1,720,972 research outputs found
Pulmonary plasma cell disorders: histopathology, diagnosis, and clinical perspectives
No full textPlasma cell disorders in the lungs include a broad range of conditions from benign reactive processes to malignant neoplasms. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of these diseases, focusing on their histopathological, immunohistochemical, and diagnostic characteristics. Four case studies illustrate the diagnostic challenges in distinguishing between reactive plasma cell infiltrates and neoplastic conditions. Key diagnostic tools, such as histological analysis and molecular techniques, are discussed to guide clinical evaluation. A systematic approach to diagnosis and management is mandatory for treatment decisions. Understanding the full spectrum of plasma cell abnormalities in the lung enables clinicians and pathologists to achieve accurate diagnoses and improve patient outcomes
The clinical relevance of lymphocyte to monocyte ratio in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
No full text: Disease course in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is highly heterogeneous and markers of disease progression would be helpful. Blood leukocyte count has been studied in cancer patients and a reduced lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR) has been show to predict survival. Thus, we aimed to investigate the role of monocytes count and LMR in three distinct population of patients with IPF: 77 newly-diagnosed IPF, 40 with end-stage IPF and 17 IPF with lung cancer. In newly-diagnosed IPF patients, we observed a negative correlation between forced vital capacity (FVC) at diagnosis and both white blood cells and monocytes count (r = -0.24; p = 0.04 and r = -0.27; p = 0.01; respectively). Moreover, a high monocytes count was independently associated with functional decline (OR: 1.004, 95%CI 1.00-1.01; p = 0.03). In newly-diagnosed IPF, the LMR cut-off at diagnosis was 4.18 with an AUC of 0.67 (95%CI 0.5417-0.7960; p = 0.025), and overall survival was significantly worse in patients with a LMR<4.18 compared to patients with a LMR≥4.18 (HR: 6.88, 95%CI 2.55-18.5; p = 0.027). LMR was significantly lower in IPF patients with lung cancer compared to those newly diagnosed with IPF [2.2 (0.8-4.4), 3.5 (0.8-8.8); p < 0.0001] and those with end-stage disease [3.6 (2-6.5); p < 0.0001]. In conclusion, a LMR<4.18 is associated with significantly shorter survival in newly-diagnosed IPF patients. In addition, LMR is significantly lower in patients with IPF and lung cancer compared to patients with newly-diagnosed IPF. High monocytes count at baseline negatively correlates with FVC and is an independent predictor of disease progression in newly-diagnosed IPF patients
CA 19-9 serum levels in patients with end-stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs): Correlation with functional decline
Full text linkIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis presents a progressive and heterogeneous functional decline. CA 19-9 has been proposed as biomarker to predict disease course, but its role remains unclear. We assessed CA 19-9 levels and clinical data in end-stage ILD patients (48 IPF and 20 non-IPF ILD) evaluated for lung transplant, to correlate these levels with functional decline. Patients were categorized based on their rate of functional decline as slow (n = 20; ΔFVC%pred ≤ 10%/year) or rapid progressors (n = 28; ΔFVC%pred ≥ 10%/year). Nearly half of the entire patients (n = 32; 47%) had CA 19-9 levels ≥37kU/L. CA 19-9 levels in IPF were not different from non-IPF ILD populations, however, the latter group had a median CA 19-9 level above the normal cut-off value of 37 KU/l (60 [17-247] kU/L). Among IPF patients, CA 19-9 was higher in slow than in rapid progressors with a trend toward significance (33vs17kU/L; p = 0.055). In the whole population, CA19-9 levels were inversely related with ΔFVC/year (r = -0.261; p = 0.03), this correlation remained in IPF patients, particularly in rapid progressors (r = -0.51; p = 0.005), but not in non. Moreover, IPF rapid progressors with normal CA 19-9 levels showed the greater ΔFVC/year compared to those with abnormal CA 19-9 (0.95 vs. 0.65 L/year; p = 0.03). In patients with end-stage ILD, CA 19-9 may represent a marker of disease severity, whereas its level is inversely correlated with functional decline, particularly among IPF rapid progressors
Long-Term Macrolides in Chronic Respiratory Diseases: Dusk or a New Dawn? A Narrative Review
No full text
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Lung cancer and interstitial lung diseases: immunological and molecular presentation
No full textreservedBackground: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a heterogeneous group of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. Fibrotic ILD are known independent risk factor for lung cancer (LC) and shares predisposing factors. Particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the archetype for ILD, occurring predominantly in male smokers 60 years old, has a well-established link with LC development. However, few data are available about these patients and molecular and histopathological features of LC associated with ILD are yet to be fully understood, especially in the light of the new therapeutic opportunities. Identifying a specific phenotype of ILD-LC should be the key to providing a basis for an upcoming specific therapeutic regimen.
Aim of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the histological, immunological, and mutational presentation of LC in ILD patients. To this aim, we evaluated LC in a retrospectively enrolled cohort and compared IPF and non-IPF-ILD patients. To better evaluate PD-L1 positivity and expression and the prevalence of driver mutations, ILD-LC patients were compared to a cohort of non-smoker with LC patients and a cohort of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with LC patients. We also aimed to evaluate different treatment strategies among the populations.
Material and methods: Patients with ILD-LC were enrolled between 2019 and 2024. ILD-LC patients were divided into two subgroups based on diagnosis. IPF and non-IPF-ILDs were compared. Demographics, clinical, haematological, and functional data were gathered at LC diagnosis. PD-L1 expression and actionable mutations were analysed as appropriate only in NSCLC. PD-L1 and driver mutations were compared with non-smoker and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with LC enrolled between 2019 and 2023. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of ILD, histotype, PD-L1, mutations and treatment strategies.
Results: 43 patients with ILD-LC were enrolled. Of them, 17 were diagnosed with IPF, while 26 with Non-IPF-ILD. IPF and Non-IPF-ILD patients were similar regarding clinical, functional and blood count data. LC histotype was similar between IPF and Non-IPF-ILD populations. However, IPF patients presented a higher prevalence of adenocarcinoma (ADC) (41%) while Non-IPF-ILD had a higher prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (50%). The two populations were similar in their overall survival. To better evaluate the role of PD-L1 and mutations the 33 ILD patients presenting NSCLC were compared to 22 non-smoker and 29 COPD patients with LC. ILD patients did not present any difference regarding PD-L1 expression when evaluated as a whole. When divided IPF patients presented a statistically significant lower PD-L1 positivity (31 vs 90 vs 59 vs 76%, p=0.002) and expression (0 vs 47.5 vs 4 vs 15%, p=0.02) compared to non-IPF-ILDs, non-smokers and COPD patients. ILD patients presented a lower prevalence of driver mutations, with IPF showing the lowest compared to the other populations (14 vs 43 vs 82 vs 58%, p=0.01). The populations did not differ regarding the treatment approach. COPD patients showed the worst survival, with non-smokers presenting the best. Surgery showed the best overall survival even among the ILD population. The presence of mutations or PD-L1 positivity did not modify the survival.
Conclusions: ILD-LC needs utmost attention for early detection. In IPF patients the condition is further complicated by the low prevalence of PD-L1 positivity and driver mutations. Even in ILD patients, with the right clinical characteristics, surgery has the best survival. Further studies prospective studies are needed to better understand the prognostic role of PD-L1 and driver mutations in ILD patients.Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a heterogeneous group of diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. Fibrotic ILD are known independent risk factor for lung cancer (LC) and shares predisposing factors. Particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the archetype for ILD, occurring predominantly in male smokers 60 years old, has a well-established link with LC development. However, few data are available about these patients and molecular and histopathological features of LC associated with ILD are yet to be fully understood, especially in the light of the new therapeutic opportunities. Identifying a specific phenotype of ILD-LC should be the key to providing a basis for an upcoming specific therapeutic regimen.
Aim of the study: This study aimed to evaluate the histological, immunological, and mutational presentation of LC in ILD patients. To this aim, we evaluated LC in a retrospectively enrolled cohort and compared IPF and non-IPF-ILD patients. To better evaluate PD-L1 positivity and expression and the prevalence of driver mutations, ILD-LC patients were compared to a cohort of non-smoker with LC patients and a cohort of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with LC patients. We also aimed to evaluate different treatment strategies among the populations.
Material and methods: Patients with ILD-LC were enrolled between 2019 and 2024. ILD-LC patients were divided into two subgroups based on diagnosis. IPF and non-IPF-ILDs were compared. Demographics, clinical, haematological, and functional data were gathered at LC diagnosis. PD-L1 expression and actionable mutations were analysed as appropriate only in NSCLC. PD-L1 and driver mutations were compared with non-smoker and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with LC enrolled between 2019 and 2023. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of ILD, histotype, PD-L1, mutations and treatment strategies.
Results: 43 patients with ILD-LC were enrolled. Of them, 17 were diagnosed with IPF, while 26 with Non-IPF-ILD. IPF and Non-IPF-ILD patients were similar regarding clinical, functional and blood count data. LC histotype was similar between IPF and Non-IPF-ILD populations. However, IPF patients presented a higher prevalence of adenocarcinoma (ADC) (41%) while Non-IPF-ILD had a higher prevalence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (50%). The two populations were similar in their overall survival. To better evaluate the role of PD-L1 and mutations the 33 ILD patients presenting NSCLC were compared to 22 non-smoker and 29 COPD patients with LC. ILD patients did not present any difference regarding PD-L1 expression when evaluated as a whole. When divided IPF patients presented a statistically significant lower PD-L1 positivity (31 vs 90 vs 59 vs 76%, p=0.002) and expression (0 vs 47.5 vs 4 vs 15%, p=0.02) compared to non-IPF-ILDs, non-smokers and COPD patients. ILD patients presented a lower prevalence of driver mutations, with IPF showing the lowest compared to the other populations (14 vs 43 vs 82 vs 58%, p=0.01). The populations did not differ regarding the treatment approach. COPD patients showed the worst survival, with non-smokers presenting the best. Surgery showed the best overall survival even among the ILD population. The presence of mutations or PD-L1 positivity did not modify the survival.
Conclusions: ILD-LC needs utmost attention for early detection. In IPF patients the condition is further complicated by the low prevalence of PD-L1 positivity and driver mutations. Even in ILD patients, with the right clinical characteristics, surgery has the best survival. Further studies prospective studies are needed to better understand the prognostic role of PD-L1 and driver mutations in ILD patients
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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