INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Some lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) subtypes may have similar symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to evaluate lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women. METHODS: All consecutive women with non-stress urinary incontinence LUTS who visited the urologic clinics for treatment were prospectively enrolled. LUTS include urinary storage, voiding, and post-micturition symptoms. All enrolled patients were requested to complete the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and the modified Indevus Urgency Severity Scale (IUSS) questionnaires as well undergo uroflowmetry and post-void residual testing. A videourodynamic study was also performed, if indicated, for LUTD. RESULTS: A total of 222 women were enrolled, including 60 with overactive bladder (OAB) dry, 42 with OAB wet, 78 with bladder oversensitivity, and 42 with voiding dysfunction. A significantly higher IPSS voiding to storage subscore ratio (IPSS-V/S) and IPSS voiding score were found in the voiding dysfunction group. IPSS-V/S was found to have the highest area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for predicting voiding LUTD than other noninvasive methods, and an IPSS-V/S of ≥1.33 had the best predictive value for female voiding LUTD with a high negative predictive value (97.4 %). In addition, significantly higher IPSS storage subscore (IPSS-S) values were found in the OAB wet subgroup, and the IPSS-S was well correlated with the OABSS and IUSS. CONCLUSIONS: The IPSS can be used to evaluate female LUTD. IPSS-V/S may provide an initial guide for the treatment of voiding dysfunction in women. In addition, IPSS-S may be used for evaluating storage LUTD in women.

Botulinum toxin has been recently accepted as a novel treatment for lower urinary tract dysfunctions refractory to conventional treatment. Review of the clinical trials in recent years, botulinum toxin type A has been widely used in the urethra or urinary bladder to treat voiding dysfunction due to detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, incontinence due to neurogenic or idiopathic detrusor overactivity, sensory disorders such as bladder hypersensitivity, overactive bladder, and interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Intravesical botulinum toxin type A injection is effective in treatment of urinary incontinence due to detrusor overactivity in men and women, as well as in children. Currently botulinum toxin type A has also been applied to treat lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia in patients not suitable for surgery. This article reviewed the recent advances of botulinum toxin type A on lower urinary tract dysfunction.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We investigated physiological functions of the extraordinary muscular structure in the paraurethral area with pelvic floor muscle and the impact of these muscular structures on the resting maximal urethral closure pressure (MUCP) in rats. METHODS: Sixteen female Wister rats were divided into four groups: Groups I and II rats received 5 and 2.5 IU botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A), respectively, injected into the bilateral paraurethral striated muscles. Group III rats received 2.5 IU BoNT-A injected into the bilateral pelvic floor muscles, and group IV rats received 2.5 IU BoNT-A injected into the unilateral pelvic floor muscles. Measurements of MUCP were made at different time points after BoNT-A injection. RESULTS: All groups showed a rapid reduction in average MUCP by 70-80 % after BoNT-A injection, regardless of injection site or side. CONCLUSIONS: Paraurethral striated muscular structures and the pelvic floor muscles possess the function of maintaining resting MUCP in rats.

Infection of virus (such as nodavirus and iridovirus) and bacteria (such as Vibrio anguillarum) in farmed grouper has been widely reported and caused large economic losses to Taiwanese fish aquaculture industry since 1979. The multiplex assay was used to detect dual viral infection and showed that only nervous necrosis virus (NNV) can be detected till the end of experiments (100% mortality) once it appeared. In addition, iridovirus can be detected in a certain period of rearing. The results of real-time PCR and in situ PCR indicated that NNV, in fact, was not on the surface of the eggs but present in the embryo, which can continue to replicate during the embryo development. The virus may be vertically transmitted by packing into eggs during egg development (formation) or delivering into eggs by sperm during fertilization. The ozone treatment of eggs may fail to remove the virus, so a new strategy to prevent NNV is needed.

Baicalein is the flavonoids with multiple pharmacological activities. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of baicalein on colorectal cancer (CRC) and to recognize the targets of baicalein treatment. To better understand baicalein's target, proteomic approaches were used to purify and identify the protein substrates using 2D difference gel electrophoresis (2D SDS-PAGE) to elucidate proteins differential display. Results from this study investigate that baicalein treatment of CRC cells results in reduced cell proliferation. As a result, differential protein displays between baicalein-treated and untreated CRC were determined and validated. There were 11 differentially expressed proteins between baicalein-treated and untreated CRC. Furthermore, we demonstrate that baicalein inhibits cancer cell proliferation and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) by up-regulating the levels of peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6). Knockdown of PRDX6 in baicalein-treated CRC cells by specific small interfering RNA resulted in ROS production and proliferation, opposite of the baicalein treatment scenario as indicated by cell cycle distribution. These results illustrate that baicalein up-regulates the expression of PRDX6, which attenuates the generation of ROS and inhibits the growth of CRC cells, whereas baicalein treatment have no effect on normal epithelial cells.

Background. Kawasaki disease is characterized by systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology. Previous genetic studies have identified certain candidate genes associated with susceptibility to KD and coronary artery lesions. Host innate immune response factors are involved in modulating the disease outcome. The aim of this study was to investigate CLEC5A (C-type lectin domain family 5) genetic polymorphisms with regards to the susceptibility and outcome of KD. Methods. A total of 1045 subjects (381 KD patients and 664 controls) were enrolled to identify 4 tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of CLEC5A (rs1285968, rs11770855, rs1285935, rs1285933) by using the TaqMan Allelic Discrimination Assay. The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was assessed in cases and controls, and genetic effects were evaluated by the chi-square test. Results. No significant associations were noted between the genotypes and allele frequency of the 4 CLEC5A tSNPs between controls and patients. In the patients, polymorphisms of CLEC5A showed no significant association with coronary artery lesion formation and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment response. Conclusions. This study showed for the first time that polymorphisms of CLEC5A are not associated with susceptibility to KD, coronary artery lesion formation, and intravenous immunoglobulin treatment response in a Taiwanese population.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Reduced bladder capacity and compliance in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) may affect storage and voiding function after kidney transplantation. This study evaluated the bladder capacity, compliance, and lower urinary tract dysfunction in ESRD patients with duration after dialysis and anuria. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adults with ESRD on kidney transplantation waiting list were consecutively enrolled. The survey items included videourodynamic study (VUDS), renal ultrasound, and cystoscopy. The analytical variables assessed included the duration of dialysis, the duration of anuria, cystometric bladder capacity and bladder compliance, voiding phases in VUDS, and cystoscopic findings. RESULTS A total of 62 patients with a mean dialysis duration of 58.9 ± 6.3 months were enrolled. The mean cystometric bladder capacity was 178 ± 14 mL and decreased significantly with duration of dialysis (p < 0.001). Anuria was diagnosed in 26 patients, and the mean cystometric bladder capacity decreased significantly with the duration of anuria (p = 0.002). Among the 26 patients with anuria, 16 had a poor bladder compliance. VUDS revealed abnormal storage function in 44 (71.0%) patients and bladder outlet obstruction due to bladder neck dysfunction or urethral narrowing in the voiding phase in 32 (51.6%). Abnormal cystoscopic findings were also noted in 30 (48.4%) patients. CONCLUSION Cystometric bladder capacity and bladder compliance decreased with longer duration of dialysis, and the presence of anuria contributed to further decreases in cystometric bladder capacity and bladder compliance. More than two-thirds of patients with ESRD had abnormal findings on VUDS.

ObjectiveSmall-bore pigtail catheters have been found to be effective in the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in adults. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheters in the treatment of PSP in young adolescents.Materials and methodsYoung adolescents (<18 years) with initial PSP were treated with aspiration (control group), small-bore pigtail catheters or large-bore catheters. Treatment was determined on a case-by-case basis with parental consultation. Success rate, recurrence rate (within 12 months), duration of hospital stay, duration of catheter insertion, and complications were analysed.Main resultsThere were 41 patients treated: aspiration, n=8; small-bore pigtail catheters, n=10; large-bore catheters, n=23. Demographic and baseline clinical characteristics were similar between groups. The success rates were 50.0% and 65.2% in the small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheter groups, respectively. Corresponding recurrence rates were 20.0% and 56.5%. There was no difference between the small-bore pigtail and large-bore catheter groups in the duration of hospital stay in patients for whom treatment was successful; however, the duration of catheter insertion was significantly shorter in the small-bore pigtail catheter group compared with the large-bore catheter group in patients for whom treatment was successful (p<0.05). There were no major complications in either catheter treatment group and few minor complications (small-bore pigtail catheter, n=2; large-bore catheter, n=4).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that small-bore pigtail catheters may be as effective as large-bore catheters for the initial treatment of PSP in young adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference of infiltration of mast cells and the distribution of protein involved in the urothelial barrier function between patients with overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). METHODS: Bladder wall biopsies were performed in 27 patients with OAB, 18 patients with IC/BPS, and 19 controls. The expression of junction protein E-cadherin, tight junction protein zonula occluden (ZO-1), and activated mast cells in the bladder wall were evaluated quantitatively using immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The numbers of mast cells in the urothelium and suburothelium areas were low in the control group (mean ± standard error 1.77 ± 0.47). A highly significant increase in mast cell infiltration was observed in OAB (4.00 ± 0.55, P =.002) and IC/BPS specimens (4.64 ± 0.72, P =.000). ZO-1 expression was significantly decreased in IC/PBS (7.45 ± 0.99) compared with OAB (13.46 ± 1.32, P =.004) and control bladder samples (14.55 ± 2.08, P =.004). The E-cadherin expression was also significantly decreased in IC/BPS bladder samples (59.05 ± 9.48) compared with the controls (96.30 ± 9.15, P =.001). No significant difference was found in E-cadherin or ZO-1 levels between the OAB and control bladders (P =.170 and P =.763, respectively). CONCLUSION: Mast cell infiltration was found in both OAB and IC/BPS bladder wall, but E-cadherin and ZO-1 expression was only decreased in IC/BPS, suggesting the urothelial barrier function was not affected in the OAB bladder.