Low-power Field Research Articles

Current modulation in graphene p–n junctions with external fields

In this work we describe a proposal for a graphene-based nanostructure that modulates electric current even in the absence of a gap in the band structure. The device consists of a graphene p–n junction that acts as a Veselago lens that focuses ballistic electrons on the output lead. Applying external (electric and magnetic) fields changes the position of the output focus, reducing the transmission. Such device can be applied to low power field effect transistors, which can benefit from graphene’s high electronic mobility.

Superconducting Parametric Amplifiers: The State of the Art in Josephson Parametric Amplifiers

In superconducting quantum computing, qubit state information is conveyed via low-power microwave fields. As such, ultralow-noise microwave amplification plays a central role in measuring these fields to quickly and accurately infer the qubit state. To this end, parametric amplification, once a well-known concept for low-noise amplifiers during the 1960s and 1970s, has become the leading technology for enabling highly efficient microwave measurements of these quantum circuits. While current research efforts have elements in common with much earlier work, there are some important differences that distinguish this new generation of amplifiers. Here, we try to give an overview of what this excitement is about, how these devices work, and where there are opportunities for improvement.

Onboard Visual Horizon Detection for Unmanned Aerial Systems with Programmable Logic

We introduce and analyze a fast horizon detection algorithm with native radial distortion handling and its implementation on a low power field programmable gate array (FPGA) development board in this paper. The algorithm is suited for visual applications in an airborne environment, that is on board a small unmanned aircraft. The algorithm was designed to have low complexity because of the power consumption requirements. To keep the computational cost low, an initial guess for the horizon is used, which is provided by the attitude heading reference system of the aircraft. The camera model takes radial distortions into account, which is necessary for a wide-angle lens used in most applications. This paper presents formulae for distorted horizon lines and a gradient sampling-based resolution-independent single shot algorithm for finding a horizon with radial distortion without undistortion of the complete image. The implemented algorithm is part of our visual sense-and-avoid system, where it is used for the sky-ground separation, and the performance of the algorithm is tested on real flight data. The FPGA implementation of the horizon detection method makes it possible to add this efficient module to any FPGA-based vision system.

Heating of Ti3C2Tx MXene/polymer composites in response to Radio Frequency fields

Here we report for the first time that Ti3C2Tx/polymer composite films rapidly heat when exposed to low-power radio frequency fields. Ti3C2Tx MXenes possess a high dielectric loss tangent, which is correlated with this rapid heating under electromagnetic fields. Thermal imaging confirms that these structures are capable of extraordinary heating rates (as high as 303 K/s) that are frequency- and concentration-dependent. At high loading (and high conductivity), Ti3C2Tx MXene composites do not heat under RF fields due to reflection of electromagnetic waves, whereas composites with low conductivity do not heat due to the lack of an electrical percolating network. Composites with an intermediate loading and a conductivity between 10–1000 S m−1 rapidly generate heat under RF fields. This finding unlocks a new property of Ti3C2Tx MXenes and a new material for potential RF-based applications.

2140. Utility of Respiratory Specimen Gram Stain for Predicting Final Culture Result in Patients with Clinically Diagnosed Pneumonia

BackgroundObtaining a high-quality respiratory tract specimen for Gram stain and culture in patients with suspected lower respiratory tract infections is recommended by the IDSA guidelines. However, conflicting results correlating Gram stain with final culture growth has led to questions about the utility of a respiratory specimen Gram stain. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation of Gram stain with final culture in patients with pneumonia.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted to evaluate adult inpatients with a diagnosis of pneumonia (based on the CDC surveillance definition) who had a respiratory specimen submitted for Gram stain and culture. A specimen was considered acceptable if less than ten epithelial cells were visualized under low power field. Each Gram stain was compared with the corresponding final culture. The primary outcome was to evaluate the correlation of Gram stain with final culture using positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, and specificity. A culture was considered negative if no bacteria were isolated or if only normal flora grew. Secondary outcomes were PPV and NPV based on antibiotic exposure prior to specimen collection, semi-quantitative number of bacteria on Gram stain, and collection method. Additionally, discordance between Gram stain and final culture morphology was evaluated.ResultsA total of 269 acceptable specimens were assessed. Of the 72 specimens with a positive Gram stain, 41 yielded bacteria in final culture (PPV: 56.9%). In contrast, 154 of the 197 specimens with a negative Gram stain were associated with negative final culture (NPV: 76.7%). The NPV of Gram stain was decreased when antibiotics were given for > 24 hours pre-specimen. The PPV of Gram stain improved as an increasing amount of bacteria were reported. Less invasive collection methods had a lower PPV but a higher NPV in comparison to invasive collection methods. Finally, the discordance rate between Gram stain and final culture morphology was low.ConclusionThis study shows inconsistent results regarding the ability of Gram stain to predict final culture. Pneumonia should continue to be managed clinically and caution taken prior to adjusting empiric antimicrobial regimens based solely on the Gram stain.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

A low-power and high-sensitivity magnetic field sensor based on converse magnetoelectric effect

Tremendous progress has been made in boosting the realization of magnetoelectric (ME) magnetometers based on the direct ME effect (DME) for bulk ME laminates. In this work, we studied the potential of an electrically driven bulk magnetic field sensor based on the converse ME effect (CME). Starting from a discussion about the dependence of the induced voltage from the pickup coil on coil parameters and the CME coupling process, we then experimentally measured the optimized bias field in the off resonance region and observed the double-peak phenomenon that occurred within the resonance window. More importantly, the optimization with respect to the sample's dimension, excitation voltage, and frequency was conducted to improve the sensing capability for low-frequency magnetic fields. It was experimentally found that a limit of detection (LoD) of ∼115 pT for a magnetic field of 10 Hz and ∼300 pT for a magnetic field of 1 Hz was achieved when exciting the ME laminate at 1 V without any bias field. In this case, the power consumption for the ME laminate is only 0.56 mW, which is much lower compared to tens of milliwatts (10–100 mW) for optically pumped or flux gate sensors (excluding the power consumption from the electronics) and also shows advantages over conventional ME magnetic field sensors based on DME with a current pump.

Endoscopic transmastoid posterior petrosal approach for locally aggressive tumors in the petrous part of the temporal bone involving the internal auditory canal, jugular foramen, and hypoglossal canal.

The posterior petrosal approach is an established surgical method offering wide access to skull base lesions through mastoid air cells. The authors describe their experience with the endoscopic transmastoid "posterior petrosal" approach (EPPAP) for skull base tumors involving the internal auditory canal (IAC), jugular foramen, and hypoglossal canal. The EPPAP was performed for 7 tumors (3 chordomas, 2 chondrosarcomas, 1 schwannoma, and 1 solitary fibrous tumor). All surgical procedures were performed under endoscopic visualization with mastoidectomy. The compact bone of the mastoid air cells and posterior surface of the petrous bone are carefully removed behind the semicircular canals. When removal of cancellous bone is extended superomedially through the infralabyrinthine space, the surgeon can expose the IAC and petrous portion of the internal carotid artery to reach the petrous apex (infralabyrinthine route). When removal of cancellous bone is extended inferomedially along the sigmoid sinus, the surgeon can safely reach the jugular foramen (transjugular route). Drilling of the inferior surface of petrous bone is extended further inferoposteriorly behind the jugular bulb to approach the hypoglossal canal and parapharyngeal space through the lateral aspect of the occipital condyle (infrajugular route). Of the 7 tumors, gross-total resection was achieved in 4 (57.1%), subtotal resection (> 95% removal) in 2 (28.6%), and partial resection (90% removal) in 1 (14.2%). Postoperatively, 2 of 3 patients with exudative otitis media showed improvement of hearing deterioration, as did 2 patients with tinnitus. Hypoglossal nerve palsy and swallowing difficulty were improved after surgery in 2 patients and 1 patient, respectively. In 1 patient with severe cranial nerve deficits before surgery, symptoms did not show any improvement. The authors present their preliminary experience with EPPAP for skull base tumors in the petrous part of the temporal bone and the lateral part of the occipital condyle involving the cranial nerves and internal carotid arteries. The microscope showed a higher-quality image and illumination in the low-power field. However, the endoscope could offer wider visualization of the surgical field and contribute to minimizing the size of the surgical pathways, necessity of brain retraction, and eventually the invasiveness of surgery. Thus, the EPPAP may be safe and effective for skull base tumors in the petrous region, achieving balance between the radicality and invasiveness of the skull base surgery.

Controlling the Phenotype of Tumor-Infiltrating Macrophages via the PHD-HIF Axis Inhibits Tumor Growth in a Mouse Model.

