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Aim: To determine if emicizumab was channeled to clinically complex people with hemophilia A upon approval. Methods: Claims data (16 November 2017, through 31 December 2019) from US-based insurance databases were analyzed to compare the clinical complexity of people with hemophilia A initiating emicizumab with matched individuals receiving factor VIII (FVIII) episodically or prophylactically. People with hemophilia A with evidence of previous bypassing agent use (indicating FVIII inhibitors) were excluded. Outcomes included bleeding events, arthropathy, pain, comorbidities and healthcare costs. Results: A larger proportion of emicizumab users had bleeding events, comorbidities and arthropathy and greater healthcare costs in the year prior to starting emicizumab compared with FVIII users. Conclusion: Claims-based data limitations prevent an absolute conclusion. Nevertheless, emicizumab users appear more clinically complex than FVIII users, suggesting post-approval channeling.

Nodal peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL), the most common PTCLs, are generally treated with CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone)-based curative-intent chemotherapy. Recent molecular data have assisted in prognosticating these PTCLs, but most reports lack detailed baseline clinical characteristics and treatment courses. We retrospectively evaluated cases of PTCL treated with CHOP-based chemotherapy that had tumors sequenced by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Integrated Mutational Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK-IMPACT) next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel to identify variables correlating with inferior survival. We identified 132 patients who met these criteria. Clinical factors correlating with increased risk of progression (by multivariate analysis) were advanced-stage disease (HR, 5.1; 95% CI, 1.1-22.5, P=.03) and bone marrow involvement (HR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-8.4; P=.04). The only somatic genetic aberrancies correlating with inferior progression-free survival (PFS) were TP53 mutations (HR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.4-6.8; P=.005) and TP53/17p deletions (HR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.1-15.0, P=.03). PFS remained inferior when stratifying by TP53 mutation status, with a median PFS of 4.5 months (95% CI, 3.8-13.9) for PTCL with a TP53 mutation (n=21) vs 10.5 months (95% CI, 7.8-18.1; P

Emicizumab is a bispecific antibody mimicking the cofactor function of activated coagulation factor VIII to prevent bleeds in patients with hemophilia A. The dose selection for the first-in-child phase III study of emicizumab was addressed by pediatric pharmacokinetic prediction using an adult/adolescent population pharmacokinetic model developed in phase I-I/II studies. The model was modified to incorporate functions describing the age-dependent increase in body weight (BW) with or without clearance maturation to account for the differences in emicizumab pharmacokinetics between adults/adolescents and children. A minimal dose anticipated to achieve in children the same target efficacious exposure as for adults/adolescents was identified when considering BW and clearance maturation. It was the same BW-based dose as for adults/adolescents and was selected for the starting dose for the pediatric study. Whether considering clearance maturation or not in addition to BW led to uncertainty in the pediatric pharmacokinetic prediction and dose selection, which informed implementation of a dose-adapting scheme in the study design. Exposure matching to adults/adolescents was ultimately achieved in children with the starting dose, indicating that consideration of clearance maturation in addition to BW provided adequate pediatric pharmacokinetic predictions for emicizumab. This pharmacokinetic finding in conjunction with exposure-response information served as a basis for the efficacy demonstrated in children, avoiding a time-consuming process for exploring an optimal pediatric dose of emicizumab. This experience indicates that a model-based framework helped optimize the pediatric dose selection and study design, thereby streamlining the development process with extrapolation, of emicizumab for children. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND The most common neurological symptoms from cardiac myxoma-induced stroke include territories of middle cerebral arteries, rendering posterior stroke less common. Although transient global amnesia usually has a benign prognosis, amnesia in the setting of concerning cerebellar symptoms should raise the suspicion for posterior circulation involvement. These benign-appearing symptoms can be manifestations of an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA). This unusual presentation can delay workup for underlying pathology. CASE REPORT A 67-year-old woman presented to the local emergency department after an episode of global amnesia that lasted about 15 minutes and was associated with some dizziness. The patient also reported a history of chronic disequilibrium. The head CT scan was negative for any acute findings. A follow-up MRI of the brain demonstrated acute small lacunar infarcts within the left cerebellum and right parietal lobe. An echocardiogram was performed due to concern for the cardioembolic source, which revealed left atrial myxoma. She was transferred to a tertiary center for immediate surgical intervention due to the high risk of embolization associated with the condition. The patient subsequently underwent successful surgical excision of the lesion. CONCLUSIONS Cardiac myxoma, although a rare cause of posterior stroke, needs prompt intervention as it is associated with a high risk of systemic embolization, including recurrent CVA. Transient global amnesia is an atypical presentation of cardiac myxoma that can easily be overlooked, delaying timely diagnosis and prompt intervention. Early recognition and surgical resection are crucial to prevent potentially life-threatening consequences.

Approximately one-third of estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast tumors fail to respond to or become resistant to hormonal therapy. Although the mechanisms responsible for hormone resistance are not completely understood, resistance is associated with alterations in ERα; overexpression of proteins that interact with the receptor; and hormone-independent activation of the receptor by growth factor signal transduction pathways. Our previous studies show that in estrogen dependent breast cancer cells, activation of the epidermal growth factor signaling pathway increases intracellular calcium which binds to and activates ERα through sites in the ligand-binding domain of the receptor and that treatment with extracellular calcium increases the concentration of intracellular calcium which activates ERα and induces hormone-independent cell growth. The present study asked whether overexpression of calcium channels contributes to the hormone-independent and -resistant phenotype of breast cancer cells and whether clinically used calcium channel blockers reverse hormone independence and resistance. The results show that hormone-independent and -resistant cells overexpress calcium channels, have high concentrations of intracellular calcium, overexpress estrogen responsive genes and, as expected, grow in the absence of estradiol and that treatment with calcium channel blockers decreased the concentration of intracellular calcium, the expression of estrogen responsive genes and cell growth. More importantly, in hormone-resistant cells, treatment that combined a calcium channel blocker with an antiestrogen reversed resistance to the antiestrogen.

