We review the scope and limits of theoretical accounts of musical

We review the scope and limits of theoretical accounts of musical prediction with respect to feature-based and temporal prediction. While the concept of prediction is unproblematic for basic single-stream features such as melody, it is not straight-forward for polyphonic structures or higher-order features such as formal predictions. Behavioural results based on explicit and implicit (priming) paradigms provide evidence of priming in various domains that may reflect predictive behaviour. Computational learning models, including symbolic (fragment-based), probabilistic/graphical, or connectionist approaches, provide well-specified Rabusertib predictive

models of specific features and feature combinations. While models match some experimental results, full-fledged music prediction cannot yet be modelled. Neuroscientific results regarding the early right-anterior negativity

(ERAN) and mismatch negativity (MMN) reflect expectancy violations on different levels of processing complexity, and provide some neural evidence for different predictive mechanisms. At present, the combinations of neural and computational modelling methodologies are at early stages and require further research. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Recent advances in functional brain imaging offer unique opportunities to explore the neurofunctional basis selleck products of tools used to assess personality differences which have proven their clinical usefulness. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, Pexidartinib ic50 the focus was on the amygdala

activation and we investigated whether individual differences in activity of the amygdala following presentation of emotional expressions in the face and the whole body may be systematically related to the presence of Type D (distressed) personality or to its constituting factors, Negative Affectivity (NA) and Social Inhibition (SI). Our results show that the observed difference in amygdala activity between fearful and neutral expressions was present in participants that did not meet the criteria for Type D personality, while this effect was absent in participants that could be classified as Type D personality. Our correlation analyses further showed that the activation in the left amygdala elicited by fearful, versus neutral bodily expressions correlated negatively with the Negative Affectivity score. The same pattern was observed for the right amygdala for fearful facial and bodily expressions when contrasted with neutral facial and bodily expressions. (C) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“Objective:\n\nDenture adhesives have long been recognised by denture wearers as a useful adjunct to denture retention and stability.

The optimal conditions were as follows: capillary total and effec

The optimal conditions were as follows: capillary total and effective lengths

of 48.5 and 40.0 cm, respectively, with 50 check details mu m id; 70 mM borate buffer (pH 8.8) containing 65 mM CHOL and 10 mM MAPS; temperature 20 degrees C and voltage 16 kV. Separation of all the compounds, including R- and S-epimers of budesonide, was obtained in a reasonable time. Validation of the method was performed for both drug substances and drug product.”
“Poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) tethered polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS-PSS) was synthesized and used as star-like dopant for the preparation of core-shell polyaniline/POSS-PSS (PANI/POSS-PSS) nanoparticles. The prepared aqueous emulsion shows good processibility and high stability. The electrochemical characteristics and electrochromic properties of PANI/POSS-PSS were studied. selleck screening library In comparison with polyaniline (PANI) doped with linear PSS dopant, the star-like POSS-PSS dopant renders PANI/POSS-PSS-based electrochromic device higher optical contrast and faster switching speed owing to the faster ion transportation resulting from the porous morphology of PANI/POSS-PSS. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Background

and aim of the study: Mitral annulus mechanics are related to annular dilatation, and are not well understood. The study aim was to develop a method to measure regional annulus tension (AT) during valve closure, and to understand its role in annular dilatation.\n\nMethods: A porcine mitral valve was harvested and mounted on a mitral valve closure test rig with the papillary muscles held in the normal position. The mitral valve annulus tissue rested on a plastic ring on which it was able to slide freely, there being no restriction in the interface between the annulus and the ring. The annulus was pulled by strings in the periphery during valve closure under a hydrostatic trans-mitral pressure. The string tensions were measured and further divided by string spacing to obtain the AT. A total of 10 mitral valves was tested.\n\nResults: The AT distribution along the anterolateral

annulus exhibited a concave curve. The anterior, commissural and posterior ATs were 40.0, 17.8, and 30.6 N/m, respectively, and the trans-mitral pressure 120 mmHg. The ATs in the three sections PF-03084014 supplier of the annulus were significantly different.\n\nConclusion: A novel method to measure AT has been developed successfully. The AT was lower in the commissural section of the annulus than in the anterior or posterior sections. This finding may suggest that the potential for annular dilatation in the commissural section is high.”
“With the discovery of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, it is now possible to convert differentiated somatic cells into multipotent stem cells that have the capacity to generate all cell types of adult tissues.

We also found Drosophila tropicalis to be infected with the wAu s

We also found Drosophila tropicalis to be infected with the wAu strain and a Drosophila paulistorum Andean-Brazilian semispecies laboratory

line to be infected with a wAu-like Wolbachia. Moreover, we observed that all Drosophila willistoni samples tested with the VNTR-141 marker harbor the same Wolbachia variant, wWil, either in populations from the South or the North of Brazil. Horizontal transfer events involving species of Old World immigrants and Neotropical species of the willistoni subgroup are discussed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.”
“The biocatalytic MI-503 chemical structure cascade conversion of ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate (COBE) to ethyl (R)-4-cyano-3-hydroxybutyrate ((R)-HN) for the preparation of atorvastatin represents significant economic and environmental benefits, and is catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase and halohydrin dehalogenase (HHDH). However, as the activity of HHDH is inhibited by COBE, the cascade reaction is an inefficient one-pot reaction. In this study, substrate inhibition kinetics analysis was performed and the inhibition by COBE was found to be competitive reversible inhibition. Molecular simulation analysis was used to determine the inhibition mechanism by COBE. The results showed that COBE bound to the active center of HHDH via the formation of hydrogen bonds with the OH groups of S132 and Y145. Site saturation mutagenesis of residues around the active site

and at the entrance find more of the access tunnel was performed, and two target mutant residues were identified, F136 and W249. Small focused mutagenesis on these two residues was performed and the F136V/W249F mutant was successfully found to relieve the activity inhibition of HHDH by COBE. The half inhibiting concentration of mutant F136V/W249F was found to be 20-fold higher than wild-type HHDH. The efficiency of the multi-enzymatic one-pot system for the synthesis of (R)-HN from COBE

using mutant F136V/W249F was improved significantly.”
“Heat shock proteins (HSP) are induced during cellular stress. Their role is to chaperone cellular proteins giving protection from denaturation and ultimately preventing cell death. Monocytes are key cells involved in atherosclerosis and are highly responsive to HSP induction. Therefore, we wished to examine monocyte Hsp70 expression and AZD6094 ic50 induction in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and in healthy controls.\n\nWe measured cellular Hsp70 levels in freshly isolated monocytes and released Hsp70 levels in plasma and monocyte culture supernatants, obtained from patients with PAD and from healthy controls. We assessed the effect of statin therapy on Hsp70 levels and examined monocyte cell survival in culture with and without immunological stress.\n\nMonocyte cellular Hsp70 was lower in patients with PAD compared to healthy controls (11.3 +/- 7.4 ng/10(6) cells vs 20.7 +/- 16.

15 (95% CI: 1 11-1 18)] significantly correlated with nonadherenc

15 (95% CI: 1.11-1.18)] significantly correlated with nonadherence. Missed opportunity was found in 59.7% (n = 20,465) of children who did not receive the second-dose varicella vaccine in spite of at least 1 outpatient visit and in 15.8% (n = 5407) who received some other vaccines during the follow-up period.\n\nConclusions: Efforts targeting non-Hispanic white and black children, parents with a high education level and family screening assay medicine physicians might improve uptake of the routine 2-dose varicella vaccination. Incorporation of a requirement

for the second-dose varicella vaccine into the school law might help achieve high adherence to the routine 2-dose varicella vaccination in school-age children.”
“Objective: We analyzed the diffusion and perfusion characteristics of acute MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episode) lesions in a large series to investigate the controversial changes of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) that were reported in prior studies.\n\nMaterials and Methods: We analyzed 44 newly appearing lesions during 28 stroke-like episodes in 13 patients with MELAS. We performed a visual assessment of the MR images including the ADC and perfusion maps, comparison of the ADC between the normal and abnormal areas, comparison of % ADC between the 44 MELAS lesions and the 30 acute ischemic see more infarcts. In addition, the patterns

of evolution on follow-up MR images were analyzed.\n\nResults: Decreased, increased, and normal ADCs were noted in 16 (36%), 16 (36%), and 12 (27%) lesions, respectively. The mean % ADC was 102 +/- 40.9% in the MELAS and 64 +/- 17.8% in the acute vascular infarcts (p < 0.001), white perfusion imaging demonstrated hyper-perfusion in six acute MELAS lesions. On follow-up images, resolution, progression,

and tissue loss were noted in 10, 4, and 17 lesions, respectively.\n\nConclusion: The cytotoxic edema gradually evolves following an acute stroke-like episode in patients with MELAS, and this may overlap with hyper-perfusion and vasogenic edema. The edematous selleck screening library swelling may be reversible or it may evolve to encephalomalacia, suggesting irreversible damage.”
“Phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC) is a stable carbon (C) fraction that has effects on long-term global C balance. Here, we report the phytolith and PhytOC accumulation in moso bamboo leaves developed on four types of parent materials. The results show that PhytOC content of moso bamboo varies with parent material in the order of granodiorite (2.0 g kg(-1)) bigger than granite (1.6 g kg(-1)) ? basalt (1.3 g kg(-1)) bigger than shale (0.7 g kg(-1)). PhytOC production flux of moso bamboo on four types of parent materials varies significantly from 1.0 to 64.8 kg CO2 ha(-1) yr(-1), thus a net 4.7 x 10(6) -310.8 x 106 kg CO2 yr(-1) would be sequestered by moso bamboo phytoliths in China.

Monotherapy with quetiapine seems to be efficacious in reducing s

Monotherapy with quetiapine seems to be efficacious in reducing symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder and this effect may be similar DMH1 to that of antidepressants. However, quetiapine’s efficacy must be weighed against its lower tolerability.”
“Previous Monte Carlo investigations of binary hard hyperspheres in four-dimensional mixtures are extended

to higher densities where the systems may solidify. The ratios of the diameters of the hyperspheres examined were 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6. Only the 0.4 system shows a clear two phase, solid-liquid transition and the larger component solidifies into a D-4 crystal state. Its pair correlation function agrees with that of a one component fluid at an appropriately scaled density. The 0.5 systems exhibit states that are a mix of D-4 and A(4) regions. The 0.6 systems behave similarly to a jammed state rather than solidifying into a crystal. No demixing into two distinct fluid phases was observed for any of the simulations. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. Alvespimycin purchase [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4789953]“
“We developed a highly sensitive displacement detection scheme for a GaAs-based electromechanical resonator using an integrated high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). Piezoelectric voltage generated by the vibration of the resonator is applied to the gate of the HEMT, resulting in the on-chip amplification of the signal voltage.

This detection scheme achieves a displacement sensitivity of similar to 9pm.Hz(-1/2), which is one of the highest among on-chip purely electrical

displacement detection schemes at room temperature. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics”
“California privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium Hassk.) plants exhibiting leaf yellowing, witches’ broom, dieback and decline symptoms were observed for two years (2010-2011) in three gardens at Adana region (Turkey). DNA isolated from symptomatic and healthy plants was used to amplify 16S rDNA selleckchem fragments by direct and nested-PCR. Phytoplasmas were detected in 21 symptomatic plants, out of 30 samples collected, whilst no PCR amplifications were obtained from asymptomatic plants. BLAST analysis of the 16S rDNA showed that the phytoplasma found in L. ovalifolium from Turkey, denoted as Turkish Ligustrum witches’ broom phytoplasma (TuLiWB), most closely resembled members of group 16SrII (peanut witches’ broom group) and shared up to 92 % sequence identity. Based on in silico 16S rDNA RFLP analysis and automated calculation of the pattern similarity coefficient, TuLiWB showed molecular characteristics different from all previously described phytoplasma species to represent a new taxon. Similar indication also emerged from the phylogenetic tree which allocated it in a novel discrete subclade within the phytoplasma clade. This is the first report on the presence of a phytoplasma affecting L.

A number of CYP2A6 polymorphisms have been associated with variat

A number of CYP2A6 polymorphisms have been associated with variations in enzyme activity in several ethnic populations. The CYP2A6*4C allele leads to deletion of the entire CYP2A6 gene, and is the main finding in patients

with reduced CYP2A6 enzymatic activity. Thus, the aim of our study was to evaluate the allele frequencies of CYP2A6 polymorphisms in a population with cancer of the digestive system. We developed a simple screening method, which 123 combined TA cloning and direct-sequencing, to detect CYP2A6 genetic polymorphisms in Chinese patients with cancers of the digestive system. A total of 77 patients with various types of digestive system cancers were screened for CYP2A6 genetic polymorphisms. The allele frequencies of CYP2A6*1A, CYP2A6*1B and CYP2A6*4C in the 77 patients ALK tumor screened were 62,42 and 13%, respectively. Frequencies of the homozygous genotypes for CYP2A6*1A and CYP2A6*4C were 27 and 12%, respectively. As expected, patients that were determined to be homozygous for CYP2A6*4C exhibited the characteristic chemotherapy efficacy and toxicity profiles. The TA cloning-based direct sequencing method facilitated allele frequency and genotyping determination for CYP2A6*1A, 1B and 4C of cancer patients. The findings indicated that the population carries a high frequency of the CYP2A6*4C homozygous genotype. Thus, the reduced efficacy

CT99021 of standard chemotherapy dosage in Chinese cancer patients may be explained by the lack of CYP2A6-mediated S-1 bioconversion to 5-FU.”
“This study identifies and semi-quantifies aroma volatiles in brewed green tea samples. The objectives of this study were to identify using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) paired with a headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) the common volatile compounds that may be responsible for aroma/flavor of the brewed

liquor of a range of green tea samples from various countries as consumed and to determine if green teas from the same region have similarities in volatile composition when green tea samples are prepared for consumption. Twenty-four green HM781-36B price tea samples from eight different countries were brewed as recommended for consumer brewing. The aroma volatiles were extracted by HS-SPME, separated on a gas chromatograph and identified using a mass spectrometer. Thirty-eight compounds were identified and the concentrations were semi-quantified. The concentrations were lower than those reported by other researchers, probably because this research examined headspace volatiles from brewed tea rather than solvent extraction of leaves. No relationship to country of origin was found, which indicates that other factors have a greater influence than country of origin on aroma.”
“Coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR) was first known as a virus receptor. Recently, it is also known to have tumor suppressive activity such as inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

For each theme, we calculated the rate of patients who discontinu

For each theme, we calculated the rate of patients who discontinued a trial from the total number of dropouts in each trial. The rates obtained with different trials were combined using a random effects model. We also performed a random effects meta-regression analysis to identify sources associated with the rates.\n\nResults: Overall, 259 studies consisting of 266 trials and 13,593 patients were included in the analysis. From these, we short-listed 54 432 attrition reasons and identified 21 key themes. “Ineffectiveness” and “adverse event” were the reasons frequently reported by >5% of the dropouts. On further investigation of the theme ineffectiveness, the attrition learn more rate was associated

with delivery routes of treatment, trial duration, flare design,

prohibition of usual analgesics, and allowing the use of https://www.selleckchem.com/products/as1842856.html escape medication. In cases of adverse events, we found that the treatment type and delivery route affected the attrition rate.\n\nConclusions: Our findings not only support the importance of the intention-to-treat analysis, but also suggest the possibility of controlling the attrition at the study level. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Semin Arthritis Rheum 42:346-354″
“Tuberculosis (TB) services in China are provided through a large network of TB dispensaries. Even though hospitals are not as well placed to follow recommended standards of TB care, a significant proportion of people with TB symptoms seek care from hospitals. In spite of having a policy and mandate in place, the Ministry of Health had little success in encouraging hospitals to refer suspected TB cases to dispensaries. Following the epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003, the government set up a nationwide Internet-based communicable diseases reporting system. This achieved productive collaboration between hospitals and TB dispensaries. From 2004 to 2007, the percentage of TB suspects and patients needing referral from hospitals who arrived in TB dispensaries increased substantially from 58.7% to 77.8% and the contribution of hospitals to Selleckchem EGFR inhibitor diagnosing sputum smear-positive TB cases doubled

from 16.3% to 32.9%. Using the Internet-based reporting system, hospitals in China contributed to finding about one third of all sputum smear-positive TB cases and helped meet the global TB control target of detecting 70% of such cases. Based on the data available from routine surveillance facilitated by this Internet-based system, this paper details the process and outcomes of strengthening collaboration between hospitals and TB dispensaries using the Internet as a tool and its potential application to other country settings.”
“The influence of a thin carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite (CA) coating to tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (TZP) on osteoblast-like cell response was investigated. TZP disks were subjected to blasting and acid etching.

In conclusion, the negative results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity

In conclusion, the negative results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity indicated that all the membranes can be employed for medical supplies, mainly in bone tissue engineering/regeneration, due to their osteoinductive properties.”
“The Central Nervous System (CNS) function was shown to be fueled exclusively by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). This is in line with the sensitivity

of brain to hypoxia, but less with the scarcity of the mitochondria in CNS. Consistently with the ectopic expression of FoF1-ATP synthase and the electron transfer chain in myelin, we have reported data demonstrating C59 concentration that isolated myelin vesicles (IMV) conduct OXPHOS. It may suggest that myelin sheath could be a site for the whole aerobic degradation of glucose.\n\nIn this paper, we assayed the functionality of glycolysis and of TCA cycle enzymes in IMV purified from bovine forebrain. We found the presence and 123 activity of all of the glycolytic and TCA cycle enzymes, comparable to those in mitochondria-enriched SB525334 solubility dmso fractions, in the same experimental conditions. IMV also contain consistent carbonic anhydrase activity.\n\nThese data suggest

that myelin may be a contributor in energy supply for the axon, performing an extra-mitochondrial aerobic OXPHOS. The vision of myelin as the site of aerobic metabolism may shed a new light on many demyelinating pathologies, selleck chemicals that cause an a yet unresolved axonal degeneration and whose clinical onset coincides with myelin

development completion. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.”
“Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether immobilization of an arm has detrimental effects on driving performance.\n\nMethods: Thirty-six healthy officers-in-training were assigned a sequence of fiberglass splints (left and right-sided above-the-elbow thumb spica and below-the-elbow splints) with use of a randomized higher-order crossover design. Runs were scored on a cone-marked driving course used for officer certification with predetermined passing requirements. Driving time, the number of cones hit per course section, and the cone-adjusted total time (a five-second penalty per hit cone) were recorded. A linear mixed-effect model with random environmental and learning effects for cone-adjusted time analysis was used. Participants rated perceived driving difficulty and safety with each splint, and ratings were compared with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.\n\nResults: Thirty participants completed the entire set of runs. Analysis of total cone-adjusted time revealed a significant performance decrease with the left arm in an above-the-elbow thumb spica splint (average, 22.2 seconds; p < 0.001) and with the left arm in a below-the-elbow splint (average, 16.2; p = 0.007).

respectively (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved”
“Bac

respectively (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved”
“Background

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an unusual cause of acute myocardial ischemia that in almost 50% of cases is followed by sudden death. The increasing frequency of SCAD diagnosis may reflect the widespread use of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions in acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The incidence of SCAD is estimated between 0.1 and 0.28% of all ACS or sudden deaths evaluated by angiography or by anatomical examination, respectively. Most published data available so far deal with single case reports and probably the real incidence of this disease is underestimated. Some predisposing conditions to SCAD are well known and include Marfan syndrome, pregnancy and peripartum state, click here drug abuse and some anatomical GSK923295 cell line abnormalities of the coronary arteries like aneurysms and severe kinking. The most appropriate therapeutic approach to SCAD is still controversial and decision making is often based on the clinical presentation, extent of dissection and amount of ischemic

myocardium.\n\nObjectives and methods The purpose of this multicenter prospective registry, named DISCOVERY (DISsection of COronary arteries: Veneto and Emilia RegistrY), with a case-control group is to try to assess the role of SCAD in the pathogenesis of ACS. The primary endpoint is the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events related to the therapeutic strategy in the acute phase and in the mid-term follow-up. The secondary endpoints are the estimation VDA inhibitor of the prevalence of SCAD in the pathogenesis of ACS, the association or disassociation of SCAD with presumptive predisposing factors, the appreciation of the timing and extent of multivessel involvement when present, the occurrence of vascular and ocular comorbidities (i.e. carotid dissection

and ocular lens abnormalities), the evaluation of the immediate success and the mid-term outcome of percutaneous coronary interventions and the definition of the role of intravascular ultrasound in diagnosis and treatment of SCAD. The enrollment of approximately 50 patients with SCAD is planned. A planned control group of patients of comparable age, sex and clinical presentation will allow us to identify potential peculiar or specific aspects of SCAD in any phase of the disease.\n\nConclusion The DISCOVERY multicenter registry, with a case-control group, is the first large prospective study aimed at assessing the role of SCAD in the pathogenesis of ACS and at identifying the role of different therapeutic strategies in this unusual, multifaceted and probably underestimated pathologic condition. J Cardiovasc Med 10:94-99 (C) 2009 Italian Federation of Cardiology.

METHODS: We studied 300 randomly

selected second-trim

\n\nMETHODS: We studied 300 randomly

selected second-trimester amniotic fluid samples from a Danish pregnancy-screening biobank covering 1980 through 1996. We used only samples from male offspring pregnancies. We assayed the environmental pollutants by liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry and analyzed data using generalized linear regression models.\n\nRESULTS: We detected the di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolite mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (5cx-MEPP) at a median concentration of 0.27 ng/mL [interquartile range (IQR): 0.20-0.37 Dinaciclib ng/mL], the diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) metabolite mono(4-methyl-7-carboxyheptyl) phthalate (7cx-MMeHP) at 0.07 ng/mL (IQR: 0.05-0.11 ng/mL), and PFOS at 1.1 ng/mL (IQR: 0.66-1.60 ng/mL). An increase of 1 calendar year was associated with 3.5% lower [95% confidence interval (CI): -4.8%, -2.1%] 5cx-MEPP levels and with 7.1% higher (95% CI: 5.3%, 9.0%) 7cx-MMeHP levels. For each later gestational AZD2014 week

of amniocentesis, 5cx-MEPP was 9.9% higher (95% CI: 4.8%, 15.2%), 7cx-MMeHP was 8.6% higher (95: CI: 2.7%, 14.9%), and PFOS was 9.4% higher (95: CI: 3.3%, 15.9%). We observed no associations with maternal age or parity.\n\nCONCLUSIONS: Measured metabolite levels appeared to parallel decreasing DEHP exposure and increasing DiNP exposure during the study period. The environmental pollutant levels were positively associated with later gestational age at amniocentesis during pregnancy weeks 12-22.”
“Purpose: Retrospective evaluation of a series of patients presenting with genitourinary foreign objects. Patients and Methods: From 1997 to 2007, 11 men and 2 women were treated for a variety of foreign objects in the genitourinary tract.

Medical records were reviewed for presentation, diagnosis, mental status, drug dependency, treatment, and follow-up. Results: 13 patients were seen for removal of the foreign objects or for treatment of the sequela. These objects were intentionally self-inflicted, accidentally introduced or iatrogenic in nature. Intentional objects included: safety pins, screwdriver, marbles, pen cap, pencils, straw, cocaine, stiff metal wire and part of a pizza mixer. Accidental objects included: magnets, female catheter, urinary incontinence devices click here and part of a Foley catheter. The iatrogenic object was a reservoir from an inflatable penile implant. Smaller noninjurious objects were retrieved cystoscopically or at the bedside; larger objects or objects associated with trauma to the urethra needed open and reconstructive operations. Conclusions: Generally thought to be self-inflicted for personal gratification, the source of genitourinary objects can also be accidental or iatrogenic. The most traumatic injuries are purposely self-inflicted and found in patients who remove the objects themselves.