PURPOSE: X-ray microscopy with synchrotron radiation will soon be a useful tool for innovative x-ray imaging in clinical and laboratory settings. It enables us to observe the detailed internal structure of human tissue samples with great magnification power and excellent resolution. So, it has the possibility to be used for the clinical and research purposes to investigate thyroid diseases if it can effectively evaluate the various conditions of thyroid tissue. To determine the relation with their optical microscopic features, we compared the synchrotron X-ray images of unstained normal and thyroid cancer tissue samples with the histopathologic findings of their adjacent, stained thyroid tissue sections. METHODS: An x-ray microscope was installed on a 1B2 beamline with a Pohang Light Source, which is a 3rd generation synchrotron radiation facility with an operating energy of 2.5 GeV at Pohang, Korea. The x-ray energy was set at 11.1 keV and the x-ray beam was monochromatized using a W/B4C monochromator. Formalin-fixed 10µm-thick female thyroid tissues from normal cases and carcinoma cases were attached on Kapton film for the imaging. The sample was positioned 25 m away from the beam source. The x-ray image of the sample was converted into a visual image on the CsI (TI) scintillation crystal, and it was magnified 20 times by the microscopic objective lens. After an additional 10 times digital magnification, this visual image was captured by a full frame CCD camera. RESULTS: The monochromated x-ray microscopic images of the female thyroid tissues of the normal cases and carcinoma cases were obtained with good resolution. These synchrotron images showed the normal follicular structures in the normal thyroid tissue sections and the characteristic severe stromal fibrosis with collagen fiber accumulation in the cancer tissue sections. CONCLUSION: Owing to the great magnification and excellent resolution, the synchrotron x-ray microscopic images of the normal and cancerous thyroid tissues showed good correspondence with the histopathologic findings of their adjacent, stained tissue sections. So, the x-ray microscopic imaging of thyoid tissue using synchrotron radiation has good potential for use in various clinical and research settings in the future.
Collagen ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Microscopy ; Synchrotrons* ; Thyroid Diseases ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms

PURPOSE: A significant improvement of imaging using synchrotron radiation (SR) is obtained by introducing phase-contrast technique. This technique provides greatly enhanced contrast and good soft tissue discrimination with high spatial resolution. The aim of this study was to observe microstructures of pathologic breast specimens including invasive breast cancer using phase-contrast technique with SR and to evaluate the feasibility of phase-contrast imaging in clinical application. METHODS: Phase-contrast microscopic image of normal breast tissue and the images of various breast diseases such as fibrocystic change, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, Paget's disease were obtained using hard X-ray microscopy with an 11.1 keV monochromatic beam from SR source and CsI (TI) scintillation crystal. Zernike phase-shifter was adapted for phase-contrast hard X-ray microscopy. The visual image was magnified 20 times by microscopic objective lens and captured using a full frame charge-coupled device camera. Obtained images were compared with corresponding histopathologic findings in the optical microscopy. RESULTS: The SR images of various breast diseases were obtained with a good contrast and high visibility by phase-contrast technique. It was possible to observe the microstructures with high spatial resolution down to the micron region. The characteristic features of each disease were consistent with the histopathologic findings of corresponding sample and the images of breast cancer and the other diseases were distinct from each other. CONCLUSION: Using phase-contrast technique, SR images of various breast diseases including breast cancer were obtained. These images were comparable with standard histopathologic findings and showed different features for each disease. The results suggest that phase-contrast microscopic imaging with SR has potential as a diagnostic tool and also its clinical application is feasible, especially in breast imaging.
Breast ; Breast Diseases ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast ; Synchrotrons

Objectives: An Asian Gynecologic Oncology Group phase III randomized trial was conducted to determine whether maintenance chemotherapy could improve progression-free survival (PFS) in stages III/IV ovarian cancer. Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, 45 newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer patients were enrolled after complete remission and randomized (1:1) to arm A (4-weekly carboplatin area under the curve 4 and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [PLD] 30 mg/m2, n=24) for 6 cycles or arm B (observation, n=21). The primary end-point was PFS. A post hoc translational study was conducted to deep sequence BRCA/homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) genes, because BRCA/HRD mutations (BRCA/HRDm) are known to be associated with better prognosis. Results: Enrollment was slow, accrual was closed when 7+ years had passed. With a medianfollow-up of 88.9 months, the median PFS was significantly better in arm A (55.5 months) than arm B (9.2 months) (hazard ratio [HR]=0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.19–0.87; p=0.020), yet the median overall survival was not significantly different in arm A (not reached) than arm B (95.1 months) (p=0.148). Overall grade 3/4 adverse events were more frequent in arm A than arm B (60.9% vs 0.0%) (p<0.001). Quality of life was generally not significantly different. Distribution of BRCA1/2m or BRCA/HRDm was not significantly biased between the two arms. Wild-type BRCAon-HRD subgroup seemed to fare better with maintenance therapy (HR=0.35; 95% CI=0.11–1.18; p=0.091). Conclusions Despite limitations in small sample size, it suggests that maintenance carboplatin-PLD chemotherapy could improve PFS in advanced ovarian cancer.

As the elderly population is increasing, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has become a global issue and many clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate treatments for AD. As these clinical trials have been conducted and have failed, the development of new theraphies for AD with fewer adverse effects remains a challenge. In this study, we examined the effects of Theracurmin on cognitive decline using 5XFAD mice, an AD mouse model. Theracurmin is more bioavailable form of curcumin, generated with submicron colloidal dispersion. Mice were treated with Theracurmin (100, 300 and 1,000 mg/kg) for 12 weeks and were subjected to the novel object recognition test and the Barnes maze test. Theracurmin-treated mice showed significant amelioration in recognition and spatial memories compared those of the vehicle-treated controls. In addition, the antioxidant activities of Theracurmin were investigated by measuring the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. The increased MDA level and decreased SOD and GSH levels in the vehicle-treated 5XFAD mice were significantly reversed by the administration of Theracurmin. Moreover, we observed that Theracurmin administration elevated the expression levels of synaptic components, including synaptophysin and post synaptic density protein 95, and decreased the expression levels of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1), a marker of activated microglia. These results suggest that Theracurmin ameliorates cognitive function by increasing the expression of synaptic components and by preventing neuronal cell damage from oxidative stress or from the activation of microglia. Thus, Theracurmin would be useful for treating the cognitive dysfunctions observed in AD.
Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; Animals ; Cognition ; Colloids ; Curcumin ; Glutathione ; Humans ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Microglia ; Neurons ; Oxidative Stress ; Post-Synaptic Density ; Spatial Memory ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Synaptophysin

Arm ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Bias (Epidemiology) ; Carboplatin ; Disease-Free Survival ; Doxorubicin ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Maintenance Chemotherapy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Recombination, Genetic ; Sample Size

The Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology International Workshop 2018 on gynecologic oncology was held in the Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea on the 24th to 25th August 2018. The workshop was an opportunity for Asian doctors to discuss the latest findings of gynecologic cancer, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, as well as the future of fertility-sparing treatments, minimally invasive/radical/debulking surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Clinical guidelines and position statement of Asian countries were presented by experts. Asian clinical trials for gynecologic cancers were reviewed and experts emphasized the point that original Asian study is beneficial for Asian patients. In Junior session, young gynecologic oncologists presented their latest research on gynecologic cancers.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Female ; Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Korea ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms