Semi-rigid ureteroscopy: Proximal versus distal ureteral stones

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of semi-rigid ureteroscopy in proximal and distal ureteral stones, and to compare the operative and perioperative characteristics between the two stone groups. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent semi-rigid ureteroscopy for management of ureteral stones at the International Medical Center between June 2007 and September 2012. All stones were fragmented using Holmium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser lithotripter. Stones located above the pelvic brim are considered proximal and below it are distal. Results: One hundred and ninety-one patients were included. One hundred and three patients (54%) underwent ureteroscopy for proximal stones and 88 (46%) for distal stones. The stone size in the proximal group was 10 mm (±5.5) versus 8.6 mm (±5) in the distal group. The initial stone-free rate for proximal and distal calculi were 89–98.2%, respectively. The perioperative complication rate was higher in the proximal group 10% compared to the distal group which is 1.5% (P = 0.06). Both groups have the same average of hospital stay 1.2 days. Conclusion: Although there is a clinical difference between proximal and distal calculi groups in terms of complication and stone-free rates, this difference remained statistically insignificant (P = 0.06). Using a smaller caliber semi-rigid ureteroscopy combined with Holmium-YAG laser can be carried out as a day care procedure and showed a slightly higher risk in patients with proximal ureteral calculi which should be explained to the patien

Resveratrol-loaded PLGA nanoparticles mediated programmed cell death in prostate cancer cells

Resveratrol (RL), a natural polyphenol, is known for its diverse biological effects against various human cancer cell lines. But low aqueous solubility, poor bioavailability, and stability limit its efficacy against prostate cancer. In this study polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating resveratrol (RLPLGA) were designed and their cytotoxic and mode of apoptotic cells death against prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP) was determined. Nanoparticles were prepared by solvent displacement method and characterized for particle size, TEM, entrapment efficiency, DSC and drug release study. RLPLGA exhibited a significant decrease in cell viability with 50% and 90% inhibitory concentration (IC50 and IC90) of 15.6 ± 1.49 and 41.1 ± 2.19 μM respectively against the LNCaP cells. This effect was mediated by apoptosis as confirmed by cell cycle arrest at G1-S transition phase, externalization of phosphatidylserine, DNA nicking, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species generation in LNCaP cells. Furthermore, significantly greater cytotoxicity to LNCaP cells was observed with nanoparticles as compared to that of free RL at all tested concentrations. RLPLGA nanoparticles presented no adverse cytotoxic effects on murine macrophages even at 200 μM. Our findings support the potential use of developed resveratrol loaded nanoparticle for the prostate cancer chemoprevention/ chemotherapy with no adverse effect on normal cells. Keywords: Resveratrol, PLGA nanoparticles, Prostate cancer, LNCaP cells, Apoptosis, Drug deliver