SummaryThe tumor microenvironment (TME) polarizes tumor-infiltrating macrophages toward tumor support. Macrophage-abundant tumors are highly malignant and are the cause of poor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. In this study, we show that the prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) inhibitor FG-4592 (FG) inhibits tumor growth of macrophage-abundant tumors and prolongs mouse survival. FG not only normalizes tumor vessels and improves tumor oxygenation but also directly affects macrophages and activates phagocytosis through the PHD-hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) axis. Remarkably, FG can promote phagocytic ability of the Ly6Clo subset of tumor-infiltrating macrophages, leading to tumor growth inhibition. Moreover, Ly6Cneg macrophages contributed to blood vessel normalization. Using a malignant tumor mouse model, we characterized macrophage function and subsets. Altogether, our findings suggest that the PHD inhibitor can promote the anti-tumor potential of macrophages to improve cancer therapy.

Abstract 4964: Associations between hepatitis etiology and immune cell infiltration in or around hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that the abundance of immune cells may be associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis. Because HCC has various hepatitis etiologies, we studied the associations between hepatitis etiology and regional lymphocyte infiltration at and beside the tumor. Methods: We collected tumor samples from patients who received curative surgery for HCC. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on tissue slides, which were then scanned using TissueFAXS v4.2 and analyzed using HistoQuest v4.0 (both from TissueGnostics Inc.). We calculated the amount of total T cells (CD3 positive), CD8 T cells (CD8 positive), and macrophages (CD68 positive) inside the tumor (IT), at the tumor margin (TM), and outside the tumor (OT). For analysis at IT and TM, the whole area were examined. For analysis at OT, only the five areas with the highest cell density at the low power fields were analyzed. For each area, we defined low and high cell density according to the median values. We then explored the associations of these cell distributions and HCC etiologies or prognosis. Results: We included HCC samples from 120 patients. Among them, 76 (63%) had hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, 28 (23%) had hepatitis C virus infection, 14 patients had neither infections, and 1 patient had both HBV and HCV infection. The amount of total T cells (p < 0.001), CD8 T cells (p < 0.001), and total macrophages (p < 0.001) were all significantly higher at TM than at IT. HCV-positive tumors, compared to HBV-positive tumors had more total T cells inside (p = 0.040) and outside the tumors (p < 0.001), but similar total T cells at the margin. On the contrary, the amount of CD8 T cells and total macrophages were similar between HBV-positive and HCV-positive tumors at IT, TM, and OT. Samples of 112 patients included both IT and TM area. Using CD8 cell counts for classification, 40 (33%) were IThighTMhigh, 16 (13%) were ITlowTMhigh, 42 (35%) were ITlowTMlow, and 14 (12%) were IThighTMlow. Patients with ITlowTMlow tumors tended to have poorer overall survival than other patients (p = 0.085), but patients with IThighTMhigh, ITlowTMhigh, and IThighTMlow tumor had similar prognosis (p = 0.770). Hepatitis virus infected tumors were significantly less likely to be ITlowTMlow than hepatitis virus uninfected tumors (33% vs. 69%, p = 0.010); HBV-infected and HCV-infected tumors had similar percentages of ITlowTMlow tumors (68% vs. 65%, p = 0.837). Conclusions: HCV infection was associated with higher total T cell infiltration inside and outside the tumors. Hepatitis virus uninfected tumors were more likely to have low CD8 cells both inside and at the margin of HCC. Citation Format: Yu-Yun Shao, Min-Shu Hsieh, Yun-Ting Tsai, Ying-Chun Shen, Zhong-Zhe Lin, Ann-Lii Cheng, Chih-Hung Hsu. Associations between hepatitis etiology and immune cell infiltration in or around hepatocellular carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4964.

Dual three‐phase permanent magnet synchronous machine investigation for battery electric vehicle power‐trains

A dual three-phase machine with interior permanent magnet rotor and distributed winding has been studied and compared to a commercial automotive traction machine, the Nissan Leaf IPM machine. The performance of the two designs are compared for typical traction operating points, via high torque, low speed and low torque, high speed, and constant power field weakening operation. The dual three-phase machine is shown to have improved torque density and torque quality without compromising efficiency.

