Comparison of ESD and Conventional Methods in Single Cell Spray

Various inorganic ions are related to activity in a cell. Behavior of biological activity is traditionally observed by using optical microscope and/or MALDI. However, higher spatial resolution imaging technique is needed to observe organelles in a cell. In such cases, fixation in vacuum becomes quite big problem to maintain original structure in a cell. Rapid freezing seems one of the promising methods. But single cells cannot be treated as section. In this study, we devised a new rapid freezing method by combining electro-spray deposition and metal-touch freezing. In this method, individual cell is sprayed with a droplet emitted from the electro-spray tip, and each cells impact on the cooled metal surface, then frozen rapidly

HER2 testing on core needle biopsy specimens from primary breast cancers: interobserver reproducibility and concordance with surgically resected specimens

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accurate evaluation of human epidermal growth factor receptor type-2 (HER2) status based on core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens is mandatory for identification of patients with primary breast cancer who will benefit from primary systemic therapy with trastuzumab. The aim of the present study was to validate the application of HER2 testing with CNB specimens from primary breast cancers in terms of interobserver reproducibility and comparison with surgically resected specimens.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 100 pairs of archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CNB and surgically resected specimens of invasive breast carcinomas were cut into sections. All 100 paired sections were subjected to HER2 testing by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 27 paired sections were subjected to that by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), the results being evaluated by three and two observers, respectively. Interobserver agreement levels in terms of judgment and the concordance of consensus scores between CNB samples and the corresponding surgically resected specimens were estimated as the percentage agreement and κ statistic.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In CNB specimens, the percentage interobserver agreement of HER2 scoring by IHC was 76% (κ = 0.71) for 3 × 3 categories (0-1+ <it>versus </it>2+ <it>versus </it>3+) and 90% (κ = 0.80) for 2 × 2 categories (0-2+ <it>versus </it>3+). These levels were close to the corresponding ones for the surgically resected specimens: 80% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories and 92% (κ = 0.88) for 2 × 2 categories. Concordance of consensus for HER2 scores determined by IHC between CNB and the corresponding surgical specimens was 87% (κ = 0.77) for 3 × 3 categories, and 94% (κ = 0.83) for 2 × 2 categories. Among the 13 tumors showing discordance in the mean IHC scores between the CNB and surgical specimens, the results of consensus for FISH results were concordant in 11. The rate of successful FISH analysis and the FISH positivity rate in cases with a HER2 IHC score of 2+ differed among specimens processed at different institutions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is mandatory to study HER2 on breast cancers, and either CNB or surgical specimen can be used.</p

New Sellmeier and Thermo-Optic Dispersion Formulas for AgGaS2

This paper reports on the new Sellmeier and thermo-optic dispersion formulas that provide a good reproduction of the temperature-dependent phase-matching conditions for second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG) of a CO2 laser and a Nd:YAG laser-pumped KTiOPO4 (KTP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO) in the 0.8859&ndash;10.5910 &mu;m range as well as those for difference-frequency generation (DFG) between the two diode lasers in the 4.9&ndash;6.5 &mu;m range and DFG between the two periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) OPOs in the 5&ndash;12 &mu;m range thus far reported in the literature

[18F]FDG Uptake in the Aortic Wall Smooth Muscle of Atherosclerotic Plaques in the Simian Atherosclerosis Model

Atherosclerosis is a self-sustaining inflammatory fibroproliferative disease that progresses in discrete stages and involves a number of cell types and effector molecules. Recently, [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose- ([18F]FDG-) positron emission tomography (PET) has been suggested as a tool to evaluate atherosclerotic plaques by detecting accumulated macrophages associated with inflammation progress. However, at the cellular level, it remains unknown whether only macrophages exhibit high uptake of [18F]FDG. To identify the cellular origin of [18F]FDG uptake in atherosclerotic plaques, we developed a simian atherosclerosis model and performed PET and ex vivo macro- and micro-autoradiography (ARG). Increased [18F]FDG uptake in the aortic wall was observed in high-cholesterol diet-treated monkeys and WHHL rabbits. Macro-ARG of [18F]FDG in aortic sections showed that [18F]FDG was accumulated in the media and intima in the simian model as similar to that in WHHL rabbits. Combined analysis of micro-ARG with immunohistochemistry in the simian atherosclerosis model revealed that most cellular [18F]FDG uptake observed in the media was derived not only from the infiltrated macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques but also from the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the aortic wall in atherosclerotic lesions

Characterization of Atherosclerosis Formation in a Murine Model of Type IIa Human Familial Hypercholesterolemia

A murine genetic model of LDL-cholesterol- (LDL-C-) driven atherosclerosis, based on complete deficiencies of both the LDL-receptor (Ldlr-/-) and key catalytic component of an apolipoprotein B-edisome complex (Apobec1-/-), which converts apoB-100 to apoB-48, has been extensively characterized. These gene deficiencies allow high levels of apoB-100 to be present and inefficiently cleared, thus leading to very high levels of LDL-C in mice on a normal diet. Many key features of atherosclerotic plaques observed in human familial hypercholesterolemia are found in these mice as they are allowed to age through 72 weeks. The general characteristics include the presence of high levels of LDL-C in plasma and macrophage-related fatty streak formation in the aortic tree, which progressively worsens with age. More specifically, plaque found in the aortic sinuses contains a lipid core with relatively high numbers of macrophages and a smooth muscle cell α-actin- and collagen-containing cap, which thins with age. These critical features of plaque progression suggest that the Ldlr-/-/Apobec1-/- mouse line presents a superior model of LDL-C-driven atherosclerosis