Invasive thyroglossal duct cyst papillary carcinoma: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>A thyroglossal duct cyst is the most common congenital anomaly of the thyroid gland and midline masses in childhood (70% abnormality in childhood, 7% in adult). Carcinomas arising from a thyroglossal duct cyst are rare (only 1% of thyroglossal duct cyst cases) and characterized by relatively non-aggressive behavior and rare lymphatic spread. They are also diagnosed mostly during the third and fourth decades of life. About 85% to 92% of all thyroglossal duct cyst carcinomas are papillary carcinomas.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 44-year-old Iranian woman with Cacausian ethnicity with a painless anterior neck mass that appeared gradually over three months. She had a history of frequent painful swelling of the anterior part of her neck, which subsided with antibiotic therapy. Thyroid functional tests were normal and a thyroid scinitigraphy showed a cold nodule in the left lobe of her thyroid. A computed tomography scan revealed a large, heterogeneous enhancing soft tissue mass with cystic components in the midline of the anterior neck space. This extended from the base of the tongue,(completely separated from its muscles, to the inferior aspect of the thyroid gland and showed the destruction of the hyoid bone and the thyroid cartilage. The diagnosis of a thyroglossal duct cyst with malignant transformation was maintained. A fine needle aspiration revealed papillary carcinoma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This patient's case is presented because of its rare, aggressive, and invasive nature and rare and unusual manifestation, as well as its rapid increase in size, the destruction of the hyoid bone, chondrolysis of the thyroid cartilage, lymph adenopathy and the existence of a cold nodule in the thyroid gland.</p

Optimization-Based Approach for Process Plant Layout

This paper presents an optimization-based approach for the multifloor process plant layout problem. The multifloor process plant layout problem involves determining the most efficientbased on predefined criteriaspatial arrangement of a set of process plant equipment with associated connectivity. A number of cost and management/engineering drivers (e.g., connectivity, operations, land area, safety, construction, retrofit, maintenance, production organization) have been considered over the last two decades in order to achieve potential savings in the overall plant design process. This work constitutes an extension of the work by Patsiatzis and Papageorgiou [Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2003, 42, 811−824;10.1021/ie020586t] to address the multifloor process plant layout problem. New features introduced modeled tall equipment with height greater than the typical floor height in chemical process plants, with connection points at a design-specified height for each piece of equipment. The number of floors, land area, allocation of each piece of equipment to a floor and the overall layout of each floor were determined by the optimization model while preventing overlap of equipment. The connection costs, horizontal and vertical, as well the construction costs were accounted for with an overall objective to minimize the total cost. The problem was formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model based on a continuous domain representation and its applicability demonstrated by a number of illustrative examples. Results showed an increase in the amount of equipment handled by the proposed models in modest computational times. Finally, symmetry breaking constraints were included to increase computational efficiency, and their performance was tested with the last example

Silk fibroin/amniotic membrane 3D bi-layered artificial skin

Burn injuries have been reported to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality and they are still considered as unmet clinical need. Although there is a myriad of effective stem cells that have been suggested for skin regeneration, there is no one ideal scaffold. The aim of this study was to develop a three-dimensional (3D) bi-layer scaffold made of biological decellularized human amniotic membrane (AM) with viscoelastic electrospun nanofibrous silk fibroin (ESF) spun on top. The fabricated 3D bi-layer AM/ESF scaffold was submerged in ethanol to induce ss-sheet transformation as well as to get a tightly coated and inseparable bi-layer. The biomechanical and biological properties of the 3D bi-layer AM/ESF scaffold were investigated. The results indicate significantly improved mechanical properties of the AM/ESF compared with the AM alone. Both the AM and AM/ESF possess a variety of suitable adhesion cells without detectable cytotoxicity against adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs). The AT-MSCs show increased expression of two main pro-angiogenesis factors, vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor, when cultured on the AM/ESF for 7 days, when comparing with AM alone. The results suggest that the AM/ ESF scaffold with autologous AT-MSCs has excellent cell adhesion and proliferation along with production of growth factors which serves as a possible application in a clinical setting for skin regeneration.We express our sincere thanks to Dr Nariman Mosaffa and Dr Mohammad Salehi for providing helpful comments on this work. SC Kundu presently holds an ERA Chair Full Professor position at the 3Bs Research Group, University of Minho, Portugal, supported by the European Union Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 under grant agreement No 668983-FoReCaST.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of t (11;14) Abnormality on Outcomes of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma in the Connect MM Registry

