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Prostatic tissue ablation by injection: a literature review.

PURPOSE: Most men 50 to 80 years old will have development of some degree of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Many who experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) will be treated medically. However, significant numbers will have more severe and progressive disease requiring surgery. Transurethral resection of the prostate is the current gold standard of treatment for BPH. Minimally invasive therapies for symptomatic BPH emerge and fade continuously. However, intraprostatic injection for BPH has been used for more than 100 years and may be on the verge of a rebirth. The goal of this review is to familiarize the reader with the origins and history of intraprostatic injection, and its evolution using transperineal, transrectal and transurethral routes with multiple injectants. Initially used to treat urinary retention in men with BPH, its primary indication is now for LUTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a structured MEDLINE review of the literature on intraprostatic injections from 1966 to 2003, augmented with relevant articles from select journals and documents dating to 1832. RESULTS: In patients with BPH transperineal and transurethral injections have the most systematic evaluation. Most injectants will cause localized prostatic necrosis and gland volume reduction with varying degrees of LUTS relief. Anhydrous ethanol is the most widely studied injectable to date. There are advantages and disadvantages associated with each route of injection. CONCLUSIONS: Examined for more than a century, the potential for using injectables for prostatic tissue ablation remains significant. More systematic laboratory research and clinical trials, currently ongoing, need to be completed.

Animals↗

[The usefulness of ultrasonography and Doppler ultrasound in renal transplantation].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to analyze the usefulness of ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound for the evaluation of transplant donors and recipients, for renal transplant follow-up and for the resolution of surgical complications after renal transplant. METHODS: Abdominal ultrasound was performed in donors and recipients of renal grafts. In the recipients with vascular risk factors a Doppler ultrasound of the iliac and lower limb arteries was systematically done. Doppler ultrasound was performed in the first and seventh day after renal transplant, as well as for graft dysfunction at any moment. RESULTS: Recipient ultrasound informs about the existence of acquired renal cystic disease and Doppler ultrasound allows evaluating the vascular state of high risk recipients. In the immediate post-transplant period ultrasound studies are useful for detection of vascular complications, graft obstruction and to control the evolution of acute rejection and acute tubular necrosis. Finally, ultrasound is the technique of choice in the endourological management of surgical complications after renal transplant. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound under urologic control is essential in the evaluation of the kidney transplant recipient, post-transplant follow-up and in the resolution of surgical complications.

Delayed Graft Function↗

[Behavioral disorders after treatment with isoniazid].

Isoniazid, efficient antituberculosis drug, can provoke neuropsychiatric manifestations at certain patients. Two mechanisms of action for isoniazid-related psychosis are kept by the majority of authors: pyridoxin deficiency isoniazid toxicity, molecule near chemically to iproniazid, powerful IMAO (monoamine oxydase inhibitor). The predisposing factors are: slow acetylator, diabetes, hepatic insufficiency, old age, alcoholism. Family and personal history of mental illness are also predisposing factors. We report here the observation of a 53-year-old man presented with psychotic symptoms suspected to be relation with isoniazid. The favorable evolution after the definitive stop of isoniazid therapy is in favor of this hypothesis. Although rare, the neuropsychiatric symptoms during tuberculosis treatment by isoniazid, the possibility of iatrogenic etiology must be evoked. Isoniazid, antituberculosis very used in Africa, is mentioned by several authors like the cause of psychiatric disorders. Pyridoxin deficiency seems to play a role of trigger. Supplementation with vitamin B6 during the treatment by isoniazid must be therefore systematic to warm these unrests.

Aging↗

[Does the general strategy for the treatment of rheumatoid polyarthritis need to be reviewed?].

