Betrayal trauma and somatic symptoms among patients in a medically underserved primary care clinic.

OBJECTIVE: Betrayal Trauma Theory posits that victims of trauma are more prone to developing psychological and physical problems if the traumatic event includes the element of betrayal. We sought to evaluate the impact of betrayal trauma versus nonbetrayal trauma and no trauma exposure on the risk of patients' reporting somatic symptoms in six domains (gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal, pseudoneurological, gynecological, or any symptom). METHOD: Medically underserved patients (N = 1,350) who presented to a primary care clinic in California completed a structured standardized interview that assessed trauma history (Diagnostic Interview Schedule) and somatization symptoms (Composite International Diagnostic Interview). Using Betrayal Trauma Theory as a guide, respondents were classified into "no trauma," "nonbetrayal trauma," and "betrayal trauma" groups. RESULTS: Compared to "no trauma" patients, patients who experienced nonbetrayal trauma were more likely to endorse all symptom domains (ORs = 1.30-1.50) except gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal; compared to "no trauma" patients, patients who experienced betrayal trauma were more likely to endorse all symptom domains (ORs = 1.61-3.12) except gynecological. Compared to patients who experienced nonbetrayal trauma, exposure to betrayal trauma increased the likelihood of reporting any (OR = 2.25), gastrointestinal (OR = 1.56), and pseudoneurological symptoms (OR = 1.71), as well as symptoms spanning multiple physiological systems (incidence rate ratio = 1.27). Each nonbetrayal trauma increased the likelihood of symptom reporting across all domains (ORs = 1.18-1.40); each betrayal trauma increased the likelihood across all domains (ORs = 1.41-2.31) except gynecological. CONCLUSION: Both nonbetrayal and betrayal trauma may predispose victims to somatization. Compared to nonbetrayal trauma, betrayal trauma confers a greater magnitude of risk for having a somatic symptom across each symptom domain except gynecological. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Association of back pain with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among older men: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether more severe back pain phenotypes-persistent, frequent or disabling back pain-are associated with higher mortality among older men. METHODS: In this secondary analysis of a prospective cohort, the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study, we evaluated mortality rates by back pain phenotype among 5215 older community-dwelling men (mean age, 73 years, SD = 5.6) from six U.S. sites. The primary back pain measure used baseline and year five back pain questionnaire data to characterize participants as having: no back pain; non-persistent back pain; infrequent persistent back pain; or frequent persistent back pain. Secondary measures of back pain from year five questionnaire included disabling back pain phenotypes. The main outcomes measured were all-cause and cause-specific mortality. RESULTS: After the year five exam, during up to 18 years of follow-up (mean follow-up=10.3 years), there were 3513 deaths (1218 cardiovascular, 764 cancer, 1531 other). A higher proportion of men with frequent persistent back pain versus no back pain died (78% versus 69%; sociodemographic-adjusted HR = 1.27, 95%CI=1.11-1.45). No association was evident after further adjusting for health-related factors such as self-reported general health and comorbid chronic health conditions (fully-adjusted HR = 1.00; 95%CI=0.86-1.15). Results were similar for cardiovascular mortality and other mortality, but we observed no association of back pain with cancer mortality. Secondary back pain measures including back-related disability were associated with increased mortality risk that remained statistically significant in fully-adjusted models. CONCLUSION: While frequent persistent back pain was not independently associated with mortality in older men, additional secondary disabling back pain phenotypes were independently associated with increased mortality. Future investigations should evaluate whether improvements in disabling back pain effect general health and well-being or mortality.

Learning Curve of Robotic End-to-Side Microanastomoses.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Robotics are becoming increasingly widespread within various neurosurgical subspecialties, but data pertaining to their feasibility in vascular neurosurgery are limited. We present our novel attempt to evaluate the learning curve of a robotic platform for microvascular anastomoses. METHODS: One hundred and sixty one sutures were performed and assessed. Fourteen anastomoses (10 robotic [MUSA-2 Microsurgical system; Microsure] and 4 hand-sewn) were performed by the senior author on 1.5-mm caliber tubes and recorded with the Kinevo 900 (Zeiss) operative microscope. We separately compared interrupted sutures (from needle insertion until third knot) and running sutures (from needle insertion until loop pull-down). Average suture timing across all groups was compared using an unpaired Student's t test. Exponential smoothing (α = 0.2) was then applied to the robotic data sets for validation and a second set of t tests were performed. RESULTS: We compared 107 robotic sutures with 54 hand-sewn sutures. There was a significant difference between the average time/stitch for the robotic running sutures (n = 55) and the hand-sewn running sutures (n = 31) (31.2 seconds vs 48.3 seconds, respectively; P-value = .00052). Exponential smoothing (α = 0.2) reinforced these results (37.6 seconds vs 48.3 seconds; P-value = .014625). Average robotic running times surpassed hand-sewn by the second anastomosis (38.8 seconds vs 48.3 seconds) and continued to steadily decrease with subsequent stitches. The average of the robotic interrupted sutures (n = 52) was significantly longer than the hand-sewn (n = 23) (171.3 seconds vs 70 seconds; P = .000024). Exponential smoothing (α = 0.2) yielded similar results (196.7 seconds vs 70 seconds; P = .00001). However, average robotic interrupted times significantly decreased from the first to the final anastomosis (286 seconds vs 105.2 seconds; P = .003674). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate the learning curve for robotic microanastomoses is short and encouraging. The use of robotics warrants further study for potential use in cerebrovascular bypass procedures.

Durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer (TOPAZ-1): patient-reported outcomes from a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: In the ongoing, randomised, double-blind phase 3 TOPAZ-1 study, durvalumab, a PD-L1 inhibitor, plus gemcitabine and cisplatin was associated with significant improvements in overall survival compared with placebo, gemcitabine, and cisplatin in people with advanced biliary tract cancer at the pre-planned intermin analysis. In this paper, we present patient-reported outcomes from TOPAZ-1. METHODS: In TOPAZ-1 (NCT03875235), participants aged 18 years or older with previously untreated, unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic biliary tract cancer with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 and one or more measurable lesions per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST; version 1.1) were randomly assigned (1:1) to the durvalumab group or the placebo group using a computer-generated randomisation scheme. Participants received 1500 mg durvalumab or matched placebo intravenously every 3 weeks (on day 1 of the cycle) for up to eight cycles in combination with 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine and 25 mg/m2 cisplatin intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for up to eight cycles. Thereafter, participants received either durvalumab (1500 mg) or placebo monotherapy intravenously every 4 weeks until disease progression or other discontinuation criteria were met. Randomisation was stratified by disease status (initially unresectable vs recurrent) and primary tumour location (intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma vs extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma vs gallbladder cancer). Patient-reported outcomes were assessed as a secondary outcome in all participants who completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer's 30-item Quality of Life of Cancer Patients questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the 21-item Cholangiocarcinoma and Gallbladder Cancer Quality of Life Module (QLQ-BIL21). We calculated time to deterioration-ie, time from randomisation to an absolute decrease of at least 10 points in a patient-reported outcome that was confirmed at a subsequent visit or the date of death (by any cause) in the absence of deterioration-and adjusted mean change from baseline in patient-reported outcomes. FINDINGS: Between April 16, 2019, and Dec 11, 2020, 685 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned, 341 to the durvalumab group and 344 to the placebo group. Overall, 345 (50%) of participants were male and 340 (50%) were female. Data for the QLQ-C30 were available for 318 participants in the durvalumab group and 328 in the placebo group (median follow-up 9·9 months [IQR 6·7 to 14·1]). Data for the QLQ-BIL21 were available for 305 participants in the durvalumab group and 322 in the placebo group (median follow-up 10·2 months [IQR 6·7 to 14·3]). The proportions of participants in both groups who completed questionnaires were high and baseline scores were mostly similar across treatment groups. For global health status or quality of life, functioning, and symptoms, we noted no difference in time to deterioration or adjusted mean changes from baseline were observed between groups. Median time to deterioration of global health status or quality of life was 7·4 months (95% CI 5·6 to 8·9) in the durvalumab group and 6·7 months (5·6 to 7·9) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·87 [95% CI 0·69 to 1·12]). The adjusted mean change from baseline was 1·23 (95% CI -0·71 to 3·16) in the durvalumab group and 0·35 (-1·63 to 2·32) in the placebo group. INTERPRETATION: The addition of durvalumab to gemcitabine and cisplatin did not have a detrimental effect on patient-reported outcomes. These results suggest that durvalumab, gemcitabine, and cisplatin is a tolerable treatment regimen in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. FUNDING: AstraZeneca.

Aberrant CD8+T cells drive reproductive dysfunction in female mice with elevated IFN-γ levels.

Introduction: Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is pivotal in orchestrating immune responses during healthy pregnancy. However, its dysregulation, often due to autoimmunity, infections, or chronic inflammatory conditions, is implicated in adverse reproductive outcomes such as pregnancy failure or infertility. Additionally, the underlying immunological mechanisms remain elusive. Methods: Here, we explore the impact of systemic IFN-γ elevation on cytotoxic T cell responses in female reproduction utilizing a systemic lupus-prone mouse model with impaired IFN-γ degradation. Results: Our findings reveal that heightened IFN-γ levels triggered the infiltration of CD8+T cells in the pituitary gland and female reproductive tract (FRT), resulting in prolactin deficiency and subsequent infertility. Furthermore, we demonstrate that chronic IFN-γ elevation increases effector memory CD8+T cells in the murine ovary and uterus. Discussion: These insights broaden our understanding of the role of elevated IFN-γ in female reproductive dysfunction and suggest CD8+T cells as potential immunotherapeutic targets in female reproductive disorders associated with chronic systemic IFN-γ elevation.

Antibodies expand the scope of angiotensin receptor pharmacology.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key regulators of human physiology and are the targets of many small-molecule research compounds and therapeutic drugs. While most of these ligands bind to their target GPCR with high affinity, selectivity is often limited at the receptor, tissue and cellular levels. Antibodies have the potential to address these limitations but their properties as GPCR ligands remain poorly characterized. Here, using protein engineering, pharmacological assays and structural studies, we develop maternally selective heavy-chain-only antibody ('nanobody') antagonists against the angiotensin II type I receptor and uncover the unusual molecular basis of their receptor antagonism. We further show that our nanobodies can simultaneously bind to angiotensin II type I receptor with specific small-molecule antagonists and demonstrate that ligand selectivity can be readily tuned. Our work illustrates that antibody fragments can exhibit rich and evolvable pharmacology, attesting to their potential as next-generation GPCR modulators.

DOTATATE PET/MR Imaging Differentiates Secondary-Progressive from de Novo World Health Organization Grade 3 Meningiomas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: WHO grade 3 meningiomas are rare and poorly understood and have a higher propensity for recurrence, metastasis, and worsened clinical outcomes compared with lower-grade meningiomas. The purpose of our study was to prospectively evaluate the molecular profile, PET characteristics, and outcomes of patients with World Health Organization grade 3 meningiomas who were imaged with gallium 68 (68Ga) DOTATATE PET/MR imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with World Health Organization grade 3 meningiomas enrolled in our prospective observational cohort evaluating the utility of (68Ga) DOTATATE PET/MR imaging in somatostatin receptor positive brain tumors were included. We stratified patients by de novo-versus-secondary-progressive status and evaluated the differences in the PET standard uptake value, molecular profiles, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Patients met the inclusion criteria (secondary-progressive: 7/14; de novo: 7/14). The secondary-progressive cohort had a significantly higher per-patient number of surgeries (4.1 versus 1.6; P = .011) and trended toward a higher number of radiation therapy courses (2.4 versus 1.6; P = .23) and cumulative radiation therapy doses (106Gy versus 68.3Gy; P = .31). The secondary-progressive cohort had a significantly lower progression-free survival compared with the de novo cohort (4.8 versus 37.7 months; P = .004). Secondary-progressive tumors had distinct molecular pathology profiles with higher numbers of mutations (3.5 versus 1.2; P = .024). Secondary-progressive tumors demonstrated higher PET standard uptake values (17.1 versus 12.4; P = .0021). CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms prior work illustrating distinct clinical outcomes in secondary-progressive and de novo World Health Organization grade 3 meningiomas. Furthermore, our findings support (68Ga) DOTATATE PET/MR imaging as a useful management strategy in World Health Organization grade 3 meningiomas and provide insight into meningioma biology, as well as clinical management implications.

Systemic inflammatory Th1 cytokines during Trypanosoma cruzi infection disrupt the typical anatomical cell distribution and phenotypic/functional characteristics of various cell subsets within the thymus.

The thymus plays a crucial role in T cell differentiation, a complex process influenced by various factors such as antigens, the microenvironment and thymic architecture. The way the thymus resolves infections is critical, as chronic persistence of microbes or inflammatory mediators can obstruct the differentiation. Here, we illustrate that following inflammatory T helper 1 infectious processes like those caused by Candida albicans or Trypanosoma cruzi, single positive thymocytes adopt a mature phenotype. Further investigations focused on T. cruzi infection, reveal a substantial existence of CD44+ cells in both the cortical and medullary areas of the thymus at the onset of infection. This disturbance coincides with heightened interferon gamma (IFNγ) production by thymocytes and an increased cytotoxic capacity against T. cruzi-infected macrophages. Additionally, we observe a reduced exportation capacity in T. cruzi-infected mice. Some alterations can be reversed in IFNγ knockout mice (KO). Notably, the majority of these effects can be replicated by systemic expression of interleukin (IL)-12+IL-18, underlining the predominantly inflammatory rather than pathogen-specific nature of these phenomena. Understanding the mechanisms through which systemic inflammation disrupts normal T cell development, as well as subsequent T cell exportation to secondary lymphoid organs (SLO) is pivotal for comprehending susceptibility to diseases in different pathological scenarios.

Glioblastoma: Not Just Another Cancer.

SUMMARY: This commentary urges a paradigm shift in how we approach research and drug development for glioblastoma, reimagining it as an aberrant brain-like organ, distinct from other cancers, to inspire innovative treatment strategies and interdisciplinary collaboration, addressing the minimal progress in extending glioblastoma patient survival despite years of research and investment.

Headpulse measurement can reliably identify large-vessel occlusion stroke in prehospital suspected stroke patients: Results from the EPISODE-PS-COVID study.

BACKGROUND: Large-vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke represents one-third of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the United States but causes two-thirds of poststroke dependence and >90% of poststroke mortality. Prehospital LVO stroke detection permits efficient emergency medical systems (EMS) transport to an endovascular thrombectomy (EVT)-capable center. Our primary objective was to determine the feasibility of using a cranial accelerometry (CA) headset device for prehospital LVO stroke detection. Our secondary objective was development of an algorithm capable of distinguishing LVO stroke from other conditions. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled consecutive adult patients suspected of acute stroke from 11 study hospitals in four different U.S. geographical regions over a 21-month period. Patients received device placement by prehospital EMS personnel. Headset data were matched with clinical data following informed consent. LVO stroke diagnosis was determined by medical chart review. The device was trained using device data and Los Angeles Motor Scale (LAMS) examination components. A binary threshold was selected for comparison of device performance to LAMS scores. RESULTS: A total of 594 subjects were enrolled, including 183 subjects who received the second-generation device. Usable data were captured in 158 patients (86.3%). Study subjects were 53% female and 56% Black/African American, with median age 69 years. Twenty-six (16.4%) patients had LVO and 132 (83.6%) were not LVO (not-LVO AIS, 33; intracerebral hemorrhage, nine; stroke mimics, 90). COVID-19 testing and positivity rates (10.6%) were not different between groups. We found a sensitivity of 38.5% and specificity of 82.7% for LAMS ≥ 4 in detecting LVO stroke versus a sensitivity of 84.6% (p < 0.0015 for superiority) and specificity of 82.6% (p = 0.81 for superiority) for the device algorithm (CA + LAMS). CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining adequate recordings with a CA headset is highly feasible in the prehospital environment. Use of the device algorithm incorporating both CA and LAMS data for LVO detection resulted in significantly higher sensitivity without reduced specificity when compared to the use of LAMS alone.

Shifting the landscape: The role of IDH inhibitors in glioma cell fate.

In this issue of Cancer Cell, Spitzer and colleagues demonstrate the role of IDH inhibitors on IDHmutant gliomas in reducing proliferation and enhancing cell differentiation toward an astrocytic-like state, thus altering neurodevelopmental pathways. Despite clinical promise, unresolved questions regarding mechanisms of action and resistance underline the need for further research for treatment optimization.

Early Serial Assessment of Aggregate Vasoactive Support and Mortality in Cardiogenic Shock: Insights From the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network Registry.

BACKGROUND: Associations of early changes in vasoactive support with cardiogenic shock (CS) mortality remain incompletely defined. METHODS: The Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a multicenter registry of cardiac intensive care units. Patients admitted with CS (2018-2023) had vasoactive dosing assessed at 4 and 24 hours from cardiac intensive care unit admission and quantified by the vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS). Prognostic associations of VIS at both time points, as well as change in VIS from 4 to 24 hours, were examined. Interaction testing was performed based on mechanical circulatory support status. RESULTS: Among 3665 patients, 82% had a change in VIS <10, with 7% and 11% having a ≥10-point increase and decrease from 4 to 24 hours, respectively. The 4 and 24-hour VIS were each associated with cardiac intensive care unit mortality (13%-45% and 11%-73% for VIS <10 to ≥40, respectively; Ptrend <0.0001 for each). Stratifying by the 4-hour VIS, changes in VIS from 4 to 24 hours had a graded association with mortality, ranging from a 2- to >4-fold difference in mortality comparing those with a ≥10-point increase to ≥10-point decrease in VIS (Ptrend <0.0001). The change in VIS alone provided good discrimination of cardiac intensive care unit mortality (C-statistic, 0.72 [95% CI, 0.70-0.75]) and improved discrimination of the 24-hour Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (0.72 [95% CI, 0.69-0.74] to 0.76 [95% CI, 0.74-0.78]) and the clinician-assessed Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions shock stage (0.72 [95% CI, 0.70-0.74] to 0.77 [95% CI, 0.75-0.79]). Although present in both groups, the mortality risk associated with VIS was attenuated in patients managed with versus without mechanical circulatory support (odds ratio per 10-point higher 24-hour VIS, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.23-1.49] versus 1.84 [95% CI, 1.69-2.01]; Pinteraction <0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Early changes in the magnitude of vasoactive support in CS are associated with a gradient of risk for mortality. These data suggest that early VIS trajectory may improve CS prognostication, with the potential to be leveraged for clinical decision-making and research applications in CS.

G protein-coupled receptors: from radioligand binding to cellular signaling.

Radioligand binding techniques facilitated the identification and study of G-protein coupled receptors that now represent the largest class of targets for therapeutic drugs.

Validation of Air Medical Prehospital Triage Score in Determining Resource Utilization at Level 1 Trauma Centers.

OBJECTIVE: Overtriage (ie, delivering less severely injured patients via helicopter) is costly, raises safety concerns, and reduces efficiency of the trauma system. The Air Medical Prehospital Triage (AMPT) scoring system was developed to determine which trauma patients would gain a survival benefit by air transport. The objective of this study was to evaluate the AMPT scoring system as a method of reducing trauma overtriage when helicopter emergency medical services were used. METHODS: A retrospective study of all scene trauma transports delivered by helicopter to 1 of 2 level 1 trauma centers was evaluated for 1) hospital stay less than 1 day and 2) failure to meet 1 of the following criteria for resource utilization: intensive care unit admission, an operative procedure within the first 24 hours, the need for blood products, Injury Severity Score ≥ 16, or death during hospitalization. Helicopter emergency medical services personnel recorded specific criteria from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) field trauma triage guidelines and AMPT that were met by transported trauma patients. RESULTS: There were 244 patients in the study population. Eighty-one (33.2%) patients were discharged within 24 hours; 11 (13.5%) of these patients were positive using AMPT scoring, whereas 44 (54.3%) patients met 1 of the CDC criteria. Similarly, 141 (57.8%) patients failed to meet 1 of the level 1 resource criteria; 19 (13.5%) met the AMPT criteria for air medical transport, whereas 84 (59.6%) met 1 of the CDC criteria. Undertriage was 63.5% for AMPT and 20.2% for CDC based on resource utilization criteria. CONCLUSION: The AMPT score reduced the number of patients who were inappropriately transported to a trauma center. However, this appeared to be at the expense of undertriage. Future studies should focus on developing a refined air medical-specific triage tool that has both low overtriage rates as well as lower undertriage rates.

