Friday, November 30, 2012

Zombie allusions: They just keep on coming-stupidly and provocatively spreading "far beyond Norway’s borders"

http://www.digitaltrends.com/international/stupid-zombie-adt-taken-off-daytime-tv-after-viewers-complain-on-firms-facebook-page/

‘Stupid’ zombie ad taken off daytime TV after viewers complain on firm’s Facebook page

November 30, 2012 By Trevor Mogg

A zombie-themed television ad for a Norwegian sports goods company has been taken off daytime TV after offended viewers took to the firm's Facebook page to complain.

The ad, which aired over the weekend on Norwegian daytime TV, has received a mixed reaction, though complaints on the company’s Facebook page accusing it of being, among other things, “stupid and provocative”, have persuaded the company, XXL, to only show it after 9pm.

The company said that while the response to the ad has been “very positive” – with one Facebook commenter calling it an “insanely good commercial” – many had also expressed the view that it was “scary and inappropriate.”

Either way, XXL has done alright out of it, as news of its zombie ad, and therefore of the company itself, spreads far beyond Norway’s borders.

Commissioner Pai: The Dude Abides (HT:FP) Pai2016

http://www.commlawblog.com/tags/ajit-pai/

Commissioner Pai: The Dude Abides.

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Harry Cole

We salute Commissioner Pai’s statement and commend it to our readers’ attention.

It is a model of concision and directness. Opening with an unarguable, but seldom stated, notion – “In regulation, as in sports, it is good to have clear rules” – it explains the Commissioner’s position, appropriately castigates those who would try to take advantage of the faux loophole, and encourages those who have acted – and will, theoretically, now act – appropriately regardless of that faux loophole. It avoids the expressions that seem mandatory in such separate statements: nothing is referred to as “vibrant” (by the way, what exactly does that mean, anyway?); there are no “ecosystems”; there are none of the paradoxical references to the simultaneous “unleashing” and “tethering” of anything.

Instead there is elegance (the order “ends the legal lacuna and the courtroom arbitrage it has inspired”), reference to the actual record before the FCC, and avoidance of the obvious cliché: where others might have fallen back on the tired “win-win” expression, Commissioner Pai says simply that the FCC’s order is “a win for consumers and for innovative companies alike.” Yes, it’s a small thing, but some of us readers appreciate it.

And then there’s the citation. Remember that opening statement? It’s accompanied by a footnote, which references a quote from The Big Lebowski (note to some readers: that’s a classic film from the Coen brothers). And it’s a righteous, on-the-money quote. Separate Commissioners’ statements don’t often rely on such sources. But, for what it’s worth, CommLawBlog supports reliance on any source that assists in accurately communicating the author’s point to the audience. (And yo, Commissioner Pai, you’ve got a standing invitation to contribute to CommLawBlog anytime you want.)

We hope that Commissioner Pai’s citation to the words of Walter Sobchak doesn’t get him into hot water with his colleagues. But we suspect that the Commissioner is the kind of guy who doesn’t roll on Shabbos and doesn’t need our, um, sympathy. In fact, we understand that, in response to a Facebook shout out about his statement, the Commissioner himself responded, “Thank you, sir. The agency abides.”

Maybe, but in our view, it’s Commissioner Pai who abides.

U.S. Judge Allows Civil Suits in Meningitis Outbreak to Proceed. Meningitis deathwatch: 36

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2012/11/30/272325.htm

U.S. Judge Allows Civil Suits in Meningitis Outbreak to Proceed

November 30, 2012

More than 500 people in 19 states have been infected with meningitis and 36 have died in the outbreak linked to an injectible steroid used to treat back pain produced by the New England Compounding Center, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lung Cancer Genotype-Based Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers: Present and Future

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0508-RA

Philip T. Cagle and Timothy Craig Allen (2012) Lung Cancer Genotype-Based Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers: Present and Future. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1482-1491.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2012-0508-RA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Lung Cancer Genotype-Based Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers: Present and Future

Philip T. Cagle , MD; Timothy Craig Allen , MD, JD

From the Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas (Dr Cagle); and the Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (Dr Allen).

Context.—The advent of genotype-based therapy and predictive biomarkers for lung cancer has thrust the pathologist into the front lines of precision medicine for this deadly disease.

Objective.—To provide the clinical background, current status, and future perspectives of molecular targeted therapy for lung cancer patients, including the pivotal participation of the pathologist.

Data Sources.—Data were obtained from review of the pertinent peer-reviewed literature.

Conclusions.—First-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors have produced clinical response in a limited number of non–small cell lung cancers demonstrated to have activating mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor or anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements with fusion partners. Patients treated with first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors develop acquired resistance to their therapy. Ongoing investigations of second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors and new druggable targets as well as the development of next-generation genotyping and new antibodies for immunohistochemistry promise to significantly expand the pathologist's already crucial role in precision medicine of lung cancer.

Frozen section diagnosis of lung adenocarcinomas under the new diagnostic criteria

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0042-OA

Ann E. Walts and Alberto M. Marchevsky (2012) Root Cause Analysis of Problems in the Frozen Section Diagnosis of In Situ, Minimally Invasive, and Invasive Adenocarcinoma of the Lung. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1515-1521.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2012-0042-OA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Root Cause Analysis of Problems in the Frozen Section Diagnosis of In Situ, Minimally Invasive, and Invasive Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

Ann E. Walts , MD; Alberto M. Marchevsky , MD

From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Context.—Frozen sections can help determine the extent of surgery by distinguishing in situ, minimally invasive, and invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Objective.—To evaluate our experience with the frozen section diagnosis of these lesions using root-cause analysis.

Design.—Frozen sections from 224 consecutive primary pulmonary adenocarcinomas (in situ, 27 [12.1%]; minimally invasive, 46 [20.5%]; invasive, 151 [67.4%]) were reviewed. Features that could have contributed to frozen section errors and deferrals were evaluated.

Results.—There were no false-positive diagnoses of malignancy. Frozen section errors and deferrals were identified in 12.1% (27 of 224) and 6.3% (14 of 224) of the cases, respectively. Significantly more errors occurred in the diagnosis of in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma than in the diagnosis of invasive adenocarcinoma (P < .001). Frozen section errors and deferrals were twice as frequent in lesions smaller than 1.0 cm (P = .09). Features significantly associated with errors and deferrals included intraoperative consultation by more than one pathologist (P = .003) and more than one sample of frozen lung section (P = .001). Inflammation with reactive atypia, fibrosis/scar, sampling problems, and suboptimal quality sections were identified in 51.2% (21 of 41), 36.6% (15 of 41), 26.8% (11 of 41), and 9.8% (4 of 41) of the errors and deferrals, respectively (more than one of these factors was identified in some cases). Frozen section errors and deferrals had significant clinical impact in only 4 patients (1.8%); each had to undergo completion video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy less than 90 days after the initial surgery.

Conclusions.—The distinction of in situ from minimally invasive adenocarcinoma is difficult in both frozen and permanent sections. We identified several technical and interpretive features that likely contributed to frozen section errors and deferrals and suggest practice modifications that are likely to improve diagnostic accuracy.

See citation 1. (HT:SD) Pai2016

http://thedcoffice.com/late_releases_files/11-29-2012/FCC-12-143A2.pdf

Federal Communications Commission FCC 12-143
STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI

In the matter of Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of

1991; SoundBite Communications, Inc. Petition for Expedited Declaratory Ruling, CG Docket No. 02-278

In regulation, as in sports, it is good to have clear rules.1 As I stated in a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce back in September, ambiguities about what’s prohibited and what’s allowed under FCC rules interpreting the Telephone Consumer Protection Act have forced businesses to guess where their legal obligations lie.2 The subject of today’s order—the Act’s application to opt-out confirmation texts—is case in point. In an effort to better serve consumers, many businesses send a confirmation text to consumers who opt out of receiving future communications from those businesses. This practice simply lets consumers know that their requests to opt out have in fact been received and processed. Notably, our staff review shows that the Commission has not received a single complaint about this practice. (To the contrary, several consumers complained that they did not receive a confirmation text.) And yet, companies face class-action lawsuits for this innocuous conduct. These suits have threatened a host of companies across the country, from Twitter to American Express.3 This state of affairs serves the interests of trial lawyers rather than consumers and the businesses trying to meet their needs. No longer. Today’s common-sense order ends the legal lacuna and the courtroom arbitrage it has inspired. Hopefully, by making clear that the Act does not prohibit confirmation texts, we will end the litigation that has punished some companies for doing the right thing, as well as the threat of litigation that has deterred others from adopting a sound marketing practice. And consumers want confirmation texts: They want the assurance that that there will be no further intrusions on their privacy. In short, today’s order is a win for consumers and for innovative companies alike. I am pleased to support it.

1 Cf. Walter Sobchak, The Big Lebowski (Polygram Filmed Entertainment 1998) (“Smokey, this is not ‘Nam. This is bowling. There are rules.”).

2 See Opening Remarks of Commissioner Ajit Pai at the Telecommunications & E-Commerce Committee Roundtable of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at 3 (Sept. 14, 2012), available at http://go.usa.gov/gT6e.
3 See Moss v. Twitter, Inc., No. 11-CV-906 (S.D. Cal.) (dismissed without prejudice); Maleksaeedi v. American Express Centurion Bank, Case No. 11-CV-790 (S.D. Cal.).

Guiding the Pulmonologist's Hand: What They Need to Know About Lung Pathology and What is Lost in Translation

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0273-SA

Richard L. Kradin (2012) Guiding the Pulmonologist's Hand: What They Need to Know About Lung Pathology and What is Lost in Translation. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1528-1532.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2012-0273-SA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Guiding the Pulmonologist's Hand: What They Need to Know About Lung Pathology and What is Lost in Translation

Richard L. Kradin , MD

From the Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit and the Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Increasing subspecialization in the practice of medicine has led to certain discrepancies in how pathologists and pulmonologists imagine lung disease. This article, written by a pathologist who also practices pulmonology at a large, academic hospital, highlights his perspective on the important role of the pathologist in guiding the hand of the pulmonary clinician.

Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0295-SA

Paul A. Bunn Jr (2012) Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1478-1481.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2012-0295-SA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Paul A. Bunn Jr , MD

From the Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado, Aurora.

Lung cancer is the leading worldwide cause of cancer deaths. Smoking is the dominant cause of lung cancer and smoking cessation is the established method to reduce lung cancer mortality. While lung cancer risk is reduced in former smokers, they have a lifelong increase in risk, compared to never-smokers. Novel chemoprevention strategies, such as oral or inhaled prostacyclin analogs, hold promise for these subjects. Low-dose spiral computed tomography screening reduced lung cancer mortality by 20% in high-risk heavy smokers older than 50 years. However, the high false-positive rate (96%) means that screened patients required controlled follow-up in experienced centers. An increasing percentage of patients with advanced lung cancer have molecular drivers in genes for which oral tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed.

Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0259-RA

James Jett (2012) Screening for Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1511-1514.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5858/arpa.2012-0259-RA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Screening for Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?

James Jett , MD

From the Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer in the United States. Previous studies of screening with chest radiographs and sputum cytology have not been shown to decrease lung cancer mortality. For the first time, a randomized screening trial with low-dose computed tomography scans has demonstrated a 20% lung cancer mortality reduction compared with screenings with a chest x-ray. Investigation is underway on many breath, sputum, and blood biomarkers to determine markers of high risk. The hope is that some (or one) of them will add to the early detection of lung cancer observed with low-dose computed tomography.

From Forbes: Argentina, The World's Worst Sovereign Deadbeat

http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/11/30/dont-cry-for-argentina-the-worlds-worst-sovereign-deadbeat/

Don't Cry For Argentina, The World's Worst Sovereign Deadbeat

By Julian Ku

Last month, a court in Ghana detained the ARA Libertad, an Argentine naval training vessel, until Argentina guarantees repayment for a portion of its defaulted government debt. This minor legal action has now exploded into an international incident. Argentina has accused Ghana of violating international treaties, sought the intervention of the U.N. Security Council, and suggested that the Ghana courts are facilitating “an act of piracy against a sovereign country by greedy “vulture funds.” They have also recently sought action by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.

But Argentina’s bluster obscures the weakness of their legal position. The Ghana court’s well-reasoned and thoughtful decision is completely consistent with international law and should be lauded for forcing Argentina to face accountability for its financial impunity.

Weight Watchers wants taxpayer dollars, claims it can fight obesity more efficiently than doctors

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/health/weightloss-group-wants-subsidies-for-flab-fight-20121130-2amfw.html

Weight-loss group wants subsidies for flab fight

Dan Harrison

INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/national/health/weightloss-group-wants-subsidies-for-flab-fight-20121130-2amfw.html#ixzz2DiNBHJ00

WEIGHT WATCHERS is making a pitch for millions of dollars in government subsidies, arguing it can fight fat in a more effective and cost-efficient manner than do doctors.

The multinational weight-loss group will make its case at an obesity summit in Canberra next week, backed by what it says is a growing body of international evidence about the success of its approach, which is a mix of education on diet and exercise, regular monitoring and peer support.

The Weight Watchers International chief scientific officer, Karen Miller-Kovach, pointed to a study, funded by Weight Watchers through a grant to Britain's Medical Research Council and published last year in The Lancet, which found overweight and obese adults in Australia, Germany and Britain who were given a 12-month Weight Watchers membership lost twice as much weight as another group who were treated by a general practitioner. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity this year found Weight Watchers programs were more cost effective than GP treatment.

"Perhaps the Oculists weren’t spying on Freemasonry so much as keeping it alive."

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/ff-the-manuscript/all/

They Cracked This 250-Year-Old Code, and Found a Secret Society Inside

BY NOAH SHACHTMAN
11.16.12
6:30 AM

"The artifacts laid out in the reading room also undercut the idea that the Oculists were sleeper agents on a mission to expose Freemasonry. Why would spies need all these extra rituals? Or be so interested in anatomy?

Put yourself in a Mason’s shoes, Snoek explained. The Catholic Church has outlawed your order—and every other secret society. You don’t want to give up your Freemasonry, but you don’t want to be accused of sodomy. Even in a largely Protestant country like Germany, that was a withering accusation at the time. So “you hide it in a veil,” Snoek said. You start a new set of rituals, to layer on top of the old—and make it impregnable to Vatican attacks.

Perhaps the Oculists weren’t spying on Freemasonry so much as keeping it alive."

Articles from the Houston Lung Symposium (Part 2) in this month's Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/toc/arpa/136/12

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Thursday, November 29, 2012

“No Pay, No Play” or From “Defensive or Passive Pathology” to “Active, Clinically Oriented Pathology”

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0219-LE

Rodolfo Montironi, Marina Scarpelli, Antonio Lopez-Beltran, and Liang Cheng, (2012) “No Pay, No Play” or From “Defensive or Passive Pathology” to “Active, Clinically Oriented Pathology”. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1474-1475.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

“No Pay, No Play” or From “Defensive or Passive Pathology” to “Active, Clinically Oriented Pathology”

Rodolfo Montironi , MD, IFCAP, FRCPath; Marina Scarpelli , MD

Section of Pathological Anatomy Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, School of Medicine, United Hospitals, 1-60020 Torrette di Ancona, Italy

