OBJECTIVES To investigate the roles of glutathione and glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST) in cisplatin‐resistance mechanisms in human bladder cancer, by using glutathione‐depleting or GST‐blocking agents. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cisplatin‐resistant human bladder cancer cell lines were established by continuous exposure of T24 cells to increasing concentrations of cisplatin. Buthionine sulphoximine (BSO), ethacrynic acid and indomethacin were used to deplete glutathione or block GST. Intracellular glutathione content, GST activity and cisplatin cytotoxicity were determined after exposing parental and drug‐resistant cell lines to these agents. RESULTS Intracellular glutathione content and GST activity were significantly decreased, and cisplatin cytotoxicity significantly enhanced, in both parental and resistant cell lines by glutathione‐depleting or GST‐blocking agents. However, the resistance of cisplatin‐resistant cell lines did not fully recover to that of the parental cells with combined BSO and indomethacin. CONCLUSIONS Both increased glutathione content and GST activity are significant in the cisplatin resistance of human bladder tumour cells. Because BSO, ethacrynic acid and indomethacin caused a partial recovery of resistance in the cisplatin‐resistant cell line, further studies are needed to investigate their efficacy for treating patients with metastatic bladder carcinoma resistant to cisplatin.

A 3-year-old girl with a history of continuous urinary incontinence was found to have a right single-system ectopic ureter. She underwent laparoendoscopic single-site nephrectomy without any intraoperative or postoperative complications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of a laparoendoscopic single-site nephrectomy for single-system ectopic ureter in a child.

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A retrospective analysis was performed to determine whether ultrasound could reliably rule in or out retained products of conception (POC) in women after firsMrimester spontaneous abortions (miscarriages). Ninety-seven first-trimester pregnancies with pathologically proven results from dilatation and curettage (D&:C) were studied within 7 days of ultrasound ex· amination (60% within 2 days), either by the abdominal or a combination of abdominal and vaginal approaches. Cases were eliminated if there was clinical evidence of a spontaneous evacuation of POC during the interval between the ultrasound and the D&:C. POC were diagnosed only if chorionic villi were evident pathologically. The pertinent ultrasound findings were related to the endometrium (thickness, echogenicity, a

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Our findings suggest that CYP2E1 and NQO1 genotypes may play an important role in development of smoking related bladder cancer among Korean men.

The widespread use of prenatal ultrasound results in an increased recognition of fetal hydronephrosis. To determine clinical characteristics and postnatal outcome of fetal hydronephrosis, we performed a retrospective study in children diagnosed as having fetal hydronephrosis between 1990 and 2001. 341 children with 427 dilated kidneys were included. Dilatation of the renal pelvis was caused by primary ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 65.6%, multicystic kidney in 9.4%, vesicoureteral reflux in 7.0%, duplex system in 5.4%, ureterovesical junction obstruction in 4.0%, and posterior urethral valves in 3.0%. Hydronephrosis resolved spontaneously in 126 (29.5%) kidneys, with 52.7% of mild hydronephrosis, and 2.6% of severe hydronephrosis. Mean interval to spontaneous resolution was 1.39 (+/- 1.41, SD) yr. Surgery was performed in 174 kidneys, including pyeloplasty in 105, ureteroneocystostomy in 23, transurethral incision in 11 and nephrectomy in 9. Most patients had initially high-grade hydronephrosis (p<0.05). Mild hydronephrosis appears to be relatively benign, and in most cases, dilatation improves with time, and thus surgical intervention is not required. On the other hand, moderate or severe hydronephrosis often results in a significantly poor outcome and requires surgical intervention, and therefore, requires closer follow-up both antenatally and postnatally.

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