At the start of the nineties, the therapeutic strategy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still disappointing, and the natural history of this affection remains only slightly influenced by the treatments; a general re-assessment of the treatment seems therefore justified. Some new slow acting drugs are effective, but they cannot be considered as being therapeutic revolutions: gold salts per os, sulphasalazine, tiopronine whose efficacy is comparable to D-penicillamine without systematic cross interaction, methotrexate, cyclosporin which is difficult to manipulate. These observations encourage the search for new strategies, namely for the early treatment of the synovitis before the pannus and radiological signs appear. For this, the early and irrefutable diagnosis of RA must be made possible; and no completely reliable, early detection test is available yet. Though promising, the new therapeutic approaches, immunomanipulation or cell manipulation, do not revolutionize the evolution of this pathology. Other fields of research need to be developed, namely on the remission-inducing agents observed during pregnancy. It is still impossible to know which approach will provide the absolute weapon against RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

[The evolution of dental echography: clinical and experimental research. The ultrasonic anatomy of the teeth and periodontal tissues].

Early clinico-experimental findings with real-time B-mode Echography of the odontological district are reported. On the basis of previous in vitro application references and using a unidimensional A-Mode technique, preliminary data of in vivo ultrasound semeiotics regarding the tooth and its periodontal structures are outlined experimentally. Although current "in vivo" experience relates exclusively to front central and para-central teeth, it can be hypothesised that further technical and methodological developments of echographic instruments may permit systematic employment of ultrasound diagnosis in the odontological sector.

Humans↗

[Finasteride: 10 years of clinical use. Systematic review of the literature].

INTRODUCTION: After ten years of clinical use of Finasteride in patients with BPH, we carried out a systematic review of the literature including the assessment of their quality and grading the level of evidence for clinical recommendations. METHODS: Using Medline, Embase, Healthstar and Cochrane Library from 1990 until 2002, we select all the studies referring patients between 50 to 85 with symptoms of BPH, metrics of flow, prostatic volume, postmictional residue, detrusor pressure, adverse effects, cost-effectiveness and quality of life. RESULTS: We found out 135 references, of which 36 accomplish the inclusion criteria. Of those, 3 have got level I of evidence, 12 level II, 6 level III and 10 level IV. Three are economic studies and two evaluate the quality of life. DISCUSSION: With a high level of evidence and after ten years of clinical use, Finasteride shows its effectiveness in reducing the symptoms of patients with prostate bigger than 40 ml and/or PSA of more than 1.4 ngr/ml, with scarce adverse effects with a clear improvement of quality of life. Therefore, it is recommended (grade A) for clinical use. CONCLUSIONS: Finasteride, through prostate volume reduction, modify natural evolution of BPH, decreasing the risk of acute urine retention and surgery.

5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors↗

Divergent evolutionary strategies in spider venoms: A comparative proteomic profiling of four sympatric species from Yunnan.

Spider venoms comprise complex cocktails of bioactive molecules evolved for predation and defense, representing a valuable resource for biological research and pharmaceutical discovery. In this study, we performed a systematic analysis of venom gland extracts from four common spider species indigenous to Yunnan, China: Agelena limbata, Hippasa lycosina, Lycosa grahami, and Sinopoda pengi. Using an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic targeted profiling approach, we successfully annotated 141 distinct toxins. Comparative analysis revealed significant interspecific heterogeneity, suggesting distinct evolutionary trajectories and "weapon system economics." Both A. limbata and L. grahami exhibited a "peptide-dominant" profile anchored by neurotoxic peptides and isomerases, optimized for rapid chemical paralysis. In contrast, S. pengi displayed a distinct "protein-dominant" signature enriched with high-molecular-weight enzymes and CAP superfamily proteins, likely functioning to facilitate tissue degradation and toxin diffusion. Occupying an intermediate position, H. lycosina demonstrated a hybrid composition. These findings suggest that although these species share the same geographical range, their venom systems have undergone divergent evolutionary adaptations driven by specific ecological niches and hunting strategies. This study represents the first systematic proteomic characterization of these venom components, providing a valuable reservoir of molecular candidates while highlighting the bioinformatic nuances of analyzing whole-gland homogenates.

Animals↗

Dissecting virulence pathways of Mycobacterium tuberculosis through protein-protein association.

