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1.
Ann Intern Med ; 177(5): eAWHO202405210, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38768488
2.
Ann Intern Med ; 177(4): eAWHO202404160, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38621262
3.
Ann Intern Med ; 177(3): eAWHO202403190, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38498887
4.
Ann Intern Med ; 176(9): eAWHO202309190, 2023 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37722127
5.
Nature ; 616(7958): 707-711, 2023 04.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36890235

One of the bottlenecks to building semiconductor chips is the increasing cost required to develop chemical plasma processes that form the transistors and memory storage cells1,2. These processes are still developed manually using highly trained engineers searching for a combination of tool parameters that produces an acceptable result on the silicon wafer3. The challenge for computer algorithms is the availability of limited experimental data owing to the high cost of acquisition, making it difficult to form a predictive model with accuracy to the atomic scale. Here we study Bayesian optimization algorithms to investigate how artificial intelligence (AI) might decrease the cost of developing complex semiconductor chip processes. In particular, we create a controlled virtual process game to systematically benchmark the performance of humans and computers for the design of a semiconductor fabrication process. We find that human engineers excel in the early stages of development, whereas the algorithms are far more cost-efficient near the tight tolerances of the target. Furthermore, we show that a strategy using both human designers with high expertise and algorithms in a human first-computer last strategy can reduce the cost-to-target by half compared with only human designers. Finally, we highlight cultural challenges in partnering humans with computers that need to be addressed when introducing artificial intelligence in developing semiconductor processes.

6.
Adv Radiat Oncol ; 7(4): 100952, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35814858

Purpose: To determine the relationship between mean oral cavity (OC) dose (treated as a singular organ at risk) to patient reported xerostomia and dysgeusia. In addition, we will examine the relationship between oral cavity substructure doses to patient reported xerostomia and dysgeusia. All patients were treated in the setting of deintensification (60 Gy). Methods and Materials: In the study, 184 and 177 prospectively enrolled patients for de-escalated chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancer submitted PROs at 6 and 12 months, respectively using Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events questionnaire. Patient's OC consisting of the following substructures were segmented: oral tongue, base of tongue, floor of mouth, hard and soft palate, cheek mucosa, and upper and lower lip mucosa. Ordinal logistic regression (no/mild vs moderate vs severe/very severe symptoms) was used to compare organs at risk dosimetry to patient reported xerostomia and dysgeusia at 6 and 12 months. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression models were generated. Results: Mean dose to the contralateral parotid (P = .04), OC (P = .04), and baseline patient reported xerostomia (P = .009) were significantly associated with xerostomia severity at 6 months. Only baseline xerostomia (P = .02) and mean dose to the contralateral submandibular gland (P = .0001) were significantly associated with xerostomia severity at 12 months. The only significant factor related to dysgeusia at either time point was mean dose to the OC at 12 months (P = .009). On examining substructures, the mean dose to the floor of mouth was implicated for the dose relationship to 6-month xerostomia (P = .04), and the oral tongue was found to be implicated for the relationship for 12-month dysgeusia (P = .04). Conclusions: The mean dose to the OC was found to relate to xerostomia symptoms at 6 months post-CRT and dysgeusia symptoms at 12 months post-CRT. The mean dose to the floor of mouth and oral tongue appeared to drive this relationship for xerostomia and dysgeusia symptoms, respectively. This work suggests the floor of mouth and oral tongue should be prioritized during planning over the rest of the OC. The effect of OC dose relative to other salivary structures for xerostomia appeared to depend on time post-CRT.

