Paclitaxel resistance and the role of miRNAs in prostate cancer cell lines.

Purpose: To investigate the expression profiles of 86 miRNAs in paclitaxel-resistant prostate cancer cell lines and to identify the genes that have a role in the development of drug resistance.

Methods: Three prostate cancer cell lines, androgen-dependent VCaP, androgen-independent PC-3 and DU-145, were used to obtain paclitaxel-resistant cells by progressively increasing the concentration of paclitaxel in the culture medium. Viability assays with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium and sulforhodamine B were used to assess the cell resistance level and cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel treatment.

Association of B7-H4 gene polymorphisms in urothelial bladder cancer.

Background/aim: We aimed to study polymorphisms of the B7-H4 gene in order to evaluate a possible association in urothelial carcinoma, as it is highly expressed in cancer tissues.

Materials And Methods: In this study B7-H4 gene rs10754339, rs10801935, and rs3738414 SNPs were studied by PCR-RFLP method in paraffin-embedded tumor specimens from 62 urothelial carcinoma patients and in a control group including 30 patients without bladder cancer.

Results: We detected that the rs10754339 polymorphism was more frequent in the cancer patients when compared with the control group (P < 0.

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for ureteral stones: twelve years of experience with 2836 patients at a single center.

Purpose: To retrospectively analyze the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) for managing ureteral stones in patients who were treated during a 12-year period at a single center in Turkey.

Materials And Methods: The study involved 3300 patients who had single ureteral stone and underwent SWL between January 1999 and March 2011. Medical records from 2836 (85%) patients were available for evaluation.

Effect of carbon dioxide pneumoretroperitoneum on bacterial translocation in an experimental retroperitoneoscopy model.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of artificial CO2 pneumoretroperitoneum on bacterial translocation in an experimental retroperitoneoscopy model.

Materials And Methods: Eighteen adult male New Zealand White rabbits weighing 2.5 to 3 kg were divided into two groups.

Clinical, andrological and genetic characteristics of patients with congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD).

Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a form of infertility with an autosomal recessive genetic background in otherwise healthy males. In this study, we examined the clinical and cystic fibrosis transmembrane-conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutations in sixty patients with bilateral absence of vas deferens that applied to andrology clinic due to male factor infertility. Urogenital anomalies of vas deferens, seminal vesicle and epididymis were detected in our patient group.