Cost-effectiveness of fine-needle-aspiration cytology of thyroid nodules with intranodular vascular pattern using two different needle types

Objective: To compare the cytological findings of hypoechoic thyroid nodules with intranodular vascular pattern (pattern II) obtained by two different needles (Neolus 25 gauge, Chemil, Wenzhou, China vs Yale Spinal 25 gauge, Becton Dickinson, Madrid, Spain) in euthyroid patients and to evaluate their cost-effectiveness. Methods: From January 2001 to December 2003, 480 euthyroid patients with a hypoechoic thyroid nodule pattern II were referred for US-FNAC. The nodules were alternatively evaluated by Neolus or by Yale Spinal with the stylet (YS+) or without the stylet (YS−), in order to evaluate if the cytological results could be due to the presence of the stylet or to the different length of the two needles. For each nodule two passes were performed and the material was obtained by capillary action. Material was smeared on slides, fixed, and stained by Papanicolaou techniques. Cytological specimens were evaluated in blind by the same experienced cytopathologist. Results: Inadequate cytological specimens because of blood contamination were present in 30 (18.7%) samples by Neolus needle and in 22 (13.8%) by YS− compared to only 5 (3.1%) by YS+. In 6 (20%) cases of the 30 repeated US-FNAC by Neolus and in 4 (18%) of the 22 US-FNAC by YS−, material remained inadequate for diagnosis because of blood contamination. All the five repeated samples obtained by YS+ became adequate for diagnosis and resulted benign nodules. Direct costs of US-FNAC procedure are currently Э 72.30 including cytological examination. The cost of Neolus and Yale needles is Э 0.19 and Э 3.0, respectively. The estimated total cost to obtain a cytological diagnosis by a Neolus needle (160 + 30 repeated US-FNAC) was Э 13809.2 vs Э 12919.5 by Yale Spinal needle (160 + 5 repeated US-FNAC). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the use of Yale Spinal needles greatly reduces inadequate cytological specimens, and therefore limits both direct and indirect costs.     

Solid phase C1q microassay for the rapid detection of circulating immune complexes

A C1q solid phase microassay was designed for the rapid detection of circulating immune complexes. Its level of sensitivity is comparable to that of the Raji cell and greater than the C1q binding assay; furthermore, it is faster and low in cost. These conditions make it more practical and applicable in the clinical setting.     

Computer-Assisted Detection of Pulmonary Nodules: Preliminary Observations Using a Prototype System with Multidetector-Row CT Data Sets

The continued revolution in multidetector-row CT (MDCT) scanning increases the quality of lung imaging but at the cost of a greater burden of data for review and interpretation. This article discusses our preliminary experience with prototype software for lung nodule detection and characterization using MDCT data sets. We discuss the potential role of computer-assisted detection (CAD) as applied to the automatic detection of lung nodules. We also review the process of CAD, outline its potential results, and explore how it may fit into existing radiology practice. Finally, we discuss MDCT data-acquisition parameters and how they may affect the performance of CAD.     

Tumor necrosis factor-mediated interactions between inflammatory response and tumor vascular bed

Summary: Solid tumor therapy with chemotherapeutics greatly depends on the efficiency with which drugs are delivered to tumor cells. The typical characteristics of the tumor physiology promote but also appose accumulation of blood-borne agents. The leaky tumor vasculature allows easy passage of drugs. However, the disorganized vasculature causes heterogeneous blood flow, and together with the often-elevated interstitial fluid pressure, this state results in poor intratumoral drug levels and failure of treatment. Manipulation of the tumor vasculature could overcome these barriers and promote drug delivery. Targeting the vasculature has several advantages. The endothelial lining is readily accessible and the first to be encountered after systemic injection. Second, endothelial cells tend to be more stable than tumor cells and thus less likely to develop resistance to therapy. Third, targeting the tumor vasculature can have dual effects: (i) manipulation of the vasculature can enhance concomitant chemotherapy, and (ii) subsequent destruction of the vasculature can help to kill the tumor. In particular, tumor necrosis factor α is studied. Its action on solid tumors, both directly through tumor cell killing and destruction of the tumor vasculature and indirectly through manipulation of the tumor physiology, is complex. Understanding the mechanism of TNF and agents with comparable action on solid tumors is an important focus to further develop combination immunotherapy strategies.     