7.
Mucosal Immunol ; 15(5): 964-976, 2022 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35869148

Intestinal epithelial barrier function is compromised in inflammatory bowel disease and barrier dysfunction contributes to disease progression. Extracellular nucleotides/nucleosides generated in gut inflammation may regulate barrier function through actions on diverse cell types. Enteric glia modulate extracellular purinergic signaling and exert pathophysiological effects on mucosal permeability. These glia may regulate inflammation with paracrine responses, theoretically mediated via adenosine 2B receptor (A2BR) signaling. As the cell-specific roles of A2BRs in models of colitis and barrier dysfunction are unclear, we studied glial A2BRs in acute dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis. We performed and validated conditional ablation of glial A2BRs in Sox10CreERT2+/-;Adora2bf/f mice. Overt intestinal disease activity indices in DSS-colitis were comparable between Sox10CreERT2+/-;Adora2bf/f mice and littermate controls. However, ablating glial A2BRs protected against barrier dysfunction following acute DSS-colitis. These benefits were associated with the normalization of tight junction protein expression and localization including claudin-1, claudin-8, and occludin. Glial A2BR signaling increased levels of proinflammatory mediators in the colon and cell-intrinsic regulation of genes including Csf3, Cxcl1, Cxcl10, and Il6. Our studies show that glial A2BR signaling exacerbates immune responses during DSS-colitis and that this adenosinergic cell-specific mechanism contributes to persistent gut epithelial barrier dysfunction.


Colitis , Intestinal Mucosa , Adenosine/metabolism , Animals , Colitis/chemically induced , Colitis/genetics , Colitis/metabolism , Colon/metabolism , Dextran Sulfate , Disease Models, Animal , Inflammation/metabolism , Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neuroglia/metabolism
8.
Radiother Oncol ; 172: 42-49, 2022 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35537605

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of prospectively sparing the parotid ducts via MRI sialography on patient reported xerostomia for those receiving definitive radiotherapy (RT) for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Thirty-eight patients with oropharynx cancer to be treated with definitive RT underwent pre-treatment MRI sialograms to localize their parotid ducts. The parotid ducts were maximally spared during treatment planning. Patients reported symptoms (PRO-CTCAE and QLQ-H&N35) were collected at 6 and 12 months post-RT and compared to a historical cohort who underwent conventional parotid gland mean dose sparing. Regression models were generated using parotid and submandibular gland doses with and without incorporating the dose to the parotid ducts to determine the impact of parotid duct dose on patient reported xerostomia. RESULTS: At 6 months post-RT, 12/26 (46%) patients reported ≥moderate xerostomia when undergoing parotid ductal sparing compared to 43/61 (70%) in the historical cohort (p = 0.03). At 12 months post-RT, 8/22 (36%) patients reported ≥moderate xerostomia when undergoing parotid ductal sparing compared to 34/68(50%) in the historical cohort (p = 0.08). Using nested logistic regression models, the mean parotid duct dose was found to significantly relate to patient reported xerostomia severity at 6 months post-RT (p = 0.04) and trended towards statistical significance at 12 months post-RT (p = 0.09). At both 6 and 12 months post-RT, the addition of mean parotid duct dose significantly improved model fit (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRI sialography guided parotid duct sparing appears to reduce the rates of patient-reported xerostomia. Further, logistic regression analysis found parotid duct dose to be significantly associated with patient reported xerostomia. A significant improvement in model fit was observed when adding mean parotid duct dose compared to models that only contain mean parotid gland dose and mean contralateral submandibular gland dose.


Head and Neck Neoplasms , Xerostomia , Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Head and Neck Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Parotid Gland/diagnostic imaging , Patient Reported Outcome Measures , Prospective Studies , Sialography , Xerostomia/diagnosis , Xerostomia/etiology , Xerostomia/prevention & control
9.
Pract Radiat Oncol ; 12(3): e169-e176, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34920164

PURPOSE: Approximately 30% of women who receive postmastectomy radiation therapy in the setting of breast reconstruction suffer from reconstruction complications. This study aims to assess clinical and dosimetric factors associated with the risk of reconstruction complications after postmastectomy radiation therapy, with the ultimate goal of identifying a dosimetric constraint that can be used clinically to limit this risk. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively identified 41 patients who underwent a modified radical or total mastectomy, followed by immediate or delayed reconstruction (autologous or implant-based) and radiation at a single institution between 2014 and 2020. Reconstruction complications were defined as a flap or implant failure, necrosis, capsular contracture, cellulitis/infection, implant rupture, implant malposition, leakage/rupture, unplanned operation, and hematoma/seroma. Clinical and dosimetric variables associated with complications were assessed with univariate analyses. RESULTS: Twelve patients (29%) suffered reconstruction complications, which led to a flap or implant failure in 5 patients. The median time to complication after reconstruction was 8 months. Thirty-two percent of patients with immediate and 20% with delayed reconstruction suffered a complication, respectively. There were no local failures. Smoking (P = .02), use of bolus (P = .03), and the percentage of the chest wall/reconstructed breast target volume that received ≥107% of the prescribed radiation dose (V107) > 11% (P = .03) were associated with increased complication rates. The complication rates were 42% when V107 > 11% versus 12% when V107 < 11%; 58% in smokers versus 17% in nonsmokers; and 42% with versus 7% without bolus. CONCLUSIONS: Plan heterogeneity appears to be associated with the risk of reconstruction complications. Pending further validation, V107 < 11% may serve as a reasonable guide to limit this risk. Further consideration should be given to the selective use of bolus in this setting and optimization of clinical factors, such as smoking cessation.


Breast Neoplasms , Mammaplasty , Breast Neoplasms/complications , Breast Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Female , Humans , Mammaplasty/adverse effects , Mammaplasty/methods , Mastectomy/adverse effects , Postoperative Complications/epidemiology , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome
10.
Pract Radiat Oncol ; 12(3): e193-e200, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34958985

PURPOSE: This study aimed to prospectively assess dosimetric and clinical effects of treatment planners having a priori knowledge of the maximum achievable dose sparing for organs at risk (OARs) for patients with oropharynx cancer receiving intensity modulated radiation therapy (RT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: We examined patients with oropharynx cancer who were treated in prospective clinical trials between February 2012 and April 2019 at our institution. A tool generating estimates of maximum achievable dose sparing for OARs (feasibility dose-volume histogram [FDVH]) was used clinically starting July 2016. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts: Before (ie, baseline) and after (ie, FDVH-guided) FDVH. Doses received by various OARs were compared with those estimated to be achievable per FDVH, and that difference was defined as the excess of feasible dose (EFD). Patient-reported outcome (PRO) questionnaires were completed at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. The baseline and FDVH-guided cohorts were compared in terms of EFD, plan quality metrics, and post-RT PRO assessments. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients were included in the analysis (60 in the baseline cohort, 79 in the FDVH-guided cohort). The FDVH-guided cohort had lower EFD to the contralateral parotid by 4.1 Gy, the ipsilateral parotid by 10.6 Gy, the larynx by 4.3 Gy, the oral cavity by 1.5 Gy, and the contralateral submandibular gland by 0.4 Gy. Plan quality metrics were similar between the cohorts. Less variation of EFD was seen in the FDVH-guided cohort for the parotid glands and contralateral submandibular gland (P < .05). The average post-RT PROs were better in the FVHD cohort versus baseline (particularly at the 6-month timepoint for dry mouth frequency, sticky saliva, meal enjoyment, severity of pain, and Eating Assessment Tool 10 composite [swallowing]; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Use of FDVH was associated with improved and less variable OAR sparing for clinically delivered plans. FDVH-guided patients had improved PROs compared with baseline with a variety of outcomes significantly improved at 6 months after treatment.


Head and Neck Neoplasms , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated , Humans , Organs at Risk/radiation effects , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Parotid Gland/radiation effects , Patient Reported Outcome Measures , Prospective Studies , Radiotherapy Dosage , Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted/methods , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/methods
11.
N Engl J Med ; 386(6): 531-543, 2022 Feb 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34910859

