bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical experience of hormone therapy to bone metastatic prostate cancer
Authors: WAKISAKA MASAMI , NOMURA KAZUSHI 
Published: June 2006

Background:  A novel hormone therapy was instituted against prostate cancer with bone metastases and its therapeutic efficacy was investigated.Methods:  A total of 35 patients who had been pathologically diagnosed with carcinoma of the prostate between January 1994 and December 2003 were entered into the present study. Patients aged over 80 years were excluded from the study. As for the treatment methodology, diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (DES‐P) at 500 mg/day was intravenously injected for 20–40 days, followed by monotherapy with an analog of luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH). In all subjects, surgical castration was not conducted. The survival rate was analysed according to the method of Kaplan–Meier.Results:  One of the 35 patients was excluded from the study as this patient did not meet the inclusion criteria. There were four patients who dropped out of the study. On histology, 17 patients had moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas and 17 patients had poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas. As for the extent of disease (EOD), the patients were classified as with a score of 1 in 10 patients, 2 in 13 patients, 3 in 7 patients and 4 in 4 patients. The 5‐year progression‐free survival rate and overall survival rate were 24.3% and 60.6%, respectively.Conclusion:  Our new hormone therapy in the management of prostate cancer metastatic to the bone has demonstrated markedly superior therapeutic results compared to those so far obtained.
Comparison of Gleason grade and score between preoperative biopsy and prostatectomy specimens in prostate cancer
Authors: TOMIOKA SUSUMU , NAKATSU HIROOMI , SUZUKI NORIYUKI , MURAKAMI SHINO , MATSUZAKI OSAMU , SHIMAZAKI JUN 
Published: June 2006

Aim:  Although the histopathological findings obtained from biopsy specimens are important for choosing the appropriate management of prostate cancer, there have been some discrepancies in Gleason grade and consequently, score between biopsy and surgical specimens. A comparison of findings between these two kinds of specimens was performed.Methods:  Radical prostatectomy was performed at Asahi General Hospital on 223 cases of T1b‐T3 without previous cancer treatment, and the Gleason grade and score of the biopsy and surgical specimens were compared.Results:  A 37% coincidence in Gleason score was obtained between biopsy and surgical specimens; coincidence including one digit difference in score was approximately 70%. Upgrading was more than downgrading. Disagreement in secondary grade was greater than that in primary grade. Disagreement in Gleason score was roughly similar among different score items and was not influenced by level of prostate‐specific antigen, however, the small volume of the cancer tissues more affected the discrepancy in score.Conclusion:  The use of biopsy findings is required to be taken into account regarding the discrepancy.
Ammonium acid urate urolithiasis in Japan
Authors: KURUMA HIDETOSHI , ARAKAWA TAKASHI , KUBO SEIICHI , HYODO TORU , MATSUMOTO KAZUMASA , SATOH TAKEFUMI , EGAWA SHIN , BABA SHIRO 
Published: June 2006

Aim:  Ammonium acid urate (AAU) calculi are a rare urolithiasis in developed countries but are endemic in developing countries. We assessed the features of AAU urolithiasis in Japanese patients.Methods:  We reviewed hospital charts of patients with urolithiasis who were treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and endourological procedures at Sagamidai Hospital (Kanagawa, Japan) from January 1992 to December 2001. On the basis of the results of stone analysis with an infrared spectrophotometer, AAU stones were found.Results:  Of 8664 urolithiasis that we reviewed, 33 calculi (0.38%) from 29 patients contained AAU crystals. From crystallographic findings, we defined two types of AAU‐containing stones: pure and mixed AAU urolithiasis. Pure AAU urolithiasis were seen in 13 stones from 10 patients and mixed AAU in 20 stones from 19 patients. We found significant differences between the groups: the pure AAU group predominantly consisted of young, thin women and the mixed group consisted of middle‐aged men. Laboratory findings showed trends of low levels of serum protein, potassium, and urine pH in the pure AAU group.Conclusions:  Because each type of AAU urolithiasis is associated with different patient characteristics and pathophysiological features, it is important to understand the type of AAU urolithiasis in patients with calculi.
Management of concomitant ureteral carcinoma in situ at radical cystectomy
Authors: NAKANISHI SHINICHI , NISHIYAMA HIROYUKI , ITO MASAAKI , YOSHIMURA KOJI , KAMOTO TOSHIYUKI , OGAWA OSAMU 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate and define the management of concomitant ureteral carcinoma in situ (CIS) at radical cystectomy.Methods:  For 158 consecutive patients, who underwent radical cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer, ureteral CIS missed by preoperative examinations were evaluated by intraoperative analysis of frozen sections or postoperative histological analysis. The median follow‐up period was 3.4 years.Results:  In total, 15 concomitant ureteral CIS were diagnosed by intraoperative (n = 9) or postoperative analysis (n = 6). Additional ureteral resection achieved no malignancies in the final ureteral margins of eight patients. During the follow‐up period, five patients (3.6%) suffered from tumor recurrence in the upper urinary tract in total, as did three (20%) among the 15 patients with ureteral CIS missed by preoperative examinations. No recurrence was identified in the eight patients with no malignancy in the final ureteral margins after additional resection. Furthermore, multivariate analysis indicated that the presence of bladder CIS was a risk factor for the presence of concomitant ureteral CIS.Conclusions:  Detection of concomitant ureteral CIS by intraoperative studies, in combination with complete resection of ureteral CIS, might be beneficial for patients with risk factors such as bladder CIS.
Bladder reconstruction using a collagen patch prefabricated within the omentum
Authors: HATTORI KAZUNORI , JORAKU AKIRA , MIYAGAWA TOMOAKI , KAWAI KOJI , OYASU RYOICHI , AKAZA HIDEYUKI 
Published: June 2006

Objective:  We present our experience with a novel bladder reconstruction model using a collagen sponge pre‐embedded within the omentum. The aim of the study is to evaluate tissue regeneration of the reconstructed bladder and the effect of prefabricating the collagen patch within the omentum.Materials and methods:  Twenty pigs were divided into three groups. For the prefabricated patch group (PFP; n = 10), collagen sponge was inserted into the omentum. After 1 week, the pigs underwent a hemicystectomy and the sponge with an attached omental flap was brought to close the defect. For the non‐prefabricated patch group (NPFP; n = 6), pigs received hemicystectomy and closure with a collagen sponge without prefabricating in the omentum. Four other pigs received hemicystectomy alone as a control (C; n = 4). All animals in the NPFP and C groups, and 7 of 10 in the PFP group were sacrificed at 4 or 8 weeks. Three other pigs in the PFP group were sacrificed at 12 weeks. Resected bladders were submitted to hematoxylin–eosin, and immunohistochemical staining.Results:  All animals except for two in the NPFP group survived. At the time of grafting, the collagen sponge was covered with thick omental methothelial layers, and neo‐vascularization from the omentum was observed. At each time point, only slight adhesion was observed around the patch in the PFP group, while severe adhesion between the patch and the bowel was observed in the NPFP group, suggesting that prefabricated collagen sponge within the omentum prevented urine leakage from the bladder. Histologically, the patch was well vascularized, and the luminal surface was covered with urothelium at 4 weeks in both groups. However, in the PFP group, there was mild inflammation in the submucosa and in‐growth of smooth muscle derived from the adjacent muscle layers was observed with time, whereas severe inflammation was observed and in‐growth of smooth muscle was limited in the NPF group.Conclusions:  Prefabricating of a collagen patch within the omentum stimulated early neo‐vascularization before grafting, and this procedure appears to offer an advantage for bladder reconstruction over a non‐prefabricated procedure in terms of prevention of urine leakage and inflammation, and favorable tissue regeneration.
Team‐based approach reduces learning curve in robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
Authors: SIM HONG GEE , YIP SIDNEY KAM HUNG , LAU WEBER KAM ON , TAN YEH HONG , WONG MICHAEL YUET CHEN , CHENG CHRISTOPHER WAI SAM 
Published: June 2006

Aim:  We assessed the team approach in reducing the learning curve during our 2‐year experience transiting from open to robot‐assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (rLRP).Methods:  A team of three urologists progressed through assistant phase to console phase to obtain competency in robotic prostatectomy. One hundred patients underwent rLRP by this team using the da Vinci robotic surgical system from 1 February 2003 to 15 May 2005.Results:  The immediate perioperative outcome was divided into three corresponding time frames and the results demonstrated gradual improvement in outcome parameters. The mean set‐up time and dissection time were 24 ± 14 min and 182 ± 52 min, respectively. The mean perioperative blood loss was 272 ± 240 mL, and 7% of patients (n = 7) required blood transfusion. The mean duration of bladder catheterization was 8.4 ± 4.1 days, and mean hospital stay was 2.9 ± 1.6 days. There was no perioperative mortality or conversion to open radical prostatectomy. Major complications (4%) included urethrovesical leak requiring re‐operation, postoperative cerebrovascular accident, and transient ureteric obstruction. Minor complications (7%) included minor urethrovesical leak, bladder neck stenosis, and urinary tract infection. Mean follow up was 6.6 ± 5.0 months. Pathological assessment showed pT2 disease in 55% and pT3 in 45% of specimens.Conclusions:  A team‐based approach to robot‐assisted LRP helped to reduce the learning curve of the procedure for individual surgeons and continued to show significantly lower perioperative blood loss, transfusion requirements and postoperative pain compared to open radical retropubic prostatectomy.
Detection of filarial antigen and antibody in serum and hydrocele fluid of 100 patients of hydrocele
Authors: GOEL RAVISHANKAR S , VERMA NIMESH S , MULLAN SUMAIYA A , ASHDOWN ANDREW C 
Published: June 2006

Aim:  The present study was carried out to detect an association between isolated non‐communicable hydrocoele and filariasis and to provide awareness to positive patients regarding sequel and advising methods for the reduction of morbidity.Methods:  Blood samples and hydrocoele fluids were used to detect filarial antigen and antibody by ICT Kit, Trop‐bio kit and Sevafilachek Kit. These were followed by statistical evaluation by χ2 test.Results:  14% of cases were positive for filarial antigen and antibody in hydrocoele patient serum, while 15% of cases were positive for filarial antigen and antibody in the serum of non‐hydrocoele patients.Conclusion:  Probability is less than 0.05, which is statistically significant.
Complicated urinary tract infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a single institution (1999–2003)
Authors: SHIGEMURA KATSUMI , ARAKAWA SOICHI , SAKAI YUTAKA , KINOSHITA SHOHIRO , TANAKA KAZUSHI , FUJISAWA MASATO 
Published: June 2006

Background:  Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been an important uropathogen that causes complicated urinary tract infection. We investigated the clinical characteristics of complicated urinary tract infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a single institution.Methods:  We studied those patients who had basal disease in their urinary tract that was diagnosed as urinary tract infection caused by more than 104 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from their urine. In those patients, we analysed infectious risk factors, treatment methods including the use of antimicrobial agents, the presence of a urinary tract catheter, and the relationship between febrile infection and urinary tract catheter. In addition, we examined the various antimicrobial susceptibilities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Results:  We studied 76 patients (59 men and 17 women). Of their basal diseases of the urinary tract, bladder tumor was the most prevalent (42.1%). Of the 39 patients who had an indwelling urinary tract catheter, 26 (66.7%) experienced a high‐grade fever, a higher rate than that of the 37 patients who were not catheterized (40.5%). Seven patients were treated with anticancer chemotherapy drugs and 31 cases of urinary tract infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa were diagnosed in the perioperative period. Piperacillin showed lower susceptibility against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in these 2 years (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  Our results indicated that those patients with urinary tract catheterization had a higher incidence of fever than patients without catheterization. Therefore, we must improve not only the antimicrobial treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa but also our management of catheters.
Bisphosphonate induces apoptosis and inhibits pro‐osteoclastic gene expression in prostate cancer cells
Authors: ASAHI HIDEKI , MIZOKAMI ATSUSHI , MIWA SOTARO , KELLER EVAN T , KOSHIDA KIYOSHI , NAMIKI MIKIO 
Published: June 2006

Aim:  Bisphosphonates are well established for the management of cancer‐induced skeletal complications. Recent studies suggest that bisphosphonates promote apoptosis of cancer cells as well as osteoclasts in bone metastatic sites. To determine the direct effects of bisphosphonate on prostate cancer, we examined the effects of minodronate on prostatic cancer cell growth and the expression of apoptosis‐related proteins and osteoclastogenic factors.Methods:  PC‐3, DU145 and LNCaP cells were treated with amino‐bisphosphonate minodronate. Then proliferation, apoptosis and expression of bcl‐2, bax, poly (ADP)‐ribose polymerase (PARP), caspase‐3, receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), matrix metalloproteinases‐2 (MMP‐2), and parathyroid hormone related protein (PTHrP) were assessed.Results:  The proliferation of prostatic cancer cells was inhibited by minodronate. DNA fragmentation and TUNEL‐positive nuclei were observed in minodronate‐treated PC‐3 cells. Minodronate decreased bcl‐2 expression and induced bax expression, caspase‐3 activity and degradation of PARP in DU145 and PC‐3 cells. Minodronate decreased expression of RANKL, PTHrP and MMP‐2 in PC‐3 cells.Conclusions:  Our results suggest that bisphosphonate not only promotes apoptosis directly but also decreases pro‐osteoclastic gene expression in prostate cancer cells.
Use of real‐time telemedicine in the detection of diabetic macular oedema: a pilot study
Authors: Peter Jayanthi , Piantadosi Julia , Piantadosi Cynthia , Cooper Peter , Gehling Neil , Kaufmann Claude , Goggin Michael 
Published: June 2006

AbstractPurpose:  The high prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (21–36%) and 2 yearly reviews recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council for diabetics with no retinopathy creates a considerable burden for review in rural and regional Australia. Screening for diabetic retinopathy using telemedicine has significant implications. If effective, such a tool would have an impact on finance and resource allocation. The purpose of the study was to establish if telemedicine could distinguish clinically significant macular oedema (CSME) from eyes free of this form of disease.Methods:  A study population with representative examples of normal fundi and the different grades of retinopathy was chosen from existing records. The specificity and sensitivity of telemedicine diagnosis was compared with fundus photography and examination by an experienced ophthalmologist as a ‘gold standard’, in a blinded manner. Real‐time telemedicine assessment was performed with live video and audio connections with the transmitting and receiving units set in different areas of the ophthalmology department. The transmission end consisted of a video camera mounted on a slit lamp and the receiving unit consisted of a 21″ LCD monitor. A video conference link was established using three ISDN lines capable of 128 kb per second transfer per line allowing for a total of 348 kb per second when utilizing all three lines for high resolution images. Fundus photographs were taken with a Zeiss FF 450 Plus Digital imaging system.Results:  For telemedicine, sensitivity was 38% (95% CI, 35–40%) and specificity was 95% (95% CI, 91–99%). For photography, sensitivity was 75% (95% CI, 71–79%) and specificity was 95% (95% CI, 91–99%).Conclusions:  In this pilot study, sensitivity of detection of CSME by photography was considerably better than for live‐link telemedicine. This study tends to confirm the continued superiority of examination of the patient by an experienced ophthalmologist as the best method of screening for CSME, a sight threatening form of diabetic retinopathy.
Delayed ocular complications of mustard gas poisoning and the relationship with respiratory and cutaneous complications
Authors: Etezad‐Razavi Mohammad , Mahmoudi Mahmoud , Hefazi Mehrdad , Balali‐Mood Mahdi 
Published: June 2006

AbstractBackground: This study was aimed to determine the correlation between ocular complications and respiratory or cutaneous complications in a group of 40 Iranian veterans with late complications of sulphur mustard (SM) poisoning.Methods: Thorough ophthalmologic examination was performed on all severely SM‐poisoned veterans in the province of Khorasan, Iran. Spirometric evaluation of pulmonary function, as well as estimation of the burned skin area, was performed for all the patients. The severities of ocular, respiratory and cutaneous complications were classified into four grades in each patient and were compared with each other, using Spearman’s rank correlation test.Results: Forty male patients (aged 43.8 ± 9.8 years) with confirmed SM poisoning were studied 16–20 years after their initial exposure. Common symptoms were recorded as itching (42.5%), burning sensation (37.5%), photophobia (30%) and tearing (27.5%). Abnormal conjunctival and limbal findings were chronic conjunctivitis (17.5%), perilimbal hyperpigmentation (17.5%), vascular tortuosity (15%) and limbal ischaemia (12.5%). Abnormal corneal findings were subepithelial opacity (15%), corneal thinning (15%), diffuse corneal opacity (10%), neovascularization (7.5%) and epithelial defects (5%). A significant positive correlation was found between the severity of ocular and respiratory complications (r = 0.322,P = 0.043). Cutaneous complications revealed no significant correlation with either ocular or respiratory complications.Conclusions: SM causes delayed destructive lesions in the ocular surface and cornea, leading to progressive visual deterioration and ocular irritation. Late complications of SM poisoning in the eyes, respiratory system and skin are mainly due to SM’s local irritant effects.
The CAFE model of fracture—application to a TMCR steel
Authors: SHTERENLIKHT A. , HOWARD I. C. 
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACTCAFE, a combination of Cellular Automata (CA) to describe the material microstructural properties, and Finite Elements to represent the macroscopic strain, allows the evolving states of microstructural change to be analysed in a deforming body. The paper explores the potential of the technique for the assessment of the ductile‐to‐brittle transition behaviour of ferritic steels. The most important features are due to the microstructural control of cleavage. The model was applied to the Charpy test on a TMCR (Thermo‐Mechanically Controlled Rolled) steel. The results include simulations of the full Charpy energy transition curve, the varying amount of scatter in the data, and, in distinction to most other models in the literature, a full description of the state of the fracture surface on each specimen. The results agree reasonably well with the experimental data. The model follows the development of both ductile and cleavage micro‐mechanisms throughout the deformation of the structure or component. As a consequence, it allows cleavage to develop as a progressive point‐to‐point process. The model can, and does, predict the arrest of cleavage cracks by ductile processes. It can be easily generalized to include more sophisticated aspects of a material microstructure.
The F1F0‐ATPase of Bifidobacterium animalis is involved in bile tolerance
Authors: Sánchez Borja , De Los Reyes‐Gavilán Clara G. , Margolles Abelardo 
Published: June 2006

SummaryAdaptation and tolerance to bile stress are important factors for the survival of bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract. Bifidobacterium animalis is a probiotic microorganism which has been largely applied in fermented dairy foods due to its technological properties and its health‐promoting effects for humans. The effect of the presence of bile on the activity and expression of F1F0‐ATPase, the pool of ATP and the intracellular pH of B. animalis IPLA 4549 and its mutant with acquired resistance to bile B. animalis 4549dOx was determined. The bile‐resistant mutant tolerated the acid pH better than its parent strain. Bile induced the expression of the F1F0‐ATPase and increased the membrane‐bound H+‐ATPase activity, in both parent and mutant strains. In acidic conditions (pH 5.0), the expression and the activity of this enzyme were higher in the mutant than in the parent strain when cells were grown in the absence of bile. Total ATP content was higher for the mutant in the absence of bile, whereas the presence of bile induced a decrease of intracellular ATP levels, which was much more pronounced for the parent strain. At pH 4.0, and independently on the presence or absence of bile, the mutant showed a higher intracellular pH than its parent strain. These findings suggest that the bile‐adapted B. animalis strain is able to tolerate bile by increasing the intracellular ATP reserve, and by inducing proton pumping by the F1F0‐ATPase, therefore tightly regulating the internal pH, and provide a link between the physiological state of the cell and the response to bile.