The genome consists of 6,611 nucleotides, excluding the 3′ poly(A) tail, and has two open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 maps between nucleotide positions 19 and 4211 and encodes a 1,396-amino-acid this website (aa) polyprotein precursor consisting of nonstructural protein and putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and ORF2 maps between nucleotide positions 4202 and 6531 and encodes a 775-aa polyprotein which is a capsid precursor protein. The genome sequence of the virus was distinct enough from those of the known PoAstVs to be considered a novel sequence. Phylogenetic analysis based on the predicted amino acid sequence of the complete capsid region

showed that this strain may be a novel porcine astrovirus.”
“Cyclic-AMP response element binding (CREB) protein regulates the expression of many genes involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Increased CREB levels were found in the brain of antidepressant-treated rats and decreased protein and mRNA expression of CREB was reported in the postmortem brain of depressed suicide victims. We determined CREB protein expression, using Western blot technique, and CRE-DNA AZ 628 cell line binding, using gel shift assay, in neutrophils obtained from 22 drug-free patients

with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 23 normal control subjects. Diagnosis of patients was based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV criteria: severity of illness was rated by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). We found that the CRE-DNA binding activity and CREB protein expression were significantly decreased in the neutrophils of drug-free MDD patients compared with normal control subjects. Our findings

suggest that CREB may play an important role in the pathophysiology of depression and that it may be an important target for the therapeutic action of antidepressant drugs. Neutrophil CREB levels may also serve as a useful biomarker for patients with MDD. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Equine herpesvirus type 9 (EHV-9), which we isolated from a case of epizootic encephalitis in a herd of Thomson’s gazelles (Gazella thomsoni) in 1993, has been known to cause fatal encephalitis AZD2014 in vivo in Thomson’s gazelle, giraffe, and polar bear in natural infections. Our previous report indicated that EHV-9 was similar to the equine pathogen equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), which mainly causes abortion, respiratory infection, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy. We determined the genome sequence of EHV-9. The genome has a length of 148,371 bp and all 80 of the open reading frames (ORFs) found in the genome of EHV-1. The nucleotide sequences of the ORFs in EHV-9 were 86 to 95% identical to those in EHV-1. The whole genome sequence should help to reveal the neuropathogenicity of EHV-9.”
“The rapid socioeconomic transition in post-communist Hungary adversely affected the overall morbidity and mortality rates in the 1990s. Prevalence data on depressive disorders from the region are still scarce, however.

Furthermore, transmission electron PSI-7977 price microscopy was carried out, confirming the presence of Weibel-Palade bodies that are characteristic ultrastructures of vascular endothelial cells. In conclusion, we established

a simple and economical technique to isolate and culture PAECs from rat pulmonary arteries. These PAECs exhibit features consistent with vascular endothelial cells, and they could subsequently be used to study pathophysiological mechanisms involving the pulmonary arterial endothelium. (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Polyol-responsive monoclonal antibodies (PR-mAbs) are useful for the purification of proteins in an easy, one step immunoaffinity step. These antibodies allow for gentle purification of proteins and protein complexes using a combination of a low molecular weight polyhydroxylated compound (polyol) and a non-chaotrophic salt in the eluting buffer. mAb 8RB13 has been characterized as one of these PR-mAbs and has been used to purify RNA polymerase from five species of bacteria. Here the epitope for 8RB13 has been identified as PEEKLLRAIFGEKAS, a sequence that is highly conserved in the beta-subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase. This sequence is located in the “”beta-flap”" domain of RNA polymerase

