Treatment preferences and real-world outcomes for patients with complex lentigo maligna

The recent review on lentigo maligna succinctly outlines treatment options for patients with lentigo maligna. Our own retrospective real-world data regarding patient preferences and treatment outcomes may be instructive for dermatologists treating patients with lentigo maligna.

Bioinspired rational design of bi-material 3D printed soft-hard interfaces

Durable interfacing of hard and soft materials is a major design challenge caused by the ensuing stress concentrations. In nature, soft-hard interfaces exhibit remarkable mechanical performance, with failures rarely happening at the interface. Here, we mimic the strategies observed in nature to design efficient soft-hard interfaces. We base our geometrical designs on triply periodic minimal surfaces (i.e., Octo, Diamond, and Gyroid), collagen-like triple helices, and randomly distributed particles. A combination of computational simulations and experimental techniques, including uniaxial tensile and quad-lap shear tests, are used to characterize the mechanical performance of the interfaces. Our analyses suggest that smooth interdigitated connections, compliant gradient transitions, and either decreasing or constraining strain concentrations lead to simultaneously strong and tough interfaces. We generate additional interfaces where the abovementioned toughening mechanisms work synergistically to create soft-hard interfaces with strengths approaching the upper achievable limit and enhancing toughness values by 50%, as compared to the control group.

Characterizing prostate cancer risk through multi-ancestry genome-wide discovery of 187 novel risk variants

The transferability and clinical value of genetic risk scores (GRSs) across populations remain limited due to an imbalance in genetic studies across ancestrally diverse populations. Here we conducted a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of 156,319 prostate cancer cases and 788,443 controls of European, African, Asian and Hispanic men, reflecting a 57% increase in the number of non-European cases over previous prostate cancer genome-wide association studies. We identified 187 novel risk variants for prostate cancer, increasing the total number of risk variants to 451. An externally replicated multi-ancestry GRS was associated with risk that ranged from 1.8 (per standard deviation) in African ancestry men to 2.2 in European ancestry men. The GRS was associated with a greater risk of aggressive versus non-aggressive disease in men of African ancestry (P = 0.03). Our study presents novel prostate cancer susceptibility loci and a GRS with effective risk stratification across ancestry groups.

Evidence of Novel Susceptibility Variants for Prostate Cancer and a Multiancestry Polygenic Risk Score Associated with Aggressive Disease in Men of African Ancestry

BACKGROUND

Genetic factors play an important role in prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility.

OBJECTIVE

To discover common genetic variants contributing to the risk of PCa in men of African ancestry.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a meta-analysis of ten genome-wide association studies consisting of 19378 cases and 61620 controls of African ancestry.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Common genotyped and imputed variants were tested for their association with PCa risk. Novel susceptibility loci were identified and incorporated into a multiancestry polygenic risk score (PRS). The PRS was evaluated for associations with PCa risk and disease aggressiveness.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Nine novel susceptibility loci for PCa were identified, of which seven were only found or substantially more common in men of African ancestry, including an African-specific stop-gain variant in the prostate-specific gene anoctamin 7 (ANO7). A multiancestry PRS of 278 risk variants conferred strong associations with PCa risk in African ancestry studies (odds ratios [ORs] >3 and >5 for men in the top PRS decile and percentile, respectively). More importantly, compared with men in the 40-60% PRS category, men in the top PRS decile had a significantly higher risk of aggressive PCa (OR = 1.23, 95% confidence interval = 1.10-1.38, p = 4.4 × 10-4).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates the importance of large-scale genetic studies in men of African ancestry for a better understanding of PCa susceptibility in this high-risk population and suggests a potential clinical utility of PRS in differentiating between the risks of developing aggressive and nonaggressive disease in men of African ancestry.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this large genetic study in men of African ancestry, we discovered nine novel prostate cancer (PCa) risk variants. We also showed that a multiancestry polygenic risk score was effective in stratifying PCa risk, and was able to differentiate risk of aggressive and nonaggressive disease.

A Rare Germline HOXB13 Variant Contributes to Risk of Prostate Cancer in Men of African Ancestry

A rare African ancestry-specific germline deletion variant in HOXB13 (X285K, rs77179853) was recently reported in Martinican men with early-onset prostate cancer. Given the role of HOXB13 germline variation in prostate cancer, we investigated the association between HOXB13 X285K and prostate cancer risk in a large sample of 22 361 African ancestry men, including 11 688 prostate cancer cases. The risk allele was present only in men of West African ancestry, with an allele frequency in men that ranged from 0.40% in Ghana and 0.31% in Nigeria to 0% in Uganda and South Africa, with a range of frequencies in men with admixed African ancestry from North America and Europe (0-0.26%). HOXB13 X285K was associated with 2.4-fold increased odds of prostate cancer (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5-3.9, p = 2 × 10^-4), with greater risk observed for more aggressive and advanced disease (Gleason ≥8: odds ratio [OR] = 4.7, 95% CI = 2.3-9.5, p = 2 × 10^-5; stage T3/T4: OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.0-10.0, p = 2 × 10^-4; metastatic disease: OR = 5.1, 95% CI = 1.9-13.7, p = 0.001). We estimated that the allele arose in West Africa 1500-4600 yr ago. Further analysis is needed to understand how the HOXB13 X285K variant impacts the HOXB13 protein and function in the prostate. Understanding who carries this mutation may inform prostate cancer screening in men of West African ancestry. PATIENT SUMMARY: A rare African ancestry-specific germline deletion in HOXB13, found only in men of West African ancestry, was reported to be associated with an increased risk of overall and advanced prostate cancer. Understanding who carries this mutation may help inform screening for prostate cancer in men of West African ancestry.

Abstract PO-199: Determining the association between circulating fatty acids, immune oncological markers, and prostate cancer risk in a diverse cohort

Men of African descent, including African American (AA) men and Ghanaian (AFR) men, have a disproportionately higher burden of lethal prostate cancer (PCa) when compared to European American (EA) men. This increased mortality burden could be partially attributed to lifestyle factors including the intake of dietary fatty acids and their metabolism, but may also relate to differences in inflammation and immune function. Although the extent to which fatty acids are PCa risk factors remains controversial, the relationship between fatty acids, inflammation and immune function, and PCa in men of African descent remains largely unexplored. Therefore, the goal of our study was to characterize the relationship between circulating fatty acids, immune-oncological mediators, and PCa in the ethnically diverse NCI-Maryland and NCI-Ghana Prostate Cancer Case-Control studies, with an over-representation of men of African descent. A CLIA-certified, mass spectrometry-based assay was applied to measure 24 fatty acids in sera from 1,562 cases and 1,693 controls. Logistic regression analyses were performed on seven types of fatty acids including total, saturated, trans, cis-monounsaturated, omega-6, omega-3 fatty acids, and the omega 6:3 fatty acid ratio to explore disease associations by population group. Additionally, we measured 82 immune-oncological proteins in the same sera and explored their role as potential mediators of the relationship between fatty acids and PCa. Using this approach, we observed a significant association between trans fatty acid levels and the odds of developing PCa in all three racial/ethnic groups. Although AFR men were found to have the lowest level of trans fatty acids compared to AA and EA men, they still experienced significantly increased odds of developing PCa with increasing trans fatty acid levels. Exploratory mediation analyses found a relationship between Palmitelaidic trans fatty acid levels and two circulating proteins, CD27 and CXCL1, with protein levels being higher in men with elevated levels of circulating Palmitelaidic trans fatty acids and an increased risk of PCa. Our findings point to a previously unexplored oncogenic role of fatty acids and immune-oncological mediators in men of African descent with PCa.

Citation Format: Brittany D. Lord, Tsion Minas, Tiffany H. Dorsey, Francine Baker, Wei Tang, Edward D. Yeboah, Yao Tettey, Richard B. Biritwum, Andrew A. Adjei, Evelyn Tay, James E. Mensah, Robert N. Hoover, Ann W. Hsing, Michael B. Cook, Stefan Ambs. Determining the association between circulating fatty acids, immune oncological markers, and prostate cancer risk in a diverse cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-199.

Echocardiographic global longitudinal strain as a marker of myocardial fibrosis predicts outcomes in aortic stenosis

Background

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) reflects intrinsic myocardial function, influenced by interstitial abnormalities. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) detects myocardial fibrosis non-invasively, but it is limited for widespread use. We aim to establish LV-GLS as a marker of replacement myocardial fibrosis on CMR and validate the prognostic value of LV-GLS thresholds associated with fibrosis.

Methods

LV-GLS thresholds of replacement fibrosis were established in the derivation cohort: 151 patients (57±10 years; 58% males) with hypertension who underwent STE to measure LV-GLS and CMR for replacement myocardial fibrosis. Prognostic value of the thresholds was validated in a separate outcome cohort: 261 patients with moderate-severe aortic stenosis (AS; 71±12 years; 58% males; NYHA functional class I-II) and preserved LVEF ≥50%. Primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, heart failure hospitalization, myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular events.

Results

In the derivation cohort, LV-GLS demonstrated good discrimination (c-statistics 0.74; 95% confidence interval: 0.66–0.83; P<0.001) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow X2=6.37; P=0.605) for replacement fibrosis. In the outcome cohort, 52 events occurred over 16 [3.1, 42.0] months of follow-up. Patients with LV-GLS >−15.0% (corresponding to 95% specificity to rule-in myocardial fibrosis) had the worst outcomes compared to patients with LV-GLS <−21.0% (corresponding to 95% sensitivity to rule-out myocardial fibrosis) and those between −21.0 and −15.0% (log-rank P<0.001; Figure 1). Furthermore, LV-GLS offered independent prognostic value over clinical variables, AS severity, echocardiographic LVEF and E/e' (hazard ratio 1.18; 95% confidence interval: 1.07 to 1.30; P=0.001).

Conclusions

LV-GLS thresholds associated with replacement myocardial fibrosis is a novel approach to risk-stratify patients with AS and preserved LVEF (Figure 2).

