Carrageenan and insulin resistance in humans: a randomised double-blind cross-over trial.

Background: The potential impact of specific food additives, common in Western diets, on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is not well understood. This study focuses on carrageenan, a widely used food additive known to induce insulin resistance and gut inflammation in animal models, and its effects on human health.

Methods: In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial conducted at a university hospital metabolic study centre, 20 males (age 27.

Heritable defects in telomere and mitotic function selectively predispose to sarcomas.

Cancer genetics has to date focused on epithelial malignancies, identifying multiple histotype-specific pathways underlying cancer susceptibility. Sarcomas are rare malignancies predominantly derived from embryonic mesoderm. To identify pathways specific to mesenchymal cancers, we performed whole-genome germline sequencing on 1644 sporadic cases and 3205 matched healthy elderly controls.

A second external quality assessment of isolation and identification of influenza viruses in cell culture in the Asia Pacific region highlights improved performance by participating laboratories.

Influenza viruses must be amplified in cell culture for detailed antigenic analysis and for phenotypic assays assessing susceptibility to antiviral drugs or for other assays. Following on from the first external quality assessment (EQA) for isolation and identification of influenza viruses using cell culture techniques in 2016, a follow up EQA was performed in 2019 for National Influenza Centres (NICs) in the World Health Organization (WHO) South East Asia and Western Pacific Regions. Nineteen WHO NICs performed influenza virus isolation and identification techniques on an EQA panel comprising 16 samples, containing influenza A or B viruses and negative control samples.

Transitioning the Molecular Tumor Board from Proof of Concept to Clinical Routine: A German Single-Center Analysis.

Molecular precision oncology faces two major challenges: first, to identify relevant and actionable molecular variants in a rapidly changing field and second, to provide access to a broad patient population. Here, we report a four-year experience of the Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg (Germany) including workflows and process optimizations. This retrospective single-center study includes data on 488 patients enrolled in the MTB from February 2015 through December 2018.

Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX in Patients With Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Patient-Level Meta-Analysis.

Background: FOLFIRINOX is a standard treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. The effectiveness of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) remains debated.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and patient-level meta-analysis on neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX in patients with BRPC.

High protein and mRNA expression levels of TUBB3 (class III ß-tubulin) are associated with aggressive tumor features in esophageal adenocarcinomas.

Background: Esophageal adenocarcinomas show an increasing incidence in the Western world and their overall survival remains low. Microtubules are multifunctional cytoskeletal proteins involved in crucial cellular roles, including maintenance of cell shape, intracellular transport, meiosis, and mitosis. Microtubulus-TUBB3 was found overexpressed in several carcinomas suggesting a significant role in cancer development.

The first external quality assessment of isolation and identification of influenza viruses in cell culture in the Asia Pacific region, 2016.

Background: The isolation and propagation of influenza viruses from clinical specimens are essential tools for comprehensive virologic surveillance. Influenza viruses must be amplified in cell culture for detailed antigenic analysis and for phenotypic assays assessing susceptibility to antiviral drugs or for other assays.

Objectives: To conduct an external quality assessment (EQA) of proficiency for isolation and identification of influenza viruses using cell culture techniques among National Influenza Centres (NICs) in the World Health Organisation (WHO) South East Asia and Western Pacific Regions.

Influenza viruses received and tested by the Melbourne WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza annual report, 2015.

As part of its role in the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne received a total of 5,557 influenza positive samples during 2015. Viruses were analysed for their antigenic, genetic and antiviral susceptibility properties. In 2015, influenza B viruses predominated over influenza A(H1)pdm09 and A(H3) viruses, accounting for a total of 58% of all viruses analysed.

Genomic and transcriptomic heterogeneity of colorectal tumours arising in Lynch syndrome.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) arising in Lynch syndrome (LS) comprises tumours with constitutional mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. There is still a lack of whole-genome and transcriptome studies of LS-CRC to address questions about similarities and differences in mutation and gene expression characteristics between LS-CRC and sporadic CRC, about the molecular heterogeneity of LS-CRC, and about specific mechanisms of LS-CRC genesis linked to dysfunctional mismatch repair in LS colonic mucosa and the possible role of immune editing. Here, we provide a first molecular characterization of LS tumours and of matched tumour-distant reference colonic mucosa based on whole-genome DNA-sequencing and RNA-sequencing analyses.