(and essentially comprises the “”flap-tip helix”"), an important binding ISRIB purchase site for sigma70. This location explains why only the core RNAP is purified using this

mAb. This amino acid sequence has been developed into an epitope tag that can be used to purify a target protein from either bacterial or eukaryotic cells when genetically fused to a protein of interest. (c) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“Background: Circulating factors delivered to the nodose ganglion (NG) by the occipital artery (OA) have been shown to affect vagal afferent activity, and thus the contractile Ispinesib mw state of the OA may influence blood flow to the NG. Methods: OA were isolated and bisected into proximal and distal segments relative to the external carotid artery. Results: Bisection highlighted stark differences between maximal contractile responses and OA sensitivity. Specifically, maximum responses to vasopressin and the V-1 receptor agonist were significantly higher in distal than proximal segments. Distal segments were significantly more sensitive to 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and the 5-HT2 receptor agonist than proximal segments. Angiotensin II (AT)(2), V-2 and 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonists did not elicit vascular responses. Additionally, AT(1) receptor agonists elicited mild, yet not significantly different maximal responses between segments. Conclusion: The results of this study are consistent with contractile properties of rat OA being mediated via AT(1), V-1 and 5-HT2 receptors and dependent upon the OA segment.

This results in the paradoxical prediction that when the grouping benefit/grouping cost ratio increases, the average group sizes might decrease, since smaller groups will be able to withstand www.selleckchem.com/products/gdc-0032.html synchronization challenges. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The present study examined the effects of basal ganglia and cerebellar pathology on bimanual coordination using patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and cerebellar dysfunction (CD). Twenty patients with idiopathic PD (10 untreated early and 10 advanced PD), 10 patients with

cerebellar degeneration, and 11 normal subjects were instructed to perform in-phase and anti-phase bimanual coordination movements. The results indicated that while the quality of coordinated bimanual movements in untreated early PD and CD patients was not significantly this website different from that of normal controls, advanced PD patients exhibited reduced synchronized coordination during the faster anti-phase mode. This suggests that the observed

bimanual coordination abnormalities in PD are not an early sign of the pathophysiology of the disease, and cerebellar degeneration may have minimal consequences on synchronized coordination between the limbs. In terms of the parameterization of individual limb movements, CD patients showed a tendency for hypermetric impairments with more irregular movements, while PD patients exhibited relatively slower limb movements and lower amplitudes than normal controls. Overall, the current data provide evidence of the specific functions of different neural structures involved www.selleck.cn/products/tpca-1.html in the pathological process of PD and CD on bimanual coordination. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Mathematical models to describe period-memorizing behavior in Physarum plasmodium are reported. In constructing the model, we first examine the basic characteristics required for the class of models, then create a minimal linear model to fulfill these requirements. We also propose two modifications

of the minimal model, nonlinearization and noise addition, which improve the reproducibility of experimental evidences. Differences in the mechanisms and in the reproducibility of experiments between our models and the previous models are discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The specific aim of this study was to elucidate the role of mitochondria in a neuronal death caused by different metabolic effectors and possible role of intracellular calcium ions ([Ca(2+)](i)) and glutamine in mitochondria- and non-mitochondria-mediated cell death. Inhibition of mitochondria] complex I by rotenone was found to cause intensive death of cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs) that was preceded by an increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). The neuronal death induced by rotenone was significantly potentiated by glutamine.

Women had significantly better results than men and privately insured individuals had better results than those with Medicare, indicating a potential age effect.”
“Peripheral orthopaedic surgery induces a profound inflammatory

response. This includes a substantial increase in cytokines and, especially, in the level of interleukin (IL)-1 beta in the hippocampus, which has been shown to impair hippocampal-dependent memory in mice. We have employed two tests of contextual SB431542 in vitro remote memory to demonstrate that the inflammatory response to surgical insult in mice also results in impairment of remote memory associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC). We have also found that, under the conditions presented in the social interaction test, peripheral orthopaedic surgery does not increase anxiety-like behaviour in our animal model. Although such surgery induces an increase in the level of IL-1 beta in the hippocampus, it fails to do so in the PFC. Peripheral orthopaedic surgery also results in a reduction in the level of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and this may contribute, in part, to the memory impairment found after such surgery. Our data suggest that a reduction in the GSK621 concentration level of hippocampal BDNF and an increase in the level of hippocampal IL-1 beta following surgery may affect the transference of fear memory in the mouse brain. (C) 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: We

compared surgical outcomes of mini laparoscopic and open herniorrhaphy in infants.

Materials and Methods: We enrolled 55 infants

undergoing herniorrhaphy, of whom 24 underwent mini laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (bilateral in 17, unilateral in 7) and 31 open herniorrhaphy (bilateral in 9, unilateral in 22). Mean +/- SD patient age was 7.17 +/- 4.21 months in the mini laparoscopic and 5.39 +/- 4.11 months in the open groups (p = 0.37). During laparoscopy a contralateral patent processus vaginalis of 2 cm or greater was noted and repaired simultaneously FG-4592 clinical trial in 13 of 20 infants (65%) initially diagnosed with unilateral hernia.

Results: Mean +/- SD followup was 22.9 +/- 10.5 months in the mini laparoscopic group and 20.2 +/- 10.5 months in the open group (p = 0.20). Contralateral metachronous inguinal hernia manifested in 4 of 22 patients (18%) initially presenting with unilateral hernia in the open group and in no patient in the mini laparoscopic group (p < 0.05). Recurrence was noted in 1 of the 40 open herniorrhaphy sites and in none of the 41 mini laparoscopic herniorrhaphy sites (p = 0.49). For unilateral repair mean +/- SD operative time was significantly longer in the mini laparoscopic group (80.00 +/- 18.97 minutes) compared to the open group (51.15 +/- 23.27 minutes, p < 0.05). For bilateral repair mean +/- SD operative time was comparable between the 2 groups (82.52 +/- 14.74 minutes for mini laparoscopy and 95.62 +/- 20.62 minutes for open repair, p = 0.35).

We used a startling acoustic stimulus (SAS), which has been shown to trigger prepared movements involuntarily at short latencies via an increase in cortical activation, to probe the similarity of these processes and elicit movement responses in imagery and observation trials. Startle trials were interspersed with control trials while participants (n=16) performed or imagined a right hand key lift or observed a model perform this website the key lift. During physical movement trials, intended movements were triggered by the SAS at a short latency

(RT=78 ms) in comparison to control trials (RT=110 ms). During imagery and observation, unimanual partial movements (assessed by force change and muscle activation) were elicited by the SAS, providing novel behavioural learn more evidence for a functional similarity between covert and overt movement preparation processes. Examination of the magnitude of the reflexive startle response (an index of motor preparation) during imagery and observation also revealed similarities to physical movement trials. We conclude that covert and overt movements involve similarities in motor preparation and neural pathways, and propose that movements do not normally occur during imagery and observation due to low

level neural activation. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Affect recognition (AR) is a core component of social information processing; thus, it may be critical to understanding social behavior and functioning in broader aspects of daily living. Deficits in AR are well documented in schizophrenia, but there is also evidence that many individuals with schizophrenia perform AR tasks at near-normal levels. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the functional

significance selleckchem of AR deficits in schizophrenia by comparing subgroups with normal-range and impaired AR performance on proxy and interviewer-rated measures of real-world functioning. Schizophrenia outpatients were classified as normal-range (N = 17) and impaired (N = 31) based on a logistic cut point in the sample distribution of Bell-Lysaker Emotion Recognition Task (BLERT) scores, referenced to a normative sample of healthy control subjects (N = 56). The derived schizophrenia subgroups were then compared on proxy [University of California San Diego Performance-Based Skill Assessment (UPSA), Social Skills Performance Assessment (SSPA), Medication Management Ability Assessment (MMAA)] and interviewer-rated [Quality of Life Scale (QLS), Independent Living Skills Survey (ILSS)) measures of functioning, as well as a battery of neurocognitive tests. Initial analyses indicated superior MMAA and QLS performance in the near-normal AR subgroup.

“
“Exercise reduces ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in the rat stroke model. We investigated whether preischemic exercise ameliorates blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction in stroke by reducing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression and strengthening basal lamina.

