To compare the clinical outcomes and pathological findings of transperineal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TPUSPB) and transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) in a secondary ...referral hospital.
This was a retrospective study of 100 TPUSPBs and 100 TRUSPBs performed in our centre. Pre-biopsy patient parameters (eg, patient age, clinical staging, serum prostate-specific antigen PSA level, prostate size, and PSA density), as well as pathological results and 30-day complication and readmission rates, were retrieved from the patients' medical records and compared between the two groups.
One hundred TPUSPBs performed from January 2018 to May 2018 and 100 TRUSPBs performed from January 2016 to April 2016 were included for analysis. Mean age did not significantly differ between the groups. The TPUSPB group had a higher mean PSA level, smaller prostate size, and higher PSA density, compared with the TRUSPB group. The overall prostate cancer detection rate was similar between the TPUSPB and TRUSPB groups (35% vs 25%, P=0.123). There were no significant differences between the groups in prostate cancer detection rates after stratification according to PSA density and clinical staging. With respect to complications, no patients developed fever in the TPUSPB group, while 4% of patients in the TRUSPB group had fever and required at least 1-week admission for intravenous antibiotic administration.
For prostate biopsy, TPUSPB is safer, with no infection complications, and has similar prostate cancer detection rate compared with TRUSPB.
Non-neoplastic thyroid hyperplasia is common in terrestrial animals, secondary to nutritional imbalances or other goitrogenic compounds. Thyroid hyperplasia is relatively common in teleost fish; ...however, malignant thyroid neoplasia is rarely reported. We diagnosed cases of thyroid neoplasia in a population of jade perch (Scortum barcoo). The 3,000 affected fish had grossly apparent, bilateral pharyngeal swellings. Histologic examination confirmed proliferative thyroid lesions ranging from hyperplasia to well-differentiated follicular cell carcinoma. In addition, the younger population of animals on the farm also had bacterial septicemia and mild Dactylogyrus sp. gill infections. Feed analysis revealed a severe deficiency of iodine and vitamin C in the homemade fish diet used on the farm. The concentrations of other minerals, such as zinc, were also on the lower end of the recommended requirements for freshwater fish. The farm was using surface water in its recirculating aquaculture system. We recommended a switch to a commercial aquaculture diet, as well as to use well water rather than surface water to avoid any contaminants, and to treat the younger fish with an antibiotic for bacterial septicemia. Our case provides evidence of progression from nutritional-associated thyroid hyperplasia to neoplasia in farmed teleost fish.
This work reports an alternative technique based on a complementary double split-ring resonator to determine the concentrations of ammonia and iron in water. The conventional methods for measuring ...ammonia and iron concentration involve expensive and bulky instruments in the laboratory. Furthermore, the current methods involve hazardous chemical reagents and complicated procedures. In this work, a low-cost microwave sensor which is portable and easy to operate is proposed. The water samples that have different ammonia or iron concentration is dropped deposited at the sensing area. Their concentration is determined based on the shifting of the resonance frequency in the measurement. The measurement results indicate that the resonance frequency of the resonator reduced from 2.38 GHz (unloaded condition) to a low-frequency range when the water sample containing different concentrations of ammonia or iron are introduced to the sensing area. Based on the collected results, Fourier models are used to establish the relationship between the concentrations of ammonia and iron (in the range of 0 to 53 mg/L) to the resonance frequency shifting. The validity of these models is proven as they introduced a root mean square error (RMSE) of less than 0.009. The findings of this work demonstrated the feasibility of the microwave sensor in detecting water pollutants.
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Background
The ichthyoses are rare genetic keratinizing disorders that share the characteristics of an impaired epidermal barrier and increased risk of microbial infections. Although ichthyotic ...diseases share a T helper (Th) 17 cell immune signature, including increased expression of antimicrobial peptides, the skin microbiota of ichthyoses is virtually unexplored.
Objectives
To analyse the metagenome profile of skin microbiome for major congenital ichthyosis subtypes.
