Increased level of serum prostaglandin-2 in early stage of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Introduction

Prostaglandin-2 (PGE-2), one of the products of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) induced catalysis, may play a critical role in the carcinogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We investigated the efficacy of using serum PGE-2 concentration as a biomarker for this cancer type.

Material and methods

Prostaglandin-2 levels were analyzed in the serum of 65 ESCC patients and in 47 healthy individuals. The concentrations of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were measured in tumor tissues and normal tissues obtained from 31 surgically treated ESCC patients.

Results

Serum PGE-2 concentration was significantly higher in ESCC patients than in control patients (p = 0.004), especially in the early stages (I + II) of cancer (p < 0.0001). We observed significant inverse relationships between serum PGE-2 levels and: tumor stage, primary tumor progression, lymph and distant metastasis. The COX-2 concentration was significantly elevated in tumors as compared to normal tissues (p = 0.008). A significant correlation between serum PGE-2 and tumor COX-2 was observed (rho = 0.46, p = 0.009). However, ROC analysis showed that serum PGE-2 may be a weak prognostic factor for ESCC.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that an elevated concentration of serum PGE-2 in the early stages of cancer may possibly be associated with tumor initiation and cancer development in ESCC. The exact role of these findings in early detection of this highly lethal cancer requires further research.     

A comparative molecular surface analysis (COMSA). A new efficient technique for drug design

Several applications of the COMSA were discussed including a series of the potential anti-HIV drugs and a series of dyes.     

Depression in patients with Parkinson's disease

The aim of our study was to assess the frequency of depression in group of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PD, had normal CT scans and responded well to L-dopa treatment. The sample consisted of 73 consecutive patients (34 women and 39 men), mean age 65.7 (41-81) years, mean duration of disease 6.7 years. Besides neurological examination, in all the patients the degree of motor impairment was evaluated using the UPDRS, H-Y, and SE scales. Moreover, a sociodemographic questionnaire, psychological tests (MADRS, MMSE), and a quality of life scale (PDQ-39) were used. Depression (MADRS scores > 19) was found in 25 (34.2%) of the patients, with major depression (scores > 28) diagnosed in 7 patients (9.5%) and moderate depression (scores between 20 and 28)--in 18 cases (24.6%). In comparison to non-depressed patients, those with depression were older by 0.9 years on the average, their onset of the disease occurred later by 1.7 years, and their mean duration of the disease was longer by 2.6 years. These differences were not statistically significant. Dementia (MMSE scores < or = 23) did not differentiate between the two groups: it was found in 27 depressed patients (37.4%) and in 26 (35.6%) of those without depression. Patients in the depressed group suffered statistically more often from sleep disorders (19 vs. 14; p < 0.001). In this group motor impairment was significantly more marked, as measured by the UPDRS (32.2 vs. 46.8; p < 0.001) and H-Y (2.54 vs 2.98; p < 0.007), and their quality of life as measured by PDQ-39 questionnaire was significantly lower (36.4 vs. 82.24; p < 0.00002). Our data indicate the presence of depression in 34.2% of the sample, i.e. a somewhat lower prevalence rate than that reported in other studies. This may be due to the fact that only outpatient population was analysed, and outpatients are seldom categorized as degree 4 and 5 on the H-Y scale. Depression on PD patients was correlated with their more severe motor disability and considerably lower quality of life. This may suggest a relationship with progression of the disease and more pronounced changes in cerebral neurotransmitters (i.e. endogenous origin), or PD patient's response to their limited mobility and isolation in later stages of the disease (i.e. reactive origin). However, the two factors--endogenous and reactive--may be overlapping, since a majority of PD patients suffer from mild to moderate depression.     

Transfusions of blood and blood products and virus infections

Transfusions of blood and blood products are commonly used in medicine, but being biological materials they carry a risk of transmitting infections--viral, bacterial, parasitic, as well as prions. Laboratory tests used for screening of donated blood for viral infections at present cannot detect all infectious units. Criteria for selection of blood donors therefore must be very strict, while methods of inactivation of viruses and laboratory assays for detection of their presence must be improved. Indications for blood transfusion should be restricted.     

Infectious diseases in Poland in 2000

The decreasing tendency in incidence of infectious diseases observed in Poland in previous years as compared with 2000 has weakened or stopped. Increase in the incidence of selected infectious diseases can be linked with the improvement of surveillance resulting from the better diagnostics and greater attention paid to these diseases (including borreliosis, salmonella, and Haemophilus influenzae meningitis). Between 1999 and 2000, the most intense decrease in the number of mumps, measles, and scarlet fever cases as an effect of the end of epidemics was observed. At the same time increase in the number of pertussis, rubella, chickenpox, and meningitis cases was noticed. In 2000, the first case of human rabies since 1986 has been reported. In 2000, compared with 1999, among all notified deaths percentage of deaths attributed to infectious diseases (0.83%) and infectious diseases death rate (0.79 per 10,000) were slightly higher and were the highest in the last decade. As in 1999 the observed increase was effect of the influenza deaths increase (358 deaths, mortality 0.022%). The main disease causing the largest number of deaths, as in previous years, was tuberculosis (36.5% of total infectious diseases deaths).     

Proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-alpha) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in serum of young people with ventricular arrhythmias

In the most cases the origin of ventricular arrhythmias is ischaemic, necrosis focus or presence of the connective tissue in cardiac muscle. The aim of the study was to evaluate troponin I (cTnI), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) vs in young subject with ventricular arrhythmias. Into the study group included young people without organic heart diseases, dyselectrolitemia, with normal ECG which has not elevated levels of C-reactive protein (55 persons). The control group consisted of 22 healthy persons. The values of cTnI were not increased. The TNF-alpha concentrations were elevated in persons with ventricular arrhythmias (92 +/- 232 pg/mL vs. 2 +/- 1 pg/mL, p < 0.001). The IL-6 concentrations were slightly elevated without statistical significance (1.5 +/- 4.5 pg/mL i 0.1 +/- 0.04 pg/mL, p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of myocardial injury in young people with ventricular arrhythmias (cTnI). We noted increase levels of proinflammatory cytokines. It might suggest that the background of ventricular arrhythmias is inflammation.     

Scarlet fever in Poland in 2003

Following the last epidemic in 1995 the scarlet fever incidence in Poland has been gradually decreasing. The downward trend continued in 2003, with overall incidence rate of 10.1 per 100,000. The incidence registered during 2001-2003 dropped below the lowest level noted ever sine the introduction of mandatory reporting in 1918. Regionally the incidence ranged from 3.4 per 100,000 in lódzkie voivodeship to 21.8 in opolskie voivodeship. As observed previously incidence in the urban areas (11.8) was significantly higher then in the rural areas (7.5) and the incidence in men (11.1) exceeded the incidence in women (9.2). The majority of cases occurred in children and adolescents younger then 15 years (mode--6 years; incidence 132.3). Approximately 3% of cases were hospitalized. There were no deaths due to scarlet fever reported in 2003.     

Influenza in Poland in 2003

Following two years of low influenza incidence in Poland, the activity of this disease markedly increased in 2003. In total 1,216,285 cases of influenza like illness were registered (incidence 3,184.4 per 100,000). Regionally the incidence ranged from 1,195.7 in Zachodniopomorskie to 5,719.7 per 100,000 in Mazowieckie. Children and adolescents under 15 years of age accounted for 41.7% of all cases (507,102 cases, age specific incidence 7,579.0 per 100,000). In this age group the incidence varied regionally from 2,718.1 in Podlaskie to 14,087.6 per 100,000 in Mazowieckie. 3,128 patients (0.26% of all cases) required hospital admission. There were 141 deaths due to influenza (mortality 0.12%) in 2003, in 78.7% these were persons over 70 years of age. Nineteen strains of influenza virus were isolated in 2003 in Poland, including 15 strains of subtype A(H3), 3 strains of subtype A(H1) and one strain of type B. Besides, in other 10 cases influenza A infection was confirmed by direct immunofluorescence test. All isolated influenza strains were antigenically similar to the vaccine strains recommended for the epidemic season 2002/03 and 2003/04.