Specimen Volume Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Improvised Manual Vacuum Aspiration Versus Pipeline Sampling for Endometrial Sampling

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of Improvised S2Q manual vacuum aspiration and Pipelle sampling as a diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding.
 Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Combined Military Hospital, Lahore Pakistan, from Oct 2021 to Aug 2022.
 Methodology: A total of 148 females over 35 years of age with abnormal uterine bleeding, who needed endometrial sampling, were divided into two groups of 74 participants each. Group-A underwent endometrial sampling by Improvised S2Q manual vacuum aspiration, while Group-B underwent endometrial sampling by Pipelle sampler.
 Results: Mean age of patients was 47.36±8.34 years in Group-A and 48.20±8.96 years in Group-B, while the mean BMI was 30.59±4.67 kg/m2 and 27.39±2.50 kg/m2 in Groups A and B, respectively. The volume of specimen obtained was found to be higher in the Improvised S2Q manual vacuum aspiration-Group as compared to the pipeline sampling-Group. The operating time in the Improvised S2Q manual vacuum aspiration-Group was 3.37±0.49 minutes, while in the pipeline sampling-Group, it was 3.20±0.55 minutes. No difference was found in the two procedures for side effects (tachycardia, pain/cramps) and complications (significant blood loss, perforation, infection), added analgesia or histopathology report.
 Conclusion: Improvised S2Q manual vacuum aspiration can be used as an alternative low-cost procedure for endometrial sampling in women with abnormal uterine bleeding.Keywords: Biopsy, Curettage, Endometrium, Manual vacuum aspiration, Pipeline sampling.

Accelerated Measurement of Carotid Plaque Volume Using Artificial Intelligence Enhanced 3D Ultrasound

Carotid plaque volume (CPV) can be measured by 3D ultrasound and may be a better predictor of stroke than stenosis, but analysis time limits clinical utility. This study tested the accuracy, reproducibility, and time saved of using an artificial intelligence (AI) derived semiautomatic software to measure CPV ("auto-CPV"). Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images for 121 individuals were analyzed by 2 blinded operators to measure auto-CPV. Corresponding endarterectomy specimen volumes were calculated by the validated saline suspension technique. Inter-rater and intrarater agreement plus accuracy compared with the volume of the endarterectomized plaque were calculated. Measurement times were compared with previous manual CPV measurement. The mean difference between auto-CPV and surgical volume was small at (±s.d.) [95% confidence interval [CI]] 0.06 (0.24) [-0.41 to 0.54] cm3. The intraclass correlation (ICC) was strong at 0.91; 95% CI 0.86-0.94. Interobserver and intraobserver error was low with mean difference (±s.d.) [95%CI] 0.01 (0.26) [-0.5 to 0.5] cm3 and 0.03 (0.19) [-0.35 to 0.40] cm3 respectively. Both showed excellent ICC with narrow confidence intervals, ICC=0.90; 95% CI (0.85-0.94) and ICC=0.95; 95% CI (0.92-0.96). Auto-CPV measurement took 43% the time of manual planimetry; median (IQR) 05:39 (01:58) minutes compared to 13:05 (04:15) minutes, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, P<0.01. Auto-CPV assessment is accurate, reproducible, and significantly faster than manual planimetry. Improved feasibility means that the utility of CPV can be assessed in large population studies to stratify risk in asymptomatic carotid disease or assess response to medical treatment.

BIOL-24. USING NEEDLE WASH SPECIMEN AFTER STEREOTACTIC BIOPSY TO DEVELOP PDOX MODELS OF DIPG AND DIFFUSE MIDLINE GLIOMAS

Abstract Obtaining viable tissue remains a major barrier for lab-based studies, especially in brain tumors deemed surgically unresectable such as diffuse midline gliomas. Surgical biopsy is performed for those tumors invested in deep and vital brain structures however, biopsied specimens are usually of small volume without additional tissue for research after clinical testing. To overcome the barrier of limited surgical specimen volume, we partnered with neurosurgeons to develop a protocol which procures viable cells from discarded biopsy needle after stereotactic biopsies to develop patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) models. After procurement of surgical specimen and prior to disposal of biopsy needle, each stereotactic biopsy needle was washed with FBS media twice. Wash solution was collected and immediately transported on ice to the research lab. Cell number was counted for in vitro culture and for orthotropic in vivo tumor implantation. To date, 29 samples of biopsy needle washes have been obtained including 12 diffuse midline gliomas of the brain stem, 8 supratentorial diffuse midline gliomas, and 3 pineal region tumors with harvested cell number from no visible cells to 5.3 million cells (median 1 million). 14 tumors have been orthotopically implanted into matched locations of immunodeficient mouse brains. Tumor formation was confirmed in 4 out of 15 (28.5%), including 2 brain stem tumors, 1 infiltrating astrocytoma, and 1 midline glioma, after implantation of cell numbers as low as 12,500. 3 models were successfully sub-transplanted to passages II and III. Histological examination confirmed the replication of key pathological features of the originating patient tumors. In conclusion, we have developed a novel protocol to procure clinical specimen by using wash solution of stereotactic brain tumor biopsy needles for surgically unresectable tumors. Our work demonstrates a new possibility for clinical sample acquisition and tumor modeling, opening new frontiers in the field of pediatric brain tumor research.

Risk factors for recurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia after loop electrosurgical excisional procedure in patients with positive margins.

Loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (LEEP) is a major treatment method for cervical precancerous lesions. However, recurrence rates were estimated to be 15%, and the risk is increased if a surgical margin is involved by dysplastic cells. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for recurrence of cervical precancerous lesions in patients with positive margins. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who underwent LEEP between 2012 and 2014 and had a positive surgical margin. Clinicopathologic factors were collected, including age, parity, menopausal status, smoking, human papilloma virus infection, results of cytology/biopsy/LEEP, and specimen size and volume. A total of 117 patients with positive margins were included, and 26 (22.2%) patients had recurrence. According to a multivariate analysis, the recurrence rates were significantly higher in parous women (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.00-8.49), but positive margins at the exocervix (adjusted HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17-0.91) and volume ≥4000 mm3 (adjusted HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.16-0.82) showed negative correlation. The risk of recurrence for cervical precancerous lesions increased in patients with a history of previous delivery, positive margin at the endocervix, and specimen volume of LEEP <4000 mm3 . These results could help gynecologists determine optimal treatment options for patients with positive margins.

Algorithm-based histologic grade and tumor ratio for radical prostatectomy: Comparison with pathology reports.

e17096 Background: The histologic grade (Gleason score) as well as the tumor ratio of the resected specimen plays a significant role in assessing the clinical risk of prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy. Gleason scoring is known to be prone to inter- and intra-observer discordance, and eyeballing measurement of tumor ratio is possibly coarse and inaccurate. Several deep learning-based tissue image analysis algorithms that perform prostate cancer diagnosis have been developed and are about to be applied clinically. We evaluated the utility of one of those algorithms by comparing its output with the pathology reports. Methods: A total of 29681 H&amp;E-stained tissue slides were collected for 1001 radical prostatectomy cases during 2010-2021 at Pusan National University Hospital and scanned at 40x magnification into whole-slide images. On each slide, we utilized a tissue detection algorithm to identify tissue regions and measure the area. A deep learning-based algorithm was used to identify prostate cancer lesions, measure the area, and determine the grades. The area measurement was converted into the volume figure assuming that the tissue slice thickness was 5mm. The slide-wise algorithm outputs were then aggregated for each case, resulting in the specimen volume, tumor ratio, and Gleason score. In the evaluation, the algorithm-based Gleason scores were compared with the ones in the hospital pathology reports on the ISUP grade group basis. The correlation analysis was performed for the tumor ratio. The specimen density values were calculated from the volume figures and the hospital weight measurement and utilized to exclude the cases with extreme density values. Results: The min, max, and average number of slides per case were 1, 67, and 29.7. For two cases with a single slide collected, both the algorithm and the expert pathologist found no cancer. The pathologist also confirmed that 7 had residual tumors among 15 cases where there was no Gleason score in the pathology reports while the algorithm found cancer. For the remaining 984 cases, the algorithm provided the grade groups equal to, higher than, and lower than the pathology reports for 482, 384, and 118 cases respectively, showing moderate agreement. The min, max, and mean values of the specimen volume (mL) were 0.01, 75.3, and 32.7, while the corresponding values of the specimen density (g/mL) were 0.11, 3001.79, and 4.38. The density values at the lower and upper 2.5% were 0.42 and 1.40 respectively, and the mean of the values between them (inner 95%) was 0.92. The degree of tumor ratio correlation between the algorithm and the pathology reports was high with the coefficient 0.813 (95% CI: 0.791-0.833), which went up to 0.826 (95% CI: 0.805-0.845) for the inner 95% density cases. Conclusions: Our findings support the usefulness of the algorithm-based analysis of prostatectomy specimens, which can benefit clinicians in the hospital.

The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Presents Abstracts from Its Annual Meeting

The International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories Presents Abstracts from Its Annual Meeting

Determination of non-linear shear strength and volume changes on remolded granitic residual soil due to membrane penetration

Membrane penetration is the term used to describe the displacement of the rubber membrane into the spaces between the cylindrical specimens during triaxial testing in the consolidation stage. Membrane penetration from elevated cell pressure during the consolidation stage might have a negative effect on the interpretation of stress-strain data and specimen volume calculations during the shearing stage. To assist engineers in making knowledgeable judgments, additional study is needed to examine membrane penetration in granitic residual soil. In this study, membrane penetration was investigated using a modified graphical technique. Triaxial tests on grade V granitic residual soil were conducted as part of the study at effective confining pressures of 50 kPa, 100 kPa, 200 kPa, 300 kPa, and 400 kPa. In the tests, real specimens constructed of compacted granitic residual soil with initial diameters of 50mm and 100mm, and dummy specimens made of a thin soil layer containing a solid, rigid cylindrical core, were both employed. Without considering the impact of specimen compression, the behaviour of membrane penetration was only examined in the dummy specimens. The graphical method has to be altered as a result of the fines. The findings demonstrated that the effect of membrane penetration increased with a rise in effective confining pressure and became less relevant at confining pressures of 300 kPa or lower.

MELODY (Methods for Localization of Different Types of Breast Lesions): A prospective non-interventional multicenter cohort study to evaluate different imaging-guided methods for localization of malignant breast lesions (EUBREAST-4/iBRA-NET).

TPS626 Background: In the last decades, the proportion of breast cancer patients receiving breast-conserving surgery has increased, reaching 70-80% in developed countries. In case of non-palpable lesions, surgical excision requires some form of breast localization. While wire-guided localization has long been considered gold standard, it carries several limitations, including logistical difficulties, the potential for displacement and patient discomfort, and re-excision rates reaching 21%. Other techniques (radioactive seed or radio-occult lesion localization, intraoperative ultrasound, magnetic, radiofrequency and radar localization) have been developed with the aim of overcoming these disadvantages. However, comparative data on the rates of successful lesion removal, negative margins and re-operations are limited. In the majority of studies, the patient’s perspective with regard to discomfort and pain level has not been evaluated. The aim of MELODY is to evaluate different imaging-guided localization methods with regard to oncological safety, patient-reported outcomes, and surgeon and radiologist satisfaction. Methods: The EUBREAST and the iBRA-NET have initiated the MELODY study to assess breast localization techniques and devices from several perspectives (NCT05559411, http://melody.eubreast.com ). MELODY is a prospective intergroup cohort study which enrolls female and male pts. requiring breast-conserving surgery and imaging-guided localization for invasive breast cancer or DCIS. Multiple or bilateral lesions and neoadjuvant chemotherapy are allowed. Primary outcomes are: 1) Intended target lesion and/or marker removal, independent of margin status on final histopathology, and 2) Negative resection margin rates at first surgery. Secondary outcomes are, among others: rates of second surgery and secondary mastectomy, Resection Ratio (defined as actual resection volume divided by the calculated optimum specimen volume), duration of surgery, marker dislocation rates, rates of marker placement or localization failure, comparison of patient-reported outcomes, rates of “lost markers” and diagnostician/radiologist’s and surgeon’s satisfaction as well as the health economic evaluation of the different techniques. Target accrual: 7,416 patients. Enrollment started in January 2023. The study will be conducted in 20 countries and is supported by the Oncoplastic Breast Consortium (OPBC), AWOgyn, AGO-B and SENATURK. Clinical trial information: NCT05559411 .

Raising the Dead Volume: Analysis of Microsamples Diluted and Corrected with Near Infrared Tracer.

Sample processing robotics require large liquid volumes to operate efficiently. Robotics are impractical in settings that deal in small specimen volumes such as pediatric laboratories. Short of manual sample handling, remedies for the current state include a redesign of current hardware or specialized adaptation for submilliliter specimens. We blindly increased the volume of plasma specimens with diluent containing a near infrared dye, IR820, to assess the change to the original specimen volume. Diluted specimens were analyzed using a variety of assay formats/wavelengths (sodium, calcium, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, total protein, creatinine), and results were compared to neat specimens. Recovery of analyte in the diluted specimens vs neat was the primary outcome measure. Mean analytic recovery from the diluted specimens across all assays ranged from 93% to 110% after correction using IR820 absorbance. Absorbance correction compared favorably to mathematical correction using known volumes of specimens and diluents (93%-107%). Pooled mean analytic imprecision across all assays ranged from 2% using the neat specimen pool to 8% when plasma pool was diluted to 30% of its original concentration. No interference from dye addition was noted, indicating the diluent was broadly applicable and chemically inert. The greatest variability in recovery was observed when respective analyte concentrations were present near the lower limits of assay detectability. Addition of a chemically inert diluent containing a near-infrared tracer is a feasible way to raise specimen dead volume and potentially automate processing and measurement of clinical analytes in microsamples.

Super-Resolution Processing of Synchrotron CT Images for Automated Fibre Break Analysis of Unidirectional Composites.

Fibre breaks govern the strength of unidirectional composite materials under tension. The progressive development of fibre breaks is studied using in situ X-ray computed tomography, especially with synchrotron radiation. However, even with synchrotron radiation, the resolution of the time-resolved in situ images is not sufficient for a fully automated analysis of continuous mechanical deformations. We therefore investigate the possibility of increasing the quality of low-resolution in situ scans by means of super-resolution (SR) using 3D deep learning techniques, thus facilitating the subsequent fibre break identification. We trained generative neural networks (GAN) on datasets of high-(0.3 μm) and low-resolution (1.6 μm) statically acquired images. These networks were then applied to a low-resolution (1.1 μm) noisy image of a continuously loaded specimen. The statistical parameters of the fibre breaks used for the comparison are the number of individual breaks and the number of 2-plets and 3-plets per specimen volume. The fully automated process achieves an average accuracy of 82% of manually identified fibre breaks, while the semi-automated one reaches 92%. The developed approach allows the use of faster, low-resolution in situ tomography without losing the quality of the identified physical parameters.

Tensile Behavior of [0/90]7 Hemp/Elium Biocomposites after Water Aging: In-Situ Micro-CT Testing and Numerical Analysis

This paper aims to study the tensile behavior of a woven [0/90]7 hemp/Elium composite after three different conditionings: “Ambient storage”, “Saturated at 60 °C” and “15 wet/dry cycles”. Instrumented repeated progressive tensile loading tests were carried out and showed an unexpected increase in the secant modulus for the aged samples at the end of the test. An in-situ micro-CT tensile test was then performed on a “15 wet/dry cycles” aged sample. The analysis of the tomographic images showed the damage development with interfacial debonding and matrix cracks in the specimen volume, and also the decrease in the curvature radius of the warp yarns during tensile loading facilitated by the plasticization of the resin. Finite element calculations were thus performed and demonstrated that the increase in the modulus is directly linked to the straightening of warp yarns, showing that the evolution of the modulus on a macroscopic scale can be explained by the deformations of the yarns on a microscopic level. These results allow us to better understand the mechanical behavior and the damage mechanisms that occur in biocomposites during tensile testing after water aging.

Surface preparation for characterization of nitride compound layers using hardness indentation and the Palmqvist method

The Palmqvist method is usually used as a measure to evaluate the toughness of ceramics and thin coatings, as these cannot be determined with classic test methods such as the tensile test or the Charpy impact test due to their brittleness or the small proportion of the coating in the specimen volume. Nitride compound layers, formed during nitriding and nitrocarburizing, are also brittle and only have a thickness of a few micrometers, so determining their toughness is also challenging. In this work, compound layers with different phase compositions and thicknesses were investigated on EN31CrMoV9 and EN42CrMo4 steels using the Palmqvist method. Barrel finishing and polishing were used for specimen preparation, for which a significant effect on the formation of Palmqvist cracks was found. Barrel finishing reduced the length of the Palmqvist cracks with increasing barrel finishing time until a constant level was reached. The surface condition caused by the porosity near the surface of the compound layer was identified as another influencing factor, thus the pore seam was removed for the further investigations. Various specimen variants were prepared and their phase compositions and compound layer thicknesses evaluated in relation to the crack lengths of the Palmqvist cracks. A correlation was found between the length of the Palmqvist cracks and the extent of the compound layer thickness.

Alkali-bauxite fusion method of synthesizing ambient-cured volcanic ash geopolymer cement mortars

The plain volcanic ash-based geopolymer cement (VA-GPC) system typically exhibits weak strength development under ambient temperature curing, thereby limiting its potential application in engineering construction. This study aimed at synthesizing an improved VA-GPC binder using a highly reactive sodium aluminate material as an admixture for enhancing geopolymerization.Bauxite was fused with sodium hydroxide alkali at 750 °C to prepare the sodium aluminate admixture (faBX). The faBX admixture composition was varied to different amounts of sodium oxide comprising 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 % Na2O by weight of bauxite. A combined solution of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide was used as the alkaline activator reagent. In the study, the VA-GPC binder was synthesized by blending volcanic ash with 0 or 10 wt% faBX admixture. Mortar mixtures were then made by mixing the synthesized VA-GPC binder with fine aggregate, followed by curing at ambient temperature. Setting time, workability, compressive strength, drying shrinkage, pore volume and water absorption properties of the geopolymer specimens, were evaluated. Analytical studies were done using XRD, FTIR and SEM/EDS. It was found that the 28-day compressive strength results gave values of up to 26.9 MPa, representing 1500 % strength increase over that of the control. The initial and final setting times were significantly shortened as Na2O content of faBX increased. Microanalysis results showed that an amorphous geopolymeric gel was produced, consisting mainly of poly(silicate-siloxo) and poly(ferro-silico-aluminate) phases. Evidently, incorporation of faBX in VA-GPC enables the binder system to develop suitable normal or rapid hardening geopolymer cement properties under ambient curing conditions.

Comparison of prostate volume measured by transabdominal ultrasound and MRI with the radical prostatectomy specimen volume: a retrospective observational study

BackgroundFew studies have compared the use of transabdominal ultrasound (TAUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure prostate volume (PV). In this study, we evaluate the accuracy and reliability of PV measured by TAUS and MRI.MethodsA total of 106 patients who underwent TAUS and MRI prior to radical prostatectomy were retrospectively analyzed. The TAUS-based and MRI-based PV were calculated using the ellipsoid formula. The specimen volume measured by the water-displacement method was used as a reference standard. Correlation analysis and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were performed to compare different measurement methods and Bland Altman plots were drawn to assess the agreement.ResultsThere was a high degree of correlation and agreement between the specimen volume and PV measured with TAUS (r = 0.838, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.83) and MRI (r = 0.914, p < 0.01; ICC = 0.90). TAUS overestimated specimen volume by 2.4ml, but the difference was independent of specimen volume (p = 0.19). MRI underestimated specimen volume by 1.7ml, the direction and magnitude of the difference varied with specimen volume (p < 0.01). The percentage error of PV measured by TAUS and MRI was within ± 20% in 65/106(61%) and 87/106(82%), respectively. In patients with PV greater than 50 ml, MRI volume still correlated strongly with specimen volume (r = 0.837, p < 0.01), while TAUS volume showed only moderate correlation with specimen (r = 0.665, p < 0.01) or MRI volume (r = 0.678, p < 0.01).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that PV measured by MRI and TAUS is highly correlated and reliable with the specimen volume. MRI might be a more appropriate choice for measuring the large prostate.

