Effect of an Educational Video to Increase Calls and Screening into an Anal Cancer Clinical Trial Among HIV+ Hispanics in PR: Results from a Randomized Controlled Behavioral Trial.

Anal cancer incidence is higher in persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) than in the general population. Participation of PLWHA in anal cancer clinical trials (CTs) is essential; Hispanic PLWHA are underrepresented in CTs. We conducted a behavioral CT among 305 PLWHA in Puerto Rico to measure the efficacy of an educational video in increasing calls and screening into an anal cancer CT. Participants received printed educational materials on anal cancer and CTs; the intervention group also received an educational video. Outcome assessment based on follow-up interviews showed that printed materials increased awareness about CTs and high-resolution anoscopy (HRA), and willingness to participate in an anal cancer CT in both groups. However, the addition of the video increased the likelihood of participants to call the CT for orientation (RRadjusted = 1.66, 95% CI 1.00-2.76; p = 0.05) and pre-screening evaluation (RRadjusted = 1.70, 95% CI 0.95-3.03; p = 0.07). This intervention could help increase participation of Hispanics into anal cancer-related CTs.

Polymorphic microsatellite markers for the endangered fish, the slender shiner Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa and cross-species amplification across five related species.

The slender shiner Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa (Cypriniformes; Cyprinidae; Gobioninae) is an endangered freshwater fish species endemic to Korea. The current strategies for its conservation involve the study of population genetic characters and identification of management units. These strategies require suitable molecular markers to study genetic diversity and genetic structure. Here, we developed nine polymorphic microsatellite markers for P. tenuicorpa for the first time by applying an enrichment method from a size-selected genomic library. The developed microsatellite markers produced a total of 101 alleles (average 11.2). The observed and expected heterozygosities averaged 0.805 and 0.835, respectively. Among the nine identified markers, five markers showed successful amplification across five related Korean Gobioninae species. Thus, the microsatellite markers developed in this study will be useful to establish conservation strategies for both P. tenuicorpa and other related species.

Emission fi lter design to detect poultry skin tumorsusing fl uorescence hyperspectral imaging / Diseño del filtro de emisión para detectar tumores cutáneos en canales de aves usandoimagenes de fluorescencia hiperespectral / Desenho de um filtro de emissão para detectar tumores cutâneos em carcaças de avesusando imagens de fluorescência hiperespectral

This paper presents an optimal emission filter of the fluorescence imaging system to detect skintumors on poultry carcasses. The secure production of disease-free meat is crucial in the mass productionenvironment. The fluorescence spectra have been gaining the practical use in many areas because thefluorescence response is very sensitive in detecting trace elements. The spectral features of the specimenare embedded across broad spectral bands and have been analyzed in various methods. We apply thelinear discriminant analysis to determine the emission filter of fluorescence imaging system. It providesthe optimal attenuation of emission wavelengths in terms of discriminant power. The attenuation valuesprioritize wavelengths to select significant spectral bands. With the optimal filter, skin tumor parts ofchicken carcasses are enhanced saliently in resultant fluorescence images.

La producción de carne libre de enfermedades es crucial en producción pecuaria intensiva. Losespectros de fluorescencia se han estado usando en forma práctica en muchas áreas, ya que la respuestade fluorescencia es muy sensible para detectar elementos traza. Este artículo presenta un óptimo filtrode emisión para el sistema de imágenes de fluorescencia utilizado para detectar tumores cutáneos encanales de pollo. Las características espectrales de la muestra --insertas en bandas espectrales amplias- sehan analizado por varias metodologías. En este artículo aplicamos el análisis lineal discriminante paradeterminar el filtro de emisión del sistema de imágenes por fluorescencia, mediante el cual se obtiene laatenuación optima de las ondas de emisión en términos de poder discriminante. Los valores de atenuaciónpriorizan las longitudes de onda para seleccionar las bandas espectrales más significativas. Gracias a lautilización de este filtro optimizado, los tumores cutáneos existentes en la canal de pollo son magnificados,de modo que se alcanzan a diferenciar perfectamente en las imágenes de fluorescencia resultantes.

A produção de carne livre de doenças é crucial em produção pecuária intensiva. Os espectros defluorescência temse estado utilizando em forma prática em muitas áreas, já que a resposta da fluorescênciaé muito sensível para detectar elementos traça. Este artículo apresenta um óptimo filtro de emissão parao sistema de imagens de fluorescência utilizado para detectar tumores cutâneos em carcaças de frangos.As características espectrais da amostra, insertas em bandas espectrais amplas são utilizadas por variasmetodologias. Neste artículo aplicamos a análises linear discriminante para determinar o filtro de emissãodo sistema de imagens por fluorescência, mediante o qual obtém-se a atenuação óptima das ondas deemissão em termos de poder discriminante. Os valores de atenuação dão prioridade às longitudes deonda para seleccionar as bandas espectrais mais significativas. Graças à utilização do filtro optimizado,os tumores cutâneos existentes na carcaça de frango são magnificados, de fato que são diferenciadosperfeitamente nas imagens de fluorescência resultantes.

Microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity have distinct prognostic value for testicular germ cell tumor recurrence.

Germ cell tumor (GCT) is the most common genitourinary malignancy of men between the ages of 18 and 35 years. Therapy is ultimately successful in over 90% of patients, however significant morbidity and mortality can be associated with adjuvant treatment and relapse. Molecular markers that predict treatment response and/or poor outcome would have immediate clinical benefit since adjuvant treatment could be selectively reserved for patients at higher risk for relapse and those patients most likely to respond to treatment. In order to identify potential prognostic molecular markers, we evaluated 118 GCT for microsatellite instability (MSI), loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and MSH2 immunostaining to identify tumors associated with relapse and/or poor outcome following initial surgical, medical and/or radiation therapy. MSI in 3 or more markers and/or low MSH2 staining were associated with relapse while LOH in the absence of MSI and/or high MSH2 staining were not. Twenty-five percent of GCT exhibited genetic instability in 3 or more microsatellite markers (MSI+ tumors), 15% exhibited LOH in the absence of MSI (LOH only tumors) and 44% exhibited decreased or absent MSH2 immunostaining (low MSH2 staining tumors). Thirty-six patients (30%) relapsed and 27 of these patients (75%) had MSI+ and/or low MSH2 staining tumors. Only one patient (3%) with an LOH only tumor and no patients with high MSH2 staining and LOH only tumors relapsed. Therefore distinct GCT subpopulations identified by detection of MSI, LOH and MMR expression are associated with different clinical outcomes. MMR deficient testicular GCT with increased frequency of MSI had an increased association with tumor recurrence compared to GCT with an intact MMR system and LOH in the absence of MSI.

Mismatch repair gene expression and genetic instability in testicular germ cell tumor.

Human mismatch repair (MMR) genes encode highly conserved interacting proteins that correct replication errors predisposing to hereditary gastrointestinal and genitourinary malignancies. A subset of sporadic genitourinary tumors also exhibits MMR deficiency and can be identified by measuring the frequency of microsatellite instability (MSI) in cancer cell DNA. We investigated expression of the two most commonly mutated MMR genes, MSH2 and MLH1, in sporadic testicular germ cell tumor (GCT) in order to: (1) determine the expression pattern of MSH2 and MLH1 proteins in normal seminiferous tubules and histologically distinct GCT subtypes, (2) correlate MMR gene expression with genetic instability in GCT and (3) develop a panel of molecular markers that can identify genetically distinct subsets of GCT for prognostic assessment. MSH2 and MLH1 had differential staining patterns in normal seminiferous tubules and malignant tissues. MSH2 was expressed in all stages of spermatogenesis up to but excluding mature sperm whereas MLH1 was predominantly expressed in premeiotic germ cells. All histological GCT subtypes showed differential immunostaining for MSH2 and MLH1 however pure seminoma had statistically significant fewer low MSH2 staining tumors than other subtypes (p = 0.046). Twenty-five percent of GCT exhibited increased frequency of MSI (MSI+ tumors) with 73, 70 and 43% of MSI+ tumors exhibiting low MSH2, low MLH1 or low MSH2 and low MLH1 staining respectively. Fifteen percent of testicular GCT exhibited loss of heterozygosity (LOH) but no MSI (LOH only tumors). Only 28, 17 or 6% of LOH only tumors exhibited low MSH2, low MLH1 or low MSH2 and low MLH1 staining respectively.