Imaging-based prostate cancer screening among BRCA mutation carriers-results from the first round of screening

BACKGROUND

Male-carriers of BRCA1/2 gene mutations have an increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa) with a more aggressive phenotype. Current screening-guidelines suggest the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) only among BRCA2 carriers. Female carriers have extensive guidelines that include imaging. Our objective was to test the prevalence of PCa among BRCA carriers and examine screening strategies, using PSA and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We recruited men aged 40-70 years with BRCA1/2 germline mutations and no prior history of prostate biopsy. All men underwent an initial round of screening which included PSA, and prostate mpMRI. PSA was considered elevated using an age-stratified threshold of ≥1 ng/ml for 40-50 years of age, ≥2 ng/ml for 50-60 years of age, and 2.5 ng/ml for 60-70 years of age. Men with elevated PSA and/or suspicious lesion on mpMRI were offered a prostate biopsy. PSA levels, MRI findings, PCa incidence, and tumor characteristics were evaluated. Decision curve analysis was used to compare screening strategies.

RESULTS

We recruited 188 men (108 BRCA1, 80 BRCA2), mean age 54 years (9.8). One hundred and ten (57%) had either elevated age-stratified PSA (75; 40%), a suspicious MRI lesion (67; 36%), or both (32; 17%). Of these, 92 (85%) agreed to perform a prostate biopsy. Sixteen (8.5%) were diagnosed with PCa; 44% of the tumors were classified as intermediate- or high-risk disease. mpMRI-based screening missed only one of the cancers (6%), while age-stratified PSA would have missed five (31%). Decision curve analysis showed that mpMRI screening, regardless of PSA, had the highest net benefit for PCa diagnosis, especially among men younger than 55 years of age. We found no difference in the risk of PCa between BRCA1 and BRCA2 (8.3% versus 8.7%, P = 0.91). Ninety percent had a Jewish founder mutation, thus the results cannot be generalized to all ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PCa is prevalent among BRCA carriers. Age may affect screening strategy for PCa in this population. Young carriers could benefit from initial MRI screening. BRCA carriers aged older than 55 years should use PSA and be referred to mpMRI if elevated.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT02053805.

Combining electrokinetic transport and bioremediation for enhanced removal of crude oil from contaminated marine sediments: Results of a long-term, mesocosm-scale experiment

Marine sediments represent an important sink of harmful petroleum hydrocarbons after an accidental oil spill. Electrobioremediation techniques, which combine electrokinetic transport and biodegradation processes, represent an emerging technological platform for a sustainable remediation of contaminated sediments. Here, we describe the results of a long-term mesocosm-scale electrobioremediation experiment for the treatment of marine sediments contaminated by crude oil. A dimensionally stable anode and a stainless-steel mesh cathode were employed to drive seawater electrolysis at a fixed current density of 11 A/m². This approach allowed establishing conditions conducive to contaminants biodegradation, as confirmed by the enrichment of Alcanivorax borkumensis cells harboring the alkB-gene and other aerobic hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria. Oil chemistry analyses indicated that aromatic hydrocarbons were primarily removed from the sediment via electroosmosis and low molecular weight alkanes (nC₆ to nC₁₀) via biodegradation.

Bioremediation technologies for polluted seawater sampled after an oil-spill in Taranto Gulf (Italy): A comparison of biostimulation, bioaugmentation and use of a washing agent in microcosm studies

One of the main challenges of bioremediation is to define efficient protocols having a low environmental impact. We have investigated the effect of three treatments in oily-seawater after a real oil-spill occurred in the Gulf of Taranto (Italy). Biostimulation with inorganic nutrients allowed the biodegradation of the 73±2.4% of hydrocarbons, bioaugmentation with a selected hydrocarbonoclastic consortium consisting of Alcanivorax borkumensis, Alcanivorax dieselolei, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus, Cycloclasticus sp. 78-ME and Thalassolituus oleivorans degraded 79±3.2%, while the addition of nutrients and a washing agent has allowed the degradation of the 69±2.6%. On the other hand, microbial community was severely affected by the addition of the washing agent and the same product seemed to inhibit the growth of the majority of strains composing the selected consortium at the tested concentration. The use of dispersant should be accurately evaluated also considering its effect on the principal actors of biodegradation.

Complete voltage recovery in quantum dot solar cells due to suppression of electron capture

Extensive investigations in recent years have shown that addition of quantum dots (QDs) to a single-junction solar cell decreases the open circuit voltage, VOC, with respect to the reference cell without QDs. Despite numerous efforts, the complete voltage recovery in QD cells has been demonstrated only at low temperatures. To minimize the VOC reduction, we propose and investigate a new approach that combines nanoscale engineering of the band structure and the potential profile. Our studies of GaAs solar cells with various InAs QD media demonstrate that the main cause of the VOC reduction is the fast capture of photoelectrons from the GaAs conduction band (CB) to the localized states in QDs. As the photoelectron capture into QDs is mainly realized via the wetting layers (WLs), we substantially reduced the WLs using two monolayer AlAs capping of QDs. In the structures with reduced WLs, the direct CB-to-QD capture is further suppressed due to charging of QDs via doping of the interdot space. The QD devices with suppressed photoelectron capture show the same VOC as the GaAs reference cell together with some improvements in the short circuit current.

