Monitoring Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Ultrasound Strain Elastography

© 2019 The Authors Strain elastography was used to monitor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in 92 patients with biopsy-proven, locally advanced breast cancer. Strain elastography data were collected before, during, and after NAC. Relative changes in tumor strain ratio (SR) were calculated over time, and responder status was classified according to tumor size changes. Statistical analyses determined the significance of changes in SR over time and between response groups. Machine learning techniques, such as a naïve Bayes classifier, were used to evaluate the performance of the SR as a marker for Miller-Payne pathological endpoints. With pathological complete response (pCR) as an endpoint, a significant difference (P < .01) in the SR was observed between response groups as early as 2 weeks into NAC. Naïve Bayes classifiers predicted pCR with a sensitivity of 84%, specificity of 85%, and area under the curve of 81% at the preoperative scan. This study demonstrates that strain elastography may be predictive of NAC response in locally advanced breast cancer as early as 2 weeks into treatment, with high sensitivity and specificity, granting it the potential to be used for active monitoring of tumor response to chemotherapy

Application of environmentally friendly techniques to inactivate Campylobacter sp. in poultry meat

Campylobacter uważany jest za jeden z głównych patogenów odpowiedzialnych za zatrucia pokarmowe, zwłaszcza po spożyciu mięsa drobiowego nieprawidłowo przechowywanego bądź poddanego niewłaściwej obróbce termicznej. Intensyfikuje się więc badania w kierunku poszukiwania technik dezynfekcyjnych bezpiecznych dla środowiska i skutecznie eliminujących ten patogen. W Zakładzie Jakości Żywności Instytutu Biotechnologii Przemysłu Rolno-Spożywczego w Łodzi podjęto badania, których celem było określenie skuteczności technik dezynfekcji ozonem i promieniowaniem UV w inaktywacji bakterii z rodzaju Campylobacter sp. na podłożu hodowlanym, a następnie w mięsie drobiowym. Wykazano, że oba czynniki dezynfekcyjne powodowały zmniejszenie liczby bakterii Campylobacter sp. W metodzie płytkowej stopień redukcji bakterii wynosił powyżej 2 log jtk/ml, niezależnie od szczepu i czynnika dezynfekującego. Stopień redukcji bakterii w mięsie drobiowym po 30-minutowym wyjaławianiu wynosił od 0,19 log jtk/ml – szczep C. coli ATCC 43478 napromieniany UV do 1,16 log jtk/ml – szczep C. jejuni (izolat własny) po działaniu ozonem. W zależności od czynnika wyjaławiającego: ozonu lub UV stopień redukcji przyjmował średnio wartości odpowiednio: 1,0 i 0,3 log jtk/ml. Z uwagi na otrzymane wyniki, zastosowanie tylko jednej z badanych technik dezynfekcji we wstępnym procesie oczyszczania mięsa drobiowego nie byłoby działaniem rekomendowanym. Natomiast ich użycie z innymi technikami dekontaminacji mogłoby zwiększyć efektywność sanityzacji i poprawić bezpieczeństwo mikrobiologiczne mięsa drobiowego, dlatego też celowe jest prowadzenie dalszych prac w tym kierunku.Campylobacter is considered to be one of the major pathogens responsible for food poisoning that occurs particularly after consuming the incorrectly stored or improperly thermally treated poultry meat. Thus, research studies are intensified that are targeted at searching for disinfection techniques, which are environmentally safe and effectively eliminate that pathogen. The Department of Food Quality at the Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology in Łódź undertook research the objective of which was to determine the effectiveness of environmentally friendly disinfection with the use of ozone and ultraviolet irradiation to inactivate Campylobacter sp. inoculated on agar plates, and, then, in poultry meat. It was proved that the two disinfecting agents caused the counts of Campylobacter spp. to decrease. When applying the method with agar plates, the reduction degree of bacteria was above 2 log cfu /ml regardless of the strain and sanitising agent. After 30 minutes of sterilizing the poultry meat, the reduction degree of bacteria therein ranged from 0.19 log cfu / ml as for the strain of UV irradiated C. coli ATCC 43478 to 1.16 log cfu /ml as for the ozone-treated C. jejuni (the authors’ own strain). Depending on the disinfecting agent: ozone or UV light, the mean degree of reduction was, respectively: 1.0 and 0.3 log cfu/ml UV. Considering the results obtained, it would not be recommended to apply only one of the disinfection methods tested to the initial cleansing process of poultry. However, the use of ozonation and UV irradiation together with other decontamination techniques could increase the effectiveness of sanitisation and improve the microbiological safety of poultry meat; therefore, it is advisable to continue the research in this field

Lectotypification of the name Stereodon nemoralis Mitt. (Plagiotheciaceae), a basionym of Plagiothecium nemorale (Mitt.) A. Jaeger

In 1859, William Mitten described Stereodon nemoralis (≡ Plagiothecium nemorale) based on the gathering of Sir J.D. Hooker from India. However, the protologue did not indicate any specific specimen or illustration. For the past 50 years, the original material (NY 913349) deposited at the NY Herbarium has been considered as the holotype. However, this assumption has since been found to be incorrect, because in the Herbarium of The Natural History Museum exists other original material of this species (BM 1030713), collected by Hooker. In addition, the specimen from NY Herbarium is in poor condition and its most important diagnostic characters are not visible. In contrast, the material from BM Herbarium is in very good condition, and therefore it is herein designated as the lectotype. Also, the paper describes the resolution of this type, a process complicated by changes that had occurred in the provisions of subsequent botanical Codes

In vivo assessment of prostate cancer response using quantitative ultrasound characterization of ultrasonic scattering properties

Abstract Background The study here investigated quantitative ultrasound (QUS) parameters to assess tumour response to ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles (USMB) and hyperthermia (HT) treatment in vivo. Mice bearing prostate cancer xenografts were exposed to various treatment conditions including 1% (v/v) Definity microbubbles stimulated at ultrasound pressures 246 kPa and 570 kPa and HT duration of 0, 10, 40, and 50 min. Ultrasound radiofrequency (RF) data were collected using an ultrasound transducer with a central frequency of 25 MHz. QUS parameters based on form factor models were used as potential biomarkers of cell death in prostate cancer xenografts. Results The average acoustic concentration (AAC) parameter from spherical gaussian and the fluid-filled spherical models were the most efficient imaging biomarker of cell death. Statistical significant increases of AAC were found in the combined treatment groups: 246 kPa + 40 min, 246 kPa + 50 min, and 570 kPa + 50 min, in comparison with control tumours (0 kPa + 0 min). Changes in AAC correlates strongly (r2 = 0.62) with cell death fraction quantified from the histopathological analysis. Conclusion Scattering property estimates from spherical gaussian and fluid-filled spherical models are useful imaging biomarkers for assessing tumour response to treatment. Our observation of changes in AAC from high ultrasound frequencies was consistent with previous findings where parameters related to the backscatter intensity (AAC) increased with cell death