Emicizumab promotes effective haemostasis in people with haemophilia A (PwHA). It is indicated for routine prophylaxis of bleeding episodes in PwHA with or without factor (F)VIII inhibitors.To investigate the effect of emicizumab dose up-titration in PwHA with suboptimal bleeding control.Data from seven completed or ongoing phase III studies were pooled. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and bleeding events were evaluated before and after dose up-titration. Adverse events (AEs) were compared between PwHA with and without dose up-titration.Of 675 PwHA evaluable for the analysis, 24 (3.6%) had their maintenance dose up-titrated to 3 mg/kg once weekly (QW). Two participants had neutralising antibodies (nAbs) associated with decreased emicizumab exposure, and dose increase did not compensate for the effect of nAbs. In the other 22 participants, mean emicizumab steady-state trough concentrations increased from 44.0 to 86.2 μg/mL after up-titration. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) efficacy period prior to up-titration was 24.6 (24.0-32.0) weeks. The model-based annualised bleed rate for 'treated bleeds' and 'all bleeds' decreased by 70.2% and 72.9%, respectively, after a median (IQR) follow-up of 97.1 (48.4-123.3) weeks in the up-titration period. Incidences of injection-site reactions and serious AEs were higher in PwHA with up-titration; however, this was already observed in these participants before the dose up-titration. Overall, the safety profile appeared similar between PwHA with and without up-titration.The dose up-titration to 3 mg/kg QW was well tolerated. Bleed control improved in most participants whose bleeding tendency was inadequately controlled during clinical trials.

Many people with hemophilia A (PwHA) undergo surgery in their lifetime, often because of complications of their disease. Emicizumab is the first bispecific monoclonal antibody prophylactic therapy for PwHA, and its efficacy and safety have been previously demonstrated; however, there is a need to build an evidence base on the management of PwHA on emicizumab undergoing surgery. Data from the HAVEN 1-4 phase 3 clinical trials were pooled to provide a summary of all minor and major surgeries in PwHA with or without factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors who were receiving emicizumab prophylaxis. Overall, 233 surgeries were carried out during the HAVEN 1-4 trials: 215 minor surgeries (including minor dental and joint procedures, central venous access device placement or removal, and endoscopies) in 115 PwHA (64 with FVIII inhibitors) and 18 major surgeries (including arthroplasty and synovectomy) in 18 PwHA (10 with FVIII inhibitors). Perioperative hemostatic support was at the discretion of the treating physician. Overall, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 33.5 (13.0-49.0) years and the median (IQR) emicizumab exposure time before surgery was 278.0 (177.0-431.0) days. Among the 215 minor surgeries, 141 (65.6%) were managed without additional prophylactic factor concentrate, and of those, 121 (85.8%) were not associated with a postoperative bleed. The majority (15 of 18 [83.3%]) of major surgeries were managed with additional prophylactic factor concentrate. Twelve (80.0%) of these 15 surgeries were associated with no intraoperative or postoperative bleeds. The data demonstrate that minor and major surgeries can be performed safely in PwHA receiving emicizumab prophylaxis. These trials are registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT02622321, #NCT02795767, #NCT02847637, and #NCT03020160.

Mast cells in the osteoarthritis (OA) synovium correlate with disease severity. This study aimed to further elucidate the role of mast cells in OA by RNA-Seq analysis and pharmacological blockade of the activity of histamine, a key mast cell mediator, in murine OA.We examined OA synovial tissues and fluids by flow cytometry, immunostaining, single-cell and bulk RNA-Seq, qPCR, and ELISA. Cetirizine, a histamine H1 receptor (HFlow cytometry and immunohistology analysis of OA synovial cells revealed KITBased on differential expression of prototypical and distinct mast cell markers, human OA joints can be stratified into mast cell-high, -medium, and -low synovial tissue pathotypes. Pharmacologic blockade of histamine activity holds the potential to improve OA disease outcome.

Emicizumab prophylaxis significantly reduces bleeding events; however, the associated impact on bone/joint health is unknown.To explore the effect of emicizumab prophylaxis on bone/joint health in people with haemophilia A (PwHA) without FVIII inhibitors enrolled in HAVEN 3 (NCT02847637).Haemophilia joint health scores (HJHS; v2.1) were evaluated at baseline and Weeks 49 and 97 in PwHA receiving emicizumab (n = 134), and at baseline and Weeks 49, 73 and 97 in PwHA who switched to emicizumab after 24 weeks of no prophylaxis (n = 17). Bone and joint biomarkers were measured in 117 PwHA at baseline and at Weeks 13, 25, 49 and 73.HJHS was lower for PwHA who were previously on FVIII prophylaxis, aged 40 years or had no target joints at baseline compared with PwHA who were receiving no prophylaxis, aged ≥40 years or with target joints. Clinically significant mean (95% confidence interval) improvements from baseline of -2.13 (-3.96, -.29) in HJHS joint-specific domains were observed at Week 49 in PwHA with at least one target joint at study entry (n = 71); these changes were maintained through Week 97. Improvements in HJHS from baseline were also observed for PwHA aged 12-39 years. Biomarkers of bone resorption/formation, cartilage degradation/synthesis, and inflammation did not change significantly during emicizumab prophylaxis.Clinically relevant improvements in HJHS were observed in younger PwHA and those with target joints after 48 weeks of emicizumab in HAVEN 3. Biomarkers of bone/joint health did not show significant changes during 72 weeks of emicizumab prophylaxis.

