Histologic evaluation of the testicular remnant associated with the vanishing testes syndrome: is surgical management necessary?

Objectives: There is controversy surrounding the optimal management of the testicular remnant associated with the vanishing testes syndrome. Some urologists advocate the need for surgical exploration, whereas others believe this is unnecessary. These differing opinions are based on the variable reports of viable germ cell elements found within the testicular remnants.

Effect of osteoporosis on bone mineral density and fracture repair in a rat femoral fracture model.

Osteoporosis (OP) is one of the most prevalent bone diseases worldwide with bone fracture the major clinical consequence. The effect of OP on fracture repair is disputed and although it might be expected for fracture repair to be delayed in osteoporotic individuals, a definitive answer to this question still eludes us. The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of osteoporosis in a rodent fracture model.

Incontinence in aging leaves: deteriorating water relations with leaf age in Agastachys odorata (Proteaceae), a shrub with very long-lived leaves.

This paper examines physiological characteristics of the leaves of Agastachys odorata R.Br., a wet-climate sclerophyllous shrub with very long-lived leaves.

Giant cuticular pores in Eidothea zoexylocarya (Proteaceae) leaves.

Ubiquitous, large diameter pores have not previously been adequately demonstrated to occur in leaf cuticles. Here we show conclusively that such structures occur in Eidothea zoexylocarya, a rainforest tree species of Proteaceae restricted to the Australian Wet Tropics. The pores are abundant, large-diameter apertures (∼1 μm), that extend perpendicularly most of the way through the cuticle from the inside.

Long-term follow-up for reconstruction of strictures of the fossa navicularis with a single technique.

Objective: To retrospectively review our experience with the ventral transverse skin island elevated on a dartos fascia flap.

Patients And Methods: In all, 45 patients were consecutively operated by the senior author using this technique from March 1987 to January 2006. The files of 35 patients were assessed for the study.

The DART classification of unannotated transcription within the ENCODE regions: associating transcription with known and novel loci.

For the approximately 1% of the human genome in the ENCODE regions, only about half of the transcriptionally active regions (TARs) identified with tiling microarrays correspond to annotated exons. Here we categorize this large amount of "unannotated transcription." We use a number of disparate features to classify the 6988 novel TARs-array expression profiles across cell lines and conditions, sequence composition, phylogenetic profiles (presence/absence of syntenic conservation across 17 species), and locations relative to genes.

Evaluation of four manikins as simulators for teaching airway management procedures specified in the Difficult Airway Society guidelines, and other advanced airway skills.

Ten volunteers evaluated the performance of four currently available manikins: Airway Management Trainer, Airway Trainer, Airsim and Bill 1 as simulators for the 16 procedures described in the Difficult Airway Society Guidelines (DAS techniques) and eight other advanced airway techniques (non-DAS techniques), by scoring and ranking each manikin and procedure. Manikin performance was unequal (p < 0.0001 for both SCORE and RANK data for both DAS and non-DAS techniques).

In vitro testing of Advanced JAX Bone Void Filler System: species differences in the response of bone marrow stromal cells to beta tri-calcium phosphate and carboxymethylcellulose gel.

The Advanced JAX Bone Void Filler System (AJBVFS) is a novel bone graft material manufactured by Smith and Nephew Orthopaedics Ltd. and comprises beta tri-calcium phosphate granules with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) gel as a handling agent. This study investigated the potential, in vitro, of the AJBVFS to function as a delivery system for cell therapy to enhance healing of bone defects.

Leaf maximum photosynthetic rate and venation are linked by hydraulics.

Leaf veins are almost ubiquitous across the range of terrestrial plant diversity, yet their influence on leaf photosynthetic performance remains uncertain. We show here that specific physical attributes of the vascular plumbing network are key limiters of the hydraulic and photosynthetic proficiency of any leaf. Following the logic that leaf veins evolved to bypass inefficient water transport through living mesophyll tissue, we examined the hydraulic pathway beyond the distal ends of the vein system as a possible limiter of water transport in leaves.

Long-term followup for excision and primary anastomosis for anterior urethral strictures.

Purpose: We report our experience and long-term followup of patients undergoing excision and primary anastomotic reconstruction for anterior urethral strictures.

Materials And Methods: From July 1986 to May 2006 the charts of 260 patients who underwent excision with primary anastomosis at our center for bulbar urethral stricture were reviewed. Patient age ranged from 14 to 78 years (mean 38.

The technique of vessel sparing excision and primary anastomosis for proximal bulbous urethral reconstruction.

Purpose: We present a technique not previously described for proximal bulbous or bulbomembranous urethral reconstruction of excision and primary anastomosis. The technique has the potential advantages of preserving the proximal urethral blood supply.