A 3–14 GHz, Self-Body Biased Common-Gate UWB LNA for Wireless Applications in 90 nm CMOS

Inspired from continuous growth in the field of low power and low noise wireless communication devices, a low noise amplifier (LNA) using self-body biased common-gate (CG) configuration is presented in this paper. The proposed LNA is designed for 3–14[Formula: see text]GHz ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency range using 90[Formula: see text]nm CMOS process. Common-gate configuration with self-body biasing has been used at the input stage to provide wideband input matching with low noise figure (NF) for the complete UWB frequency. An impedance matching network consisting of parallel to series RLC network has been used between common-gate and cascaded common source (CS) stages. Two stages of the CS configuration have been used for bandwidth enhancement and to increase the power gain (S[Formula: see text]) with acceptable NF. Buffer stage at the output has been used to achieve output reflection coefficient (S[Formula: see text]) less than [Formula: see text]10.8[Formula: see text]dB. The proposed LNA achieves an average S[Formula: see text] of 15.9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]0.7[Formula: see text]dB with a maximum of 16.7[Formula: see text]dB at 3.0[Formula: see text]GHz and NF of 1.68–2.7[Formula: see text]dB for 3.1–10.6[Formula: see text]GHz UWB frequency range. It provides input reflection coefficient (S[Formula: see text]) less than [Formula: see text]10.2[Formula: see text]dB, reverse isolation (S[Formula: see text]) less than [Formula: see text]75.8[Formula: see text]dB and a NF of 1.68–4.0[Formula: see text]dB throughout the proposed UWB frequency range. The proposed LNA provides input 1[Formula: see text]dB compression point (P1dB) of [Formula: see text]13[Formula: see text]dBm and input third-order intercept point (IIP3) of [Formula: see text]8[Formula: see text]dBm at 6[Formula: see text]GHz. It consumes 20.1[Formula: see text]mW of power from a 1.2[Formula: see text]V power supply.

Epiblepharon correction in Korean children based on the epicanthal pathology.

This study aims to investigate the surgical outcomes of a novel epiblepharon correction method based on the pathologic features of epicanthal tissue. The correlation between the pathology and clinical presentations was also studied. This retrospective study included 72 eyelids of 36 children with epiblepharon and epicanthal folds. From July 2013 to March 2016, epicanthal tension-releasing procedure of subdermal fibrinolysis with orbicularis oculi ring myotomy were performed in 36 children. Photographs before and after operation were analyzed with Image J program. A clinical severity of the epiblepharon was scored based on the lower eyelid skin fold height (mild to severe). Subdermal fibrosis index was defined as the portion of fibrosis in low power field (× 40) and eyelid contour was assessed with custom software (MATLAB). Eighty eyelids without eyelid pathology were analyzed to establish the normal eyelid contour. The epicanthal tissues were classified into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe fibrosis. The mean age of the patients was 5.5years. Intercanthal distance (ICD) ratio was defined as Inner ICD (IICD)/outer ICD (OICD). The IICD/OICD was 0.41 in the severe epiblepharon group that is significantly longer compared to that of the mild epiblepharon group (0.38). Subdermal fibrosis index was higher in severe epiblepharon group. Eyelid contour was normalized and the cilia touch was resolved after the epicanthal tension-releasing procedure. Epicanthal tension-releasing procedure with orbicularis oculi ring myotomy achieved favorable surgical outcomes. Clinical correlations with pathologic findings and satisfactory results of the procedure suggest that medial epicanthal fibrosis is the main pathologic feature causing epiblepharon and epicanthal folds.

Voltage-Control of Magnetism in All-Solid-State and Solid/Liquid Magnetoelectric Composites.

The control of magnetism by means of low-power electric fields, rather than dissipative flowing currents, has the potential to revolutionize conventional methods of data storage and processing, sensing, and actuation. A promising strategy relies on the utilization of magnetoelectric composites to finely tune the interplay between electric and magnetic degrees of freedom at the interface of two functional materials. Albeit early works predominantly focused on the magnetoelectric coupling at solid/solid interfaces; however, recently there has been an increased interest related to the opportunities offered by liquid-gating techniques. Here, a comparative overview on voltage control of magnetism in all-solid-state and solid/liquid composites is presented within the context of the principal coupling mediators, i.e., strain, charge carrier doping, and ionic intercalation. Further, an exhaustive and critical discussion is carried out, concerning the suitability of using the common definition of coupling coefficient to compare the strength of the interaction between electricity and magnetism among different magnetoelectric systems.

Alendronate Associated Minimal Change Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review

1. Abstract Kidney injury associated with bisphosphonates is well known in literature, though its more common with intravenous bisphosphonates. Case reports about focal segmental glomerulosclerosis are reported with oral and intravenous bisphosphonates. We present a case of 87-year-old female with acute renal failure and volume overload found to have minimal change disease on biopsy while on Alendronate for a period of four months. She has failed oral prednisone treatment and is now dependent on hemodialysis. This is probably the first case report of minimal change disease with oral bisphosphonates. 2. Keywords: <span style=font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;color:black;mso-themecolor:text1=>Alendronate; Acute renal failure; Hemodialysis; Minimal change disease 3. Abbreviations: <span style=font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family: times= new= roman,serif;color:black;mso-themecolor:text1=> mm:Millimeters; Hg:Mercury; g/dl:Grams per deciliter;LPF: Low Power Field;WBC:White Blood Cells;HPF:High Power Field;RBC:Red Blood Cells; HIV:Human Immunodeficiency Virus; ANA: Antinuclear Antibody; pANCA: perinuclear Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody; GBM: Glomerular Basement Membrane; Ab:Antibody; PO:Per Oral

High-performance Zinc-Tin-Oxide thin film transistors based on environment friendly solution process

Zinc-Tin-Oxide (ZTO) thin films were fabricated using a simple and eco-friendly sol-gel method and their application in thin film transistors (TFTs) was investigated. Annealing temperature has a crucial influence on the structure and electrical properties of sol-gel ZTO thin films. The ZTO thin films annealed at 300–600 °C revealed smooth and uniform surfaces with amorphous state, in addition, a high optical transparency over 90% of the ZTO films in the visible range was obtained. The electrical performance of ZTO TFTs showed obvious dependence on annealing temperature. The ZTO TFTs annealed at 500 °C showed a high carrier mobility of 5.9 cm2/V, high on/off current ratio (Ion/off) of 106-107, and threshold voltage (Vth) of 1.03 V. To demonstrate the application of sol-gel ZTO films in low-power display fields, we also fabricated ZTO TFTs with a solution-processed high-permittivity (high-k) ZrTiOx dielectric layer. The ZTO/ZrTiOx TFTs showed high mobility of 17.9 cm2/V and Ion/off of 105-106 at a low operation voltage of 3 V, indicating that Indium-free ZTO thin films would be potential candidates for low cost, high performance oxide TFT devices.

Autonomous monitoring framework for resource-constrained environments

ABSTRACTThe availability of low-cost imaging devices for embedded applications has enabled development of wireless monitoring systems capable of acquiring and transmitting both image and video data. Remote deployment of such systems is often constrained by limited power resources, thus a system must operate autonomously, balancing operational needs against available resources. This paper describes a framework for the design and implementation of an autonomous embedded remote monitoring system employing information-driven sensing to conserve energy and extend the system deployment lifetime.The results from two case studies show improvements over a conventional system and other similar systems through the use of intelligent algorithms for reliable event detection and enhanced system operational lifetime by efficient utilisation of limited resources. The results are applicable to low-power battery-operated field devices offering better resource utilisation in disaster management systems, intelligent transportation and remote monitoring.

Abstract 5701: Verification of the methodology for evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in colorectal cancer

Abstract Background: The density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) have been reported to reflect antitumor immune response and correlate with prognosis in malignancy. However, the methodology for evaluating the density of TILs by an immunohistochemical analysis differs among reports. The aim of this study was to verify the methodology for evaluating the density of TILs by immunohistochemical analysis and thereby identify the optimum methodology in clinical setting. Methods: Three-hundred-thirteen patients who underwent curative operation for stage II/III colorectal cancer were enrolled. We retrospectively examined the density of TILs using immunohistochemical staining according to each method as follows: 1) subset of lymphocytes (i.e. CD4+/CD8+), 2) selected fields (i.e. at random or focusing on hot spots), 3) location in low-power field (i.e. the invasive margin [TILsIM] or the center of the tumor [TILsCT] or the surface of the tumor [TILsST]), and 4) location in high-power field (i.e. in tumor stroma [sTILs] or intra-tumor cells [iTILs] or total TILs [tTILs: sTILs+iTILs]). We then assessed the prognostic value of the density of TILsIM evaluated as described above. We also evaluated the correlation between the density of TILsIM and that of TILsCT/TILsST. Results: In randomly selected fields, the densities of CD8+sTILsIM and CD8+tTILsIM were significantly associated with the survival. However, the densities of TILs evaluated via other methods were not associated with the survival. Furthermore, the density of CD8+TILsIM was significantly associated with that of CD8+TILsCT and CD8+TILsST. Conclusions: We concluded that best and easiest way to evaluate the density of TILs in the clinical setting may be to assess the density of total CD8+TILs at the invasive margin in randomly selected fields. Citation Format: Shinji Matsutani, Masatsune Shibutani, Kiyoshi Maeda, Hisashi Nagahara, Tatsunari Fukuoka, Tatsuro Tamura, Go Ohira, Sadaaki Yamazoe, Kenjiro Kimura, Takahiro Toyokawa, Ryosuke Amano, Hiroaki Tanaka, Kazuya Muguruma, Kosei Hirakawa, Masaichi Ohira. Verification of the methodology for evaluating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5701.

Ways of further improving the quality of iron ore concentrates at PJSC «Poltava GOK» in modern conditions

The possibility of improving the quality of magnetite concentrates by modernizing the main operations of magnetic flotation enrichment technology is substantiated. The possibility of using a moving layer of magnetite particles for separating a suspension of iron ore, which is created in the gaps of slots of permanent magnets of dismollectors, is determined. For the first time, tests were carried out to convert end concentrates to ultrasonic fields of low power to improve their technological properties.The work of machines such as «magnetic sieve» type, as well as magnetic gidroseparators (MGS), in which the additional slit magnetic system is installed, is shown. For the first time, end-concentrate treatment with low-power ultrasound fields has been performed to improve their technological properties. Ultrasonic treatment allows obtaining increased flotation properties of the final concentrates, after cleaning the surface of the divided particles from adhesion contamination.Practical recommendations for conducting semi-industrial tests of combined magnetic-hydrodynamic technology in connection with ultrasonic cleaning of flotation products have been developed for bringing finest concentrates to Fe-70 %.

Neovascularization after ischemic conditioning of the stomach and the influence of follow-up neoadjuvant chemotherapy thereon.

IntroductionEsophagectomy and reconstruction remain the optimal treatment for patients with resectable esophageal cancer. Neovascularization after ischemic conditioning of the stomach before esophagectomy is a laparoscopic procedure which may potentially reduce gastric conduit ischemia.AimTo investigate the influence of ischemic conditioning on neovascularization along the greater curvature of the stomach and to explore the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on neovascularization after ischemic conditioning.Material and methodsStaging laparoscopy was performed before the main resection procedure; during this procedure ischemic conditioning was performed. Samples taken from the human stomach were divided into 3 groups: group A – patients after ischemic conditioning with a delay of 30–45 days after left gastric artery (LGA) ligation (n = 4); group B – patients who were undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a delay of 90–140 days after left gastric artery ligation (n = 4); and control group C – patients without ischemic conditioning (n = 7).ResultsAfter ischemic conditioning with a delay of 30–45 days, the count of neovessels along the greater curvature of the stomach increased from 5.4 ±0.7 in the control group to 17.5 ±0.9 in a low-power field of view (LPF) in group A and increased still further on average to 19.8 ±10.4 in group B.ConclusionsLeft gastric artery ligation only is a sufficient procedure for ischemic conditioning of the stomach. Neovascularization along the greater curvature is a continuous process that depends on delay time. Neoadjuvant therapy has no influence on the effect of neovascularization.

Routine histopathological examination after female-to-male gender-confirming mastectomy.

The number of transmen seeking gender-confirming surgery has risen steadily throughout the last decade. Pathologists are increasingly confronted with transmale mastectomy specimens. It is not clear whether routine histopathological examination is useful. This study explored the possible benefit of routine investigation through detailed description of lesions encountered in mastectomy specimens after female-to-male gender-confirming surgery. Breast tissue from a cohort of transmen was reviewed. The presence of benign and malignant breast lesions was recorded. The number of terminal duct-lobule units (TDLUs) per ten low-power fields (LPFs) was quantified. Information on hormone therapy and morphometry was retrieved for selected patients. The cohort included 344 subjects with a mean age of 25·8 (range 16-61) years at the time of surgery; the age at surgery decreased significantly over time. Older individuals presented with a significantly higher number of breast lesions. The number of TDLUs per LPF was lower in heavier breasts, but did not correlate with age. Breast lesions, either benign or malignant, were present in 166 individuals (48·3 per cent). Invasive breast cancer was found in two (0·6 per cent); one tumour was an unexpected finding. The number of breast lesions encountered on histopathological examination increased significantly when more tissue blocks were taken. The discovery of an unexpected breast cancer in a 31-year-old transman emphasizes the importance of thorough routine histopathological examination of mastectomy specimens. The number of tissue blocks taken should be based on age and breast weight.