The Diagnostic Value of Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH) Isoenzymes and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) Measurement in the Sera of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Background  

The activity of total alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and class I isoenzymes is significantly higher in colorectal cancer tissue than in healthy mucosa. The activity of these enzymes in cancer cells is probably reflected in the sera and could thus be helpful for diagnosing colorectal cancer.     

Ethanolic extract of Brazilian green propolis sensitizes prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis

Prostate cancer represents an ideal disease for chemopreventive intervention. Propolis possesses immuno-modulatory, anti-tumour and chemopreventive properties. The tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is an important endogenous anti-cancer agent that induces apoptosis selectively in tumour cells. However, some cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Naturally occurring phenolic and polyphenolic compounds sensitize TRAIL-resistant cancer cells and augment the apoptotic activity of TRAIL. The ethanolic extract of Brazilian green propolis (EEP) is rich in phenolic components. Our in vitro results indicate the potential targets in the TRAIL-induced apoptotic pathway for the cancer chemopreventive activity of Brazilian propolis. We examined the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of Brazilian EEP and its bioactive components in combination with TRAIL on LNCaP prostate cancer cells. The chemical composition of Brazilian green propolis was determined by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection. The cytotoxicity was measured by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl-tetrazolium and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Apoptosis was detected using annexin V-FITC by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The mitochondrial membrane potential (?Ψm) was evaluated using DePsipher staining by fluorescence microscopy. Flow cytometry was used to analyse death receptor (TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2) expression in LNCaP cells. The inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) (p65) activation in cancer cells was confirmed by the ELISA-based TransAM NF-κB kit. The LNCaP cells were shown to be resistant to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Our study demonstrates that EEP sensitizes TRAIL-resistant prostate cancer cells. The main phenolic components detected in Brazilian green propolis are artepillin C, quercetin, kaempferol and p-coumaric acid. Brazilian propolis and its bioactive components markedly augmented TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and cytotoxicity in prostate cancer cells. Brazilian EEP enhanced the expression of TRAIL-R2 and the activity of NF-κB in LNCaP cells. The co-treatment of prostate cancer cells with 100 ng/ml TRAIL and 50 μg/ml EEP increased the percentage of apoptotic cells to 65.8 ± 1.2% and caused a significant disruption of ?Ψm in LNCaP cells. We show that Brazilian EEP helped cells overcome TRAIL resistance by engaging both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways and regulating NF-κB activity. The data demonstrate the important role of Brazilian green propolis and its bioactive compounds in prostate cancer chemoprevention through the enhancement of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis.     

Five-year Follow-up of a Randomized Clinical Trial of Total Thyroidectomy versus Dunhill Operation versus Bilateral Subtotal Thyroidectomy for Multinodular Nontoxic Goiter

Background  

The extent of thyroid resection in multinodular nontoxic goiter (MNG) is controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate results of various thyroid resection modes, with special emphasis put on the recurrence rate and morbidity rate, in a 5-year follow-up.     

Value of Transthoracic Echocardiography for the Detection of High-Grade Coronary Artery Stenosis: Prospective Evaluation in 50 Consecutive Patients Scheduled for Coronary Angiography

We prospectively evaluated the feasibility of direct, transthoracic evaluation of coronary arteries to diagnose flow-limiting lesions. Second harmonic mode in B-mode and fundamental mode for Doppler examinations was used. A stenosis was diagnosed when maximal flow velocity at least doubled in comparison with that of the adjacent segment or when local velocity was at least 2 m/s. Of the left anterior descending coronary artery segments assessed, 34 were proximal, 35 middle, and 34 distal segments. The corresponding figures for circumflex coronary artery segments were 17 proximal and 11 middle segments and for the right coronary artery, 14 proximal and 15 distal segments. No distal circumflex and only 1 mid right coronary artery segment was visualized. Twenty-eight stenoses were diagnosed. Specificity for stenosis detection was 96% to 100% and sensitivity was 62% to 66%. Echo-cardiography was unable to document occlusions. Transthoracic echocardiography allows for coronary artery assessment in a significant portion of patients scheduled for coronary angiography. It may be used to document the presence of coronary artery stenosis. With further technologic improvements, transthoracic echocardiography could enable the monitoring of the restenosis process after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty/stent intervention and coronary artery luminal narrowing after heart transplantation.     

Structural Properties of Thin ZnO Films Deposited by ALD under O-Rich and Zn-Rich Growth Conditions and Their Relationship with Electrical Parameters

The structural, optical, and electrical properties of ZnO are intimately intertwined. In the present work, the structural and transport properties of 100 nm thick polycrystalline ZnO films obtained by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at a growth temperature (T_g) of 100–300 °C were investigated. The electrical properties of the films showed a dependence on the substrate (a-Al₂O₃ or Si (100)) and a high sensitivity to T_g, related to the deviation of the film stoichiometry as demonstrated by the RT-Hall effect. The average crystallite size increased from 20–30 nm for as grown samples to 80–100 nm after rapid thermal annealing, which affects carrier scattering. The ZnO layers deposited on silicon showed lower strain and dislocation density than on sapphire at the same T_g. The calculated half crystallite size (D/2) was higher than the Debye length (L_D) for all as grown and annealed ZnO films, except for annealed ZnO/Si films grown within the ALD window (100–200 °C), indicating different homogeneity of charge carrier distribution for annealed ZnO/Si and ZnO/a-Al₂O₃ layers. For as grown films the hydrogen impurity concentration detected via secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was 10²¹ cm⁻³ and was decreased by two orders of magnitude after annealing, accompanied by a decrease in Urbach energy in the ZnO/a-Al₂O₃ layers.