This study was aimed to examine whether biological characteristics of the cancer cell lines have any correlation with distinctive movement of the reconstituted basement membrane in modified Boyden chamber. The in vitro model consists of a chamber and basement membrane filter. Matrigel was applied on the upper surface of the filter and type IV collagen, fibronectin and laminin were also applied to the lower surface of the filter, respectively. The cancer invasiveness was measured by the number of the moved cells through basement membrane differing in component, thickness and incubation time. For chemoattractant study, serum free medium, medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and 0.1% bovine serum albumin were used. The invaded cancer cells were counted under high-power field microscope and the morphologic feature of invading cancer cells on reconstituted basement membrane was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The effects of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and wild type tumor necrosis factor-alpha (wTNF-a) on invasiveness of three prostate cancer cell lines (hormone intermediate sensitive ALVA 101, and hormone refractory ALVA 41 and PPC-1) were investigated. The rate of movement of the cancer was reduced increasing thickness of the matrigel but increased in proportion to the incubation time (p<0.05). The components applied on the lower surface of the filter did not affect cancer cell invasiveness (p>0.05). TIMP-2 reduced the invasiveness of three kinds of cancer cell line at both the high and low concentration, indicating that this agent interferes the movement of the cells. Furthermore, this result suggests that TIMP-2 might repress metal-dependent enzymes, which are thought to elicit the invasiveness of the cancer cells. The wTNF-a did not show any effects on the invasiveness of three cell lines. The additive chemoattractant effect of 0.1% bovine serum albumin was not observed and serum free medium also did not induce the cancer cell invasion across the reconstituted basement membrane. The migration of the ALVA 41 and PPC-1 were more than the ALVA 101. The scanning electron microscopic examination showed the figures of migration of cancer cells through the pores on filter, supporting our experiments are performed in validness. The effect of protease inhibitor was distinct in different cancer cell lines studied. From this experiment, we conclude that the rate of movement of both ALVA 41 and PPC-1 cells with shorter doubling time and the hormone refractory was faster than that of ALVA 101 cells with longer doubling time and the hormone sensitive, suggesting biological characteristics of the cells are implicated in degree of cancer cell invasiveness and their malignancies.
Basement Membrane* ; Cell Line ; Collagen Type IV ; Fibronectins ; Laminin ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Population Characteristics ; Prostate* ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Protease Inhibitors ; Serum Albumin, Bovine ; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

PURPOSE: Previous studies have revealed that tamsulosin is effective in improving lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile functioning but has some inhibitory effects on ejaculation, including decreased ejaculatory volume. However, these inhibitory effects on ejaculation can be beneficial to patients with premature ejaculation (PE). Therefore, this study was conducted to understand the effect of tamsulosin on PE in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients who visited with LUTS were categorized into 2 groups of LUTS-only patients (n=12) and LUTS combined with PE (LUTS+PE) patients (n=17), and 0.4 mg of tamsulosin was administered to the patients of both groups for 12 weeks. Comparative analyses of before and after the treatment were conducted for calculating the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT), and premature ejaculation profile (PEP). The patients with an IPSS score of 8 or higher were determined as LUTS patients, and the patients with IELT of less than 2 minutess and a PEDT score of 9 or higher were determined as PE patients. RESULTS: After treatment, the IPSS score significantly decreased in both groups. There was no statistically significant change in the PEDT for the LUTS group, but there was a significant decrease in PEDT (p=0.012; from 12.1+/-3.31 to 8.4+/-4.49) in the LUTS+PE group. CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin not only has a treatment effect for LUTS but also improves the PE of LUTS+PE patients. Therefore, further studies are needed to confirm the effects of tamsulosin on PE.
Ejaculation ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Premature Ejaculation* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

PURPOSE: Previous studies have revealed that tamsulosin is effective in improving lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile functioning but has some inhibitory effects on ejaculation, including decreased ejaculatory volume. However, these inhibitory effects on ejaculation can be beneficial to patients with premature ejaculation (PE). Therefore, this study was conducted to understand the effect of tamsulosin on PE in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-nine patients who visited with LUTS were categorized into 2 groups of LUTS-only patients (n=12) and LUTS combined with PE (LUTS+PE) patients (n=17), and 0.4 mg of tamsulosin was administered to the patients of both groups for 12 weeks. Comparative analyses of before and after the treatment were conducted for calculating the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT), premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT), and premature ejaculation profile (PEP). The patients with an IPSS score of 8 or higher were determined as LUTS patients, and the patients with IELT of less than 2 minutess and a PEDT score of 9 or higher were determined as PE patients. RESULTS: After treatment, the IPSS score significantly decreased in both groups. There was no statistically significant change in the PEDT for the LUTS group, but there was a significant decrease in PEDT (p=0.012; from 12.1+/-3.31 to 8.4+/-4.49) in the LUTS+PE group. CONCLUSIONS: Tamsulosin not only has a treatment effect for LUTS but also improves the PE of LUTS+PE patients. Therefore, further studies are needed to confirm the effects of tamsulosin on PE.
Ejaculation ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; Male ; Premature Ejaculation* ; Prostate ; Prostatic Hyperplasia*

Pseudocyst of the auricle presents as a non-inflammatory, fluctuant swelling on the upper half or third section of the ear, due to intracartilaginous accumulation of fluid. Histological examination shows an intracartilaginous cavity without an epithelial lining. The etilogy and pathogenesis of this disorder remains unknown, but the lesion is likely to be due to localized de-generation of cartilage. The degenerated cartilage is replaced by a vascular fibrous tissue from which there is serious exudation, and a clinical cystic swelling is formed. We describe in this report three cases of pseudocyst of the auricle, of which one was treated successfully by surgical excision and a pressure dressing, and the others by aspiration and steroid injection therapy. In all cases, the skin lesions had not recurred, and the patients were left with an excellent cosmetic result.
Bandages ; Cartilage ; Ear ; Humans ; Skin

Generalized plane xanthoma is less common and usually involves the eyelids, lateral side of the neck, upper trunk, and extremities. Lesions, however, may appear on any portion of the body. Cutaneous xanthomas may occur in hyperlipidemic and in normolipidemic states. Generalized normolipidemic plane xanthoma is often associated with multiple myeloma, other reticulo-endothelial malignancies and monoclonal gammopathy with unknown significance(MGUS). We wish to report two eases of generalized plane xanthoma associated with IgG monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance.
Extremities ; Eyelids ; Immunoglobulin G ; Multiple Myeloma ; Neck ; Paraproteinemias* ; Xanthomatosis*

In an effort to characterize the trend of renal injury of recent years, we reviewed the charts and x-ray films of 50 patients with renal trauma which occurred in the last 6 years. They were 42 males and 8 females with a mean age of 26.4 years (range: 5 to 66) and most of them are younger generation. The main causes of injury were related to falling down in 21 cases (42%) and traffic accident in 17 cases (34%), followed by stab injury in 7 cases and assault in 5 cases. The severity of renal injury was classified using the renal injury scale which was published by the Organ Injury Scaling (O.I.S.) Committee of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (A.A.S.T.) in 1989. According to radiologic and operative findings, they were classified as follows; Grade I, 4 cases; Grade II, 7 cases; Grade III, 12 cases; Grade IV, 23 cases; and Grade V, 4 cases. Of the 50 patients, 39 had gross hematuria and remaining 11 patients had microscopic hematuria. There was no correlation between the degree of hematuria and the severity of renal injury (p=0.098). The major combined other organ injuries were hemoperitoneum in 12 cases, fracture of extremities in 8 cases, liver laceration in 5 cases, hemopneumothorax in 4 cases and intestinal perforation in 2 cases. Surgical treatment was performed in 27 cases (54%) and the remaining 23 cases (46%) which were renal laceration of various degrees without intraperitoneal injuries were managed conservatively.
Accidents, Traffic ; Extremities ; Female ; Hematuria ; Hemoperitoneum ; Hemopneumothorax ; Humans ; Intestinal Perforation ; Kidney ; Lacerations ; Liver ; Male ; X-Ray Film

Tumors of the urethra and periurethra are rare lesions accounting for less than 1% of tumors arising from the genitourinary tract. Routine examinations of the urethra are X-ray study and endoscopic examination. X-ray and endoscopic examination have the risk of radiation exposure to the reproductive organs or pain at study and they have the limitation on outlining the periurethral environments. In the last few years, diagnosis of disease by ultrasound has made tremendous advances. Many investigations of ultrasound examinations on the male and female lower urinary tract using transrectal, transvaginal and transpubic approaches have been reported. But there has been no report of the ultrasound examination on the urethra and periurethral tumor. We report our experiences with sonourethrography of 6 cases of urethral and periurethral solid tumors. And we concluded that sonourethrography is less expensive, non-invasive and can accurately image the outline of the urethra and periurethral tumor.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ultrasonography ; Urethra ; Urinary Tract

To detect the numerical changes of the chromosome 13 and 17, containing tumor suppressor genes (retinoblastoma gene and p53) in normal tissue, intraepithelial neoplasm and carcinoma of the prostate, the Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization technique with paraffin embedded tissue was done. Materials observed in this study consisted of the 14 cases of localized carcinoma (T2aN 0M0) and 1 case of locally infiltrating cancer (T3aN2M0). The chromosomal number changes were counted at normal tissue, intraepithelial neoplasm and neoplastic gland at the same radical prostatectomy specimen. The results were as follows: 1. There were no significant chromosomal number changes between 13 and 17 in each group 2. The normal non-neoplastic duct, intraepithelial neoplasm and neoplastic gland of the experimental group showed no significant difference in chromosomal change. 3. There were significant changes more than 30% in chromosomal numbers between control Y chromosome and experimental chromosome 13 and 17 in each group. 4. With the results collected from this study, chromosomal aberration in number in prostate biopsy could represent the already established initiation of the cancerous change in prostate and the chromosomal aberration detection method would be a good early diagnostic modality to detect the high risk group who will develop the prostate cancer.
Biopsy ; Carcinoma in Situ ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13* ; Fluorescence* ; Genes, Tumor Suppressor ; In Situ Hybridization* ; Paraffin ; Prostate ; Prostatectomy ; Prostatic Neoplasms* ; Y Chromosome

Obesity is linked to sexual problems in both sexes. This problem appears to be widespread in society, influenced by both health-related and psychosocial factors, and it is associated with impaired quality of life. Obese individuals are at increased risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Many studies have shown a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction(ED) in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Conversely, patients with ED have an increased prevalence of congestive heart disease and peripheral vascular disease. Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Endothelial dysfunction may play a role in the pathophysiology of both obesity and ED. The high prevalence of ED in people with obesity is potentially a significant medical and social issue.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Erectile Dysfunction* ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Obesity* ; Peripheral Vascular Diseases ; Prevalence ; Psychology ; Quality of Life ; Risk Factors

Urethral injury secondary to blunt trauma in the boys is fairly common occurrence, its diagnosis and management are well documented. Due to the low incidence of urethral injury in girls, there is no settled method of diagnosis and management. In this report, the clinical course of 2 young female patients with complete traumatic rupture of the uretha was evaluated in an effort to propose guide lines for the investigation and initial management of this unusual injury.
Diagnosis ; Female* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Pelvic Bones* ; Rupture