Materials And Methods: From June 2003 to October 2006, 10 patients underwent vessel sparing urethral reconstruction including 3 after radical prostatectomy, 6 following straddle trauma and 1 potentially with a congenital stricture.

Effect of ternary phosphate-based glass compositions on osteoblast and osteoblast-like proliferation, differentiation and death in vitro.

There is currently a need to expand the range of graft materials available to orthopaedic surgeons. This study investigated the effect of ternary phosphate-based glass (PBG) compositions on the behaviour of osteoblast and osteoblast-like cells. PBGs of the formula (in mol.

Neuroprotective effect of adenoviral-mediated gene transfer of TIMP-1 and -2 in ischemic brain injury.

Gene therapy may be a promising approach for treatment of brain ischemia. We and others previously demonstrated that increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contributes to the tissue damage that results from ischemic injury. The proteolysis of MMPs is tightly controlled by tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs).

Healing of an ulnar defect using a proprietary TCP bone graft substitute, JAX, in association with autologous osteogenic cells and growth factors.

Currently, available synthetic bone substitutes have adequate osteoconductive properties but have little or no osteoinductivity. Recent research has focused on using osteogenic growth factors or cells to provide this. JAX is a beta tricalcium phosphate bone graft substitute that has a novel shape and interlocking design.

How do soil nutrients affect within-plant patterns of herbivory in seedlings of Eucalyptus nitens?

This study assessed how the palatability of leaves of different age classes (young, intermediate and older) of Eucalyptus nitens seedlings varied with plant nutrient status, based on captive feeding trials with two mammalian herbivores, red-bellied pademelons (Thylogale billardierii), and common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). Seedlings were grown under three nutrient treatments (low, medium and high), and we determined how palatability was related to chemical and physical characteristics of the leaves. Pademelons ate more older leaves than young and intermediate leaves for all treatments.

Conditioned partner preference in female rats for strain of male.

Female rats show conditioned place preference following paced copulation, and we have recently demonstrated that pairing almond odor with paced copulation induces a conditioned partner preference for almond-scented males. The present study examined whether cues of two different strains of male (albino and pigmented) induce a conditioned partner preference for the strain of male associated with paced copulation. Ovariectomized, hormone-primed Wistar (W) or Long-Evans (LE) female rats received 10 conditioning trials at 4-day intervals.

Evaluation of four airway training manikins as simulators for inserting the LMA Classic*.

Airway manikins have traditionally been used for teaching mask ventilation and tracheal intubation. There is an increasing need to use manikins for training in procedures such as insertion of the laryngeal mask airway. We have assessed four new airway training manikins (latest versions of the Airway Trainer (Laerdal, Norway), Airway Management Trainer (Ambu, UK), 'Bill 1' (VBM, Germany) and Airsim (Trucorp, Ireland)) as simulators for insertion of the LMA Classic laryngeal mask airway.

Color discrimination in carriers of color deficiency.

Carriers of X-linked color vision deficiencies have previously been reported to exhibit mild abnormalities of color matching and discrimination. In a sample of 55 carriers of protan and deutan deficiencies and 55 age-matched normal controls, we measured chromatic discrimination along a red-green axis. We found that discrimination was impaired in the case of carriers of deutan deficiencies (which affect the middle-wave-sensitive cones of the retina), but was normal in the case of carriers of protan deficiencies (which affect the long-wave-sensitive cones).

Reconstruction and management of posterior urethral and straddle injuries of the urethra.

Urethral stricture disease, once associated mainly with gonococcal urethritis, is now most frequently a consequence of trauma, such as a fall-astride injury or a pelvic fracture. This article discusses issues and approaches related to the treatment of strictures associated with perineal straddle trauma and pelvic fracture urethral distraction defects. The authors emphasize that endoscopic procedures seldom cure these strictures and in-dwelling stents are seldom useful in treatment.

Priapism.

Introduction: There are three different types of priapism: low-flow, ischemic, anoxic or veno-occlusive priapism; high-flow, arterial or nonischemic priapism; and recurrent or stuttering priapism.

Aim: To provide recommendations/guidelines concerning state-of-the-art knowledge for the diagnosis and treatment of priapism.

Methods: An International Consultation in collaboration with the major urology and sexual medicine associations assembled over 200 multidisciplinary experts from 60 countries into 17 committees.

Peyronie's disease.

Introduction: Peyronie's disease is a sexual medicine condition that may adversely affect male sexual function.

Aim: To provide expert opinions/recommendations concerning state-of-the-art knowledge for the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of Peyronie's disease.

Methods: An International Consultation in collaboration with the major urology and sexual medicine associations assembled over 200 multidisciplinary experts from 60 countries into 17 committees.