Results: The most ideal pseudotumor models were created from a mixture of gelatin, Metamucil (R) and methylene blue (metagel) or from Kromopan (R) hydrocolloid. We created 33 tumors 0.5 to 3.5 cm in size (mean 2.8). All

tumors were a solid palpable mass on gross examination and ultrasonography revealed clearly visible hyperechoic lesions in 30 of 33. A renal vein tumor pseudothrombus model was successfully created in 3 pigs. We successfully performed robotic excision of pseudotumors, including partial nephrectomy for 16 and radical nephrectomy with renal vein thrombectomy for 3. Percutaneous needle core biopsy under ultrasound guidance was also successfully performed.

Conclusions: We describe what is to our knowledge a novel technique of creating solid renal tumors and tumor thrombi that can be used for training in minimally invasive kidney surgery.”
“Natural Cell Cycle inhibitor antisense transcripts and overlapping sense transcripts are expressed in a variety of tissues, including adult mouse brain. Here we show that a subset of mRNA-like sense-antisense transcript pairs are co-expressed within synaptoneurosomes of adult mouse forebrain, a subcellular fraction that is enriched click here in pinched-off dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons. Several of these pairs involve mRNAs that have been implicated in synaptic functions and in Alzheimer disease pathways. This study provides evidence that a new class of noncoding

RNAs (natural antisense transcripts) are expressed near synapses, and encourages further studies of their roles in neuronal function. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: WAVE1 belongs to the Wiskott-Aldrich

syndrome family of proteins, which have an integral part in cell motility, a crucial step in cancer metastasis. We investigated the expression pattern and the effects of manipulating endogenous WAVE1 expression in prostate cancer cells.

Materials and Methods: WAVE1 protein expression in normal and cancer specimens, and in prostate cell lines was assessed using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Hammerhead IWR1 ribozyme transgenes were synthesized and cloned into the mammalian expression vector pEF6/V5-His TOPO TA, and transfected by electroporation into PC-3(Delta W1R1/2) and DU-145(Delta W1R1/2) cell lines. In vitro invasion, adhesion and growth assays were used to assess the impact of WAVE1 knockdown.

Results: Immunohistochemistry of prostate tissue specimens showed that the cytoplasm of cancer cells had stronger staining than normal epithelium. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for WAVE1 showed strong expression in the PC-3 (European Collection of Cell Cultures, Salisbury, United Kingdom) and DU-145 (ATCC (R)) cell lines. WAVE1 knockdown was associated with a significant decrease in invasion but not in adhesion. The mean +/- SEM number of invading PC-3(Delta W1R1) and PC-3(Delta W1R2) cells was 7.27 +/- 0.