The sudden increase in information derived from the completed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genome sequences has revealed the need for approaches capable of converting raw genome sequence data into functional information. To date, an experimental system for studying protein-protein association in mycobacteria is not available. We have developed a simple system, termed mycobacterial protein fragment complementation (M-PFC), that is based upon the functional reconstitution of two small murine dihydrofolate reductase domains independently fused to two interacting proteins. Using M-PFC, we have successfully demonstrated dimerization of yeast GCN4, interaction between Mtb KdpD and KdpE, and association between Esat-6 and Cfp-10. We established the association between the sensor kinase, DevS, and response regulator, DevR, thereby demonstrating the potential of M-PFC to study protein associations in the mycobacterial membrane. To validate our system, we screened an Mtb library for proteins that associate with the secreted antigen Cfp-10 and consistently identified Esat-6 in our screens. Additional proteins that specifically associate with Cfp-10 include Rv0686 and Rv2151c (FtsQ), a component and substrate, respectively, of the evolutionary conserved signal recognition pathway; and Rv3596c (ClpC1), an AAA-ATPase chaperone involved in protein translocation and quality control. Our results provide empirical evidence that directly links the Mtb specialized secretion pathway with the evolutionary conserved signal recognition and SecA/SecYEG pathways, suggesting they share secretory components. We anticipate that M-PFC will be a major contributor to the systematic assembly of mycobacterial protein interaction maps that will lead to the development of better strategies for the control of tuberculosis.

Bacterial Proteins↗

[The system of flowering plants: synthesis of classical and molecular approaches].

The proposed system of flowering plants (Angiospermae) is based on synthesis of cladistic researches from different authors, morphological data and "traditional" systematics as well. Classis Angiospermae is divided for 4 subclassis: Magloliidae, Liliidae, Rosidae and Asteridae. Thus, monocots belong to subclassis Liliidae, and so-called "dicots" to three other subclasses. Altogether there are 35 orders and 328 families of flowering plants in this system.

Evolution, Molecular↗

Molecular systematics of the Drosophila hydei subgroup as inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.

The phylogeny of the Drosophila hydei subgroup, which is a member of the D. repleta species group, was inferred from 1,515 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunits I, II, and III. Four of the seven species in the subgroup were examined, which are placed into two taxonomic complexes: the D. bifurca complex (D. bifurca and D. nigrohydei) and the D. hydei complex (D. hydei and D. eohydei). Both complexes appear to be monophyletic, although the D. bifurca complex is only weakly supported. The evolution of chromosomal change, interspecific crossability, sperm gigantism, and divergence times of the subgroup is discussed in a phylogenetic context.

Animals↗

A new southern limit for the distribution of African great apes: sympatric western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) confirmed in Mayombe National Park, Angola.

The distribution of African great apes has remained unconfirmed regarding their southern limit, particularly on the western side of the continent. IUCN maps include the Mayombe forest of Angola as part of the estimated distribution of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). However, until now no published evidence-based records had confirmed the continued presence of both species. The Mayombe forest is a key biodiversity hotspot and a potentially important stronghold for the conservation of great ape populations in Africa. Here, we report the first systematic evidence of both species in the Mayombe National Park, Cabinda, Angola. In 2023, a grid of camera traps was systematically deployed, producing the first visual records of gorillas and chimpanzees. Building on these findings, in 2024, a pilot survey including ad libitum field observations was carried out along exploratory trails to maximise data collection. The combination of these records identified a hotspot of great ape activity where six transects were established, and systematic direct and indirect evidence was documented. Chimpanzees were recorded more times across a broader range of evidence categories, while gorillas appeared less and seemed more spatially restricted. Notably, both species were detected at overlapping sites but never simultaneously, indicating sympatric coexistence with spatio-temporal partitioning. These findings confirm the southernmost predicted distribution of both species for this part of Africa, filling critical gaps in the understanding of great ape evolution and biogeography, and providing a baseline for the first demographic and ecological census of great apes in Angola.

Animals↗

Holobionts, hybrids, and cladistic classification.

David P. Mindell assumes that incorporation of the holobionts (evolutionarily stable symbiotic complexes) and hybrids into phylogenetic trees necessarily distorts the hierarchical structure of cladistic classification, and must lead to reformulation of some basic cladistic concepts (BioSystems, 27, 53-62, 1992). He does not regard the Eukarya and Eubacteria as monophyletic taxa, the former being 'polyphyletic', the latter 'paraphyletic'. We attempt to show that the existence of holobionts/hybrids is not a cladistic problem. Cladistics is a systematic methodology, not a system of evolutionary hypotheses; cladograms are statements about distribution of shared characters (synapomorphies) and, consequently, the cladograms are always branching and hierarchically structured. A taxon is monophyletic if it has a single root in the cladogram, not a single ancestor 'in reality'. Cladistic methodology does not provide a clue for distinguishing whether a conflicting distribution of the potential synapomorphies is due to reticulation (e.g., symbiogenesis) or convergent evolution. Consequently, both Eubacteria and Eukarya either are or are not monophyletic taxa if they are or are not determined to be so during cladistic analysis.

Biological Evolution↗

Aggregate size distribution evolution for Brownian coagulation-sensitivity to an improved rate constant.

Brownian motion causes small aggregates to encounter one another and grow in gaseous environments, often under conditions in which the coalescence rate (say, spheroidization by "sintering") cannot compete. The polydisperse nature of the aerosol population formed by this mechanism is typically accounted for by formulating an evolution equation for the joint PDF of the state variables needed for describing individual particles. In the simple case of fractal-like aggregates (prescribed morphology and state, characterized just by the number of aggregated spherules, or total aggregate volume), we use the quadrature method of moments and Monte Carlo simulations to show that recent improvements in the laws governing free molecule regime coagulation frequency (rate "constant") of these aggregates cause systematic changes in the shape of the asymptotic aggregate size distribution, with significant implications for the light-scattering power and inertial impaction behavior of such aggregate populations.

Journal Article↗

The evolving concept of health in nursing research: 1988-1998.

This article concerns the evolution of the concept of health, as reported in selected nursing journals, over the last 10 years. It builds on an analysis reported by Reynolds [Reynolds CL. The measurement of health in nursing research. Adv Nurs Sci 1988;10(4):23-31.] who initially investigated the concept of health and the means by which it was measured during the period 1977-1987. Using the same journals as Reynolds, the methodology of systematic review is used to analyse the way in which health is defined, the frequency with which it is investigated and the means by which it is measured, and these data are compared with Reynolds findings. The results indicate that; three times as many studies have been conducted in the last 10 years, a more holistic concept of health has emerged, and the instruments used are becoming more sophisticated. These findings are discussed and the implications for patient education and health care professionals considered.

Chronic Disease↗

Diabetes: a major co-morbidity of cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is a frequent complication of cystic fibrosis, its prevalence increases with age of patient and is close to 30% at the age of 30 years. As life expectancy greatly increases, the number of cystic fibrosis patients developing diabetes will increase too. CFRD shares some features with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, initial phase is characterised by postprandial hyperglycaemia followed by a progression toward insulin deficiency. Insulin deficiency is an essential factor in the development of diabetes with an additional contribution of insulin resistance. Systematic screening with an oral glucose tolerance test is recommended from the age of 14 years because clinical signs of CFRD are often confused with signs of pulmonary infection and CFRD occurrence is associated with weight and pulmonary function deterioration. In observational studies CFRD diagnosis is associated with a significant increase in mortality, while treatment allow correction of weight and lung deterioration suggesting that CFRD has a significant impact on CF evolution. Microvascular complications are recognised, although paucity of data does not permit a clear description of their natural history. Annual screening for microvascular complication is recommended. There is no evidence by now that CF patients develop macrovascular complications. The only recommended pharmacological treatment is insulin therapy.

Comorbidity↗

Dense taxonomic EST sampling and its applications for molecular systematics of the Coleoptera (beetles).

Expressed sequence tag (EST) sequences can provide a wealth of data for phylogenetic and genomic studies, but the utility of these resources is restricted by poor taxonomic sampling. Here, we use small EST libraries (<1,000 clones) to generate phylogenetic markers across a broad sample of insects, focusing on the species-rich Coleoptera (beetles). We sequenced over 23,000 ESTs from 34 taxa, which produced 8,728 unique sequences after clustering nonredundant sequences. Between taxa, the sequences could be grouped into 731 gene clusters, with the largest corresponding to mitochondrial DNA transcripts and gene families chymotrypsin, actin, troponin, and tubulin. While levels of paralogy were high in most gene clusters, several midsized clusters including many ribosomal protein (RP) genes appeared to be free of expressed paralogs. To evaluate the utility of EST data for molecular systematics, we curated available transcripts for 66 RP genes from representatives of the major groups of Coleoptera. Using supertree and supermatrix approaches for phylogenetic analysis, the results were consistent with the emerging phylogenetic conclusions about basal relationships in Coleoptera. Numerous small EST libraries from a taxonomically densely sampled lineage can provide a core set of genes that together act as a scaffold in phylogenetic reconstruction, comparative genomics, and studies of gene evolution.

Animals↗

Mouse U3-RNA-processed pseudogenes are nonrandomly integrated into genomic DNA. Implications for the process of retrogene formation.

We have characterized three mouse U3-RNA-processed pseudogenes. Together with previous analyses of mouse functional genes and of rat genes and pseudogenes, these data provide some insights into the processes of U3 retrogene formation during the evolution of rodents. All the mouse retrogenes correspond to a full-length U3B-coding sequence with a 3'-poly(A) tail and are precisely flanked by a pair of direct repeats, in agreement with formation through an RNA intermediate followed by insertion at staggered nicks in the genome. All the rodents U3 retrogenes identified so far are produced from a U3B-RNA form, with two of them (one for each rodent) formed from a 3'-elongated U3-RNA precursor, pointing to the particular susceptibility of RNA precursors forms to serve as templates for retrogene formation. Rodent full-length U3 retrogenes are not inserted randomly in the genome but are systematically found in a context of simple sequences, prone to slipped-strand mispairings and likely to favour the appearance of single-stranded DNA. Moreover their flanking repeats share not only the same size (15 bp) but also common sequence features (which extend to vicinal upstream nucleotides) suggesting that common mechanisms, specific to this class of retrogenes, have been involved in their formation. For the first time, a model accounting for the generation of full-length cDNA copies from nonpolyadenylated RNA templates is proposed. Rodent U3 retrogenes appear to be of rather recent origin (posterior to the mouse/rat divergence) and some of them could have undergone subsequent genetic exchanges with the functional genes.

Animals↗

The evolution of the Global Burden of Disease framework for disease, injury and risk factor quantification: developing the evidence base for national, regional and global public health action.

Reliable, comparable information about the main causes of disease and injury in populations, and how these are changing, is a critical input for debates about priorities in the health sector. Traditional sources of information about the descriptive epidemiology of diseases, injuries and risk factors are generally incomplete, fragmented and of uncertain reliability and comparability. Lack of a standardized measurement framework to permit comparisons across diseases and injuries, as well as risk factors, and failure to systematically evaluate data quality have impeded comparative analyses of the true public health importance of various conditions and risk factors. As a consequence the impact of major conditions and hazards on population health has been poorly appreciated, often leading to a lack of public health investment. Global disease and risk factor quantification improved dramatically in the early 1990s with the completion of the first Global Burden of Disease Study. For the first time, the comparative importance of over 100 diseases and injuries, and ten major risk factors, for global and regional health status could be assessed using a common metric (Disability-Adjusted Life Years) which simultaneously accounted for both premature mortality and the prevalence, duration and severity of the non-fatal consequences of disease and injury. As a consequence, mental health conditions and injuries, for which non-fatal outcomes are of particular significance, were identified as being among the leading causes of disease/injury burden worldwide, with clear implications for policy, particularly prevention. A major achievement of the Study was the complete global descriptive epidemiology, including incidence, prevalence and mortality, by age, sex and Region, of over 100 diseases and injuries. National applications, further methodological research and an increase in data availability have led to improved national, regional and global estimates for 2000, but substantial uncertainty around the disease burden caused by major conditions, including, HIV, remains. The rapid implementation of cost-effective data collection systems in developing countries is a key priority if global public policy to promote health is to be more effectively informed.

Editorial↗