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Objective: To investigate and compare the influence of two numerical detrusor contractility parameters, the bladder contractility index (BCI) and the maximum Watts factor (WFmax), on transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) outcome. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 236 patients who had undergone urodynamic assessment preoperatively and TURP for benign prostatic obstruction. They were evaluated by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. Related criteria were established to determine the overall efficacy of TURP. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curves were made to investigate the influence of the BCI and WFmax on TURP efficacy. Results: Among the 236 patients, 195 treatments were effective and 41 ineffective. Multivariate analysis showed that both the BCI (OR 1.038) and the WFmax (OR 1.291) could influence TURP efficacy. For predicting TURP efficacy, the optimal cut-off values of the BCI and WFmax were 98.7 and 10.27 W/m2, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of the BCI were 0.722, 78.5% and 61.0%; those of the WFmax were 0.761, 73.9% and 73.2%, with no significant difference (p > 0.05). Conclusions: To some extent, the BCI and the WFmax can predict TURP efficacy equally well. A discrimination level of 10.27 W/m2 may be a threshold value for detrusor underactivity (DU); as regards the BCI, the current threshold value is appropriate to diagnose DU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small penis is a disease of sexual dysplasia, which might be related to chromosome or genetic abnormalities, pubertal dysplasia, endocrine abnormality, and other factors. Hypogonadism is common in small penis. Children with small penis often have small testes, short stature, and male secondary sexual deficiencies, and the incidence of infertility is high in adulthood. Small penis can be early detected by accurately measuring the stretched penile length, screening the pathogenic causes, and differentiating it from buried or concealed penis. Once definite diagnosis is made, positive clinical intervention should be initiated. Early treatment can improve the prognosis of small penis, the patient's quality of life and the rate of natural pregnancy.

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process of normal cell physiological development, in which epithelial cells transform into mesenchyme cells through a specific program. EMT plays a key role in inflammatory reaction, cell development, tumor invasion, and metastasis and has an interrelation with prostate cancer stem cells. Recent researches show the involvement of EMT in the development and metastasis of prostate cancer. This article reviews the specific roles and action mechanisms of EMT in the progression of prostate cancer.

Objective: To investigate the expression of the Pim-1 gene in the LNCaP cells of the animal model of orthotopically implanted prostate cancer by surgical castration simulating androgen-deprivation therapy., Methods: We equally allocated 32 male BALBc-nu mice into 4 groups, androgen-dependent prostate cancer (ADPC), androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) , castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and blank control, and established the models of orthotopically implanted tumor using human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. We detected and ,compared the expressions of Pim-1, PSA, and androgen receptor (AR) in the tumor tissues of different groups by RT-PCR. qRT-PCR, ELSIA and immunohistochemistry., Results: The relative gray scales in the ADPC and CRPC groups were 0.59 ± 0.01 and 1.14 ± 0.02, with statistically significant differences from 0.62 ± 0.03 in the ADT group (P < 0.05), and the Δ Ct values of Pim-1 were 6.15 ± 0.34 and 4.56 ± 0.23 in the former two groups, also with significant differences from 5.11 ± 0.21 in the latter (P < 0.05). The results of 2-ΔΔ Ct relative quantification analysis showed that the amplification products of Pim-1 in the ADT and CRPC groups increased 2.05 and 3.01 times respectively that of the ADPC group. The concentration of PSA was significantly higher in the ADPC ([480 ± 25] pg/ml) and CRPC ([870 ± 23] pg/ml) than in the ADT ([170 ± 32] pg/ml) and blank control groups (0 µg/L) (P < 0.01). The mean optical densities of Pim-1 and AR proteins were 0.017 ± 0.002 and 0.032 ± 0.009 in the ADPC group and 0.024 ± 0.002 and 0.040 ± 0.011 in the CRPC group, both with significant differences from those in the ADT group (0.018 ± 0.001 and 0.019 ± 0.006) (P < 0.01)., Conclusion: Pim-1 is highly expressed in nude mice with prostate cancer receiving androgen-deprivation therapy and plays an important role in the progression and metastasis of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in the world. Since androgen receptor (AR) signal plays key roles in the PCa progression, targeting androgens via the current androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the main therapeutic strategy for advanced PCa. However, most patients who receive ADT, including the second generation anti-androgens enzalutamide (also known as MDV3100) may finally develop the castration (or anti-androgen) resistance after 12-24 months treatment. In the manuscript by Asangani et al., the authors demonstrated that targeting the amino-terminal bromodomains of BRD4 could preferentially suppress human castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cell lines. While further studies are required to understand the full impact of their findings, the innovative approach provides a potential novel epigenetic approach for the concerted blockade of oncogenic drivers in CRPC.