The Influence of Coagulopathy on Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization as Standalone Treatment for Non-acute Subdural Hematomas.

Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) is emerging as a safe and effective standalone intervention for non-acute subdural hematomas (NASHs); however, the risk of hematoma recurrence after MMAE in coagulopathic patients is unclear. To characterize the impact of coagulopathy on treatment outcomes, we analyzed a multi-institutional database of patients who underwent standalone MMAE as treatment for NASH. We classified 537 patients who underwent MMAE as a standalone intervention between 2019 and 2023 by coagulopathy status. Coagulopathy was defined as use of anticoagulation/antiplatelet agents or pre-operative thrombocytopenia (platelets <100,000/µL). Demographics, pre-procedural characteristics, in-hospital course, and patient outcomes were collected. Thrombocytopenia, aspirin use, antiplatelet agent use, and anticoagulant use were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses to identify any characteristics associated with the need for rescue surgical intervention, mortality, adverse events, and modified Rankin Scale score at 90-day follow-up. Propensity score-matched cohorts by coagulopathy status with matching covariates adjusting for risk factors implicated in surgical recurrence were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Minimal differences in pre-operative characteristics between patients with and those without coagulopathy were observed. On unmatched and matched analyses, patients with coagulopathy had higher rates of requiring subsequent surgery than those without (unmatched: 9.9% vs. 4.3%; matched: 12.6% vs. 4.6%; both p < 0.05). On matched multivariable analysis, patients with coagulopathy had an increased odds ratio (OR) of requiring surgical rescue (OR 3.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.68-9.30; p < 0.01). Antiplatelet agent use (ticagrelor, prasugrel, or clopidogrel) was also predictive of surgical rescue (OR 4.38; 95% CI 1.51-12.72; p = 0.01), and patients with thrombocytopenia had significantly increased odds of in-hospital mortality (OR 5.16; 95% CI 2.38-11.20; p < 0.01). There were no differences in follow-up radiographic and other clinical outcomes in patients with and those without coagulopathy. Patients with coagulopathy undergoing standalone MMAE for treatment of NASH may have greater risk of requiring surgical rescue (particularly in patients using antiplatelet agents), and in-hospital mortality (in thrombocytopenic patients).

High-throughput measurement of elastic moduli of microfibers by rope coiling.

There are many fields where it is of interest to measure the elastic moduli of tiny fragile fibers, such as filamentous bacteria, actin filaments, DNA, carbon nanotubes, and functional microfibers. The elastic modulus is typically deduced from a sophisticated tensile test under a microscope, but the throughput is low and limited by the time-consuming and skill-intensive sample loading/unloading. Here, we demonstrate a simple microfluidic method enabling the high-throughput measurement of the elastic moduli of microfibers by rope coiling using a localized compression, where sample loading/unloading are not needed between consecutive measurements. The rope coiling phenomenon occurs spontaneously when a microfiber flows from a small channel into a wide channel. The elastic modulus is determined by measuring either the buckling length or the coiling radius. The throughput of this method, currently 3,300 fibers per hour, is a thousand times higher than that of a tensile tester. We demonstrate the feasibility of the method by testing a nonuniform fiber with axially varying elastic modulus. We also demonstrate its capability for in situ inline measurement in a microfluidic production line. We envisage that high-throughput measurements may facilitate potential applications such as screening or sorting by mechanical properties and real-time control during production of microfibers.

Large-scale circulating proteome association study (CPAS) meta-analysis identifies circulating proteins and pathways predicting incident hip fractures.

Hip fractures are associated with significant disability, high cost, and mortality. However, the exact biological mechanisms underlying susceptibility to hip fractures remain incompletely understood. In an exploratory search of the underlying biology as reflected through the circulating proteome, we performed a comprehensive Circulating Proteome Association Study (CPAS) meta-analysis for incident hip fractures. Analyses included 6430 subjects from two prospective cohort studies (Cardiovascular Health Study and Trøndelag Health Study) with circulating proteomics data (aptamer-based 5 K SomaScan version 4.0 assay; 4979 aptamers). Associations between circulating protein levels and incident hip fractures were estimated for each cohort using age and sex-adjusted Cox regression models. Participants experienced 643 incident hip fractures. Compared with the individual studies, inverse-variance weighted meta-analyses yielded more statistically significant associations, identifying 23 aptamers associated with incident hip fractures (conservative Bonferroni correction 0.05/4979, P < 1.0 × 10-5). The aptamers most strongly associated with hip fracture risk corresponded to two proteins of the growth hormone/insulin growth factor system (GHR and IGFBP2), as well as GDF15 and EGFR. High levels of several inflammation-related proteins (CD14, CXCL12, MMP12, ITIH3) were also associated with increased hip fracture risk. Ingenuity pathway analysis identified reduced LXR/RXR activation and increased acute phase response signaling to be overrepresented among those proteins associated with increased hip fracture risk. These analyses identified several circulating proteins and pathways consistently associated with incident hip fractures. These findings underscore the usefulness of the meta-analytic approach for comprehensive CPAS in a similar manner as has previously been observed for large-scale human genetic studies. Future studies should investigate the underlying biology of these potential novel drug targets.

Hip fractures are associated with significant disability, high cost, and mortality. However, the exact biological mechanisms underlying susceptibility to hip fractures remain incompletely understood. To increase the understanding of the underlying mechanisms, we performed a meta-analysis of the associations between 4860 circulating proteins and risk of fractures using two large cohorts, including 6430 participants with 643 incident hip fractures. We identified 23 proteins/aptamers associated with incident hip fractures. Two proteins of the growth hormone/insulin growth factor system (GHR and IGFBP2), as well as GDF15 and EGFR were most strongly associated with hip fracture risk. High levels of several inflammation-related proteins were also associated with increased hip fracture risk. Pathway analysis identified reduced LXR/RXR activation and increased acute phase response signaling to be overrepresented among those proteins associated with increased hip fracture risk. Future mechanistic studies should investigate the underlying biology of these novel protein biomarkers which may be potential drug targets.

A risk analysis of alpelisib-induced hyperglycemia in patients with advanced solid tumors and breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Hyperglycemia is an on-target effect of PI3Kα inhibitors. Early identification and intervention of treatment-induced hyperglycemia is important for improving management of patients receiving a PI3Kα inhibitor like alpelisib. Here, we characterize incidence of grade 3/4 alpelisib-related hyperglycemia, along with time to event, management, and outcomes using a machine learning model. METHODS: Data for the risk model were pooled from patients receiving alpelisib ± fulvestrant in the open-label, phase 1 X2101 trial and the randomized, double-blind, phase 3 SOLAR-1 trial. The pooled population (n = 505) included patients with advanced solid tumors (X2101, n = 221) or HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer (SOLAR-1, n = 284). External validation was performed using BYLieve trial patient data (n = 340). Hyperglycemia incidence and management were analyzed for SOLAR-1. RESULTS: A random forest model identified 5 baseline characteristics most associated with risk of developing grade 3/4 hyperglycemia (fasting plasma glucose, body mass index, HbA1c, monocytes, age). This model was used to derive a score to classify patients as high or low risk for developing grade 3/4 hyperglycemia. Applying the model to patients treated with alpelisib and fulvestrant in SOLAR-1 showed higher incidence of hyperglycemia (all grade and grade 3/4), increased use of antihyperglycemic medications, and more discontinuations due to hyperglycemia (16.7% vs. 2.6% of discontinuations) in the high- versus low-risk group. Among patients in SOLAR-1 (alpelisib + fulvestrant arm) with PIK3CA mutations, median progression-free survival was similar between the high- and low-risk groups (11.0 vs. 10.9 months). For external validation, the model was applied to the BYLieve trial, for which successful classification into high- and low-risk groups with shorter time to grade 3/4 hyperglycemia in the high-risk group was observed. CONCLUSIONS: A risk model using 5 clinically relevant baseline characteristics was able to identify patients at higher or lower probability for developing alpelisib-induced hyperglycemia. Early identification of patients who may be at higher risk for hyperglycemia may improve management (including monitoring and early intervention) and potentially lead to improved outcomes. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01219699 (registration date: October 13, 2010; retrospectively registered), ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02437318 (registration date: May 7, 2015); ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03056755 (registration date: February 17, 2017).