Dynamics of the translocation pore of the human peroxisomal protein import machinery.

Peroxisomal matrix proteins are synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes and imported in a posttranslational manner. Intricate protein import machineries have evolved that catalyze the different stages of translocation. In humans, PEX5L was found to be an essential component of the peroxisomal translocon.

P-Type ATPase Apt1 of the Fungal Pathogen Is a Lipid Flippase of Broad Substrate Specificity.

Lipid flippases of the P4-ATPase family are ATP-driven transporters that translocate lipids from the exoplasmic to the cytosolic leaflet of biological membranes. In the encapsulated fungal pathogen , the P4-ATPase Apt1p is an important regulator of polysaccharide secretion and pathogenesis, but its biochemical characterization is lacking. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Apt1p belongs to the subclade of P4A-ATPases characterized by the common requirement for a β-subunit.

Postchemotherapy laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for low-volume, stage II, nonseminomatous germ cell tumor: first 100 patients.

Background: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) is indicated after chemotherapy in case of radiologic incomplete remission or teratomatous elements in orchiectomy specimens. Open RPLND is associated with considerable morbidity, but technical difficulty of postchemotherapy laparoscopic RPLND (L-RPLND) can be significant; therefore, literature concerning pc L-RPLND is sparse.

Objective: To evaluate feasibility and long-term oncologic outcome of postchemotherapy L-RPLND for clinical stage II disease at a single institution.

A prospective, multicenter study of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) utilization during definitive radiation for breast cancer.

Purpose: Although complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) utilization in breast cancer patients is reported to be high, there are few data on CAM practices in breast patients specifically during radiation. This prospective, multi-institutional study was conducted to define CAM utilization in breast cancer during definitive radiation.

Materials/methods: A validated CAM instrument with a self-skin assessment was administered to 360 Stage 0-III breast cancer patients from 5 centers during the last week of radiation.

Testicular doses in image-guided radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Purpose: To investigate testicular doses contributed by kilovoltage cone-beam computed tomography (kVCBCT) during image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) of prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: An EGS4 Monte Carlo code was used to calculate three-dimensional dose distributions from kVCBCT on 3 prostate cancer patients. Absorbed doses to various organs were compared between intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatments and kVCBCT scans.

A significant decrease in rectal volume and diameter during prostate IMRT.

Purpose: To record changes in rectal volume (RV) and diameter (RD) of patients with prostate adenocarcinoma prior to and at an interim period during radiotherapy, which could potentially affect treatment toxicity and tumor control.

Methods: Three hundred and fifteen patients treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) underwent planning CT scans before radiation and after 45 Gy. For each scan, RV and RD were recorded and compared using a two-tailed paired t-test.

The impact of pretreatment prostate volume on severe acute genitourinary toxicity in prostate cancer patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Purpose: To assess the impact of pretreatment prostate volume on the development of severe acute genitourinary toxicity in patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between 2004 and 2007, a consecutive sample of 214 patients who underwent IMRT (75.6 Gy) for prostate cancer at two referral centers was analyzed.

Validation of the partin nomogram for prostate cancer in a national sample.

Purpose: The Partin tables are a nomogram that is widely used to discriminate prostate cancer pathological stages, given common preoperative clinical characteristics. The nomogram is based on patients undergoing radical prostatectomy at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. We validated the Partin tables in a large, population based sample.

Allen key completely in male urethra: a case report.

Introduction: Various cases of self-inflicted foreign bodies in the male urethra have been reported. Most of them are associated with autoerotic stimulation, psychiatric disorders or intoxication.

Case Presentation: We report the first case of a patient who put an Allen key completely in his urethra.

Ureteroiliac fistula: a case report review of the literature.

Introduction: Ureteroiliac fistulas are rare but potentially life-threatening. Risk factors to develop a fistula are chronic indwelling ureteral stents, previous pelvic surgery and radiotherapy.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a patient with intermittent gross hematuria after previous abdominal surgery, radiotherapy and indwelling ureteric stents.

A possible case of primary renal lymphoma: a case report.

Introduction: The entity primary renal lymphoma is controversial and rare.

Case Presentation: We report a case in a 60-year-old man. Computed tomography revealed a large, homogeneous, retroperitoneal mass with 14.

Radical prostatectomy vs. intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the management of localized prostate adenocarcinoma.

Background And Purpose: To determine whether radical prostatectomy (RP) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to > or =72 Gy, plus hormonal therapy if indicated, results in improved biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) in localized prostate adenocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Between 1997 and 2005, a consecutive sample of 556 patients who underwent RP (n=204) or IMRT (n=352) at two referral centers was analyzed. The patients were stratified into prognostic groups based on clinical stage, Gleason score, and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

Changes of renal blood flow after ESWL: assessment by ASL MR imaging, contrast enhanced MR imaging, and renal resistive index.

The annual incidence of stone formation is increased in the industrialised world. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy is a non-invasive effective treatment of upper urinary tract stones. This study is aimed to evaluate changes of renal blood flow in patients undergoing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) by arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging, contrast enhanced dynamic MR imaging, and renal resistive index (RI).

Whole pelvic radiotherapy versus prostate only radiotherapy in the management of locally advanced or aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: To determine whether whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT) or prostate-only radiotherapy (PORT) yields improved biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) in patients with advanced or aggressive prostate adenocarcinoma.

Methods And Materials: Between 2000 and 2007, a consecutive sample of 277 patients with prostate adenocarcinoma and at least a 15% likelihood of lymph node involvement who had undergone WPRT (n = 68) or PORT (n = 209) at two referral centers was analyzed. The median radiation dose in both arms was 75.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: surgical technique and clinical outcomes at 1 year.

Objective: To report our surgical technique of robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RLPN) for renal tumours of <7 cm and present their clinical outcomes, as minimally invasive PN is an increasingly viable option for small renal tumours.

Patients And Methods: From July 2005 to December 2006, 20 consecutive patients (mean age 58.2 years, sd 7.

Haemostatic sealants in nephron-sparing surgery: what surgeons need to know.

Surgical haemostatic agents have been increasingly applied for the control of bleeding, and have excellent potential in laparoscopy. Several factors are important when evaluating the use of sealants. We present a brief overview of the history, composition and mechanism of action of sealants, together with a report on experimental studies and clinical experience with haemostatic sealants.

Another novel application of Hem-o-Lok clips for transient vascular occlusion in robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: an alternative to laparoscopic bulldog and Satinsky clamps.

We describe our technique of achieving transient vascular occlusion utilizing Hem-o-Lok clips during robotassisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RLPN) A once-folded vascular loop is threaded through a 2-cm feeding tube. After passing around the renal vessel, its tail goes through the U-loop, creating a tourniquet. Vascular occlusion begins when the tube slides towards the vessel and a Hem-o-Lok clip is applied on the vascular loop next to the exposed end of the tube.

Results of bilateral nerve sparing laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer.

Purpose: We evaluated the feasibility and early oncological outcome of a laparoscopic nerve sparing bilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. The surgical technique is described.

Materials And Methods: From July 2004 to December 2007 a total of 42 patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (21 with stage I, 2 with stage IIA marker negative and 19 with post-chemotherapy stage IIB disease) underwent transperitoneal bilateral laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after chemotherapy for germ cell tumours: is a full bilateral template always necessary?

Objective: To evaluate the long-term oncological outcome in selected patients treated for nonseminomatous germ cell tumours (NSGCT) with a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection after chemotherapy (pcRPLND) and not using the full bilateral template.

Patients And Methods: From 1988 to 2005, 102 patients with retroperitoneal stage II NSGCT, who at initial presentation had metastases in the primary retroperitoneal site only, had pcRPLND within a restricted template, whether computed tomography showed complete or incomplete remission. In all, 78 patients had a unilateral template dissection and 24 an open modified template dissection.

Real-time virtual ultrasonographic radiofrequency ablation of renal cell carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of real-time virtual ultrasonography (RVS) as a new navigational tool for percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of solid renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Patients And Methods: Ten patients with 13 RCCs were treated with percutaneous RFA using RVS, which displays ultrasonograms and corresponding multiplanar reconstruction images of computed tomography in parallel.

Results: RVS allowed excellent anatomical visualization and precise navigation of RFA for RCC.

Comparison of contrast-enhanced color Doppler imaging (CDI), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of crossing vessels in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO).

Objective: To assess the use of contrast-enhanced color Doppler imaging (CDI), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of crossing vessels at the ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO).

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight patients aged 18-69 yr (mean age, 52) who had been diagnosed with an UPJO on intravenous pyelography and diuretic renography were included. Contrast-enhanced CDI was performed by using both color Doppler frequency and color Doppler amplitude ("Power") modes.

Fenestration of the Gerota's fascia as symptomatic treatment of floating kidneys.

A 16-year-old man presented with severe nephrotic syndrome complicated by massive perirenal fluid. Percutaneous drainage of fluid was performed 3 times, followed by improvement in renal function and hypertension, but perirenal fluid recurred within days. Nephrotic syndrome was unresponsive to steroid therapy.