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a 30 min exercise program on a treadmill 5 days a week for 3 weeks. Stroke was induced by a 2-h middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion using an intraluminal filament in the exercised and non-exercised groups. Brain infarction was measured and neurological deficits were scored. BBB dysfunction was determined by examining brain edema and Evans Blue extravasation. Expression of collagen IV, the

major component of basal lamina essential for maintenance of the endothelial permeability barrier, was quantitatively detected by selleckchem Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Ex vivo techniques were used to compare Nirogacestat nmr collagen IV-labeled vessels in response to ischemic insult. Temporal relationship of expression of MMP-9 and its endogenous

inhibitor, the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), was determined by real-time PCR for mRNA and Western blot for protein during reperfusion.

Brain edema and Evans Blue leakage were both significantly (P<0.01) reduced after stroke in the exercised group, in association with reduced brain infarct volume and neurological deficits. Western blot analysis indicated that exercise enhanced collagen IV expression and reduced the collagen loss after stroke. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that collagen IV-labeled vessels were significantly (P<0.01) increased in exercised rats. In the ex vivo study, after exercised brains were incubated with ischemic brain tissue, a significantly (P<0.01) higher level of collagen IV-labeled Cell Cycle inhibitor vessels was observed as compared with non-exercised brains following the same treatment. The ex vivo study also revealed a key role of MMP-9 in exercise-strengthened collagen IV expression against I/R injury. TIMP-1 protein levels were significantly (P<0.01) increased by exercise.

Our

results indicate that pre-ischemic exercise reduces brain injury by improving BBB function and enhancing basal lamina integrity in stroke. This study suggests that the neuroprotective effect of physical exercise is associated with an imbalance of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 expression. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IBRO.”
“Microarray technology has advanced toward analysis of toxic occupational exposures in biological systems. Microarray analysis is an ideal way to search for biomarkers of exposure, even if no specific gene or pathway has been identified. Analysis may now be performed on thousands of genes simultaneously, as opposed to small numbers of genes as in the past. This ability has been put to use to analyze gene expression profiles of a variety of occupational toxins in animal models to classify toxins into specific categories based on response.

Measures of tau and beta-amyloid in CSF, MTL atrophy on MRI, and performance on delayed memory tasks were extracted from the papers or obtained from the investigators.

Results. Twenty-one MRI studies and 14 CSF Studies

were retrieved. The effect sizes of total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta 42 (a beta 42) ranged from 0.91 to 1.11. The effect size of MTL atrophy was 0.75. Memory performance had an effect size of 1.06. MTL atrophy and memory impairment tended to increase MK-4827 chemical structure when assessed closer to the moment of diagnosis, whereas effect sizes of CSF biomarkers tended to increase when assessed longer before the diagnosis.

Conclusions. Memory impairment is a more accurate predictor of early AD than atrophy of MTL on MRI, whereas CSF abnormalities

and memory impairment are about equally predictive. Consequently, the CSF and MRI biomarkers are not very sensitive to preclinical AD. CSF markers remain promising, but studies with long follow-up periods in elderly subjects who are normal at baseline are needed to evaluate this promise.”
“Background. Panic disorder (PD) is generally considered to be a chronic or intermittent disorder. This view may be biased because of a lack of general population studies investigating panic from the onset of an episode onwards. Data regarding the course of subthreshold panic disorder (sub-PD) and predictors of its course are lacking.

Method. Using data from a large community-based survey, the Netherlands Temsirolimus Mental Health and Incidence Study (NEMESIS), Galunisertib order that retrospectively assessed

the 2-year course of panic with a Life Chart Interview (LCI), this Study investigated remission, chronicity and recurrence in subjects with new episodes of PD or sub-PD. Predictor variables of remission consisted of sociodemographics, psychobiological, environmental, psychiatric and panic-related factors.

Results. In PD, remission of panic attacks occurred in 64.5% of subjects, mean time to remission was 5.7 months, and the remission rate was 5.8/100 person-months. In 43.3%, of subjects panic was still present after 1 year. Recurrence of panic attacks occurred in 21.4%, of those with PD who had achieved remission and for whom sufficient follow-tip time was available. In general, the Course of sub-PD was more favourable. Predictors of remission were female gender, the absence of ongoing difficulties, subthreshold panic and a low initial frequency of attacks.

