Combining Ordinary Kriging with wind directions to identify sources of industrial odors in Portland, Oregon.

This study combines Ordinary Kriging, odor monitoring, and wind direction data to demonstrate how these elements can be applied to identify the source of an industrial odor. The specific case study used as an example of how to address this issue was the University Park neighborhood of Portland, Oregon (USA) where residents frequently complain about industrial odors, and suspect the main source to be a nearby Daimler Trucks North America LLC manufacturing plant. We collected 19,665 odor observations plus 105,120 wind measurements, using an automated weather station to measure winds in the area at five-minute intervals, logging continuously from December 2014 through November 2015, while we also measured odors at 19 locations, three times per day, using methods from the American Society of the International Association for Testing and Materials. Our results quantify how winds vary with season and time of day when industrial odors were observed versus when they were not observed, while also mapping spatiotemporal patterns in these odors using Ordinary Kriging. Our analyses show that industrial odors were detected most frequently to the northwest of the Daimler plant, mostly when winds blew from the southeast, suggesting Daimler's facility is a likely source for much of this odor.

Preoperative cytologic interpretation of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features: a 1-year multi-institutional experience.

INTRODUCTION: Encapsulated follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has an indolent behavior; hence, a change in terminology to "noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP)" has been proposed. Data are scant on the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) diagnosis of nodules proven to be NIFTP upon resection. The aim was to evaluate the FNA diagnosis of nodules diagnosed as NIFTP upon resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The archives of 8 participating institutions were searched for thyroid resection specimens obtained in a 1-year period, and pertinent demographic and pathology data were recorded. RESULTS: 2226 thyroid surgeries were performed over the indicated time period. NIFTP was diagnosed in 6.3% of cases; 118 patients (119 nodules) with NIFTP and available preoperative thyroid FNA were included. Preoperative cytologic diagnosis were: non-diagnostic: 0.8%; benign: 5.9%; atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance: 42.9%; follicular neoplasm/suspicious for a follicular neoplasm: 31.0%; suspicious for malignancy: 15.9%; malignant: 3.4%. Molecular data was available for 49 cases, either by Afirma or ThyGenX/ThyroSeq. Of the Afirma cases, 11% were classified as "benign", 2% as "indeterminate", and 87% as "suspicious"; of the ThyGenX/ThyroSeq cases, 50% had NRAS mutations, 20% demonstrated KRAS mutations, 20% showed HRAS mutations, and 10% showed a BRAF mutation (K601E). CONCLUSIONS: NIFTP are tumors demonstrating nuclear features similar to those seen in PTC. Our series shows that a preoperative diagnosis of "suspicious for malignancy" or "malignant" is uncommon in NIFTP, suggesting that there are sufficient cytomorphologic differences between PTC and NIFTP to allow for the suspicion of NIFTP on FNA specimens.

Fine needle aspiration of metastatic adult granulosa cell tumor of the ovary: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) of the ovary are low grade ovarian malignancies with a predilection for late recurrences in the pelvic cavity and occasionally distant metastases. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) can be used to detect such recurrences accurately based on unique cytologic and immunohistochemical features. CASE: A 5-cm, retrocaval mass at the level of the kidneys was detected in a 63-year-old woman who had a diagnosis of adult GCT (AGCT) of the ovary 18 years earlier and a local recurrence 5 years prior to this admission. The FNA of the retrocaval mass displayed small tumor cells with scant cytoplasm arranged in small aggregates and isolated cells. Coffee bean-like longitudinal nuclear grooves and microfollicular structures with amorphous material resembling Call-Exner bodies were not readily identified. Cytohistologic correlation with the patient's previous biopsies and positive immunohistochemical staining reaction with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and inhibin confirmed the recurrence of AGCT, thus avoiding unnecessary surgical interventions for diagnostic purposes. CONCLUSION: For accurate interpretation of cytologic findings of recurrent GCT, proper clinical history, cytohistologic correlation with prior biopsies and a positive immunohistochemical reaction with inhibin are of vital importance.

Fine needle aspiration cytology of ALK1(-), CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma post renal transplantation: a case report and literature review.

Post transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) complicates the course of 0.3 to 3% of renal transplant patients receiving immunosuppression. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) related non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of B-cell type is more common than those of T-cell origin. CD30 positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) is a Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B or T cell type) that accounts for a small percentage of PTLD's. ALCL of T-cell type are a spectrum of disease ranging from primary cutaneous to systemic nodal ALCL. The systemic nodal ALCL is further subdivided into anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 (ALK-1) positive or negative. ALK-1 protein is a gene fusion product of translocation (2;5) and carries prognostic implications. We present an unusual manifestation of ALK-1 negative CD30 positive ALCL in a post renal transplant patient in FNA cytology with all supportive adjuvant studies and differential diagnoses and review the cytology literature on this topic.

Impact of New York State's new licensure regulations for laboratory professionals on staffing of clinical laboratories.

Licensing of laboratory professionals has been a controversial issue for the individuals working in these professions for many years. In New York State (NYS), licensing of laboratory professionals has been debated for over three decades and did not become law until 2005. The NYS licensure law stipulates specific educational requirements that include course work as well as curricular content areas. In addition to these educational requirements, the licensure law stipulates successful completion of a certification examination for new licensure applicants. To determine if the new legislation in NYS has had a demonstrable impact on the ability to recruit qualified laboratory professionals, a survey tool was developed to gather baseline data for a longitudinal study on the same topic. A 20 item survey along with a letter of explanation and a self addressed return envelope was distributed by mail to managers and/or supervisors of laboratories in 150 hospitals that ranged in size from small community hospitals to large medical centers across the state of New York. Questions were created addressing each of the following categories: day to day laboratory staffing, increased cost of recruiting to the facility after licensure law, impact on ability to cross train and staff evenings and weekends, and impact on patient care. It is apparent from the survey results that the employers have already started experiencing difficulty to staff certain laboratory vacancies especially for Clinical Laboratory Technologists (CLT) and fear that this trend might continue over the years not only pertaining to CLT but also to other laboratory vacancies such as Histotechnologists-Histotechnicians and Cytotechnologists. The impact of the NYS licensure law on staffing, facility costs, patient care, and laboratory professionals are discussed.

Spatial considerations in physiological models of tree growth.

To include competitive interactions in a physiologically-based model of mixed growth-form plant communities presents a major methodological problem. This paper outlines a two-step solution: (1) a spatial framework for calculating a continuous surface that depicts the magnitude of influences of crowns, roots, and stems on resource availability, termed ECOLOGICAL FIELD THEORY (EFT), and (2) a mathematical technique for coupling water, light, and nutrients into a single growth equation using a physiologically-based continuous-time Markov approach, termed the CTM METHOD. Assumptions, limitations, and an application of the methodology to plant growth in a semiarid woodland community in Australia are presented.