Application of relative real-time PCR to detect differential expression of virulence genes in Vibrio anguillarum under standard and stressed growth conditions

In this study, we aimed to understand whether abiotic factors affect the expression of virulence genes in Vibrio anguillarum. We observed the in vitro responses of two Mediterranean strains of V. anguillarum to temperature, NaCl and iron concentration changes. We monitored growth performance and gene transcription levels by comparing the results obtained under stressed conditions (temperatures of 5 °C, 15 °C and 37 °C; NaCl concentrations of 3% and 5%; and iron depletion and excess) with those obtained under standard growth conditions (25 °C, 1.5% NaCl and 0.6 μm of iron). The results showed that the strains respond differently. The strain 975/I was most strongly affected by conditions of 15 °C and iron depletion; these conditions induced increased transcription levels of empA, angR and fatA. Growth of the strain 17/I was inhibited at 15 °C and in iron depletion conditions; this strain also showed dramatic changes in the transcription levels of toxR and tonB2 under increased NaCl concentrations. These results demonstrate that environmental stress affects the expression of virulence genes in V. anguillarum that have implications for the competitiveness, stress tolerance and the ability of V. anguillarum to cause infection.

Microbial community dynamics during assays of harbour oil spill bioremediation: a microscale simulation study

AIMS

Microcosm experiments simulating an oil spill event were performed to evaluate the response of the natural microbial community structure of Messina harbour seawater following the accidental load of petroleum.

METHODS AND RESULTS

An experimental harbour seawater microcosm, supplemented with nutrients and crude oil, was monitored above 15 days in comparison with unpolluted ones (control microcosms). Bacterial cells were counted with a Live/Dead BacLight viability kit; leucine aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, lipase and esterase enzymes were measured using fluorogenic substrates. The microbial community dynamic was monitored by isolation of total RNA, RT-PCR amplification of 16S rRNA, cloning and sequencing. Oil addition stimulated an increase of the total bacterial abundance, leucine aminopeptidase and phosphatase activity rates, as well as a change in the community structure. This suggested a prompt response of micro-organisms to the load of petroleum hydrocarbons.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study on the viability, specific composition and metabolic characteristics of the microbial community allows a more precise assessment of oil pollution. Both structural and functional parameters offer interesting perspectives as indicators to monitor changes caused by petroleum hydrocarbons.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

A better knowledge of microbial structural successions at oil-polluted sites is essential for environmental bioremediation. Data obtained in microcosm studies improve our understanding of natural processes occurring during oil spills.

Hemorrhagic moyamoya disease during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Intracranial hemorrhage in pregnant patients with Moyamoya disease is rare. We review the case of one such patient who presented with pre-eclampsia and a catastrophic intracerebral hemorrhage in order to highlight the associated management difficulties.

METHODS

A case of a pregnant (31 weeks) female brought to the emergency department with hypertension and a progressive decrease in her level of consciousness is presented. She rapidly developed a dilated right pupil and left extensor posturing. A CT scan of her head showed a large putamenal intracerebral hemorrhage. She was intubated, ventilated and given intravenous mannitol and magnesium sulfate. She underwent a simultaneous craniotomy and Cesarean section. Post-operatively the patient's ICP and jugular venous saturation were monitored in the intensive care unit.

RESULTS

The patient delivered a 1185 g infant who did well. The patient's ICP was well controlled until the tenth post-operative day when she developed malignant brain edema and died.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights three important points. First, simultaneous craniotomy and Cesarean section can be performed. Second, intraoperative control of bleeding Moyamoya vessels is described. Third, the difficult post-operative management of these cases is highlighted. The literature regarding Moyamoya disease and pregnancy is reviewed and some recommendations for the management of this rare but potentially deadly condition are presented.

Novel glycine containing glucolipids from the alkane using bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis

The polar lipids from the hydrocarbon using and biosurfactant-producing bacterium Alcanivorax borkumensis were isolated and identified by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The biosurfactant produced by this species is an anionic glucose lipid with a tetrameric oxyacyl side chain. The glycolipids extracted from the cell wall consist of this biosurfactant N-terminally esterified with glycine. Ten different derivatives of this lipid type were identified and their structures elucidated by MSMS. They vary by the chain length of one or two of the four beta-hydroxy fatty acids (C6, C8 and C10) and by the location of these different fatty acids within the molecule. All compounds are reported here for the first time. In addition to these glycolipids, three different phosphatidylglycerols were identified. While these lipids were found in all strains of A. borkumensis, the relative abundances of the different lipids vary between the strains.

A comparison of galactosyltransferase activity in mouse ascites lymphoma cells (Ly/Ya), in cultured lymphoma cells, in ascitic fluid and culture medium

Comparative studies were carried out on the galactosyltransferase activity in ascites lymphoma cells isolated from mouse with ascitic lymphoma Ly/Ya, in these cells grown in vitro (24 hrs culture), in ascitic fluid and culture medium. The effect of varying amounts of UDP-galactose on transfer rate of galactose to ovomucoid by the cell enzyme (ascitic and cultured lymphoma cells) and by the soluble enzyme (ascitic fluid and culture medium) was studied. The activity of the enzyme in the cell culture medium was 2.5-fold higher than that in ascitic fluid. The apparent Km values for UDP-galactose of the enzyme from both kinds of cells and from the two fluids was 7.14 x 10(-7) M. At saturating concentrations of donor substrate, V values for the cells and culture medium was 765 pmoles/10(6) cells/h and 180 pmoles/10(6) cells/h for the ascitic fluid.