Conclusions. These results Suggest that the Course of panic is diverse in the general population, thereby underlining the need for accurate predictors. This requires further research including biological data and additional psychological data. In addition, given the large proportion with a relapse, relapse prevention should be part of any treatment programme.

Muscle samples were obtained from eight nonexercising women (70 +/- 2 years) before and after 12 weeks of training (20-45 minutes of cycle exercise per session at 60%-80% heart rate reserve, three to four sessions per week). Training elevated MHC I mRNA (p < .10) and protein (p < .05) in mixed-muscle (54% +/- 4% to 61% +/- 2%) and single myofibers (42% +/- 4% to 52% +/- 3%). The increase

in MHC I protein was positively correlated (p < .05) with improvements in whole muscle power. Training resulted in a general downregulation of MHC IIa and IIx at the mRNA and protein levels. The training-induced Selinexor research buy increase in MHC I protein and mRNA demonstrates the maintenance of skeletal muscle plasticity with aging. Furthermore, these data suggest that a shift toward an oxidative MHC phenotype may be beneficial for metabolic and functional health in older DNA Damage inhibitor individuals.”
“Heritable

surnames are highly diverse cultural markers of coancestry in human populations. A patrilineal surname is inherited in the same way as the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome and there should, therefore, be a correlation between the two. Studies of Y haplotypes within surnames, mostly of the British Isles, reveal high levels of coancestry among surname cohorts and the influence of confounding factors, including multiple founders for names, non-paternities and genetic drift. Combining molecular genetics and surname analysis illuminates population structure and history, has potential applications in forensic studies and, in the form of ‘genetic genealogy’, is an area of rapidly growing interest for the public.”
“BACKGROUND: Type II odontoid fractures with additional chip fragments are rare in clinical practice, accounting for <

10% of all odontoid fractures. Hadley et al were the first to describe these Ganetespib solubility dmso fractures as an individual subtype (IIA).

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcome of patients after surgical or nonoperative treatment of Hadley type IIA odontoid fractures.

METHODS: We analyzed the records of 46 patients at an average of 64 years of age at the time of injury. Twenty-five patients underwent surgical stabilization by anterior screw fixation and were entered into study group A; 21 patients were treated non-operatively by halo vest immobilization and included in study group B.

RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (84%) returned to their preinjury activity level and were satisfied with their treatment. Using the Cervical Spine Outcomes Questionnaire to quantify the clinical outcome, we had an overall outcome score of 21.8. We did not find a significant difference in the overall clinical outcome between study groups. Bony fusion was achieved in 35 patients (80%). We had a nonunion rate of 13% after anterior screw fixation and a significantly higher rate of 30% after halo vest immobilization.

This unique vertex is also believed to comprise the site with which a molecular motor, termed the terminase, associates during the DNA packaging Veliparib reaction. In HSV, the terminase likely comprises

the U(L)15, U(L)28, and U(L)33 proteins (pU(L)15, pU(L)28, and pU(L)33, respectively). The current study was undertaken to identify portal domains required for interaction with the terminase. Both the amino and carboxyl termini, as well as amino acids 422 to 443 of pU(L)6 forming a putative leucine zipper motif, were critical for coimmunoprecipitation with pU(L)15 in the absence of other viral proteins. Amino acids 422 to 443 were also necessary for interaction with pU(L)28 in the absence of other viral proteins. By using an engineered recombinant virus, it was further determined that although amino acids 422 to 443 were dispensable for interaction with scaffold protein and incorporation of portal protein into capsids, they were necessary for coimmunoprecipitation of pU(L)6 and pU(L)15 from infected cell lysates, association