Extension of bacterial rDNA sequencing for simultaneous methylation detection and its application in microflora analysis

Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of the bacterial 16S rDNA region has numerous scientific applications, it does not provide DNA methylation information. Herein, we propose a simple extension for bisulfite sequencing to investigate 5-methylcytosine residues in the bacterial 16S rDNA region from clinical isolates or flora. Multiple displacement amplification without DNA denaturation was used to preferentially pre-amplify single-stranded bacterial DNA after bisulfite conversion. Following the pre-amplification, the 16S rDNA region was analyzed using nested bisulfite PCR and sequencing, enabling the simultaneous identification of DNA methylation status and sequence data. We used this approach (termed sm16S rDNA PCR/sequencing) to identify novel methylation sites and a methyltransferase (M. MmnI) in Morganella morganii and different methylation motifs among Enterococcus faecalis strains from small volumes of clinical specimens. Further, our analysis suggested that M. MmnI may be correlated to erythromycin resistance. Thus, sm16S rDNA PCR/sequencing is a useful extension method for analyzing the DNA methylation of 16S rDNA regions in a microflora, providing additional information not provided by conventional PCR. Given the relationship between DNA methylation status and drug resistance in bacteria, we believe this technique can be effectively applied in clinical sample testing.

The impact of war on cytopathological practice in Ukraine

Aim: To investigate the impact of Russian invasion on Ukrainian healthcare services related to cytopathology screening and diagnostics.Methods: The workload and output of the cytopathological laboratory located in Kyiv before and during 8 months of Russian invasion were analyzed. The laboratory performance was assessed by the total number of cytologic cases, the turn-around time (TAT) index, and the percentage of timely reported test results. The geographic distribution of cases was also analyzed.Results: There was a significant decline in the workload of the laboratory during the first two months of the war, and the numbers of cytopathology specimens fell to less than one third of prewar levels, and the TAT was prolonged. Since May 2022, the efficiency and quality of cytopathologic testing has been largely restored in most parts of Ukraine, only to be affected again by increased Russian bombardment toward the end of summer 2022. The number of cytology specimens was reduced and the source of cytology specimens changed from the prewar conditions reflecting the relocation of the CSD Lab to western Ukraine.Conclusion: Cytolopathological screening and diagnostics were seriously disrupted in Ukraine during the Russian invasion resulting in a decreased volume of cytology specimens received in the CSD Lab during the early months of the war. By adapting to the war conditions and reorganizing the cytology services, CSD Lab has continued providing cytology services at a level of efficiency similar to those of the prewar period. However, the volume of cytology specimens remains much smaller than before war, indicating that the cytology services have been adversely affected by the war.

The Impact of an Electromagnetic Seed Localization Device Versus Wire Localization on Breast-Conserving Surgery: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

For breast-conserving surgery (BCS), several alternatives to wire localization (WL) have been developed. The newest, electromagnetic seed localization (ESL), provides three-dimensional navigation using the electrosurgical tool. This study assessed operative times, specimen volumes, margin positivity, and re-excision rates for ESL and WL. Patients who had ESL-guided breast-conserving surgery between August 2020 and August 2021 were reviewed and matched one-to-one with patients who had WL based on surgeon, procedure type, and pathology. Variables were compared between ESL and WL using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher's exact tests. The study matched 97 patients who underwent excisional biopsy (n = 20) or partial mastectomy with (n = 53) or without (n = 24) sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) using ESL. The median operative time for ESL versus WL for lumpectomy was 66 versus 69 min with SLNB (p = 0.76) and 40 versus 34.5 min without SLNB (p = 0.17). The median specimen volume was 36 cm3 using ESL versus 55 cm3 using WL (p = 0.001). For the patients with measurable tumor volume, excess tissue was greater using WL versus ESL (median, 73.2 vs. 52.5 cm3; p = 0.017). The margins were positive for 10 (10 %) of the 97 ESL patients and 18 (19 %) of the 97 WL patients (p = 0.17). In the ESL group, 6 (6 %) of the 97 patients had a subsequent re-excision compared with 13 (13 %) of the 97 WL patients (p = 0.15). Despite similar operative times, ESL is superior to WL, as evidenced by decreased specimen volume and excess tissue excised. Although the difference was not statistically significant, ESL resulted in fewer positive margins and re-excisions than WL. Further studies are needed to confirm that ESL is the most advantageous of the two methods.

Manufacturing and Testing the Panels with a Transverse Texture Obtained from Branches of Norway Spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.)

As a result of the imbalances in the forestry market and the increased demand for wood products worldwide, the resource of branches resulting from the exploitation of a forest has attracted special attention from researchers, in order to use these secondary resources judiciously and obtain an added value superior to classic uses. In this context, the current research took into consideration the use of spruce branches to obtain panels with a transverse structure. The work methodology has focused on the process of obtaining panels with a transverse texture and on determining the physical–mechanical properties of the created panels. The results regarding the panel density (determined as a ratio between mass and volume of specimens) showed about 693 kg/m3, static bending resistance parallel to the face of 5.5 N/mm2, resistance of adhesion of 5.6 N/mm2, shear strength parallel to face of 4.1 N/mm2, and screw pull-out resistance perpendicular to the face of 31.3 N/mm2, highlighting that the properties were in accordance with the European standards and that the panels obtained were suitable for obtaining furniture products with a special aesthetic aspect. As a general conclusion of the research, it can be stated that spruce branches are a sustainable wood resource with great possibilities to add more value in the form of panels with a traverse texture.

Lattice parameters of austenite and martensite during transformation for Fe–18Ni alloy investigated through in-situ neutron diffraction

Martensitic transformation is accompanied by the generation of microscale and macroscale internal stresses during cooling below the martensitic transformation start temperature. These internal stresses have been determined through X-ray or neutron diffraction, but the reported results are not consistent, probably because the measured lattice parameter is influenced not only by the internal stress but also by several factors, including solute elements and crystal defects. Therefore, in-situ neutron diffraction combined with dilatometry measurements during martensitic transformation and subsequent cyclic tempering were performed for an Fe–18Ni alloy. The phase strains calculated by lattice parameter variations show that a hydrostatic compressive strain in austenite and a tensile strain in martensite arose as the martensitic transformation progressed during continuous cooling or isothermal holding. However, the phase stresses of austenite and martensite estimated from these strains failed to hold stress balance law when dense crystal defects involved in the processes. After these crystal defects were removed by appropriate tempering, the stress balance law held well. Meanwhile, the phase stresses of austenite and martensite were changed to opposite, revealing their true identity. Furthermore, the lattice parameter of quenched full martensite and the specimen diameter were both decreased by tempering, demonstrating that there is a direct correlation among lattice parameter, specimen volume and dislocation density. As a result, various crystal defects in austenite and martensite, introduced by plastic accommodation, were suggested to affect their lattice parameters and then their phase stresses.

Comparison of the harvest volume between maneuvers of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration including the "cross-fanning technique".

Recently, a certain volume of biopsy specimens has been required for genetic testing of tumors using endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). This study aimed to verify the superiority of our newly devised EBUS-TBNA biopsy technique, the "cross-fanning technique," which combines rotation and up-down maneuvers, by comparing its harvest volume with that of other maneuvers. Using a bronchoscope simulator, ultrasonic bronchoscope, and 21-gauge puncture needle, we compared the weight of silicone biopsy specimens obtained by the following 4 procedures: Conventional maneuver; Up-down maneuver; Rotation maneuver, and; Cross-fanning technique. Each procedure was repeated 24 times in total, rotating the sequences of the maneuvers, and the operator/assistant pair to align the conditions. The means ± standard deviations of the sample volumes for each puncture technique were as follows: 2.8 ± 1.2 mg; 3.1 ± 1.6 mg; 3.7 ± 1.2 mg, and; 3.9 ± 1.2 mg. There was a significant difference between the 4 groups (P = .024). The post hoc test showed a statistically significant difference between techniques A and D (P = .019). This study showed that the cross-fanning technique might contribute to the increased volume of tissue samples obtained by EBUS-TBNA biopsy.