BACKGROUND: NVX-CoV2373 is an adjuvanted, recombinant spike protein nanoparticle vaccine that was shown to have clinical efficacy for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in phase 2b-3 trials in the United Kingdom and South Africa, but its efficacy had not yet been tested in North America. METHODS: We conducted a phase 3, randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in the United States and Mexico during the first half of 2021 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NVX-CoV2373 in adults (≥18 years of age) who had not had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Participants were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive two doses of NVX-CoV2373 or placebo 21 days apart. The primary objective was to determine vaccine efficacy against reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction-confirmed Covid-19 occurring at least 7 days after the second dose. Vaccine efficacy against moderate-to-severe disease and against different variants was also assessed. RESULTS: Of the 29,949 participants who underwent randomization between December 27, 2020, and February 18, 2021, a total of 29,582 (median age, 47 years; 12.6% ≥65 years of age) received at least one dose: 19,714 received vaccine and 9868 placebo. Over a period of 3 months, 77 cases of Covid-19 were noted - 14 among vaccine recipients and 63 among placebo recipients (vaccine efficacy, 90.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 82.9 to 94.6; P<0.001). Ten moderate and 4 severe cases occurred, all in placebo recipients, yielding vaccine efficacy against moderate-to-severe disease of 100% (95% CI, 87.0 to 100). Most sequenced viral genomes (48 of 61, 79%) were variants of concern or interest - largely B.1.1.7 (alpha) (31 of the 35 genomes for variants of concern, 89%). Vaccine efficacy against any variant of concern or interest was 92.6% (95% CI, 83.6 to 96.7). Reactogenicity was mostly mild to moderate and transient but was more frequent among NVX-CoV2373 recipients than among placebo recipients and was more frequent after the second dose than after the first dose. CONCLUSIONS: NVX-CoV2373 was safe and effective for the prevention of Covid-19. Most breakthrough cases were caused by contemporary variant strains. (Funded by Novavax and others; PREVENT-19 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04611802.).


COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19/prevention & control , Vaccine Efficacy , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing , COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects , Humans , Incidence , Male , Mexico , Middle Aged , SARS-CoV-2 , Single-Blind Method , United States
13.
Cell Rep ; 32(10): 108100, 2020 09 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32905782

Mechanisms resulting in abdominal pain include altered neuro-immune interactions in the gastrointestinal tract, but the signaling processes that link immune activation with visceral hypersensitivity are unresolved. We hypothesized that enteric glia link the neural and immune systems of the gut and that communication between enteric glia and immune cells modulates the development of visceral hypersensitivity. To this end, we manipulated a major mechanism of glial intercellular communication that requires connexin-43 and assessed the effects on acute and chronic inflammation, visceral hypersensitivity, and immune responses. Deleting connexin-43 in glia protected against the development of visceral hypersensitivity following chronic colitis. Mechanistically, the protective effects of glial manipulation were mediated by disrupting the glial-mediated activation of macrophages through the macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Collectively, our data identified enteric glia as a critical link between gastrointestinal neural and immune systems that could be harnessed by therapies to ameliorate abdominal pain.


Inflammation/metabolism , Macrophages/metabolism , Neuroglia/metabolism , Animals , Humans , Mice , Phenotype
14.
Neuropharmacology ; 179: 108264, 2020 11 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32758565

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptom illness that includes gastrointestinal disorders. Although the exact etiology of GWI is unknown, exposure to the drug pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is considered a major factor. Exposure to PB drives enteric neuroinflammation, promotes immunosuppression, and alters physiological functions of the colon in the short term but whether exposure to PB is sufficient to promote long term dysfunction is not known. Here, we tested whether exposure to PB is sufficient to drive long term changes that reflect GWI, and whether the endogenous anti-inflammatory mediator palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is sufficient to reduce the detrimental effects of PB in the gut and brain of mice. Exposure to PB alone was not sufficient to cause major changes in neuromuscular transmission but did drive major changes by altering the effects of PEA. Calcium imaging data show that the mechanisms responsible include a shift in receptor signaling mediated by TRPV1, endocannabinoids, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors alpha (PPARα). Additional mechanisms include the development of glial reactivity and changes in enteric neurochemical coding and survival. PB and PEA caused major shifts in pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines in the brain and colon that persisted up to 5 months following exposure. Many of the effects of PB and PEA exhibit significant sex differences. Together, these results highlight novel mechanisms whereby PB promotes long-lasting changes in nervous system and immune function by inducing occult neuroplasticity that is revealed by subsequent exposure to unrelated drugs in a sex dependent manner.


Amides/pharmacology , Brain/drug effects , Ethanolamines/pharmacology , Gastrointestinal Tract/drug effects , Neuroimmunomodulation/drug effects , Palmitic Acids/pharmacology , Persian Gulf Syndrome/chemically induced , Pyridostigmine Bromide/toxicity , Amides/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Brain/immunology , Cholinesterase Inhibitors/toxicity , Chronic Disease , Disease Models, Animal , Ethanolamines/therapeutic use , Female , Gastrointestinal Tract/immunology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neuroimmunomodulation/physiology , Palmitic Acids/therapeutic use , Persian Gulf Syndrome/drug therapy , Persian Gulf Syndrome/immunology
15.
J Clin Oncol ; 37(29): 2661-2669, 2019 10 10.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31411949

PURPOSE: To report the results of a phase II clinical trial of de-intensified chemoradiotherapy for patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Major inclusion criteria were (1) having American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th edition T0-T3, N0-N2c, M0 (AJCC 8th edition T0-T3, N0-N2, M0), (2) being p16 positive, and (3) reporting minimal or remote smoking history. Treatment was limited to 60 Gy intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concurrent intravenous cisplatin 30 mg/m2 once per week. Patients with T0-T2 N0-1 (AJCC 7th edition) did not receive chemotherapy. All patients had a 10- to 12-week post-treatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography to assess for neck dissection. The primary end point was 2-year progression-free survival. Secondary end points included 2-year local-regional control, distant metastasis-free survival and overall survival, and patient-reported outcomes (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire and the patient-reported outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events). RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients were enrolled (median follow-up of 31.8 months), with 81% having a minimum follow-up of 2 years. Eighty percent of patients had 10 or fewer tobacco pack-years. Two-year local-regional control, distant metastasis-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall survival were as follows: 95%, 91%, 86%, and 95%, respectively. Mean pre- and 2-year post-treatment European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life scores were as follows: global, 79/84 (lower worse); swallowing, 8/9 (higher worse); and dry mouth, 14/45 (higher worse). Mean pre- and 2-year post-treatment patient-reported outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events scores (0 to 4 scale, higher worse) were as follows: swallowing, 0.5/0.7, and dry mouth, 0.4/1.3. Thirty-four percent of patients required a feeding tube (median, 10.5 weeks; none permanent). There were no grade 3 or higher late adverse events. CONCLUSION: Clinical outcomes with a de-intensified chemoradiotherapy regimen of 60 Gy intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concurrent low-dose cisplatin are favorable in patients with human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Neither neoadjuvant chemotherapy nor routine surgery is needed to obtain favorable results with de-escalation.


Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/therapy , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/virology , Papillomavirus Infections/physiopathology , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/therapy , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/virology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Chemoradiotherapy , Cisplatin/adverse effects , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Papillomaviridae/isolation & purification , Patient Reported Outcome Measures , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/adverse effects , Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated/methods , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/drug therapy , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/radiotherapy
16.
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol ; 317(3): G314-G332, 2019 09 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31188623

ATP is both an important mediator of physiological gut functions such as motility and epithelial function, and a key danger signal that mediates cell death and tissue damage. The actions of extracellular ATP are regulated through the catalytic functions extracellular nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1 (NTPDase1), -2, -3, and -8, which ultimately generate nucleosides. Ectonucleotidases have distinct cellular associations, but the specific locations and functional roles of individual NTPDases in the intestine are still poorly understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that differential and cell-selective regulation of purine hydrolysis by NTPDase1 and -2 plays important roles in gut physiology and disease. We studied Entpd1 and Entpd2 null mice in health and following colitis driven by 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) administration using functional readouts of gut motility, epithelial barrier function, and neuromuscular communication. NTPDase1 is expressed by immune cells, and the ablation of Entpd1 altered glial numbers in the myenteric plexus. NTPDase2 is expressed by enteric glia, and the ablation of Entpd2 altered myenteric neuron numbers. Mice lacking either NTPDase1 or -2 exhibited decreased inhibitory neuromuscular transmission and altered components of inhibitory junction potentials. Ablation of Entpd2 increased gut permeability following inflammation. In conclusion, the location- and context-dependent extracellular nucleotide phosphohydrolysis by NTPDase1 and -2 substantially impacts gut function in health and disease.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Purines are important mediators of gastrointestinal physiology and pathophysiology. Nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases) regulate extracellular purines, but the roles of specific NTPDases in gut functions are poorly understood. Here, we used Entpd1- and Entpd2-deficient mice to show that the differential and cell-selective regulation of purine hydrolysis by NTPDase1 and -2 plays important roles in barrier function, gut motility, and neuromuscular communication in health and disease.


Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism , Antigens, CD/metabolism , Apyrase/metabolism , Colitis/drug therapy , Colon/metabolism , Dextran Sulfate/pharmacology , Animals , Colitis/metabolism , Colon/drug effects , Female , Male , Mice , Mice, Knockout
17.
FASEB J ; 33(5): 6168-6184, 2019 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30789759

Gulf War illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptom disorder that is prominent in Gulf War veterans. Major unexplained symptoms of GWI include functional gastrointestinal disorders and undiagnosed illnesses, including neurologic disorders. Exposure to the antinerve gas drug pyridostigmine bromide (PB) is linked to the development of GWI, but the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PB alters gut function by disrupting the neural and immune systems of the intestine. We exposed male and female mice to physiologically comparable amounts of PB that match the dose, route, and time frame of exposure experienced by Gulf War veterans and assessed the acute and chronic impacts on gastrointestinal functions, the functional architecture of the enteric nervous system, and immune responses in the gut and brain. Exposure to PB drove acute alterations to colonic motility and structure in both male and female mice that transitioned to chronic changes in gut functions. PB drove acute alterations to enteric neural and glial activity, glial reactivity, and neuron survival with glial reactivity persisting into the chronic phase in male mice. Despite having no effect on colonic permeability, exposure to PB caused major shifts in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the colon and brain that suggest immunosuppressive effects. Interestingly, immune disruption was still evident in the colon and brain in female animals at 1 mo following exposure to PB. Together, our results show that the paradigm of PB exposure experienced by veterans of the Persian Gulf War contributes to long-lasting pathophysiology by driving enteric neuroinflammation, promoting immunosuppression, and altering functional anatomy of the colon in a sex-dependent manner.-Hernandez, S., Fried, D. E., Grubisic, V., McClain, J. L., Gulbransen, B. D. Gastrointestinal neuroimmune disruption in a mouse model of Gulf War illness.


Cholinesterase Inhibitors/toxicity , Colon/drug effects , Enteric Nervous System/drug effects , Persian Gulf Syndrome/immunology , Pyridostigmine Bromide/toxicity , Animals , Brain/drug effects , Brain/immunology , Colon/immunology , Colon/physiopathology , Cytokines/metabolism , Enteric Nervous System/immunology , Enteric Nervous System/physiopathology , Female , Gastrointestinal Motility , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Neuroglia/immunology , Persian Gulf Syndrome/etiology , Persian Gulf Syndrome/physiopathology
18.
Breast J ; 25(2): 286-289, 2019 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30734417

To assess the impact of internal mammary (IM) vessels radiation dose on autologous free-flap based breast reconstruction outcomes. We retrospectively evaluated the medical records of breast cancer patients who underwent mastectomy and free-flap breast reconstruction after postoperative radiation therapy (RT) to the breast/chest wall with (n = 9) or without (n = 11) electively including the IM lymph nodes. Twenty patients were included. Median age at diagnosis was 50 years (range, 33-63). The median time interval between the start of RT and reconstructive surgery was 16 months (range, 6-45). The maximal IM vessels dose was not associated with the risk of all complications (P = 0.44) or fat necrosis (P = 0.31). The mean IM vessels dose was not significant for the risk of all complications (P = 0.13) but was significant for fat necrosis (P = 0.04). A high mean IM vessels dose was related to the occurrence of fat necrosis.


Breast Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Mammaplasty/adverse effects , Mammary Glands, Human/blood supply , Radiotherapy Dosage , Adult , Anastomosis, Surgical , Blood Vessels/radiation effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Female , Free Tissue Flaps , Humans , Mammaplasty/methods , Mammary Glands, Human/radiation effects , Middle Aged , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Retrospective Studies , Time Factors
19.
Wounds ; 30(9): 283-289, 2018 09.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30256747

OBJECTIVE: The results of the single-arm, open-label extension phase of the Grafix (cryopreserved placental membrane; CPM; Osiris Therapeutics, Inc, Columbia, MD) multicenter, blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial for chronic diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) is reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients in the standard wound care (SWC) arm whose DFUs did not close in the blinded phase chose to receive weekly applications of the CPM in an open-label extension phase. RESULTS: In the extension phase, 17 (65.4%) patients closed their wounds in a median of 34 days and 3 visits. There were fewer total adverse events (AEs) (24 CPM vs. 52 SWC) and index wound-related infections (5 CPM vs. 12 SWC) during the CPM application compared with the number of AEs for the same patients during the SWC treatment in the blinded phase of the trial. CONCLUSIONS: These results corroborate the benefits of this CPM combined with SWC over SWC alone for chronic DFUs previously reported for the blinded randomized phase of the trial, which directly relate to lower health care costs.


Biological Dressings , Cryopreservation , Diabetic Foot/therapy , Placenta/transplantation , Wound Healing/physiology , Aged , Diabetic Foot/complications , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Treatment Outcome
20.
Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol ; 6(3): 321-344, 2018.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30116771

Background & Aims: Tachykinins are involved in physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms in the gastrointestinal tract. The major sources of tachykinins in the gut are intrinsic enteric neurons in the enteric nervous system and extrinsic nerve fibers from the dorsal root and vagal ganglia. Although tachykinins are important mediators in the enteric nervous system, how they contribute to neuroinflammation through effects on neurons and glia is not fully understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that tachykinins contribute to enteric neuroinflammation through mechanisms that involve intercellular neuron-glia signaling. Methods: We used immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and studied cellular activity using transient-receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1)tm1(cre)Bbm/J::Polr2atm1(CAG-GCaMP5g,-tdTomato)Tvrd and Sox10CreERT2::Polr2atm1(CAG-GCaMP5g,-tdTomato)Tvrd mice or Fluo-4. We used the 2,4-di-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS) model of colitis to study neuroinflammation, glial reactivity, and neurogenic contractility. We used Sox10::CreERT2+/-/Rpl22tm1.1Psam/J mice to selectively study glial transcriptional changes. Results: Tachykinins are expressed predominantly by intrinsic neuronal varicosities whereas neurokinin-2 receptors (NK2Rs) are expressed predominantly by enteric neurons and TRPV1-positive neuronal varicosities. Stimulation of NK2Rs drives responses in neuronal varicosities that are propagated to enteric glia and neurons. Antagonizing NK2R signaling enhanced recovery from colitis and prevented the development of reactive gliosis, neuroinflammation, and enhanced neuronal contractions. Inflammation drove changes in enteric glial gene expression and function, and antagonizing NK2R signaling mitigated these changes. Neurokinin A-induced neurodegeneration requires glial connexin-43 hemichannel activity. Conclusions: Our results show that tachykinins drive enteric neuroinflammation through a multicellular cascade involving enteric neurons, TRPV1-positive neuronal varicosities, and enteric glia. Therapies targeting components of this pathway could broadly benefit the treatment of dysmotility and pain after acute inflammation in the intestine.


Colitis/metabolism , Enteric Nervous System/metabolism , Neuroglia/metabolism , Neurons/metabolism , Tachykinins/metabolism , Animals , Colitis/chemically induced , Colitis/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Enteric Nervous System/pathology , Female , Gliosis/chemically induced , Gliosis/metabolism , Gliosis/pathology , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Transgenic , Receptors, Neurokinin-2/genetics , Receptors, Neurokinin-2/metabolism , TRPV Cation Channels/genetics , TRPV Cation Channels/metabolism , Tachykinins/genetics
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