Development of an H&E on-block staining technique for collagen detection in cryo-fluorescence tomography imaging of frozen breast tissue samples.

Background: Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining is widely considered to be the gold-standard diagnostic tool for histopathology evaluation. However, the fatty nature of some tissue types, such as breast tissue, presents challenges with cryo-sectioning, often resulting in artifacts that can make histopathologic interpretation and correlation with other imaging modalities virtually impossible. We present an optimized on-block H&E staining technique that improves contrast for identifying collagenous stroma during cryo-fluorescence tomography (CFT) sectioning.

High variability in short and long-term recovery kinetic of blood cell count and blood chemistry in a partial body irradiation mouse model.

Purpose: In the aftermath of a nuclear disaster or accident, survivors will suffer from radiation-induced normal tissue damage. Recovery after radiation exposure is dictated by several factors, one of which is degree of shielding at time of exposure. This study aims to characterize the short and late term changes in kinetics and magnitude of pancytopenia and blood chemistry in a model of heterogeneous radiation exposure, or partial body irradiation (PBI), compared to whole body irradiation (WBI).

Cross-Sectional Characterization of Local Brain Network Connectivity Pre and Post Breast Cancer Treatment and Distinct Association With Subjective Cognitive and Psychological Function.

We aimed to characterize local brain network connectivity in long-term breast cancer survivors compared to newly diagnosed patients. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and subjective cognitive and psychological function data were obtained from a group of 76 newly diagnosed, pre-treatment female patients with breast cancer (mean age 57 ± 7 years) and a separate group of 80, post-treatment, female breast cancer survivors (mean age 58 ± 8; mean time since treatment 44 ± 43 months). The network-based statistic (NBS) was used to compare connectivity of local brain edges between groups.

Cognitive and Imaging Differences After Proton and Photon Whole Brain Irradiation in a Preclinical Model.

Purpose: Compared with photon cranial radiation therapy (X-CRT), proton cranial radiation therapy (P-CRT) offers potential advantages in limiting radiation-induced sequalae in the treatment of pediatric brain tumors. This study aims to identify cognitive, functional magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography imaging markers and molecular differences between the radiation modalities.

Methods And Materials: Juvenile rats received a single faction of 10 Gy (relative biological effectiveness-weighted dose) delivered with 6 MV X-CRT or at the midspread out Bragg peak of a 100 MeV P-CRT beam.

Acknowledging and overcoming barriers to entry into radiation science for women.

Purpose: Radiation science is a unique field that brings together various disciplines to understand nature, develop new technologies, and cure diseases. Our field is a prime example of advancement through a diverse pool of competencies. Similarly, studies show that the power of diversity requires proportionate representation of sex and gender, minorities, or other groups.

Differentiation of Heterogeneous Radiation Exposure Using Hematology and Blood Chemistry.

In the aftermath of a nuclear incident, survivors will suffer the deleterious effects from acute radiation exposure. The majority of those affected would have received heterogeneous radiation exposure, reflected in hematological metrics and blood chemistry. Here, we investigated the acute and long-term changes in kinetics and magnitude of pancytopenia and blood chemistry in rats irradiated using varying degrees of body shielding.

Image-based Classification of Tumor Type and Growth Rate using Machine Learning: a preclinical study.

Medical images such as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provide valuable information for cancer detection, diagnosis, and prognosis. In addition to the anatomical information these images provide, machine learning can identify texture features from these images to further personalize treatment. This study aims to evaluate the use of texture features derived from T-weighted post contrast scans to classify different types of brain tumors and predict tumor growth rate in a preclinical mouse model.

In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of a Preclinical Irradiation-Adapted Model for Ewing Sarcoma.

Purpose: Radiation therapy (RT) is a viable therapeutic option for Ewing sarcoma (ES) patients. However, little progress has been made to elucidate the mechanisms of radioresistance. This study establishes a novel ES irradiation-adapted model designed to assess molecular and F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) alterations secondary to RT.

Preoperative weight loss with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist treatment predicts greater weight loss achieved by the combination of medical weight management and bariatric surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes: A longitudinal analysis.

We examined the relationship between weight changes after preoperative glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) treatment and weight changes from the start of medical weight management (MWM) until 12 months after bariatric surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes in a retrospective cohort study. A total of 45 patients (64.4% women, median [interquartile range] age 49 [45-60] years) were included.

An Update on the Registration of Biosimilars in Malaysia.

Background: Because of its structure and complex manufacturing process, every biotherapeutic product (BTP; medicinal products made by or derived from living organisms and produced by biotechnology) adheres to stringent quality assurance and control requirements, in addition to extensive nonclinical and clinical study data. Similarly, copy products of original biotherapeutics (termed as "biosimilars") are subjected to equally strict regulatory control. BTPs have been registered in Malaysia since the 1990s; however, registration of biosimilars started only in 2008.

Mitochondrial DNA released by trauma induces neutrophil extracellular traps.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are critical for anti-bacterial activity of the innate immune system. We have previously shown that mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns (mtDAMPs), including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), are released into the circulation after injury. We therefore questioned whether mtDNA is involved in trauma-induced NET formation.

Mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns from fractures suppress pulmonary immune responses via formyl peptide receptors 1 and 2.

Background: No known biologic mechanisms link tissue injury with pneumonia (PNA). Neutrophils (PMNs) are innate immune cells that clear bacteria from the lung by migration toward chemoattractants and killing bacteria in neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). We predicted that tissue injury would suppress PMN antimicrobial function in the lung.

Tonotopic and localized pathways from primary auditory cortex to the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus.

Descending projections from the cortex to subcortical structures are critical for auditory plasticity, including the ability for central neurons to adjust their frequency tuning to relevant and meaningful stimuli. We show that focal electrical stimulation of primary auditory cortex in guinea pigs produces excitatory responses in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CNIC) with two tonotopic patterns: a narrow tuned pattern that is consistent with previous findings showing direct frequency-aligned projections; and a broad tuned pattern in which the auditory cortex can influence multiple frequency regions. Moreover, excitatory responses could be elicited in the caudomedial portion along the isofrequency laminae of the CNIC but not in the rostrolateral portion.

Three-dimensional brain reconstruction of in vivo electrode tracks for neuroscience and neural prosthetic applications.

The brain is a densely interconnected network that relies on populations of neurons within and across multiple nuclei to code for features leading to perception and action. However, the neurophysiology field is still dominated by the characterization of individual neurons, rather than simultaneous recordings across multiple regions, without consistent spatial reconstruction of their locations for comparisons across studies. There are sophisticated histological and imaging techniques for performing brain reconstructions.