Is CT or FDG-PET more useful for evaluation of the treatment response in metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer? a case report and literature review

Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors version 1.1 (RECIST ver1.1) has been widely adopted to evaluate treatment efficacy in solid tumors, including breast cancer (BC), in clinical trials and clinical practice. RECIST is based mainly on computed tomography (CT) images, and the role of fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is limited. However, because the rate of tumor shrinkage on CT does not necessarily reflect the potential remaining tumor cells, there may be a discrepancy between the treatment response and prognosis in some cases. Here we report a case of metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive BC where FDG-PET was preferable to CT for evaluation of the treatment response. A 40-year-old woman became aware of a lump in her right breast in September 201X. She was pregnant and underwent further examinations, including a biopsy, in November. The diagnosis was HER2-positive BC (cT2N2bM1, stage IV). Trastuzumab plus pertuzumab plus docetaxel (TPD) therapy was initiated in December 201X. CT performed in February 201X+1 showed cystic changes in the metastatic lesions in the liver, and the treatment response was stable disease (SD) according to RECIST. However, FDG-PET in March 201X+1 did not detect abnormal uptake of FDG in the hepatic lesions. The disease remained stable thereafter. Thus, tumor shrinkage may not be apparent in situations where the response to treatment results in rapid changes in blood flow within the tumor, which is associated with cystic changes. When patients with hypervascular liver metastases receive treatment with highly effective regimens, the target lesion may show cystic changes rather than shrinkage, as observed in the present case. Therefore, FDG-PET is sometimes superior to CT in judging a tumor response

Near-Infrared Extinction in The Coalsack Globule 2

We have conducted J, H, and Ks imaging observations for the Coalsack Globule 2 with the SIRIUS infrared camera on the IRSF 1.4 m telescope at SAAO, and determined the color excess ratio, E(J-H)/E(H-Ks). The ratio is determined in the same photometric system as our previous study for the rho Oph and Cha clouds without any color transformation; this enables us to directly compare the near-infrared extinction laws among these regions. The current ratio E(J-H)/E(H-Ks) = 1.91 +- 0.01 for the extinction range 0.5 < E(J-H) <1.8 is significantly larger than the ratios for the rho Oph and Cha clouds (E(J-H)/E(H-Ks) = 1.60-1.69). This ratio corresponds to a large negative index alpha = 2.34 +- 0.01 when the wavelength dependence of extinction is approximated by a power law which might indicate little growth of dust grains, or larger abundance of dielectric non-absorbing components such as silicates, or both in this cloud. We also confirm that the color excess ratio for the Coalsack Globule 2 has a trend of increasing with decreasing optical depth, which is the same trend as the rho Oph and Cha clouds have.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, and 2 tables, Ap

Development of an integrative database with 499 novel microsatellite markers for Macaca fascicularis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cynomolgus macaques (<it>Macaca fascicularis</it>) are a valuable resource for linkage studies of genetic disorders, but their microsatellite markers are not sufficient. In genetic studies, a prerequisite for mapping genes is development of a genome-wide set of microsatellite markers in target organisms. A whole genome sequence and its annotation also facilitate identification of markers for causative mutations. The aim of this study is to establish hundreds of microsatellite markers and to develop an integrative cynomolgus macaque genome database with a variety of datasets including marker and gene information that will be useful for further genetic analyses in this species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We investigated the level of polymorphisms in cynomolgus monkeys for 671 microsatellite markers that are covered by our established Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) clones. Four hundred and ninety-nine (74.4%) of the markers were found to be polymorphic using standard PCR analysis. The average number of alleles and average expected heterozygosity at these polymorphic loci in ten cynomolgus macaques were 8.20 and 0.75, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>BAC clones and novel microsatellite markers were assigned to the rhesus genome sequence and linked with our cynomolgus macaque cDNA database (QFbase). Our novel microsatellite marker set and genomic database will be valuable integrative resources in analyzing genetic disorders in cynomolgus macaques.</p

Cynomolgus monkey testicular cDNAs for discovery of novel human genes in the human genome sequence

BACKGROUND: In order to contribute to the establishment of a complete map of transcribed regions of the human genome, we constructed a testicular cDNA library for the cynomolgus monkey, and attempted to find novel transcripts for identification of their human homologues. RESULT: The full-insert sequences of 512 cDNA clones were determined. Ultimately we found 302 non-redundant cDNAs carrying open reading frames of 300 bp-length or longer. Among them, 89 cDNAs were found not to be annotated previously in the Ensembl human database. After searching against the Ensembl mouse database, we also found 69 putative coding sequences have no homologous cDNAs in the annotated human and mouse genome sequences in Ensembl. We subsequently designed a DNA microarray including 396 non-redundant cDNAs (with and without open reading frames) to examine the expression of the full-sequenced genes. With the testicular probe and a mixture of probes of 10 other tissues, 316 of 332 effective spots showed intense hybridized signals and 75 cDNAs were shown to be expressed very highly in the cynomolgus monkey testis, but not ubiquitously. CONCLUSIONS: In this report, we determined 302 full-insert sequences of cynomolgus monkey cDNAs with enough length of open reading frames to discover novel transcripts as human homologues. Among 302 cDNA sequences, human homologues of 89 cDNAs have not been predicted in the annotated human genome sequence in the Ensembl. Additionally, we identified 75 dominantly expressed genes in testis among the full-sequenced clones by using a DNA microarray. Our cDNA clones and analytical results will be valuable resources for future functional genomic studies

