No abstract available.
Pelvic Pain* ; Prostate* ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Urinary Tract*

PURPOSE: The aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane water channel proteins. It is well known that AQP2, -3 and -4 contribute to the urinary concentration in collecting duct (CD) and also reported the presence of these three AQPs in the connecting tubule (CNT). Newborn rats are not capable of producing a concentrated urine. Rats develop the ability to concentrate urine after birth. The purpose of this study was to establish the time of the expression and the distribution of AQP2, -3 and -4 in the developing rat kidney. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were used in all experiments. Kidneys were obtained from 16, 18 and 20-day-old fetuses and 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21-day-old pups and preserved and processed for immunohistochemical studies using a preembedding immunoperoxidase procedure. AQP2, -3 and -4 immunoreactivity was detected using rabbit polyclonal antibody and donkey anti-rabbit IgG. RESULTS: AQP2, -3 and -4 appeared first in 16-day-old fetuses in the CD and in 18-day-old fetuses in the CNT. Immunoreactivity for AQP2, -3 and -4 was markedly increased after birth and gradually increased during development. In CNT cells and principal cells, AQP2, -3 and -4 were not distinctly demonstrated on the apical, lateral and basal plasma membrane respectively until 21 days after birth. Distinct polarity of these AQPs both in CNTcells and principal cells were observed at 21 days after birth. CONCLUSIONS: AQP2 -3, and -4 were expressed not only in CD but also in CNT before developing of urine concentrating ability during development and it is concluded that their expression and distribution in CNT may play a role in the development of urine concentration abilities in rat kidney.
Animals ; Aquaporin 2* ; Aquaporins ; Attention ; Cell Membrane ; Equidae ; Fetus ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Infant, Newborn ; Kidney Concentrating Ability ; Kidney Tubules ; Kidney* ; Parturition ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

No abstract available.
Life Style* ; Prostatism*

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the most common infectious diseases worldwide, with over 350 million new cases occurring each year, and have far-reaching health, social, and economic consequences. Failure to diagnose and treat STDs at an early stage may result in serious complications and sequelae. STDs are passed from person to person primarily by sexual contact and are classified into varied groups. Some cause mild, acute symptoms and some are life-threatening. They are caused by many different infectious organisms and are treated in different ways. Syphilis and gonorrhea are ancient afflictions. Now, however, Chlamydia is prevalent and has become the most common bacterial STD. Antimicrobial resistance of several sexually transmitted pathogens is increasing, rendering some regimens ineffective, adding to therapeutic problems. A standardized treatment protocol for STDs is recommended to ensure that all patients receive adequate treatment. Appropriate treatment of STDs is an important public health measure.
Chancroid ; Chlamydia ; Clinical Protocols ; Communicable Diseases ; Dietary Sucrose ; Gonorrhea ; Humans ; Public Health ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial ; Syphilis

PURPOSE: Although adrenergic alpha-blockers were initially used for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), their failure rate was about 30% or less. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and the risk factors contributing to the failure of this treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 234 patients with BPH who were initially treated with adrenergic alpha-blockers, 84 (36%) were classified as non-responsive (Group II) following 3 months medical treatment. There were 150 patients with a good medical response (Group I). Prior to, and 3 months following medication, IPSS (International prostate symptom score) questionnaires, uroflowmetry, TRUS (Transurethral ultrasonography), height, weight, past medical history and life style factors, including smoking status, alcohol consumption, exercise and coffee consumption were checked. The TURP findings were taken from both the non-response and initial TURP groups (Group III). RESULTS: There were no differences in risk and life style factors between the 3 groups. When comparing groups II and III, the bladder neck elevation (p=0.003), median lobe enlargement (p=0.016), prostate stone (p=0.004) and micro-abscess (p=0.003) were all significantly different. Statistical differences were obtained between groups I and II for the bladder neck elevation (p=0.002), and the median lobe enlargement (p=0.001) from cystourethroscopy. Prostate stones (p=0.006) were compared between the TRUS (group I) and TURP (group II) groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings clearly demonstrate that the BPH patients, classified as non responsive following 3 months of medical treatment, need cystoscopy or TRUS to find a more appropriate treatment.
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; Alcohol Drinking ; Coffee ; Cystoscopy ; Humans ; Life Style ; Neck ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Urinary Bladder

Lithoring is a third generation lithotriptor which is developed by Medas company in Italy. It is characterized by pendulum-ESWL and composed by electrohydraulic spark gap generator, computerized control system, fluoroscopic and ultrasonic focusing system, treatment table and ring. From January 1995 to December 1995, 174 patients underwent 286 treatments with Pendulum-ESWL, Lithoring. The results were obtained as follows; 1. The average numbers of treatment were 1.6 sessions and the average treatment time is 32 minutes. average shock waves were 22l2 times. 2. The locations of stone were kidney in 144 (50.4%), ureter in 139 (48.6%) and bladder in 3 (1.0%). 3. As a pre-ESWL additional manipulation, we did ureteral stent in 34 cases, and ureteral catheter in 5 cases. The position of patients was all supine position and so patients felt comfortable. The localization of stones was used by fluoroscopy in 270 cases, and ultrasound in 16 cases. 4. The average success rates were 87.1% and it was almost same compared with others. 5. No complications were reported except nausea, vomiting, fever, steinstrasse. 6. No general or regional anesthesia were required. Therefore, we suggest that extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy with Lithoring is considered to be safe and effective treatment of urinary stones.
Anesthesia, Conduction ; Fever ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Italy ; Kidney ; Lithotripsy* ; Nausea ; Shock* ; Stents ; Supine Position ; Ultrasonics ; Ultrasonography ; Ureter ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Calculi ; Urinary Catheters ; Vomiting

In complete urethral stricture, visual internal urethrotomy has not so high success rate because of the difficulty in determining the precise direction of incision and the inadequacy in scar tissue removal. Nd:YAG laser internal urethrotomy vaporizes the fibrotic scar tissue on strictured urethra and make for re-epithelization of urethra without scar tissue formation. We report experiences of 11 cases of two-staged Nd:YAG laser internal urethrotomy for complete urethral stricture. Age of patients was ranged from 25 to 61 (mean; 42) years old. All of 11 cases developed after urethral injury and was complete urethral stricture. The aim of first stage of operation is to make communication through region of urethral stricture. At second stage of operation, we reconfirmed the direction of neourethra, excised and vaporized the fibrotic scar tissue on strictured urethra using Nd:YAG laser at all directions to achieve normal appearance as possible. Follow-up duration was 6-18 (mean; 14) months. There was no recurrence at all. After 6 months, maximal flow rate was 21-29 (mean; 23.7) ml/sec, and we could not find any stricture portion on retrograde urethrogram. As a conclusion, two-staged Nd:YAG laser internal urethrotomy for complete urethral stricture is a new alternative method, which has many advantages such as technical simplicity, clear operative field due to less bleeding, unnecessity, of adjuvant urethral dilation, and no recurrence rate after the operation.
Cicatrix ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Recurrence ; Urethra ; Urethral Stricture*

Cardiac lymphangioma is one of the rarest, primary, benign tumor of the heart. We report a case of cardiac lymphangioma, which was diagnosed with CT and MRI in a 50 years old female. Plain chest film showed minimal enlargement and globular shape of the heart. On CT scan, abnormal fluid density mass lesion was noted within pericardial sac. The signal intensity was lower on T1-weighted image and hgher on T2-weighted image than that of the myocardium and located along the left atrioventricuar groove. Several small low signal spots representing hemorrhage were seen within this lesion.
Female ; Heart ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Lymphangioma* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Myocardium ; Thorax ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The number of old patients suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia is growing. TURP is still "gold standard" of relieving infravesical obstruction due to BPH, but the persistently high postoperative morbidity after TURP recently spurred the development of less invasive treatment options. Laser ablation of the prostate is a relatively new surgical treatment for BPH. According to studies published to date, laser prostatectomy is a simple and effective BPH-treatment modality with a low complication rate. We carried out Nd : YAG laser prostatectomy under visual control (VLAP) in 57 patients with BPH, aged 53-80 years (mean: 64.9 years). Preoperatively, the maximal flow rate (Qmax) ranged from 6-14 ml/sec (mean: 9.5 ml/sec), the residual urine volume (RUV) was 20-300 ml (mean: 109 ml), and the I-PSS ranged from 18-28 (mean: 20.4). The prostatic volume, measured with transrectal ultrasonography, was 26-72 gm (mean: 43.3 gm). There was no significant changes of hemoglobin, hematocrit and serum electrolytes, perioperatively. In 6 patients (10.5%), retention was developed after removal of urethral catheter at postoperative fifth day and so urethral catheter was reinserted for 5-7 days. After 6 months, Qmax was 9-22 ml/sec (mean: 15.4 ml/sec), RUV was 0-50 ml (mean: 15 ml), the I-PSS was 4-21 (mean: 8.3), and the prostatic volume was 11.3-51.9 gm (mean: 24.9 gm). In most patients, the prostatic volume was decreased as 42.6%, and Qmax, RUV and I-PSS were improved noticeably. Transrectal ultrasonography showed defect of bladder neck and prostatic urethra during immediate postoperative period, but normal prostatic architecture after 6 months In conclusion, the laser prostatectomy for BPH is considered the most promising alternative to TURP.
Electrolytes ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Laser Therapy* ; Lasers, Solid-State ; Neck ; Postoperative Period ; Prostate* ; Prostatectomy* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; Transurethral Resection of Prostate ; Ultrasonography* ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Catheters