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Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is the preferred method for diagnosing pancreatic masses. While the diagnostic success of EUS-FNA is widely accepted, the actual performance of EUS-FNA is not known. This study sought to define the EUS-FNA accuracy compared with the gold standard, surgically resected specimens. The study was a single institution, retrospective, and chart review of patients with surgically resected pancreatic specimens from 2005 to 2015 with a preoperative EUS-FNA or biliary brushing. Cytological reports were organized from least concerning (i.e., low chance of malignancy) to most concerning (high chance of malignancy) into eight cytologic categories. We identified 741 cytologic cases: 530 EUS-FNA and 211 endoscopic brushings. For EUS-FNA samples, 62.5% of "benign" samples proved to be "benign" on surgical pathology. A cytologic diagnosis of "suspicious for malignancy" or "positive for malignancy" were concordant with a cancer diagnosis on surgical pathology 93.3% and 98.0% of cases, respectively. EUS-FNA proved to be highly reliable at diagnosing malignancy for cytologic samples that were "suspicious" or "positive" for malignancy. Paired with supportive clinical data, these interpretations may be used to justify cancer treatment.

Objectives To use subharmonic imaging (SHI) to depict the vascularity of pancreatic masses compared to contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and pathologic results. Methods Sixteen patients scheduled for biopsy of a pancreatic mass were enrolled in an Institutional Review Board–approved study. Pulse-inversion SHI (transmitting/receiving at 2.5/1.25 MHz) was performed on a LOGIQ 9 system (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) with a 4C transducer, whereas contrast harmonic EUS (transmitting/receiving at 4.7/9.4 MHz) was performed with a radial endoscope (GF-UTC180; Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) connected to a ProSound SSD α-10 scanner (Hitachi Aloka, Tokyo, Japan). Two injections of the contrast agent Definity (Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA) were administrated (0.3–0.4 and 0.6–0.8 mL for EUS and SHI, respectively). Contrast-to-tissue ratios (CTRs) in the mass and an adjacent vessel were calculated. Four physicians independently scored the images (benign to malignant) for diagnostic accuracy and inter-reader agreement. Results One patient dropped out before imaging, leaving 11 adenocarcinomas, 1 gastrointestinal stromal tumor with pancreatic infiltration, and 3 benign masses. Marked subharmonic signals were obtained in all patients, with intratumoral blood flow clearly visualized with SHI. Significantly greater CTRs were obtained in the masses with SHI than with EUS (mean ± SD, 1.71 ± 1.63 versus 0.63 ± 0.89; P = .016). There were no differences in the CTR in the surrounding vessels or when grouped by pathologic results (P > .60). The accuracies for contrast EUS and SHI were low (

Background and Aim Osteopontin (OPN) is a phosphoprotein that activates pathways that induce cancer cell survival and metastasis. Our aim was to examine the expression pattern of OPN splice variants a, b, and c in fine-needle aspirates and to determine their correlation with stage-adjusted pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) survival. Methods Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) was performed in patients with solid pancreatic masses. The tissue was collected and analyzed for the expression of OPN isoforms by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. Survival curves of stages and overexpression of OPN splice variants (a, b, c) were estimated according to the Kaplan–Meier and the log-rank test. Results EUS-FNA was performed in 46 patients with solid pancreatic lesions (40 PDA and 6 chronic pancreatitis). OPNa was highly expressed in 39/40 (98%), OPNb in 24/40 (60%), while OPNc was present in 10/40 (25%) of PDA samples. The median survival was lower in patients whose fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples expressed OPNb than those without (406 days vs 749 days, P = 0.049). There was no significant difference in survival in patients with OPNc. Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that OPNb expression had a trend toward decrease overall survival (P = 0.06), with these patients having a hazard of death three times higher than those without. OPNc was found to significantly correlate with metastatic disease (P = 0.009) in PDA patients. Conclusions Our data show for the first time that in FNA samples, there is a strong association between OPNc and presence of metastasis in PDA, and OPNb and poor survival.

Non-technical summary Normal breathing is controlled by specialized neurons in the central nervous system including the brainstem and spinal cord. Signals generated in the brainstem and transmitted to the major inspiratory muscles, including the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, are necessary to sustain life. However, we show that the specific pattern of intercostal muscle activation during breathing does not require input from the brainstem. In other words, the neural circuitry controlling this pattern of activation exists within the spinal cord. This knowledge furthers our understanding of the mechanisms that control breathing and has implications for patients with certain disease states such as cervical spinal cord injury.

1 Sonication, freezing and thawing, treatment of mitochondria with Tween-Span surfactants and other procedures applied to isolate ferrochelatase from the liver mitochondria showed that the most active in releasing the enzyme was the combined action of Tween 20 at a final concentration of 15 mg/ml and sonic irradiation on the mitochondrial suspensions, previously subjected to freezing and thawing. 2 A 20–40 fold purification of the enzyme was achieved by ammonium sulphate fractionation and chromatography on dextran gels of “solubilized” ferrochelatase. 3 Variations of the yield of the release of ferrochelatase from the mitochondria suggest that the localization of the enzyme within the mitochondrial structure is heterogeneous.

