High-salt diet suppresses autoimmune demyelination by regulating the blood-brain barrier permeability

Sodium chloride, "salt," is an essential component of daily food and vitally contributes to the body's homeostasis. However, excessive salt intake has often been held responsible for numerous health risks associated with the cardiovascular system and kidney. Recent reports linked a high-salt diet (HSD) to the exacerbation of artificially induced central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune pathology through changes in microbiota and enhanced T(H)17 cell differentiation [M. Kleinewietfeld et al., Nature 496, 518-522 (2013); C. Wu et al., Nature 496, 513-517 (2013); N. Wilck et al., Nature 551, 585-589 (2017)]. However, there is no evidence that dietary salt promotes or worsens a spontaneous autoimmune disease. Here we show that HSD suppresses autoimmune disease development in a mouse model of spontaneous CNS autoimmunity. We found that HSD consumption increased the circulating serum levels of the glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone. Corticosterone enhanced the expression of tight junction molecules on the brain endothelial cells and promoted the tightening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) thereby controlling the entry of inflammatory T cells into the CNS. Our results demonstrate the multifaceted and potentially beneficial effects of moderately increased salt consumption in CNS autoimmunity.We thank the Mass Spectrometry and NGS Core Facilities at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry for performing sample analysis for proteomics and mRNA-seq experiments

New Indian banyan plant bug.

15 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cm.A new genus and new species of the plant bug, Chimairacoris lakshmiae Yasunaga, Schuh, and Cassis are described from Bangalore, India. This morphologically and ecologically specialized mirid belongs to the subfamily Phylinae on the basis of genitalic structures and is currently considered best placed in the subtribe Oncotylina of the tribe Phylini. Its morphological convergence with termatophyline mirids and placement within the Phylinae are discussed. It is associated with psyllid leaf galls on Indian banyan, Ficus benghalensis. The gall-producing psyllid, Trioza sp., and a mealybug, Phenacoccus parvus, are confirmed as prey of this unique mirid. A similar phenomenon observed in some Montandoniola spp. (Anthocoridae) and Fingulus species (Miridae: Deraeocorinae), which are associated with thrips species of the genus Gynaikothrips (Thysanoptera: Tubulifera) on Ficus microcarpa, is also documented

Reference Distorted Prices

I show that when consumers (mis)perceive prices relative to reference prices, budgets turn out to be soft, prices tend to be lower and the average quality of goods sold decreases. These observations provide explanations for decentralized purchase decisions, for people being happy with a purchase even when they have paid their evaluation, and for why trade might affect high quality local firms 'unfairly'

p16INK4a reporter mice reveal age-promoting effects of environmental toxicants

While murine-based systems to identify cancer-promoting agents (carcinogens) are established, models to identify compounds that promote aging (gerontogens) have not been described. For this purpose, we exploited the transcription of p16INK4a, which rises dynamically with aging and correlates with age-associated disease. Activation of p16INK4a was visualized in vivo using a murine strain that harbors a knockin of the luciferase gene into the Cdkn2a locus (p16LUC mice). We exposed p16LUC mice to candidate gerontogens, including arsenic, high-fat diet, UV light, and cigarette smoke and serially imaged animals to monitor senescence induction. We show that exposure to a high-fat diet did not accelerate p16INK4a expression, whereas arsenic modestly augmented, and cigarette smoke and UV light potently augmented, activation of p16INK4a-mediated senescence. This work provides a toxicological platform to study mammalian aging and suggests agents that directly damage DNA promote molecular aging

Expression of p16INK4a as a biomarker of T-cell aging in HIV-infected patients prior to and during antiretroviral therapy

The p16INK4a tumor suppressor gene is a mediator of cellular senescence and has been suggested to be a biomarker of ‘molecular’ age in several tissues including T-cells. To determine the association of both active and suppressed HIV infection with T-cell aging, T-cell p16INK4a expression was compared between 60 HIV+ suppressed subjects, 23 HIV+ untreated subjects, and 18 contemporaneously collected HIV-negative controls, as well as 148 HIV-negative historical samples. Expression did not correlate with chronologic age in untreated HIV+ patients, consistent with an effect of active HIV replication on p16INK4a expression. In patients on cART with suppressed viral loads, however, p16INK4a levels were similar to uninfected controls and correlated with chronologic age, with a trend toward an inverse correlation with CD4 count. These data show that p16INK4a is a reliable biomarker of T cell aging in HIV+ patients with suppressed viral loads and suggest that poor CD4 cell recovery on cART may be associated with increased T-cell expression of p16INK4a, a marker of cellular senescence

