Distinguishing response to names in Rett and MECP2 Duplication syndrome: An ERP study of auditory social information processing.

Despite significant advances at the level of basic research, the characterization of higher-level processes in Rett and MECP2 Duplication syndrome remains understudied. In this pilot study, we assessed social-emotional information processing by testing whether children (ages 4-12years) with Rett (n=9) and MECP2 Duplication syndrome (n=7) distinguished their own spoken name from other names. We hypothesized that own and familiar names would elicit more positive parietal P300 responses than unknown names, and that the groups would have different neural responses to these stimuli.

Air-quality implications of widespread adoption of cool roofs on ozone and particulate matter in southern California.

The installation of roofing materials with increased solar reflectance (i.e., "cool roofs") can mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce energy use.

Classification of usual interstitial pneumonia in patients with interstitial lung disease: assessment of a machine learning approach using high-dimensional transcriptional data.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive fibrotic lung disease that distorts pulmonary architecture, leading to hypoxia, respiratory failure, and death. Diagnosis is difficult because other interstitial lung diseases have similar radiological and histopathological characteristics. A usual interstitial pneumonia pattern is a hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and is essential for its diagnosis.

Republished: smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF): pathologic findings and distinction from other chronic fibrosing lung diseases.

Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF) is a common, histologically striking finding in smokers that must be distinguished from the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias and other chronic interstitial fibrosing lesions. It is characterised by marked thickening of alveolar septa by fibrosis composed of thick collagen bundles that have a distinctive hyalinised quality and often are admixed with variable numbers of hyperplastic smooth muscle fibres. There is minimal accompanying inflammation.

Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF): pathologic findings and distinction from other chronic fibrosing lung diseases.

Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF) is a common, histologically striking finding in smokers that must be distinguished from the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias and other chronic interstitial fibrosing lesions. It is characterised by marked thickening of alveolar septa by fibrosis composed of thick collagen bundles that have a distinctive hyalinised quality and often are admixed with variable numbers of hyperplastic smooth muscle fibres. There is minimal accompanying inflammation.

Biopsy-site changes in lung adenocarcinoma with prior core needle biopsy: a potential pitfall in the assessment of stromal invasion.

Although biopsy-site changes are known to cause diagnostic difficulties in thyroid and breast specimens, especially when assessing invasion, such changes have not been described in the lung. Assessment of invasion is important in lung cancers to distinguish bronchioloalveolar carcinoma [adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS)] from invasive adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to determine whether biopsy-site changes occur in the lung and whether they may impact this differential diagnosis.

Comparison of monoclonal napsin A, polyclonal napsin A, and TTF-1 for determining lung origin in metastatic adenocarcinomas.

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is currently the best immunohistochemical marker for carcinomas of lung origin. Our aim was to compare napsin A to TTF-1 for identifying pulmonary origin in metastatic adenocarcinoma and its mimics. One hundred fifty-five metastatic carcinomas (55 pulmonary, 100 nonpulmonary) were stained with monoclonal napsin A and TTF-1, and most also with polyclonal napsin A.

Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF), pathogenesis and treatment of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), and transbronchial biopsy in UIP.

This review focuses on three selected topics of current interest that are related to chronic fibrosing lung disorders and are important for pathologists. First, the clinical and pathologic features of smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF) are highlighted. SRIF is a common finding in smokers that has striking histologic changes but only mild associated clinical manifestations.

The relationship between p16 expression and high-risk human papillomavirus infection in squamous cell carcinomas from sites other than uterine cervix: a study of 137 cases.

p16 is known to be an excellent surrogate marker of human papillomavirus infection in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Recent studies have demonstrated a link between human papillomavirus infection and a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, especially from the oropharynx. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of p16 expression in squamous cell carcinomas of noncervical origin and to assess its utility as a surrogate marker of human papillomavirus infection in various noncervical primary sites.

Subclassification of non-small cell lung carcinomas lacking morphologic differentiation on biopsy specimens: Utility of an immunohistochemical panel containing TTF-1, napsin A, p63, and CK5/6.

