Derivation of Economic Values for Breeding Objective Traits of Chinese Holstein Dairy Cows Using a Bio-Economic Model.

Holstein cattle account for the largest proportion of dairy cattle in China. The current China Performance Index (CPI) consists mainly of production traits. To derive economic values (EV) of additional traits for balanced breeding programs, a bio-economic model is necessary.

Elevations of Cardiac Troponin in Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Data From a Prospective Study.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used in the treatment of cancer. However, immune-related adverse events are prevalent in patients receiving ICI therapy. A serious immune-related adverse event is ICI-myocarditis, which is complex to diagnose given that the significance of early symptoms and biomarker trajectories, such as high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) are unclear.

mRNA-1273 vaccination induces polyfunctional memory CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in patients with solid cancers undergoing immunotherapy or/and chemotherapy.

Introduction: Research has confirmed the safety and comparable seroconversion rates following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with solid cancers. However, the impact of cancer treatment on vaccine-induced T cell responses remains poorly understood.

Methods: In this study, we expand on previous findings within the VOICE trial by evaluating the functional and phenotypic composition of mRNA-1273-induced T cell responses in patients with solid tumors undergoing immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or both, compared to individuals without cancer.

Potential imaging targets in primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and lymph node metastases.

Purpose: To investigate glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as potential fluorescent imaging markers by comparing their protein expression to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight paired samples of untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) primary tumours (PT) and corresponding synchronous lymph node metastases (LNM) were selected. After immunohistochemical staining, expression was assessed and compared by the percentage of positive tumour cells.

Considerable interlaboratory variation in PD-L1 positivity for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the Netherlands- A nationwide evaluation study.

Aims: Patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are eligible for first-line immune checkpoint inhibition if their tumour is positive for programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) determined by the combined positive score (CPS). This nationwide study, using real-world data, investigated the developing PD-L1 testing landscape in the first 3 years after introduction of the test in HNSCC and examined interlaboratory variation in PD-L1 positivity rates.

Methods: Pathology reports of HNSCC patients mentioning PD-L1 were extracted from the Dutch Pathology Registry (Palga).

Identification of new head and neck squamous cell carcinoma molecular imaging targets.

Objectives: Intraoperative fluorescence imaging (FI) of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is performed to identify tumour-positive surgical margins, currently using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as imaging target. EGFR, not exclusively present in HNSCC, may result in non-specific tracer accumulation in normal tissues. We aimed to identify new potential HNSCC FI targets.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-mediated polymyalgia rheumatica versus primary polymyalgia rheumatica: comparison of disease characteristics and treatment requirement.

Objectives: To compare clinical characteristics, imaging findings and treatment requirements of patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-mediated polymyalgia rheumatica (ICI-PMR) and primary PMR.

Methods: This single centre, retrospective cohort study compared ICI-PMR in patients with cancer (n = 15) to patients with primary PMR (n = 37). A comparison was made between clinical symptoms, laboratory markers, ultrasonography,18F-FDG-PET/CT findings and treatment requirements related to PMR.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: nationwide trends in subtype-specific incidence and survival over 3 decades in a non-endemic area.

Purpose: To identify trends in incidence and survival of NPC, subdivided by EBV status and histopathological subtype, over a 30-year period in the Netherlands.

Methods: Anonymized data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and the Dutch Nationwide Pathology Databank (PALGA) for the period 1989-2018 were linked to identify and classify NPC cases.

Results: Incidence of NPC remained stable, with an annual percentage change (APC) of - 0.

Oncological and functional outcomes in T3 and T4 laryngeal cancer patients: choice for larynx preservation or total laryngectomy based on expected laryngeal function.

Objective: To determine oncological and functional outcomes in patients with T3 and T4 laryngeal carcinoma, in which choice of treatment was based on expected laryngeal function and not T classification.

Methods: Oncological outcomes (disease-specific survival and overall survival) as well as functional outcomes (larynx preservation and functional larynx preservation) were analysed.

Results: In 130 T3 and 59 T4 patients, there was no difference in disease-specific survival or overall survival rates after radiotherapy (RT) (107 patients), chemoradiotherapy (36 patients) and total laryngectomy (46 patients).

The PRO-RCC study: a long-term PROspective Renal Cell Carcinoma cohort in the Netherlands, providing an infrastructure for 'Trial within Cohorts' study designs.

Background: Ongoing research in the field of both localized, locally advanced and metastatic renal cell carcinoma has resulted in the availability of multiple treatment options. Hence, many questions are still unanswered and await further research. A nationwide collaborative registry allows to collect corresponding data.

The genomic and transcriptomic landscape of advanced renal cell cancer for individualized treatment strategies.

