Synoptic tool for reporting of hematological and lymphoid neoplasms based on World Health Organization classification and College of American Pathologists checklist

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Synoptic reporting, either as part of the pathology report or replacing some free text component incorporates standardized data elements in the form of checklists for pathology reporting. This ensures the pathologists make note of these findings in their reports, thereby improving the quality and uniformity of information in the pathology reports.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The purpose of this project is to develop the entire set of elements in the synoptic templates or "worksheets" for hematologic and lymphoid neoplasms using the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Cancer Checklists. The CAP checklists' content was supplemented with the most updated classification scheme (WHO classification), specimen details, staging as well as information on various ancillary techniques such as cytochemical studies, immunophenotyping, cytogenetics including Fluorescent In-situ Hybridization (FISH) studies and genotyping. We have used a digital synoptic reporting system as part of an existing laboratory information system (LIS), CoPathPlus, from Cerner DHT, Inc. The synoptic elements are presented as discrete data points, so that a data element such as tumor type is assigned from the synoptic value dictionary under the value of tumor type, allowing the user to search for just those cases that have that value point populated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>These synoptic worksheets are implemented for use in our LIS. The data is stored as discrete data elements appear as an accession summary within the final pathology report. In addition, the synoptic data can be exported to research databases for linking pathological details on banked tissues.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Synoptic reporting provides a structured method for entering the diagnostic as well as prognostic information for a particular pathology specimen or sample, thereby reducing transcription services and reducing specimen turnaround time. Furthermore, it provides accurate and consistent diagnostic information dictated by pathologists as a basis for appropriate therapeutic modalities. Using synoptic reports, consistent data elements with minimized typographical and transcription errors can be generated and placed in the LIS relational database, enabling quicker access to desired information and improved communication for appropriate cancer management. The templates will also eventually serve as a conduit for capturing and storing data in the virtual biorepository for translational research. Such uniformity of data lends itself to subsequent ease of data viewing and extraction, as demonstrated by rapid production of standardized, high-quality data from the hemopoietic and lymphoid neoplasm specimens.</p

Developing Biotemplated Data Storage: Room Temperature Biomineralization of L1<inf>0</inf> CoPt Magnetic Nanoparticles

L10 cobalt platinum can be used to record data at approximately sixfold higher densities than it is possible to on existing hard disks. Currently, fabricating L10 CoPt requires high temperatures (≈500 °C) and expensive equipment. One ecological alternative is to exploit biomolecules that template nanomaterials at ambient temperatures. Here, it is demonstrated that a dual affinity peptide (DAP) can be used to biotemplate L10 CoPt onto a surface at room temperature from an aqueous solution. One part of the peptide nucleates and controls the growth of CoPt nanoparticles from solution, and the other part binds to SiO2. A native silicon oxide surface is functionalized with a high loading of the DAP using microcontact printing. The DAP biotemplates a monolayer of uniformly sized and shaped nanoparticles when immobilized on the silicon surface. X-ray diffraction shows that the biotemplated nanoparticles have the L10 CoPt crystal structure, and magnetic measurements reveal stable, multiparticle zones of interaction, similar to those seen in perpendicular recording media. This is the first time that the L10 phase of CoPt has been formed without high temperature/vacuum treatment (e.g., annealing or sputtering) and offers a significant advancement toward developing environmentally friendly, biotemplated materials for use in data storage

Canine classical seminoma: a specific malignant type with human classifications is highly correlated with tumor angiogenesis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human seminoma is classified as classical seminoma (SE) and spermatocytic seminoma (SS). Human SE is known to be more malignant and metastasizing more frequently than SS. Tumor angiogenesis is highly related with tumor progression and metastasis, with microvessel density (MVD) being an important parameter of metastatic potential. Canine seminoma is not yet well-established as SE or SS type including correlation with angiogenesis. We classified canine SE and SS, and then compared them to tumor associated vessels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-three cases of canine seminomas (2 intratubular, 9 diffuse, and 12 intratubular/diffuse seminomas showing both intratubular and diffuse patterns) were classified as SE or SS by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using monoclonal antibody against PLAP and by PAS stain. The histopathological data were then compared to see if there was a correlation with SE or SS. Angiogenesis of seminomas were evaluated by immunohistochemical assay using polyclonal antibody against Von Willebrand factor (vWF) and by calculating the means of MVD, vessels area and perimeters using computerized image analysis. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program was used for various statistical analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The numbers of PLAP+/PAS+ canine SEs were 8/23 (34.8%) and PLAP-/PAS- SSs were 15/23 (61.2%). All SE cases (8/8, 100%) were intratubular/diffuse types. SS types included 2 intratubular (2/15, 13.3%), 9 diffuse (9/15, 60%), and 4 intratubular/diffuse (4/15, 26.7%) types. MVD and vascular parameters in SEs were significantly higher than in SSs, showing the highest value in the intratubular/diffuse type. Seminomas observed with neoplastic cells invasion of vessels presented higher perimeter and area values than seminomas without conformed neoplastic cells invasion.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study, we demonstrated a positive relationship between canine SE and tumor angiogenesis. Furthermore, we also showed that a tumor cells invasion of vessels were a correlated vascular parameter. Although metastasis of canine seminomas has rarely been reported, our results support that canine SE could have high metastatic potential similar to the human counterpart. Further studies are required to clarify the relationship between canine SE and clinical data with metastatic factors.</p

SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAININGS: EXPERIENCES & RECOMMENDATIONS

Suicide rates have generally been on the rise for the last twenty years. While rates were decreasing between 2018 and 2020, they rose again in 2021. Almost two million adults attempted suicide in 2021, which shows the importance of suicide trainings. While there are a multitude of suicide trainings, I focused on four that I have completed. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of trainings that are free, online and self-paced, or made for the general public. As suicide is an issue that can affect multiple areas of life including family, the workplace, and more, it is imperative that effective training on suicide prevention and intervention is more widely available and accessible. In this paper, I will review suicide statistics, as well as generalities of current suicide trainings. I will then review research that has already been done on the effectiveness of suicide trainings, and go more into detail on the four trainings I have completed. Finally, I will describe my experiences with each of the four trainings, and give my recommendations for improving current trainings and creating new ones

From Topologies to Dynamics: A Study of the Designability Hypothesis for Biological Networks

The problem of understanding the connection between network topology and dynamical output represents a critical challenge for modern biology. We begin by reviewing recent progress in the evolution of Boolean models that seek to gain insight into this problem for specific biological systems. Like the sketchpad for an artist, the Boolean model enables one to capture the essential features of a cellular landscape. Often, the Boolean sketch is sufficient to generate insights yielding testable hypotheses in settings ranging from developmental networks to neural circuits. However, the Boolean approach has another, little explored advantage. Owing to its relative computational efficiency, a Boolean framework permits a comprehensive theoretical exploration of the relationship between network topology and dynamical output.Pursuing this thought, we investigate the connection between network topology (genotype) and dynamical output (phenotype) for an ensemble of several million small networks, utilizing a Boolean model. We hypothesize that a global approach to understanding biological network design may reveal principles that are difficult to identify by examining specific systems. By exhaustive enumeration of three and four node networks, we demonstrate that certain dynamical phenotypes are highly designable, in that they can be generated by an atypically broad spectrum of topologies. The topologies that encode highly designable phenotypes possess two classes of connections: a fully conserved core that encodes the stable dynamical phenotype and a partially conserved set that controls the transient dynamics. By comparing the topologies and dynamics of the three and four node ensembles, we discover "mutational buffers", whereby a fourth node suppresses phenotypic variation amongst a set of three node networks.We next consider the concept of designability more broadly and its possible role in the evolution of biological phenotypes. We test the notion of designability on a real biological system by analyzing the dynamics of the yeast cell cycle. A comparison of the designability of the cell cycle phenotype with the designabilities of a pool of perturbed phenotypes reveals that the designability of the cell cycle dynamics is near optimal. This finding provides some evidence for the hypothesis that designability may couple with the traditional fitness landscape to influence the evolution of biological phenotypes