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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Previous studies have shown that Randall's plaques are uniformly present in all renal papillae. However, we experienced cases in which the kidney stone recurrence occurre...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Brown adipocytes consume energy and are known to improve metabolic syndrome. In previous studies using mice that brown adipocytes could prevent the formation of urinary s...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) is a hybrid therapy combining PCNL and retrograde intrarenal surgery using flexible ureteroscope (RIRS). The Galdalao-modif...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Renal access during PCNL is the most critical step in achieving effective stone clearance and mitigating unfavorable complications. There are two types of renal access ap...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Ureteral stents are commonly used in endoscopic surgery for urinary calculi but are frequently associated with stent encrustation and stent-related infections. New biomat...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Kidney stones are associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS has been shown to create a hypoxic environment in adipose tissue, resulting in inflammation. It has been...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:The pathogenesis of urinary stone formation is a multistep process involving complex interactions between the mineral elements and protein matrix. Topographic relations b...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Renal calculus is thought to be promoted by inflammation and oxidative stress that occur in renal tubular cells. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of a...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Renal puncture in endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) greatly affects success rates and perioperative complications. We developed a method to determine the ide...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to evaluate the effect of surgical hand hygiene on the onset of febrile urinary tract infections (f-UTIs). Endourological surgical procedures performed w...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Partial nephrectomy for endophytic tumor is not only difficult to identify the tumor site but also the risk of positivity surgical margin and prolongation of warm ischem...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:We found that cellular damage caused by calcium oxalate (CaOx) was repaired by the induction of autophagy using renal tubule cultured cells and CaOx crystal model mice, ...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Kidney stone structure may provide clinical information in addition to the stone composition. The morphology and succession of different layers can reliably describe the...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Kidney stone development has been linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is characterized by insulin resistance. In a previous cross-sectional analysis, we reported ...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:We have demonstrated the control of urinary stone formation using macrophages (Mφ) in basic research. The purpose of this study is to establish a method for analysis of ...

We investigated the association between kidney stones and coronary heart disease risk factors in Japanese men.This cross-sectional study included 13,418 Japanese men 30 to 69 years old who voluntarily underwent medical examination between April 1995 and March 2001. Participants were divided into controls, and past and current kidney stone formers based on ultrasound results and medical history. We evaluated conventional risk factors of coronary heart disease, including overweight/obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gout/hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia and chronic kidney disease. Associations between coronary heart disease risk factors and kidney stones were investigated.Of the 13,418 participants 404 current kidney stone formers (3.0%) had kidney stones on ultrasound and 1,231 past kidney stone formers (9.2%) had a history of kidney stones but no kidney stones on medical examination. Body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and serum uric acid were significantly higher in past and current kidney stone formers than in controls. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the multivariate adjusted OR for overweight/obesity, hypertension, gout/hyperuricemia and chronic kidney disease significantly increased in the order corresponding to controls, and past and current kidney stone formers.Kidney stone formers, even past stone formers, are likely to have accumulated risk factors for coronary heart disease. They could be preferentially targeted for coronary heart disease prevention.

frequently affected by LOH in patients with cystinuria were in SLC family genes found in 83.3% of the patients (5/6). Considering SNPs, the five most frequent were rs17383719; rs11188246; rs7096453; rs913034 and rs3923808 (table 1), surprisingly associated with cytoskeleton and bone abnormalities CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study describing different genetic alterations in patients with cystinuria. We partially confirm the few studies that report alterations in SLC genes family since the most frequently LOH we found were related with these genes. In addition, we describe novels variant expanding the spectrum of cystinuria genetic variations. In view of the clinical practice, new studies linking this genetic variation and the management of patients with cystinuria are needed to assure our findings as prognostic markers. This research contributes to our understanding of the molecular basis of cystinuria in Brazilians patients

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The UCiTrainer is a low cost, portable laparoscopic trainer that utilizes an electronic tablet for video and optics; it can be printed with a consumer-level three-dimensional (3D) printer. We report our initial experience on the feasibility of using 3D printing technology as a novel method of manufacturing and distribution for low cost, surgical education tools on a global on demand basis. METHODS: We created computer-aided designs (CAD) using Solidworks Software (Dassault Systemes Solidworks Corp., Velizy-Villacoublay, France) for nine separate components which could then be assembled into a laparoscopic training device including an instrument port mold. These files were provided to two remote institutions to 3D print and assemble the trainer. The CAD files were uploaded to Makerware software (MakerBot Industries, New York City, NY) to be sliced into layers and prepared for printing. All pieces were printed using a Flashforge Creator 3D printer (Flashforge, Jinhua, China) in five separate prints. The following printer settings were used: raft layer, 15% infill, 2 shells, 0.10 mm layer height, 230 ? C extruder, 110 ? C build plate, 90 mm/s extrusion and 150 mm/s travel. In this process, successive layers of a heated, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene filament were extruded and laid on top of one another in both the horizontal and vertical axis. The printed mold was used to create two instrument ports using a liquid silicone rubber. Both remote institutions were provided oral and written instructions for assembly of the components. RESULTS: Initial attempts of 3D printing of the larger pieces (Figure 1b) were not successful due to deformation of the plastic. Additionally, initial calibration and leveling of the 3D printer were challenging to novices. Accordingly, the build plate was increased to 120 ? C and a full enclosure was made for the 3D printer to retain heat during the printing process. With these adjustments, successful printing of the components was accomplished. Both institutions were subsequently able to completely assemble and use the training device using only the oral and written instructions provided. CONCLUSIONS: 3D printing technology can be used successfully to disseminate a training device for use in surgical education. The device is inexpensive and can be made on an as-needed basis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Randall’s plaque (RP) is the origin of renal calcification on which idiopathic calcium oxalate (CaOx) kidney stones develop; however, its exact role in CaOx crystal formation remains unknown. We previously reported the potential therapeutic roles of osteopontin and macrophage (Mf) for CaOx kidney stone formation using transgenic mouse and genome-wide analysis. To establish the genomic pathogenesis of RP, we performed a microarray as well as immunohistochemical analysis for comparing the gene expressions among renal papillary RP and normal tissue of 23 CaOx, six calcium phosphate (CaP) stone formers, and normal papillary tissue of seven control patients. METHODS: We obtained the papillary tissue samples by cold cup biopsy during retrograde intrarenal surgery or ureteroscopy. Comparisons were made between: 1) RP of CaOx and CaP stone formers; 2) RP and normal tissue of CaOx stone formers and normal tissue of control patients; and 3) between RP and normal tissue of CaOx stone formers. The analyses were performed using GeneSpring13.1 and IPA software. We then validated the results using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Genes that expressed more than two-fold higher levels in CaP than in CaOx stone formers included fibrinogen, collagens, P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kB, and chemokines but decreased expressions of immune-related molecules, such as immunoglobulin, interferon-a, and T-cell receptor. Papillary tissue both from RP and normal lesions of CaOx stone-forming patients expressed activated cellular hyperpolarization, reproductive development, and molecular transport. Compared to normal papillary tissue, RP tissue contained upregulated lipocalin 2, interleukin 11, prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1, glutathione peroxidase 3, and monocyte to Mf differentiation but downregulation of solute carrier family 12 member 1 and sodium leak channel non-selective (either > 2.0or 0.5-fold, p < 0.01). Network and toxicity analyses showed that these genes were associated with activated MAPK, the Akt/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, which caused renal injury and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are the first to establish that genes related to renal dysfunction, pro-inflammation, oxidative stress, and ion transport induce the development of RP in CaOx stone formers.