Effects of serum acid phosphatase [correction of phosphate] elevation following transurethral prostatectomy on long-term mortality.

Studies of surgery for symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction in men suggest that a possible higher long-term mortality occurs in patients having transurethral prostatectomy compared with patients having an open prostatectomy. It is the purpose of this study to determine if intraoperative factors affect the long-term survival of patients having transurethral prostate resection for benign prostate hypertrophy. In 158 consecutive patients having transurethral prostatectomy for benign adenoma who were followed for eight years, 28 patients died during the follow-up period.

Results of surgical management of Peyronie's disease.

Peyronie's disease is often managed surgically when medical management fails and sexual function is impaired due to residual curvature or loss of erectile function. In this study 63 patients were treated surgically, with 25 receiving a penile prosthesis, 25 undergoing a tunica vaginalis graft and 13 undergoing the Nesbit ellipse procedure. The long-term surgical outcome as determined by sexual function indicated that the penile prosthesis group remained the most sexually active, followed by the Nesbit ellipse group with the tunica vaginalis graft group being the least sexually active.

Spontaneous and evoked activity of the caudate neurons to central and peripheral stimuli after brain lesions.

The involvement of the cerebral cortex, commissural fibers and thalamus on caudate-caudate relations was studied in locally anesthetized, paralysed and artificially ventilated cats. This type of experimental preparation was necessary since a complete suppression of spontaneous and evoked activity is produced by subanesthetic doses of general anesthesia. Two types of caudate action potentials were encountered on the basis of their waveform characteristics: biphasic and triphasic spikes, the former being the largest population (80%).

Renal biopsy in diffuse renal disease--experience with a 14-gauge automated biopsy gun.

The diagnostic and complication rates of 104 percutaneous renal biopsies performed for diffuse renal disease in native kidneys were retrospectively reviewed. Biopsies were performed by one radiologist using continuous ultrasound guidance and a 14-gauge biopsy needle in an automated gun (Biopty TM, Radiplast TM, Uppsala). 103 of 104 (99%) biopsies resulted in adequate tissue for a definitive histological diagnosis which improves on previously published diagnostic rates.

Interaction between Epstein-Barr virus and a T cell line (HSB-2) via a receptor phenotypically distinct from complement receptor type 2.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the causative agent of mononucleosis and several human cancers, infects cells via complement receptor type 2 (CR2, CD21) which also serves as the receptor for the third complement component, C3. Expression of this receptor is restricted to B lymphocytes, immature thymocytes, and certain epithelial cells. In the present investigation; we describe the presence of a seemingly novel EBV receptor which is phenotypically distinct from CR2.

Analysis of Drosophila paramyosin: identification of a novel isoform which is restricted to a subset of adult muscles.

In this report we show that Drosophila melanogaster muscles contain the standard form of the thick filament protein paramyosin, as well as a novel paramyosin isoform, which we call miniparamyosin. We have isolated Drosophila paramyosin using previously established methods. This protein is approximately 105 kD and cross-reacts with polyclonal antibodies made against Caenorhabditis elegans or Heliocopris dilloni paramyosin.

Combined Raz urethral suspension and McGuire pubovaginal sling for treatment of complicated stress urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence is a debilitating problem that affects over 20 million people in the United States. Anatomical stress incontinence in women has an excellent continence outcome following urethral suspension procedures. However, intrinsic urethral incontinence has a high failure rate following urethral suspension procedures and is usually managed with a pubovaginal sling procedure.

Urinary incontinence volume patterns in elderly inpatient men.

Urinary incontinence is a costly and debilitating disease of the aged. Although the most common clinical finding is detrusor hyperreflexia on filling cystometry, the role of this urodynamic abnormality in the etiology of incontinence is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate elderly patients who have cystometric detrusor hyperreflexia and to determine the incontinence volume characteristics of these patients during regular daily activities.

Biofeedback therapy technique for treatment of urinary incontinence.

Biofeedback treatment of urinary incontinence is a management method that has low risk and therapeutic efficacy for selected patients. Biofeedback therapy techniques vary widely and have not been well described or standardized. A technique for biofeedback therapy is described that allows accurate signal monitoring and assures appropriate biofeedback to the patient.

Pitfalls of urodynamic testing.