Background: The t (11;14) (q13;32) translocation [t (11;14)] is present in ∼20% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM), but studies examining its prognostic ability have yielded divergent results, and data are lacking on outcomes from first-line therapy. Patients and methods: Data from the Connect MM Registry, a large US, multicenter, prospective observational cohort study of patients with NDMM were used to examine the effect of t (11;14) status on first-line therapy outcomes in the Overall population (n = 1574) and race groups (African American [AA] vs. non-African American [NAA]). Results: Baseline characteristics were generally similar between patients with (n = 378) and without (n = 1196) t (11;14). Prevalence of t (11;14) was similar by race (AA, 27%; NAA, 24%). In the overall population, regardless of first-line therapy, t (11;14) status did not affect progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 1.02; P = 0.7675) or overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.99; P = .9417). AA patients with t (11;14) had higher likelihood of death (Nominal Cox regression P = .0298) vs. patients without t (11;14). Conclusions: Acknowledging observational study and inferential limitations, this exploratory analysis of a predominantly community-based population suggests that t (11;14) is a neutral prognostic factor in the general MM population but may be a negative factor for overall survival in AA patients

Fluid dynamic analysis of pollutants' dispersion behind an aircraft engine during idling

The potential impact of emissions from airports on human health and air quality has become a significant issue. The aim of this paper is to investigate the dispersion behind an aircraft engine during idle-engine operations at airports. When these operations are conducted on the apron, jet engine emissions worsen the air quality where ground handling personnel works and passengers embark or disembark. Ground operations at airports are designed according to the International Civil Aviation Organization jet blast definition that indicates the exhaust gas velocity of 56 km/h as the threshold limit for the comfort of operations behind an aircraft, without considering the pollutants' dispersion and concentration levels. In this paper, carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde (CH2O), and acrolein (C3H4O) dispersion behind a twin engine jet aircraft during idling is investigated using a computational fluid dynamic tool. The complete geometry of a Boeing 737-500 is used as reference. The steady-state simulation of turbulent jet flow is carried out using a realizable k − ε model. Three different scenarios are investigated at standard day conditions—101,325 Pa and 288 K, with no wind, and the plume concentrations are presented and discussed. CO, CH2O, and C3H4O concentration curves are drawn and compared with the exposure threshold limit defined by scientific international communities to guarantee human health. The information provided from this study represents a first step in understanding apron air quality issues during idle-engine operation

3D Protein-Based Bilayer Artificial Skin for the Guided Scarless Healing of Third-Degree Burn Wounds in Vivo

Severe burn injuries can lead to delays in healing and devastating scar formation. Attempts have been made to develop a suitable skin substitute for the scarless healing of such skin wounds. Currently, there is no effective strategy for completely scarless healing after the thermal injuries. In our recent work, we fabricated and evaluated a 3D protein-based artificial skin made from decellularized human amniotic membrane (AM) and electrospun nanofibrous silk fibroin (ESF) in vitro. We also characterized both biophysical and cell culture investigation to establish in vitro performance of the developed bilayer scaffolds. In this report, we evaluate the appropriate utility of this fabricated bilayered artificial skin in vivo with particular emphasis on healing and scar formation due to the biochemical and biomechanical complexity of the skin. For this work, AM and AM/ESF membranes alone or seeded with adipose-tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs) are implanted on full-thickness burn wounds in mice. The healing efficacy and scar formation are evaluated at 7, 14, and 28 days post-implantation in vivo. Our data reveal that ESF accelerates the wound-healing process through the early recruitment of inflammatory cells such as macrophages into the defective site as well as the up-regulation of angiogenic factors from the AT-MSCs and the facilitation of the remodeling phase. In vivo application of the prepared AM/ESF membrane seeded with the AT-MSCs reduces significantly the post-burn scars. The in vivo data suggest that the potential applications of the AM/ESF bilayered artificial skin may be considered a clinical translational product with stem cells to guide the scarless healing of severe burn injuries