A multi-lesional analysis of diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia: a single-centre analysis.

AIM: To conduct a multi-lesional computed tomography (CT) analysis of diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) patients to determine volumetric changes in lesions over 5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-note review was undertaken to identify 16 patients with histological and radiological features of DIPNECH between 2012-2021. Area and volume were calculated for 17 sets of lesions identified on high-resolution CT. Clinical data were extracted from electronic patient records, which included demographic data, outpatient clinic letters, histology reports, and imaging reports. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-eight lesions were identified in 16 patients (one male, 15 female) and followed-up annually over a median 1,985 days (range 1,450-2,290). At year 1 follow-up, lesion area ranged from 1-48 mm2, and lesion volume ranged from 8-18,380 mm3; lesion area ranged from 1-45mm2 and lesion volume ranged from 11-17,800 mm3 and year 5. Half (8/16) of the patients had concomitant typical carcinoid tumours and one patient had an atypical carcinoid tumour. No statistically significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between lesion cross-sectional area or volume and duration of follow-up (years and days). No metastatic spread was observed at the time of analysis. CONCLUSIONS: No significant increase was observed in the size of over 100 lesions in patients with DIPNECH over a 5-year period and no metastasis occurred during the study period affirming the relatively indolent course of the disease.

Simultaneous analysis of butene isomer mixtures using process mass spectrometry.

The feasibility of simultaneous analysis of mixtures containing two to four butene isomers and up to six total components using process mass spectrometry is assessed. As for typical (nonisomeric) applications of process mass spectrometry, simultaneous analysis is based on the assumption that the electron ionization mass spectra of mixtures are linear combinations of the spectra of the individual constituents. Limits of detection for binary isomer mixtures are on the order of 0.1% to 10%, limited by the ability to distinguish small differences between similar spectra. As spectral and mixture complexity increase, both accuracy and precision decrease. Not surprisingly the similarity of the spectra of stereoisomers cis- and trans-2-butene is greater than that of the other (nonstereoisomeric) isomer pairs, and mixtures containing both cis- and trans-2-butene are the most difficult to quantitate. However, even for mixtures of all four butenes, accuracy (root-mean-square error = 2.43%), precision (average coefficient of variation = 6.72%), and linearity (correlation coefficient of a plot of measured versus actual concentration r2 = 0.985 +/- 0.002) are reasonably good.

Time-Dependent Permeance of Gas Mixtures through Zeolite Membranes.

The time-dependent permeation behavior of binary gas mixtures through a ZSM-5 zeolite membrane was studied. Although steady-state permeation rates were indistinguishable for CO(2) and N(2) or for cis- and trans-2-butene in binary mixtures, differences in the rate of approach to steady state allowed component distinction. In "normal" systems, one component is initially enriched in the permeate following application of a pulse of analyte gas to the membrane, and then disappears more quickly upon termination of the pulse. Mixtures of cis- and trans-2-butene exhibit qualitatively different behavior; the permeate is enriched in cis-2-butene during both the leading and trailing edges of a sample pulse (though not at steady state). These differences in permeation behavior reflect different balances among multiple transport mechanisms through the zeolite membrane, thought to reflect a combination of selective component sorption and intracrystalline diffusion; in the case of cis- and trans-2-butene, these two factors oppose one another. It is known that this mechanistic complexity can engender synergistic effects, wherein the presence of one component can affect the permeation of another. These may limit applicability to true "unknowns", but resulting complications should be less problematic in well-defined process applications.