Utilizing in vitro cell lines and mCRPC PDX tumor models, we discovered a synergistic effect of enzalutamide and the pan-HDAC inhibitor vorinostat, offering a therapeutic proof-of-concept. These findings illuminate the possibility of synergistic effects between AR and HDAC inhibitors, paving the way for improved outcomes in advanced mCRPC patients.
The widespread oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) often necessitates radiotherapy as a central treatment. Radiotherapy planning for OPC cases currently relies on manually segmenting the primary gross tumor volume (GTVp), a procedure prone to substantial discrepancies between different clinicians. learn more Despite the encouraging results of deep learning (DL) techniques in automating GTVp segmentation, comparative (auto)confidence metrics for the predictions generated by these models require further investigation. The crucial task of assessing the uncertainty of a deep learning model for specific cases is necessary for improving clinician confidence and enabling more extensive clinical use. Using large-scale PET/CT datasets, probabilistic deep learning models for automated GTVp segmentation were constructed in this study, and a comprehensive evaluation of various uncertainty auto-estimation methods was performed.
For our development dataset, the 2021 HECKTOR Challenge training dataset was utilized, containing 224 co-registered PET/CT scans of OPC patients, and their respective GTVp segmentations. For independent external validation, a separate collection of 67 co-registered PET/CT scans was used, featuring OPC patients with corresponding GTVp segmentations. Two approximate Bayesian deep learning methods, MC Dropout Ensemble and Deep Ensemble, each with five constituent submodels, were analyzed in their ability to perform GTVp segmentation and characterize uncertainty. Segmentation effectiveness was gauged using the volumetric Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean surface distance (MSD), and the 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (95HD). Our novel method, combined with established measures such as the coefficient of variation (CV), structure expected entropy, structure predictive entropy, and structure mutual information, served to assess the uncertainty.
Assess the scope of this measurement. Employing the Accuracy vs Uncertainty (AvU) metric to evaluate uncertainty-based segmentation performance prediction accuracy, the utility of uncertainty information was assessed by examining the linear correlation between uncertainty estimates and the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC). Additionally, the study reviewed both batch-processing and individual-instance referral strategies, thus excluding patients with high levels of uncertainty from the evaluation. The batch referral process employed the area under the referral curve, using DSC (R-DSC AUC), for evaluation, whereas the instance referral process involved scrutinizing the DSC metric at various uncertainty threshold values.
Regarding segmentation performance and the evaluation of uncertainty, the models demonstrated comparable behavior. The MC Dropout Ensemble exhibited DSC of 0776, MSD of 1703 mm, and 95HD of 5385 mm. For the Deep Ensemble, the values were: DSC 0767, MSD 1717 mm, and 95HD 5477 mm. Structure predictive entropy demonstrated the strongest correlation with DSC across uncertainty measures; this correlation reached 0.699 for the MC Dropout Ensemble and 0.692 for the Deep Ensemble. The highest AvU value across both models was determined to be 0866. Both models exhibited the highest performance with respect to the uncertainty measure of coefficient of variation (CV), specifically scoring an R-DSC AUC of 0.783 for the MC Dropout Ensemble and 0.7782 for the Deep Ensemble. With 0.85 validation DSC uncertainty thresholds, referring patients for all uncertainty measures led to a 47% and 50% increase in average DSC compared to the complete dataset; this involved 218% and 22% referrals for MC Dropout Ensemble and Deep Ensemble, respectively.
A comparative analysis of the investigated methodologies revealed that they offer similar yet differentiated advantages in forecasting segmentation quality and referral performance. The significance of these findings lies in their role as a foundational first step towards broader implementation of uncertainty quantification in OPC GTVp segmentation procedures.
The examined methods offered a generally consistent, yet individually distinguishable, ability to forecast segmentation quality and referral performance. A crucial initial step, these findings promote the wider application of uncertainty quantification in OPC GTVp segmentation.
Ribosome-protected fragments, or footprints, are sequenced to quantify genome-wide translation using ribosome profiling. Thanks to its single-codon resolution, the identification of translational regulation events, such as ribosome stalling or pausing, can be made on an individual gene level. Despite this, the enzymes' favored substrates during library preparation produce widespread sequence aberrations, hindering the comprehension of translational mechanisms. An uneven distribution, both over- and under-representing ribosome footprints, frequently distorts local footprint densities, resulting in elongation rates estimates that may be off by a factor of up to five times. Unveiling genuine translational patterns, free from the influence of bias, we introduce choros, a computational method that models ribosome footprint distributions to deliver bias-corrected footprint quantification. Negative binomial regression in choros allows for precise estimations of two sets of parameters: (i) biological contributions from codon-specific translation elongation rates, and (ii) technical contributions from nuclease digestion and ligation efficiencies. Bias correction factors, calculated from parameter estimates, are used to remove sequence artifacts. Through the application of choros to multiple ribosome profiling datasets, we achieve accurate quantification and attenuation of ligation biases, thus yielding more faithful representations of ribosome distribution. We posit that the observed pattern of ribosome pausing near the start of coding regions is more likely a consequence of technical biases inherent in the methodology. Employing choros techniques within standard analytical pipelines for translation measurements will facilitate advancements in biological discoveries.
Sex hormones are expected to contribute to the differences in health experiences between the sexes. We analyze how sex steroid hormones relate to DNA methylation-based (DNAm) markers of age and mortality risk, such as Pheno Age Acceleration (AA), Grim AA, DNAm-based estimators for Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI1), and concentrations of leptin.
A combined dataset was generated by aggregating data from three population-based cohorts: the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, and the InCHIANTI Study. This comprised 1062 postmenopausal women not on hormone therapy and 1612 men of European descent. In order to maintain consistency across studies and sexes, sex hormone concentrations were standardized, with each study and sex group achieving a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1. Linear mixed regression analyses, stratified by sex, were conducted, applying a Benjamini-Hochberg correction for multiple comparisons. To evaluate the sensitivity of the model, the previous training set was excluded during the Pheno and Grim age development analysis.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) is correlated with a reduction in DNAm PAI1 levels among men (per 1 standard deviation (SD) -478 pg/mL; 95%CI -614 to -343; P1e-11; BH-P 1e-10) and women (-434 pg/mL; 95%CI -589 to -279; P1e-7; BH-P2e-6). In men, the testosterone/estradiol (TE) ratio was found to be associated with a decrease in both Pheno AA (-041 years; 95%CI -070 to -012; P001; BH-P 004) and DNAm PAI1 (-351 pg/mL; 95%CI -486 to -217; P4e-7; BH-P3e-6). A one standard deviation elevation in total testosterone levels in men was linked to a reduction in DNA methylation of PAI1, a decrease of -481 pg/mL (95% confidence interval: -613 to -349; P2e-12; BH-P6e-11).
Lower DNAm PAI1 levels were linked to higher SHBG levels across male and female populations. learn more A link was established between higher testosterone levels and a greater testosterone-to-estradiol ratio in men and a concomitant reduction in DNAm PAI and a younger epigenetic age. A decrease in DNAm PAI1 is associated with lower risks of mortality and morbidity, implying a potentially protective effect of testosterone on longevity and cardiovascular well-being through DNAm PAI1.
Analysis revealed an association between SHBG and DNAm PAI1 levels; this relationship was observed in both men and women. Among men, elevated levels of testosterone and a heightened testosterone-to-estradiol ratio correlated with lower DNAm PAI-1 values and a younger epigenetic age. learn more A decrease in DNA methylation of PAI1 is correlated with reduced mortality and morbidity, implying a possible protective effect of testosterone on lifespan and cardiovascular health, specifically through DNAm PAI1.
Maintaining the structural integrity of the lung and regulating the functions of its resident fibroblasts are responsibilities of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The presence of lung-metastatic breast cancer influences cellular communication with the extracellular matrix, thereby triggering fibroblast activation. In vitro investigations of cell-matrix interactions within the lung necessitate bio-instructive ECM models emulating the lung's ECM composition and biomechanics. This study presents a synthetic, bioactive hydrogel that reproduces the lung's inherent elastic modulus, including a representative array of the prevalent extracellular matrix (ECM) peptide motifs essential for integrin binding and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-mediated breakdown, seen in the lung, which supports the dormancy of human lung fibroblasts (HLFs). Exposure to transforming growth factor 1 (TGF-1), metastatic breast cancer conditioned media (CM), or tenascin-C triggered a response in hydrogel-encapsulated HLFs, mirroring their natural in vivo behaviors. Our proposed tunable synthetic lung hydrogel platform provides a means to study the separate and combined effects of extracellular matrix components on regulating fibroblast quiescence and activation.