Priapism after a scorpion sting on the penis in a child

A child presenting with priapism after a scorpion sting is reported. Successful outcome was achieved with cavernosal aspiration. Possible aetiological factors and treatment options are discussed

Chest

Background:Previously healthy firefighters with World Trade Center (WTC) dust exposure developed airway disease. Risk factors for irritant-associated asthma/COPD overlap are poorly defined.Methods:The study included 2,137 WTC-exposed firefighters who received a clinically-indicated bronchodilator pulmonary function test (BD-PFT) between 9/11/2001\u20139/10/2017. A post-BD FEV1 increase of >12% and 200 ml from baseline defined asthma, and post-BD FEV1/FVC ratio<0.7 identified COPD cases. Participants who met both criteria had asthma/COPD overlap. Eosinophil levels were measured on screening blood tests performed shortly after 9/11/2001 and prior to BD-PFT; a subgroup of participants also had serum IgE and 21 cytokines measured (N=215). Marginal Cox regression models for multiple events assessed the associations of eosinophil levels or serum biomarkers with subsequent diagnosis, with age, race, smoking, WTC-exposure, first post-9/11 FEV1/FVC ratio, and BMI included as covariates.Results:BD-PFT diagnosed asthma/COPD overlap in 99 individuals (4.6%), isolated-asthma in 202 (9.5%), and isolated-COPD in 215 (10.1%). Eosinophil concentration 65300 cells/\u3bcl was associated with increased risk of asthma/COPD overlap (HR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.16\u20132.95), but not with isolated-asthma or isolated-COPD. Serum IL-4 also predicted asthma/COPD overlap (HR: 1.51 per doubling of cytokine concentration, 95% CI: 1.17\u20131.95). Greater IL-21 concentration was associated with both isolated-asthma and isolated-COPD (HR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.27\u20132.35 and HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.31\u20133.23, respectively).Conclusions:In WTC-exposed firefighters, elevated blood eosinophils and IL-4 levels are associated with subsequent asthma/COPD overlap. Disease-specific Th-2 biomarkers present years before diagnosis suggest patient-intrinsic predisposition to irritant-associated asthma/COPD overlap.R01 HL119326/HL/NHLBI NIH HHS/United StatesU01 OH011300/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United StatesU01 OH011302/OH/NIOSH CDC HHS/United States2019-12-01T00:00:00Z30028968PMC6289858696

Preventive effects of vitamin E against oxidative damage in aged diabetic rat bladders.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of aging and/or diabetes mellitus on oxidative stress and the protective effect of vitamin E in the bladder. It was proposed that the balance between oxidant and antioxidant species is important regarding the aging process and prevention of diabetic complications. METHODS: Young and aged rats were randomly allotted into six experimental groups: aged control, aged diabetic, aged diabetic and vitamin E-treated, young control, young diabetic, young diabetic and vitamin E-treated. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin. Vitamin E was administered to the treated groups. Malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels were measured in all rat bladders, and histological changes were examined by electron microscopy. RESULTS: We found increased malondialdehyde and decreased glutathione levels in the young and aged diabetic groups compared with the nondiabetic control groups. Elevated malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels were observed in the aged compared with the young control groups. There were no significant differences in the malondialdehyde and glutathione levels between young and aged diabetic vitamin E-treated groups compared with the related control groups. Degeneration was greatest in the aged diabetic group. The protective effects of vitamin E were seen in young and aged diabetic groups, especially in the young diabetic group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vitamin E supplementation prevents free radical damage in bladders of young and aged diabetic rats

hydronephrosis

Objective: The aim of this study was to find out the predictive role of serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels in benign hydronephrosis and whether these levels are helpful for differentiation of complete or partial urinary obstruction.Materials and methods: Fifty-four patients with, and 23 without, benign hydronephrosis were enrolled in this study. Serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were determined by the chemiluminescence enzyme immunometric assay method and these levels were correlated with clinical factors.Results: The mean serum (P < 0.0001) and urinary (P < 0.0001) carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and serum creatinine (P < 0.008) levels were significantly higher in the hydronephrosis group than the control group. There was significant correlation between serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels in the hydronephrosis group (r = 0.639, P < 0.0001). In the hydronephrosis group, there were no significant differences between the serum creatinine, serum or urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and the clinical features except symptom duration. The best cut-off value for the serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were found to be 4.84 U/mL and 29.35 U/mL, respectively.Conclusion: Serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels correlated with each other, were significantly elevated in patients with hydronephrosis and did not predict complete urinary obstruction. Benign hydronephrosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 increments, as this is what is of most importance in clinical practice.C1 Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Biochem, Denizli, Turkey.Pamukkale Univ, Sch Med, Dept Urol, Denizli, Turkey

Elevation of serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in benign hydronephrosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to find out the predictive role of serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels in benign hydronephrosis and whether these levels are helpful for differentiation of complete or partial urinary obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with, and 23 without, benign hydronephrosis were enrolled in this study. Serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were determined by the chemiluminescence enzyme immunometric assay method and these levels were correlated with clinical factors. RESULTS: The mean serum (P < 0.0001) and urinary (P < 0.0001) carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and serum creatinine (P < 0.008) levels were significantly higher in the hydronephrosis group than the control group. There was significant correlation between serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels in the hydronephrosis group (r = 0.639, P < 0.0001). In the hydronephrosis group, there were no significant differences between the serum creatinine, serum or urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and the clinical features except symptom duration. The best cut-off value for the serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were found to be 4.84 U/mL and 29.35 U/mL, respectively. CONCLUSION: Serum and urinary carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels correlated with each other, were significantly elevated in patients with hydronephrosis and did not predict complete urinary obstruction. Benign hydronephrosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 increments, as this is what is of most importance in clinical practice

oxidative stress

Objective: To examine the effects of age and/or diabetes on oxidative stress and steroidogenesis,and the protective effect of vitamin E in testis tissue:Design: Controlled experimental study.Setting: Pamukkale University School of Medicine animal facility.Animal(s): Male Wistar rats divided into six groups with. six animals in each group: young control; young diabetic; young diabetic with vitamin E treatment; aged control; aged diabetic; and aged diabetic with vitamin E treatment.Intervention(s): Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg streptozotocin and was confirmed by testing blood glucose levels 5 to 7 days after injection. Vitamin E was administered orally for 6 weeks.Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum testosterone and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) levels were measured, and testis tissue was examined histopathologically.Result(s): Elevated malondialdehyde and reduced superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and serum testosterone levels were detected only in the young and aged-diabetic groups. Histopathologic change was not detected in the testis tissue in any of the groups.Conclusion(s): Age does not alter the effects of diabetes-induced free radical damage in testis tissue; improvement in this damage can be achieved by vitamin E treatment