Antiviral properties of essential oil mixture: Modulation of E7 and E2 protein pathways in human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Clove is used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine for viral diseases. Palmarosa essential oils have been traditionally used in India and Southeast Asia since ancient times and have made considerable use of them. In New Caledonia, niaouli oil is used in aromatherapy and pharmaceutical formulations to treat pain and viral diseases.

Lack of association between SOCS3 and SOCS7 polymorphisms and psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis is a common, chronic, inflammatory skin disease that involves changes taking place as a result of activation of the immune system. Suppressor of cytokine signaling proteins (SOCS) are intracellular proteins that act as endogenous inhibitors of proinflammatory pathways triggered by various cytokines. In this study, the relationship between psoriasis disease and SOCS gene polymorphisms is investigated in relation to the pathogenesis of psoriasis to clarify the psoriasis susceptibility profile.

Exacerbation of psoriasis induced by interferon-alpha treatment for melanoma.

Interferon-alpha is one of the major immune modulating agents used in current oncology practice, including melanoma. We present a case of psoriasis exacerbation induced by INF-α in a patient with melanoma.

Isotretinoin has no negative effect on attention, executive function and mood.

Background: According to some animal data, impairments in learning and memory are seen with isotretinoin. Isotretinoin has been shown to affect human brain metabolism, but the data on human neural functions is lacking.

Objectives: To evaluate whether isotretinoin treatment affects cognitive functions, causes depression and anxiety or alters anger level and anger expression.

Are new-generation bisphosphonates effective for the inhibition of calcium oxalate stone formation in a rat model?

Background: The effects of bisphosphonates on prophylaxis of stone formation are unclear. We evaluated the outcome of two new-generation bisphosphonates in a lithogenic rat model.

Methods: 36 male rats were divided into three groups of 12 animals each.

Assessment of female sexual function and quality of life in predialysis, peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, and renal transplant patients.

Introduction: Chronic renal failure (CRF) and renal replacement treatments have a negative effect on sexual function and quality of life (QoL). The literature on female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in patients with CRF is limited. The aim of this study is to compare the sexual function and QoL in predialysis (PreD), dialysis, and transplant patients.

Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux with polydimethylsiloxane in adults: do location and appearance of the ureteric orifice have a role in the success rates?

Introduction: Low success rate for high grade reflux and anatomical abnormality of ureteric orifices continues to be the most important dilemma of the endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic polydimethylsiloxane injection in adults with VUR concerning reflux severity and the status of the ureteric orifice.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-three ureters (34 patients) were treated with endoscopic polydimethylsiloxane injection.

Cadaveric fascia lata versus intravaginal slingplasty for the pubovaginal sling: surgical outcome, overall success and patient satisfaction rates.

Background: A wide variety of surgical procedures has been used to treat female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The purpose of this study was to compare cadaveric fascia lata (CFL) sling with intravaginal slingplasty (IVS) in the surgical treatment of SUI.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-nine women with SUI were randomly assigned to either CFL sling (n = 67) or IVS (n = 72).

The surgical results of the pubovaginal sling procedure using Intravaginal Slingplasty (IVS) for stress urinary incontinence.

Objective: We investigated the surgical results and complications of the Intravaginal Slingplasty (IVS) procedure in women with stress urinary incontinence.

Patients And Methods: A total of 72 women with urethral hypermobility underwent the pubovaginal sling procedure using IVS with a mean age of 50.35+/-9.

The free-to-total serum prostatic specific antigen ratio as a predictor of the pathological features of prostate cancer.

Objectives: Curative therapy and extended period of disease free survival for patients with prostate cancer is possible only if the radical prostatectomy is performed when the disease is organ confined. It has been shown that combined use of local clinical stage, Gleason score of transrectal needle biopsy and serum PSA can accurately predict the final pathological stage in men undergoing radical prostatectomy. Recently the free/total PSA (F/T PSA) has been shown to improve the specificity of serum PSA level in early detection prostate cancer.

A novel surveillance protocol for stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumours.

Objectives: To report the results of a novel surveillance policy for stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCTs).

Patients And Methods: Between 1978 and 2000, 132 patients (median age 28 years, range 16-52) who were regularly followed were included in a new surveillance policy. All pathology specimens were studied retrospectively by the same pathologist for embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumour and lymphovascular invasion components.

Telomerase activity in diagnosis of bladder cancer.

Objective: Telomerase is an enzyme that can reconstitute the ends of chromosomes after cell division and thus circumvent the damage that occurs in normal adult somatic cells during successive mitotic cycles. Immortal cells have short but stable chromosomes and increased telomerase activity. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) has only a few useful markers of diagnostic or prognostic importance.

Daily variability of serum prostate-specific antigen in men over 50 years of age.

In order to investigate the variability of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels a total of 44 men 50 years or older with normal digital rectal examination were enrolled. Blood samples were obtained three times within a day, and, immediately before and 72 hours after hospitalisation. Alterations in serum PSA value during the day and after hospitalisation, which might affect clinical decision, occurred in 15% of the cases with borderline PSA values.

Oral potassium citrate treatment for idiopathic hypocitruria in children with calcium urolithiasis.

Purpose: We evaluated the clinical and laboratory outcome of oral potassium citrate treatment in children with idiopathic hypocitruria and calcium stones.

Materials And Methods: The charts of 64 children 1 to 15 years old with hypocitruria and calcium stones (median age 7.2) treated with oral potassium citrate were reviewed.

False-positive results of the NMP22 test due to hematuria.

Purpose: The problem with available markers for bladder cancer is their low specificity and low positive predictive value due to false-positive results. False-positive results of the NMP22 nuclear matrix protein test (Matritech, Cambridge, Massachusetts) are usually observed in some clinical categories that are usually associated with hematuria and pyuria. This problem is especially serious in bladder cancer since 85% of patients present with hematuria.

Polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase genes (GSTM1, GSTP1 and GSTT1) and bladder cancer susceptibility in the Turkish population.

We investigated the effect of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes, and GSTP1 313 A/G polymorphism on bladder cancer susceptibility in a case control study of 121 bladder cancer patients, and 121 age- and sex-matched controls of the Turkish population. The adjusted odds ratio for age, sex, and smoking status is 1.94 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.

Evaluation of nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) as a tumor marker in the detection of bladder cancer.

We prospectively evaluated the performance of urinary NMP22 test in the detection of transitional carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. Urine samples were obtained from 39 patients with known bladder cancer, 37 patients with primary hematuria. 18 with benign urological conditions and 20 healthy subjects.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients aged 60 years or older.

Purpose: To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients more than 60 years old.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated and compared the data of 28 percutaneous nephrolithotomies (PCNL) performed on 27 patients aged 60 years and older (mean 65.8) with the data of the remaining 178 PCNL procedures on 166 patients performed in our clinic between December 1997 and December 1999.

Cystine calculi in children: the results of a metabolic evaluation and response to medical therapy.

Purpose: We describe baseline metabolic abnormalities and evaluate mercaptopropionylglycine plus potassium citrate treatment for urinary abnormalities and to prevent new stone formation in children with cystine stones.

Materials And Methods: Daily urinary excretions of calcium, oxalate, citrate, magnesium, urate and phosphorus were determined in 18 children with cystine stone and 24 healthy children. The cystine stone cases were treated with 10 to 15 mg.

Glutathione S-transferase M1 gene polymorphism in bladder cancer patients. a marker for invasive bladder cancer?

The glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) gene is polymorphic in humans, and the deficiency in enzyme activity of GSTM1 is caused by the inherited homozygous absence of the GSTM1 gene, or the "null" genotype (GSTM1, 0/0). The increased risk of bladder cancer has been shown to correspond with this gene defect. No reports, however, have been found in the literature regarding GSTM1 gene deficiency with superficial and invasive bladder cancer.

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction and coexisting renal calculi in children: role of metabolic abnormalities.

Objectives: To identify the role of metabolic risk factors in the development of renal calculi associated with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) in children.

Methods: A metabolic evaluation, including serum biochemistry and measurement of daily urinary calcium, creatinine, oxalate, citrate, magnesium, urate, and inorganic phosphorus, was carried out in three different populations as follows: UPJO group, 12 children with UPJO and coexisting nephrolithiasis (median age 6 years); calcium stone formation (CSF) group, 90 children with normal urologic anatomy and calcium urolithiasis (median age 7 years); control group, 24 healthy children (median age 7.3 years).

Comparison of BTA stat and NMP22 tests in the detection of bladder cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the BTA (bladder tumour antigen) stat and urinary nuclear matrix protein (NMP22) tests in the detection of bladder cancer.

Material And Methods: The office-based qualitative BTA stat and the laboratory-based quantitative NMP22 tests were studied in the same urine samples obtained from 49 patients with a high suspicion of bladder cancer and 20 healthy subjects.

Results: A tumour was identified in 36 patients after the cystoscopy.

A study of the etiology of idiopathic calcium urolithiasis in children: hypocitruria is the most important risk factor.

Purpose: To determine the association of metabolic risk factors with pediatric calcium urolithiasis we compared metabolic evaluation data on children with idiopathic calcium stones and those on healthy children.

Materials And Methods: Metabolic evaluation was done in 78 calcium stone formers 1 to 15 years old (mean age 7.2) who were free of urinary tract infection, anatomical abnormalities, and metabolic, endocrinological and intestinal disorders, and in 24 healthy children.