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Medical Research Council Figure 1Figure 2

Overall and abdominal obesity and prostate cancer risk in a West African population: An analysis of the Ghana Prostate Study

Obesity has been associated with an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. However, most studies have been conducted among North American and European populations. Prostate cancer mortality appears elevated in West Africa, yet risk factors for prostate cancer in this region are unknown. We thus examined the relationship between obesity and prostate cancer using a case-control study conducted in Accra, Ghana in 2004 to 2012. Cases and controls were drawn from a population-based sample of 1037 men screened for prostate cancer, yielding 73 cases and 964 controls. An additional 493 incident cases were recruited from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Anthropometric measurements were taken at enrollment. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and prostate cancer, adjusting for potential confounders. The mean BMI was 25.1 kg/m² for cases and 24.3 kg/m² for controls. After adjustment, men with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² had an increased risk of prostate cancer relative to men with BMI < 25 kg/m² (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.11-3.13). Elevated WC (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.24-2.51) and WHR (OR 1.46, 95% CI 0.99-2.16) were also associated with prostate cancer. Associations were not modified by smoking status and were evident for low- and high-grade disease. These findings indicate that overall and abdominal obesity are positively associated with prostate cancer among men in Ghana, implicating obesity as a potentially modifiable risk factor for prostate cancer in this region.

Genetic signatures of gene flow and malaria-driven natural selection in sub-Saharan populations of the "endemic Burkitt Lymphoma belt"

Populations in sub-Saharan Africa have historically been exposed to intense selection from chronic infection with falciparum malaria. Interestingly, populations with the highest malaria intensity can be identified by the increased occurrence of endemic Burkitt Lymphoma (eBL), a pediatric cancer that affects populations with intense malaria exposure, in the so called "eBL belt" in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the effects of intense malaria exposure and sub-Saharan populations' genetic histories remain poorly explored. To determine if historical migrations and intense malaria exposure have shaped the genetic composition of the eBL belt populations, we genotyped ~4.3 million SNPs in 1,708 individuals from Ghana and Northern Uganda, located on opposite sides of eBL belt and with ≥ 7 months/year of intense malaria exposure and published evidence of high incidence of BL. Among 35 Ghanaian tribes, we showed a predominantly West-Central African ancestry and genomic footprints of gene flow from Gambian and East African populations. In Uganda, the North West population showed a predominantly Nilotic ancestry, and the North Central population was a mixture of Nilotic and Southern Bantu ancestry, while the Southwest Ugandan population showed a predominant Southern Bantu ancestry. Our results support the hypothesis of diverse ancestral origins of the Ugandan, Kenyan and Tanzanian Great Lakes African populations, reflecting a confluence of Nilotic, Cushitic and Bantu migrations in the last 3000 years. Natural selection analyses suggest, for the first time, a strong positive selection signal in the ATP2B4 gene (rs10900588) in Northern Ugandan populations. These findings provide important baseline genomic data to facilitate disease association studies, including of eBL, in eBL belt populations.

Usual adult occupation and risk of prostate cancer in West African men: the Ghana Prostate Study

OBJECTIVES

Established prostate cancer (PCa) risk factors include age, family history of PCa and African ancestry. Studies, mostly among highly screened, predominantly European ancestral populations, suggest that employment in certain occupations (eg, farming, military) may also have an increased risk for PCa. Here, we evaluated the association between usual adult occupation and PCa risk in Ghanaian men, a population with historically low rates of PCa screening.

METHODS

The Ghana Prostate Study is a case-control study of PCa that was conducted from 2004 to 2012 in 749 cases and 964 controls. In-person interviews were conducted to collect information from participants, including longest held job. Industrial hygienists classified job titles into occupational categories. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate ORs and 95% CIs for the association between longest held job and PCa risk (overall, aggressive (Gleason≥7)), controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Risk was increased among men in management (overall PCa OR=2.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 3.2; aggressive PCa OR=2.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.5) and military occupations (overall PCa OR=3.4, 95% CI 1.7 to 7.0; aggressive PCa OR=3.5, 95% CI 1.5 to 8.3). Risks were also elevated for management and military-specific jobs based on 3-digit level Standard Occupational Classification definitions. Sensitivity analyses accounting for access to medical care did not show significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides some evidence for increased risk of PCa among men in management and military occupations, which is consistent with the published literature. Additional research is needed to clarify the drivers of the associations between these occupations and PCa.

Development, Evaluation, and Implementation of a Pan-African Cancer Research Network: Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate

PURPOSE

Cancer of the prostate (CaP) is the leading cancer among men in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A substantial proportion of these men with CaP are diagnosed at late (usually incurable) stages, yet little is known about the etiology of CaP in SSA.

METHODS

We established the Men of African Descent and Carcinoma of the Prostate Network, which includes seven SSA centers partnering with five US centers to study the genetics and epidemiology of CaP in SSA. We developed common data elements and instruments, regulatory infrastructure, and biosample collection, processing, and shipping protocols. We tested this infrastructure by collecting epidemiologic, medical record, and genomic data from a total of 311 patients with CaP and 218 matched controls recruited at the seven SSA centers. We extracted genomic DNA from whole blood, buffy coat, or buccal swabs from 265 participants and shipped it to the Center for Inherited Disease Research (Baltimore, MD) and the Centre for Proteomics and Genomics Research (Cape Town, South Africa), where genotypes were generated using the UK Biobank Axiom Array.

RESULTS

We used common instruments for data collection and entered data into the shared database. Double-entered data from pilot participants showed a 95% to 98% concordance rate, suggesting that data can be collected, entered, and stored with a high degree of accuracy. Genotypes were obtained from 95% of tested DNA samples (100% from blood-derived DNA samples) with high concordance across laboratories.

CONCLUSION

We provide approaches that can produce high-quality epidemiologic and genomic data in multicenter studies of cancer in SSA.

TMPRSS2:ERG Gene Fusions in Prostate Cancer of West African Men and a Meta-Analysis of Racial Differences

The prevalence of fusions of the transmembrane protease, serine 2, gene (TMPRSS2) with the erythroblast transformation-specific-related gene (ERG), or TMPRSS2:ERG, in prostate cancer varies by race. However, such somatic aberration and its association with prognostic factors have neither been studied in a West African population nor been systematically reviewed in the context of racial differences. We used immunohistochemistry to assess oncoprotein encoded by the ERG gene as the established surrogate of ERG fusion genes among 262 prostate cancer biopsies from the Ghana Prostate Study (2004-2006). Poisson regression with robust variance estimation provided prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals of ERG expression in relation to patient characteristics. We found that 47 of 262 (18%) prostate cancers were ERG-positive, and being negative for ERG staining was associated with higher Gleason score. We further conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in relation to race, Gleason score, and tumor stage, combining results from Ghana with 40 additional studies. Meta-analysis showed the prevalence of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in prostate cancer to be highest in men of European descent (49%), followed by men of Asian (27%) and then African (25%) descent. The lower prevalence of TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in men of African descent implies that alternative genomic mechanisms might explain the disproportionately high prostate cancer burden in such populations.

Gender differences in tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in Victoria, Australia, 2002–2015

BACKGROUND: Gender has a significant impact on tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and outcomes in many settings worldwide. We explored gender differences in Victoria, Australia, a low-incidence setting.METHODS: Retrospective cohort study: 2002–2015. Gender was included as an independent variable in multivariate statistical analyses assessing TB management.RESULTS: There were 2655 (54.5%) males and 2212 (45.5%) females notified (male:female ratio = 1.2:1). Among cases with pulmonary involvement, males underwent a chest X-ray or CT scan (CXR) sooner (hazard ratio [HR] 1.2, 95%CI 1.04–1.31, P = 0.010), began treatment sooner after presentation (HR 1.2, 95%CI 1.08–1.34, P = 0.001) and were more likely to have a sputum smear sample performed (OR 1.3, 95%CI 1.01–1.55, P = 0.037). Male cases with extra-pulmonary TB sought health care sooner after symptom onset (HR 1.3, 95%CI 1.03–1.58, P = 0.024) and were more likely to have an abnormal CXR (OR 1.9, 95%CI 1.54–2.32, P < 0.001). Males were more likely to die before or during treatment (OR 1.5, 95%CI 1.06–2.11, P = 0.024).CONCLUSIONS: Women experienced small delays in management compared with men, with no obvious detriment to assessment results or treatment outcomes. Differences were consistent with the hypothesis that males manifest more severe disease at presentation, which could be related to a range of biological and social factors.

Mortality among tuberculosis cases in Victoria, 2002-2013: case fatality and factors associated with death

SETTING

The state of Victoria, Australia, is an industrialised setting with low tuberculosis (TB) incidence, universal health care and high levels of migration.

OBJECTIVE

To assess case fatality rates (CFRs) and factors associated with death in a cohort of TB cases notified between 2002 and 2013.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study. Cases who died untreated or during treatment were reviewed to determine whether TB was a primary cause of, contributed to or was unrelated to death. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to compare demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics.

RESULTS

Of 3956 cases, 198 (5.0%) died of any cause. TB was the primary cause of death in 99 cases (50.3%) and contributed to death in a further 34 cases, giving a TB-related CFR of 3.4%. In multivariate analysis, TB-related mortality reduced over time, and was positively associated with male sex, older age, history of substance use and disseminated or meningeal TB. Factors associated with survival included having a history of past travel to or residence in a high TB risk country, lymph node TB or extra-pulmonary TB manifestations, excluding meningeal, genitourinary, pleural and lymphnode TB.

CONCLUSIONS

TB CFRs in this setting are among the lowest reported globally. TB mortality steadily decreased from 2002 to 2013.

Abstract LB-371: ERG protein expression in diagnostic prostate cancer tissues among West African men

Background: Fusion of androgen regulated TMPRSS2 gene and the ERG oncogene is a common recurrent chromosomal aberration in prostate cancer, which leads to elevated expression of ERG oncoprotein. ERG expression detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been validated as a proxy of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion. The prevalence of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion has been shown to vary by race being highest in Caucasian prostate cancer patients, followed by African American and then Asian. However, the prevalence of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in African prostate cancer populations remains to be determined.

Methods and Materials: There were 428 prostate cancer patients diagnosed during 2004-2012 in the Ghana Prostate Study who had formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded needle biopsy tissues available for analysis. Pathologists centrally scored 262 tissue samples for ERG expression and Gleason patterns, after excluding 166 without sufficient tissues. ERG-positive nuclear immunostaining of normal endothelial cells was used as an internal control and only nuclear immunostaining of prostate cancer cells was deemed ERG-positive. We evaluated ERG expression status in relation to clinicopathological characteristics using logistic regression models. To assess potential selection bias, we performed sensitivity analyses comparing clinicopathological characteristics extracted from medical records by inclusion/exclusion status.

Results: We found 47 (18%) tissue samples were ERG-positive. Since recently preserved tissues appeared more likely to be ERG-negative (P = 0.044), all logistic regression models were adjusted for calendar year of diagnosis. Negative ERG staining was significantly associated with higher Gleason score (P = 0.035), in particular with higher primary Gleason grade (P = 0.028). Age at diagnosis, PSA concentration at diagnosis, and tribal group were not significantly associated with ERG expression status. Sensitivity analyses revealed that excluded tissues were more likely to be preserved in earlier years (P = 0.033) and to have lower Gleason scores (P = 0.003).

Conclusions: This first study of ERG expression in an African prostate cancer population indicates that the prevalence of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is similar to that of African American patients but lower than those with European ancestry. Whether this lower proportion of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion leads to a greater proportion of aggressive prostate cancer in African men or is the result of diagnostic selection of a higher proportion of symptomatic, high Gleason score prostate cancers in such populations remains unknown.

Citation Format: Cindy Ke Zhou, Denise Young, Edward D. Yeboah, Richard B. Biritwum, Andrew A. Adjei, Yao Tettey, Evelyn Tay, Shelley Niwa, Ann L. Truelove, Isabell A. Sesterhenn, Shiv Srivastava, Robert N. Hoover, Ann W. Hsing, Michael B. Cook. ERG protein expression in diagnostic prostate cancer tissues among West African men. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-371.

Upper and lower conjunctival fornix depth in healthy white caucasian eyes: a method of objective assessment

PurposeEvaluating anti-scarring therapies require objective assessment of scarring, and knowledge of normal fornix anatomy. Measurement of conjunctival scarring has focused on inferior fornix shortening, although the superior fornix is often overlooked. There are data on normal fornix depth (FD) in South Asians, but there are no studies investigating normal conjunctival FD in white Caucasians. We designed a fornix depth measurer (FDM) for objective measurement of upper and lower conjunctival FD. The purpose of this study was to evaluate intra- and inter-observer variability, and to establish a reference for normal conjunctival FD in an ethnically white Caucasian population.Patients and methodsProspective cross-sectional study evaluating conjunctival FD in 252 clinically normal white Caucasian participants aged 20-80. Paired observers evaluated inter- and intra-observer variability. Data was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and analysis of variance.ResultsFor white Caucasian subjects, mean upper and lower conjunctival fornix depths were 15.6 mm (95% confidence interval (CI), 12.5-18.8) and 10.9 mm (95% CI, 8.0-13.7), respectively. Females have smaller FDs (upper FD 15.3 mm±1.6 females, 16.2 mm±1.4 males, P<0.001; lower FD 10.6 mm±1.3 females, 11.3 mm±1.4 males, P<0.001). There was a progressive decline in FD with age (upper fornix depth 16.3 mm±1.2 at age 20-29, and 15.0 mm±1.8 at age 80+ (P=0.04)). There was 94-100% intra-observer and inter-observer agreement for upper and lower fornix measurements.ConclusionsUsing a slightly different custom-designed FDM, central conjunctival fornix depth in white Caucasian eyes appears to be similar to data previously reported in South Asian eyes. Fornix depth measurements were repeatable and reproducible.

Atlas of prostate cancer heritability in European and African-American men pinpoints tissue-specific regulation

Although genome-wide association studies have identified over 100 risk loci that explain ∼33% of familial risk for prostate cancer (PrCa), their functional effects on risk remain largely unknown. Here we use genotype data from 59,089 men of European and African American ancestries combined with cell-type-specific epigenetic data to build a genomic atlas of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) heritability in PrCa. We find significant differences in heritability between variants in prostate-relevant epigenetic marks defined in normal versus tumour tissue as well as between tissue and cell lines. The majority of SNP heritability lies in regions marked by H3k27 acetylation in prostate adenoc7arcinoma cell line (LNCaP) or by DNaseI hypersensitive sites in cancer cell lines. We find a high degree of similarity between European and African American ancestries suggesting a similar genetic architecture from common variation underlying PrCa risk. Our findings showcase the power of integrating functional annotation with genetic data to understand the genetic basis of PrCa.

Prostate Cancer Susceptibility in Men of African Ancestry at 8q24

The 8q24 region harbors multiple risk variants for distinct cancers, including >8 for prostate cancer. In this study, we conducted fine mapping of the 8q24 risk region (127.8-128.8Mb) in search of novel associations with common and rare variation in 4853 prostate cancer case patients and 4678 control subjects of African ancestry. All statistical tests were two-sided. We identified three independent associations at P values of less than 5.00×10(-8), all of which were replicated in studies from Ghana and Uganda (combined sample = 5869 case patients, 5615 control subjects; rs114798100: risk allele frequency [RAF] = 0.04, per-allele odds ratio [OR] = 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.04 to 2.61, P = 2.38×10(-40); rs72725879: RAF = 0.33, OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.30 to 1.45, P = 3.04×10(-27); and rs111906932: RAF = 0.03, OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.53 to 2.08, P = 1.39×10(-13)). Risk variants rs114798100 and rs111906923 are only found in men of African ancestry, with rs111906923 representing a novel association signal. The three variants are located within or near a number of prostate cancer-associated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), including PRNCR1, PCAT1, and PCAT2. These findings highlight ancestry-specific risk variation and implicate prostate-specific lncRNAs at the 8q24 prostate cancer susceptibility region.

Integration of multiethnic fine-mapping and genomic annotation to prioritize candidate functional SNPs at prostate cancer susceptibility regions

Interpretation of biological mechanisms underlying genetic risk associations for prostate cancer is complicated by the relatively large number of risk variants (n = 100) and the thousands of surrogate SNPs in linkage disequilibrium. Here, we combined three distinct approaches: multiethnic fine-mapping, putative functional annotation (based upon epigenetic data and genome-encoded features), and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses, in an attempt to reduce this complexity. We examined 67 risk regions using genotyping and imputation-based fine-mapping in populations of European (cases/controls: 8600/6946), African (cases/controls: 5327/5136), Japanese (cases/controls: 2563/4391) and Latino (cases/controls: 1034/1046) ancestry. Markers at 55 regions passed a region-specific significance threshold (P-value cutoff range: 3.9 × 10(-4)-5.6 × 10(-3)) and in 30 regions we identified markers that were more significantly associated with risk than the previously reported variants in the multiethnic sample. Novel secondary signals (P < 5.0 × 10(-6)) were also detected in two regions (rs13062436/3q21 and rs17181170/3p12). Among 666 variants in the 55 regions with P-values within one order of magnitude of the most-associated marker, 193 variants (29%) in 48 regions overlapped with epigenetic or other putative functional marks. In 11 of the 55 regions, cis-eQTLs were detected with nearby genes. For 12 of the 55 regions (22%), the most significant region-specific, prostate-cancer associated variant represented the strongest candidate functional variant based on our annotations; the number of regions increased to 20 (36%) and 27 (49%) when examining the 2 and 3 most significantly associated variants in each region, respectively. These results have prioritized subsets of candidate variants for downstream functional evaluation.

Imputation and subset-based association analysis across different cancer types identifies multiple independent risk loci in the TERT-CLPTM1L region on chromosome 5p15.33

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped risk alleles for at least 10 distinct cancers to a small region of 63 000 bp on chromosome 5p15.33. This region harbors the TERT and CLPTM1L genes; the former encodes the catalytic subunit of telomerase reverse transcriptase and the latter may play a role in apoptosis. To investigate further the genetic architecture of common susceptibility alleles in this region, we conducted an agnostic subset-based meta-analysis (association analysis based on subsets) across six distinct cancers in 34 248 cases and 45 036 controls. Based on sequential conditional analysis, we identified as many as six independent risk loci marked by common single-nucleotide polymorphisms: five in the TERT gene (Region 1: rs7726159, P = 2.10 × 10(-39); Region 3: rs2853677, P = 3.30 × 10(-36) and PConditional = 2.36 × 10(-8); Region 4: rs2736098, P = 3.87 × 10(-12) and PConditional = 5.19 × 10(-6), Region 5: rs13172201, P = 0.041 and PConditional = 2.04 × 10(-6); and Region 6: rs10069690, P = 7.49 × 10(-15) and PConditional = 5.35 × 10(-7)) and one in the neighboring CLPTM1L gene (Region 2: rs451360; P = 1.90 × 10(-18) and PConditional = 7.06 × 10(-16)). Between three and five cancers mapped to each independent locus with both risk-enhancing and protective effects. Allele-specific effects on DNA methylation were seen for a subset of risk loci, indicating that methylation and subsequent effects on gene expression may contribute to the biology of risk variants on 5p15.33. Our results provide strong support for extensive pleiotropy across this region of 5p15.33, to an extent not previously observed in other cancer susceptibility loci.

A meta-analysis of 87,040 individuals identifies 23 new susceptibility loci for prostate cancer

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 76 variants associated with prostate cancer risk predominantly in populations of European ancestry. To identify additional susceptibility loci for this common cancer, we conducted a meta-analysis of > 10 million SNPs in 43,303 prostate cancer cases and 43,737 controls from studies in populations of European, African, Japanese and Latino ancestry. Twenty-three new susceptibility loci were identified at association P < 5 × 10(-8); 15 variants were identified among men of European ancestry, 7 were identified in multi-ancestry analyses and 1 was associated with early-onset prostate cancer. These 23 variants, in combination with known prostate cancer risk variants, explain 33% of the familial risk for this disease in European-ancestry populations. These findings provide new regions for investigation into the pathogenesis of prostate cancer and demonstrate the usefulness of combining ancestrally diverse populations to discover risk loci for disease.

A comprehensive resequence-analysis of 250 kb region of 8q24.21 in men of African ancestry

BACKGROUND

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified that a ∼1 M region centromeric to the MYC oncogene on chromosome 8q24.21 harbors at least five independent loci associated with prostate cancer risk and additional loci associated with cancers of breast, colon, bladder, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Because GWAS identify genetic markers that may be indirectly associated with disease, fine-mapping based on sequence analysis provides important insights into patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) and is critical in defining the optimal variants to nominate for biological follow-up.

METHODS

To catalog variation in individuals of African ancestry, we resequenced a region (250 kb; chr8:128,050, 768–128, 300,801, hg19) containing several prostate cancer susceptibility loci as well as a locus associated with CLL. Our samples included 78 individuals from Ghana and 47 of African-Americans from Johns Hopkins University.

RESULTS

After quality control metrics were applied to next-generation sequence data, 1,838 SNPs were identified. Of these, 285 were novel and not yet reported in any public database. Using genotypes derived from sequencing, we refined the LD and recombination hotspots within the region and determined a set of tag SNPs to be used in future fine-mapping studies. Based on LD, we annotated putative risk loci and their surrogates using ENCODE data, which should help guide laboratory studies.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to the 1000 Genome Project data, we have identified additional variants that could be important in establishing priorities for future functional work designed to explain the biological basis of associations between SNPs and both prostate cancer and CLL.

A genome-wide association study of prostate cancer in West African men

Age-adjusted mortality rates for prostate cancer are higher for African-American men compared with those of European ancestry. Recent data suggest that West African men also have elevated risk for prostate cancer relative to European men. Genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer could account for part of this difference. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of prostate cancer in West African men in the Ghana Prostate Study. Association testing was performed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age and genetic ancestry for 474 prostate cancer cases and 458 population-based controls on the Illumina HumanOmni-5 Quad BeadChip. The most promising association was at 10p14 within an intron of a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA RP11-543F8.2) 360 kb centromeric of GATA3 (p = 1.29E-7). In sub-analyses, SNPs at 5q31.3 were associated with high Gleason score (≥7) cancers, the strongest of which was a missense SNP in PCDHA1 (rs34575154, p = 3.66E-8), and SNPs at Xq28 (rs985081, p = 8.66E-9) and 6q21 (rs2185710, p = 5.95E-8) were associated with low Gleason score (<7) cancers. We sought to validate our findings in silico in the African Ancestry Prostate Cancer GWAS Consortium, but only one SNP, at 10p14, replicated at p < 0.05. Of the 90 prostate cancer loci reported from studies of men of European, Asian or African-American ancestry, we were able to test 81 in the Ghana Prostate Study, and 10 of these replicated at p < 0.05. Further genetic studies of prostate cancer in West African men are needed to confirm our promising susceptibility loci.

The impact of off the visual axis retinoscopy on objective central refractive measurement in adult clinical practice: a prospective, randomized clinical study

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the off axis retinoscopy on objective central refractive measurement in adult clinical practice.

METHODS

In all, 40 subjects underwent undilated retinoscopy in a randomly selected eye both on and off the visual axis by a single masked examiner. Off axis retinoscopy was defined as retinoscopy performed with the testing eye of the examiner aligned with the contralateral (non-test) eye of the subject resulting in an off axis deviation in the nasal horizontal visual field. Retinoscopy was performed in negative cylinder only and spherocylindrical measurements were converted to power vectors for analysis. Paired t-test was used to assess differences in M, J(0) and J(45) power vectors including differences between mean aided and unaided LogMar acuities.

RESULTS

In all, 14 subjects were myopic (SE≤-0.5 D), 13 subjects were emmetropic (SE between -0.49 and 1.0 D) and 13 subjects were hyperopic (SE >1.0 D). Mean angle of deviation was 5.58° in the nasal horizontal visual field. J(0) showed a significant negative shift in those with myopia (P<0.001) and emmetropia (P=0.049) following off axis retinoscopy. No significant differences in M, J(0) and J(45) were found in the hyperopes. Mean aided LogMar acuities after on and off axis retinoscopy were both significantly better than mean unaided LogMar VA (P<0.001 in both cases).

CONCLUSION

Small degrees of off axis retinoscopy encountered in everyday clinical practice can induce errors in objective central refractive measurement.

Crescenteric amniotic membrane grafting in keratoprosthesis-associated corneal melt

We herein present a surgical technique for the management of corneal melt following Boston type I keratoprosthesis implantation. The technique was performed using new-generation dehydrated human amniotic membrane. The membrane was fashioned in the shape of 2 crescentic patches using disposable corneal trephines. A double layer of grafts was then sutured into the host bed with interrupted 10-0 nylon sutures. Rapid healing with corneal epithelization and vascularization was noted within days. The main advantage of the amniotic membrane that we used is that it is thicker than the older generation (110 vs 40 microm) and suitable for tectonic purposes. It is also readily available with a long shelf life and does not require a lamellar dissection unlike a donor corneal patch. This surgical technique may potentially serve as another tool in a cornea surgeon's armamentarium.

A comparison of HRT II and GDx imaging for glaucoma detection in a primary care eye clinic setting

PURPOSE

To evaluate the performance of the HRT II (Heidelberg retinal tomograph) and GDx (glaucoma detection) retinal nerve fibre analyzer in GDx when used in the primary care eye clinic setting for glaucoma screening.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study was prospective, cross-sectional, and hospital-based. One-hundred and twelve patients, 59 women and 53 men with a mean age of 57.8 years (range 18-85 years), had consecutive HRT II disc imaging and GDx retinal nerve fiber layer analysis. The Moorfield's regression classification and the 'GDx number' were used to predict the likelihood of glaucoma. A separate clinician, masked to the instrument results determined a definitive diagnosis, based on clinical examination. The extent of agreement between instrument prediction and the clinician diagnosis of glaucoma was examined by generating sensitivity and specificity tables.

