Outbreak of encephalitic listeriosis in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa)

An outbreak of neurological disease was investigated in red-legged partridges between 8 and 28 days of age. Clinical signs included torticollis, head tilt and incoordination and over an initial eight day period approximately 30–40 fatalities occurred per day. No significant gross post mortem findings were detected. Histopathological examination of the brain and bacterial cultures followed by partial sequencing confirmed a diagnosis of encephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes. Further isolates were obtained from follow-up carcasses, environmental samples and pooled tissue samples of newly imported day-old chicks prior to placement on farm. These isolates had the same antibiotic resistance pattern as the isolate of the initial post mortem submission and belonged to the same fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) subtype. This suggested that the isolates were very closely related or identical and that the pathogen had entered the farm with the imported day-old chicks, resulting in disease manifestation in partridges between 8 and 28 days of age. Reports of outbreaks of encephalitic listeriosis in avian species are rare and this is to the best of our knowledge the first reported outbreak in red-legged partridges

Perception versus reality: A National Cohort Analysis of the surgery-first approach for resectable pancreatic cancer

INTRODUCTION: Although surgical resection is necessary, it is not sufficient for long-term survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We sought to evaluate survival after up-front surgery (UFS) in anatomically resectable PDAC in the context of three critical factors: (A) margin status; (B) CA19-9; and (C) receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: The National Cancer Data Base (2010-2015) was reviewed for clinically resectable (stage 0/I/II) PDAC patients. Surgical margins, pre-operative CA19-9, and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated. Patient overall survival was stratified based on these factors and their respective combinations. Outcomes after UFS were compared to equivalently staged patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy on an intention-to-treat (ITT) basis. RESULTS: Twelve thousand and eighty-nine patients were included (n = 9197 UFS, n = 2892 ITT neoadjuvant). In the UFS cohort, only 20.4% had all three factors (median OS = 31.2 months). Nearly 1/3rd (32.7%) of UFS patients had none or only one factor with concomitant worst survival (median OS = 14.7 months). Survival after UFS decreased with each failing factor (two factors: 23 months, one factor: 15.5 months, no factors: 7.9 months) and this persisted after adjustment. Overall survival was superior in the ITT-neoadjuvant cohort (27.9 vs. 22 months) to UFS. CONCLUSION: Despite the perceived benefit of UFS, only 1-in-5 UFS patients actually realize maximal survival when known factors highly associated with outcomes are assessed. Patients are proportionally more likely to do worst, rather than best after UFS treatment. Similarly staged patients undergoing ITT-neoadjuvant therapy achieve survival superior to the majority of UFS patients. Patients and providers should be aware of the false perception of \u27optimal\u27 survival benefit with UFS in anatomically resectable PDAC

Distribution of antioxidant components in roots of different red beets (Beta vulgaris L.) cultivars

The beetroot is typically on the table in winter in form of pickles or juice, but for its nutritional values it would deserve more common consumption. Its curative effect in great part is due to the several vitamins, minerals, and compounds with antioxidant activity. But the division of biological active compounds is very different in the parts of the root. Based on our results, we could compare the differences between the morphology and some inner contents (soluble solid content, colour, betacyanin, betaxanthin, and polyphenol contents, antioxidant activity, and some flavonoids) of two beetroot cultivars. The results of the morphological investigations showed that the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar had more favourable crop parameters than the ‘Alto F1’ cultivar. In the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar the polyphenol content and the antioxidant capacity were significantly higher than in the ‘Alto F1’ cultivar. By determination of the betanin contents of the investigated beetroots, our results showed both betacyanin and betaxanthin contents were higher in the ‘Cylindre’ cultivar. The chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, the cumaric acid have been identified based on the peaks of HPLC in the studied beetroot cultivars

Generation of chemoresistant PDXs in the era of modern neoadjuvant therapy

Background: Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) allow for patient cancer tissue amplification and downstream in vivo research applications. A majority of PDXs derive from treatment naïve (TN) tumors. We aimed to generate PDXs from surgically resected TN and neoadjuvant (NA) pancreatic (PDAC) cancers to compare engraftment outcomes and create modern agent chemoresistant models. Methods: We maintain a prospective GI cancer PDX program. With informed consent and IRB approval, resected PDAC tissue is implanted into immunocompromised mice. Tumor growth is monitored, viable tumor is passed into subsequent generations, and pathologists confirm PDX histopatholgy to original patient tumor. MatePair sequencing characterized generated PDXs. Outcomes include 1) ischemic time (IT-time from retrieval to implantation, and 2) engraftment (ER-% of successful engraftment). Patient clinical, pathologic, and follow-up data were abstracted. Grade III treatment response was considered chemoresistant. Results: During 1/2013-8/2017, 139 patients with histologically confirmed PDAC were implanted (48 naïve and 91 neoadjuvant) with successful PDX ER in 70 (51%) tumors that was higher for TN tumors. Mate-pair analysis demonstrated highly correlative genomic signatures to primary patient tumor and PDX. Median IT did not differ between treatment groups Table. In NA tumors successful PDX ER varied by therapy type: FOLFIRINOX (FFX) 51%, gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (GA) 62%, and combined FFX/GA 22%. Table compares clinicopathologic features and patient outcomes between therapy type and PDX ER. Patients with successful PDX ER had significantly worse clinical RFS and OS regardless of treatment status. In total, we generated 19 FFX, 6 GA, and 1 FFX/GA resistant PDX models for future work. Conclusion: PDX generation after NA therapy is feasible and allows for creation of chemoresistant models for future drug development. Engraftment is successful in patients with minimal treatment response. PDX growth correlates with outcomes and is a valuable translational model for any patient. These PDXs will accommodate and assess differential responses to current therapies and elucidate predictive markers of response or resistance

System identification to analyse changed kinetics of SERCA in intact rat heart

A mechanistic-based model has been derived of calcium handling in the intact heart. This model incorporates the quantitatively most important processes involved in beat-to-beat calcium homeostasis. Based on a priori physiological information the model has been reduced to yield (kinetic) parameters that could be estimated using time-series data of the free calcium concentration in the sarcoplasma. Observations of the dynamics of the overall system were translated into the underlying mechanisms. Experiments in which the most important calcium extrusion pump (Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase, SERCA) was disturbed have been successfully analysed and interpreted using model and identification