PCA3 molecular urine assay for prostate cancer: association with pathologic features and impact of collection protocols

IntroductionPCA3 is a non-coding mRNA molecule that is overexpressed in prostate cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of the PCA3 molecular urine test scores to predict adverse pathologic features and catheterized specimen collection.MethodsHundred men with clinically localized prostate cancer scheduled to undergo robotic prostatectomy were enrolled in the study following a standard consent process. The study protocol consisted of providing four urine samples. Voided urine obtained following digital rectal examination (DRE) pre-operatively (Vl), catheterized urine without DRE (V2), and l0-day and 6-week postoperative voided (V3 and V4) urine samples were collected and analyzed. These four urine specimens underwent target capture, transcription-mediated amplification, and hybridization in order to quantify both PCA3 and PSA mRNA. The PCA3 score was calculated as the ratio of PCA3 to PSA.ResultsInformative rates (sufficient mRNA for analysis) for VI, V2, V3 and V4 were 91, 85, 0 and 2%, respectively. There was no significant associations with pathological stage, Gleason score >6. Higher PCA3 scores at V1 correlated with increased risk for perineural invasion (P = 0.0479).ConclusionsInformative PCA3 scores can be obtained from post-DRE voided urine as well as catheterized urine without a DRE. The PCA3 test does not seem to predict adverse pathologic features, though, may have an association with perineural invasion. The ability of PCA3 score to predict clinical outcome remains to be determined

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. materia

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 14

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. material

Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Jellyfish and Humans: Not Just Negative Interactions

In many coastal areas local increases in jellyfish populations are becoming recurrent phenomena due to climate change and several anthropogenic stressors, including eutrophication and pollution. Jellyfish blooms are often responsible for negative impacts on the marine environment and human activities: nevertheless, they can become a bioactive compounds. In addition, due to their high content of compounds with antioxidant activity and other different beneficial effects, jellyfish can be also successfully used for cosmetic, biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. Besides this, jellyfish could be exploited in other industrial sectors as crops fertilizer, biofuel or as additive in cement fabrication. In Southeastern Asian Countries, where jellyfish as food is a consolidated tradition, several hundred tons of jellyfish are caught per year. Recently, due to the development of jellyfish harvesting even outside Asia the estimated annual catch is rising. However, such official data seem to be dramatically underestimated. In addition, jellyfish breeding and aquaculture were developed with the aim to make jellyfish biomass available all year round. At least 20 different species of jellyfish are consumed by humans, the most appreciated belonging to the Rhizostomatidae family. Recently, some Mediterranean taxa such as Cotylorhiza and Aurelia spp., have received attention as sources of bioactive compounds or food resource. In Southeast Asia, jellyfish undergo a processing treatment that traditionally involves the use of alum salts, and are sold as salted (traditional product) or as "ready to eat" products. Currently, jellyfish-based products marketed in the EU within Chinese communities are affected by traceability issues, and mislabeling has been frequently reported. Moreover, jellyfish products may also present chemical hazards, due to alum salts in their processing. Therefore, a risk assessment procedure should be conducted to investigate the potential impacts on consumer's health and regulate their commercialization. Because of their nutritional and healthy properties, jellyfish have the potential to become an appreciated food by different consumers’ categories. Improving the processing methodologies will enlarge the jellyfish market to Western Countries turning jellyfish into a globally approved “novel food.

New energy with ZnS: novel applications for a standard transparent compound

Abstract We revise the electronic and optical properties of ZnS on the basis of first principles simulations, in view of novel routes for optoelectronic and photonic devices, such as transparent conductors and plasmonic applications. In particular, we consider doping effects, as induced by Al and Cu. It is shown that doping ZnS with Al imparts a n-character and allows for a plasmonic activity in the mid-IR that can be exploited for IR metamaterials, while Cu doping induces a spin dependent p-type character to the ZnS host, opening the way to the engineering of transparent p-n junctions, p-type transparent conductive materials and spintronic applications. The possibility of promoting the wurtzite lattice, presenting a different symmetry with respect to the most stable and common zincblende structure, is explored. Homo- and heterojunctions to twin ZnO are discussed as a possible route to transparent metamaterial devices for communications and energy