Spatial characterization of the effect of age and sex on macular layer thicknesses and foveal pit morphology

Characterizing the effect of age and sex on macular retinal layer thicknesses and foveal pit morphology is crucial to differentiating between natural and disease-related changes. We applied advanced image analysis techniques to optical coherence tomography (OCT) to: 1) enhance the spatial description of age and sex effects, and 2) create a detailed open database of normative retinal layer thickness maps and foveal pit shapes. The maculae of 444 healthy subjects (age range 21–88) were imaged with OCT. Using computational spatial data analysis, thickness maps were obtained for retinal layers and averaged into 400 (20 x 20) sectors. Additionally, the geometry of the foveal pit was radially analyzed by computing the central foveal thickness, rim height, rim radius, and mean slope. The effect of age and sex on these parameters was analyzed with multiple regression mixed-effects models. We observed that the overall age-related decrease of the total retinal thickness (TRT) (-1.1% per 10 years) was mainly driven by the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) (-2.4% per 10 years). Both TRT and GCIPL thinning patterns were homogeneous across the macula when using percentual measurements. Although the male retina was 4.1 μm thicker on average, the greatest differences were mainly present for the inner retinal layers in the inner macular ring (up to 4% higher TRT than in the central macula). There was an age-related decrease in the rim height (1.0% per 10 years) and males had a higher rim height, shorter rim radius, and steeper mean slope. Importantly, the radial analysis revealed that these changes are present and relatively uniform across angular directions. These findings demonstrate the capacity of advanced analysis of OCT images to enhance the description of the macula. This, together with the created dataset, could aid the development of more accurate diagnosis models for macular pathologies.This study was partially co-funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (https://www.isciii.es) through the projects PI14/00679 (IG) and PI16/00005 (IG), by the Basque Foundation for Health Innovation and Research (https://www.bioef.org) through the project BIO17/ND/010 (IG), and by the Department of Health of the Basque Government (https://www.euskadi.eus/gobierno-vasco/departamento-salud) through the projects 2019111100 (IG), 2020333033(IG). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Foveal remodeling of retinal microvasculature in Parkinson’s disease

[EN] Background: Retinal microvascular alterations have been previously described in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). However, an extensive description of retinal vascular morphological features, their association with PD-related clinical variables and their potential use as diagnostic biomarkers has not been explored. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study including 49 PD patients (87 eyes) and 40 controls (73 eyes). Retinal microvasculature was evaluated with Spectralis OCT-A and cognitive status with Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Unified PD Rating Scale and disease duration were recorded in patients. We extracted microvascular parameters from superficial and deep vascular plexuses of the macula, including the area and circularity of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), skeleton density, perfusion density, vessel perimeter index, vessel mean diameter, fractal dimension (FD) and lacunarity using Python and MATLAB. We compared the microvascular parameters between groups and explored their association with thickness of macular layers and clinical outcomes. Data were analyzed with General Estimating Equations (GEE) and adjusted for age, sex, and hypertension. Logistic regression GEE models were fitted to predict diagnosis of PD versus controls from microvascular, demographic, and clinical data. The discrimination ability of models was tested with receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: FAZ area was significantly smaller in patients compared to controls in superficial and deep plexuses, whereas perfusion density, skeleton density, FD and lacunarity of capillaries were increased in the foveal zone of PD. In the parafovea, microvascular parameters of superficial plexus were associated with ganglion cellinner plexiform layer thickness, but this was mainly driven by PD with mild cognitive impairment. No such associations were observed in controls. FAZ area was negatively associated with cognition in PD (non-adjusted models). Foveal lacunarity, combined with demographic and clinical confounding factors, yielded an outstanding diagnostic accuracy for discriminating PD patients from controls. Conclusion: Parkinson’s disease patients displayed foveal microvascular alterations causing an enlargement of the vascular bed surrounding FAZ. Parafoveal microvascular alterations were less pronounced but were related to inner retinal layer thinning. Retinal microvascular abnormalities helped discriminating PD from controls. All this supports OCT-A as a potential non-invasive biomarker to reveal vascular pathophysiology and improve diagnostic accuracy in PD.This study was partially co-funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects PI14/00679 and PI16/00005 (co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future”), and by the Department of Health of the Basque Government through the projects “2019111100” and “2020333033”

