Emphysematous pyelonephritis recovered by ureteral stenting in a functionally solitary kidney.

A 62-year-old male diabetic presented with emphysematous pyelonephritis and contralateral atrophic kidney. He failed to improve with a supportive management, and we placed a double-J stent instead of performing percutaneous nephrostomy or nephrectomy with marked improvement. We report a case of emphysematous pyelonephritis recovered by ureteral stenting.

Management of bulbous urethral disruption by blunt external trauma: the sooner, the better?

Objectives: To investigate whether the incidence of urethral stricture is different according to the primary mode of management, we retrospectively reviewed the record of patients with bulbous urethral disruption by external blunt trauma.

Methods: A total of 95 patients with blunt bulbous urethral injuries were included in the study. Sixty-five underwent immediate urethral realignment and 30 underwent initial suprapubic tube placement followed by delayed management.

The development of virtual reality therapy (VRT) system for the treatment of acrophobia and therapeutic case.

Virtual reality therapy (VRT), based on this sophisticated technology, has been recently used in the treatment of subjects diagnosed with acrophobia, a disorder that is characterized by marked anxiety upon exposure to heights and avoidance of heights. Conventional VR systems for the treatment of acrophobia have limitations, over-costly devices or somewhat unrealistic graphic scenes. The goal of this study was to develop an inexpensive and more realistic virtual environment (VE) in which to perform exposure therapy for acrophobia.

Comparison of long-term results according to the primary mode of management and type of injury for posterior urethral injuries.

Background: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with traumatic posterior urethral injuries, analyzed postoperative findings to compare the results of the primary mode of management, and evaluated whether the Colapinto and McCallum classification system was valuable for predicting the complications.

Methods: 55 patients with traumatic posterior urethral injuries were included in the study. A total of 35 patients underwent immediate realignment over a Foley catheter including direct Foley catheter insertion (group 1) and 20 underwent initial suprapubic tube placement followed by delayed urethroplasty (group 2).

Impact of varicocele on testicular volume in young men: significance of compensatory hypertrophy of contralateral testis.

Purpose: We examined the impact on ipsilateral testicular volume in young men with varicocele and determined whether compensatory hypertrophy exists.

Materials And Methods: Between April and November 2001, 2,700 men who were 20 years old and dwelling in the community were randomly selected at a 10% sampling fraction after a sampling process according to census district. A total of 2,080 men (77% response rate) agreed to participate in the study.

Distribution of serum prostate-specific antigen in healthy Korean men: influence of ethnicity.

Objectives: To evaluate the normal distribution of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in healthy Korean men. The subjects included men younger than 40 years of age, because information on serum PSA levels in younger men is scarce.

Methods: Between January 1997 and December 1998, the serum PSA levels of the subjects who visited our hospital for a routine health checkup were determined.

Impact of urinary symptoms on bothersomeness and quality of life in young men.

Objectives: To examine the impact of urinary symptoms on bothersomeness and quality of life among young men in a community.

Methods: The National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index was used to identify men with urinary symptoms. The questionnaire also queried about sociodemographic characteristics.

Psychological problems in young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms.

Objective: To take a different perspective in assessing young men with chronic prostatitis-like symptoms, this study was designed since few prospective studies are available to survey a population of young men.

Material And Methods: One hundred and fifty men aged 20 years dwelling in the community were randomly selected. Chronic prostatitis-like symptoms were measured by the National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index and the selfreported scores for pain and urinary symptoms were used to identify chronic prostatitis-like symptoms.

Factors influencing testicular volume in young men: results of a community-based survey.

Objective: To investigate the factors influencing testicular volume in young men in the community.

Subjects And Methods: Between May and November 2001, 2700 men aged 20 years and dwelling in the community were randomly selected at a 10% sampling fraction after a sampling process by census district; 2080 men agreed to participate in the study. All volunteers underwent a standard evaluation, including a detailed medical history and physical examination.

Virtual reality system for treatment of the fear of public speaking using image-based rendering and moving pictures.

The fear of speaking is often cited as the world's most common social phobia. The rapid growth of computer technology enabled us to use virtual reality (VR) for the treatment of the fear of public speaking. There have been two techniques used to construct a virtual environment for the treatment of the fear of public speaking: model-based and movie-based.

Development and validation of virtual driving simulator for the spinal injury patient.

We developed a virtual reality (VR) driving simulator in order to safely evaluate and improve the driving ability of spinal injury patients. The simulator is composed of an actual car, a beam projector, and a large screen. For the interface of our driving simulator, an actual car was adapted and then connected to a computer.

Risk of connective-tissue disease in men with testicular or penile prostheses: a preliminary study.

Aim: To help clarifying the possibility of connective-tissue diseases in men with penile or testicular prostheses.

Methods: Eight patients underwent inflatable penile prostheses and 15, testicular prostheses consented to the study. Their medical records were reviewed and a follow-up interview and physical and serological examinations were performed.

Influence of environmental factors on chronic prostatitis-like symptoms in young men: results of a community-based survey.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of environmental factors on chronic prostatitis-like symptoms among young men in a community.

Methods: Of 28,841 men aged 20 years dwelling in the community, a total of 16,321 men (response rate 56.6%) were included in this study.

Is there a role of radial rigidity in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction?

RigiScan has been the most widely utilized device for measuring erectile rigidity. However, the use of the RigiScan in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction has questionable because the RigiScan device does not directly determine axial rigidity. The aim of this study is to clarify that radial rigidity measured by RigiScan reflects the intracorporeal pressure and erectile capability efficiently.

The prevalence of chronic prostatitis-like symptoms in young men: a community-based survey.

We surveyed the prevalence of chronic prostatitis-like symptoms in young men using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (CPSI) and determined the clinical validity of the NIH-CPSI among men in the community. Of 29,017 men aged 20 years dwelling in the community, 8,705 men were randomly selected at a 30.0% sampling fraction and a total of 6,940 men (a response rate 79.

Is there a role for magnetic resonance imaging in renal trauma?

Background: Computed tomography (CT) has been the most informative imaging method in renal trauma. Despite the good sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the presence of hematoma, edema and ischemia, MRI has not been widely studied in patients with renal trauma. The present study was initiated to evaluate the role of MRI in patients with renal trauma.

The development of the virtual reality system for the treatment of the fears of public speaking.

The fear of public speaking is a kind of social phobias. The patients having the fear of public speaking show some symptoms like shame and timidity in the daily personal relationship. They are afraid that the other person would be puzzled, feel insulted, and they also fear that they should be underestimated for their mistakes.

The excisional, plication and internal drainage techniques: a comparison of the results for idiopathic hydrocele.

Objective: To assess the results of the excision, plication and internal drainage techniques for hydrocele repair.

Patients And Methods: Between January 1990 and June 1998, 132 patients (mean age 54.36 years, range 16-83) underwent repair for idiopathic hydrocele using one of three techniques (excision, eversion/plication or internal drainage); the complication and recurrence rates of each technique were evaluated.

Infected hydrocele in a neonate.

A case of infected hydrocele in a neonate is presented. We describe this unusual condition, and discuss the diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment.

Two cases of perineal ectopic testis.

Purpose: Perineal ectopic testis is seen very rarely and here we report on two patients with perineal ectopic testis.

Methods/results: We experienced two cases of perineal ectopic testis on which orchiopexies to the corresponding hemiscrotums were performed.

Conclusions: On surgical exploration, the gubernaculum testes were found to lie fixed to the perineum.

Detection of tumor cell contamination in peripheral blood by RT-PCR in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

We analyzed the peripheral blood of patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer at different stages to assess the presence of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which we used as an indicator for micrometastatic malignant cells. A total of 35 gastric, 24 colorectal, 4 esophageal and 4 biliary tract cancer patients and nine normal healthy subjects were studied. No CEA mRNA was detected in the nine normal healthy volunteers.

The preventive effect of systemic treatment with interferon-alpha2B for infertility from mumps orchitis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of interferon-alpha2B on mumps orchitis, often caused by postpubertal mumps and which can result in permanent testicular atrophy.

Patients And Methods: The study included 21 patients with mumps orchitis, treated between May 1990 and June 1997. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups: in group 1, 13 patients received therapy with interferon-alpha2B (3 x 10(6) IU per day) and group 2 did not, acting as controls.

Cell cycle regulators during human atrial development.

Objectives: The molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiomyocyte cell cycle and terminal differentiation in humans remain largely unknown. To determine which cyclins, cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclin kinase inhibitors (CKIs) are important for cardiomyocyte proliferation, we have examined protein levels of cyclins, CDKs and CKIs during normal atrial development in humans.

Methods: Atrial tissues were obtained in the fetus from inevitable abortion and in the adult during surgery.