Methods
Body site‐matched skin surface samples were collected from the scalp, upper arm and upper buttocks of 16 healthy control participants and 22 adult patients with congenital forms of ichthyosis for whole metagenomics sequencing analysis.
Results
Taxonomic profiling showed significant shifts in bacteria and fungi abundance and sporadic viral increases across ichthyosis subtypes. Cutibacterium acnes and Malassezia were significantly reduced across body sites, consistent with skin barrier disruption and depletion of lipids. Microbial richness was reduced, with specific increases in Staphylococcus and Corynebacterium genera, as well as shifts in fungal species, including Malassezia. Malassezia globosa was reduced at all body sites, whereas M. sympodialis was reduced in the ichthyotic upper arm and upper buttocks. Malassezia slooffiae, by contrast, was strikingly increased at all body sites in participants with congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (CIE) and lamellar ichthyosis (LI). A previously undescribed Trichophyton species was also detected as sporadically colonizing the skin of patients with CIE, LI and epidermolytic ichthyosis subtypes.
Conclusions
The ichthyosis skin microbiome is significantly altered from healthy skin with specific changes predominating among ichthyosis subtypes. Skewing towards the Th17 pathway may represent a response to the altered microbial colonization in ichthyosis.
What is already known about this topic?
The skin microbiome of congenital ichthyoses is largely unexplored.
Microbes play an important role in pathogenesis, as infections are common.
The relative abundances of staphylococci and corynebacteria is increased in the cutaneous microbiome of patients with Netherton syndrome, but extension of these abundances to all congenital ichthyoses is unexplored.
What does this study add?
A common skin microbiome signature was observed across congenital ichthyoses.
Distinct microbiome features were associated with ichthyosis subtypes.
Changes in microbiome may contribute to T helper 17 cell immune polarization.
What is the translational message?
These data provide the basis for comparison of the microbiome with lipidomic and transcriptomic alterations in these forms of ichthyosis and consideration of correcting the dysbiosis as a therapeutic intervention.
• A common skin microbiome signature was observed across congenital ichthyoses • Distinct microbiome features were associated with ichthyosis subtypes • Changes in microbiome may contribute to Th17 immune polarization
Linked Comment: A.M. Schneider and A.M. Nelson. Br J Dermatol 2022; 187:457–458.
A review of some of the available technologies for inductor hybrid integration is given in this paper. In accordance with low voltage and high current requirements, low-temperature co-fired ceramics ...(LTCC) technology is identified to be a suitable candidate for power electronics passives integration. This paper will discuss the various limitations of the current LTCC processing technique and introduce a fabrication technique which will open a new field for chip inductors for hybrid power electronics integration. The design of an LTCC inductor will also be presented. This inductor exhibits an inherent current dependent inductance, leading to high efficiency at low loads as an important systems advantage in portable electronics.
To investigate the role of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging in the diagnosis of macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) and to describe disease-associated FAF patterns and their origin.
...Cross-sectional multicenter study
FAF images were collected from the multicenter MacTel Natural History Observation and Registry Study. In a first qualitative approach, common FAF phenotypes were defined and correlated with multimodal imaging. We then evaluated how many eyes showed FAF changes, and temporal vs nasal asymmetry of FAF changes was graded. Finally, 100 eyes of MacTel patients and 100 control eyes (50 normal eyes and 50 eyes with other macular diseases) were combined and 2 masked graders assessed the presence of MacTel based on FAF images alone.
The study included 807 eyes of 420 patients (33 eyes were excluded owing to poor image quality). Loss of macular pigment, cystoid spaces, pigment plaques, neovascular membranes, and ectatic vascular changes commonly caused characteristic changes on FAF images. All MacTel patients had macular FAF changes in at least 1 eye. In 95% of eyes, these changes were more pronounced temporally than nasally. Common FAF patterns were increased (60%) and mixed/decreased FAF (38%) and/or visibility of vascular changes such as blunted vessels or ectatic capillaries (79%). Based on those features, high diagnostic performance was achieved for detection of the disease based on FAF alone (Youden index up to 0.91).
