No abstract

Highly sensitive methods, such as PNA clamping, may be superior to direct sequencing for the detection of EGFR mutations in diagnostic specimens with a low proportion of tumor cells. Direct sequencing may be more representative when diagnostic specimens with a high proportion of tumor cells are available.

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) is being increasingly used for body fluid specimens and has improved diagnostic accuracy when compared to conventional smears. We compared the diagnostic accuracy and cellular morphologic features between CellprepPlus® LBC and ThinPrep® LBC in effusion cytology. One hundred and eighty body fluid specimens, consisting of 119 pleural fluid specimens, 59 peritoneal fluid specimens, and 2 pericardial fluid specimens, were obtained from 166 patients. Equal volumes of body fluid from each specimen were used in the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® preparations. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were evaluated. In addition, we selected 16 specimens from patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma, confirmed them by both LBC preparations, and measured the size of the nucleus in the tumor cells in these specimens. The sensitivity of the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® methods was 73.1% and 50.0%, respectively. The specificity and positive predictive values were 100% for both LBC methods, and the negative predictive values of the CellprepPlus® and ThinPrep® methods were 90.9% and 83.3%, respectively. The average nuclear size of the tumor cells was calculated as 20.87 μm using the CellprepPlus® method and 15.08 μm using the ThinPrep® method (P < 0.05). The CellprepPlus® method provided better diagnostic accuracy of effusion cytology compared to the ThinPrep® method and revealed the characteristic morphological features of tumor cells, including large and hypochromatic nuclei, prominent nucleoli, distinct nuclear membranes, and high cellularity.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that selectively affects motor neurons in the cortex, brain stem, and spinal cord. The precise pathogenic mechanism remains unknown, and there is currently no effective therapy. We evaluated the therapeutic effects of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) in an animal model of ALS. Human abdominal subcutaneous fat tissues were obtained by simple liposuction from donors, and ASCs were isolated from the fat stromal vascular fraction. ASCs were found to differentiate into adipocytes, chondrocytes, osteocytes, and neurons. SOD1G93A ALS mice were divided into three groups: sham, intravenous (IV), and intracerebroventricular (ICV) groups. Human ASCs were transplanted in the ALS mice at 70 postnatal days before the appearance of clinical symptoms. Behavior of transplanted animals was assessed by rotarod test, paw grip endurance (PaGE), and reflex index. Mice in every group were sacrificed after 4 weeks posttransplantation. Transplanted ASCs were identified in the lumbar spinal cords with an antihuman mitochondria antibody and cell type-specific markers for neurons or astrocytes. Delayed onset of clinical symptoms (26 days) and extended survival of animals (24 days) were observed in ALS mice transplanted with ASCs via ICV route. ASCs were found to secrete high levels of neurotrophic factors such as NGF, BDNF, IGF-1, and VEGF. Reduction of apoptotic cell death by these factors was confirmed in cultured CNS cells and in the ALS spinal cord. These results indicate that transplantation of ASCs in ALS mice provides neuroprotective effects by production of cytokines/growth factors, delays disease progression, and prolongs the life span of ALS mice.

Purpose Recent evidence suggests that cough hypersensitivity may be a common feature of chronic cough in adults. However, the clinical relevance remains unclear. This study evaluated the cough-related symptom profile and the clinical relevance and impact of cough hypersensitivity in adults with chronic cough. Methods This cross-sectional multi-center study compared cough-related laryngeal sensations and cough triggers in patients with unexplained chronic cough following investigations and in unselected patients newly referred for chronic cough. A structured questionnaire was used to assess abnormal laryngeal sensations and cough triggers. Patients with unexplained cough were also evaluated using the Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) and a cough visual analogue scale (VAS), and these scores were assessed for correlations with the number of triggers and laryngeal sensations. Results This study recruited 478 patients, including 62 with unexplained chronic cough and 416 with chronic cough. Most participants reported abnormal laryngeal sensations and cough triggers. Laryngeal sensations (4.4 ± 1.5 vs. 3.9 ± 1.9; P = 0.049) and cough triggers (6.9 ± 2.6 vs. 5.0 ± 2.8; P < 0.001) were more frequent in patients with unexplained chronic cough than in those with chronic cough. The number of triggers and laryngeal sensations score significantly correlated with LCQ ( r = −0.51, P < 0.001) and cough VAS score ( r = 0.53, P < 0.001) in patients with unexplained chronic cough. Conclusions Cough hypersensitivity may be a common feature in adult patients with chronic cough, especially those with unexplained chronic cough. Cough-related health status and cough severity were inversely associated with the number of triggers and laryngeal sensations, suggesting potential relevance of assessing cough hypersensitivity in chronic cough patients.