Previous studies have suggested that the optimum length for force generation of the parasternal intercostal (PS) muscles is well above functional residual capacity (FRC). We further explored this issue by examining the pressure-generating capacity of the PS muscles as a function of lung volume in anaesthetized dogs. Upper thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) was used to electrically activate the PS muscles. Changes in airway pressure and parasternal resting length (LR) during airway occlusion were monitored over a wide range of lung volumes during SCS. To assess the effects of parasternal contraction alone, SCS was performed following phrenicotomy and section of the external intercostal, levator costae and triangularis sterni muscles. With increasing lung volume, there were progressive decrements in the capacity of the PS muscles to produce changes in airway pressure. The relationship between PS pressure generation and lung volume was similar to a previous comparable assessment of the external intercostal muscles. The PS muscles shortened during passive inflation and also shortened further (by > 20 % of LR) during SCS. Total shortening (passive plus active) increased progressively with increasing lung volume. Our results indicate that the capacity of the PS muscles to produce changes in airway pressure (a) falls progressively with increasing lung volume and (b) is similar to that of the external intercostal muscles. We speculate that the fall in PS pressure-generating capacity is related, in part, to progressive reductions in end-inspiratory length.

A theoretical investigation has been conducted for predicting the critical liquid height at the onset of liquid entrainment during dual discharge from a stratified two-phase region through branches mounted on an inclined flat wall. The centerlines of the two branches are parallel and they fall in a common vertical plane. Two models have been developed; a simplified point-sink model and a more-accurate finite-branch model. Predictions from the two models are shown to be in good agreement for the condition of high flow rates from the branches, while the finite-branch model is necessary for accurate predictions at low branch flow rates. This behaviour has been confirmed experimentally for the vertical-wall configuration. On a effectue une recherche theorique afin de predire la hauteur critique du liquide au commencement de l'entrainement du liquide lors de la double decharge d'une region biphasique stratifiee dans des branches montees sur une paroi plane inclinee. Les axes des deux branches sont paralleles et tombent dans un plan vertical commun. Deux modeles ont ete mis au point: un modele de puits ponctuel simplifie et un modele a branches finies plus precis. On montre que les predictions des deux modeles concordent bien pour de forts debits des branches, tandis que le modele a branches finies est necessaire pour des predictions precises a de faibles debits des branches. Ce comportement est confirme experimentalement pour la configuration a paroi verticale.

The binding and release of guest fluorescent proteins inside a protein crystal with 13 nm axial pores is controlled. Spatially segregated guest protein loading is achieved via sequential binding and release stages. Additionally, selective stabilization of the crystal exterior results in hollow crystalline shells.

A staining method for lipoxygenase in electrophoretic gels is described which is based on the staining of hydroperoxides, as reaction products of added substrates, by N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine. Soybean lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) was detected after gel electrophoresis for anodic proteins under non-denaturating conditions and was compared to soybean lipoxygenase stained by Coomassie Brilliant Blue. Specifity of the method was checked by use of heat-denaturated lipoxygenase, tyrosinase and substrate absence. Staining intensity has been found to be proportional to the enzyme activity. Aktivitatsnachweis von Lipoxygenase auf Elektrophoresegelen. Eine Anfarbemethode fur Lipoxygenase im Elektrophoresegel wurde entwickelt, basierend auf der Anfarbung von Hydroperoxiden - gebildet aus zugesetztem Substrat - mit N,N-Dimethyl-p-phenylen-diamin. Sojabohnen-Lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) wurde nach Gelelektrophorese fur anodische Proteine unter nicht-denaturierenden Bedingungen mit dieser Methode lokalisiert und mit Sojabohnen-Lipoxygenase, die mit Coomassie-Brilliantblau angefarbt worden war, verglichen. Die Spezifitat der Methode wurde uberpruft durch Verwendung hitzedenaturierter Lipoxygenase, Farbung ohne Substratzugabe und Vergleich mit Tyrosinase. Weiterhin konnte die Proportionalitat der Farbungsintensitat zur Enzymaktivitat nachgewiesen werden.

Experimental values are presented for the wall and interfacial shear stresses in stratified gas-liquid flow in a pipe. The wall and Reynolds shear stresses were measured using a hot-film anemometry technique. The interfacial shear stress was determined using two methods: from a momentum balance, using the wall shear stresses and void fraction measurements, and from an extrapolation of the Reynolds shear profile at the gas-liquid interface. The predicted interfacial shear stress data were approximated by the formula relating the interfacial friction factor with the void fraction and gas and liquid Reynolds numbers, and were compared with other reported data.