CT texture analysis can help differentiate between malignant and benign lymph nodes in the mediastinum in patients suspected for lung cancer Abstract BackgroundIn patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma NSCLC the lymph node staging in the mediastinum is important due to impact on management and prognosis. Computed tomography texture analysis (CTTA) is a post processing technique that can evaluate the heterogeneity of marked regions in images. PurposeTo evaluate if CTTA can differentiate between malignant and benign lymph nodes in a cohort of patients with suspected lung cancer. Material and MethodsWith tissue sampling as reference standard, 46 lymph nodes from 29 patients were analyzed using CTTA. For each lymph node, CTTA was performed using a research software "TexRAD" by drawing region of interest (ROI)on all available axial contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) slices covering the entire volume of the lymph node. Lymph node CTTA comprised image filtration-histogram analysis undertakes 2 stages: First step comprised an application of a Laplacian of Gaussian filter to highlight fine to coarse textures within the ROI, followed by a quantification of textures via histogram analysis using mean grey-level intensity from the entire volume of the lymph nodes. Results 2CTTA demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the malignant and the benign lymph nodes (p=0,001), and by binary logistic regression we obtained a sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 97% in the test population. The area under the Receiver Operating Curve was 83.4% and reproducibility was excellent. ConclusionCTTA may be helpful in differentiating between malignant and benign lymph nodes in the mediastinum in patients suspected for lung cancer, with a low intraobserver variance.

Anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) may affect concentration levels and composition of biogenic secondary organic aerosols (BSOA) through photochemical reactions with biogenic organic precursors to form organosulfates and nitrooxy organosulfates. We investigated this influence in a field study from 19 May to 22 June, 2011 at two sampling sites in Denmark. Within the study, we identified a substantial number of organic acids, organosulfates and nitrooxy organosulfates in the ambient urban curbside and semi-rural background air. A high degree of correlation in concentrations was found among a group of specific organic acids, organosulfates and nitrooxy organosulfates, which may originate from various precursors, suggesting a common mechanism or factor affecting their concentration levels at the sites. It was proposed that the formation of those species most likely occurred on a larger spatial scale, with the compounds being long-range transported to the sites on the days with the highest concentrations. The origin of the long-range transported aerosols was investigated using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model in addition to modeled emissions of related precursors, including isoprene and monoterpenes using the global Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and SO 2 emissions using the European Monitoring and Evaluation Program (EMEP) database. The local impacts were also studied by examining the correlation between selected species, which showed significantly enhanced concentrations at the urban curbside site and the local concentrations of various gases, including SO 2 , ozone (O 3 ), NO x , aerosol acidity and other meteorological conditions. This investigation showed that an inter-play of the local parameters such as the aerosol acidity, NO x , SO 2 , relative humidity (RH), temperature and global radiation seemed to affect the concentration level of those species, suggesting the influence of aqueous aerosol chemistry. The local impacts, however, seemed minor compared to the regional impacts. The total concentrations of organosulfates and nitrooxy organosulfates, on average, contributed to approximately 0.5-0.8 % of PM 1 mass at the two sampling sites.

Histamine (HDC) inhibits formation and release of phagocyte-derived reactive oxygen species, and thereby protects natural killer (NK) and T cells against oxidative damage. Thus, the addition of histamine may potentially improve the efficacy of interleukin-2 (IL-2). We have explored this potential mechanism clinically in two randomised phase II trials in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In parallel with the clinical trial in Denmark (n ¼ 63), we obtained serial blood samples and tumour biopsies searching for a potential histamine effect in situ. At baseline and on-treatment weeks 3 and 8, we monitored the 'good guys' (i.e. NK and T cells) and 'bad guys' (i.e. monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils) simultaneously in blood (n ¼ 59) and tumour tissue (n ¼ 44). Patients with high number of monocytes and neutrophils in peripheral blood had very poor survival, with apparently no benefit from either IL-2 alone or IL-2/HDC treatment. Blood monocytes (r ¼ À0.36, P ¼ 0.01) and neutrophils (r ¼ À0.46, P ¼ 0.001) were negatively correlated with cytotoxicity, whereas blood NK cells were positively correlated with cytotoxicity (r ¼ 0.39, P ¼ 0.002). Treatment with IL-2 alone resulted in a significantly higher number of circulating monocytes (P ¼ 0.037) and intratumoral macrophages (P ¼ 0.005) compared with baseline. In contrast, IL-2/HDC resulted in an unchanged number of circulating monocytes and intratumoral macrophages, and in addition, a significantly increased number of intratumoral CD56 þ NK cells (P ¼ 0.008) and CD8 þ T cells (P ¼ 0.019) compared with baseline. The study provides evidence that circulating monocytes and neutrophils are powerful negative prognostic factors for IL-2-based immunotherapy and establishes a biological rationale for the potential use of histamine in conjunction with IL-2 in mRCC.

(Z)-11-Tetradecen-1-yl acetate, (E)-11-tetradecen-1-yl acetate, and (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol were previously reported as the sex pheromone in New York strains of the oblique-banded leafroller,Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), and (E)-11-tetradecen-1-ol was tentatively identified in female tip extracts. For Okanagan Valley strains ofC. rosaceana, an additional component, (Z)-11-tetradecenal, was identified from female tip extracts by split-less capillary gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy and was strongly stimulatory in electroantennogram studies. In field tests, 3 mg of 96.5∶2∶1.5 (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-yl acetate, (E)-11-tetradecen-1-yl acetate, and (Z)-11-tetradecen-1-ol (containing approx. 1%E isomer) was not as attractive as female-baited traps, and significant numbers of European leafrollerArchips rosanus L. were attracted. The above blend with 1% (Z)-11-tetradecenal added was significantly more attractive than traps baited with femaleC. rosaceana, butA. rosanus males were still attracted. Increased percentages of (Z)-11-tetradecenal up to 4% caused increased catches ofC. rosaceana and decreased catches ofA. rosanus. Low amounts of (E)-11-tetradecen-1-ol and (E)-11-tetradecenal male also contribute to increased specificity of the synthetic pheromone blend toC. rosaceana.

BackgroundAllergen Immunotherapy is a promising treatment of allergy. Seven patients with rhinoconjunctivitis to grass allergen were treated with intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) to explore whether this treatment could be performed. Effect of treatment was assessed as change in symptom medication score, response in skin prick test and nasal allergen provocation. ILIT deposits allergen in an inguinal lymph node to elicit a strong immune stimulus. This allowed us to monitor appearance of allergen specific plasmablasts 7 days after allergen injection.FindingsIn an open trial of seven patients with a history of symptomatic allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to grass pollen, three injections of allergen into inguinal lymph nodes were performed with monthly intervals. Allergen injections induced grass allergen specific plasmablasts expressing other isotypes than IgE after 7 days, induced a trend toward improvement in symptom and medication score and rhinoconjunctivitis-related quality of life during the grass pollen season 2013 and significantly raised the threshold in nasal allergen challenge and titrated skin prick testing. Mild side-effects were recorded after 3 of the 21 of injections (14 %).ConclusionsThis pilot study shows that ILIT may induce allergen specific plasmablasts, and confirms an effect on provocation of mast cells in skin and nasal mucosa during the ensuing winter.