Utility of free prostate specific antigen serum level and its related parameters in the diagnosis of prostate cancer

We evaluated the role of free prostate specific antigen (f-PSA) serum level and its related parameters in detecting prostate cancer. This retrospective study was conducted between January 2006 and March 2008. Trans-rectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy was performed for 107 patients who had total PSA (t-PSA) level of either >4 ng/mL with or without palpable nodule or ≤4 ng/mL with palpable nodule on digital rectal examination. The perfor-mance measurements for f-PSA, percent free PSA (%f-PSA) and free PSA density (f-PSAD) were determined and compared with those for t-PSA and total PSA density (t-PSAD). Descriptive statistics for all variables of interest were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic curves were generated. Nine patients (8.4%) had normal histology, 69 patients (64.4%) had benign disease and 29 patients (27.1%) had prostate cancer. The performance of f-PSA in PCa detection was better than other evaluated parameters. The largest area under the curve for patients in the gray area (t-PSA range 4.1-10 ng/mL) was for f-PSA, with a value of 0.64 and a sensitivity and specificity of 44% and 87%, respectively. For %f-PSA, these values were 0.59, 63% and 62%, respectively. For patients with a t-PSA level of 10.1-20 ng/mL, they were 0.68, 67%, and 81%, respectively, for f-PSA, and 0.64, 67%, and 76%, respectively, for %f-PSA. In conclusion, f-PSA serum levels performed better than free to total PSA ratio and t-PSA for prostate cancer screening. It is of clinical value which could affect the biopsy decision avoiding unnecessary interventions

Correlation between clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in temporomandibular disorders

This study was carried out to determine the value of Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a diagnostic tool in patients with temporomandibular disorders. The clinical presentation and MRI findings on 88 temporomandibular joints belonging to 44 symptomatic patients were retrospectively studied. The disk position, configuration and signal intensity; mandibular condyle morphology and signal intensity; temporomandibular joint space and surrounding soft tissue abnormality were assessed. The correlation between the clinical and MRI findings was statistically analyzed using Fisher's exact (1-sided) test. Pain in the temporomandibular region was the most common clinical presentation, it accounts for 64% of cases. There was significant correlation between pain, and disc displacement with no reduction (DDWNR) and condylar hyperlaxity (p = 0.04, 0.03, respectively), as well as between clicking and each type of DD (p = 0.00). Statistically significant relationship was also found between tenderness, and DDWNR and presence of joint effusion (p = 0.02, 0.03, respectively) as well as between limitation of mouth opening and condylar marrow edema (p = 0.02). Causes of temporomandibular disorders can be well defined by clinical examination. However, MRI can be preserved for patients with pain in whom an initial medical conservative oral treatment failed in order to exclude other pathological process

Synergistic Effects of AgNPs and Biochar: A Potential Combination for Combating Lung Cancer and Pathogenic Bacteria

The synthesis of reliable biological nanomaterials is a crucial area of study in nanotechnology. In this study, Emericella dentata was employed for the biosynthesis of AgNPs, which were then combined with synthesized biochar, a porous structure created through biomass pyrolysis. The synergistic effects of AgNPs and biochar were evaluated through the assessment of pro-inflammatory cytokines, anti-apoptotic gene expression, and antibacterial activity. Solid biosynthesized AgNPs were evaluated by XRD and SEM, with SEM images revealing that most of the AgNPs ranged from 10 to 80 nm, with over 70% being less than 40 nm. FTIR analysis indicated the presence of stabilizing and reducing functional groups in the AgNPs. The nanoemulsion’s zeta potential, hydrodynamic diameter, and particle distribution index were found to be −19.6 mV, 37.62 nm, and 0.231, respectively. Biochar, on the other hand, did not have any antibacterial effects on the tested bacterial species. However, when combined with AgNPs, its antibacterial efficacy against all bacterial species was significantly enhanced. Furthermore, the combined material significantly reduced the expression of anti-apoptotic genes and pro-inflammatory cytokines compared to individual treatments. This study suggests that low-dose AgNPs coupled with biochar could be a more effective method to combat lung cancer epithelial cells and pathogenic bacteria compared to either substance alone