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Installing manufacturing metrology as close as possible to the production line is the key to short feedback times to process parameters. Apart from finding the appropriate measurement technique with the required resolution, the solution has to be applied under unavoidable production conditions. Although white light interferometers (WLI), which provide surface data with details in micro- and nanometer dimensions, are accepted as important tools of modern manufacturing metrology, it should be borne in mind that environmental factors like vibrations may be a significant contributor to the measurement uncertainty without appropriate precautions. Measured surface topography raw data can be affected by disturbances of the optical path length of the interferometer caused by e.g. vibrational excitation, which is typical in the production environment, or by local variations of the refractive index of the medium caused by turbulence due to strong temperature variations. A new method which significantly reduces the effects of these environmental interferences is described in this paper. Unlike other techniques, which tend to create artefacts that are larger in amplitude than the disturbances, the new method is more robust and does not require explicit identification and compensation of external noise. Following a description of the implementation of this robust method, some case studies from real world applications are shown.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of patients with vesicoureteral reflux, which were treated with subureteral injection of small-size (80–120 μm) dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Dx/HA). Data of 75 children (105 renal units) who underwent STING procedure with small-size Dx/HA for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in our clinic between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative reflux grade and side, injection indication, postoperative urinary infections and urinary symptoms, voiding cystourethrogram, and renal scintigraphy results were evaluated. The success rate of the procedure was 100% in patients with grades 1 and 2 reflux, 91% in patients with grade 3 reflux, and 82.6% in patients with grade 4. Overall success rate of the treated patients was 97%. Endoscopic subureteric injection with Dx/HA procedure has become a reasonable minimally invasive alternative technique to open surgery, long-term antibiotic prophylaxis, and surveillance modalities in treatment of VUR in terms of easy application, low costs and complication rates, and high success rates. Injection material composed of small-size dextranomer microspheres seems superior to normal size Dx/HA, together with offering similar success with low cost.

To investigate the occurrence of and risk factors for fecal and/or gas incontinence in female patients having urinary incontinence.741 consecutive adult female patients presenting with urinary incontinence alone (group 1, n = 700) or urinary incontinence with fecal and/or gas incontinence (group 2, n = 41) were enrolled into the study. As potential risk factors for fecal and/or gas incontinence in this population, the following variables were investigated: age, body mass index, type of urinary incontinence, childbirth history, menopausal symptoms, history of pelvic surgery, neurological disease, diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, constipation, cystocele, rectocele. Quality of life was assessed with the Urogenital Distress Inventory-Short Form (UDI-6) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7).Of the women having urinary incontinence, 5.5% also had fecal and/or gas incontinence. Associated risk factors were history of difficult delivery, postmenopausal symptoms, history of pelvic surgery and constipation. Fecal and/or gas incontinence was also associated with a lower quality of life in terms of both questionnaires.Women have urinary incontinence may have also fecal and/ or gas incontinence. Particularly if they have chronic constipation, postmenopausal symptoms or history of difficult delivery or pelvic surgery they must be evaluated for this additional symptom. So we can treat these patients appropriately and increase their quality of life.

Design of a catalytic methane-to-proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) grade hydrogen conversion system consisting of indirect partial oxidation (IPOX), water–gas shift (WGS) and preferential carbon monoxide oxidation (PROX) reactors is investigated using modeling and simulation techniques. Steady-state simulation, design and sizing of reactors, which are considered to be packed-bed tubular type, are carried out for twelve different feed composition and PEMFC power output configurations, namely (CH 4 /O 2 , H 2 O/CH 4 ) = (2.24, 1.17), (1.89, 1.56) and (10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 1500 W). For every configuration, material balance calculations are executed to obtain the flow rates of each species at each stream. These results are then used as boundary conditions to estimate the catalyst weights in each reactor via simulations conducted using a one-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous reactor model. Finally, reactor and catalyst particle dimensions are estimated by considering pressure drop and a set of criteria to quantify interfacial heat and intraparticle mass transfer resistances and fluid flow characteristics in packed beds. The total catalyst quantity is found to increase almost linearly with the PEMFC power output at both feed compositions. Total system volume, excluding piping, pumping, heat exchange and other peripheral units, is estimated to be 6.3, 40.3, 83.4, 488, 985 and 1527 cm 3 for 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 1500 W operations, respectively. WGS unit requires the highest space corresponding to ca. 50% of the total reactor volume, followed by IPOX (ca. 39%) and PROX (ca. 11%) reactors. Power densities, based on the weight and volume of the reactors are estimated as 1.1 kW/kg and 1.2 kW/l, respectively.

