Penile Fracture with Associated Urethral Rupture

Penile fracture of the erect penis is an uncommon but emergent urological trauma. Potential outcomes include erectile dysfunction, penile curvature, and urethral injury. Treatment is emergent surgical repair. We present the case of a 42-year-old man with a penile fracture complicated by a urethral rupture and subsequent repair. A discussion of the key aspects of this condition is presented

Initial Clinical Experience of Simultaneous Robot-Assisted Bilateral Partial Nephrectomy and Radical Prostatectomy

A 62-year-old male patient with prostate cancer and bilateral renal cell carcinoma underwent a simultaneous robot-assisted bilateral partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy. We describe our initial experience of combined operation with a port strategy allowing reuse of ports and surgical considerations because of prolonged pneumoperitoneum

Polyamine homoeostasis as a drug target in pathogenic protozoa: peculiarities and possibilities

New drugs are urgently needed for the treatment of tropical and subtropical parasitic diseases, such as African sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis and malaria. Enzymes in polyamine biosynthesis and thiol metabolism, as well as polyamine transporters, are potential drug targets within these organisms. In the present review, the current knowledge of unique properties of polyamine metabolism in these parasites is outlined. These properties include prozyme regulation of AdoMetDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase) activity in trypanosomatids, co-expression of ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) and AdoMetDC activities in a single protein in plasmodia, and formation of trypanothione, a unique compound linking polyamine and thiol metabolism in trypanosomatids. Particularly interesting features within polyamine metabolism in these parasites are highlighted for their potential in selective therapeutic strategies