Urodynamic studies are one of the most useful clinical techniques available for the evaluation of lower urinary tract dysfunctions. Urodynamic data are of immense value in the diagnosis and treatment of many disorders of bladder and urethral function. However, there are problems of measurement that can limit the clinical applications of information obtained.

Incontinence management scale for elderly inpatient men.

For many elderly inpatients, urinary incontinence cannot be successfully treated and the management objective is identifying a suitable method for containment of urine loss. In elderly inpatient men, an external catheter is utilized in many cases for incontinence management. The role of the severity of incontinence and the use of an external catheter was investigated in 66 elderly inpatient men.

Continence level following radical prostatectomy.

The relationship of the urethral anastomosis and postoperative continence following radical prostatectomy is uncertain. The objective of this study was to determine radiographically the functional level of continence following radical prostatectomy relative to the site of the intraoperative urethral anastomosis. In 8 patients having a radical prostatectomy, an intraoperative hemoclip was placed at the site of the urethral anastomosis and the postoperative functional level of continence was determined using a standing lateral cystogram.

Investigation of the substrate specificity of thylakoid protein kinase using synthetic peptides.

Synthetic peptide analogues of the N-terminal region of the light harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding polypeptide of photosystem II (LHC II) were used to probe the effect of charged groups on the protein kinase activity of pea (Pisum sativum) thylakoid membranes. The effectiveness of the synthetic peptides as substrates for protein kinase activity or as inhibitors of LHC II phosphorylation was correlated with their net positive charge, which ranged between +2 and +5. The effects of the synthetic peptides on phosphorylation of other, non-LHC II, thyakoid polypeptides are also discussed.

Responses of detrusor smooth muscle to stretch and relaxation: in vitro study.

An in vitro model subjecting bladder muscle strips to continuous stretch relaxation evaluated-the properties of passive muscle length and tension. Tension generated as a strip was stretched or relaxed was found to be stretch-rate dependent. The primary influence of stretch rate on muscle tension is by alteration of muscle length; however, stretch and relaxation rates do influence the inherent smooth muscle properties of hysteresis, stress-relaxation, and adaptation.

Alternative myosin hinge regions are utilized in a tissue-specific fashion that correlates with muscle contraction speed.

By comparing the structure of wild-type and mutant muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC) genes of Drosophila melanogaster, we have identified the defect in the homozygous-viable, flightless mutant Mhc10. The mutation is within the 3' splice acceptor of an alternative exon (exon 15a) that encodes the central region of the MHC hinge. The splice acceptor defect prevents the accumulation of mRNAs containing exon 15a, whereas transcripts with a divergent copy of this exon (exon 15b) are unaffected by the mutation.

Urinary incontinence volume measurement in elderly male inpatients.

Urinary incontinence is a debilitating disease in the elderly and is a leading cause of nursing home placement for aged patients in our society. Accurate measurement of urinary incontinence in elderly inpatients is necessary to determine the severity of the disease and to evaluate the efficacy of any treatment methods being investigated. The technique required for evaluation of elderly chronic care inpatients is different from methods that can be used in patients who do not have the ambulatory and cortical impairment that is common among chronic care inpatients.

Epithelial markers in pancreatic carcinoma: immunoperoxidase localisation of DD9, CEA, EMA and CAM 5.2.

Paraffin wax embedded, formalin fixed sections of 22 adenocarcinomas of the exocrine pancreas were stained with four mouse monoclonal antibodies: DD9-E7, an antibody raised against a human pancreatic tumour xenograft; carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA); epithelial membrane antigen (EMA); and cytokeratin (CAM 5.2). An indirect immunoperoxidase technique without enzyme pre-digestion and an affinity-purified sheep anti-mouse peroxidase conjugate were used.

Synergist Erection System: clinical experience.

The Synergist Erection System (SES) was tested over a six-month period in 44 impotent patients with an organic etiology. The device was successfully used by 73 percent. The duration of erection for 75 percent of the patients was as long as they wanted to wear the device.

Follow up outcome of intracavernous papaverine.

One of the more significant recent therapeutic developments in the treatment of male impotence has been intracavernous pharmacotherapy using penis self-injection technique. The intracavernous pharmacotherapy of impotence results in a relatively normal erection in most cases with minimal alteration of the anatomy, physiology, and psychosocial factor of impotence. However, early treatment success of the patient does not assure long-term success.