Camilla Slot Mehlum

Can the Ni classification of vessels predict neoplasia? A systematic review and meta-analysis

The Ni classification of vascular change from 2011 is well documented for evaluating pharyngeal and laryngeal lesions, primarily focusing on cancer. In the planning of surgery it may be more relevant to differentiate neoplasia from non‐neoplasia. We aimed to evaluate the ability of the Ni classification to predict laryngeal or hypopharyngeal neoplasia and to investigate if a changed cutoff value would support the recent European Laryngological Society (ELS) proposal of perpendicular vascular changes as indicative of neoplasia.

Analysis of human immunoglobulin VDJ and DJ rearrangements shows N region synthesis by concatenation of cytosine-rich strands preferentially originating from trimmed germline gene segments

The formation of non-templated (N) regions during immunoglobulin gene rearrangement is a major contributor to antibody diversity. To gain insights into the mechanisms behind this, we studied the nucleotide composition of N regions within 29,962 unique human VHDJH-rearrangements and 8,728 unique human DJH-rearrangements containing exactly one identifiable D-gene segment and thus two N regions, N1 and N2. We found a distinct decreasing content of cytosine (C) and increasing content of guanine (G) across each N region, suggesting that N regions are typically generated by concatenation of two 3’-overhangs synthesized by addition of nucleoside triphosphates with a preference for dCTP. This challenges the general assumption that the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase favors dGTP in vivo. Furthermore, we found that the G and C gradients depended strongly on whether the germline gene segments were trimmed or not. Our data show that C-enriched N addition preferentially happens at trimmed 3’-ends of VH-, D-, and JH-gene segments indicating a dependency of the transferase mechanism upon the nuclease mechanism.

Nucleotide Composition of Human Ig Nontemplated Regions Depends on Trimming of the Flanking Gene Segments, and Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Favors Adding Cytosine, Not Guanosine, in Most VDJ Rearrangements

The formation of nontemplated (N) regions during Ig gene rearrangement is a major contributor to Ab diversity. To gain insights into the mechanisms behind this, we studied the nucleotide composition of N regions within 29,962 unique human VHDJH rearrangements and 8728 unique human DJH rearrangements containing exactly one identifiable D gene segment and thus two N regions, N1 and N2. We found a distinct decreasing content of cytosine (C) and increasing content of guanine (G) across each N region, suggesting that N regions are typically generated by concatenation of two 3′ overhangs synthesized by addition of nucleoside triphosphates with a preference for dCTP. This challenges the general assumption that the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase favors dGTP in vivo. Furthermore, we found that the G and C gradients depended strongly on whether the germline gene segments were trimmed or not. Our data show that C-enriched N addition preferentially happens at trimmed 3′ ends of VH, D, and JH gene segments, indicating a dependency of the transferase mechanism upon the nuclease mechanism.

Can videostroboscopy predict early glottic cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Correct assessment of patients with a glottic lesion is crucial for ensuring proper treatment in cases of cancer or premalignancy and for avoiding unnecessary surgery. For years, videostroboscopy (VS) has been the gold standard for assessing such lesions, but diagnostic difficulties have been described. We aim to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of VS in differentiating early glottic cancer from noninvasive lesions by conducting a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published studies.

Can videostroboscopy predict early glottic cancer

Correct assessment of patients with a glottic lesion is crucial for ensuring proper treatment in cases of cancer or premalignancy and for avoiding unnecessary surgery. For years, videostroboscopy (VS) has been the gold standard for assessing such lesions, but diagnostic difficulties have been described. We aim to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of VS in differentiating early glottic cancer from noninvasive lesions by conducting a systematic review and meta‐analysis of published studies.