Unexpected partial correction of metabolic and behavioral phenotypes of Alzheimer's APP/PSEN1 mice by gene targeting of diabetes/Alzheimer's-related Sorcs1.

Introduction: Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) are associated with increased risk for cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. SORCS1 encodes a protein-sorting molecule genetically linked to both T2D and AD. The association of SORCS1 with both AD and T2D is sexually dimorphic in humans, with both disease associations showing more robust effects in females.

Rationale for co-targeting IGF-1R and ALK in ALK fusion-positive lung cancer.

Crizotinib, a selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), shows marked activity in patients whose lung cancers harbor fusions in the gene encoding anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK), but its efficacy is limited by variable primary responses and acquired resistance. In work arising from the clinical observation of a patient with ALK fusion-positive lung cancer who had an exceptional response to an insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R)-specific antibody, we define a therapeutic synergism between ALK and IGF-1R inhibitors. Similar to IGF-1R, ALK fusion proteins bind to the adaptor insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), and IRS-1 knockdown enhances the antitumor effects of ALK inhibitors.

Effect of Radio Frequency Heating on Yoghurt, II: Microstructure and Texture.

Radio frequency (RF) heating was applied to stirred yoghurt after culturing in order to enhance the shelf-life and thereby meet industrial demands in countries where the distribution cold chain cannot be implicitly guaranteed. In parallel, a convectional (CV) heating process was also tested. In order to meet consumers' expectations with regard to texture and sensory properties, the yoghurts were heated to different temperatures (58, 65 and 72 °C).

Effect of Radio Frequency Heating on Yoghurt, I: Technological Applicability, Shelf-Life and Sensorial Quality.

This first part of a two-part study focuses on the technical feasibility of applying radio frequency (RF) heating at different temperatures (58, 65 and 72 °C) to a stirred yoghurt gel after culturing. For comparison, a convectional (CV) heating process was also applied. The aim was to increase the yoghurt shelf-life, by preventing post-acidification and the growth of yeasts and molds.

Frequent mutations in chromatin-remodelling genes in pulmonary carcinoids.

Pulmonary carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumours of the lung. The molecular alterations underlying the pathogenesis of these tumours have not been systematically studied so far. Here we perform gene copy number analysis (n=54), genome/exome (n=44) and transcriptome (n=69) sequencing of pulmonary carcinoids and observe frequent mutations in chromatin-remodelling genes.

CD74-NRG1 fusions in lung adenocarcinoma.

Unlabelled: We discovered a novel somatic gene fusion, CD74-NRG1, by transcriptome sequencing of 25 lung adenocarcinomas of never smokers. By screening 102 lung adenocarcinomas negative for known oncogenic alterations, we found four additional fusion-positive tumors, all of which were of the invasive mucinous subtype. Mechanistically, CD74-NRG1 leads to extracellular expression of the EGF-like domain of NRG1 III-β3, thereby providing the ligand for ERBB2-ERBB3 receptor complexes.

Satisfaction with renal replacement therapy and education: the American Association of Kidney Patients survey.

Background And Objectives: This study was undertaken by the American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) to better understand ESRD patients' satisfaction with their current renal replacement therapy (RRT) and the education they received before initiating therapy.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: In addition to an open invitation on the AAKP website, nearly 9000 ESRD patients received invitations to complete the survey, which consisted of 46 questions. Satisfaction was measured on a 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 7 (extremely satisfied) scale.

Morphometric studies of the ligamentum flavum: a correlative microanatomical and MRI study of the lumbar spine.

Background: Foraminal degenerative lumbar stenosis is traditionally considered a result of bony narrowing due to osteophytic appositions on the superior articular process. Clinical experience reveals that significant additional compression of the neural structures is due to degenerative hypertrophy of the adjacent ligamentum flavum. Therefore, microanatomical and neuroradiological investigations were performed to determine the microtopography of this ligament, especially with respect to its lateral extension.

LSD1 demethylates repressive histone marks to promote androgen-receptor-dependent transcription.

Gene regulation in eukaryotes requires the coordinate interaction of chromatin-modulating proteins with specific transcription factors such as the androgen receptor. Gene activation and repression is specifically regulated by histone methylation status at distinct lysine residues. Here we show that lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1; also known as BHC110) co-localizes with the androgen receptor in normal human prostate and prostate tumour.