Recurrent chromosomal rearrangements are a hallmark of hematologic malignancies and play critical roles in pathogenesis. The TP53 analog TP63 is rearranged in 5-10% of diverse subtypes of both aggressive T- and B-cell lymphomas. Patients with TP63-rearranged lymphomas have dismal outcomes, with 5-year overall survival rates between 0-17%, depending on cohorts. The function and mechanisms of TP63 rearrangements and TP63 fusion proteins in tumorigenesis are poorly understood. As a result, attempts to treat these patients to date have been largely empiric. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand how TP63 fusions contribute to tumorigenesis and to translate the findings into novel therapeutic options for these patients. Here, we demonstrated that TP63 fusions are essential for the propagation of T-cell lymphomas (TCLs). Knockdown of TP63 fusions with specific shRNAs in TCL cell lines harboring TP63 fusions suppressed both cell growth in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Retroviral expression of TBL1XR1-TP63, the most common TP63 fusion, conferred cytokine independence in Ba/F3 cells, consistent with its role as an oncogene. To investigate the role of TP63 fusions in T- and B-cell lymphomagenesis, we engineered a CAG-Loxp-Stop-Loxp-TBL1XR1-TP63 conditional knock-in mouse model and crossed with hCD2-Cre mice. This results in expression beginning during early lymphoid development. As observed in patients, transgenic mice developed multiple subtypes of both T- and B-cell lymphoma. To define the effects and mechanisms of TP63 fusions within T cells, we performed CRISPR scanning, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic analyses. Our data showed that domains within both the N-terminal TBL1XR1 and C-terminal TP63 portions contribute to the function of this fusion. We found that the N-terminal component of TP63 fusions interacts with components of the NCOR/SMRT complex. At the same time, the C-terminal portion of TP63 (which recapitulates the deltaN-p63 isoform expressed in some carcinomas) interacts with the enhancer modifier KMT2D and its complex members. TBL1XR1-TP63 binds to a novel distal enhancer to drive MYC expression, and thus upregulates the expression of the histone H3K27 methylase EZH2. Finally, we assessed whether EZH2 is a vulnerability of TP63-rearranged lymphomas. We found that knockdown of EZH2 in TP63-rearranged lines significantly impaired cell growth, as did treatment with the EZH2 and 1 dual inhibitor valemetostat. Valemetostat, which is now being tested in patients with lymphoma, counteracted the oncogenic effects of TP63 fusions in multiple preclinical models in vivo. Together, our results identify the TP63 fusion as a highly unique oncogenic driver in lymphomagenesis capable of recruiting multiple epigenetic modifier complexes and inducing a targetable dependence on EZH2. Citation Format: Gongwei Wu, Noriaki Yoshida, Jihe Liu, Xiaoyang Zhang, Yuan Xiong, Tayla Heavican-Foral, Huiyun Liu, Geoffrey Nelson, Lu Yang, Renee Chen, Katherine Donovan, Marcus Jones, Mikhail Roshal, Yanming Zhang, Ran Xu, Ajit Nirmal, Salvia Jain, Catharine Leahy, Kristen Jones, Kristen Stevenson, Natasha Galasso, Nivetha Ganesan, Tiffany Chang, Wen-Chao Wu, Abner Louissaint, Lydie Debaize, Hojong Yoon, Paola Dal Cin, Wing Chan Chan, Shannan Ho Sui Ho Sui, Samuel Ng, Andrew Feldman, Steven M. Horwitz, Mathew Meyerson, Karen Adelman, Eric Fischer, Chun-Wei Chen, David Weinstock, Myles Brown. TP63 fusions drive enhancer rewiring, lymphomagenesis, and dependence on EZH2. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5755.

Background Despite recent therapeutic advances, life expectancy in persons with congenital hemophilia A (PwcHA) remains below that of the non‐HA population. As new therapies are introduced, a uniform approach to the assessment of mortality is required for comprehensive evaluation of risk–benefit profiles, timely identification of emerging safety signals, and comparisons between treatments. Objectives Develop and test a framework for consistent reporting and analysis of mortality across past, current, and future therapies. Patients/Methods We identified known causes of mortality in PwcHA through literature review, analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database, and expert insights. Leading causes of death in general populations are those recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. We developed an algorithm for assessing fatalities in PwcHA and used this to categorize FAERS data as a proof of concept. Results PwcHA share mortality causes with the non‐HA population including cardiovascular disease, malignancy, infections, pulmonary disease, dementias, and trauma/suicide. Causes associated with HA include hemorrhage, thrombosis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, and liver dysfunction. We propose an algorithm employing these classes to categorize fatalities and use it to classify FAERS fatality data between 01/01/2000 and 03/31/2020; the most common causes were hemorrhage (22.2%) and thrombosis (10.4%). Conclusions A conceptual framework for examining mortality in PwcHA receiving any hemophilia therapy is proposed to analyze and interpret fatalities, enabling consistent and objective assessment. Application of the framework using FAERS data suggests a generally consistent pattern of reported mortality across HA treatments, supporting the utility of this unified approach.

Introduction Persons with haemophilia A (PwHA) with factor (F)VIII inhibitors, including children, have impaired health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). The HAVEN 2 study (NCT027955767) of paediatric PwHA with FVIII inhibitors demonstrated that subcutaneous emicizumab prophylaxis resulted in low annualizedbleed rates. Aim We assessed the impact of emicizumab prophylaxis on the HRQoL of children and their caregivers participating in HAVEN 2. Methods Children aged 8‐11 years self‐reported HRQoL using the Haemophilia‐Specific Quality of Life Assessment Instrument for Children and Adolescents Short Form (Haemo‐QoL SF II). Caregivers of children aged 0‐11 years completed the Adapted Inhibitor‐Specific Quality of Life Assessment with Aspects of Caregiver Burden. All scores were transformed to a 0‐100 scale, where lower scores reflect a better HRQoL. The number of missed days from school/day care and hospitalizations was also recorded. Results In HAVEN 2 (n = 88), the median age was 6.5 years (range: 1‐15 years); 85 participants were aged

Serum B-cell maturation antigen (sBCMA) is a novel biomarker for B-cell malignancies. A normal reference range (

Background The goal of gene therapy for patients with hemophilia A is to safely impart long-term stable factor VIII expression that predictably ameliorates bleeding with the use of the lowest possible vector dose. Methods In this phase 1-2 trial, we infused an investigational adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector (SPK-8011) for hepatocyte expression of factor VIII in 18 men with hemophilia A. Four dose cohorts were enrolled; the lowest-dose cohort received a dose of 5 × 1011 vector genomes (vg) per kilogram of body weight, and the highest-dose cohort received 2 × 1012 vg per kilogram. Some participants received glucocorticoids within 52 weeks after vector administration either to prevent or to treat a presumed AAV capsid immune response. Trial objectives included evaluation of the safety and preliminary efficacy of SPK-8011 and of the expression and durability of factor VIII. Results The median safety observation period was 36.6 months (range, 5.5 to 50.3). A total of 33 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 8 participants; 17 events were vector-related, including 1 serious adverse event, and 16 were glucocorticoid-related. Two participants lost all factor VIII expression because of an anti-AAV capsid cellular immune response that was not sensitive to immune suppression. In the remaining 16 participants, factor VIII expression was maintained; 12 of these participants were followed for more than 2 years, and a one-stage factor VIII assay showed no apparent decrease in factor VIII activity over time (mean [±SD] factor VIII activity, 12.9±6.9% of the normal value at 26 to 52 weeks when the participants were not receiving glucocorticoids vs. 12.0±7.1% of the normal value at >52 weeks after vector administration; 95% confidence interval [CI], -2.4 to 0.6 for the difference between matched pairs). The participants had a 91.5% reduction (95% CI, 88.8 to 94.1) in the annualized bleeding rate (median rate, 8.5 events per year [range, 0 to 43.0] before vector administration vs. 0.3 events per year [range, 0 to 6.5] after vector administration). Conclusions Sustained factor VIII expression in 16 of 18 participants who received SPK-8011 permitted discontinuation of prophylaxis and a reduction in bleeding episodes. No major safety concerns were reported. (Funded by Spark Therapeutics and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT03003533 and NCT03432520.).

Phenylthiosemicarbazones (PTSCs) are proton-coupled anion transporters with pH-switchable behaviour known to be regulated by an imine protonation equilibrium. Previously, chloride/nitrate exchange by PTSCs was found to be inactive at pH 7.2 due to locking of the thiourea anion binding site by an intramolecular hydrogen bond, and switched ON upon imine protonation at pH 4.5. The rate-determining process of the pH switch, however, was not examined. We here develop a new series of PTSCs and demonstrate their conformational behaviour by X-ray crystallographic analysis and pH-switchable anion transport properties by liposomal assays. We report the surprising finding that the protonated PTSCs are extremely selective for halides over oxyanions in membrane transport. Owing to the high chloride over nitrate selectivity, the pH-dependent chloride/nitrate exchange of PTSCs originates from the rate-limiting nitrate transport process being inhibited at neutral pH.

Caenorhabditis elegans benefits from a large set of tools for genome manipulation. Yet, the precise single-copy insertion of very large DNA constructs (>10 kb) and the generation of inversions are still challenging. Here, we adapted the phiC31 integrase system for C. elegans. We generated an integrated phiC31 integrase expressing strain flanked by attP sites that serves as a landing pad for integration of transgenes by recombination-mediated cassette exchange (RCME). This strain is unc-119(−) so RMCE integrants can be produced simply by injection of a plasmid carrying attB sites flanking unc-119(+) and the gene(s) of interest. Additionally, phiC31 integrase is removed concomitantly with integration, eliminating the need to outcross away the integrase. Integrations were obtained for insert sizes up to ∼33.4 kb. Taking advantage of this integration method we establish a dual-color fluorescent operon reporter system able to study post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Last, we show that large chromosomal segments can be inverted using phiC31 integrase. Thus, the phiC31 integrase system should be a useful addition to the C. elegans toolkit.

Although equal sex ratio represents an equilibrium in evolutionary theory, cases of sex ratio bias are accumulating, mostly reported in single species. Here, we surveyed progeny sex ratios in 23 species of the nematode genus Caenorhabditis. In experiments where males and females had unlimited access to each other (unlimited mating), we found 15 species out of the 23 species had female(hermaphrodite)-biased sex ratios. Phylogenetic mapping indicates female-bias to represent the ancestral state, with the occurrence of seven independent transitions from female-bias to non-bias along the phylogeny. As sperm competition could underlie the female bias, we also assayed progeny sex ratios in an experiment where mating was limited to a few hours. Of the 15 species that showed female-biased ratios under unlimited mating, six species showed no sex ratio bias when mating was limited. This result is consistent with sperm competition whereby X-bearing sperm take precedence over nullo-X during fertilization, yielding more female progeny when sperm are unlimited but equal sex ratio when sperm are limited. The other nine species showed sex ratio bias in both experiments, but the day-by-day profiles suggest sperm competition may also play a role. Our study shows that sex ratio evolution within Caenorhabditis nematodes is dynamic and that sex ratio bias is common not only in parasites as previously found but also in free-living nematodes. Our results also suggest that sperm competition could be a mechanism underlying sex ratio bias.

Emicizumab is a subcutaneously administered humanized, bispecific, monoclonal antibody approved for prophylaxis in people with hemophilia A.HAVEN 5 (NCT03315455) is a randomized, open-label, phase 3 study of individuals aged ≥12 years with severe hemophilia A without factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors, or hemophilia A of any severity with FVIII inhibitors, across the Asia-Pacific region. Participants were randomly assigned (2:2:1) to receive emicizumab 1.5 mg/kg once weekly (arm A), emicizumab 6 mg/kg every 4 weeks (arm B), or no prophylaxis (arm C). The primary end point was annualized bleeding rate (ABR) for treated bleeds; ABRs were compared between people receiving emicizumab prophylaxis versus those with no prophylaxis. Secondary end points included ABR for treated target joint bleeds. Safety was also evaluated.From April 26, 2018, to January 4, 2019, 70 of 76 screened participants were enrolled and randomized (arm A, n = 29; arm B, n = 27; arm C, n = 14). ABRs (95% confidence interval) for treated bleeds and treated target joint bleeds, respectively, were: arm A, 1.0 (0.53-1.85) and 0.4 (0.18-1.09); arm B, 1.0 (0.50-1.84) and 0.3 (0.12-0.85); arm C, 27.0 (13.29-54.91) and 8.6 (3.15-23.42). The most common adverse event, upper respiratory tract infection, was reported for 14 of 56 (25.0%; emicizumab) and 2 of 14 (14.3%; no prophylaxis) participants. No thrombotic events, thrombotic microangiopathies, or deaths were reported.Emicizumab 1.5 mg/kg once weekly and 6 mg/kg every 4 weeks demonstrated bleed control in this study population, was well tolerated, and could improve use of prophylaxis in people with hemophilia A.

Phenylthiosemicarbazones (PTSCs) are proton-coupled anion transporters with pH-switchable behaviour known to be regulated by an imine protonation equilibrium. Previously, chloride/nitrate exchange by PTSCs was found to be inactive at pH 7.2 due to locking of the thiourea anion binding site by an intramolecular hydrogen bond, and switched ON upon imine protonation at pH 4.5. The rate-determining process of the pH switch, however, was not examined. We here develop a new series of PTSCs and demonstrate their conformational behaviour by X-ray crystallographic analysis and pH-switchable anion transport properties by liposomal assays. We report the surprising finding that these compounds are extremely selective for halides over oxyanions in membrane transport. Owing to the high chloride over nitrate selectivity, the pH-dependent chloride/nitrate exchange of PTSCs originates from the rate-limiting nitrate transport process being inhibited at neutral pH, whereas chloride transport remains efficient under both neutral and acidic conditions.

Introduction Emicizumab is a humanised, bispecific monoclonal antibody mimicking the cofactor function of activated factor (F)VIII. It is indicated for routine prophylaxis of bleeding episodes in persons with haemophilia A (PwHA) with/without FVIII inhibitors. Aim To evaluate the development of anti-emicizumab antibodies and their impact on pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), efficacy and safety in PwHA. Methods Data from seven completed or ongoing phase 3 studies were pooled. The assessment of the immunogenicity profile of emicizumab included anti-drug antibody (ADA) measurement and the association of ADAs with PK, PD, bleeding events, and adverse events. Results Of 668 PwHA evaluable for immunogenicity analysis, 34 (5.1%) developed ADAs after exposure to emicizumab. ADAs were transient in 14/34 PwHA (41.2%). ADAs were neutralising in vitro in 18/34 PwHA (52.9%) and associated with decreased emicizumab concentration in 4/668 evaluable PwHA (.6%); of those, one (.1%) discontinued emicizumab due to loss of efficacy. ADAs without decreased exposure did not impact emicizumab efficacy. The proportion of PwHA who had injection-site reactions (ISRs) was higher in ADA-positive PwHA (29.4% vs. 20.8%); however, the safety profile was similar between ADA-positive and ADA-negative PwHA, overall. No cases of anaphylaxis or hypersensitivity were reported in ADA-positive participants. Conclusion The immunogenicity risk of emicizumab in phase 3 studies was low. ADAs, including in vitro neutralising ADAs, were not associated with a change in safety profile. Routine surveillance is, therefore, not warranted; however, in cases where a loss and/or waning of efficacy are observed, prompt evaluation by a healthcare provider should be sought.

Introduction: Emicizumab-a subcutaneously administered, bispecific, humanized, monoclonal antibody-promotes effective hemostasis in people with hemophilia A (PwHA). The primary efficacy and safety of emicizumab were reported previously, but long-term data are limited. Here, data from a wide age-range of PwHA with/without factor (F)VIII inhibitors enrolled in the Phase III HAVEN 1 (NCT02622321), HAVEN 2 (NCT02795767), HAVEN 3 (NCT02847637), and HAVEN 4 (NCT03020160) studies are pooled to establish the durable efficacy and safety of emicizumab. Methods: The studies enrolled pediatric and adult PwHA with/without FVIII inhibitors. Participants received emicizumab prophylaxis 1.5 mg/kg weekly, 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks, or 6 mg/kg every 4 weeks. All participants assigned to receive emicizumab (including those assigned to control arms who later switched) are included in this analysis. Participants and/or caregivers recorded outcomes of bleeding events via the Bleed and Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Data from HAVEN 1-4 were pooled for an aggregate analysis of emicizumab efficacy and safety. Efficacy endpoints include calculated mean annualized bleed rates (ABRs; discrete, consecutive 24-week treatment intervals), model-based ABRs (calculated via negative binomial regression for full study period), percentage of participants with zero and 1-3 treated bleeds, and annualized cumulative dose of coagulation factor (ACD). Safety endpoints include incidence of adverse events (AEs) and AEs of special interest. Results: Overall, 400 PwHA in HAVEN 1, 2, 3 and 4 (n=113, 88, 151, and 48, respectively) are included in the efficacy analysis for a total of 970.3 patient years (cutoff: 15 May 2020). The safety population comprises 399 PwHA who received ≥1 dose of emicizumab (1 PwHA was randomized to receive emicizumab but did not start treatment). The median age at baseline was 28.5 (range 1-77) years. The majority of participants were White (66.8%) or Asian (18.8%); 52.3% had FVIII inhibitors. In the 24 weeks prior to study entry, 60.9% of participants had target joints. The median duration of efficacy period was 120.4 (interquartile range 89.0-164.4) weeks; 85.0% of participants had an efficacy period of ≥74 weeks; 11 participants (2.8%) discontinued study treatment. Across all 4 studies, 90.9-94.8% of the observation period was covered by completed BMQs. Across all studies, the model-based treated bleed ABR was 1.4 (95% confidence interval 1.1-1.7); treated bleed ABRs remained low throughout, and were seen to decrease with successive 24-week treatment intervals (Table 1). During Weeks 121-144 (n=170), 82.4% of participants had zero treated bleeds, and 15.3% of participants had 1-3 treated bleeds. During the same period, 91.8% and 90.0% had zero treated spontaneous/joint bleeds respectively (Figure 1). The proportion of participants with target joints reduced from 60.9% prior to study entry to 4.6% at Weeks 1-24, then ACD of FVIII (Table 2), activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) and activated recombinant FVII (rFVIIa, Table 3) generally decreased across each 24-week treatment interval. Emicizumab was well tolerated (Table 4), and no participants discontinued due to AEs beyond the five previously described (Oldenburg et al. N Engl J Med 2017; Young et al. Blood 2019; Mahlangu et al. N Engl J Med 2018; Pipe et al. Lancet Haem 2019). At data cut, 1 fatality, 3 thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs), and 4 thromboembolic events (TEs) have been reported; all but 1 occurred in HAVEN 1. All TMAs and 2 of 4 TEs were associated with concomitant aPCC use. The percentage of participants with ≥1 drug-related AE in Weeks 1-24, 25-48 and 49-72 were 28.8%, 6.8%, and 3.0% respectively; over the same intervals, injection site reactions were observed in 23.3%, 4.8%, and 2.5% of participants. Conclusions: With nearly 3 years of follow-up, emicizumab maintained low bleed rates in PwHA of all ages, with/without FVIII inhibitors. ABRs continued to decrease and the proportion of participants with zero treated bleeds increased with each consecutive 24-week period; the trend was the same for the proportion of participants with zero joint bleeds and almost all target joints resolved. The ACDs of FVIII, aPCC, and rFVIIa decreased with successive treatment intervals. Emicizumab remains well tolerated over long-term follow-up, and no new safety concerns have been identified to date. Disclosures Callaghan: Bayer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Biomarin: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Site Investigator/sub-I Clinical Trial, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Site Investigator/sub-I Clinical Trial, Research Funding; Grifols: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bioverativ: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Hema Biologics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Alnylum: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Spark: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Octapharma: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Global Blood Therapeutics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Speakers Bureau; Roche/Genentech: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other: Site Investigator/sub-I Clinical Trial, Speakers Bureau; NovoNordisk: Other, Speakers Bureau; Sancillio: Other. Négrier:CSL Behring, Octapharma, Shire/Takeda, Sobi: Research Funding; CSL, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sobi: Other: Travel support; Bayer, Biomarin, CSL Behring, Freeline, LFB, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sanofi, Shire/Takeda, Sobi, Spark: Consultancy. Paz-Priel:Genentech, Inc: Current Employment; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Other: All authors received editorial support for this abstract, provided by Scott Battle, PhD, of Health Interactions and funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche.. Chang:Genentech, Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Chebon:F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Divested equity in a private or publicly-traded company in the past 24 months. Lehle:F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company. Mahlangu:CSL Behring, Catalyst Biosciences, Freeline Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sanofi, Spark and Takeda: Consultancy; South Africa Medical Research Council, Wits Health Consortium, Colleges of Medicine of South Africa: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; CSL Behring, Catalyst Biosciences, Novo Nordisk, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sanofi, Spark and Takeda: Speakers Bureau; BioMarin, CSL Behring, Freeline Therapeutics, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, uniQure: Research Funding. Young:Bayer, CSL Behring, Freeline, UniQure: Consultancy; Genentech/Roche, Grifols, and Takeda: Research Funding; BioMarin, Freeline, Genentech/Roche, Grifols, Kedrion, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Genzyme, Spark, Takeda, and UniQure: Honoraria. Kruse-Jarres:Biomarin, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., CSL Behring, CRISPR Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy; CSL Behring, Genentech, Inc., Spark: Research Funding; Biomarin, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., CSL Behring, CRISPR Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc.: Honoraria; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Speakers Bureau. Mancuso:Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Kedrion, Grifols, Sobi, PedNet Foundation: Consultancy; Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Grifols, Sobi: Speakers Bureau; Bayer, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Octapharma, Kedrion, Grifols, Catalyst, Kedrion, Sobi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Center for Thrombosis and Hemorrhagic Diseases, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy: Current Employment. Niggli:F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment. Kuebler:Genentech, Inc.: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Selak Bienz:F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment. Shima:Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, BioMarin, Bayer, Sanofi: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. , Sanofi, Bayer, Sysmex: Speakers Bureau; Patents related to anti-FIXa/FX bispecific antibodies: Patents & Royalties; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.: Honoraria; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. , F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sanofi, CSL Behring, KM Biologics, Novo Nordisk, Shire/Takeda: Research Funding; Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.: Consultancy. Jimenez-Yuste:F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, Novo Nordisk, Takeda, Sobi, Pfizer, Grifols, Octapharma, CSL Behring, Bayer: Honoraria; F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd, Novo Nordisk, Takeda, Sobi, Pfizer: Consultancy; Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Takeda, Sobi, Pfizer: Research Funding. Schmitt:F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Asikanius:Fimea: Current Employment; F Hoffman-La Roche Ltd: Ended employment in the past 24 months; F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Divested equity in a private or publicly-traded company in the past 24 months. Levy:F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Genentech, Inc.: Ended employment in the past 24 months; Spark Therapeutics: Current Employment; Baxalta US: Patents & Royalties: Royalties from ADAMTS13 patent . Pipe:Medical and Scientific Advisory Council to the National Hemophilia Foundation; Medical Advisory Board to World Federation of Hemophilia: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Apcintex, Bayer, BioMarin, Catalyst Biosciences, CSL Behring, HEMA Biologics, Freeline, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd/Genentech, Inc., Sangamo Therapeutics, Sanofi, Takeda, Spark Therapeutics, uniQure: Consultancy; Siemens: Research Funding. Oldenburg:Bayer, BioMarin, Biotest, Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., CSL Behring, Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd, Spark, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and Takeda: Speakers Bureau; Bayer, BioMarin, Biotest, Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., CSL Behring, Freeline, Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche. Ltd, Spark, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and Takeda: Other; Bayer, BioMarin, Biotest, Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., CSL Behring, Freeline, Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd, Spark, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; University Clinic Bonn: Current Employment; Bayer, Biotest, CSL Behring, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer and Takeda: Research Funding; Bayer, BioMarin, Biotest, Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., CSL Behring, Freeline, Grifols, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd, Spark, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum and Takeda: Honoraria.

Despite the importance of antihypertensive medication therapy for blood pressure control, no single data system provides estimates of medication nonadherence rates across age groups and health insurance plans types. Using multiple administrative datasets and national survey data, we determined health insurance plan-specific and overall weighted national rates of nonadherence to antihypertensive medications among insured hypertensive US adults in 2015. We used 2015 prescription claims data from Medicare Part D and 3 IBM MarketScan databases (Commercial, Medicaid, Medicare Supplemental) to calculate medication nonadherence rates among hypertensive adults aged ≥18 years with public or private health insurance using the proportion of days covered algorithm. These findings, in combination with National Health Interview Survey findings, were used to project national weighted estimates of nonadherence. We included 23.8 million hypertensive adults who filled 265.8 million prescriptions for antihypertensive medications. Nonadherence differed by health insurance plan type (highest for Medicaid members, 55.4%; lowest for Medicare Part D members, 25.2%). The overall weighted national nonadherence rate was 31.0%, with greater nonadherence among women versus men, younger versus older adults (aged 18–34 years, 58.1%; aged 65–74 years, 24.4%), fixed-dose combination medication nonusers (31.2%) versus users (29.4%), and by pharmacy outlet type (retail only, 30.7%; any mail order, 19.8%). In 2015, almost one-third (≈16.3 million) of insured US adults with diagnosed hypertension were considered nonadherent to their antihypertensive medication regimen, and considerable disparities were evident. Public health and healthcare professionals can use available evidence-based interventions to address nonadherence and improve blood pressure control.

In the fire ant Solenopsis invicta, a supergene composed of ~600 genes and having two variants, SB and Sb, regulates colony social form. In single queen colonies, all individuals carry only the SB allele, while in multiple queen colonies, some individuals carry the Sb allele. In this study, we characterized genes with copy number variation between SB and Sb-carrying individuals. We showed extensive acquisition of gene duplicates in the Sb genome, with some likely involved in polygyne-related phenotypes. We found 260 genes with copy number differences between SB and Sb, of which 239 have greater copy number in Sb. We observed transposable element (TE) accumulation on Sb, likely due to the accumulation of repetitive elements on the nonrecombining chromosome. We found a weak correlation between TE copy number and differential expression, suggesting some TEs may still be proliferating in Sb while many of the duplicated TEs have presumably been silenced. Among the 115 non-TE genes with higher copy in Sb, enzymes responsible for cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis were highly represented. These include a desaturase and an elongase, both potentially responsible for differential queen odour and likely beneficial for polygyne ants. These genes seem to have translocated into the supergene from other chromosomes and proliferated by multiple duplication events. While the presence of TEs in supergenes is well documented, little is known about duplication of non-TE genes and their possible adaptive role. Overall, our results suggest that gene duplications may be an important factor leading to monogyne and polygyne ant societies.

Background and Purpose— International Classification of Diseases, Ninth and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification ( ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM ) codes are often used for disease surveillance. We examined changes in concordance between ICD-CM codes and clinical diagnoses before and after the transition to ICD-10-CM in the United States (October 1, 2015), and determined if there were systematic variations in concordance by patient and hospital characteristics. Methods— We included Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program patient discharges from 2014 to 2017. Concordance between ICD-CM codes and the clinical diagnosis documented by the physician (assumed as accurate) was calculated for each diagnosis category: ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Results— In total, 314 857 patient records were included in the analysis (n=280 hospitals), 55.9% of which were obtained after the transition to ICD-10-CM . While concordance was generally high, a small, and temporary decline occurred from the last calendar quarter of ICD-9-CM (average unadjusted concordance =92.8%) to the first quarter of ICD-10-CM use (91.0%). Concordance differed by diagnosis category and was generally highest for ischemic stroke. In the analysis of ICD-10-CM records, disagreements often occurred between ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack records and between subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage records. Compared with the smallest hospitals (≤200 beds), larger hospitals had significantly higher odds of concordance (ischemic stroke adjusted odds ratio for ≥400 beds, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5–1.9). Conclusions— This study identified a small and transient decline in concordance between ICD-CM codes and stroke clinical diagnoses during the coding transition, indicating no substantial impact on the overall identification of stroke patients. Researchers and policymakers should remain aware of potential changes in ICD-CM code accuracy over time, which may affect disease surveillance. Systematic variations in the accuracy of codes by hospital and patient characteristics have implications for quality-of-care studies and hospital comparative assessments.

The sense of ‘Attention’ has a certain degree of influence on the effectiveness of learning. It was found that good music boosts reading interest. Music referral systems have been proactively explored using hybrid methods. In this work, first, a select electroencephalographic(EEG) was used to record and review attention according to the individual's choices for music material due to the introduction of an attention device. Then, the collected brainwave data values are filtered for invalid data and then combined with a Supper Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. SVM classifier for calculation and analysis identifies two types of brainwave data values (attention vs. non-attention). The recognition rate was up to 72%. We suggest a hybrid music recommendation model based upon an exciting device, which incorporates the user's electroencephalographic(EEG) information and records the individual's choices for music material due to the introduction of an attention device. The experimental outcomes reveal that the system, without a doubt, gives customers a personalized list of music, making them more attentive and continue reading.

IntroductionOlfactory reference syndrome (ORS) is a delusion in which a person believes that he or she exudes a displeasing body aroma that others perceive negatively. The axilla has been reported as a single primary source in only one patient. Furthermore, ORS is rarely reported to be associated with food odor. In these instances, the food is not edible. Delusions of ORS presenting as alliaceous edible food aromas have not heretofore been described.Case ReportOne week after undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation, this 42-year-old right-handed male experienced a sudden onset of loss of smell and taste. This has persisted on presentation and he described a complete lack of smell, only being able to smell different spices and herbs. Over time, his sense of smell selectively improved such that he was able to smell alliaceous substances, including onion and garlic, as well as a few other aromas. At the same time his smell returned, he noted that his own body exuded a smell of garlic. This occurred especially while weightlifting at the gym. He noticed that the shirts he had worn working out, in the axillary regions, were encumbered with a garlic/onion miasma. He was fearful that this mephitic aroma was being secreted through his armpits, and that others would recognize his tragomaschalia. As a result, he restricted his activities. Over a few months, his smell ability gradually worsened back to the condition he was in after the ablation. Coincident with this, his perception that he was exuding an alliaceous aroma resolved.ResultsMotor examination: Drift testing: mild left pronator drift. Left abductor digiti minimal sign. Olfactory testing prior to the development of ORS: Alcohol Sniff Test (AST): 0 (anosmia). Brief Smell Identification Test (B-SIT): 3 (anosmia). Olfactory testing during ORS: AST: 16 (hyposmia). B-SIT: 9 (hyposmia). Olfactory testing after resolution of ORS: AST: 0 (anosmia).DiscussionThis could be explained by a physiologic axillary odor or malodor, which he could not detect before or after the ORS. During the ORS, the odor may have been misperceived in a dysosmic manner due to his underlying olfactory deficit. Such dysosmia may have then been interpreted as the aroma of an alliaceous vegetable. The intensity of the aroma may have been greatest at the axillary area if compared to the other sources, but due to his underlying hyposmia, he was able to perceive only the axilla as a sole source of the aroma. Besides, psychodynamic preoccupation with bodily physique may have explained his hypersensitivity to minor flaws and his excessive preoccupation with possible harassment from others. He may have consequently misinterpreted individuals’ benign observations and attitudes to presume the presence of aroma. In individuals with olfactory deficit, this investigation for the presence of ORS with traditionally unpleasant food aromas or the presence of ORS in those with chemosensory dysfunction is warranted.FundingNo funding

C. elegans benefits from a large set of tools for genome manipulation. Yet, the insertion of large DNA constructs and the generation of inversions is still challenging. Here, we adapted the phiC31 integrase system for C. elegans. We generated an integrated phiC31 integrase expressing strain flanked by attP sites that also serves as a landing pad for integration of transgenes by recombination mediated cassette exchange (RCME). This strain is unc-119(-) so RMCE integrants can be produced simply by injection of a plasmid carrying attB sites flanking unc-119(+) and the gene(s) of interest. Additionally, phiC31 integrase is removed concomitantly with integration, eliminating the need to outcross away the integrase. Integrations are relatively easy to obtain for insert sizes up to ~15 kb. Taking advantage of this integration method we establish a dual color fluorescent operon reporter system to study post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Last we show that large chromosomal segments can be inverted using phiC31 integrase. Thus the phiC31 integrase system should be a useful addition to the C. elegans toolkit.