Endogenous sex hormones and C-reactive protein in healthy Chinese men.

Objective: To examine the association of endogenous sex hormones and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) with C-reactive protein (CRP) in Chinese men.

Design And Participants: The study population comprised 1989 men at baseline recruitment of a population-based cohort in China. Participant information on risk factors was collected by a face-to-face interview and clinical examination.

The preoperative activity of Th1 and Th17 cytokine axes in prediction of sepsis after radical cystectomy.

The aim of the study was to correlate the preoperative activity of Th1 and Th17 cytokine axes with the development of sepsis after radical cystectomy. The study involved twenty patients with the infiltrative transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder without previous radiotherapy/chemotherapy, who underwent open radical cystectomy with urinary diversion. Preoperative plasma concentrations of Th1 cytokines interleukin 12 (IL-12) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and Th17 cytokines IL-23 and IL-17, were measured using ELISA.

Research of correlation between the amount of leukocyte in EPS and NIH-CPSI: result from 1242 men in Fangchenggang Area in Guangxi Province.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the leukocyte in expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) and National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) in a large Chinese male population.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected from 1242 men who participated in the population-based Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES), which was carried out in Guangxi, China from September 2009 to December 2009. The severity and symptoms of chronic prostatitis were accessed by the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index.

Are metabolic syndrome and its components associated with lower urinary tract symptoms? Results from a Chinese male population survey.

Objective: To investigate the association between severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in a large male population in China.

Methods: Data were collected from 3103 men attending the Fangchenggang Area Male Healthy and Examination Survey (FAMHES) from September 2009 to December 2009. LUTS were assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and MetS were defined using a modification of the Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines.

[Oxytocin and male sexual function].

Oxytocin (OT) is a female hormone with the main function of facilitating uterine contraction and milk ejection. Recent studies show that OT is involved in multiple signaling pathways in the central and peripheral nerve system and mainly regulates the physiology and activity of reproduction, including male reproduction and sexual behavior. The roles of OT in penile erection are bio-phasic with proerectile effect in the central nerve system while peripherally inhibiting erection.

Increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein predicts a high risk of lower urinary tract symptoms in Chinese male: Results from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey.

Background: Reports have shown that increased serum C-reactive protein (CRP) suggests a risk of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in the West population. However, few studies have investigated the role of CRP as regards LUTS in a Chinese male population.

Methods: Data were collected from 1,452 men who participated in the population-based Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES), which was carried out in Guangxi, China, from September 2009 to December 2009.

The association of smoking and erectile dysfunction: results from the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey (FAMHES).

To describe the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and its association with smoking and other risk factors among a large male population. Data were collected from 2686 men attending the Fangchenggang Area Male Health and Examination Survey from September 2009 to December 2009. ED was assessed using the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function.

Application of artificial neural networks in estimating predictive factors and therapeutic efficacy in idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is one of the most frequent causes of the nephrotic syndrome in adults and one of the most common cause of chronic renal failure among primary glomerular diseases. The aim of this study was to develop artificial neural networks (ANN) to investigate factors of poor outcome for IMN and to evaluate the efficacy of different therapeutic protocols. Data were collected retrospectively for 124 patients with IMN (82 males, mean based on the received therapy patients were divided into three groups: corticosteroids only (group 1), cyclophsophamide with corticosteroids (group 2), and so called Ponticelli protocol (group 3).

Improving red blood cell K-uptake and its impact on O(2)/CO(2) exchange, and NO-generation in microvascular CHD: a novel therapeutic approach.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality across the entire world. In effect, reversion of angina or improvement of ECG remains an unrealistic therapeutic option for most patients. Unfortunately, most research clinical trials in these patients have focused on coronary atherosclerosis, even decades after the first observation that angina, and myocardial infarction may occur in the presence of normal coronary arteries.

[Advances in prostate-specific membrane antigen targeted therapies for prostate cancer].

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type II integral membrane glycoprotein, specifically expressed in prostatic epithelial cells and strongly upregulated in prostate cancer. PSMA is also present in the neovasculature of other solid tumors. These findings have spurred the development of PSMA-targeted therapies for prostate cancer, including immunotherapy, radioimmunotherapy, chemotherapy and gene therapy, and initiated the clinical trials of the first-generation products.

Renal cell carcinoma in a horseshoe kidney.

A case of an adenocarcinoma within a horseshoe kidney (HK) is presented. Male patient presented with a history of a painless hematuria. A contrast enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) scan showed a horseshoe kidney.

Comparison of open nephroureterectomy and open conservative management of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Introduction: The treatment preserving the kidney for upper urinary tract (UUT) transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is still controversial. We aimed to elucidate the results of open conservative surgery and compare them with the results of radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Patients And Methods: The study included 107 patients with UUT TCC treated by open conservative surgery (21 patients) or nephroureterectomy (86 patients).

The treatment of stage A testicular seminoma by carboplatin monochemotherapy.

Background/aim: Although radiotherapy is considered to be a standard treatment of stage A testicular seminoma, an increasing number of studies have reported encouraging results of the treatment by carboplatin monochemotherapy (CBDCA). The aim of this study was to analyse the treatment results of patients with clinical stage A seminoma treated by CBDCA on daily basis in the period June 1999 to September 2008.

Methods: A total of 124 patients, mean age 36.

Primary cultures of renal proximal tubule cells derived from individuals with primary hyperoxaluria.

The primary hyperoxalurias, PH1 and PH2, are inherited disorders caused by deficiencies of alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase and glyoxylate reductase, respectively. Mutations in either of these enzymes leads to endogenous oxalate overproduction primarily in the liver, but most pathological effects are exhibited in the kidney ultimately leading to end-stage renal failure and systemic oxalosis. To provide a non-invasive means of accessing kidney cells from individuals with primary hyperoxaluria, we have derived primary cultures of renal proximal tubule cells from the urine of these patients.

Could depression be a new branch of MIA syndrome?

The aims of the present study were to determine the prevalence of depression in our dialysis patients, to detect the most powerful variables associated with depression, and to determine the role of depression in prediction of mortality. The prospective follow-up study of 128 patients (77 HD and 51 CAPD, 65 male, aged 53.8 +/- 13.

Hemodialysis headache.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and analyze the incidence and features of headaches in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Material And Methods: In this prospective study 318 patients, 119 women and 199 men, undergoing chronic HD in four hemodialysis centers in Serbia, were questioned about their problems with headaches using a questionary designed according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) from 2004. Patients were distributed in two groups according to the presence of hemodialysis headaches (HDH).

Polyneuropathy in diabetic and nondiabetic patients on CAPD: is there an association with HRQOL?

Background: It is well known that patients with uremia, as well as patients with diabetes mellitus, develop polyneuropathy.

Objectives: The signs of polyneuropathy in diabetic and nondiabetic patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and their relation with age, duration of dialysis, biochemical parameters, dialysis adequacy, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) were analyzed in the present study.

Patients And Methods: 65 CAPD patients (37 men, age 29-85 years, duration on dialysis 3 months to 14 years) were divided into two groups: group 1 was comprised of 20 diabetic patients (mean age 50.

Renal biopsy registry from a single centre in Serbia: 20 years of experience.

Background: There is not enough epidemiologic data of biopsy proven renal diseases. This is the first report of clinicopathologic correlations over a period of 20 years from central Balkan country-Serbia.

Methods: A retrospective review of reports of 2 362 native renal biopsies performed on patients at the leading nephrology unit in Serbia from 1987 to 2006 was undertaken.

Nerve conduction studies and prediction of mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Background: The electrophysiological aspects of uremic neuropathy have been studied extensively, but never for prediction of mortality. In order to assess the parameters of nerve conduction study (NCS) as predictors of mortality in hemodialysis patients, a post hoc analysis of a prospective observation study was made.

Methods: We examined conventional electrophysiological parameters (motor nerve conduction velocity [MCV], terminal latency [TL], and F wave latency of the peroneal nerve, as well as sensory nerve conduction velocity [SCV] of the sural nerve) in 75 nondiabetic patients.

Elevated plasma D-dimer as a predictor of postoperative complications after radical cystectomy.

Detailed preoperative evaluation is essential in prevention of perioperative complications. As thorough anamnesis, physical examination and standard laboratory investigation do not contribute much in prediction of perioperative complications and outcome, and detection of tumor markers is also insufficient in means of prognosis, some molecular marker have emerged lately as prognostic markers in surgery. Recent data on pathophysiological processes stress response, derangements of hemostasis, in sepsis or in thromboembolism as well as in malignancy, indicate that presence or elevation of some molecular markers of fibrinolysis can indicate possibility of perioperative complications and even predict outcome.

Clam ileoplasty bladder augmentation and renal transplantation.

In our patient, with a small contacted bladder and end stage renal failure, bladder augmentation (clam ileocystoplasty) was done in conjunction with renal transplantation. Our patient has stable renal and bladder function 46 months after kidney transplantation.

Results of application of orthotopic urine diversion according to Studer.

Introduction: Prolonged survival of patients undergoing radical cystectomy due to the infiltrative carcinoma of the urinary bladder has increased the need for development of the orthotopic bladder enabling preservation of the upper urinary ways for the extended period of time. Orthotopic bladder with tubular afferent segments in which ureters are implanted without antireflux mechanism has been introduced into the practice in 1984 by Studer and collaborates.

Material And Methods: In the period 1998-2007 12 patients averagely aged 62 years were subjected to orthotopic derivation from ileum, when low-pressure reservoir was constructed and the ureters were implanted into the afferent non detubularized segment of ileum without antireflux mechanism.

Evaluation of the Bard BTA-test in the diagnosis of upper urinary tract tumours.

The BTA-test is an agglutination assay that qualitatively detects the presence of complexes of basement membrane within the urine of patients with bladder cancer. However, the significance of BTA test in other urotelial tumours has not been extensively studied. Therefore, in the present research, we examined the validity of BTA-test in patients suffering from ureteral or renal pelvis cancer, and compare results with urincitology.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia as a progressive disease: a guide to the risk factors and options for medical management.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a complex disease that is progressive in many men. BPH is commonly associated with bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms; progressive disease can also result in complications such as acute urinary retention (AUR) and BPH-related surgery. It is therefore important to identify men at increased risk of BPH progression to optimise therapy.