Are elevated mitochondrial DNA fragments in prostatic inflammation a potential biomarker for prostate cancer?

Background: We sought to determine whether two soluble forms with different size of mtDNA are linked to prostatic inflammation, and whether they discriminate prostate cancer (PCa) from inflammatory prostatic conditions. Methods: Histopathologically diagnosed prostatitis, PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia patients (n = 93) were enrolled in this study and they were categorized as with and without prostate inflammation. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to analyze the levels of 79-bp and 230-bp fragments in urine and blood samples collected following prostate massage. Results: The urine mtDNA-79 and mtDNA-230 were significantly increased in patients with prostate inflammation compared with those in without inflammation. Here, 79-bp fragment of apoptotic origin was significantly higher level than 230-bp fragment of necrotic origin. Although mtDNA-79 copy number in serum samples was also increased in patients with prostate inflammation, mtDNA-230 was similar in the two groups. Furthermore, mtDNA-79 and mtDNA-230 copy numbers in postprostate massage urine were higher (about 16-fold and 22-fold, respectively) than those from serum samples. ROC analysis showed that, although post-prostate massage urine have relatively higher performance than blood, ability to discriminate cases of both fragments was not better than that of serum total PSA. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that shorter cf-mtDNA fragment size in particular, increase in the presence of prostate inflammation in post-prostatic massage urine but both fragments could never improve serum total PSA performance

Management of renal abscess formation after embolization due to renal angiomyolipomas in two cases

Current management strategies of renal angiomyolipomas (AMLs) include observation, embolization and partial or total nephrectomy. Selective arterial embolization is an effective and safe treatment of large angiomyolipomas with low complication rates. Percutaneous drainage was the recommended treatment for renal abscess formation following the embolization. Herein we describe two cases which we performed percutaneous drainage of the liquefaction of entire tumors after embolization. Open surgery was needed for one of the patients who showed recurrence after percutaneous drainage and alcohol irrigation of the cavity, whereas percutaneous drainage was the sufficient treatment for the other patient as recommended

Retrospective analysis of medicolegal cases and evaluation for erectile function

Erectile function (EF) is an important question in lawsuits for divorce, rape, and damages. In this study, a method to evaluate medicolegal cases is defined, and the characteristics of the 265 cases screened for EF between 1989 and 1997 were analyzed. Interview, physical examination, psychometric evaluation, nocturnal penile tumescence, serum hormone levels and blood chemistry, intracavernosal drug injection, penile Doppler ultrasonography, and pharmacocavemosometry and pharmacocavernosography tests were used for diagnosis. The tests performed were selected according to the age of the subject. Of the 265 cases 128 (48.3%) were for divorce, 116 (43.7%) were for rape, and 21 (8%) were for indemnity relating to lawsuits for damages. In only 7 cases (2.7%) was the defendant < 15 years of age. Organic pathology for erectile dysfunction (ED) was present in 22% of lawsuits for divorce, 40.5% of lawsuits for rape, and 33.4% of lawsuits for damages. Three men in cases of divorce and 2 men after genital trauma due to traffic accident suffered psychological ED. This study indicates that lawyers may abuse the assertion of ED in lawsuits for divorce and rape. In 128 divorce cases the defendant was accused of being impotent, but evaluation proved that 75.8% had normal EF. In lawsuits for rape, 59.5% of defendants had normal EF although the lawyers of the rapist claimed their clients were impotent. The investigation, interpretation, and characteristics of medicolegal cases may differ in countries with different cultures

Evaluation of Microdissection Testicular Sperm Extraction Results in Patients with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia: Independent Predictive Factors and Best Cutoff Values for Sperm Retrieval

Purpose: Testicular sperm extraction (TESE) for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was first introduced for the treatment of non-obstructive azoospermia. This study was conducted to detect predictive factors affecting the success of microTESE

Repetition of color Doppler ultrasonography: is it necessary?

The aim of the study was to determine whether any difference would occur in peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end diastolic velocity (EDV) measurements of color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) between proximal and distal segments of the cavernous arteries obtained at different times. Twenty-six cases have undergone CDU three times in weekly intervals. PSV and EDV measurements of cavernous arteries were obtained both proximally and distally

A Role for Heterozygosity of NF-kappa B1 rs28362491 Polymorphism in Patients with Idiopathic Oligospermia

Background: Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB) activation and its inhibition by NF-kB inhibitor (IkB) have been functionally linked to germ cell apoptosis, which may affect human infertility. We hypothesized a possible relationship between the NF-kappa B1-94insidel ATTG (rs28362491) and NF-kappa BIA 3'UTR A -> G (rs696) polymorphism, which are common polymorphisms and the susceptibility to oligospermia in the context of the sperm apoptosis

Effect of Varicocelectomy on Restoration of Spermatogenesis in Patients with Non-obstructive Azoospermia

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of varicocelectomy on spermatogenesis in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and the presence of clinical factors for re-spermatogenesis