OCT4 immunohistochemistry after staging laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for testicular tumor.

Twenty to thirty percent of patients with clinical stage I testicular tumor have metastases in the retroperitoneum. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of OCT4 immunohistochemistry in histopathologic diagnosis of lymph node metastases in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumors. All clinical stage I patients with staging laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy from 2001 until 2009 were included.

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with diode laser: a promising technique.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate application of diode laser in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN), and to question this technique in terms of ease of tumor excision and reduction of warm ischemia time (WIT).

Background Data: LPN is the standard operative method for small renal masses. The benefits of LPN are numerous, including preserving renal function and prolonging overall survival.

Trends in prostate cancer incidence and mortality in Croatia, 1988-2008.

Aim: To describe and interpret prostate cancer incidence and mortality trends in Croatia between 1988 and 2008.

Methods: Incidence data for the period 1988-2008 were obtained from the Croatian National Cancer Registry. The number of prostate cancer deaths was obtained from the World Health Organization mortality database.

Pilot study of the association between the HLA region and testicular carcinoma among Croatian patients.

Objectives: To analyze the distribution of HLA alleles and HLA microsatellite alleles in Croatian patients with testicular carcinoma, compare it with that of healthy controls and investigate whether the polymorphism within the HLA region could be associated with the development of testicular cancer.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood of 24 patients with testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT). Patients and controls were typed for HLA class I and class II polymorphism by the PCR-SSO method.

Visualization of Reinke's crystals in normal and cryptorchid testis.

Within the human testis, Reinke's crystals are found in Leydig cells but their nature and function are poorly understood. The aim of our study was to investigate the properties of Reinke's crystals in man with the normal morphology of the testis (control group) and infertile patients diagnosed with cryptorchidism. 20 biopsies from infertile patients and six biopsies from men with regular spermatogenesis (20-30 years.

[ISKRA guidelines on antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections--Croatian national guidelines].

These guidelines refer to diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections in adults and children older than 12 years of age and cover lower urinary tract in females, uncomplicated pyelonephritis, complicated UTI with or without pyelonephritis, asymptomatic bacteriuria and recurrent UTI. These guidelines do not cover sexually transmitted diseases. The guidelines are primarily intended for use by general practitioners and specialists working in primary health care and hospitals.

[Classification, diagnosis and treatment of prostatitis syndrome].

The term prostatitis syndrome refers to a number of conditions affecting the prostate. Prostatitis syndrome is clinically manifested through symptoms of the lower urogenital tract and perineum. Basic factors in the classification of prostatitis syndrome are clinical symptoms and signs, and the presence of leukocytes and bacteria in selectivelly collected urine samples and in expressed prostatic secretion obtained by the Meares and Stamey localization technique.

The role of Chlamydia trachomatis in prostatitis syndrome--our experience in diagnosis and treatment.

Since the beginning of 1999, over 1500 patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis were examined at Dr. Fran Mihaljević University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb. In almost all of these patients urethral swabs and quantitative segmented bacteriologic cultures and microscopy of expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) or voided bladder urine3 (VB3) were performed as described by Meares and Stamey.

[Laparoscopic treatment of functioning adrenal tumors].

Introduction: Laparoscopy is now a widely used method for removal of functioning and non-functioning adrenal tumors. This paper reports our experience in laparoscopic transperitoneal removal of functioning adrenal tumors including pheochromocytoma, Cushing's disease and aldosteronoma.

Methods: Between May 2001 and April 2006, 29 patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma.

From testicular biopsy to human embryo.

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of a testicular biopsy in the diagnosis and therapy of infertile men with a non-obstructive azoospermia. Overall, 70 testicular biopsies from infertile men were analysed. Samples were obtained by the "open testicular biopsy" method.

[Guidelines for antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections].

Recommendations for antimicrobial treatment and prophylaxis of urinary tract infections (UTI) have been made according to the results of investigation of resistance of the most frequent causative agents of UTI to antimicrobial drugs. This investigation has been conducted for the past seven years by the Committee for monitoring bacterial resistance to antibiotics in the Republic of Croatia, with consensus of eight professional societies of the Croatian Medical Association. Uncomplicated cystitis is treated 1, 3, or 7 days, complicated 7 days, pyelonephritis 10-14 days, and complicated UTI 7 to 14 days, rarely longer.

The role of unusual pathogens in prostatitis syndrome.

A total of 1442 patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis were examined over a 4-year period at the Outpatient Department for Urogenital Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljevic", Zagreb, Croatia. An infectious aetiology was determined in 1070 (74.

