Current evaluation of histological sections of breast cancer samples remains unsatisfactory. The search for new predictive and prognostic factors is ongoing. Infrared spectroscopy and its potential to probe tissues and cells at the molecular level without requirement for contrast agents could be an attractive tool for clinical and diagnostic analysis of breast cancer. In this study, we report the successful application of FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) imaging for breast tissue component characterization. We show that specific FTIR spectral signatures can be assigned to the major tissue components of breast tumor samples. We demonstrate that a tissue component classifier can be built based on a spectral database of well-annotated tissues and successfully validated on independent breast samples. We also demonstrate that spectral features can reveal subtle differences within a tissue component, capturing for instance lymphocytic and stromal activation. By investigating in parallel lymph nodes, tonsils and wound healing tissues, we prove the uniqueness of the signature of both lymphocytic infiltrate and tumor microenvironment in the breast disease context. Finally, we demonstrate that the biochemical information reflected in the epithelial spectra might be clinically relevant for the grading purpose, suggesting potential to improve breast cancer management in the future.
Monitoring
human exposure to pesticides and pesticide residues
(PRs) remains crucial for informing public health policies, despite
strict regulation of plant protection product and biocide use. We
used 72 low-cost silicone wristbands as noninvasive passive samplers
to assess cumulative 5-day exposure of 30 individuals to polar PRs.
Ethyl acetate extraction and LC-MS/MS analysis were used for the identification
of PRs. Thirty-one PRs were detected of which 15 PRs (48%) were detected
only in worn wristbands, not in environmental controls. The PRs included
16 fungicides (52%), 8 insecticides (26%), 2 herbicides (6%), 3 pesticide
derivatives (10%), 1 insect repellent (3%), and 1 pesticide synergist
(3%). Five detected pesticides were not approved for plant protection
use in the EU. Smoking and dietary habits that favor vegetable consumption
were associated with higher numbers and higher cumulative concentrations
of PRs in wristbands. Wristbands featured unique PR combinations.
Our results suggest both environment and diet contributed to PR exposure
in our study group. Silicone wristbands could serve as sensitive passive
samplers to screen population-wide cumulative dietary and environmental
exposure to authorized, unauthorized and banned pesticides.
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