Liver injury is common among chronic abusers of ketamine.

Abuse of ketamine leads to liver injury. We investigated the histopathologic and radiologic features of ketamine abusers with significant liver injury in a cross-sectional survey of 297 consecutive chronic abusers of ketamine with urinary tract dysfunction. Liver biopsy and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography were performed in patients with liver injury (concentrations of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and/or alanine aminotransferase >2-fold the upper limit of normal).

ERRα augments HIF-1 signalling by directly interacting with HIF-1α in normoxic and hypoxic prostate cancer cells.

Adaptation of cancer cells to a hypoxic microenvironment is important for their facilitated malignant growth and advanced development. One major mechanism mediating the hypoxic response involves up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) expression, which controls reprogramming of energy metabolism and angiogenesis. Oestrogen-related receptor-α (ERRα) is a pivotal regulator of cellular energy metabolism and many biosynthetic pathways, and has also been proposed to be an important factor promoting the Warburg effect in advanced cancer.

Seventh Joint Meeting of K-J-CaP and CaPSURE: extending the global initiative to improve prostate cancer management.

This report summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place at the Seventh Joint Meeting of the Korea-Japan Study Group of Prostate Cancer (K-J-CaP) and the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) held in Seoul, Korea, in September 2013. The original J-CaP and CaPSURE Joint Initiative has now been established since 2007 and since the initial collaboration between research teams in the United States (US) and Japan, the project has expanded to include several other Asian countries. The objective of the initiative is to analyze and compare data for prostate cancer patients in the participating countries, looking at similarities and differences in patient management and outcomes.

A better way to manage perinephric abscesses: percutaneous ultrasonography-guided endoscopic lavage.

Purpose: To report the efficacy and safety of percutaneous ultrasonography-guided endoscopic lavage in the management of perinephric abscesses.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients in a single center who had perinephric abscesses and were treated by percutaneous ultrasonography-guided endoscopic lavage during the period of March 2001 to March 2013. Information including the demographics, comorbid medical conditions, presenting symptoms, size of abscesses, operation information, and postoperative information were retrieved for review.

Uncoupling protein-2 mediates DPP-4 inhibitor-induced restoration of endothelial function in hypertension through reducing oxidative stress.

Aims: Although uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) negatively regulates intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and protects vascular function, its participation in vascular benefits of drugs used to treat cardiometabolic diseases is largely unknown. This study investigated whether UCP2 and associated oxidative stress reduction contribute to the improvement of endothelial function by a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, sitagliptin, in hypertension.

Results: Pharmacological inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) but not COX-1 prevented endothelial dysfunction, and ROS scavengers reduced COX-2 mRNA and protein expression in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) renal arteries.

The prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in a Chinese population, and the correlation with uroflowmetry and disease perception.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a population of Chinese men, and its correlation with uroflowmetry and disease perception.

Materials And Methods: Male volunteers above 40-year old were recruited in the community. Assessment with International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, and a quiz on prostatic disease knowledge with 12 true-false-type questions were performed.

Side-docking technique for robot-assisted urologic pelvic surgery.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of side-docking techniques in robot-assisted urologic pelvic surgery.

Materials And Methods: Six consecutive patients undergoing robot-assisted pelvic surgery participated in the study: 3 undergoing radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, 1 patient undergoing ureteroneocystostomy for ureteric stricture, 1 patient undergoing partial cystectomy for urothelial cancer in a bladder diverticulum, and 1 undergoing transvesical simple prostatectomy. Each patient was placed in the lithotomy-Trendelenburg position, with the robot docked over the patient's right side.

Clinical outcomes of augmentation cystoplasty in patients suffering from ketamine-related bladder contractures.

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes of augmentation cystoplasty in patients with bladder contractures secondary to chronic ketamine abuse.

Method: Patients who had received augmentation cystoplasty to treat ketamine-related bladder contractures in two hospitals in our region were reviewed retrospectively. Their history of ketamine consumption, presenting symptoms, history of treatment, surgical information and post-operative conditions were retrieved from clinical records and then summarized.

Bleeding renal angiomyolipoma presenting as duodenal obstruction.

We report a case of a 60-year-old woman who had a delayed presentation of duodenal obstruction as a result of a bleeding right renal angiomyolipoma (AML) with retroperitoneal hematoma. Her duodenal obstruction did not improve upon conservative management, and a computed tomography (CT)-guided drainage of the retroperitoneal hematoma was subsequently performed. Post-intervention, CT scan confirmed hematoma resolution, and she was able to resume normal diet afterwards.

Calcitriol restores renovascular function in estrogen-deficient rats through downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 and the thromboxane-prostanoid receptor.

Cardiovascular risks increase in postmenopausal women. While vitamin D is supplemented for osteoporosis, it is not known whether it protects renal arterial function during estrogen deficiency. Here we measured changes in renovascular reactivity induced by ovariectomy in rats and examined whether calcitriol, the most active form of vitamin D, was able to correct such changes.

A study based on whole-genome sequencing yields a rare variant at 8q24 associated with prostate cancer.

In Western countries, prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer of men and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in men. Several genome-wide association studies have yielded numerous common variants conferring risk of prostate cancer. Here, we analyzed 32.

Increased expression of activated endothelial nitric oxide synthase contributes to antiandrogen resistance in prostate cancer cells by suppressing androgen receptor transactivation.

Development of antiandrogen-resistance in advanced prostate cancer involves multiple androgen receptor (AR)-dependent and -independent pathways. Here, we demonstrated that endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) exhibited an overexpression pattern in hormone-refractory prostate cancer and several models of advanced hormone-resistant prostate cancer. We further established a novel in vitro model of antiandrogen-resistant prostate cancer (LNCaP-BC) by long-term bicalutamide treatment.

Synergistic Cytotoxic Effects of Ganoderma lucidum and Bacillus Calmette Guérin on Premalignant Urothelial HUC-PC Cells and Its Regulation on Proinflammatory Cytokine Secretion.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is conventionally used as an adjuvant immunotherapy to reduce the recurrence of bladder cancer. To address the issues of efficacy and safety, an ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum (GLe) was evaluated for its interaction with BCG. In a model of premalignant human uroepithelial cells (HUC-PC), GLe exerted immediate cytotoxic effects while BCG showed a delayed response, given that both were immunological active in inducing the secretion of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1).

Ambulatory care program for patients presenting with acute urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Objective: We analyze the clinical and economical outcomes of an ambulatory care program for the management of patients presenting to the emergency department with acute urinary retention (AUR).

Method: A standardized ambulatory care program for managing male patients presenting with AUR was established in October 2007. Prospective data collected in 194 ambulatory patients from January to December 2008 were compared to a historical cohort of 168 patients who were managed by in-patient care from October 2006 to September 2007 for their clinical and economic outcomes.

Randomized controlled trial of antibiotic prophylaxis regimens for transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy.

Background: A prior study showed significant antibiotic resistance to quinolone in our population. In this study we aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of a single versus a combined prophylactic antibiotic regimen before transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUGPB).

Methods: A prospective randomized study was conducted at a university hospital.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor sitagliptin protects endothelial function in hypertension through a glucagon-like peptide 1-dependent mechanism.

Sitagliptin, a selective dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor, inhibits the inactivation and degradation of glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, little is known about the role of GLP-1 in hypertension. This study investigated whether the activation of GLP-1 signaling protects endothelial function in hypertension.

A prospective, randomized study of the clinical effects of shock wave delivery for unilateral kidney stones: 60 versus 120 shocks per minute.

Purpose: We assessed the effects of different shock wave delivery rates in patients treated with shock wave lithotripsy for renal stones, particularly treatment success, degree of renal injury and pain experienced, and analgesic demand.

Materials And Methods: A total of 206 patients with renal stones were prospectively randomized to receive shock waves delivered at 60 (group 1) or 120 (group 2) shocks per minute using a Sonolith® Vision at a single institution in October 2008 and August 2010. The primary outcome was successful treatment 12 weeks after 1 lithotripsy session.

Hepatic haematoma after shockwave lithotripsy for renal stones.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a non-invasive procedure for urolithiasis. Only a very small portion of patients suffer from post-SWL haematoma and most of them have perinephric haematoma formation. We present two patients who developed subcapsular hepatic haematomas after SWL, followed by a review of the literature on the condition.

A microRNA-7 binding site polymorphism in HOXB5 leads to differential gene expression in bladder cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the biological function of HOXB5 in human bladder cancer and explore whether the HOXB5 3'-UTR SNP (1010A/G), which is located within the microRNA-7 binding site, was correlated with clinical features of bladder cancer.

Methods: Expression of HOXB5 in 35 human bladder cancer tissues and 8 cell lines were examined using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Next, we explored the biological function of HOXB5 in vitro using cell proliferation, migration and colony formation assays.

From skeleton to cytoskeleton: osteocalcin transforms vascular fibroblasts to myofibroblasts via angiotensin II and Toll-like receptor 4.

Rationale: The expression of osteocalcin is augmented in human atherosclerotic lesions. How osteocalcin triggers vascular pathogenesis and remodeling is unclear.

Objective: To investigate whether osteocalcin promotes transformation of adventitial fibroblast to myofibroblasts and the molecular mechanism involved.

Expression of microRNAs in the urine of patients with bladder cancer.

Unlabelled: We quantified the urine sediment and supernatant levels of microRNA (miRNA) targets related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in 51 patients with bladder cancer and in 24 controls. We found that patients with bladder cancer had depressed levels of the miR-200 family, miR-192, and miR-155 in urinary sediment. The urinary level of these miRNAs may be developed as noninvasive markers for bladder cancer.

Melamine crystallization: physicochemical properties, interactions with other lithogenic salts and response to therapeutic agents.

Purpose: There were reports of children in the People's Republic of China being hospitalized with renal stones and/or failure by September 2008, which were caused by melamine and its co-contaminant cyanurate. We investigated the physicochemical behavior of melamine, its interaction with other endogenous urine factors and the response to therapeutic agents in the renal environment in vitro.

Materials And Methods: A mixed suspension, mixed product removal system was set up for crystallization studies of melamine in urine.

Effect of body mass index on serum prostate-specific antigen levels among patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Purpose: Studies among asymptomatic male subjects have suggested that a higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. We aimed to investigate whether a similar effect also occurs in patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to a urological unit and its potential implications.

Methods: A retrospective review was carried out at our centre between 2005 and 2009.