Targeted and Systematic Biopsy for the Diagnosis and Management of Prostate Cancer - A Case for Lesion Targeted-Only Biopsies.

For much of the 1990s, transrectal ultrasound systematic biopsy was the standard approach for prostate cancer diagnosis. However, in the past decade multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging, multiparametric ultrasound and image fusion targeting have come to the fore. Here we present the state-of-the-art diagnostic strategies in prostate cancer detection and examine the case for target-only biopsy, as well as the benefits and limitations.

Growth of textured thin Au coatings on iron oxide nanoparticles with near infrared absorbance.

A homologous series of Au coated iron oxide nanoparticles with hydrodynamic diameters smaller than 60 nm was synthesized with very low Au-to-iron mass ratios, as low as 0.15. The hydrodynamic diameter was determined by dynamic light scattering and the composition by atomic absorption spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Unusually low Au precursor supersaturation levels were utilized to nucleate and grow Au coatings on iron oxide relative to the formation of pure Au nanoparticles. This approach produced unusually thin coatings by lowering autocatalytic growth of Au on Au, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. Nearly all of the nanoparticles were attracted by a magnet, indicating a minimal number of pure Au particles. The coatings were sufficiently thin to shift the surface plasmon resonance to the near infrared with large extinction coefficients, despite the small particle hydrodynamic diameters observed from dynamic light scattering to be less than 60 nm.

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in young Chinese adults.

The aim of this study was to determine the presence or absence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in young Chinese adults and to examine the A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates from positive subjects with regard to the serotype distribution, presence of the leukotoxin gene lktA and the promoter for the leukotoxin operon as well as the incidence of phage Aa phi 23. Sixty subjects, working in a knitting factory in the Province of Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, were investigated. Subgingival microbial samples were taken from both upper first molars. They were cultured both anaerobically and in 5% CO2. P. gingivalis was found in 33 subjects. On average, it constituted 7% of the total anaerobic cultivable counts. A. actinomycetemcomitans was detected in 37 subjects of which seven yielded counts > 10(5). Twenty-one subjects were positive for both organisms. A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype a was found in 9 subjects, serotype c was found in 23 and serotype e in 5. A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes b and d were not detected in any subjects. Presence of the leukotoxin gene lktA was demonstrated for all A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates; however, none of the A. actinomycetemcomitans strains from the present study had a deletion in the promoter region of the leukotoxin operon. The results of this investigation show a high frequency of the putative periodontal pathogens P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans and corroborate the concept that there is variation in virulence and pathogenic potential among isolates from different subjects.

Therapeutic effects of supervised chlorhexidine mouthrinses on untreated gingivitis.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to test the presumptive therapeutic effect of chlorhexidine digluconate in a population with untreated gingivitis and presence of abundant calculus. SETTING AND STUDY DESIGN: Sixty subjects (approximately mean age of 23.4) were recruited from a knitting factory in the Province of Guangdong, People's Republic of China. By applying a double-blind clinical trial design the participants were divided into two groups (Test and Control) and matched according to their mean GI scores. The Test group (n = 20) was assigned to two daily mouthrinses for 6 days per week using 0.12% chlorhexidine digluconate (Peridex). The Control group (n = 40) rinsed twice daily with a placebo solution. All the rinsings were supervised and timed for 45 s. No attempt was made to influence the oral hygiene habits of the participants. Prior to and after 3 months of the supervised rinsing, plaque was scored using the Plaque Index system (PII), and gingivitis was assessed using the criteria of the Gingival Index system (GI). Calculus was scored according to the Calculus Surface Severity Index system (CSSI), and stain was also graded by the Discoloration Index system (DI). RESULTS: After 3 months, the Test group (n = 13) showed significant reduction in mean PII, GI and percentage of gingival bleeding (GB%), while significant increases in mean DI were observed. The improvement in gingival health was observed at all regions with marked reduction in mean GI (from GI = 1.40 to 1.08) and GB% reduction by 24-52%. The proportion of GI = 2 was also reduced significantly from 50-36%. The Control group (n = 23) also showed a decrease in mean PII but significant increases in the mean GI and GB%. Intergroup comparison showed statistically significant differences between mean GI, percentage of gingival bleeding (GB%) and mean DI for the test and control groups after 3 months of supervised rinsing. However, there were no significant intergroup differences for mean PII. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, there was a significant effect of chlorhexidine on gingivitis, although the effect may be too limited to assure prognostic benefits in the prevention of future disease progression.