Three independently deleted regions at chromosome arm 16q in human prostate cancer: allelic loss at 16q24.1–q24.2 is associated with aggressive behaviour of the disease, recurrent growth, poor differentiation of the tumour and poor prognosis for the patient

Loss of heterozygosity at chromosome arm 16q is a frequent event in human prostate cancer. In this study, loss of heterozygosity at 16q was studied in 44 prostate cancer patients exhibiting various clinical features. Fifteen polymorphic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) markers were used to identify the separately deleted areas and the findings were compared with clinicopathological variables and 5-year survival of the patients. The results indicated that there are at least three independently deleted regions at 16q. Allelic losses at the central and distal areas were associated significantly with aggressive behaviour of the disease (16q24.1–q24.2, P< 0.01, and 16q24.3–qter, P< 0.05), and the central area of deletion was further significantly associated with poorly differentiated tumour cells (P< 0.05) and with recurrent (P< 0.01) growth of the tumour. During the follow-up period, 28% of the patients initially with M0 disease developed distant metastases. Of the patients showing allelic loss at 16q24.1–q24.2, distant metastasis were found in 45% during the 5-year follow-up period, and 31% of the patients showing loss at 16q21.1 also developed distant metastases. After the 5-year follow-up period, 14 (32%) of the patients remained alive, whereas 19 (43%) had died because of their prostate cancer. The overall survival rate of the patients showing allelic loss at 16q21.1 or 16q24.1–q24.2 was significantly lower than that of the patients with retained heterozygosity. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

Alcohol Consumption and Dietary Patterns: The FinDrink Study

The aim of this population-based study was to investigate differences in dietary patterns in relation to the level of alcohol consumption among Finnish adults. This study was part of the FinDrink project, an epidemiologic study on alcohol use among Finnish population. It utilized data from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. A total of 1720 subjects comprising of 816 men and 904 women aged 53–73 years were included in the study in 1998–2001. Food intake was collected via a 4-day food diary method. Self-reported alcohol consumption was assessed with quantity-frequency method based on the Nordic Alcohol Consumption Inventory. Weekly alcohol consumption was categorized into three groups: non-drinkers (<12 grams), moderate drinkers (12–167.9 grams for men, 12–83.9 grams for women) and heavy drinkers (≥168 grams for men, ≥84 grams for women). Data were analyzed for men and women separately using multiple linear regression models, adjusted for age, occupational status, marital status, smoking, body mass index and leisure time physical activity. In women, moderate/heavy drinkers had lower fibre intake and moderate drinkers had higher vitamin D intake than non-drinkers. Male heavy drinkers had lower fibre, retinol, calcium and iron intake, and moderate/heavy drinkers had higher vitamin D intake than non-drinkers. Fish intake was higher among women moderate drinkers and men moderate/heavy drinkers than non-drinkers. In men, moderate drinkers had lower fruit intake and heavy drinkers had lower milk intake than non-drinkers. Moderate drinkers had higher energy intake from total fats and monosaturated fatty acids than non-drinkers. In contrast, energy intake from carbohydrates was lower among moderate/heavy drinkers than non-drinkers. In conclusion, especially male heavy drinkers had less favorable nutritional intake than moderate and non-drinkers. Further studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and dietary habits are needed to plan a comprehensive dietary intervention programs in future

Measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in pp collisions at s=7TeV

A measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in proton–proton collisions at √s=7TeV is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0fb-1 collected with the CMS detector. A data-driven isolation template method is used to extract the prompt diphoton yield. The measured cross section for two isolated photons, with transverse energy above 40 and 25GeV respectively, in the pseudorapidity range |η|0.45, is 17.2±0.2(stat)±1.9(syst)±0.4(lumi)pb. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of the diphoton invariant mass, the diphoton transverse momentum, the azimuthal angle difference between the two photons, and the cosine of the polar angle in the Collins–Soper reference frame of the diphoton system. The results are compared to theoretical predictions at leading, next-to-leading, and next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics