The usefulness of F-18 deoxyglucose whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) for re-staging of renal cell cancer

PURPOSE: The use of whole-body PET for re-staging of renal cell carcinoma has not been investigated. The aim of the current study was to examine the diagnostic accuracy and clinical usefulness of whole-body PET imaging for re-staging of renal cell cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical PET was performed for re-staging in 36 patients with advanced renal cell cancer. Written reports of imaging studies (including CT, MRI, US, plain film and bone scan), patient history, and extensive chart notes were used to define the clinical stage before PET (pre-PET stage). The written PET report was used to define the clinical stage after PET (PET stage). Reports were used to determine the accuracy of PET for re-staging renal cell cancer and for defining biopsy proven lesions. Clinical parameters and biopsy proven lesions served as reference for the accuracy of PET for re-staging renal cell cancer. RESULTS: PET classified the clinical stage correctly in 32/36 patients (89%) and was incorrect in 4/36 (11%) (sensitivity and specificity: 87% and 100%). In 20 patients, 25 suspicious lesions were biopsied within 3.2 +/- 6.7 months of the PET study. Of these, 17 were malignant and 8 were benign. PET correctly classified 21/25 (84%) of the biopsied lesions (sensitivity and specificity: 88% and 75%). CONCLUSION: PET re-stages renal cell cancer with a diagnostic accuracy of 89%. Its diagnostic accuracy for classifying biopsy proven anatomic lesions as malignant or benign was 84%. These findings suggest that PET is useful in characterizing anatomic lesions of unknown significance in patients with renal cell cancer.     

A Randomly Coiled,High-Molecular-Weight Polypeptide Exhibits Increased Paracellular Diffusion <Emphasis Type="Italic">in Vitro</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in Situ</Emphasis> Relative to the Highly Ordered α-Helix Conformer

No HeadingPurpose. The current investigation was conducted to examine the effect of secondary structure of model polypeptides on their hindered paracellular diffusion.Methods. Poly-d-glutamic acid (PDGlu) was selected as one of the model polypeptides because of its ability to form two secondary structures; a negatively charged random coil and an -helix with partial negative charge at pH 7.4 and 4.7, respectively. Poly-d-lysine (PDL) was selected as a positively charged random coil conformation at pH 7.4. Transport experiments were conducted across both a Caco-2 cell monolayer and the intestinal membrane of Sprague-Dawley rats. Additionally, using NMR, an estimation for the diffusion coefficient and the equivalent hydrodynamic radius for each model polypeptide was obtained.Results. PDGlu in the randomly coiled conformation exhibited greater paracellular transport when compared to either the same polypeptide having an -helix secondary structure or the positively charged, randomly coiled PDL.Conclusions. Randomly coiled PDGlu was able to permeate through the negatively charged tight junctions of both biological membranes to a greater extent than PDGlu having an -helix structure and suggests that molecular flexibility associated with the random coil conformation may play a more important role than overall charge and hydrodynamic radius on its hindered paracellular diffusion.     

Hepatitis B and C among women with illegal social behavior in Isfahan, Iran: Seroprevalence and associated factors

Background

In Iran, there is limited evidence on the prevalence of hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) among females who engage in illegal sexual behavior.

Objectives

To determine the prevalence of HBV and HCV infections and their associated factors in this population in Isfahan-Iran.

Patients and Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 100 females who engaged in illegal sexual behavior during 2009-2010 in Isfahan were recruited from welfare to the DIC for women, and referrals were made among those who knew others who engaged in prostitution. Markers for HBV and HCV-Ab were measured by ELISA, and recombinant immunoblot assay was used for confirmation of HCV infection. Also, a questionnaire on demographics and prostitution-associated risk data in a face-to-face interview was completed for each participant. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression models were used for data analysis.

Results

Of the 100 samples collected, 91 were sufficient for testing. The mean age and time spent in sex work were 30.84 ± 9.34 years and 36 ± 28.5 months, respectively. HBsAg was detected in 1 (1.1%), anti-HBc in 4 (4.4%), anti-HBs in 60 (65.9%), and HCV Ab in 9 (9.9%) subjects. The evidence of vaccination was seen in 54 subjects (59.3%). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of HBV or HCV infection by estimated risk factors, and there was no independent risk factor for these infections.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of HCV infection in this study indicates the need to implement preventive interventions for female sex workers and, perhaps more importantly, to involve their male clients.     

Effect of prenatal zinc supplementation on adipose tissue-derived hormones and neonatal weight,height and head circumference in women with impaired glucose tolerance test: randomized clinical controlled trial

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries - It is well known that normal pregnancy exposes mothers to a diabetogenic state. The important role of adipose tissue in the regulation of...     

Radiation-induced bystander effect in non-irradiated glioblastoma spheroid cells

Radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBEs) are detected in cells that are not irradiated but receive signals from treated cells. The present study explored these bystander effects in a U87MG multicellular tumour spheroid model. A medium transfer technique was employed to induce the bystander effect, and colony formation assay was used to evaluate the effect. Relative changes in expression of BAX, BCL2, JNK and ERK genes were analysed using RT-PCR to investigate the RIBE mechanism. A significant decrease in plating efficiency was observed for both bystander and irradiated cells. The survival fraction was calculated for bystander cells to be 69.48% and for irradiated cells to be 34.68%. There was no change in pro-apoptotic BAX relative expression, but anti-apoptotic BCL2 showed downregulation in both irradiated and bystander cells. Pro-apoptotic JNK in bystander samples and ERK in irradiated samples were upregulated. The clonogenic survival data suggests that there was a classic RIBE in U87MG spheroids exposed to 4 Gy of X-rays, using a medium transfer technique. Changes in the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes indicate involvement of both intrinsic apoptotic and MAPK pathways in inducing these effects.