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To compare percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and laparoscopic pyelolithotomy (LP) for surgical management for large (>2 cm) renal stones. We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases until March 11, 2015, using the following search terms: renalpelvic stone, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, laparoscopic pyelolithotomy. Randomized controlled and prospective and retrospective two-armed studies were included. Sensitivity analysis and assessment of the quality of the included studies and publication bias were performed. Nine studies were included in the study with a patient population of 622. The studies were homogeneous with respect to the primary end point of stone-free rate, but were heterogeneous with respect to operation time, length of hospital stay, and blood loss. A higher percentage of patients who received LP remained stone-free following surgery compared with patients who were treated with PCNL (p=0.001). However, the mean operation time was longer for patients with LP than for those treated with PCNL (p=0.002). There was no difference between procedures with regard to length of hospital stay or blood loss (p≥0.071). Sensitivity and quality analysis indicated that the data are reliable and the included studies are of good quality. No publication bias was observed. The study suggests that both procedures are effective and safe for removing large renal stones. However, LP may be more efficacious than PCNL in treating large kidney stones.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical value of sonography in the diagnosis and typing of renal tuberculosis. Methods: A total of 258 cases of renal tuberculosis with complete sonographic data were reviewed. The distinguishing features of the ultrasound images of these cases were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The coincidence rate of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of renal tuberculosis was 58.9% (152/258). According to the distinguishing features of the ultrasound images, renal tuberculosis could be classified under six types. Type I: nephrectasia type, 23 cases; type II: hydrops type, 21 cases; type III: empyema type, 13 cases; type IV: inflammatory and atrophy type, 15 cases; type V: calcification type, 34 cases; type VI: mixed type, 46 cases. Conclusion: Ultrasonographic examination has convenient, low-priced and non-invasive advantages. The typing of renal tuberculosis based on the distinguishing features of the ultrasound images provides important and reliable information for the clinical diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment of renal tuberculosis.

The hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor c-Met are correlated with castration-resistance in prostate cancer. Although HGF has been considered as an attractive target for therapeutic antibodies, the lack of cross-reactivity of monoclonal antibodies with human/mouse HGFs is a major obstacle in preclinical developments. We generated a panel of anti-HGF RabMAbs either blocking HGF/c-Met interaction or inhibiting c-Met phosphorylation. We selected one RabMAb with mouse cross-reactivity and demonstrated that it blocked HGF-stimulated downstream activation in PC-3 and DU145 cells. Anti-HGF RabMAb inhibited not only the growth of PC-3 cells but also HGF-dependent proliferation in HUVECs. We further demonstrated the efficacy and potency of the anti-HGF RabMAb in tumor xenograft mice models. Through these in vitro and in vivo experiments, we explored a novel therapeutic antibody for advanced prostate cancer.

We investigated the effectiveness of celecoxib in reducing symptoms in patients with difficult chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), NIH category IIIA. Sixty-four patients with category IIIA CPPS were randomized into two groups of 32 subjects each. One group was treated with celecoxib (200 mg daily) and the other with placebo. All patients underwent treatment for 6 weeks and were evaluated clinically before (baseline) and after 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of treatment. The evaluation included the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and a subjective global assessment (SGA). Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate treatment and time effects and their interaction. A decrease (means +/- SD) in total NIH-CPSI score from 23.91 +/- 5.27 to 15.88 +/- 2.51 in the celecoxib group and from 24.25 +/- 5.09 to 19.50 +/- 2.50 in the placebo group was observed during treatment (0 to 6 weeks). A statistically significant decrease was observed in pain subscore (P < 0.006), quality of life subscore (P < 0.032) and total NIH-CPSI score (P < 0.015) after 2, 4 and 6 weeks, but not in urinary subscore. In addition, 38% of the celecoxib and 13% of the placebo subjects had at least a moderate improvement in SGA. The trend was similar for the NIH-CPSI scores. However, the response to treatment in terms of total NIH-CPSI score or subscore was not significantly different from placebo after interruption of treatment for 2 weeks. Our results show that celecoxib provides significant symptomatic improvement limited to the duration of the therapy in patients with difficult category IIIA CPPS compared to placebo.

To evaluate the clinical value of sonography in the diagnosis and typing of renal tuberculosis.A total of 258 cases of renal tuberculosis with complete sonographic data were reviewed. The distinguishing features of the ultrasound images of these cases were retrospectively analyzed.The coincidence rate of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of renal tuberculosis was 58.9% (152/258). According to the distinguishing features of the ultrasound images, renal tuberculosis could be classified under six types. Type I: nephrectasia type, 23 cases; type II: hydrops type, 21 cases; type III: empyema type, 13 cases; type IV: inflammatory and atrophy type, 15 cases; type V: calcification type, 34 cases; type VI: mixed type, 46 cases.Ultrasonographic examination has convenient, low-priced and non-invasive advantages. The typing of renal tuberculosis based on the distinguishing features of the ultrasound images provides important and reliable information for the clinical diagnosis, differential diagnosis and treatment of renal tuberculosis.

To evaluate spiral CT urography (SCTU) and CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE) in detecting urologic diseases.SCTU was performed in 46 patients with urological diseases including renal neoplasms (2), paropelvic cysts (2), ureteral calculi (6), ureteral stenosis (4), ureteral neoplasms (2), double kidneys and ureter malformation (1), bladder neoplasms (28) and bladder endometreosis (1). The 6 patients with ureteral diseases and 29 patients with bladder diseases underwent CTVE based on spiral CT scan. All CTVE findings were compared with those of B-mode ultrosonography, intravenous urography (IVU), retrograde pyelography (RGP), conventional CT or cystoscopy.All upper urinary tract diseases and bladder diseases (28 cases) were detected by SCTU and CTVE scans and they were confirmed operatively or pathologically except one case of bladder neoplasm (diameter less than 5 mm) was missed.SCTU and CTVE have proved to be non-invasive and reliable in the diagnosis of urological diseases and are superior to IVU or conventional CT. CTVE can serve as a supplementary method to fiberoptic cystoscopy or ureteroscopy.