Schistosomiasis-A Disobedient Ureter, a Disobedient Diagnosis.

Schistosomiasis is rare in western countries, but remains a potentially serious disease. It is known to result in severe urogenital complications; prompt diagnosis can therefore significantly affect outcomes. We report the case of a 41-year-old male with pleuritic chest pain and visible hematuria who had emigrated from Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom 20 years previously.

A simple two-stage "bailout" technique for the removal of an unyielding ureteric stent.

Objective: To describe a simple technique that can be used to manage an unexpected mildly to moderately (<10 mm) encrusted ureteric stent with consummate ease when time, equipment, or experience are unavailable.

Methods: We present a series of 5 patients with impacted ureteric stents that were difficult to remove owing to presumed encrustation of the upper end. The indwelling time for the stent ranged from 8 to 16 weeks.

Intravesical instillation of mitomycin C: a cause of delayed bladder perforation?

We present a case of bladder perforation secondary to intravesical instillation of mitomycin C following transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) and the role of early detection leading to successful conservative management. We also review the key relevant literature.

beta-Actin regulates platelet nitric oxide synthase 3 activity through interaction with heat shock protein 90.

Cytoskeletal proteins are crucial in maintaining cellular structure and, in certain cell types, also play an essential role in motility and shape change. Nitric oxide (NO) is an important paracrine mediator of vascular and platelet function and is produced in the vasculature by the enzyme NO synthase type 3 (NOS-3). Here, we demonstrate in human platelets that the polymerization state of beta-actin crucially regulates the activation state of NOS-3, and hence NO formation, through altering its binding of heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90).