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“Purpose: We evaluated the incidence of cryptorchidism and inguinal hernias in patients with posterior urethral valves, and compared characteristics in patients with and without cryptorchidism AP26113 purchase or inguinal hernia.

Materials and Methods: A total of 200 patients with posterior urethral valves treated

between 1953 and 2003 were identified from a hospital database. Patient records were retrospectively reviewed. The state of testicular descent and the presence of inguinal hernias were recorded in 192 patients. Patient characteristics were analyzed.

Results: Of 192 patients 31 (16%) had cryptorchidism, which was bilateral in 9 (29%). A total of 21 patients (11%) had inguinal hernias that were not associated with cryptorchid testes. The patients with cryptorchidism, and to some extent the patients with hernias, appeared to have a more severe form of posterior urethral valves than those without cryptorchidism. At the time of diagnosis the median serum creatinine concentration was 100 mu mol/l (range 38

to 460) in boys with cryptorchidism and 87 (14 to 593) in boys without cryptorchidism (p = 0.131). At 6-month followup the median serum creatinine levels were 90 mu mol/l (range 31 to 573) in patients with cryptorchidism and 45 (19 to 504) in patients without cryptorchidism (p = 0.006). Cryptorchidism was also more common CH5424802 price in cases

diagnosed neonatally compared to those diagnosed at a later age (14 of 52 patients, 27% vs 14 of 112, 12.5%, respectively, p = 0.027).

Conclusions: The incidence of cryptorchidism and inguinal hernias requiring surgery is high in patients with posterior urethral valves. Patients with cryptorchidism appear to have a more severe form not of posterior urethral valves than those with normal testes.”
“The etiology of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is thought to involve interplay between environmental factors and predisposing genetic traits, although the identification of genetic risk factors remain elusive. The neurotoxicant, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrimidine (MPTP) produces parkinsonian-like symptoms and pathology in mice and humans. As sensitivity to MPTP is genetically determined in mice this provides an opportunity to identify genes and biological mechanisms that modify the response to an exogenous agent that produces a Parkinson’s disease-like condition. MPTP primarily targets dopaminergic nerve terminals in the striatum and elicits changes in striatal gene expression. Therefore, we used Affymetrix(R) and qRT-PCR technology to characterize temporal mRNA changes in striatum in response to MPTP in genetically MPTP-sensitive, C57BL/6J, and MPTP-resistant Swiss Webster and BCL2-associated X protein (Bax)-/- mice. We identified three phases of mRNA expression changes composed of largely distinct gene sets.