DNA methylation status is more reliable than gene expression at detecting cancer in prostate biopsy.

BACKGROUND: We analysed critically the potential usefulness of RNA- and DNA-based biomarkers in supporting conventional histological diagnostic tests for prostate carcinoma (PCa) detection. METHODS: Microarray profiling of gene expression and DNA methylation was performed on 16 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 32 cancerous and non-cancerous prostate samples extracted by radical prostatectomy. The predictive value of the selected biomarkers was validated by qPCR-based methods using tissue samples extracted from the 58 prostates and, separately, using 227 prostate core biopsies. RESULTS: HOXC6, AMACR and PCA3 expression showed the best discrimination between PCa and BPH. All three genes were previously reported as the most promising mRNA-based markers for distinguishing cancerous lesions from benign prostate lesions; however, none were sufficiently sensitive and specific to meet the criteria for a PCa diagnostic biomarker. By contrast, DNA methylation levels of the APC, TACC2, RARB, DGKZ and HES5 promoter regions achieved high discriminating sensitivity and specificity, with area under the curve (AUCs) reaching 0.95-1.0. Only a small overlap was detected between the DNA methylation levels of PCa-positive and PCa-negative needle biopsies, with AUCs ranging between 0.854 and 0.899. CONCLUSIONS: DNA methylation-based biomarkers reflect the prostate malignancy and might be useful in supporting clinical decisions for suspected PCa following an initial negative prostate biopsy.

Resection of the liver in a metastatic disease caused by renal carcinoma.

Two patients are presented who had their livers resected because of the metastasis of the kidney tumour. It is a contribution in the discussion on the possibility of treatment of a well-advanced cancer disease. The treatment chosen was possible because of the close co-operation between two different teams of surgeons.

Intestinal digestibility in dairy cows of protein from grass and clover measured with mobile nylon bag and other methods.

Ruminal, intestinal, and total tract digestibilities of CP in grass, grass silage, and clover were measured using the mobile nylon bag method. Total tract indigestibilities measured with this method were compared with indigestible CP predicted by in vitro, 14-d ruminal incubation, and 12-h followed by 14-d ruminal incubation methods. Indigestible CP was related to chemical composition and harvest date. Ruminal disappearance of CP from nylon bags was 58, 71, and 58% for grass, grass silage, and clover, respectively. Intestinal CP disappearance was 84, 81, and 91% of escape CP, respectively. Lower ruminal disappearance was compensated by higher intestinal disappearance, resulting in a small variation in total tract indigestible CP within forage. Total tract indigestible CP was 7, 6, and 4%, respectively. Average total tract indigestible CP measured with the mobile nylon bag method (6%) was lower than that estimated by the in vitro (13%), 14-d ruminal incubation (14%), or 12-h ruminal incubation followed by 14-d ruminal incubation (11%) methods. All methods ranked forages similarly, resulting in high correlation coefficients among methods within forage. Total tract indigestible CP of grass, grass silage, and clover was related to CP content and harvest date, DM and ADIN content, and DM and CP contents, respectively.

[Leiomyoma of the stomach as a cause of hemorrhage from the upper segment of the gastrointestinal tract]. / Miesniak gladkokomórkowy zoladka przyczyna krwawienia z górnego odcinka przewodu pokarmowego.

Two cases of female patients operated fo the tumors of the stomach are presented. Result of histologic examination was rather surprising in both cases--leiomyoma.

Effect of thyroxine and ethanol on cerebral nucleic acids during early postnatal period in rabbits.

In the view of the fact ethanol increases the blood-brain barrier permeability for thyroxine (T4) during a critical period of postnatal brain development in the rabbit, the influence of ethanol with or without T4 on cerebral RNA and DNA concentration has been investigated. Generally accepted measures of thyroid hormone action on developing neural tissue such as the changes in the nucleic acids, cell density and size and in protein level, dry matter and cholesterol have been used. Ethanol alone caused an increase in RNA concentration and the RNA/DNA ratio. In addition, it tended to alter the brain tissue composition in the same direction as T4 administration, i.e. characteristic for an accelerated development of CNS. The changes provoked by T4 with ethanol were more pronounced when compared to those after T4 only. It is concluded that the action of ethanol might be indirect and presumably results from a greater supply of thyroxine to the brain tissue due to increased permeability of blood-brain barrier for thyroxine.

2-Aminoethylphosphonic acid as an indicator of Tetrahymena pyriformis W growth in protein-quality evaluation assay.

1. The concentration of 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid (AEP) in 96 h cultures of Tetrahymena pyriformis W was studied in order to apply it as an indicator in the assay of the relative nutritive value (RNV; protozoa population with test protein:protozoa population with whole-egg powder) of protein. Foodstuffs and food mixtures of different protein contents and qualities were used as test samples. 2. RNV values based on AEP determination (RNVAEP) were compared with corresponding values calculated from protozoa counts (RNVpc), as well as with biological value (BV) and net protein utilization (NPU) of the same proteins assayed on rats. 3. Both for foodstuffs and food mixtures highly significant correlations were found between RNVAEP and RNVpc, RNVAEP and both BV and NPU, and RNVpc and both BV and NPU. 4. AEP content in the protozoal suspension was preferred to cell count as a measure of growth response, since it took into account large differences in cell dimensions that were observed between cultures grown with different test proteins.