Purpose Most men with elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and negative biopsies require repeat biopsy because of the lack of a sensitive and specific prostate cancer (CaP) detection test. This study evaluated the diagnostic potential of a duplex assay for CaP by quantifying transcript levels of α-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR) and prostate-cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) in urine sediments following prostatic message. Materials and Methods Urine sediments from 92 patients, 43 with 49 without CaP were collected after digital rectal examination. Transcript levels of AMACR, PCA3, and PSA in total RNA isolated from these samples were determined by absolute qRT-PCR. AMACR and PCA3 scores were obtained by normalizing the transcript level to that of PSA for each sample and multiplying by 100. Results AMACR (p=0.006) and PCA3 (p=0.014) scores, but not serum PSA (p=0.306), discriminated specimens from patients with and without CaP, Receiver-operating-characteristic analysis established the diagnostic cutoff scores for the AMACR and PCA3 tests at 10.7 and 19.9, respectively. As determined from these cutoff scores, the AMACR test has 70% (95% CI, 56-83%) sensitivity and 71% (95% CI, 59-84%) specificity, whereas the PCA3 test has 72% (95% CI, 59-85%) sensitivity and 59% (95% CI, 45-73%) specificity for CaP detection. The combined use of AMACR and PCA3 scores in a dual-marker test increased sensitivity to 81% (95% CI, 70-93%) and specificity to 84% (95% CI, 73-94%). Conclusions Urinary AMACR and PCA3 tests were both superior to serum PSA test for detecting CaP. Their combined use in a dual-marker test further improved sensitivity and accuracy and could be used as a surveillance test after repeat negative prostate biopsies.

Pyrene dihydrodioxins (1 and 2) have been synthesized and shown to be effective photochemical blocking groups for pyrene-4,5-dione (3). The mechanism of quinone release proceeds through the formation of a remarkably stable radical cation. Direct evidence is provided that this radical cation is not only thermally labile but also photochemically labile, and that both pathways lead to quinone extrusion. Once initiated with UV light, the pyrene quinone product serves as an electron-transfer photosensitizer for the further release of quinone with visible light.

In the title compound, C24H24N2O4, the mol­ecules are linked into a three‐dimensional network by intermolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The packing is further stabilized by C—H⋯π interactions.

Key indicatorsSingle-crystal X-ray study T = 293 K Mean '(C±C) = 0.003 A Ê R factor = 0.049 wR factor = 0.120 Data-to-parameter ratio = 13.1 For details of how these key indicators were automatically derived from the article, see