Structure Types of Kidney Stones and Their Susceptibility to Shock Wave Fragmentation.

Background: The modern approach in the treatment of urolithiasis involves the use of non-invasive and minimally invasive techniques based on the stone fragmentation, among which shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is considered as the first-line treatment for kidney stones < 2 cm and proximal ureter stones.

Objective: To study the microstructure and mineral composition of kidney stones and to evaluate their influence on the stones' susceptibility to fragmentation by shock waves.

Methods: The microstructure and mineral composition of kidney stone samples obtained from shock wave lithotripsy in 87 patients were studied using crystal optical analysis and infrared spectroscopy.

RESULTS OF EXTRACORPOREAL NEPHRON-SPARING SURGERY FOR RENAL CELL CARCINOMA WITH AUTOTRANSPLANTATION.

The study included 12 patients who underwent extracorporeal nephron-sparing surgery followed by autotransplantation of the kidney to the iliac region. A solitary kidney occurred in 7 (58.3%) cases, bilateral tumors in 2 (16.

Removal of the Tumor Thrombus from the Right Atrium without Extracorporeal Circulation: Emphasis on the Displacement of the Tumor Apex.

Objectives: To assess the outcomes of cavoatrial tumor thrombus removal using the liver transplantation technique for thrombectomy, a retrospective study was conducted.

Materials And Methods: Five patients with atrial tumor thrombi who underwent piggy-back mobilization of the liver, surgical access to the right atrium from the abdominal cavity, and external manual repositioning of the thrombus apex below the diaphragm (milking maneuver) were included into the study. Extracorporeal circulation was used in none of the cases.

Orally administered gadolinium orthovanadate GdVO:Eu nanoparticles do not affect the hydrophobic region of cell membranes of leukocytes.

Aim: To assess the phospholipid bilayer of white blood cells (WBCs) and the ability of leukocytes to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in rats orally exposed to GdVO:Eu nanoparticle (VNP) solution for 2 weeks by fluorescent probes-ortho-hydroxy derivatives of 2,5-diaryl‑1,3‑oxazole.

Methods: Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, i.e.

[PATHOGENETIC FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVERACIVE BLADDER IN WOMEN].

The aim of the research was to study the pathogenetic features of the development of the overactive bladder (OAB) in women. 107 women with OAB and a control group of 29 healthy women were involved into the study. The hormonal status was studied based on the determination of serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol and progesterone.

Fetus in the Bladder: Rare Complication of Vesicouterine Fistula.

The work presents a rare case of spontaneous migration of an 11-week fetus from the uterine cavity into the urinary bladder cavity through the long-standing vesicouterine fistula.

[THE CONTROL OF BLEEDING FROM THE LUMEN OF THE ISOLATED INFERIOR VENA CAVA SEGMENT WHEN REMOVING THE TUMOR THROMBUS].

The paper analyzes surgical methods of bleeding control from the lumen of the isolated inferior vena cava (IVC) segment during thrombectomy. The study included 13 patients with IVC tumor thrombus. The sources of bleeding were divided into variant lumbar veins and lumbar veins of the infrarenal IVC segment.

[COMPLICATIONS OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF A RENAL—CELL CANCER WITH INTRAVENOUS SPREADING].

Retrospective investigation, conducted for estimation of perioperative complications, while performing surgical treatment of a renal—cell cancer with tumoral thrombi, was presented. In 132 patients the tumoral thrombi spreading is restricted by renal vein and by vena cava inferior (VCI) as well. The patients were operated on, using the "chevron" access in the absence of artificial blood circulation.

[CREATING A CROSS-TUNNEL UNDER OSTIUM OF MAIN HEPATIC VEINS AND PIGGY BACK FUND LIVER ABLATE TUMOR THROMBUS FROM THE INFERIOR VENA CAVA].

The analysis of the effectiveness of a new method of thrombectomy, including the formation of cross-tunnel under the ostium of the main hepatic veins by removing tumor thrombus of the inferior vena cava (IVC). Successfully perform a piggy back manage to mobilize the liver in 12 (80%) patients, a tunnel formed in 4 (50%). Duration pigg back stage liver mobilization much higher than the formation of the tunnel.

[SURGICAL TECHNIQUE OF A RENAL ARTERY CONTROL WHILE REMOVAL OF TUMORAL THROMBI FROM VENA CAVA INFERIOR].

Efficacy and safety of a renal artery ligation after thrombectomy in comparison with those while using a standard surgical technique were studied. Possibility of performance and safety of thrombectomy without preliminary ligation of renal artery was proved. The results did not depend on level of intravenous tumoral spread and were significantly better, than while application of standard approaches to renal artery because of absence of embolic complications.

[ABDOMINAL TRANSDIAPHRAGMATIC EXTRAPERICARDIAL SURGICAL ACCESS TO SUPRADIAPHRAGMATIC PART OF VENA CAVA INFERIOR IN PATIENTS OPERATED FOR RENAL-CELL CANCER].

Safety and possibility to perform abdominal surgical accesses to supradiaphragmatic part of vena cava inferior (VCI) in patients, operated on for renal-cell cancer, were estimated. In 12 patients the results of application of several surgical access variants to supradiaphragmatic part of VCI were estimated. Most simple and safe way to isolate supradiaphragmatic VCI and cavaatrial junction is to perform a T-like diaphragmotomy.

Surgical Approaches to Supradiaphragmatic Segment of IVC and Right Atrium through Abdominal Cavity during Intravenous Tumor Thrombus Removal.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate safety and feasibility of some surgical approaches to the supradiaphragmatic inferior vena cava (IVC) and the right atrium through the diaphragm from the abdominal cavity. Materials and Methods.

Axitinib versus sorafenib as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma: a randomised open-label phase 3 trial.

Background: In previous clinical trials of patients with metastatic renal-cell carcinoma, patients treated with axitinib as second-line therapy had longer median progression-free survival than those treated with sorafenib. We therefore undertook a phase 3 trial comparing axitinib with sorafenib in patients with treatment-naive metastatic renal-cell carcinoma.

Methods: In this randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial, patients with treatment-naive, measurable, clear-cell metastatic renal-cell carcinoma from 13 countries were stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and then randomly assigned (2:1) by a centralised registration system to receive axitinib 5 mg twice daily, or sorafenib 400 mg twice daily.

Tivozanib versus sorafenib as initial targeted therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: results from a phase III trial.

Purpose: Tivozanib is a potent and selective tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1), -2, and -3. This phase III trial compared tivozanib with sorafenib as initial targeted therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with metastatic RCC, with a clear cell component, prior nephrectomy, measurable disease, and 0 or 1 prior therapies for metastatic RCC were randomly assigned to tivozanib or sorafenib.

Semen quality in relation to xenohormone and dioxin-like serum activity among Inuits and three European populations.

Background: Semen quality in humans may be influenced by exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds.

Objectives: We analyzed associations between semen characteristics and serum xenoestrogen receptor (XER), xenoandrogen receptor (XAR), and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) transactivity. XER and XAR activity were measured in serum samples cleared for endogenous steroid hormones and AhR activity in raw lipophilic serum extracts free of proteins.

Temsirolimus, interferon alfa, or both for advanced renal-cell carcinoma.

Background: Interferon alfa is widely used for metastatic renal-cell carcinoma but has limited efficacy and tolerability. Temsirolimus, a specific inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin kinase, may benefit patients with this disease.

Methods: In this multicenter, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned 626 patients with previously untreated, poor-prognosis metastatic renal-cell carcinoma to receive 25 mg of intravenous temsirolimus weekly, 3 million U of interferon alfa (with an increase to 18 million U) subcutaneously three times weekly, or combination therapy with 15 mg of temsirolimus weekly plus 6 million U of interferon alfa three times weekly.

Androgen receptor gene CAG repeat length as a modifier of the association between persistent organohalogen pollutant exposure markers and semen characteristics.

Objectives: Exposure to persistent organohalogen pollutants was suggested to impair male reproductive function. A gene-environment interaction has been proposed. No genes modifying the effect of persistent organohalogen pollutants on reproductive organs have yet been identified.

Relationships between sperm DNA fragmentation, sperm apoptotic markers and serum levels of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE in European and Inuit populations.

Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) are suspected to interfere with hormone activity and the normal homeostasis of spermatogenesis. We investigated the relationships between sperm DNA fragmentation, apoptotic markers identified on ejaculated spermatozoa and POP levels in the blood of 652 adult males (200 Inuits from Greenland, 166 Swedish, 134 Polish and 152 Ukrainian). Serum levels of 2, 2', 4, 4', 5, 5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153), as a proxy of the total POP burden, and of 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE), as a proxy of the total DDT exposure were determined.

Reproductive hormone levels in men exposed to persistent organohalogen pollutants: a study of inuit and three European cohorts.

Objective: Persistent organohalogen pollutant (POP) exposure may have a negative impact on reproductive function. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of POP exposure on the male hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis.

Participants: Participants included 184 Swedish fishermen and spouses of pregnant women from Greenland (n = 258), Warsaw, Poland (n = 113) , and Kharkiv, Ukraine (n = 194).

Semen quality and exposure to persistent organochlorine pollutants.

Background: Inconsistent results have been found in previous human studies on male reproductive toxicity of persistent organochlorine pollutants. The majority of studies have been conducted among selected populations of infertility clients or among occupational cohorts including a limited number of participants.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of semen quality and serum concentration of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) among 763 men.

Impact of PCB and p,p'-DDE contaminants on human sperm Y:X chromosome ratio: studies in three European populations and the Inuit population in Greenland.

Objective: Recent studies indicate that persistent organohalogen pollutants (POPs) may contribute to sex ratio changes in offspring of exposed populations. Our aim in the present study was to investigate whether exposure to 2,2 ,4,4 ,5,5 -hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (p,p -DDE) affects sperm Y:X chromosome distribution.

Subjects And Methods: We obtained semen and blood for analysis of PCB-153 and p,p -DDE levels from 547 men from Sweden, Greenland, Poland (Warsaw), and Ukraine (Kharkiv), with regionally different levels of POP exposure.

Xenoestrogenic activity in blood of European and Inuit populations.

Background: Human exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is ubiquitous and found in all individuals. Studies have documented endocrine disrupting effects and impact on reproduction. The aim of the present study was to compare the level of xenoestrogenic activity in serum of groups with varying POP exposure, and to evaluate correlations to the POP biomarkers, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE).