Smooth muscle tumors of the gastrointestinal tract: an analysis of prognostic features in 407 cases.

Smooth muscle tumors represent the second most common mural mesenchymal neoplasm in the gastrointestinal tract, but established criteria for prognostic assessment of these tumors are lacking. A large cohort of surgically resected intramural gastrointestinal smooth muscle tumors from 31 institutions was analyzed to identify potential prognostic features. Pathologic features were assessed by expert gastrointestinal and/or soft tissue pathologists at each center.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: tumour regression grading following neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX and radiation.

Aims: In the adjuvant setting, when compared to gemcitabine, patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treated with FOLFIRINOX (Folinic Acid, Fluorouracil, Irinotecan, and Oxaliplatin) show superior survival. In this study, we quantitatively assess the pathological tumour response to chemoradiation in pancreatectomy specimens and reassess guidelines for tumour regression grading.

Methods And Results: We evaluated 92 patients with borderline resectable/locally advanced PDAC following pancreatectomy and neoadjuvant treatment with FOLFIRINOX and radiation.

Mild pericyte deficiency is associated with aberrant brain microvascular flow in aged PDGFRβ mice.

The receptor tyrosine kinase PDGFRβ is essential for pericyte migration to the endothelium. In mice lacking one allele of PDGFRβ (PDGFRβ), previous reports have described an age-dependent loss of pericytes in the brain, leading to cerebrovascular dysfunction and subsequent neurodegeneration reminiscent of that seen in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. We examined 12-20-month-old PDGFRβ mice to better understand how pericyte loss affects brain microvascular structure and perfusion in vivo.

Updates on spread through air spaces (STAS) in lung cancer.

Air space invasion of tumours, particularly spread through air spaces (STAS), is a relatively recent concept that has been identified as a novel mechanism of invasion. It has predominantly been described in lung adenocarcinoma, although it may be seen in other primary lung malignancies as well. STAS in lung cancer has been reported to have numerous associations with poor survival.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Simulation and Modeling: Women in Pharmaceutical Discovery.

The topic of gender equality within the United States workforce is receiving a great deal of attention. The field of chemistry is no exception and is increasingly focused on taking steps to achieve gender diversity within the chemistry workforce. Over the past several years, many computational chemistry groups within large pharmaceutical companies have realized growth in the number of women, and here we discuss the key factors that we believe have played a role in attracting and retaining the authors of this review as computational chemists in pharma.

Comprehensive engineering of the tarantula venom peptide huwentoxin-IV to inhibit the human voltage-gated sodium channel hNa1.7.

Pain is a significant public health burden in the United States, and current treatment approaches rely heavily on opioids, which often have limited efficacy and can lead to addiction. In humans, functional loss of the voltage-gated sodium channel Na1.7 leads to pain insensitivity without deficits in the central nervous system.

In vivo two-photon imaging of neuronal and brain vascular responses in mice chronically exposed to ethanol.

The effects of ethanol on brain function have been extensively studied using a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques. For example, electrophysiological studies using brain slices from rodents and non-human primates have demonstrated that acute and chronic exposure to ethanol alters the intrinsic excitability and synaptic signaling of neurons within cortical and sub-cortical areas of the brain. In humans, neuroimaging studies reveal alterations in measures of brain activation and connectivity in subjects with alcohol use disorder.

Nonconventional dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal carcinoma: a multicenter clinicopathologic study.

Several types of nonconventional dysplasia have been recently described in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, strict morphologic criteria are lacking, and their clinicopathologic features (including potential association with conventional dysplasia and/or colorectal cancer [CRC]) are poorly understood. A total of 106 dysplastic or serrated lesions in 58 IBD patients with CRC were retrospectively identified from five institutions.

Proceedings from the Albert Charitable Trust Inaugural Workshop on white matter and cognition in aging.

This third in a series of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) workshops, supported by "The Leo and Anne Albert Charitable Trust," was held from February 8 to 12 at the Omni Resort in Carlsbad, CA. This workshop followed the information gathered from the earlier two workshops suggesting that we focus more specifically on brain white matter in age-related cognitive impairment. The Scientific Program Committee (Frank Barone, Shawn Whitehead, Eric Smith, and Rod Corriveau) assembled translational, clinical, and basic scientists with unique expertise in acute and chronic white matter injury at the intersection of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative etiologies.

Transfusion of Uncrossmatched Group O Erythrocyte-containing Products Does Not Interfere with Most ABO Typings.

Background: Group O erythrocytes and/or whole blood are used for urgent transfusions in patients of unknown blood type. This study investigated the impact of transfusing increasing numbers of uncrossmatched type O products on the recipient's first in-hospital ABO type.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Fast honey classification using infrared spectrum and machine learning.

Honey has been one previous natural food in human history. However, as the supply cannot satisfy the market demand, many incidents of adulterated and fraudulent honey have been reported. In Taiwan, some common adulterated honey and fraudulent honey incidents include (1) mixing honey with fructose, (2) importing cheap honey abroad but labeling them as domestic honey, and (3) labeling cheaper honey (for example, nectar and lychee honey) as high-price honey (for example, longan honey).

Not all red cell concentrate units are equivalent: international survey of processing and in vitro quality data.

