Endonuclease-resistant DNA: a novel histochemical marker for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical carcinoma.

The diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) has low interobserver reproducibility. The pathogenesis of human papillomavirus (HPV) from infection to high-grade CIN is well understood. In benign lesions, HPV-DNA is often packaged into virions, whereas malignant transformation disrupts virion assembly. It is conceivable that if cervical lesions were exposed to endonuclease digestion, HPV virions would alter nuclear susceptibility to DNA degradation. We propose that susceptibility to endonuclease digestion can serve as a simple marker to identify CIN grade. From paraffin-embedded tissue blocks, condyloma accuminata, CIN I-III, and cervical carcinoma cases were identified. Sections were placed in a bath containing DNAse I for DNA digestion. Residual DNA was stained by a Feulgen process. Endonuclease-resistant DNA (erDNA) staining was correlated to disease grade. In addition, 10 HPV (+) patients whose infection regressed and 8 whose infection progressed to CIN II or above had their initial HPV lesions stained for erDNA. erDNA was observed in 81% condylomas and 80% CIN I cases. All CIN II, III, and cancer cases were endonuclease sensitive with 100% of lesions showing no staining. Eighty percent of HPV lesions that regressed had erDNA staining, whereas 75% lesions that progressed had no erDNA staining. The spectrum of cervical disease caused by HPV has different susceptibilities to endonuclease digestion, which may aid in the diagnosis of CIN. Furthermore, in our small pilot study, erDNA status was associated with the clinical outcomes. Prospective studies are needed to confirm this observation. erDNA status is a promising novel biomarker.

Breast arterial calcifications on mammograms do not predict coronary heart disease at coronary angiography.

PURPOSE: To examine, in women who underwent cardiac catheterization, whether breast arterial calcifications (BACs) seen at screening mammography correlate with coronary heart disease (CHD) seen at coronary angiography. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In an institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant study, 172 women (mean age, 64.29 years +/- 11.97 [standard deviation]) who underwent coronary angiography were recruited, interviewed, and assigned to two groups: those with (CHD+) and those without (CHD-) CHD. The severity and location of the CHD were considered. Their mammograms were reviewed by a breast imaging specialist who was blinded to the CHD status. Student t test, chi(2), and multiple logistic regression tests were performed as appropriate. Presence of BAC was noted and correlated with presence of CHD and presence of cardiac risk factors. RESULTS: There were 104 women with and 68 women without CHD. Thirty-seven (36%) women in the CHD+ group versus 20 (29%) in the CHD-group (P = .40) had BAC. The mean age of the patients with BAC, 72 years +/- 9.8, was significantly older than the mean age of the patients without BAC, 60.4 years +/- 11.1 (P < .001). Therefore, subjects were divided into those younger than 65 years and those 65 years and older. No correlation existed, despite the fact that BAC was associated with some cardiac risk factors. CONCLUSION: The authors did not observe a correlation between BAC and coronary angiography-detected CHD, even when CHD severity was considered. On the basis of these results, caution should be exercised when using screening mammography-detected BAC to identify patients with CHD.

Improving access to breast health services with an interdisciplinary model of care.

This article reports a hospital's experience confronting a community crisis, stemming from local and national breast health access issues, and evaluates the subsequent effectiveness of the initiative to improve breast care service. An interdisciplinary Breast Care Facility was developed adjacent to a Community Hospital. Patients receiving breast cancer screening during the year prior to the Breast Center opening (2002) were compared with patients in subsequent years (2003-2005). Program effectiveness was evaluated by examining screening mammography volume, wait times and cancer detection rates. Screening volume increased by 29.6%. Wait times declined from 30 weeks to 3.5 weeks. Initially, patients with a suspicious screening mammography had a 2-3 week delay for diagnostic mammography and the subsequent evaluation took another 3-4 weeks. Both times improved to an average of 2-5 days. Screening cancer detection rates increased from 3.2 per 1,000, to 6.3 per 1,000. In addition, the number of cancers identified by screening increased from 40% to 58%, p = 0.002. Patient satisfaction measured by survey was over 95%, in areas of courtesy, counseling, and overall care. Our study demonstrates that a comprehensive breast center model can increase access to breast care services, improve patient satisfaction and address focal areas of shortage. Furthermore, in the years after the opening of the breast center the cancer detection rate during screening increased, an important observation that needs to be investigated with future studies.

Increased breast calcifications in women with ESRD on dialysis: implications for breast cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: Different appearances of breast calcification on mammography can differentiate benign from malignant disease. An increased incidence of breast calcifications in dialysis patients is established, but data for morphological characteristics in renal patients, incidence of benign and malignant calcifications, and clinical consequences are limited. In this study, we compare mammograms and the workup of abnormal calcifications of women on hemodialysis with that of women with normal renal function. METHODS: This is a retrospective case-control study; 45 women on hemodialysis had their screening mammograms reviewed. A control group of 86 age-matched women with normal renal function was randomly obtained for comparison. Mammograms were examined and the recommended workup was traced. Breast calcification morphological characteristics, incidence of benign versus malignant calcifications, callback rate, and biopsy recommendation rates were compared to determine whether breast calcifications in renal patients led to excessive workups. RESULTS: Overall, breast calcifications in the renal group were statistically significantly increased compared with controls, mostly because of several benign-appearing morphological characteristics. No statistically significant difference was present between the 2 groups with respect to callback rates. However, incidences of malignancy-associated calcification and hence biopsy recommendation rate were slightly greater for the renal group. CONCLUSION: Renal patients have an increase in breast calcification, mostly caused by several benign calcifications. The callback rate is no greater than that in the general population. However, there is a slightly greater incidence of malignancy-associated calcifications; hence, once called back, they have a greater probability of being recommended for biopsy.

Blooms of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula in coastal Queensland, Australia: disparate sites, common factors.

During the last decade there has been a significant rise in observations of blooms of the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula along the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Whether the increase in cyanobacterial abundance is a biological indicator of widespread water quality degradation or also a function of other environmental change is unknown. A bioassay approach was used to assesses the potential for runoff from various land uses to stimulate productivity of L. majuscula. In Moreton Bay, L. majuscula productivity was significantly (p<0.05) stimulated by soil extracts, which were high in phosphorus, iron and organic carbon. Productivity of L. majuscula from the Great Barrier Reef was also significantly (p<0.05) elevated by iron and phosphorus rich extracts, in this case seabird guano adjacent to the bloom site. Hence, it is possible that other L. majuscula blooms are a result of similar stimulating factors (iron, phosphorus and organic carbon), delivered through different mechanisms.

Aortic pulse pressure is associated with the localization of coronary artery disease based on coronary flow lateralization.

BACKGROUND: Aortic pulse pressure (APP) is related to arterial stiffness and associated with the presence and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD). Besides, the left coronary artery (LCA) has a predominantly diastolic flow while the right coronary artery (RCA) receives systolic and diastolic flow. Thus, we hypothesized that increased systolic-diastolic pressure difference had a greater atherogenic effect on the RCA than on the LCA. METHODS: A random sample of 433 CAD patients (145 females, 288 males, mean age 65.0 ± 11.1 years) undergoing coronary angiography at Staten Island University Hospital between January 2005 and May 2008 was studied. Coronary lesion was defined as a ≥50% luminal stenosis. Patients were divided into three groups, with isolated LCA lesions (n = 154), isolated RCA lesions (n = 36) or mixed LCA and RCA lesions (n = 243). RESULTS: APP differed significantly between groups, being highest when the RCA alone was affected (67.6 ± 20.3 mm Hg for LCA vs. 78.8 ± 22.0 for RCA vs. 72.7 ± 22.6 for mixed, P = 0.008 for analysis of variance (ANOVA)). Age and gender were not associated with CAD location. Heart rate was associated with CAD location, lowest in RCA group, and negatively correlated with APP. However, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was lower in the mixed CAD group and positively correlated with APP. The association between APP and right-sided CAD persisted in multivariate logistic regression adjusting for confounders, including heart rate, LVEF and medication use. A similar but less significant pattern was seen with brachial arterial pressures. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic pulse pressure may affect CAD along with coronary flow phasic patterns.

Clinical usefulness of haptoglobin levels to evaluate hemolysis in recently transfused patients.

Introduction. Haptoglobin binds the globin portion of free hemoglobin. Serum haptoglobin measurement is used as a laboratory marker for the diagnosis of hemolytic anemia. Since stored blood contains free hemoglobin, transfusion may affect haptoglobin levels. Study Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether serum haptoglobin could be measured to assess hemolysis in recently transfused patients. Patients and Methods. Twenty-one patients, receiving more than one unit of packed red blood cells (PRBCs) for presumed nonhemolytic indications, were enrolled. Serum haptoglobin levels were recorded before, immediately after, and 24 and 48 hours after transfusion. Observations and Results. Analysis of variance with a repeated measures was used to examine the serum haptoglobin levels at different time periods and no significant difference was found (P = .28). Conclusion. The results suggest that serum haptoglobin can be used in the diagnosis of hemolysis in patients receiving multiple units of PRBC.