreatment. The circular dichroism (CD) analysis revealed that only the content of α-helix in the secondary structure of the protein at pH = 12 decreased by 46.3%, while the contents of ß-sheet, ß-turn and unordered structure were 29.5 ± 0.8%, 18.9 ± 0.6% and 32.2 ± 1.3%, respectively. The increase in the composition of the unordered structure demonstrated an irreversible damage to the hydrogen bonding network in the protein. FTIR spectroscopy further confirmed that the stretching vibrations of CO in amide I led to the destruction of the hydrogen bonding network and the unfolding of the protein structure. Thus, the above work provides new insights into the anaerobic digestion of protein wastewater for methanogenic processes from the perspective of protein structure and conformational changes.

Atroposelective Synthesis of Triaryl α-Pyranones with 1,2-Diaxes by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Organocatalysis.

Atropisomers bearing multiple stereogenic axes are of increasing importance to the field of material science, pharmaceuticals, and catalysis. However, the atroposelective construction of multi-axis atropisomers remains rare and challenging, due to the intrinsical difficulties in the stereo-control of the multiple stereogenic axes. Herein, we demonstrate a single-step construction of a new class of 1,2-diaxially chiral triaryl α-pyranones by an N-heterocyclic carbene organocatalytic asymmetric [3+3] annulation of well-designed alkynyl acylazolium precursors and enolizable sterically hindered 2-aryl ketones. The protocol features broad substrate scope (>50 examples), excellent stereo-control (most cases >20 : 1 dr, up to 99.5 : 0.5 er), and potentially useful synthetic applications. The success of this reaction relies on the rational design of structurally matched reaction partners and the careful selection of the asymmetric catalytic system. DFT calculations have also been performed to discover and rationalize the origin of the high stereoselectivity of this reaction.