Prostate inflammation. Association with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

To study the association and possible relationship of prostate inflammation with benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH], and prostate cancer. The medical records and pathological findings of all Saudi patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostatic needle biopsies in King Abdulaziz University Medical City, Jeddah,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from June 2003 to June 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. The indications for biopsy were elevated levels of serum prostate specific antigen, abnormal findings on digital rectal examination, or both. The specimens harboring inflammation, adenocarcinoma, BPH, or their combinations, were selected and included in the study. A total of 214 patients were selected with an age ranging from 37-100 years [median=68]. Inflammation was histologically evident in 88 patients. Of them, only one demonstrated acute inflammation, while 87/88 demonstrated chronic inflammation with, or without acute inflammation. Histopathologic features were categorized into 3 main categories: inflammation alone [12/214, 5.6%], BPH category [126/214, 58.9%], and cancer category [76/214, 35.5%] patients. The last 2 categories also included cases associated with inflammation. In the overall analysis of 214 specimens, BPH with inflammation was more prevalent than cancer with inflammation [43/214 [20.1%] versus 33/214 [15.4%]]. In a subgroup analysis within each category, inflammation was less prevalent in the BPH category compared to the cancer category [43/126 [34.1%] versus 33/76 [43.4%]]. The association between chronic inflammation and both BPH and cancer is obvious in our study. Further studies are needed to substantiate this observation, and to clarify the magnitude of association of inflammation with BPH compared to cancer

clinicopathologic patterns of prostatic diseases and prostate cancer in Saudi patients

To determine the clinicopathologic patterns of prostatic diseases in Saudi patients, with special emphasis on prostate cancer [PCa]. The records of patients who underwent histopathological examinations of their prostatic specimens in King Abdulaziz University Medical City and King Faisal Specialist Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between June 2003 and June 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. The age, indications for biopsy, histological diagnosis, and Gleason grading of cancer patients, were studied. The study included 330 patients aged 37-100 years [median=68]. Specimens included 233 transrectal ultrasound [TRUS] biopsies, 85 transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP], 8 simple prostatectomies, 3 radical prostatectomies, and one radical cystoprostatectomy. Indications for TRUS guided biopsy in PCa patients were elevated prostate specific antigen [PSA] [85.2%], abnormal digital rectal examination [5.5%] or both [9.3%]. Prostate specific antigen values <4 ng/ml were found in 13.6% of PCa patients. Among others, adenocarcinoma was found in 28.5%, benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH] alone in 43.3%, BPH with inflammation in 20.3% and inflammation alone in 4.2%. In specimens of TURP or simple prostatectomy for apparently benign disease, incidental PCa was detected in 14/93 [15%]. The Gleason sum of >/= 6 was found in 92.8% of patients. The incidence of prostate cancer in Saudi Arabia is low compared to the western countries. However, incidental PCa detected in presumed benign disease appears to be rising. Further future studies addressing this issue are needed to confirm the potential rising trend, and its possible etiology. Our findings support the recommendations to lower the PSA cutoff value for prostatic biopsy to 2.5 rather than 4ng/ml

Individual susceptibility to vernal keratoconjunctivitis and ameliorative effects of antioxidants on its symptoms

An allergic response is associated by an increase in the expression and activity of the inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS] an inducible enzyme present endothelial cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes [PMN] and moncytes. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis [VKC], is a recurrent or chronic ocular allergic eye disease affecting young individual living in a hot climate. This study was designed to test a hypothesis that the immune changes seen in Vernal keratoconjunctivitis during the summer or spring season is a function of the effect of hot weather on the of polymorphonuclear leucocytes [PMN] and monocytes in susceptible individuals, by evaluating the role of nitric oxide [NO] and NO-synthase [iNOS] in the pathogenesis of allergic conjunctivitis and the effect of supplementing those patients with antioxidants in order to ameliorate ocular allergic effects. 40 patients with typical VKC were divided into two groups. Antioxidants were given as a supplement to one group [n=20], while the second group did not [n=20]. Both groups were followed up periodically for clinical picture and status and were compared with a third healthy age and socio-economic matching control group. Blood samples were obtained before treatment, after one month and at the end of the whole follow up period. Blood markers of oxidative stress including: protein carbonyls, nitrite. DNA fragmentation and apoptosis in circulating lymphocytes of VKC before and after antioxidant therapy during the severity of the disease were evaluated. Also neutrophil's individual ability to express iNOS was assessed. Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis patients exhibited increased individual ability in the production and expression of nitric oxide by their stimulated neutrophils [4.5 +/- 0.05 nmol/ 10[5] cell vs. 2.5 +/- 0.09 nmol/ 10[5] cell] compared to controls. Both biochemical and clinical picture proved that a supplement of antioxidants to the traditional topical treatment would significantly improve the patients ocular allergic symptoms even after seizure of topical treatment, while recurrence of symptoms and signs occurred in group two after stoppage of the topical steroidal treatment. The antioxidant supplemented group exhibited decreased markers of oxidative stress at the end of the first month follow-up period compared to those patients that were not supplemented with antioxidants: Protein carbonyls [0.57 +/- 0.34 vs. 0.93 +/- 0.05]; Percentage of DNA fragmentation per total DNA in combined plasma and leucocytes after one month [0.7% +/- 0.09 vs. 0.93 +/- 0.05] and plasma nitrite after one month [2.4 +/- 0.5 vs. 3 +/- 0.19 nMol/ml] in VKC patients compared to controls respectively. The associated immunological and inflammatory systemic condition of VKC recommends the use of antioxidant mixture in order to emeliorate the ocular allergic effects associated with VKC. Antioxidant use proved its efficiency and prevent recurrence of VKC even after stoppage of the steroid. Also individuals with increased neutrophil's activity have higher individual susceptibility to develop VKC

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of some substituted 1, 3, 4-oxadiazole and other heterocycles derived from 4, 5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl-thioacetic acid hydrazide

Anumber of substituted oxadiazoles, benzothiazinones and other heterocycles were synthesized from 4, 5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenylthioacetic acid hydrazide. The structures of the prepared compounds were confirmed via their elemental analysis and the usual physical measurements. The prepared compounds have been screened for their antimicrobial activities against examples from gram positive, gram negative bacteria and fungi. Two of the tested compounds showed high activity comparable with the reference Levofloxacin while the others showed moderate to low activity

Interfacial impedance spectroscopy on electroplated nickel electrodes in chloride and sulphate solutions

The corrosion behaviour of the as-plated three different nickel electrodes has been investigated in 5 percent NaCl and 6 percent Na[2]SO[4] solutions by using impedance Spectroscopy technique. Ladder network equivalent circuits and simple equivalent circuits have been used to explain the electrochemical behaviour of the nickel electrodes in the above solutions. Analysis of the impendence spectra showed that the impedance parameters depended on the electrode type and the applied potential in chloride and sulphate solutions. In the chloride solution the three nickel electrodes exhibited rapid pitting corrosion while in sulphate solution the electrodes were rendered passive with very low corrosion rate

Galvanic corrosion of electroplated nickel coupled electrodes in chloride and sulphate solutions

The free corrosion potential of the as-plated pure nickel [P-Ni], semi bright nickel [SB-Ni], bright nickel [B-Ni] and dispersed nickel [D-Ni] electrodes were measured in 5 percent NaCl and in 6 percent Na[2]SO[4] solutions. It has been found that there are a potential difference in the free corrosion potential of these electrodes when they are immersed in chloride or sulphate solution. The galvanic current and the coupled potential [mixed potential] for the couples of different as-plated nickel electrodes were determined in chloride and sulphate solutions. The value of the galvanic current depended on the mixed potential, type of nickel couples as well as on the solution type. SEM observation confirmed the presence of pitting corrosion attack on the more active member of the as-plated nickel couples in chloride solution. Impedance spectroscopy of as-plated nickel electrodes in chloride and sulphate solution under potentiostatic showed that the charge transfer resistance of the as-plated nickel electrodes indicated the presence of pitting corrosion attack in chloride solution while passivation occurred on the electrodes in the sulphate solution

Corrosion behaviour of different nickel layers electroplated from watts bath

3 layers of semi-bright nickel [SB-Ni], bright nickel [B-Ni] and dispersed SiO2-containing nickel [D-Ni] have been prepared from Watts electroplating bath with some organic additions. The influence of the bath additives on the free corrosion potential of each as-plated nickel layer has been examined in 5% NaCl and 6% Na2SO4 solutions. Exposure time in the air after nickel layer preparation assisted the oxide film formation on semi-bright more than on bright nickel surfaces. The anodic and cathodic polarization curves of as-plated nickel layers in chloride and sulfate solutions were investigated by using the potentiodynamic technique. In chloride solution, nickel layers exhibited pitting corrosion. The critical pitting potential, E pit, decreased in the order; D-Ni > B-Ni > SB-Ni, while in sulfate solution, the nickel layers were passive

Effect of metal cations on the corrosion behavior of Ti, Al, Cu-Ni and Al-Brass in chloride solutions

The effect of addition of Cu2+, Co2+, Cd2+ and Fe3+ cations to chloride solutions on the potentiodynamic polarization of Al, Ti, Cu- Ni [66-34] and Al-brass was investigated. The study was confirmed by the XPS examination. It was found that Fe3+ ions cause an increase of the corrosion current, i.e. corrosion rate for Al, Ti and Cu-Ni alloy and a decrease at low concentrations [10-5 - 10-4 mol dm-3] for Al-brass. Cu2+ and Co2+ cations increase the corrosion rate of the metals, while inhibition of alloys is manifested at low cations concentration. Cd+2 cations behave as an activator but show slight inhibition at low concentration for Al-brass. The results were interpreted on the basis of exchange reactions causing deposition of the metal cations on the surface of the electrode