RESULTS

The HRT II had a sensitivity of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.60-0.92) and a specificity of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.60-0.78). The positive predictive value of the HRT II was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.29-0.57). Using a GDx number of 50 as 'cutoff' for glaucoma detection, the GDx had a sensitivity of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.59-0.93) and a specificity of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.61-0.80), with a positive predictive value of 0.43 (95% CI: 0.28-0.59).

CONCLUSIONS

For glaucoma detection, neither the HRT II nor the GDx are effective as stand-alone screening devices in the primary care setting.

Acute retention of urine due to prolapsing stoma in a case of anorectal malformation with bladder neck fistula

This case report describes an extremely premature infant who was born with a high anorectal malformation requiring a colostomy soon after birth. He later developed multiple episodes of acute urinary retention complicated by bilateral hydronephrosis and acute renal failure. The cause of the retention was found to be the prolapsing stoma, which was kinking the bladder neck.

Gene delivery to the corneal endothelium

Gene transfer to the corneal endothelium has potential for modulating rejection of corneal grafts. It can also serve as a convenient and useful model for gene therapy of other organs. In this article we review the work carried out in our laboratory using both viral and nonviral vectors to obtain gene expression in the cornea.

Repair of a massive inguinal hernia

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Papulonecrotic tuberculide: a forgotten cutaneous manifestation of tuberculosis

A 30-year-old Chinese man presented with a 2-month history of enlarging neck masses and a widespread rash. He had first noticed the swellings 10 years ago when a diagnosis of tuberculosis was made. The lymphadenopathy improved after anti-tuberculous therapy but never completely regressed. Seven years later, a skin eruption developed over his limbs and trunk. He described recurring crops of asymptomatic reddish papules which discharged a yellowish fluid and subsequently healed with scarring and hyperpigmentation. There was no pruritus or tenderness and no pulmonary symptoms.

Clinical examination revealed a non-tender, 10 cm, firm and ovoid mass with overlying erythema in the right anterior triangle of his neck (Figure 1) with several smaller lumps on the other side. There was a widespread eruption on his trunk and limbs, sparing the face, palms, sole and scalp (Figure 2). Recent lesions consisted of 1cm erythematous papules with a scaly collarette (Figure 3). Older lesions had left atrophic scarring and hyperpigmentation. A clinical diagnosis of papulonecrotic tuberculide was made.

An X-ray of the chest was normal. Serum immunoglobulins (IgG, A and M) were moderately elevated. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level were normal. Syphilis serology was negative. A Heaf test was strongly positive (Figure 4).

Fine needle aspirations of the neck mass were negative for microscopic identification of acid-fast bacilli and for malignancy. On the other hand, a lymph node biopsy on the left side revealed fragments of connective tissue showing granulomatous inflammation and non-caseating necrosis. Occasional acid-fast bacilli were seen with a Ziehl-Neelsen stain. Skin biopsies were taken of recent, established and old lesions. The histological features of the established lesion were diagnostic, showing a florid, acute on chronic, perivascular and periappendiceal inflammmatory infiltrate involving both the superficial and deep dermis. There was also evidence of lobular panniculitis with fibrinoid necrosis of medium-sized arterial vessels, venulitis and extensive endothelial cell swelling. Histological features of the other two skin specimens were non-specific. No organisms were identified with special stains.

Anti-tuberculous therapy with rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide was started and 2 weeks after treatment, the patient reported a complete cessation in the development of new skin lesions. His skin remains in remission after 6 weeks of treatment.

Absence of nonresponse bias in a study of sport-caught Great Lakes fish consumption and conception failure

INTRODUCTION

We have reported that men's lifetime sport-caught Great Lakes fish consumption was associated with lifetime prevalence of conception delay or failure. Those cross-sectional data were based on responses to a postal questionnaire. The present study was conducted to evaluate whether nonresponse bias could explain the cross-sectional findings.

METHODS

We conducted telephone interviews with 230 men and 38 women who did not respond to the original survey, and compared these individuals to the original responders with respect to key demographic, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics.

RESULTS

Nonresponders were approximately 1.5 years older at interview, were more likely to be Caucasian, and reported higher incomes than responders. Among men, nonresponders had fished fewer days in the past year (12% reported no fishing, compared to 4. 3% of responders). Almost one half of nonresponders reported no fish consumption in the past year, compared to one quarter of responders. Nonresponders were more likely than responders to have ever conceived a live-born child, had more children, and were less likely to intend to have additional children in the next 5 years. Among both responders and nonresponders there was an increased prevalence of a period of conception failure among men who reported consuming greater quantities of sport-caught Great Lakes fish.

DISCUSSION

Our study provides support for the cross-sectional analyses presented previously, insofar as nonresponse bias is unlikely to have a major role in the observed association.

Cutaneous nerve hypertrophy

We present a case of cutaneous nerve hypertrophy possibly secondary to scratching or other trauma. The patient was symptomatic and sought surgical treatment, despite no clinical lesion being evident. This type of change has not been previously reported in this clinical setting. There was no clinical evidence of multiple endocrine neoplasia-type 2b (MEN-2b). Awareness of this entity may avoid unnecessary surgery.