Representation of Objects in Space by Two Classes of Hippocampal Pyramidal Cells

Humans can recognize and navigate in a room when its contents have been rearranged. Rats also adapt rapidly to movements of objects in a familiar environment. We therefore set out to investigate the neural machinery that underlies this capacity by further investigating the place cell–based map of the surroundings found in the rat hippocampus. We recorded from single CA1 pyramidal cells as rats foraged for food in a cylindrical arena (the room) containing a tall barrier (the furniture). Our main finding is a new class of cells that signal proximity to the barrier. If the barrier is fixed in position, these cells appear to be ordinary place cells. When, however, the barrier is moved, their activity moves equally and thereby conveys information about the barrier's position relative to the arena. When the barrier is removed, such cells stop firing, further suggesting they represent the barrier. Finally, if the barrier is put into a different arena where place cell activity is changed beyond recognition (“remapping”), these cells continue to discharge at the barrier. We also saw, in addition to barrier cells and place cells, a small number of cells whose activity seemed to require the barrier to be in a specific place in the environment. We conclude that barrier cells represent the location of the barrier in an environment-specific, place cell framework. The combined place + barrier cell activity thus mimics the current arrangement of the environment in an unexpectedly realistic fashion

achievement of red blood cell transfusion independence in red blood cell transfusion dependent patients with lower risk non del 5q myelodysplastic syndromes correlates with serum erythropoietin levels

AbstractIn the randomized, phase 3, MDS-005 study (NCT01029262), lenalidomide-induced red blood cell transfusion independence (RBC-TI) in 27% of transfusion-dependent patients with lower-risk non-d..

Documentation of the European Comission’s EU module of the Aglink-Cosimo modelling system

This report documents the EU module of Aglink-Cosimo model. Aglink-Cosimo is a recursive-dynamic, partial equilibrium, supply demand model of world agriculture developed by the OECD and FAO Secretariats. The model is used to simulate development of annual supply, demand and prices for the main agricultural commodities produced, consumed and traded worldwide. Aglink-Cosimo covers 44 individual countries and 12 regions, and 40 commodities clearing markets at the world level. At the EU level, the Aglink-Cosimo model is used to produce the "Prospects for Agricultural Markets and Income in the EU". This is a yearly exercise that provides a detailed overview of EU agricultural markets with a 10 year time horizon. It incorporates information from policy makers and market experts in the European Commission, stakeholders, researchers and modellers. The EU Outlook intends to provide a broad consensus about the evolution of European Agriculture in the medium-term. It serves as reference timeline for counterfactual policy analysis and market analysis done in numerous research sites in Europe. The report includes a detailed presentation and discussion of the structure and specific features of the model, along with the theoretical underpinnings. It also documents the process of calibration such as to obtain a medium-term baseline and different efforts towards the validation of results. Nonetheless, different applications in the area of uncertainty analysis and the use of partial stochastics are also included.JRC.J.4-Agriculture and Life Sciences in the Econom

The Effect of Lenalidomide on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Lower-Risk non-del(5q) Myelodysplastic Syndromes: Results From the MDS-005 Study

Abstract Background The phase III MDS-005 study compared lenalidomide versus placebo in red blood cell transfusion-dependent (RBC-TD) patients with lower-risk non-del(5q) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), ineligible/refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents. Lenalidomide-treated patients were more likely to achieve transfusion independence (TI) ≥ 8 weeks (26.9% vs. 2.5%; P Patients and Methods Patients were randomized 2:1 to oral lenalidomide 10 mg once daily or placebo once daily (both on 28-day cycles). Patients with creatinine clearance 40 to 60 mL/min were given lenalidomide 5 mg once daily. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), a predefined secondary end point, was assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire–Core 30 questionnaire at baseline, week 12, week 24, every 12 weeks thereafter, and at discontinuation. Results At week 24, lenalidomide was associated with benefit versus placebo across all 5 preselected questionnaire scales (fatigue, dyspnea, global quality of life, physical functioning, and emotional functioning). After adjustment for baseline scores, only emotional functioning achieved significance ( P = .047). Further improvement versus baseline was observed for patients who continued lenalidomide after week 24. In post hoc analyses, achievement of TI ≥ 8 weeks was associated with significant improvements across all scales ( P P Conclusion Lenalidomide did not adversely affect HRQoL in RBC-TD patients with lower-risk non-del(5q) MDS and response to lenalidomide was associated with significant improvements in HRQoL

Temporal Coordination of Hippocampal Neurons Reflects Cognitive Outcome Post-febrile Status Epilepticus

AbstractThe coordination of dynamic neural activity within and between neural networks is believed to underlie normal cognitive processes. Conversely, cognitive deficits that occur following neurological insults may result from network discoordination. We hypothesized that cognitive outcome following febrile status epilepticus (FSE) depends on network efficacy within and between fields CA1 and CA3 to dynamically organize cell activity by theta phase. Control and FSE rats were trained to forage or perform an active avoidance spatial task. FSE rats were sorted by those that were able to reach task criterion (FSE-L) and those that could not (FSE-NL). FSE-NL CA1 place cells did not exhibit phase preference in either context and exhibited poor cross-theta interaction between CA1 and CA3. FSE-L and control CA1 place cells exhibited phase preference at peak theta that shifted during active avoidance to the same static phase preference observed in CA3. Temporal coordination of neuronal activity by theta phase may therefore explain variability in cognitive outcome following neurological insults in early development

Impact of baseline cytogenetic findings and cytogenetic response on outcome of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and low blast count AML treated with azacitidine

•Cytogenetic findings are strong predictor for survial in AZA-treated MDS patients.•Isolated del(7q) had similar survival as patients with normal karyotype.•Cytogenetic abnormalities don’t predict response to AZA.•Achieving cytogenetic response has a limited effect on outcomes in AZA-treated patients. Karyotype according to the revised IPSS is a strong independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), however established in untreated patients. The prognostic impact of cytogenetics and cytogenetic response (CyR) in MDS patients receiving azacitidine (AZA) remains uncertain. We examined the prognostic value of baseline cytogenetics and CyR for overall response rate (ORR) and OS in 702 AZA-treated higher risk MDS and low blast count acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including 493 (70%) with abnormal karyotype. None of the cytogenetic abnormalities had significant impact on ORR (43.9%) or complete response (15.35%), except 3q abnormalities and complex karyotypes, which were associated with a lower ORR. OS differed significantly across all R-IPSS cytogenetic subgroups (p<10−4) but patients with non complex del(7q) had similar survival as patients with normal cytogenetics. CyR was achieved in 32% of the 281 evaluable patients with abnormal cytogenetics, was complete (CCyR) in 71 (25.3%) patients. We found no correlation between hematological response and cytogenetic response and 21% of the patients with CCyR did not achieve morphological response. In the 281 patients, we found no impact of CyR on survival, but when restricting to MDS (ie: <20% marrow blasts) achievement of CCyR was associated with better OS

Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemias in Adults: Recommendations From the European Hematology Association and the European LeukemiaNet

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a disease of the elderly, and by far the most frequent overlap myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm in adults. Aside from the chronic monocytosis that remains the cornerstone of its diagnosis, the clinical presentation of CMML includes dysplastic features, cytopenias, excess of blasts, or myeloproliferative features including high white blood cell count or splenomegaly. Prognosis is variable, with several prognostic scoring systems reported in recent years, and treatment is poorly defined, with options ranging from watchful waiting to allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which remains the only curative therapy for CMML. Here, we present on behalf of the European Hematology Association and the European LeukemiaNet, evidence- and consensus-based guidelines, established by an international group of experts, from Europe and the United States, for standardized diagnostic and prognostic procedures and for an appropriate choice of therapeutic interventions in adult patients with CMML

Toward a more patient‐centered drug development process in clinical trials for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS): Practical considerations from the International Consortium for MDS (icMDS)

Notable treatment advances have been made in recent years for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS), and several new drugs are under development. For example, the emerging availability of oral MDS therapies holds the promise of improving patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Within this rapidly evolving landscape, the inclusion of HRQoL and other patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) is critical to inform the benefit/risk assessment of new therapies or to assess whether patients live longer and better, for what will likely remain a largely incurable disease. We provide practical considerations to support investigators in generating high‐quality PRO data in future MDS trials. We first describe several challenges that are to be thoughtfully considered when designing an MDS‐focused clinical trial with a PRO endpoint. We then discuss aspects related to the design of the study, including PRO assessment strategies. We also discuss statistical approaches illustrating the potential value of time‐to‐event analyses and their implications within the estimand framework. Finally, based on a literature review of MDS randomized controlled trials with a PRO endpoint, we note the PRO items that deserve special attention when reporting future MDS trial results. We hope these practical considerations will facilitate the generation of rigorous PRO data that can robustly inform MDS patient care and support treatment decision‐making for this patient population