The incidence of prostate cancer in a screening population with a serum prostate specific antigen between 2.5 and 4.0 ng/ml: relation to biopsy strategy

PURPOSE: It has recently been suggested that the diagnostic threshold for the prostate specific antigen (PSA) assay be lowered to enhance prostate cancer detection. A 22% incidence of prostate cancer has been reported in men with PSA between 2.5 and 4.0 ng/ml. We designed a study to confirm this observation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men who participated in our free early detection program and who had serum PSA between 2.5 and 4.0 ng/ml were asked to undergo prostate biopsy. Of 268 eligible men 151 (56%) agreed to participate in this free trial. All men underwent biopsy using an 11-core multisite directed biopsy scheme. All biopsy cores were color coded for location specificity and examined by 1 pathologist. RESULTS: Cancer was identified in 24.5% (37 of 151) of the men biopsied. The median age of men with cancer was 62 years (range 43 to 74). Conventional systematic sextant biopsies, which accounted for 6 of the 11 cores, detected 73.0% (27 of 37) of the cancers and the alternate site biopsies identified the remaining 10. Gleason score was 6 in 25 men, 3 + 4 in 5, 4 + 3 in 4 and 8 or greater in 3 (median Gleason score 6). There were 14 men who had 1 core positive for cancer, 9 had 2 and 14 had more than 2 (median number of positive cores 2). Of the 14 men with 1 positive core 11 had a less than 3 mm focus of cancer and 8 had only a positive alternate site biopsy. There were 11 cases of abnormal results on digital rectal examination, 5 of which were cancer, and 31 cases of abnormal results on ultrasonography, 13 of which were cancer. Median biological variability in PSA was +/-15% (range 0.4% to 440.0%). CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant incidence of cancer (24.5%, 37 of 51) in men with serum PSA between 2.5 and 4.0 ng/ml. In our study 67.6% of the detected cancers were significant based on the biopsy data. If the PSA threshold is lowered the conventional systematic sextant technique may be preferable to an extended strategy.     

Methimazole Slows Hepatocyte Streaming in Rats

Hepatocytes are hypothesized to continuallystream from the portal tract to the terminal hepaticvein. By this model, when a cell divides, one of itsprogeny replaces the dividing ancestor and the other is displaced into a more remote location. Thepresent experiment aims to demonstrate thathypothyroidism affects liver cell turnover. Thirty maleadult rats were divided into two groups. One receivedmethimazole for two weeks and the other served as control.Each rat was injected intraperitoneally with 18.5 KBq[³H]thymidine/g body weight. Rats were killedafter 1 hr and two and four weeks. Autoradiography was done. The distance of the labeled cells fromthe portal tract was measured. The mean TSH levels ofthe methimazole-treated group and controls were 1.45 and0.25 mM/liter, respectively (P < 0.01). Hepatocyte streaming was lower in hypothyroid (1.8m/day) than in untreated rats (2.5 m/day) (P< 0.01). The respective labeling indices 1 hr afterlabeling were 0.9% and 1.24% (P < 0.05). We concludethat hypothyroidism diminishes hepatocyte and littoral cellturnover and slows down their streaming.     

The dystrophin gene and cognitive function in the general population

The aim of our study is to investigate whether single-nucleotide dystrophin gene (DMD) variants associate with variability in cognitive functions in healthy populations. The study included 1240 participants from the Erasmus Rucphen family (ERF) study and 1464 individuals from the Rotterdam Study (RS). The participants whose exomes were sequenced and who were assessed for various cognitive traits were included in the analysis. To determine the association between DMD variants and cognitive ability, linear (mixed) modeling with adjustment for age, sex and education was used. Moreover, Sequence Kernel Association Test (SKAT) was used to test the overall association of the rare genetic variants present in the DMD with cognitive traits. Although no DMD variant surpassed the prespecified significance threshold (P<1 × 10⁻⁴), rs147546024:A>G showed strong association (β=1.786, P-value=2.56 × 10⁻⁴) with block-design test in the ERF study, while another variant rs1800273:G>A showed suggestive association (β=−0.465, P-value=0.002) with Mini-Mental State Examination test in the RS. Both variants are highly conserved, although rs147546024:A>G is an intronic variant, whereas rs1800273:G>A is a missense variant in the DMD which has a predicted damaging effect on the protein. Further gene-based analysis of DMD revealed suggestive association (P-values=0.087 and 0.074) with general cognitive ability in both cohorts. In conclusion, both single variant and gene-based analyses suggest the existence of variants in the DMD which may affect cognitive functioning in the general populations.     

Angiosarcoma of the small intestine: an immunoperoxidase study

A case of multifocal angiosarcoma of the small intestine is reported. These tumors often contain areas of solid sheets of cells and may be confused with poorly differentiated carcinoma or other sarcomas, as was the tumor in the reported case. Factor VIII-related antigen was demonstrated in biopsy samples by the peroxidase antiperoxidase method, showing the tumor to be an angiosarcoma. We conclude that the demonstration of factor VIII-related antigen in the neoplastic cells is an important aid in the diagnosis of angiosarcoma.     

Chloroquine attenuates hemorrhagic shock-induced suppression of Kupffer cell antigen presentation and major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression through blockade of tumor necrosis factor and prostaglandin release

Hemorrhagic shock suppresses the ability of Kupffer cells (KC) to present antigen and express the major histocompatibility complex class II (Ia) antigen. These alterations are concomitant with an enhanced release of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF], interleukin-1 [IL-1], IL-6) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by KC after hemorrhagic shock. The aim of this study was to determine whether chloroquine (CQ) administration in vivo before or after hemorrhage affects the altered cytokine and PGE2 release by KC as well as the capacity of KC to present antigen and express Ia. To study this, C3H/HeN mice were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial blood pressure of 35 mm Hg for 60 minutes, followed by fluid resuscitation. Chloroquine (10 mg/kg body weight) was injected intramuscularly 2 hours before or during resuscitation following shock. The administration of CQ led to a significant reduction in the hemorrhage-induced elevation of TNF, IL-6, and PGE2 release by KC; however, IL-1 secretion was not affected by CQ. In addition, CQ treatment abolished the hemorrhage-induced increase in circulating TNF and IL-6. These changes in cytokine and PGE2 release following CQ administration correlated with a significant enhancement of the antigen-presenting capacity of KC. No differences were observed between pretreatment and posttreatment with CQ. Our data indicate that CQ selectively inhibits the release of TNF, IL-6, and PGE2 by KC, while IL-1 secretion was unaffected. Because the reduction of these inflammatory mediators was concomitant with a significant improvement of KC capacity to present antigen and express Ia, we propose that TNF, IL-6, and PGE2 play a pivotal role in the induction of posthemorrhage immunosuppression. Furthermore, the data suggest that the suppression of KC functions occurs during or after resuscitation, because posttreatment with CQ was as effective as pretreatment. Additional studies indicated that the survival of animals after hemorrhage and sepsis was significantly increased by posttreatment of hemorrhaged mice with CQ. Thus, CQ, because of its unique ability to selectively inhibit the release of inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins, represents a potent immunomodulating agent in the treatment of conditions associated with increased cytokine release and for decreasing the mortality from sepsis after hemorrhage.     

Double-blind test of metronidazole and tinidazole in the treatment of asymptomatic Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba hartmanni carriers.

One hundred and fifteen persons with asymptomatic Entamoeba histolytica or E. hartmanni infection, or both, were given metronidazole (750 mg three times daily for 5 days), tinidazole (1 g twice daily on 2 consecutive days), or a starch placebo. Three post-treatment stools were examined in the 2 weeks following initiation of treatment. Cysts of E. histolytica reappeared in the stools of 37% of 30 given metronidazole, 62% of 34 given tinidazole, and 70% of 31 given placebo. Cysts of E. hartmanni reappeared in the stools of 46% of 24 given metronidazole, 69% of 16 given tinidazole, and 90% of 10 given placebo. Rapid absorption and short duration of treatment make both drugs ineffective for the treatment of ameba carriers.