Carcinoid tumours of the lung and the ’PEPPS’ approach: evaluation of preoperative bronchoscopic tumour debulking as preparation for subsequent parenchyma-sparing surgery

BACKGROUND: Preoperative bronchoscopic tumour ablation has been suggested as a beneficial treatment for bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours, although data regarding its effects and long-term outcome are lacking. METHODS: In our case-matched cohort study with 208 patients with bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumours we investigated the role of preoperative bronchoscopic interventions before subsequent surgery and analysed the safety of this Procedure of Endobronchial Preparation for Parenchyma-sparing Surgery (PEPPS) based on metastasis and recurrence rates as well as survival data from 1991 to 2010. The subsequent surgery was classified into parenchyma-sparing procedures and classical lobectomies, bilobectomies and pneumonectomies. Data were obtained from the tumour registry and medical reports. Outcomes were the frequency of parenchyma-sparing surgery after bronchoscopic treatment as well as rates of metastasis, recurrence and survival. RESULTS: 132 of 208 carcinoids were located centrally. Among them, 77 patients could be recanalised preoperatively. After bronchoscopic preparation, the rate of subsequent parenchyma-sparing surgery methods was higher (p=0.021). The effect was measured by the number of segments removed. The 10-year survival rate was 89% (typical carcinoids) and 68% (atypical carcinoids), respectively. After applying PEPPS, long-term survival was slightly higher (p=0.23). Metastasis and recurrence rates showed no relevant differences between the bronchoscopically treated or non-treated groups, or between the two types of surgery classes or between the PEPPS and non-PEPPS groups. CONCLUSIONS: After preoperative bronchoscopic treatment, parenchyma-sparing surgery techniques can be applied more frequently. Furthermore, we detected no negative effects after PEPPS based on metastasis, recurrence and survival rates

Chronicles of Oklahoma

Notes and Document section from Volume 88, Number 2, Summer 2010. It includes "Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame," an article honoring the individuals who were inducted into the annual Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame in 2010. The honorees included Currie Ballard, Bob Burke, General Thomas P. Stafford, and Dr. Lewis Stiles. It also includes "Alva, Oklahoma: What's in a Name?" an article examining the naming of the town of Alva, Oklahoma, to determine whether it was named for the railroad attorney Alva Adams. Finally, it includes "Oklahoma Newspaper Project," which details the Oklahoma Historical Society's partnership with the University of North Texas and the Oklahoma Press Association to digitize newspapers that reflect Oklahoma's history

NBC: the Naïve Bayes Classification tool webserver for taxonomic classification of metagenomic reads

Motivation: Datasets from high-throughput sequencing technologies have yielded a vast amount of data about organisms in environmental samples. Yet, it is still a challenge to assess the exact organism content in these samples because the task of taxonomic classification is too computationally complex to annotate all reads in a dataset. An easy-to-use webserver is needed to process these reads. While many methods exist, only a few are publicly available on webservers, and out of those, most do not annotate all reads

Wesprim-Plattenseee 2023 Kulturhauptstadt Europas

Der Titel „Kulturhauptstadt Europas“ als historisch einmalige Chance gibt Wesprim und der Bakony-Plattensee-Region die Möglichkeit, die Vielfalt und die Gemeinsamkeiten europäischer Kulturen und die gemeinsame europäische Zugehörigkeit zu präsentieren

Mechanism of Laser-Induced Bulk and Surface Defect Generation in ZnO and TiO_2 Nanoparticles: Effect on Photoelectrochemical Performance

Laser processing of neat and gold-nanoparticle-functionalized ZnO and TiO_2 nanoparticles by nanosecond–355 nm or picosecond–532 nm light enabled control of photocurrent generation under simulated sunlight irradiation in neutral aqueous electrolytes. We obtained more than 2-fold enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of TiO2 nanoparticles upon irradiation by picosecond–532 nm pulses that healed defects. Laser processing and gold nanoparticle functionalization of ZnO and TiO_2 nanomaterials resulted in color changes that did not originate from optical bandgaps or crystal structures. Two-dimensional photoluminescence data allowed us to differentiate and quantify surface and bulk defects that play a critical yet oft-underappreciated role for photoelectrochemical performance as sites for detrimental carrier recombination. We developed a detailed mechanistic model of how surface and bulk defects were generated as a function of laser processing parameters and obtained key insights on how these defects affected photocurrent production. The controlled healing of defects by pulsed-laser processing may be useful in the design of solar fuels materials

Mechanism of Laser-Induced Bulk and Surface Defect Generation in ZnO and TiO_2 Nanoparticles: Effect on Photoelectrochemical Performance

Laser processing of neat and gold-nanoparticle-functionalized ZnO and TiO_2 nanoparticles by nanosecond–355 nm or picosecond–532 nm light enabled control of photocurrent generation under simulated sunlight irradiation in neutral aqueous electrolytes. We obtained more than 2-fold enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of TiO2 nanoparticles upon irradiation by picosecond–532 nm pulses that healed defects. Laser processing and gold nanoparticle functionalization of ZnO and TiO_2 nanomaterials resulted in color changes that did not originate from optical bandgaps or crystal structures. Two-dimensional photoluminescence data allowed us to differentiate and quantify surface and bulk defects that play a critical yet oft-underappreciated role for photoelectrochemical performance as sites for detrimental carrier recombination. We developed a detailed mechanistic model of how surface and bulk defects were generated as a function of laser processing parameters and obtained key insights on how these defects affected photocurrent production. The controlled healing of defects by pulsed-laser processing may be useful in the design of solar fuels materials

New birds from Brazil and Paraguay

8 p., [1] folded leaf ; 24 cm.Includes 1 bibliographical reference (p. 6)

Factors associated with shunt dynamic in patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale: an observational cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As previously reported there is evidence for a reduction in right to left shunt (RLS) in stroke patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO). This occurs predominantly in patients with cryptogenic stroke (CS). We therefore analysed factors associated with a shunt reduction on follow-up in stroke patients suffering of CS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>On index event PFO and RLS were proven by transesophageal echocardiography and contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler-sonography (ce-TCD). Silent PE was proved by ventilation perfusion scintigraphy (V/Q) within the stroke work-up on index event; all scans were re-evaluated in a blinded manner by two experts. The RLS was re-assessed on follow-up by ce-TCD. A reduction in shunt volume was defined as a difference of ≥20 microembolic signals (MES) or the lack of evidence of RLS on follow-up. For subsequent analyses patients with CS were considered; parameters such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and silent pulmonary embolism (PE) were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 39 PFO patients suffering of a CS the RLS was re-assessed on follow-up. In all patients (n = 39) with CS a V/Q was performed; the median age was 40 years, 24 (61.5%) patients were female. In 27 patients a reduction in RLS was evident. Silent PE was evident in 18/39 patients (46.2%). Factors such as atrial septum aneurysm, DVT or even silent PE were not associated with RLS dynamics. A greater time delay from index event to follow-up assessment was associated with a decrease in shunt volume (median 12 vs. 6 months, <it>p </it>= 0.013).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In patients with CS a reduction in RLS is not associated with the presence of a venous embolic event such as DVT or silent PE. A greater time delay between the initial and the follow-up investigation increases the likelihood for the detection of a reduction in RLS.</p