Differentiation of prostate cancer from benign prostatic disease by total prostate specific antigen dynamic profiles after transrectal prostate biopsy / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the possibility of differentiating prostate cancer (PCa) from benign prostatic disease by total prostate specific antigen (T-PSA) dynamic profiles following transrectal prostate biopsy, and to determine the cutoff value of the T-PSA ratio between pre- and post-biopsy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 36 men at the mean age of 69.89 years with increased serum PSA underwent prostate biopsy guided by transrectal ultrasound, followed by measurement of T-PSA at 10, 30, 60 and 90 min, plotting of T-PSA dynamic profiles and calculation of the pre- and post-biopsy T-PSA ratio at different time points. The patients were divided into a PCa and a non-PCa group according to the pathological results and compared for the difference in T-PSA ratios. The cutoff value of the pre- and post-biopsy T-PSA ratio was determined for the differentiation of PCa from benign prostatic diseases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The post-biopsy T-PSA ratio was obviously higher in the non-PCa than in the PCa group (P < 0.05). With the ROC curve applied, the cutoff value of the T-PSA ratio was 1.5 and the best time for blood sampling was 30 minutes after the biopsy, with a 75% sensitivity and a 93% specificity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Evaluation of the T-PSA ratio 30 minutes after biopsy might help screen the high-risk PCa population. Biopsy should be repeated for those with a lower T-PSA ratio in spite of initial benign results. The results are to be further supported by more prospective studies.</p>

Effect of superparamagnetic iron oxide labeling on neural stem cell survival and proliferation / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of superparamgnetic iron oxides (ferumoxides) on the survival and proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and determine the optimal ferumoxides concentration for labeling.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were obtained from rat femoral marrow and cultured in vitro to induce their differentiation into NSCs. Ferumoxides labeling of the NSCs was performed with different final concentrations of ferumoxides, and the labeling efficiency and viability of the labeled NSCs were evaluated by Prussian blue staining, MTT assay, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscope.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NSCs could be effectively labeled with ferumoxides with a labeling efficiency of around 90%. Prussian blue staining showed numerous fine granules with blue staining in the cytoplasm of the labeled NSCs, and the intensity of the blue staining was in positive correlation with the ferumoxide concentration for labeling. Transmission electron microscopy of the labeled NSCs revealed the presence of numerous vesicles spreading in the cytoplasm and filled with electron-dense magnetic iron particles. The ferumoxides vesicles increased with the labeling concentration of ferumoxides, and at the final concentration exceeding 25 microg/ml, ferumoxides vesicles in the NSCs gave rise to conglomeration which hampered observation of the cellular ultrastructure by transmission electron microscope. The results of flow cytometry and MTT assay demonstrated that the cell viability, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of the labeled cells were affected by ferumoxides at the concentration above 25 microg/ml, but such effects could be minimal at lower concentrations.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ferumoxides might be feasible for in vitro labeling of the NSCs with the optimal concentration of 25 microg/ml.</p>