Profiling non-small cell lung cancer reveals that PD-L1 is associated with wild type EGFR and vascular invasion, and immunohistochemistry quantification of PD-L1 correlates weakly with RT-qPCR.

Most lung cancer patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, limiting their treatment options with very low response rate. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Therapies that target driver gene mutations (e.

Home Spirometry Telemonitoring for Early Detection of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Early detection of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) depends on recognition of subclinical spirometric changes, which is possible only with frequent interval spirometry. We evaluated the feasibility of home monitoring of weekly spirometry via a wireless handheld device and a web monitoring portal in a cohort of high-risk patients for the detection of lung function changes preceding BOS diagnosis. In this observational study, 46 patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease or a decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV) of unclear etiology after allogeneic HCT were enrolled to perform weekly home spirometry with a wireless portable spirometer for a period of 1 year.

Tocilizumab in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: Clinical outcomes, inflammatory marker kinetics, and safety.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causes substantial morbidity. Tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist, might improve outcomes by mitigating inflammation. We conducted a retrospective study of patients admitted to the University of Washington Hospital system with COVID-19 and requiring supplemental oxygen.

Molecular profiling of non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is generally treated with conventional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation. These methods, however, are not specific to cancer cells and instead attack every cell present, including normal cells. Personalized therapies provide more efficient treatment options as they target the individual's genetic makeup.

Optimal management of postoperative parenchymal air leaks.

Air leaks are the most common complication after pulmonary resection. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs must be designed to manage parenchymal air leaks. ERAS programs should consider two components when creating protocols for air leaks: assessment and management.

Digital Air Leak Monitoring for Lung Resection Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Digital chest drainage devices objectively measure airflow to guide chest tube management. There are contradictory results regarding their utility in reducing length of stay and chest tube duration. The objective of this study was to compare digital and analog devices in patients undergoing anatomic lung resection.

Identification of attractive odorants released by preferred bacterial food found in the natural habitats of C. elegans.

Food choice is critical for survival because organisms must choose food that is edible and nutritious and avoid pathogenic food. Many organisms, including the nematode C. elegans, use olfaction to detect and distinguish among food sources.

S093: pneumatic balloon dilation for palliation of recurrent symptoms of achalasia after esophagomyotomy.

Background: Achalasia is a chronic disease affecting the myenteric plexus of the esophagus and lower esophageal sphincter. Treatment is aimed at palliating symptoms to improve quality of life. Treatment options for symptom relapse after esophagomyotomy include botox injection, repeat myotomy, per-oral endoscopic myotomy, or pneumatic balloon dilation (PBD).

Endoscopic mucosal resection versus esophagectomy for intramucosal adenocarcinoma in the setting of barrett's esophagus.

Background: Esophagectomy has been the standard of care for patients with intramucosal adenocarcinoma (IMC) in the setting of Barrett's esophagus. It is, however, associated with significant post-operative morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) offers a minimally invasive approach with lesser morbidity.

Endoscopic mucosal resection for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma: a Canadian experience.

Background: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is increasingly being used as a first-line treatment for Barrett esophagus (BE) with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and intramucosal adenocarcinoma (IMC). We reviewed our experience with endoscopic treatment of BE with HGD and IMC at our institution with respect to eradication rates, complications and long-term recurrence.

Methods: We performed a single-centre retrospective review of all patients referred between October 2010 and August 2014 for EMR with dysplastic BE or IMC.

ALK+ lung adenocarcinoma in never smokers and long-term ex-smokers: prevalence and detection by immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

ALK gene rearrangements are identified in 2-5 % of all non-small cell lung cancer and are more common in lifetime non-smokers with adenocarcinoma, but the prevalence of ALK rearrangements is not as well characterized in long-term ex-smokers (quit >10 years prior to diagnosis). Accurate and timely diagnosis of ALK-rearranged tumors is of clinical importance given the remarkable response to targeted inhibitors. ALK gene rearrangement may be detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and abnormal expression of ALK protein may be detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), the latter of which is faster and less expensive.

Canadian consensus: inhibition of ALK-positive tumours in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (alk) is an oncogenic driver in non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc). Chromosomal rearrangements involving the ALK gene occur in up to 4% of nonsquamous nsclc patients and lead to constitutive activation of the alk signalling pathway. ALK-positive nsclc is found in relatively young patients, with a median age of 50 years.

Predicting EGFR mutation status in lung cancer:Proposal for a scoring model using imaging and demographic characteristics.

Objective: To determine if a combination of CT and demographic features can predict EGFR mutation status in bronchogenic carcinoma.

Methods: We reviewed demographic and CT features for patients with molecular profiling for resected non-small cell lung carcinoma. Using multivariate logistic regression, we identified features predictive of EGFR mutation.

Limitations in Rechargeability of Li-O2 Batteries and Possible Origins.

Quantitative differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) is used to measure the Coulombic efficiency of discharge and charge [(e(-)/O2)dis and (e(-)/O2)chg] and chemical rechargeability (characterized by the O2 recovery efficiency, OER/ORR) for Li-O2 electrochemistry in a variety of nonaqueous electrolytes. We find that none of the electrolytes studied are truly rechargeable, with OER/ORR <90% for all. Our findings emphasize that neither the overpotential for recharge nor capacity fade during cycling are adequate to assess rechargeability.

Platypnea orthodeoxia syndrome and bronchopleural fistula following right pneumonectomy: The first case of double misfortune following pneumonectomy.

We report a case of post-pneumonectomy right to left shunting via patent foramen ovale (PFO) and bronchopleural fistula (BPF). Although the latter complication is well-known following pneumonectomy, the former is quite rare. In terms of post-pneumonectomy complications, no case has been reported, in which right to left shunting via PFO and BPF were synchronous.

On the efficacy of electrocatalysis in nonaqueous Li-O2 batteries.

Heterogeneous electrocatalysis has become a focal point in rechargeable Li-air battery research to reduce overpotentials in both the oxygen reduction (discharge) and especially oxygen evolution (charge) reactions. In this study, we show that past reports of traditional cathode electrocatalysis in nonaqueous Li-O(2) batteries were indeed true, but that gas evolution related to electrolyte solvent decomposition was the dominant process being catalyzed. In dimethoxyethane, where Li(2)O(2) formation is the dominant product of the electrochemistry, no catalytic activity (compared to pure carbon) is observed using the same (Au, Pt, MnO(2)) nanoparticles.

Solvents' Critical Role in Nonaqueous Lithium-Oxygen Battery Electrochemistry.

Among the many important challenges facing the development of Li-air batteries, understanding the electrolyte's role in producing the appropriate reversible electrochemistry (i.e., 2Li(+) + O2 + 2e(-) ↔ Li2O2) is critical.

Considering the feasibility of introducing nurse practitioners into Japanese thoracic services.

The need to change Japan's current health care system has recently motivated discussions about the introduction of nurse practitioners (NPs). This system might not be familiar to Japanese physicians; however, their roles have been valued greatly in Canada, which introduced programs for NPs in 1960s. We would like to introduce amazing roles that are performed by an NP in one Canadian thoracic surgery ward, and to refer to the feasibility of NPs providing clinical services for thoracic surgery in Japan.

Bilateral Killian-Jamieson diverticula: a case report and literature review.

A Killian-Jamieson diverticulum is an outpouching from the lateral wall of the proximal cervical esophagus. These diverticula are rare and are distinct from the more commonly known Zenker's diverticulum. Literature regarding Killian-Jamieson diverticula and its suggested management is scarce.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in lung cancer: an overview and update.

Epidermal growth factor receptor is a trans-membrane glycoprotein with an extracellular epidermal growth factor binding domain and an intracellular tyrosine kinase domain that regulates signaling pathways to control cellular proliferation. Epidermal growth factor receptor binding to its ligand results in autophosphorylation by intrinsic tyrosine/kinase activity, triggering several signal transduction cascades. Constitutive or sustained activation of these sequences of downstream targets is thought to yield more aggressive tumor phenotypes.

Endoscopic stapling versus external transcervical approach for the treatment of Zenker diverticulum.

Objective: To compare endoscopic stapling versus external transcervical approaches in the treatment of Zenker diverticulum.

Design: A 10-year retrospective institutional review was performed to identify all patients treated for Zenker diverticulum.

Setting: Academic tertiary care centre.

Pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma.

Objective: To present clinical and pathologic features of pulmonary hyalnizing granuloma through analyzing three cases found in our institution and reviewing cases reported in the English language literature.

Methods And Results: Three cases of pulmonary hyalnizing granuloma identified at our institution during the past ten years were reviewed. In the first case, the patient presented with concurrent pulmonary hyalinizing granuloma and histoplasmosis.