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Resistance to available therapeutic agents has been a common problem thwarting progress in treatment of castrate-resistant and metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Overexpression of the Bcl-2 family members, including Mcl-1, in PCa cells is known to inhibit intracellular mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis. Here we report the development of a novel transgenic mouse model that spontaneously develops prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and adenocarcinoma by the inducible, conditional knockout of transforming growth factor β receptor type II in stromal fibroblastic cells (Tgfbr2(ColTKO)). The Tgfbr2(ColTKO) prostate epithelia demonstrated down-regulation of luminal and basal differentiation markers, as well as Pten expression and up-regulation of Mcl-1. However, unlike in men, Tgfbr2(ColTKO) prostates exhibited no regression acutely after castration. The administration of Sabutoclax (BI-97C1), a pan-active Bcl-2 protein family antagonist mediated apoptosis in castrate-resistant PCa cells of Tgfbr2(ColTKO) mice and human subcutaneous, orthotopic, and intratibial xenograft PCa models. Interestingly, Sabutoclax had little apoptotic effect on benign prostate tissue in Tgfbr2(ColTKO) and wild-type mice. Sabutoclax was able to block c-Met activation, a critical axis in PCa metastatic progression. Further, Sabutoclax synergistically sensitized PC-3 cells to the cytotoxic effects of docetaxel (Taxotere). Together, these data suggest that Sabutoclax inhibits castrate-resistant PCa alone at the primary and bone metastatic site as well as support sensitivity to docetaxel treatment.

Background: Acute lymphocytic leukemia is one of the common cancers of childhood and currently, 80 percent of these children survive more than 5 years by getting the right treatment. Since long-term treatment is painful and invasive, preventing the side effects and their influence on quality of life is an important issue which introduces consideration for self-care. Consequently, the present study was conducted in 2007-2008 about the effects of self-care on the lives of children suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia, referring to treatment centers in Isfahan City., Methods: The present study was a two-staged, two-group clinical trial. 48 children aging 5-18 and suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia were selected through convenient sampling method and the training program was administered before them and afterwards, they were divided randomly into two groups of experiment (n = 24) and control (n = 24). The General Scale and Cancer Scale Quality of Life Identification Questionnaires were used to define the quality of life of the children. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were in turn defined by content validity method and Cronbach's alpha test. The experiment group received the self-care checklist after training and was controlled and examined for 3 months. The pre-and-post self care Quality of Life Questionnaire were both filled out in both groups and accordingly, the SPSS software, independent t test, chi-square and paired t tests were used to analyze the data., Results: The findings of the study showed that both groups were homogeneous by virtue of influential factors on quality of life, like age, gender, type, stage and duration of treatment (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference between the experiment and control groups' quality of life average scores before administering the self-care training program. The results of paired-t test in the experiment group after administering the self-care program showed a significant difference in General and Cancer Scale Questionnaires Quality of Life with that before administering the program, while no significant difference was observed in the control group. Also, the independent t-test showed a significant difference in the average of quality of life score shift after administering the self care between the experiment and control groups., Conclusions: Quality of life improved after administering self-care training program in the experiment group while it did not improve in the control group and even the increase in average score of quality of life in Cancer Scale in this group was an indicator of an increase in problems related to disease, treatment and care. The results of this study showed the positive effects of administering self-care on the quality of life of children suffering from acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Habitual substance use is associated with attentional bias for stimuli related to the use. The current study tested whether individuals' substance use can be predicted from their attentional bias for concern-related and substance-related stimuli. Participants (N = 71; 54% male) were selected among university students and the community. The study was conducted in Iran, in which alcohol consumption is illegal. Participants completed a substance use questionnaire and classic, substance-, and concern-related Stroop tests. The results show that after controlling for demographic variables and classic Stroop interference, increases in substance-related but decreases in concern-related reaction times predicted the amount of substances that had been consumed by the participants. Individuals' attentional bias for both substance-related and substance-unrelated goals may be important in predicting substance use behavior. The implication of the findings for treatment prognosis has been discussed.

Purpose: To assess the impact of warm ischemia time (WIT) on delayed graft function (DGF), graft loss, and graft function in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN)., Patients and Methods: We prospectively studied 100 kidney recipients from LDN donors from 2001 to 2003. For comparison of graft outcome with different extents of WIT, recipients were divided into three groups: group A received kidneys having 4 to 6 minutes, group B kidneys having >6 to 10 minutes, and group C kidneys having >10 minutes of WIT. The median follow-up was 415 days (range 11-791) days., Results: The mean kidney WIT was 8.7 minutes (range 4-17 minutes). Graft outcome (DGF, graft loss, and median serum creatinine) was not significantly different in the three groups., Conclusions: Different extents of WIT in LDN, within the range of our study, were not associated with an adverse outcome in kidney transplantation.

Introduction: Our aim was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes, complications, and hospital stay in laparoscopic and open pyeloplasty., Materials and Methods: From February 2002 to February 2003, 69 patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) were assigned into two groups. Thirty-seven patients underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty and 32 underwent open surgical pyeloplasty. Clinical symptoms were assessed before and after surgery, subjectively. Radiological assessment was also done three months postoperatively., Results: Mean operative time was 3.2 hours and 2.2 hours in laparoscopic and open pyeloplasty groups, respectively. Intraoperative bleeding was trivial in both groups and no complication or conversion to open surgery occurred. Postoperative complication rates were 24% and 6% in laparoscopic and open pyeloplasty groups, respectively. Mean hospital stay was similar (6.2 days) in the two groups. Mean follow-up was 16.5 months versus 11.4 months. Clinical and radiological success rates were 89% and 83.8% for laparoscopy group versus 96.5% and 87% for open pyeloplasty group. Due to recurrence of stricture, repeated surgery was performed in 4 patients of laparoscopy and 1 of open pyeloplasty groups., Conclusion: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty is a less invasive method with less pain, cosmetic advantages, no long incision, and outcome comparable with open surgery. Hospital stay is also not longer than that in open surgeries. Hence, laparoscopic pyeloplasty can be a substitute for skilled surgeons.

Introduction: Several therapeutic methods are used in the management of lower pole caliceal calculi. This survey has been conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in the management of lower pole calculi., Materials and Methods: Fifty-five patients, 43 males and 12 females with a mean age of 41.5 (range 11 to 75) years, who had suffered from lower pole caliceal calculi and treated by standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) between 1997 and 2001, were enrolled in this study. The stones were classified as follows: small (less than 25 mm), intermediate (25 to 34 mm) and large (more than 35 mm). Mean follow-up was 6.2 months (range 2 weeks to 34 months)., Results: The stones were completely extracted by one session PCNL in 43 patients (79%). Repeat PCNL was needed in one patient and another method was used for stone extraction in another patient. Regarding the size of stone, 88%, 79%, and 74% of small, intermediate, and large stones were completely extracted, respectively. No major complication was noted., Conclusion: PCNL has high success rate in patients with stones larger than 2 cm and its morbidity would be low, provided that it is performed by skilled surgeons.