The availability of targeted therapies has created a need for precise subtyping of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs). The aim of this study was to assess the utility of immunohistochemical markers in subtyping poorly differentiated NSCLC and to compare the results of immunohistochemical staining on biopsies with the corresponding resections. Thirty-nine cases of NSCLC that could not be further classified on biopsy and had subsequent resection specimens were identified.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis: insights gained over 4 decades.

Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is a rare lymphoproliferative disease involving predominantly the lung, and there is uncertainty about its relationship to lymphoma. It affects mainly middle-aged adults, although there is a wide age range, and men are affected almost twice as often as women. Multiple nodular, usually bilateral, infiltrates are seen radiographically, and extrapulmonary involvement, especially of skin and nervous system, occurs in more than one third of the patients.

Core needle biopsy in benign lung lesions: pathologic findings in 159 cases.

Although core needle biopsy has been shown to be an accurate means of diagnosing lung malignancies, there is relatively little information in the literature about its utility in diagnosing specific non-malignant conditions. We reviewed the pathologic findings in 159 core needle biopsies showing benign changes in order to determine the types of processes that can be diagnosed by this technique and the factors that influence accuracy and specificity. There were 155 patients ranging in age from 3 to 86 years (mean 58).

Telomere lengths, pulmonary fibrosis and telomerase (TERT) mutations.

Background: Telomerase is an enzyme that catalyzes the addition of nucleotides on the ends of chromosomes. Rare loss of function mutations in the gene that encodes the protein component of telomerase (TERT) have been described in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here we examine the telomere lengths and pulmonary fibrosis phenotype seen in multiple kindreds with heterozygous TERT mutations.

Biopsy findings in acute pulmonary histoplasmosis: unusual histologic features in 4 cases mimicking lymphomatoid granulomatosis.

Most examples of pulmonary histoplasmosis, including histoplasmoma and chronic histoplasmosis, are characterized by typical necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. Only disseminated histoplasmosis is recognized as causing a different reaction which consists of ingestion of organisms by macrophages without granuloma formation. The histologic features of acute pulmonary histoplasmosis are not well described as this form of the disease is rarely biopsied.

Clinically occult interstitial fibrosis in smokers: classification and significance of a surprisingly common finding in lobectomy specimens.

This study reports the presence of surprisingly frequent and often severe interstitial fibrosis in cigarette smokers with no clinical evidence of interstitial lung disease. Twenty-three lobectomy specimens excised for neoplasms, including 20 from smokers, were extensively sampled, and examined semi-quantitatively for interstitial fibrosis, fibroblast foci, peribronchiolar metaplasia, honey-comb change, emphysema, and respiratory bronchiolitis. Interstitial fibrosis involving greater than 25% of slides was identified in 12 of 20 smokers (60%), but in none of the three never-smokers.

Absence of the BRAF mutation in HBME1+ and CK19+ atypical cell clusters in Hashimoto thyroiditis: supportive evidence against preneoplastic change.

An association between Hashimoto thyroiditis and papillary thyroid carcinoma has been postulated for decades. We undertook this study to identify potential precursors of papillary thyroid carcinoma in Hashimoto thyroiditis using a combination of morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular techniques. For the study, samples from 59 cases of Hashimoto thyroiditis were stained with antibodies to HBME1 and cytokeratin (CK)19.

Primary particulate matter from ocean-going engines in the Southern California Air Basin.

The impact of primary fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from ship emissions within the Southern California Air Basin is quantified by comparing in-stack vanadium (V) and nickel (Ni) measurements from in-use ocean-going vessels (OGVs) with ambient measurements made at 10 monitoring stations throughout Southern California. V and Ni are demonstrated as robust markers for the combustion of heavy fuel oil in OGVs, and ambient measurements of fine particulate V and Ni within Southern California are shown to decrease inversely with increased distance from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (ports).