Subaru near infrared coronagraphic images of T Tauri

High angular resolution near-infrared (JHK) adaptive optics images of T Tau were obtained with the infrared camera Coronagraphic Imager with Adaptive Optics (CIAO) mounted on the 8.2m Subaru Telescope in 2002 and 2004. The images resolve a complex circumstellar structure around a multiple system. We resolved T Tau Sa and Sb as well as T Tau N and S. The estimated orbit of T Tau Sb indicates that it is probably bound to T Tau Sa. The K band flux of T Tau S decreased by ˜ 1.7 Jy in 2002 November compared with that in 2001 mainly because T Tau Sa became fainter. The arc-like ridge detected in our near-infrared images is consistent with what is seen at visible wavelengths, supporting the interpretation in previous studies that the arc is part of the cavity wall seen relatively pole-on. Halo emission is detected out to ˜2\u27\u27from T Tau N. This may be light scattered off the common envelope surrounding the T Tauri multiple system

High-Resolution Near-Infrared Polarimetry of a Circumstellar Disk around UX Tau A

We present H-band polarimetric imagery of UX Tau A taken with HiCIAO/AO188 on the Subaru Telescope. UX Tau A has been classified as a pre-transitional disk object, with a gap structure separating its inner and outer disks. Our imagery taken with the 0.15 (21 AU) radius coronagraphic mask has revealed a strongly polarized circumstellar disk surrounding UX Tau A which extends to 120 AU, at a spatial resolution of 0.1 (14 AU). It is inclined by 46 \pm 2 degree as the west side is nearest. Although SED modeling and sub-millimeter imagery suggested the presence of a gap in the disk, with the inner edge of the outer disk estimated to be located at 25 - 30 AU, we detect no evidence of a gap at the limit of our inner working angle (23 AU) at the near-infrared wavelength. We attribute the observed strong polarization (up to 66 %) to light scattering by dust grains in the disk. However, neither polarization models of the circumstellar disk based on Rayleigh scattering nor Mie scattering approximations were consistent with the observed azimuthal profile of the polarization degrees of the disk. Instead, a geometric optics model of the disk with nonspherical grains with the radii of 30 micron meter is consistent with the observed profile. We suggest that the dust grains have experienced frequent collisional coagulations and have grown in the circumstellar disk of UX Tau A.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, and 1 table. accepted to PAS

A Young Brown Dwarf Companion to DH Tauri

We present the detection of a young brown dwarf companion DH Tau B associated with the classical T Tauri star DH Tau. Near-infrared coronagraphic observations with CIAO on the Subaru Telescope have revealed DH Tau B with H = \~15 mag located at 2.3" (330 AU) away from the primary DH Tau A. Comparing its position with a Hubble Space Telescope archive image, we confirmed that DH Tau A and B share the common proper motion, suggesting that they are physically associated with each other. The near-infrared color of DH Tau B is consistent with those of young stellar objects. The near-infrared spectra of DH Tau B show deep water absorption bands, a strong K I absorption line, and a moderate Na I absorption line. We derived its effective temperature and surface gravity of Teff = 2700 -- 2800 K and log g = 4.0--4.5, respectively, by comparing the observed spectra with synthesized spectra of low-mass objects. The location of DH Tau B on the HR diagram gives its mass of 30 -- 50 M_Jupiter.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Ap

RENEB accident simulation exercise

Purpose: The RENEB accident exercise was carried out in order to train the RENEB participants in coordinating and managing potentially large data sets that would be generated in case of a major radiological event. Materials and methods: Each participant was offered the possibility to activate the network by sending an alerting email about a simulated radiation emergency. The same participant had to collect, compile and report capacity, triage categorization and exposure scenario results obtained from all other participants. The exercise was performed over 27 weeks and involved the network consisting of 28 institutes: 21 RENEB members, four candidates and three non-RENEB partners. Results: The duration of a single exercise never exceeded 10 days, while the response from the assisting laboratories never came later than within half a day. During each week of the exercise, around 4500 samples were reported by all service laboratories (SL) to be examined and 54 scenarios were coherently estimated by all laboratories (the standard deviation from the mean of all SL answers for a given scenario category and a set of data was not larger than 3 patient codes). Conclusions: Each participant received training in both the role of a reference laboratory (activating the network) and of a service laboratory (responding to an activation request). The procedures in the case of radiological event were successfully established and tested