Enteral lactoferrin supplementation for very preterm infants: a randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background Infections acquired in hospital are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants. Several small trials have suggested that supplementing the enteral diet of very preterm infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein processed from cow's milk, prevents infections and associated complications. The aim of this large randomised controlled trial was to collect data to enhance the validity and applicability of the evidence from previous trials to inform practice. Methods In this randomised placebo-controlled trial, we recruited very preterm infants born before 32 weeks' gestation in 37 UK hospitals and younger than 72 h at randomisation. Exclusion criteria were presence of a severe congenital anomaly, anticipated enteral fasting for longer than 14 days, or no realistic prospect of survival. Eligible infants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either enteral bovine lactoferrin (150 mg/kg per day; maximum 300 mg/day; lactoferrin group) or sucrose (same dose; control group) once daily until 34 weeks' postmenstrual age. Web-based randomisation minimised for recruitment site, gestation (completed weeks), sex, and single versus multifetal pregnancy. Parents, caregivers, and outcome assessors were unaware of group assignment. The primary outcome was microbiologically confirmed or clinically suspected late-onset infection (occurring >72 h after birth), which was assessed in all participants for whom primary outcome data was available by calculating the relative risk ratio with 95% CI between the two groups. The trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number 88261002. Findings We recruited 2203 participants between May 7, 2014, and Sept 28, 2017, of whom 1099 were assigned to the lactoferrin group and 1104 to the control group. Four infants had consent withdrawn or unconfirmed, leaving 1098 infants in the lactoferrin group and 1101 in the sucrose group. Primary outcome data for 2182 infants (1093 [99·5%] of 1098 in the lactoferrin group and 1089 [99·0] of 1101 in the control group) were available for inclusion in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. 316 (29%) of 1093 infants in the intervention group acquired a late-onset infection versus 334 (31%) of 1089 in the control group. The risk ratio adjusted for minimisation factors was 0·95 (95% CI 0·86–1·04; p=0·233). During the trial there were 16 serious adverse events for infants in the lactoferrin group and 10 for infants in the control group. Two events in the lactoferrin group (one case of blood in stool and one death after intestinal perforation) were assessed as being possibly related to the trial intervention. Interpretation Enteral supplementation with bovine lactoferrin does not reduce the risk of late-onset infection in very preterm infants. These data do not support its routine use to prevent late-onset infection and associated morbidity or mortality in very preterm infants. Funding UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme (10/57/49)

Enteral lactoferrin supplementation for very preterm infants: a randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background Infections acquired in hospital are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in very preterm infants. Several small trials have suggested that supplementing the enteral diet of very preterm infants with lactoferrin, an antimicrobial protein processed from cow's milk, prevents infections and associated complications. The aim of this large randomised controlled trial was to collect data to enhance the validity and applicability of the evidence from previous trials to inform practice. Methods In this randomised placebo-controlled trial, we recruited very preterm infants born before 32 weeks' gestation in 37 UK hospitals and younger than 72 h at randomisation. Exclusion criteria were presence of a severe congenital anomaly, anticipated enteral fasting for longer than 14 days, or no realistic prospect of survival. Eligible infants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either enteral bovine lactoferrin (150 mg/kg per day; maximum 300 mg/day; lactoferrin group) or sucrose (same dose; control group) once daily until 34 weeks' postmenstrual age. Web-based randomisation minimised for recruitment site, gestation (completed weeks), sex, and single versus multifetal pregnancy. Parents, caregivers, and outcome assessors were unaware of group assignment. The primary outcome was microbiologically confirmed or clinically suspected late-onset infection (occurring >72 h after birth), which was assessed in all participants for whom primary outcome data was available by calculating the relative risk ratio with 95% CI between the two groups. The trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number 88261002. Findings We recruited 2203 participants between May 7, 2014, and Sept 28, 2017, of whom 1099 were assigned to the lactoferrin group and 1104 to the control group. Four infants had consent withdrawn or unconfirmed, leaving 1098 infants in the lactoferrin group and 1101 in the sucrose group. Primary outcome data for 2182 infants (1093 [99·5%] of 1098 in the lactoferrin group and 1089 [99·0] of 1101 in the control group) were available for inclusion in the modified intention-to-treat analyses. 316 (29%) of 1093 infants in the intervention group acquired a late-onset infection versus 334 (31%) of 1089 in the control group. The risk ratio adjusted for minimisation factors was 0·95 (95% CI 0·86–1·04; p=0·233). During the trial there were 16 serious adverse events for infants in the lactoferrin group and 10 for infants in the control group. Two events in the lactoferrin group (one case of blood in stool and one death after intestinal perforation) were assessed as being possibly related to the trial intervention. Interpretation Enteral supplementation with bovine lactoferrin does not reduce the risk of late-onset infection in very preterm infants. These data do not support its routine use to prevent late-onset infection and associated morbidity or mortality in very preterm infants. Funding UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme (10/57/49)

Risk of Recurrence of Resected Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Cancer in Elderly Patients as Compared with Younger Patients

Half of all patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are 70 years or older at the time of diagnosis. Surgery is an option for fit elderly patients with early stage disease, but rates of disease recurrence after surgical resection are not well described. We report the outcomes in elderly patients (70 years or older) with stage I NSCLC after surgical resection.We conducted a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with stage I NSCLC after surgical resection at Washington University School of Medicine-Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center from 1990 to 2000. Demographic, pathologic, treatment, and follow-up data were collected. Recurrence rates and overall survival were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to detect associations between potential prognostic factors and survival and recurrence.Of the 715 patients with stage I NSCLC, 286 were 70 years or older at diagnosis. In this elderly cohort, the median age was 74 years (range, 70–89 years) and 140 of them were women (49%). Lobectomy was performed in 237 patients (83%) whereas 43 patients (15%) had a wedge or segmental resection, and six patients (2%) underwent pneumonectomy. Clinical and pathologic characteristics were not statistically different between the elderly and younger cohorts, with the exception that older patients were more likely to be white (90% versus 80%, p = 0.0003) and less likely to be smokers (88% versus 95%, p = 0.019) compared with the younger cohort. With a median follow-up of 4.6 years, the overall 5-year survival rate was 52% with a 5-year recurrence rate of 24%. In comparison, the patients younger than 70 years had a 5-year survival rate of 67% (p < 0.001) and a 5-year recurrence rate of 24%.Although overall survival was worse in elderly patients, estimated disease recurrence rates after resection were identical