The study demonstrates that MacTel is consistently associated with disease-specific changes on FAF imaging. Those changes are typically more pronounced in the temporal parafovea.
Aim
To investigate the association between baseline plasma zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein and non‐albuminuric chronic kidney disease progression in type 2 diabetes.
Methods
Adults with normoalbuminuria at ...entry (n=341; age 57±10 years, 52% men) were analysed. Chronic kidney disease progression was defined as a decrease in chronic kidney disease stage and a decline of ≥25% in estimated GFR from baseline. Baseline plasma zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein levels were quantified by immunoassay, and analysed either as a continuous variable or by tertiles in Cox proportional hazards models. Model discrimination was assessed using Harrell's C‐index. A sensitivity analysis was performed on a subset of individuals who maintained normoalbuminuria during follow‐up.
Results
Chronic kidney disease progression occurred in 54 participants (16%). Zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein levels were elevated in chronic kidney disease progressors (P = 0.011), and more progressors were assigned to the higher zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein tertile than non‐progressors. In the unadjusted Cox model, zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein, both as a continuous variable (hazard ratio 1.72, 95% CI 1.08–2.75) and tertile 3 (vs tertile 1; hazard ratio 2.14, 95% CI 1.10–4.17), predicted chronic kidney disease progression. The association persisted after multivariable adjustment. The C‐index of the Cox model increased significantly after incorporation of zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein into a base model comprising renin‐angiotensin system antagonist usage. Sensitivity analysis showed that zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein independently predicted chronic kidney disease progression among individuals who maintained normoalbuminuria during follow‐up.
Conclusions
Plasma zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein is associated with chronic kidney disease progression, and may serve as a useful early biomarker for predicting non‐albuminuric chronic kidney disease progression in type 2 diabetes.
What's new?
A substantial proportion of individuals with type 2 diabetes experience a decline in GFR without significant albuminuria, which is termed non‐albuminuric chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Early biomarkers predictive of non‐albuminuric CKD progression are needed but are currently lacking.
Previous limited cross‐sectional studies have presented an association between zinc‐α2‐glycoprotein (ZAG) and non‐albuminuric CKD in type 2 diabetes.
Our findings showed that baseline plasma ZAG independently predicted non‐albuminuric CKD progression in adults with type 2 diabetes over 4 years.
ZAG may serve as a useful early biomarker for predicting CKD progression in this distinct subgroup of individuals with normoalbuminuria.
HER3 activating mutations have been shown in preclinical models to be oncogenic and ligand-independent, but to depend on kinase-active HER2.
Whole-exome sequencing of the primary HER2-negative breast ...cancer and its HER2-negative synchronous liver metastasis from a 46-year-old female revealed the presence of an activating and clonal HER3 G284R mutation.
HER2 dual blockade with trastuzumab and lapatinib as third-line therapy led to complete metabolic response in 2 weeks and confirmed radiological partial response after 8 weeks. Following the resection of the liver metastasis, the patient remains disease-free 40 weeks after initiation of the HER2 dual blockade therapy. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a substantial reduction of phospho-rpS6 and phospho-AKT in the post-therapy biopsy of the liver metastasis.
This is the first-in-man evidence that anti-HER2 therapies are likely effective in breast cancers harboring HER3 activating mutations.
Lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is well achieved by 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins). Statins inhibit the conversion of HMG-CoA to ...mevalonate, a precursor for cholesterol and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ
10). In HepG2 cells, simvastatin decreased mitochondrial CoQ
10 levels, and at higher concentrations was associated with a moderately higher degree of cell death, increased DNA oxidative damage and a reduction in ATP synthesis. Supplementation of CoQ
10, reduced cell death and DNA oxidative stress, and increased ATP synthesis. It is suggested that CoQ
10 deficiency plays an important role in statin-induced hepatopathy, and that CoQ
10 supplementation protects HepG2 cells from this complication.
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