Comparative randomized pilot study of azithromycin and doxycycline efficacy in the treatment of prostate infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

The study included 125 adult patients (> 18years of age) who had symptoms of chronic prostatitis and proven presence of Chlamydia trachomatis. The presence of C. trachomatis was confirmed in expressed prostatic secretion or in voided bladder urine collected immediately after prostatic massage by a DNA/RNA hybridization method and/or by isolation on McCoy culture and then by immunofluorescent typing with monoclonal antibodies.

Long-term outcome after surgical kidney revascularization for fibromuscular dysplasia and atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.

Purpose: At a time of minimally invasive surgery in urology, the role of surgical kidney revascularization in the management of renal artery disease has changed during the last decade. Our experience with surgical kidney revascularization, and the long-term clinical outcomes of fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis are reviewed.

Materials And Methods: The study group comprised 140 patients with renovascular hypertension, 72 with FMD and 68 with atherosclerotic renal artery disease, who underwent surgical revascularization between 1982 and 1999.

Sexual life after cervical carcinoma.

The aim of this study is to determine the differences in sexual life of women with cervical cancer after surgery and radiation therapy. A total of 210 patients treated for cervical cancer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia between March 2001 and March 2003 were asked to fill in the questionnaire. Sexual life had worsened in 42.

Comparative analysis of azithromycin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of chronic prostatitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

A total of 89 patients, (>18 years), with symptoms of chronic prostatitis and inflammatory findings as well as the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis confirmed by DNA/RNA DIGENE hybridization method and/or by isolation, McCoy culture and Lugol stain in expressed prostatic secretion or in voided bladder urine collected immediately after prostatic massage, were examined. The patients were randomized to receive a total of 4.5 g of azithromycin for 3 weeks, given as a 3-day therapy of 1 x 500 mg weekly or ciprofloxacin 500 mg b.

The transcriptional co-activator cAMP response element-binding protein-binding protein is expressed in prostate cancer and enhances androgen- and anti-androgen-induced androgen receptor function.

Progression of human prostate cancer toward therapy resistance occurs in the presence of wild-type or mutated androgen receptors (ARs) that, in some cases, exhibit aberrant activation by various steroid hormones and anti-androgens. The AR associates with a number of co-activators that possess histone acetylase activity and act as bridging molecules to components of the transcription initiation complex. In previous reports, it was shown that the transcriptional co-activator CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein)-binding protein (CBP) enhances AR activity in a ligand-dependent manner.

Comparative analysis of azithromycin and clarithromycin efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of chronic prostatitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

A total of 123 patients, older than 18 years of age, with symptoms of chronic prostatitis and inflammatory findings as well as the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis confirmed by DNA/RNA DIGENE hybridization method in expressed prostatic secretion or in voided bladder urine collected immediately after prostatic massage, were examined. The patients were randomized to receive a total of 4.5 g of azithromycin for 3 weeks, given as a 3-day therapy of 1 x 500 mg weekly or clarithromycin 500 mg b.

Aetiology of chronic prostatitis.

A total of 388 patients with symptoms of chronic prostatitis and inflammatory findings in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) or in a urine sample collected immediately after prostate massage, were examined over a 2 year period at the Outpatient Department for Urogenital Infections, University Hospital for Infectious Diseases 'Dr Fran Mihaljević', Zagreb, Croatia. The infective aetiology was determined in 276 (71.13%) patients.

Azithromycin and doxycycline in the treatment of female patients with acute urethral syndrome caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum: significance of duration of clinical symptoms.

One hundred ninety-two female patients with acute urethral syndrome caused by Ureaplasma urealyticum were examined. First, patients were divided into two groups: those with clinical symptoms present for less than 3 weeks before the start of treatment and those with clinical symptoms 3 weeks or longer before the beginning of therapy. The patients were then further divided into groups and randomized to receive azithromycin once daily in a single dose of 1 g or 500 mg once daily for 6 days, or to receive doxycycline 100 mg b.

Effects of various cryopreservation media and freezing-thawing on the morphology of rat testicular biopsies.

Currently, testicular sperm extraction is successfully combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection into the oocyte (ICSI). Several pieces of a testicular biopsy can be frozen and thawed until the ICSI attempt. In this study, the effects of freezing-thawing on the morphology of rat testicular biopsies stored in different cryopreservation media were analysed.

Gentamicin concentrations in urine, cortex and medulla in an acutely obstructed kidney animal model.

Gentamicin was administered intraperitoneally, three times in 12 h to Hartley type guinea-pigs which had undergone complete unilateral ureteral obstruction with normal contralateral ureteral function for either 24 hours, 7 days or 21 days. Two hours after the last drug dose urine samples were collected from urinary bladder and obstructed ureter. Healthy and obstructed kidneys were then surgically removed from all sacrificed animals.