Introduction: In vitro qualitative differences exist in red cell concentrates (RCCs) units processed from whole blood (WB) depending on the method of processing. Minimal literature exists on differences in processing and variability in quality data. Therefore, we collected information from blood manufacturers worldwide regarding (1) details of WB collection and processing used to produce RCCs and (2) quality parameters and testing as part of routine quality programmes.

Pore-Scale Flow Characterization of Polymer Solutions in Microfluidic Porous Media.

Polymer solutions are frequently used in enhanced oil recovery and groundwater remediation to improve the recovery of trapped nonaqueous fluids. However, applications are limited by an incomplete understanding of the flow in porous media. The tortuous pore structure imposes both shear and extension, which elongates polymers; moreover, the flow is often at large Weissenberg numbers, Wi, at which polymer elasticity in turn strongly alters the flow.

Postnatal development of cerebrovascular structure and the neurogliovascular unit.

The unceasing metabolic demands of brain function are supported by an intricate three-dimensional network of arterioles, capillaries, and venules, designed to effectively distribute blood to all neurons and to provide shelter from harmful molecules in the blood. The development and maturation of this microvasculature involves a complex interplay between endothelial cells with nearly all other brain cell types (pericytes, astrocytes, microglia, and neurons), orchestrated throughout embryogenesis and the first few weeks after birth in mice. Both the expansion and regression of vascular networks occur during the postnatal period of cerebrovascular remodeling.

Reducing AB plasma utilisation through the AB plasma appropriateness index.

Objectives: We hypothesised that there was inappropriate group AB plasma used in our hospital, identifiable by a novel key quality indicator (KQI) and mitigable through massive transfusion protocol (MTP) modification.

Background: Group AB plasma is a scarce resource strained by increasing usage worldwide when used as universal donor plasma in non-group AB patients. To reduce inappropriate use and to promote benchmarking to the best practice, we developed the AB plasma appropriateness index (ABAI).

Systematic reviews of scores and predictors to trigger activation of massive transfusion protocols.

Background: The use of massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) in the resuscitation of hemorrhaging trauma patients ensures rapid delivery of blood products to improve outcomes, where the decision to trigger MTPs early is important. Scores and tools to predict the need for MTP activation have been developed for use to aid with clinical judgment. We performed a systematic review to assess (1) the scores and tools available to predict MTP in trauma patients, (2) their clinical value and diagnostic accuracies, and (3) additional predictors of MTP.

Hollow Notched K-Wires for Bone Drilling With Through-Tool Cooling.

Kirschner wire (K-wire) is a common tool in clinical orthopedic surgery for bone fracture fixation. A significant amount of heat is generated in bone drilling using K-wires, causing bone thermal necrosis and osteonecrosis. To minimize the temperature rise, a hollow notched K-wire in a modified surgical hand drill with through-tool cooling was developed to study the bone temperature, debris evacuation, and material removal rate.

Combining serial block face and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy for 3D studies of rare events.

Volume electron microscopy allows for the automated acquisition of serial-section imaging data that can be reconstructed in three-dimensions (3D) to provide a detailed, geometrically accurate view of cellular ultrastructure. Two, volume electron microscopy (EM) techniques, serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), use a similar slice-and-view approach but differ in their fields of view and 3D resolution. This chapter highlights a workflow where the ability of SBF-SEM to image a large field of view is combined with the precise sectioning capability of FIB-SEM to first locate a rare cellular event in a large tissue volume and then inspect the event with higher resolution.

Catheter thermal energy generation and temperature in rotational atherectomy.

This research studies the catheter friction thermal energy generation and saline temperature in rotational atherectomy (RA). RA is a catheter-based procedure utilizing a high-speed (typically 130,000 to 210,000 rpm) miniature grinding wheel to remove hardened calcified plaque inside the artery to restore the blood flow. During RA, elevated temperature due to the friction within the catheter may lead to complications such as slow-flow/no-reflow and myocardial infarction.

The most perfect natural laboratory in the world: Making and knowing Hawaii National Park.

This article reimagines the meanings of U.S. national parks and so-called 'natural' places in our environmental histories and histories of science.

Molecular characteristics of poorly differentiated chordoma.

Pediatric poorly differentiated chordoma is a subtype of chordoma with a much more aggressive clinical course and has been characterized by loss of SMARCB1. This study characterizes the molecular features of these tumors in comparison to conventional chordoma. A search of records between 1990 and 2017 at Massachusetts General Hospital identified two patients with sufficient excess tissue for molecular analysis and a third patient diagnosed with a highly cellular conventional chordoma.

Problems in the reproducibility of classification of small lung adenocarcinoma: an international interobserver study.

Aims: The 2015 WHO classification for lung adenocarcinoma (ACA) provides criteria for adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) and invasive adenocarcinoma (INV), but differentiating these entities can be difficult. As our understanding of prognostic significance increases, inconsistent classification is problematic. This study assesses agreement within an international panel of lung pathologists and identifies factors contributing to inconsistent classification.

Evaluation of Heat Generation in Unidirectional Versus Oscillatory Modes During K-Wire Insertion in Bone.

Heat generation during insertion of Kirschner wires (K-wires) may lead to thermal osteonecrosis and can affect the construct fixation. Unidirectional and oscillatory drilling modes are options for K-wire insertion, but understanding of the difference in heat generation between the two modes is lacking. The goal of this study was to compare the temperature rise during K-wire insertion under these two modes and provide technical guidelines for K-wire placement to minimize thermal injury.