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Purpose: We aimed to understand the reasons patients choose to pursue thirdline overactive bladder (OAB) therapy. Materials and Methods: We conducted a mixed methods study that included patient interviews and survey data. Eligible patients were diagnosed by symptoms, had tried behavioral modifications, and OAB medications enrolled from October 2018 to August 2019. In addition to interviews, patients completed 4 surveys: the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, Overactive Bladder Questionnaire Short Form, Life Orientation TestdRevised, and a patient confidence in the health care system survey. Qualitative interview data were analyzed thematically. Logistic regression and chi-square analysis was used to analyze survey data. Results: A total of 69 patients were consented, 4 withdrew, and 51 completed both interview and survey data. Overall 55% of patients were Caucasian, 45% were African American, and their average age was 71 (SD[10.4); 75% intended to pursue third-line OAB therapy and 31 (61%) expressed interest in a specific third-line therapy. Major interview themes included a desire for a better quality of life, embarrassment with accidents, and problems with medication. Themes leading patients away from third-line OAB treatment included concern about invasiveness and side effects of treatments, and restrictions to accessing care. Conclusions: Most patients desired to progress to third-line OAB therapy, were motivated by embarrassment, but were concerned about treatment side effects. We found that economic burden of OAB treatment is associated with patient interest in and decision to receive third-line therapies to include onabotulinumtoxinA and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. Improved quality of life, medication frustration, and concerns about side effects of further therapy are themes patients identified when patients considered third-line overactive bladder therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MITOSTATIN, a novel putative tumor suppressor gene induced by decorin overexpression, is expressed in most normal human tissues but is markedly down-regulated in advanced stages of mammary and bladder carcinomas. Mitostatin negatively affects cell growth, induces cell death and regulates the expression and activation levels of Hsp27. In this study, we demonstrated that ectopic expression of Mitostatin in PC3, DU145, and LNCaP prostate cancer cells not only induced a significant reduction in cell growth, but also inhibited migration and invasion. Moreover, Mitostatin inhibited colony formation in soft-agar of PC3 and LNCaP cells as well as tumorigenicity of LNCaP cells in nude mice. Conversely, targeting endogenous Mitostatin by siRNA and anti-sense strategies in PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells enhanced the malignant phenotype in both cell lines. In agreement of these anti-oncogenic roles, we discovered that Mitostatin was absent in ∼35% (n = 124) of prostate tumor samples and its overall reduction was associated with advanced cancer stages. Collectively, our findings indicate that MITOSTATIN may acts as a tumor suppressor gene in prostate cancer and provide a novel cellular and molecular mechanism to be further exploited and deciphered in our understanding of prostate cancer progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the transdermal contraceptive patch is associated with greater bioavailability of ethinyl estradiol (EE) compared with contraceptive vaginal ring or oral contraceptives (OC). We compared the influences of three contraceptive methods (OC, vaginal ring, and transdermal patch) on serum levels of coenzyme Q10, α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol and total antioxidant capacity in premenopausal women. Blood samples from 30 premenopausal women who used hormonal contraception for at least 4 months were collected. Forty subjects who did not use any contraception were studied as control. Serum levels of coenzyme Q10, α- tocopherol and γ-tocopherol were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Serum samples were also assayed for total antioxidant capacity (TAOC). Serum levels of coenzyme Q10 and α-tocopherol were found to be significantly lower (P < .05) in all three contraceptive users compared with controls. Contraceptive patch users had the lowest levels of coenzyme Q10 levels compared with normal subjects. Serum TAOC levels were significantly lower (P < .05) among the contraceptive user groups. Alterations in coenzyme Q10 and α-tocopherol induced by hormonal contraception and the potential effect(s) of exogenous ovarian hormones should be taken into consideration in future antioxidant research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shows that major vault protein (MVP) is expressed in mammalian, porcine, and human ova and in the porcine preimplantation embryo. Identification of MVP by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time-of-flight peptide sequencing and Western blotting as a protein accumulating in porcine zygotes cultured in the presence of specific proteasomal inhibitor MG132; Evidence for the expression and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent turnover of MVP in the mammalian ovum.