Identification and characterization of tetracycline resistance in Lactococcus lactis isolated from Polish raw milk and fermented artisanal products

To assess the occurrence of antibiotic-resistant Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) in Polish raw milk and fermented artisanal products, a collection comprising 500 isolates from these products was screened. Among these isolates, six strains (IBB28, IBB160, IBB161, IBB224, IBB477 and IBB487) resistant to tetracycline were identified. The strains showing atypical tetracycline resistance were classified as Lactococcus lactis: three of them were identified as L. lactis subsp. cremoris (IBB224, IBB477 and IBB487) and the other three (IBB28, IBB160, IBB161) were identified as L. lactis subsp. lactis. The mechanism involving Ribosomal Protection Proteins (RPP) was identified as responsible for tetracycline resistance. Three of the tested strains (IBB28, IBB160 and IBB224) had genes encoding the TetS protein, whereas the remaining three (IBB161, IBB477 and IBB487) expressed TetM. The results also demonstrated that the genes encoding these proteins were located on genetic mobile elements. The tet(S) gene was found to be located on plasmids, whereas tet(M) was found within the Tn916 transposon

Assessment of the effectiveness of clinical PSA concentration measurements in early prostate cancer detection

Introduction.Prostate cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating primarily in the peripheral zone of the prostate gland. A patient’s survival depends largely on the stage of the disease and the treatment method used, which is why early detection of the tumour plays an important role. One of the methods used for screening for prostate cancer is the measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration. Material and methods.The analysis was based on the results of the research found in the systematic review. The fol­lowing sources of medical information were searched for secondary research: Medline (via PubMed), Embase (via Ovid), The Cochrane Library. The time range has been set to articles published between July 2011 and July 2021. Results.The inclusion criteria for a systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of PSA measurements in the early detection of prostate cancer were met by 5 secondary scientific evidence articles. Most of the evidence found showed an increase in the detection of prostate cancer after PSA testing. In case of stage III or IV tumours and the metastatic prostate cancer (CaP) variant, a statistically significant reduction in tumour detection was demonstrated. Most of the scientific evidence indicates a statistically insignificant effect of PSA screening on the risk of death due to CaP (with a diagnostic threshold of ≥4 ng/ml). Conclusions.Screening in the opportunistic variant aimed at prostate cancer with the use of PSA concentration is justified in men between 50 and 69 years of age, and in men <50 years of age should they have additional risk factors. Conversely, it seems unjustified to conduct population-based screening for prostate cancer

Assessment of the effectiveness of clinical PSA concentration measurements in early prostate cancer detection

Introduction.Prostate cancer is a malignant neoplasm originating primarily in the peripheral zone of the prostate gland. A patient’s survival depends largely on the stage of the disease and the treatment method used, which is why early detection of the tumour plays an important role. One of the methods used for screening for prostate cancer is the measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration. Material and methods.The analysis was based on the results of the research found in the systematic review. The fol­lowing sources of medical information were searched for secondary research: Medline (via PubMed), Embase (via Ovid), The Cochrane Library. The time range has been set to articles published between July 2011 and July 2021. Results.The inclusion criteria for a systematic review of the clinical effectiveness of PSA measurements in the early detection of prostate cancer were met by 5 secondary scientific evidence articles. Most of the evidence found showed an increase in the detection of prostate cancer after PSA testing. In case of stage III or IV tumours and the metastatic prostate cancer (CaP) variant, a statistically significant reduction in tumour detection was demonstrated. Most of the scientific evidence indicates a statistically insignificant effect of PSA screening on the risk of death due to CaP (with a diagnostic threshold of ≥4 ng/ml). Conclusions.Screening in the opportunistic variant aimed at prostate cancer with the use of PSA concentration is justified in men between 50 and 69 years of age, and in men <50 years of age should they have additional risk factors. Conversely, it seems unjustified to conduct population-based screening for prostate cancer

Clinical Effectiveness of Faecal Immunochemical Test in the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer—An Umbrella Review

Introduction: The colorectal cancer prognosis depends on the stage of the neoplasm; therefore, its early detection plays an important role. The aim of the study is evaluation of the sensitivity, specificity, and clinical effectiveness of the faecal immunochemical test in the early colorectal cancer detection. Methods: The clinical analysis was based on the results of the studies included in a systematic review conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. The following medical information sources were searched: Medline (via PubMed), Embase (via Ovid), The Cochrane Library. Results: From 241 citations, 13 studies were included in this review. All included studies had a low risk of bias. The faecal immunochemical test is highly specific in all analysed populations ranging from 85% to 97%. In most of the found studies, sensitivity is over 75%. The faecal immunochemical test screening also determines a reduction in death (10–59%) due to colorectal cancer. Conclusions: The faecal immunochemical test is an effective and cost-effective method of conducting population-wide colorectal cancer screening. It is an alternative or complementary to other screening tests, including colonoscopy