This study was performed to elucidate the hormone dependence of collagen levels in male accessory sex organs. Sex hormones were administered to male rats with castration, and their effects on the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles were studied by changes of parameters such as organ weight, DNA and collagen contents. 1. In normal rat ventral prostate and seminal vesicles, organ weight, DNA and collagen contents were found to increase with aging. 2. After castration, all the parameters(organ weight, DNA content, and collagen content) were decreased in both ventral prostate and seminal vesicles. While castration produced marked reductions in organ weight and DNA content, collagen levels in seminal vesicles and ventral prostate were reduced only 43% and 59%, respectively. 3. in the ventral prostate, estrogen treatment of castrates had no stimulatory effects of collagen or other parameters. In contrast, estrogen treatment significantly decreased the reduction of organ weight and collagen levels in seminal vesicles, but neither collagen levels nor other parameters were restored to normal. 4. In castrates, the regression in seminal vesicles and ventral prostate collagen levels and other parameters were prevented by testosterone treatment. Since effects of combined treatment of testosterone and estrogen were not different with those of testosterone treatment, there may be no synergistic relationship between androgen and estrogen. 5. According to above results, androgen is of primary significance in collagen growth of male accessory sex organ. In castrates, estrogen has some stimulatory effects to collagen of seminal vesicle, but no stimulatory effect to collagen of ventral prostate.
Aging ; Animals ; Castration ; Collagen* ; DNA ; Estrogens ; Genitalia* ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Humans ; Male* ; Organ Size ; Prostate ; Rats* ; Seminal Vesicles ; Testosterone

A case of rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder in a 4 year old boy was reported with review of literatures. The patient was managed by transurethral resection of the tumor, postoperative radiation and chemotherapeutic agent (cyclocytidine hydrochloride).
Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Male ; Rhabdomyosarcoma* ; Urinary Bladder*

Standardized patients(SPs) are either persons who are trained to simulate a patient's illness in a standardized way or actual patients. Newly established Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine started problem based learning(PBL) curriculum and SP program has been developed for teaching and evaluating clinical skills in medical education. Standardized patients were recruited from the community. Small-group SP training sessions were operated by two SP trainers and supervised by a clinical faculty. Standardized patients were used in teaching and practicing interviewing and physical examination skills for students. We report the experiences of initial stage of SP program and views of students and SPs. We surveyed 35 first-year medical students after SP encounters. The questionnaire was about effectiveness and realism of SP and general views of students. Another simple survey was conducted on 12 SPs who had participated in SP program for more than 4 months. Most students answered that SP encounters were interesting and more helpful in learning history-taking and clinical skills. The attitude of SPs was enthusiastic and their simulations were rated as appropriate and acceptable. The evaluations of the SP program by students, SPs, and faculty were very favorable. As an alternative to real patients, the SP can offer advantages such as availability, adaptability and controllability. If trained well, they also can provide objective feedback to the students. The SP offers a readily available tool for teaching and evaluating the clinical performance and interpersonal skills of medical students. It is suggested that the use of SP is stimulating and challenging way of teaching and evaluating in medical education.
Clinical Competence ; Curriculum ; Education, Medical* ; Humans ; Learning ; Physical Examination ; Problem-Based Learning ; Students, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires