PURPOSE: Little is known about combination of the circulating Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) DNA and tumor volume in prognosis of stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients in the intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) era. We conducted this cohort study to evaluate the prognostic values of combining these two factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By Kaplan-Meier, we compare the differences of survival curves between 385 patients with different EBV DNA or tumor volume levels, or with the combination of two biomarkers mentioned above. RESULTS: Gross tumor volume of cervical lymph nodes (GTVnd, p < 0.001) and total tumor volume (GTVtotal, p < 0.001) were both closely related to pretreatment EBV DNA, while gross tumor volume of nasopharynx (GTVnx, p=0.047) was weakly related to EBV DNA. EBV DNA was significantly correlated with progress-free survival (PFS, p=0.005), locoregional-free survival (LRFS, p=0.039), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS, p=0.017), while GTVtotal, regardless of GTVnx and GTVnd, had a significant correlation with PFS and LRFS. The p-values of GTVtotal for PFS and LRFS were 0.008 and 0.001, respectively. According to GTVtotal and pretreatment EBV DNA level, patients were divided into a low-risk group (EBV DNA 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal < 30 cm³; EBV DNA 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal ≥ 30 cm³; or EBV DNA > 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal < 30 cm³) and a high-risk group (EBV DNA > 0 copy/mL, GTVtotal ≥ 30 cm³). When patients in the low-risk group were compared with those in the high-risk group, 3-year PFS (p=0.003), LRFS (p=0.010), and DMFS (p=0.031) rates were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment plasma EBV DNA and tumor volume were both closely correlated with prognosis of stage II NPC patients in the IMRT era. Combination of EBV DNA and tumor volume can refine prognosis and indicate for clinical therapy.
Biomarkers ; Cohort Studies* ; DNA* ; Herpesvirus 4, Human* ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Nasopharynx ; Plasma ; Prognosis ; Radiotherapy* ; Tumor Burden*

Objective To prepare the serum reference materials for total thyroxine .Methods Individual blood samples were collected from 13 healthy donors (7 males and 6 females) aged from 20 to 50 years old, and the sera were separated and mixed into 4 serum pools according to the concentration of thyroxine.The materials were tested for homogeneity and stability using routine methods .The method of isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry ( ID-LC/MS/MS) was used to determine the concentration of thyroxine .The candidate reference materials were also measured by four conventional methods to analyze the commutability of the materials .Results It showed that the four candidate reference materials were homogeneous and commutable in four conventional methods and they were tested to be stable for at least 1 year at -70 ℃using the isochronous stability study .The certified values ( reference value ± expanded uncertainty ,nmol/L) were:75.9 ±1.8,105.3 ±2.2,114.7 ±2.1 and 187.4 ±2.9.Conclusions Certified reference materials for serum thyroxine have been prepared .These materials have been approved to be the Certificate Reference Materials of GBW 09127,GBW 09128,GBW 09129 and GBW 09130.

ObjectiveTo determine the zinc levels in the expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) of the patients with different types of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, and explore the reference value of zinc concentration in EPS in the diagnosis and treatment of prostatitis.

METHODSWe collected EPS samples from 35 healthy men and 173 patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis, including 65 cases of type ⅢA, 69 cases of type ⅢB, and 39 cases of type Ⅳ, according to the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI). We compared the zinc levels in the EPS samples among different groups and analyzed the correlations of zinc concentration with the NIH-CPSI scores, WBC count, pH value, and age of the subjects.

RESULTSThe participants were aged 17－65 (32.5±8.5) years. The zinc concentrations in the EPS were significantly lower in the ⅢA (［162.2±10.8］ μg/ml) and ⅢB (［171.2±12.0］ μg/ml) than in the Ⅳ (［234.6±17.9］ μg/ml) (P<0.05 ) and the control group (［259.5±14.6］ μg/ml) (P<0.05 ). The zinc level was correlated negatively with the NIH-CPSI pain score (r=－0.248, P<0.01), quality of life score (r=－0.232, P<0.01), severity score (r=－0.270, P<0.01), total NIH-CPSI score (r=－0.281, P<0.01), and the pH value in EPS (r=－0.208, P<0.01), but showed no correlation with the WBC count and age of the subjects.

CONCLUSIONSThe reduced zinc concentration in the EPS of the patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis may be associated with the pain symptoms of the disease, which suggests the potential reference value of measuring the zinc concentration in EPS in the diagnosis and treatment of prostatitis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; metabolism ; Prostatitis ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Quality of Life ; Young Adult ; Zinc ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of body mass index (BMI) on the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in males in the Fangcheng area of Guangxi.

METHODSWe reviewed the health examination data of males collected from September 2009 to December 2011, including their height, weight, BMI, and serum PSA level. The subjects were categorized as underweight (BMI <18.5 kg/m2), normal (BMI 18.5-22.9 kg/m2), overweight (BMI 23.0-27.4 kg/m2), and obese (BMI > or = 27.5 kg/m2), and divided into four age groups: 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and > or = 50 years old. The PSA levels were stratified by the BMI category for statistical analysis.

RESULTSA total of 2,397 men were included in this study, with a mean age of (37.4 +/- 11.0) yr, BMI of (23.3 +/- 3.4) kg/m2, and PSA level of (0.98 +/- 0.93) microg/L. There were significant differences in the age-associated PSA levels in the groups with BMI < 23 (0.81 microg/L) and > or = 23 kg/m2 (0.78 microg/L) (P < 0.05), as well as in those with BMI < 27.5 (0.81 microg/L) and > or = 27. 5 kg/m2 (0.70 microg/L) (P < 0.05). In the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups, the PSA levels were significantly decreased with the increase of BMI (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONIncreased BMI is associated with decreased PSA in men <50 years old in the Fangcheng area of Guangxi, which should be taken into consideration while determining whether to carry out prostate biopsy as part of early prostate cancer detection in young men with marginal PSA levels.

Adult ; Body Mass Index ; Body Weight ; China ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Obesity ; blood ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo establish a suitable protocol for activating mouse somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos with strontium chloride (SrCl2).

METHODSWe constructed and identified mouse nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. After nuclear injection, we activated the NT embryos using the following chemical activation methods: exposing the NT embryos to 5 and 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium for 1 -8 h, activating the NT embryos with 1-20 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium at 4 and 6 h, treating the NT embryos with 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium in different activating media, and exposing the NT embryos to 10 mmol/L SrCl2 strontium combined with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) and cytochalasin B (CB). After activation, the NT embryos were cultured in vitro in the cleavage medium.

RESULTSWhen the NT embryos were treated with SrCl2 at the concentration of 5 mmol/L, the cleavage rate was remarkably higher at 6 h (38.9%) than at 1 h (6.7%), 2 h (22.8%), 3 h (22.8%) and 4 h (25.6%) (P < 0.05), but with no significant differences from those at 5 h (28.9%), 7 h (34.4%) and 8 h (28.9%) (P > 0.05). When the NT embryos were treated with SrCl2 for 6 h, the rates of cleavage and blastulation were 68.9% and 7.2% at 10 mmol/L, markedly higher than at 1 mmol/L (28.3% and 0%), 2.5 mmol/L (35.6% and 0%), 5 mmol/L (37.8% and 1.1%), 7.5 mmol/L (60.6% and 2.2%), 15 mmol/L (51.7% and 1.1%), and 20 mmol/L (41.7% and 1.1%) (P < 0.05). The cleavage rate of the NT embryos cultured in the Ca2+ and Mg2+ KSOM medium was 27.8%, significantly lower than in the Ca(2+)-free KSOM (69.4%), Ca2+/Mg(2+)-free KSOM (66.1%), and Ca2+/Mg(2+)-free + EDTA KSOM (68.3%) (P < 0.05). The total cell blastocyst number was significantly larger in the NT embryos treated with SrCl2 + CB (45.40 +/- 2.23) than in those treated with SrCl2 (30.15 +/- 1.12), 6-DMAP (34.95 +/- 1.38), and 6-DMAP + CB (37.45 +/- 1.43) (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSix-hour treatment with 10 mmol/L SrCl2 in Ca2+ alone or in combination with CB can well activate NT embryos in mice.

Animals ; Blastocyst ; cytology ; drug effects ; Embryo Culture Techniques ; Embryo, Mammalian ; cytology ; drug effects ; Embryonic Development ; drug effects ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Oocytes ; cytology ; drug effects ; Strontium ; pharmacology

Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a common urinary disease that has been challenging urologists and seriously affects the patient's mental and physical health. For the reasons of its ambiguous etiology, complex and varied clinical symptoms, controversial diagnostic methods and long-term treatment, the therapeutic effect on CP is often unsatisfactory to both patients and urologists. This review focuses on the prevalence and age distribution of CP, incidence of different types of prostatitis, and the association of CP with climate, occupation, related diseases, lifestyle and education level, with a special emphasis on the current epidemiological characteristics of CP in China.
Age Distribution ; China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Prostatitis ; epidemiology

INTRODUCTIONCirculating insulin concentrations provide important information for the evaluation of insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Reference intervals are the most widely applied tool for the interpretation of clinical laboratory results. We carried out an analysis of the data available from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey in order to derive a reference interval for fasting insulin specific to the Chinese population.

METHODSA total of 1,434 fasting serum insulin results were obtained from healthy nondiabetic adult men aged 20-69 years, after taking into consideration the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Serum insulin was measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassays. Nonparametric statistical methods were used to calculate and analyse the data.

RESULTSThe reference interval for fasting serum insulin for Chinese adults was in the range 1.57-16.32 μU/mL (median 5.79 μU/mL). Significant correlations were found between fasting serum insulin and glucose and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed in insulin concentration with respect to age and body mass index (BMI; p < 0.001). Younger people had a higher fasting serum insulin concentration. Increased fasting serum insulin was also found to be associated with BMI.

CONCLUSIONWe established a reference interval for fasting serum insulin in healthy nondiabetic adult Chinese men that is lower than what was previously suggested. BMI and age (but not smoking, alcohol consumption or physical activity) were found to be important factors associated with fasting serum insulin. Our results will help improve the diagnostic interpretation of investigations for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in a Chinese population.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Body Mass Index ; China ; Fasting ; blood ; Humans ; Insulin ; blood ; Insulin Resistance ; physiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nomograms ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of stromal cells on the Kallikrein 7 (KLK7) expression of epithelial cells in benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODSWe constructed a stromal-epithelial co-culture model after separating the two types of cells from BPH tissues and identifying them by cell morphology and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). The expression of KLK7 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in the epithelial cells with or without the stromal cells, and that of the KLK7 protein (hK7) determined by Western blot.

RESULTSStromal and epithelial cells were successfully separated and identified, and a stromal-epithelial co-culture model successfully established. RT-PCR showed that the mRNA expression of the KLK7 gene was higher in the epithelial cells co-cultured with stromal cells than in the epithelial cells alone, and the gray value of KLK7 to GAPDH was 1.41 +/- 0.041 in the former and 1.78 +/- 0.10 in the latter (P < 0.01). The results of Western blot were consistent with those of RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONStromal cells can suppress the expression of the KLK7 gene in the epithelial cells in BPH. KLK7 may be involved in the change of epithelial cells stimulated by stromal cells.

Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Kallikreins ; metabolism ; Male ; Prostate ; metabolism ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Stromal Cells ; metabolism

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type II integral membrane glycoprotein, specifically expressed in prostatic epithelial cells and strongly upregulated in prostate cancer. PSMA is also present in the neovasculature of other solid tumors. These findings have spurred the development of PSMA-targeted therapies for prostate cancer, including immunotherapy, radioimmunotherapy, chemotherapy and gene therapy, and initiated the clinical trials of the first-generation products. However, general clinical application of these therapies still requires extensive clinical studies to test their clinical safety, stability and efficacy.
Antigens, Surface ; Genetic Therapy ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Male ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Radioimmunotherapy

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of curcumin on the expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 in rats with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.

METHODSSixty healthy adult male SD rats with the body weight of 200 -220 g were equally and randomly divided into a normal control, a positive control, a model, an oral curcumin and an intraperitoneal curcumin group. The rat models of chronic nonbacterial prostatitis were made by hypodermic injection of estradiol benzoate at the dose of 0.25 mg/(kg x d) for 30 days after castration, and then treated with curcumin at 200 mg/(kg x d) by gavage or intraperitoneal injection. The positive controls received oral celebrex at 250 mg/(kg x d), while the normal control and model groups were given saline by gavage. After a week of treatment, the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 in the serum and prostate tissues of the rats were detected by ELISA assay.

RESULTSThe levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in the serum and prostate tissues were significantly lower in the intraperitoneal curcumin than in the positive control group (P < 0.05), but the expression of IL-6 showed no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.01).

CONCLUSIONCurcumin is efficacious for chronic nonbacterial prostatitis in rats, and the action mechanism may be associated with its decreasing effect on the proinflammatory cytokines IL-8 and TNF-alpha in the blood and tissues.

Animals ; Chronic Disease ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; metabolism ; Male ; Phytotherapy ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; metabolism