Antonio Lopez-Beltran , MD, PhD

Department of Pathology, Reina Sofia University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, 14004 Cordoba, Spain

Liang Cheng , MD

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202

"In conclusion, for many of us, it is not a burden, but a joy, to consult with colleagues in other specialties, such as the urologists and uro-oncologists, and speak with the patient, sharing our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology of disease. All this requires a profound knowledge of clinical medicine as well as anatomic and clinical pathology. This means that it is time for us to move from defensive or passive uropathology to active, clinically oriented uropathology. The former, that is, defensive or passive pathology, could have been one of the reasons why, in recent years, fewer and fewer medical doctors have embraced a career in pathology, fearing that a lack of personal contact with a patient would not be fulfilling the true nature of the medical practice."

From Johns Hopkins: Pneumothorax–associated fibroblastic lesions in a subset of cases of spontaneous pneumothorax

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0330-OA

Deborah A. Belchis, Kris Shekitka, and Christopher D. Gocke (2012) A Unique, Histopathologic Lesion in a Subset of Patients With Spontaneous Pneumothorax. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1522-1527.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

A Unique, Histopathologic Lesion in a Subset of Patients With Spontaneous Pneumothorax

Deborah A. Belchis , MD; Kris Shekitka , MD; Christopher D. Gocke , MD

From the Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (Drs Belchis and Gocke); and the Department of Pathology, St Agnes Hospital, Baltimore (Dr Shekitka).

Context.—Spontaneous pneumothorax can be idiopathic (primary), or it can occur in association with an underlying predisposing condition (secondary). Spontaneous pneumothorax may be a harbinger of an undiagnosed clinical condition, which may be associated with serious systemic abnormalities, making early recognition and diagnosis important. The pulmonary pathology of some of these disorders has not been fully elucidated.

Objective.—To review cases of pneumothorax in the hope of identifying pathologic features that might correlate to specific clinical syndromes.

Design.—The pathology computer files at 3 hospitals were searched for all cases of spontaneous pneumothorax, primary and secondary, regardless of etiology during a 11-year period. Ninety-two cases were retrieved. Each of the cases was evaluated for reactive eosinophilic pleuritis, elastosis, pleural fibrosis, emphysema, intra-alveolar macrophages, cholesterol clefts, vasculopathy, and intraparenchymal or intrapleural cysts. Clinical information regarding asthma and smoking history, site of the pneumothorax, family history, radiographic findings, predisposing conditions, recurrence, age, and sex were extracted from the medical records.

Results.—In 11 patients (12% of all the patients with spontaneous pneumothorax), a distinctive pattern of pleural fibrosis with islands of fibroblastic foci within a myxoid stroma was noted at the pleural-parenchymal interface or leading edge. These lesions correlated with a select subset of patients, consisting predominantly of young men.

Conclusions.—Our review identified a distinct pattern of pneumothorax–associated fibroblastic lesions in a subset of cases of spontaneous pneumothorax. Whether this is related to the pathogenesis of the pneumothorax remains to be elucidated.

From Ann Walts and Alberto Marchevsky: Root Cause Analysis of Problems in the Frozen Section Diagnosis of In Situ, Minimally Invasive, and Invasive Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0042-OA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Root Cause Analysis of Problems in the Frozen Section Diagnosis of In Situ, Minimally Invasive, and Invasive Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

Ann E. Walts , MD; Alberto M. Marchevsky , MD

From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.

Context.—Frozen sections can help determine the extent of surgery by distinguishing in situ, minimally invasive, and invasive adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Objective.—To evaluate our experience with the frozen section diagnosis of these lesions using root-cause analysis.

Differential Diagnosis of Lung Carcinoma With Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0238-SA

Liang Gao, Zhiyong Wang, Fuhai Li, Ahmad A. Hammoudi, Michael J. Thrall, Philip T. Cagle, and Stephen T. C. Wong (2012) Differential Diagnosis of Lung Carcinoma With Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1502-1510.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Differential Diagnosis of Lung Carcinoma With Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Imaging

Liang Gao , PhD; Zhiyong Wang , PhD; Fuhai Li , PhD; Ahmad A. Hammoudi , MS; Michael J. Thrall , MD; Philip T. Cagle , MD;Stephen T. C. Wong , PhD, PE

From the Department of Systems Medicine and Bioengineering (Drs Gao, Wang, Li, and Wong and Mr Hammoudi) and the NCI-ICBP Center for Modeling Cancer Development (Drs Li and Wong), The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, and the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, The Methodist Hospital (Drs Thrall, Cagle, and Wong), Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, Houston, Texas; Chroma Technology Corporation, Bellows Falls, Vermont (Dr Gao); and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas (Mr Hammoudi and Dr Wong).

Aimed at bridging imaging technology development with cancer diagnosis, this paper first presents the prevailing challenges of lung cancer detection and diagnosis, with an emphasis on imaging techniques. It then elaborates on the working principle of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy, along with a description of pathologic applications to show the effectiveness and potential of this novel technology for lung cancer diagnosis. As a nonlinear optical technique probing intrinsic molecular vibrations, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy offers an unparalleled, label-free strategy for clinical cancer diagnosis and allows differential diagnosis of fresh specimens based on cell morphology information and patterns, without any histology staining. This powerful feature promises a higher biopsy yield for early cancer detection by incorporating a real-time imaging feed with a biopsy needle. In addition, molecularly targeted therapies would also benefit from early access to surgical specimen with high accuracy but minimum tissue consumption, therefore potentially saving specimens for follow-up diagnostic tests. Finally, we also introduce the potential of a coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering–based endoscopy system to support intraoperative applications at the cellular level.

From Paul Bunn: Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0295-SA

Paul A. Bunn Jr (2012) Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1478-1481.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Worldwide Overview of the Current Status of Lung Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

Paul A. Bunn Jr , MD

From the Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado, Aurora.

From James Jett: Screening for Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0259-RA

James Jett (2012) Screening for Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1511-1514.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Screening for Lung Cancer: Who Should Be Screened?

James Jett , MD

From the Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado.

From Phil Cagle and me: Lung Cancer Genotype-Based Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers: Present and Future

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0508-RA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Lung Cancer Genotype-Based Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers: Present and Future

Philip T. Cagle , MD; Timothy Craig Allen , MD, JD

From the Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas (Dr Cagle); and the Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (Dr Allen).

Context.—The advent of genotype-based therapy and predictive biomarkers for lung cancer has thrust the pathologist into the front lines of precision medicine for this deadly disease.

Data Sources.—Data were obtained from review of the pertinent peer-reviewed literature.

From Lida Hariri, Mari Mino-Kenudson, Gene Mark, and Melissa Suter:In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography: The Role of the Pathologist

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0252-SA

Lida P. Hariri, Mari Mino-Kenudson, Eugene J. Mark, and Melissa J. Suter (2012) In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography: The Role of the Pathologist. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1492-1501.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

In Vivo Optical Coherence Tomography: The Role of the Pathologist

Lida P. Hariri , MD, PhD; Mari Mino-Kenudson , MD; Eugene J. Mark , MD; Melissa J. Suter , PhD

From the Departments of Pathology (Drs Hariri, Mino-Kenudson, and Mark), the Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit (Dr Suter), and the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston (Drs Hariri and Suter); and the Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Drs Hariri, Mino-Kenudson, Mark, and Suter).

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a nondestructive, high-resolution imaging modality, providing cross-sectional, architectural images at near histologic resolutions, with penetration depths up to a few millimeters. Optical frequency domain imaging is a second-generation OCT technology that has equally high resolution with significantly increased image acquisition speeds and allows for large area, high-resolution tissue assessments. These features make OCT and optical frequency domain imaging ideal imaging techniques for surface and endoscopic imaging, specifically when tissue is unsafe to obtain and/or suffers from biopsy sampling error. This review focuses on the clinical impact of OCT in coronary, esophageal, and pulmonary imaging and the role of the pathologist in interpreting high-resolution OCT images as a complement to standard tissue pathology.

From Phil Cagle: Evolving Frontlines in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0518-ED

Philip T. Cagle (2012) Evolving Frontlines in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1476-1477.

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Evolving Frontlines in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

Philip T. Cagle , MD

From the Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas.

"The pace and breadth of developments in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary diseases, both neoplastic and nonneoplastic, are exhilarating and provide a template for understanding the revolutionary changes impacting all areas of pathology and medicine."

From Richard Kradin:Guiding the Pulmonologist's Hand: What They Need to Know About Lung Pathology and What is Lost in Translation

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0273-SA

SPECIAL SECTION—HOUSTON LUNG SYMPOSIUM, PART II

Guiding the Pulmonologist's Hand: What They Need to Know About Lung Pathology and What is Lost in Translation

Richard L. Kradin , MD

From the Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit and the Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

No Pay No Play: In Reply. From Jim Hernandez and me

http://www.archivesofpathology.org/doi/pdf/10.5858/arpa.2012-0328-LE

Timothy Craig Allen and James S. Hernandez (2012) In Reply. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine: December 2012, Vol. 136, No. 12, pp. 1475-1475.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
In Reply
Timothy Craig Allen , MD, JD

Department of Pathology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75708James S. Hernandez , MD, MS

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Scottsdale, AZ 85259

Convicted former Rep. Mel Reynolds wants Jackson seat in Congress (HT:AP)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-convicted-former-rep-mel-reynolds-wants-jackson-seat-in-congress-20121128,0,4033691.story

Convicted former Rep. Mel Reynolds wants Jackson seat in Congress

By Rick PearsonClout Street

1:29 p.m. CST, November 28, 2012

Disgraced former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds said he will ask voters to focus on his congressional experience rather than his state and federal criminal record as he announced his bid today for the seat held by Jesse Jackson Jr., who has resigned.

At a downtown hotel news conference, Reynolds acknowledged having made “mistakes” in the past. For his campaign, he will try to assume the mantle of an incumbent while also seeking redemption from voters. Red and white campaign signs urged voters to “re-elect” Reynolds “so he can finish the work” while another stark red sign with white letters said simply: “Redemption.”

Overweight Teens at Higher Risk for End Stage Renal Disease

http://www.renalandurologynews.com/overweight-teens-at-higher-risk-for-esrd/article/270412/

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Jody A. Charnow

November 29, 2012

Overweight Teens at Higher Risk for ESRD

Overweight and obese adolescents are at increased risk for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), according to Israeli researchers.

In a nationwide population-based retrospective study, Asaf Vivante, MD, of the Israeli Defense Forces Medical Corps and Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, and colleagues analyzed data from 1,194 adolescents aged 17 years who had been examined for fitness for military service between January 1, 1967 and December 31, 1997. These data were linked to the Israeli ESRD registry. The investigators included in their analysis incident cases of treated ESRD from January 1, 1980 to May 31, 2010.

During a mean of about 25 years of follow-up, treated ESRD developed in 874 subjects (713 male and 161 female). Compared with individuals of normal weight, overweight was associated with threefold increased risk for all-cause treated ESRD and obesity was associated with a nearly sevenfold increased risk, after adjusting for gender, country of origin, systolic blood pressure, and period of enrollment in the study, Dr. Vivante's team reported in Archives of Internal Medicine(2012;172:1644-1650). Overweight and obesity were associated with a sixfold and 19-fold increased risk for diabetic ESRD, respectively, and a twofold and threefold increased risk for nondiabetic ESRD.