Diagnostic molecular markers predicting aggressive potential in low-grade prostate cancer.

Currently, clinicians rely on clinical nomograms to stratify progression risk at the time of diagnosis in patients with prostate cancer (CaP). However, these tools may not accurately distinguish aggressive potential in low-grade CaP. The current study determined the diagnostic potential of 3 molecular markers (ROCK1, RUNX3, and miR-301a) in terms of their ability to identify which low-grade tumors are likely to progress.

miR-301a expression: Diagnostic and prognostic marker for prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer (CaP) remains controversial. This study establishes the role of microRNA 301a (miR-301a) as a supplemental biomarker that can distinguish between patients with benign prostate hyperplasia and clinically significant CaP. We evaluate the ability of miR-301a to predict the adverse pathology of CaP.

Vagotomy attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice.

The progression of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) entails a complex network of interactions between multiple classes of molecules and cells, which are closely related to the vagus nerve. Stimulation of the vagus nerve increases fibrogenic cytokines in humans, therefore, activation of the nerve may promote PF. The hypothesis was tested by comparing the extent and severity of fibrosis in lungs with and without vagal innervation in unilaterally vagotomized mice.

Oral relaxin maintains intestinal blood flow in a rat model of NEC.

Purpose: Intestinal vasoconstriction is a critical step in development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Relaxin (RLXN), a hormone found in breast milk but absent from formula, is a potent vasodilator. We hypothesized that relaxin-supplemented feeds with an NEC protocol would decrease NEC severity and increase intestinal blood flow.

Preservation of hepatic blood flow by direct peritoneal resuscitation improves survival and prevents hepatic inflammation following hemorrhagic shock.

Conventional resuscitation (CR) from hemorrhagic shock (HS) results in gut and liver hypoperfusion, organ and cellular edema, and vital organ injury. Adjunct direct peritoneal resuscitation (DPR) with dialysate prevents gut vasoconstriction, hypoperfusion, and injury. We hypothesized that DPR might also improve hepatocellular edema, inflammation, and injury.

Waldenström macroglobulinemia: a review of the entity and its differential diagnosis.

The definition of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), originally described in 1944, has been refined substantially over time. The current fourth edition of the World Health Organization of lymphoid neoplasms, in large part, adopted criteria proposed for WM at a consensus conference in 2002. WM is defined as lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma involving the bone marrow associated with a serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M paraprotein of any concentration.

Serum free light chain analysis may miss monoclonal light chains that urine immunofixation electrophoreses would detect.

Background: A nephelometric assay for identifying free light chains (FLC) of immunoglobulin in serum is commercially available. Although this assay is not specific for monoclonal FLC, an abnormal kappa/lambda ratio is thought to presumptively identify monoclonal FLCs. It has been proposed that serum FLC assays can replace urine immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) for routine detection.

Multiple myeloma and immunosecretory disorders: an update.

The immunosecretory disorders are a diverse group of diseases associated with proliferation of an abnormal clone of immunoglobulin (Ig)-synthesizing, terminally differentiated B cells. These disorders include multiple myeloma (MM) and its variants, plasmacytoma, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, and monoclonal Ig deposition diseases, the latter including primary amyloidosis and nonamyloidotic types. These disorders are histologically composed of plasma cells, or plasmacytoid cells which produce Ig that is synthesized and usually secreted and can be deposited in some diseases.

A case of primary unilateral adrenal Burkitt-like large cell lymphoma presenting as adrenal insufficiency.

Primary adrenal lymphoma is extraordinarily rare, in comparison with secondary adrenal involvement by non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Although higher-resolution imaging techniques have enhanced detection of adrenal masses, biopsy or excision is often needed for definitive diagnosis. Percutaneous computed tomography-guided fine needle aspiration has great diagnostic value in the workup of adrenal masses, but is limited by sampling error and artifacts.

Extra-adrenal myelolipoma in the renal hilum: a case report and review of the literature.

Myelolipoma most commonly arises in the adrenal gland. Extra-adrenal myelolipomas are rare; to our knowledge, approximately 37 previous cases have been reported. We report a myelolipoma presenting as a localized mass in perirenal adipose tissue juxtaposed to the renal hilum in a 65-year-old Caucasian man who presented with back pain, weight loss, hematuria, and flank pain.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemic transformation in a patient with chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: a case report and review of the literature.

Leukemic transformation of chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (CIMF) to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is rare. We report a case of a patient with CIMF who developed paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) 2 years after initial presentation. His disease eventually transformed to ALL of precursor B-cell type.