Predicción de la afinidad de ligandos antagonistas por receptores de adenosina A2A usando árboles de decisión

Neurodegenerative diseases are being treated by modulating adenosine receptors with more effective, safe and selective antagonists. The objective of the study was to develop a methodology to obtain classification models based on decision tree algorithms and descriptors from 0D to 2D of non-congenital families of organic compounds to qualitatively predict ligand-RAA2A affinity. For this purpose, a non-congeneric database of 315 antagonists was constructed and cured with its inhibition constant in nano molar, labeled as potent and weak. The Dragon and ISIDA / QSPR programs were used to calculate molecular descriptors and five groups of descriptors were obtained. In each group 50 descriptors were selected using the mRMR criterion. The database was divided into Training, Test and External series through a random selection and a generalized k-means cluster analysis. Classifiers were developed and validated using the WEKA program. The results were analyzed using the statistical tests of Friedman and Wilcoxon. The significant influence of parameter m of algorithm J48 on the predictivity was verified for the models that used the descriptors of the aug.a-b and hyb.aug.a groups of ISIDA / QSPR. The best performance model was obtained from the selected descriptors of the ISIDA-all group with a value of m = 6 and reached 90.6% prediction on the External series. The methodology developed to obtain classification models based on decision tree algorithms and descriptors from 0D to 2D of non-congenital families of organic compounds is effective in qualitatively predicting ligand-RAA2A affinity with accuracy, specificity and selectivity greater than 90 %. Keywords: classification, machine learning, modeling, QSARLas enfermedades neurodegenerativas están siendo tratadas mediante la modulación de los receptores de adenosina con antagonistas más eficaces, seguros y selectivos. El objetivo del estudio consistió en desarrollar una metodología para obtener modelos de clasificación sobre la base de algoritmos de árboles de decisión y descriptores de 0D a 2D de familias no congenéricas de compuestos orgánicos para predecir cualitativamente la afinidad ligando-RAA2A. Para ello se construyó y curó una base de datos no congenérica de 315 antagonistas con su constante de inhibición en nano molar, etiquetados como potentes y débiles. Se utilizaron los programas Dragon e ISIDA/QSPR para calcular descriptores moleculares y se obtuvieron cinco grupos de descriptores. En cada grupo se seleccionaron 50 descriptores usando el criterio mRMR. La base de datos se dividió en series de Entrenamiento, Prueba y Externa mediante una selección aleatoria y un análisis de clúster k-means generalizado. Se desarrollaron y validaron clasificadores utilizando el programa WEKA. Los resultados fueron analizados mediante las pruebas estadísticas de Friedman y Wilcoxon. Se comprobó la influencia significativa del parámetro m del algoritmo J48 en la predictividad, para los modelos que usaron los descriptores de los grupos aug.a-b e hyb.aug.a del ISIDA/QSPR. El modelo de mejor desempeño se obtuvo de los descriptores seleccionados del grupo ISIDA-todos con un valor de m=6 y alcanzó 90.6% de predicción sobre la serie Externa. La metodología desarrollada para obtener modelos de clasificación sobre la base de algoritmos de árboles de decisión y descriptores de 0D a 2D de familias no congenéricas de compuestos orgánicos es efectiva para predecir cualitativamente la afinidad ligando-RAA2A con una exactitud, especificidad y selectividad superiores al 90%. Palabras clave: aprendizaje automatizado; clasificación; modelación; QSA

Heterogenous presence of neutrophil extracellular traps in human solid tumours is partially dependent on IL-8

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are webs of extracellular nuclear DNA extruded by dying neutrophils infiltrating tissue. NETs constitute a defence mechanism to entrap and kill fungi and bacteria. Tumours induce the formation of NETs to the advantage of the malignancy via a variety of mechanisms shown in mouse models. Here, we investigated the presence of NETs in a variety of human solid tumours and their association with IL-8 (CXCL8) protein expression and CD8+ T-cell density in the tumour microenvironment. Multiplex immunofluorescence panels were developed to identify NETs in human cancer tissues by co-staining with the granulocyte marker CD15, the neutrophil marker myeloperoxidase and citrullinated histone H3 (H3Cit), as well as IL-8 protein and CD8+ T cells. Three ELISA methods to detect and quantify circulating NETs in serum were optimised and utilised. Whole tumour sections and tissue microarrays from patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; n = 14), bladder cancer (n = 14), melanoma (n = 11), breast cancer (n = 31), colorectal cancer (n = 20) and mesothelioma (n = 61) were studied. Also, serum samples collected retrospectively from patients with metastatic melanoma (n = 12) and NSCLC (n = 34) were ELISA assayed to quantify circulating NETs and IL-8. NETs were detected in six different human cancer types with wide individual variation in terms of tissue density and distribution. At least in NSCLC, bladder cancer and metastatic melanoma, NET density positively correlated with IL-8 protein expression and inversely correlated with CD8+ T-cell densities. In a series of serum samples from melanoma and NSCLC patients, a positive correlation between circulating NETs and IL-8 was found. In conclusion, NETs are detectable in formalin-fixed human biopsy samples from solid tumours and in the circulation of cancer patients with a considerable degree of individual variation. NETs show a positive association with IL-8 and a trend towards a negative association with CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes

Integrated Ugi-Based Assembly of Functionally, Skeletally, and Stereochemically Diverse 1,4-Benzodiazepin-2-ones

A practical, integrated and versatile U-4CR-based assembly of 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones exhibiting functionally, skeletally, and stereochemically diverse substitution patterns is described. By virtue of its convergence, atom economy, and bond-forming efficiency, the methodology documented herein exemplifies the reconciliation of structural complexity and experimental simplicity in the context of medicinal chemistry projects.This work was financially supported by the Galician Government (Spain), Projects: 09CSA016234PR and GPC-2014-PG037. J.A. thanks FUNDAYACUCHO (Venezuela) for a predoctoral grant and Deputación da Coruña (Spain) for a postdoctoral research grant. A.N.-V. thanks the Spanish government for a Ramón y Cajal research contract

Emerging Computational Approaches for Antimicrobial Peptide Discovery

In the last two decades many reports have addressed the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the search and design of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). AI has been represented by machine learning (ML) algorithms that use sequence-based features for the discovery of new peptidic scaffolds with promising biological activity. From AI perspective, evolutionary algorithms have been also applied to the rational generation of peptide libraries aimed at the optimization/design of AMPs. However, the literature has scarcely dedicated to other emerging non-conventional in silico approaches for the search/design of such bioactive peptides. Thus, the first motivation here is to bring up some non-standard peptide features that have been used to build classical ML predictive models. Secondly, it is valuable to highlight emerging ML algorithms and alternative computational tools to predict/design AMPs as well as to explore their chemical space. Another point worthy of mention is the recent application of evolutionary algorithms that actually simulate sequence evolution to both the generation of diversity-oriented peptide libraries and the optimization of hit peptides. Last but not least, included here some new considerations in proteogenomic analyses currently incorporated into the computational workflow for unravelling AMPs in natural sources

Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer: A Current Need for Patient Diagnosis and Monitoring

Bladder Cancer (BC) represents a clinical and social challenge due to its high incidence and recurrence rates, as well as the limited advances in effective disease management. Currently, a combination of cytology and cystoscopy is the routinely used methodology for diagnosis, prognosis and disease surveillance. However, both the poor sensitivity of cytology tests as well as the high invasiveness and big variation in tumour stage and grade interpretation using cystoscopy, emphasizes the urgent need for improvements in BC clinical guidance. Liquid biopsy represents a new non-invasive approach that has been extensively studied over the last decade and holds great promise. Even though its clinical use is still compromised, multiple studies have recently focused on the potential application of biomarkers in liquid biopsies for BC, including circulating tumour cells and DNA, RNAs, proteins and peptides, metabolites and extracellular vesicles. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge on the different types of biomarkers, their potential use in liquid biopsy and clinical applications in BC