Differences in the clinical course and treatment responses in individual patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can largely be explained by the different genomics of this disease. To improve the personalized treatment strategy and survival outcomes for patients with advanced RCC, the genomic make-up in patients with advanced RCC was investigated to identify putative actionable variants and signatures. In this prospective multicenter study (NCT01855477), whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of locally advanced and metastatic tissue biopsies and matched whole-blood samples were collected from 91 patients with histopathologically confirmed RCC.

ESMO-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale for haematological malignancies (ESMO-MCBS:H) version 1.0.

Background: The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS) has been accepted as a robust tool to evaluate the magnitude of clinical benefit reported in trials for oncological therapies. However, the ESMO-MCBS hitherto has only been validated for solid tumours. With the rapid development of novel therapies for haematological malignancies, we aimed to develop an ESMO-MCBS version that is specifically designed and validated for haematological malignancies.

Methylated Cell-Free DNA Sequencing (MeD-seq) of LpnPI Digested Fragments to Identify Early Progression in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients on Watchful Waiting.

According to the current guidelines, watchful waiting (WW) is a feasible option for patients with good or intermediate prognosis renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). However, some patients rapidly progress during WW, requiring the initiation of treatment. Here, we explore whether we can identify those patients using circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation.

Feed gap analysis of dual-purpose chicken production in Tanzania: feed quantity and quality limited production.

The demand for chicken meat and eggs exceeds what can be produced in Tanzania, largely due to low productivity of the sector. Feed quantity and quality are the major factors determining the potential production and productivity of chickens. The present study explored the yield gap in chicken production in Tanzania and analyses the potential of increased chicken production as a result of closing the feed gaps.

Predicting nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen loss and dry matter intake of individual dairy cows in late lactation by including mid-infrared spectra of milk samples.

Background: Nitrate leaching to groundwater and surface water and ammonia volatilization from dairy farms have negative impacts on the environment. Meanwhile, the increasing demand for dairy products will result in more pollution if N losses are not controlled. Therefore, a more efficient, and environmentally friendly production system is needed, in which nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of dairy cows plays a key role.

Methodological and reporting standards for quality-of-life data eligible for European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) credit.

Background: The European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) has been developed to grade clinical benefit of cancer therapies. Improvement in quality of life (QoL) is considered relevant, especially in the non-curative setting. This is reflected by an upgrade of the preliminary ESMO-MCBS score if QoL is improved compared to the control arm or a downgrade if an improvement in progression-free survival is not paralleled by an improvement in QoL or overall survival.

Whole-body CD8 T cell visualization before and during cancer immunotherapy: a phase 1/2 trial.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), by reinvigorating CD8 T cell mediated immunity, have revolutionized cancer therapy. Yet, the systemic CD8 T cell distribution, a potential biomarker of ICI response, remains poorly characterized. We assessed safety, imaging dose and timing, pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity of zirconium-89-labeled, CD8-specific, one-armed antibody positron emission tomography tracer ZED88082A in patients with solid tumors before and ~30 days after starting ICI therapy (NCT04029181).

The diversity of smallholder chicken farming in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania reveals a range of underlying production constraints.

The poultry industry in Tanzania has grown steadily over the past decade. We surveyed 121 chicken farming households along an intensification gradient from backyard to semi-intensive and intensive production systems based on rearing system and assumed purpose and poultry breed in the Iringa region. About 30% of households had more than one breed and/or rearing system combination.

Molecular imaging to support cancer immunotherapy.

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has reinvigorated the field of immuno-oncology. These monoclonal antibody-based therapies allow the immune system to recognize and eliminate malignant cells. This has resulted in improved survival of patients across several tumor types.

Zr-DFO-Durvalumab PET/CT Before Durvalumab Treatment in Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer.

In this PD-L1 ImagiNg to prediCt durvalumab treatment response in SCCHN (PINCH) study, we performed Zr-DFO-durvalumab (anti-PD-L1 [programmed death ligand 1]) PET/CT in patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) before monotherapy durvalumab treatment. The primary aims were to assess safety and feasibility of Zr-DFO-durvalumab PET imaging and predict disease control rate during durvalumab treatment. Secondary aims were to correlate Zr-DFO-durvalumab uptake to tumor PD-L1 expression, F-FDG uptake, and treatment response of individual lesions.

A Randomized Phase II Study of MEDI0680 in Combination with Durvalumab versus Nivolumab Monotherapy in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Clear-cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: MEDI0680 is a humanized anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibody, and durvalumab is an anti-PD-L1 antibody. Combining treatment using these antibodies may improve efficacy versus blockade of PD-1 alone. This phase II study evaluated antitumor activity and safety of MEDI0680 plus durvalumab versus nivolumab monotherapy in immunotherapy-naïve patients with advanced clear-cell renal cell carcinoma who received at least one prior line of antiangiogenic therapy.