of optimal levels of pU(L)15, pU(L)28, and pU(L)33 with capsids, and DNA cleavage and packaging. These data identify a portal protein domain critical for terminase association with the capsid and suggest that both the pU(L)15- and pU(L)28-bearing terminase subunits mediate docking of the terminase with the portal vertex.”
“Various stimuli, such as ischemia/hypoxia enhance newborn cell survival

in the Selleck SC75741 subventricular H 89 research buy zone and their migration tangentially in chains toward the olfactory bulb. The present study assessed the fate of newborn neurons from subventricular zone to olfactory bulb under conditions of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, and examined the role of cAMP-responsive element binding protein signaling on the survival of these neurons by using cilostazol, a potent inhibitor of type III phosphodiesterase. Rats underwent bilateral common carotid artery ligation. They were divided into sham-operated (n=70), vehicle- (n=70), and type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor-treated (n=70) groups. Immunohistochemically-stained section for 5-bromodeoxyuridine and a series of neuronal and glial markers were analyzed at days 7, 14, 21 and 28 after hypoperfusion. The reduction of olfactory bulb size gradually progressed in the vehicle group (P < 0.05), but not in the sham-operated and type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor-treated group. The subventricular zone of the vehicle-treated rats contained significantly larger numbers of newborn neuroblasts after hypoperfusion, compared with sham-operated rats (P < 0.05), but significantly lower numbers in the rostral migratory stream and olfactory bulb (P < 0.05). Treatment of rats with type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor increased the number of neuroblasts and enhanced the survival and differentiation of cells (P < 0.05).

Results: We included 38 articles with CB-5083 research buy a total of 5,976 patients. The overall RR of death in those with HER-2/neu over expression in the primary tumor was 1.63 (95% CI 1.47-1.82, p <0.0001). In the presence of over expression the recurrence RR was 1.87 (95% CI 1.59-2.21, p <0.0001). High HER-2/neu extracellular domain levels also correlated with death (RR 2.01, 95% CI 1.21-3.35, p = 0.007) and recurrence (RR 1.74, 95% CI 1.41-2.15, p <0.0001).

Conclusions: There is a consistent association of HER-2/neu over expression and Gleason less than 7 with a higher RR of death and recurrence in patients with prostate cancer. Further clinical trials should test the hypothesis that HER-2/neu is a marker

of a clinically worse outcome in patients with prostate cancer and a potential target for therapy.”
“Purpose: The emergence and spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with resistance to oral antibiotics have led to difficulty in treating gonorrhea. We review drug resistance in N. gonorrhoeae with a particular emphasis on resistance to fluoroquinolones, cefixime and azithromycin.

Materials and Methods: Literature selected from peer reviewed journals listed in MEDLINE (R)/PubMed (R) from 1943 to 2009 and from resources cited in those articles was reviewed comprehensively.

Results: Due to the spread of fluoroquinolone resistant N. gonorrhoeae

fluoroquinolones are no longer recommended for the treatment of gonorrhea. The emergence of N. gonorrhoeae with a mosaic penicillin-binding protein 2 associated with oral QNZ cost cephalosporin resistance has threatened cefixime treatment for gonorrhea. Emergence of N. E7080 gonorrhoeae with

high level resistance to azithromycin has also been documented. However, injectable antibiotics (sepctinomycin and ceftriaxone) retain their activity against N. gonorrhoeae. To monitor drug resistance in N. gonorrhoeae several national and international programs have become functional.

Conclusions: Oral regimens for the treatment of gonorrhea are limited. At present to our knowledge ceftriaxone is the most reliable and available agent for the treatment of gonorrhea. To prevent the further emergence and international spread of drug resistance, and allow for the selection of appropriate treatments, a comprehensive global program is needed including surveillance for drug resistance in N. gonorrhoeae and collection of patient epidemiological data. Clinicians should effectively treat patients with gonorrhea, always being conscious of local trends of drug resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, and should perform culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in those with persistent gonorrhea after treatment.”
“Purpose: Sunitinib is an approved treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. We performed a prospective clinical trial to evaluate the safety and clinical response to sunitinib administered before nephrectomy in patients with localized or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma.