Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Correlations between Receptor Density and Binding Affinity of 1-Adrenoceptors and Several Clinical Parameters

The aim of the study was to determine whether relations do exist between the concentration and activity of 1-adrenoceptors, both inside the prostatic adenoma and the periurethral zone corresponding to the bladder neck, and clinical and biological parameters such as symptoms, evaluated by the American Urological Association (AUA) score, age, weight of the prostate, PSA, and the flow rate. Twenty patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia were selected for an open prostatectomy. One gram of tissue was dissected from inside the adenoma and 1 g from the periurethral zone corresponding to the bladder neck. The 1-adrenoceptors were evaluated for the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) and the maximal number of binding sites (Bmax). A correlation seems to exist between receptor density inside the adenoma and the bladder neck and an inverse correlation between receptor density and the AUA total symptoms score. Finally, a highly significant difference was found in patients with an AUA score of 15. No relationship was found between receptor binding affinity and the considered clinical parameter

Cadmium exposure and kidney stone formation in the general population--an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III data

Background and Purpose: Cadmium exposure has been associated with a greater risk of kidney stone formation in occupational exposure studies, but data on such an association in the general population are scarce. Subjects and Methods: We assessed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 1988 to 1994 in terms of the risk of stone formation. Persons reporting a history of kidney stones were defined as stone formers (n=749), and the association between a positive history of kidney stones and high environmental cadmium exposure levels (defined as urinary cadmium >1\u2009\u3bcg/g) was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, stratifying by sex and adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, smoking habits, region of residence, and daily intake of calcium and sodium. Results: The odds ratio of lithiasis associated with urinary cadmium >1\u2009\u3bcg/g was 1.40 (95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.86) in females (P=0.019). The association between urinary cadmium and kidney stones was not significant in males. Conclusions: These findings suggest that moderately high levels of urinary cadmium are associated with a greater propensity for kidney stone formation in females in the general population

Three consecutive cases of adenomatoid tumour of the epididymis: histological considerations and therapeutical implications. Review of the literature.

Adenomatoid tumour is an uncommon neoplasm of the male genital tract. The Authors report their recent observation of three consecutive cases of adenomatoi tumour of the epididymis. In all cases the diagnosis was difficult and done only by an accurate histological examination. The treatment was conservative, consisting in the removal of the neoplasm. After a follow up of at least two years the patients do not show any sign of relapses confirming the validity of the surgical therapeutical approach performed. Because of the unfrequent observation of these forms and the difficulty in the diagnosis, the Authors stress the necessity of the surgical exploration with an accurate microscopic examination of the specimens. Moreover a review of the literature from a histological and therapeutical point of view was done and reported

Ileocecal with teniamyotomies and ileal detubularized neobladders: Considerations about a videourodynamic study after a long-term follow-up

Objective. To evaluate the functionality of ileal detubularized reservoir and ileocecal neobladder with multiple teniamyotomies after a long term follow-up. Material and Methods. Eight patients with ileal detubularized reservoir (IR) and 10 with ileocecal neobladder with multiple teniamyotomies (ICUS) with an average follow-up of 95 months, were submitted to a videourodynamic digital fluorongiographic examination. The patients had the longest disease-free follow-up of our series. Results. Urodynamic data collected were almost good and comparable between IR and ICUS. Anyway the exams showed that the smooth intestinal muscles remain active both in non-detubularized and detubularized bladders even after years. Continence is mostly assured by the striated sphincter, which can withstand transient high pressure peaks but is less effective when facing prolonged pressure increases. While in some cases a valid micturition was achieved simply relaxing the perineal floor, in other cases micturition was obtained by an abdominal straining against the resistance of a contracted urethral sphincter/pelvic floor even after a long follow-up. Conclusions. Detubularization and teniamyotomies can equally help the striated sphincter function by increasing the neobladder compliance. Moreover we observed that a non-spherical neobladder was compatible with good clinical results as well, proving that neobladder shape was less important in achieving good functional performance. Furthermore, in some cases the optimal relaxation of the perineal floor made abdominal straining superfluous especially when neobladders had physiological capacity. Thus a perineal floor musculature training and its co-ordination with abdominal muscles may improve the quality of micturition