Comparison of FISH, PCR, and immunohistochemistry in assessing EGFR status in lung adenocarcinoma and correlation with clinicopathologic features.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between mutation status, copy number, and protein expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in lung adenocarcinoma, and to correlate the genetic status and clinicopathologic features. Forty-nine adenocarcinomas were tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for EGFR gene mutations, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for increased EGFR gene copy number, and by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for EGFR protein expression. Terminal respiratory unit (TRU) morphology, tumor grade, mitotic count, and pleural and lymphovascular invasion were also examined.

Erratum to "Diagnosis of usual interstitial pneumonia and distinction from other fibrosing interstitial lung diseases" [Hum Pathol 39 (2008) 1275-1294].

Usual interstitial pneumonia is an almost uniformly fatal form of fibrosing interstitial lung disease. It is the most common idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, and currently, there is no effective therapy. Lung biopsy is often needed for diagnosis, and pathologists must be able to recognize its features and distinguish it from other interstitial lung diseases that have a better prognosis and a more favorable response to therapy.

Proliferative activity in fibrosing lung diseases: a comparative study of Ki-67 immunoreactivity in diffuse alveolar damage, bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia, and usual interstitial pneumonia.

Because diffuse alveolar damage, bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia, and usual interstitial pneumonia are all related to acute lung injury, we postulated that the proliferative activity of fibroblasts and epithelium would be similar in all 3, and that of fibroblasts would be similar to skin scars. Ki-67 staining was assessed in 16 usual interstitial pneumonia, 9 bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia, and 8 diffuse alveolar damage cases, 5 incidental fibroblast foci, 5 skin scars, and 5 keloids. The proliferative activity of alveolar macrophages was also measured and compared with that of 10 respiratory bronchiolitis cases.

Beyond a consensus classification for idiopathic interstitial pneumonias: progress and controversies.

Histopathological classification schemes provide the underpinnings for separating idiopathic interstitial pneumonias into clinically meaningful groups. An interdisciplinary classification system based on a combination of evidence and expert opinion was published in 2002 and set the stage for controversy in several areas, including not only nomenclature but also the role of surgical lung biopsy and pathologists in diagnosis. We provide a brief overview of the clinical and histological features of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, and focus on selected topics of interest that have emerged in recent years.

Pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules: new insights into a common but poorly understood entity.

Although pulmonary meningothelial-like nodules (MLNs) have been recognized for decades, their nature and significance remain uncertain. This study was undertaken to evaluate MLNs in a wide range of specimens to clarify their incidence, distribution, relation to age and underlying disease, and histogenesis. Five hundred surgical lung biopsies, 25 extensively sampled lobectomies, 20 resections for pneumothoraces in persons younger than 30 years, and 92 pediatric autopsies were examined.

Diagnosis of usual interstitial pneumonia and distinction from other fibrosing interstitial lung diseases.

Usual interstitial pneumonia is an almost uniformly fatal form of fibrosing interstitial lung disease. It is the most common idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, and currently, there is no effective therapy. Lung biopsy is often needed for diagnosis, and pathologists must be able to recognize its features and distinguish it from other interstitial lung diseases that have a better prognosis and a more favorable response to therapy.

Pulmonary disease due to aspiration of food and other particulate matter: a clinicopathologic study of 59 cases diagnosed on biopsy or resection specimens.

Aspiration of particulate matter is a well-recognized complication in debilitated patients at autopsy but is not widely recognized in surgical pathology material. We have encountered a surprising number of cases on biopsy or resection specimens, and most were unsuspected clinically and pathologically. This study was undertaken to clarify clinical and pathologic features that facilitate the diagnosis of food/particulate matter aspiration pneumonia.

Pathological diagnosis of granulomatous lung disease: a review.

Granulomas in the lung are common diagnostic problems encountered by pathologists. They occur in a wide range of pulmonary conditions, ranging from common entities to uncommon ones and including both infections and non-infectious diseases. This review summarizes the main histological features that help distinguish various granulomatous lung diseases.