Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Self-assembled gold nanoparticles for impedimetric and amperometric detection of a prostate cancer biomarker

A label-free dual-mode impedimetric and amperometric aptasensor platform was developed using a simple surface chemistry step to attach gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to a gold planar surface. As a case study, the strategy was employed to detect prostate specific antigen (PSA), a biomarker for prostate cancer. An anti-PSA DNA aptamer was co-immobilised with either 6-mercapto-1-hexanol (MCH) or 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol (FcSH) for both impedimetric or amperometric detection, respectively. We show that the use of AuNPs enables a significant improvement in the limit of impedimetric detection as compared to a standard binary self-assembled monolayer aptasensor. A PSA detection of as low as 10 pg/mL was achieved with a dynamic range from 10 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL, well within the clinically relevant values, whilst retaining high specificity of analysis. The reported approach can be easily generalised to various other bioreceptors and redox markers in order to perform multiplexing

Epididymal Cysts in Childhood - Conservative or Surgical Approach?

The aim of the study. To decide on the accurate way of treatment and to establish criteria for operation in boys with pubertal epididymal cysts (ECs).Material and methods. Results of scrotal ultrasound of 363 boys and adolescents, aged 2 months to 18 years, were reviewed retrospectively.Results. Of all 363 patients with scrotal ultrasound 59 (16.2%) at mean age of 14.03 yrs had ECs. The EC incidence increased with age and 42 out of 124 boys (33.8%) older than 14 yrs had cysts (chi2=27.627, p=0.000). Out of 59 patients, in 30 (50.8%) cysts were diagnosed incidentally at the time of scrotal US, 29 boys (49.2%) presented with scrotal mass and/or pain. 31 patients with ECs (52.5%) underwent elective surgery and the remaining 28 boys (47.5%) received conservative treatment. The age of boys with ECs who underwent surgery ranged from 8 to 18 years (mean 14.32). The age range of patients treated conservatively was 7-18 (mean 13.71). There was no statistical difference in age between boys treated surgically and conservatively (t=0.924, p=0.36). ECs resolved in 17 patients out of 28 boys treated conservatively, in remaining 11 boys the size of cysts was stabile and they remain asymptomatic. Clinical and ultrasonographic follow-up were carried out from 11 months to 5 years.Conclusions. ECs are more common in older boys (over 14 years). Management of ECs smaller than 10 mm should be conservative with clinical and ultrasound controls, leaving surgery for cysts increasing in size over 10 mm which did not involute with time