体表软组织肿块超声诊断价值的研究

目的探讨高频彩超在诊断体表软组织肿块中的诊断价值。方法对我院79例经病理证实的体表软组织肿块患者的超声检查结果进行回顾性分析。结果79例体表性肿块包括10种病变,69例良性病变,10例恶性病变。结论高频超声对体表软组织肿块的诊断有重要临床价值。     

胰腺实性-假乳头状肿瘤内PTEN和nestin的表达

目的 探讨胰腺实体假乳头肿瘤（SPTP）细胞可能的组织学起源。方法 复习25例SPTP的临床病理特征，常规HE和超微结构观察，免疫组化EnVision法染色检测肿瘤细胞PTEN和nestin等的表达。结果 25例SPTP中女性22例，男性3例，中位年龄22．3岁。肿瘤主要位于胰腺内，1例位于后腹膜并与胰腺相连。1例伴有肝转移。肿瘤呈囊实性，出血、坏死明显。肿瘤细胞大小形态较一致，实性和假乳头状排列，部分似“室管膜样”菊形团。核卵圆形，有核沟，核仁不明显，核分裂象少见。肿瘤细胞均有PTEN阳性表达（18／18，100％），44％（8／18）的病例有nestin的表达。超微结构观察细胞内可见酶原样分泌颗粒和神经内分泌颗粒。结论 胰腺实体假乳头肿瘤可能起源于胰腺多能干细胞。     

输精管结扎对兔前列腺睾酮受体的影响

14只日本大耳白雄兔,7只为假手术组(SOG),7只为输精管结扎组(VG)。16个月后,检测前列腺睾酮受体和血清睾酮的变化。结果是VG和SOG胞液受体的kd值分别为10.21nM和3.42nM,最大结合容量分别为33.68fmol/mgpro.和10.42fmol/mg pro;胞核受体的kd值分别为9.36nM和4.81nM,最大结合容量分别为440.90fmol/mg DNA和203.66fmol/mg DNA。单点分析的结果是VG和SOG胞液受体浓度分别为26.13±5.64和8.40±1.66fmol/mg pro,VG明显高于SOG(P<0.01);胞核受体浓度分别为239.95±66.37和204.89±65.12fmol/mg DNA,两组比较无差异(P>0.05)。血清睾酮两组比较无统计学意义,并与胞液、胞核受体浓度无相关关系。     

Packing and Uniaxial Alignment of Liquid Crystalline Oligofluorenes

Summary: Liquid crystalline oligomers of 9,9‐bis(2‐ethylhexyl)fluorene of defined degree of polymerization 4, 5, 6, and 7 were investigated by X‐ray diffraction in the non‐oriented and in the aligned state. The diffraction data give evidence for a smectic B type phase for all of the oligomers. Quenching below the glass transition does not change the structure of the liquid crystalline phase. This allows to align spin‐coated films of these oligomers on rubbed polyimide substrates to give monodomain films. These are stable against thermal disordering below T_g, e.g. at room temperature. The degree of alignment is characterized by the dichroic spectra and polarized fluorescence spectra. Dichroic ratios and polarization ratios increase substantially with the chain length and values as high as D = 23 and P = 41 are obtained for the heptamer. The type of packing of the oligomers in the LC phase is discussed based on the X‐ray single crystal structure of models. In one such model the packing of the 2‐ethylhexyl side chains could be fully resolved, while the other model reveals the torsional angle between adjacent fluorene units in the same molecule as 144.2° which corroborates earlier work based on fiber diffraction of corresponding polyfluorenes.

     

Structural Reasons for Restricted Backbone Motion in Poly(n‐alkyl methacrylates): Degree of Polymerization,Tacticity and Side‐Chain Length

Summary: The complex dynamics of poly(n‐alkyl methacrylates) is studied by advanced ¹³C NMR spectroscopy as well as mechanical and dielectric relaxation. Extended backbone conformations are identified as the molecular units involved in structural relaxation. From the variation in the degree of polymerization and a comparison with the presence of stereoregular sequences in the sample, the length of the extended units is determined to involve about five, at most ten monomeric units. Syndiotactic and isotactic sequences behave similarly. These findings are indicative of locally structured polymer melts.

     

Infrequent genetic alterations of the PTEN gene in Japanese patients with sporadic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a major cause of cancer death among elderly men in America, Europe, and Japan. However, the molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis is not yet well characterized. Frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10q was reported in prostate cancer, and a candidate tumor suppressor gene, PTEN, was isolated on chromosome band 10q23.3. To investigate the genetic alterations of PTEN, we examined 45 primary prostate cancer specimens. LOH at the PTEN locus was observed in two (11.1%) of 18 tumors. However, no mutations were observed in any of the primary prostate cancers. These data suggest that mutation of the PTEN gene does not play a major role in prostate carcinogenesis of Japanese patients. Received: February 6, 1998 / Accepted: July, 3, 1998