Messergebnisse sind die fundierte Grundlage von Entscheidungen in der Industrie. Für das Treffen richtiger Entscheidungen ist daher die Güte der Messergebnisse essenziell. Für Messverfahren der Mikro- und Nanotechnologie fehlen bislang praxisgerechte Handlungsanweisungen zur konkreten Ausgestaltung des abstrakten Vorgehens nach dem ISO-“Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement” (GUM) zur Berechnung des Güteparameters “Messunsicherheit”. Im Gegensatz zum GUM bietet die Fähigkeitsanalyse den Vorteil praxisgerechter, konkreter Handlungsanweisungen. Im Artikel wird eine auf Methoden der Fähigkeitsanalyse basierende Messunsicherheitsanalyse für Stufenhöhenmessungen mit dem Weißlichtinterferometer dargestellt.

Background/aim: In nonmonosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (NMNE), the incidence of organic abnormality and urodynamic disorder is more frequent than the general population. The aim of this study is to identify urodynamic disorders and renal scarring in children with NMNE. Materials and methods: This study evaluated the urodynamic disorders and renal scarring of a total of 30 patients who were diagnosed with NMNE. A video-urodynamic test and Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scintigraphy were applied. Results: Records of 605 patients who had been diagnosed with enuresis were analyzed, and 215 (33.5%) of them had been diagnosed with NMNE. Thirty patients older than 6 years old with NMNE were included in the study. Detrusor overactivity was identified in 10 patients. Bladder capacity was low in 5 patients and bladder compliance was low in 2 patients. Renal scarring was identified in 1 patient. Unilateral vesicoureteral reflux was found in 4 patients. Conclusion: Bladder function disorder is also a significant risk factor for the development of renal scarring, besides other risk factors. Organic abnormalities are seen more often in patients with NMNE than patients with monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis, so urodynamic studies should be remembered for patients with NMNE.

Our objective was to determine the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in the treatment of paediatric ureteral calculous disease. We reviewed the records of 41 (23 boys, 18 girls) paediatric patients admitted to our clinic for the treatment of ureteral calculi between between 1989-2001. Patients' age varied between 4-16 years. The majority of the patients, 38 (92.7%) cases were treated initially with ESWL whereas 3 (7.3%) cases were subjected to ureterolithotomy. The mean age of the patients was found as 12.8+/-3.86 (4-16) years. Most calculi were located at either upper or lower ureter. The mean stone burden was 45.16+/-30.65 mm(2) and the mean shock wave number per session and power as 2826.72+/-605.18 and 17.69+/-1.11 kV respectively. Minor complications included skin ecchymosis at the site of entry of shock waves in all cases and renal colic that responded to analgesics and emetics in 3 (7.9%) patients. The overall stone-free rate after ESWL was found to be 81.6%. Two (5.3%) cases have residual fragments that escaped to lower calices after lithotripsy for upper ureteral calculi and are still followed. There were 5 (13.2%) failures who were treated with ureterolitotomy for 1 upper and 1 lower ureteral calculi and with ureteroscopy for the rest. It appears that ESWL is still a good option for the initial treatment of most ureteral calculi in children as it is less invasive than ureteroscopy and has a high success rate as a first-line therapy.

Objective: To determine the factors affecting stone clearance after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in children with lower calyceal stones. Materials and Methods: Lower pole stone clearance was reviewed in 34 patients aged between 2 and 16 years (23 boys and 11 girls) treated with ESWL between 1989 and 2001 in our clinic. Renal anatomy was determined on standard intravenous urograms. The lower infundibulopelvic angle (IPA) was measured by two different methods based either on measuring the angle between vertical pelvis axis and vertical axis of lower infundibulum or finding the angle between the ureteropelvic axis and vertical axis of lower infundibulum. Results: The mean age of the patients was 12.1±4.16 (2–16) years. The mean stone burden was found as 96.93±87.13mm 2 and the mean shock wave number per session and power as 2631.4±593.1 and 17.57±1.1kV, respectively. The stone-free rate was 55.9%. Fifteen (44.1%) cases had residual fragments retained in lower calices after lithotripsy and are still followed. The stone clearance was found to be unrelated to stone burden and infundibulum width ( p =0.44 and p =0.34, respectively). However, a significant difference was present between mean lower pole infundibular length ( p =0.0032) and lower IPA measurements according to both methods between stone-free cases and others. The most remarkable factor that had a significant influence on stone clearance was an acutely oriented infundibulum defined according to IPA-ureteropelvic axis angle determination method ( p =0.00001) followed by Sampaio's pelvic axis method ( p =0.0001). Only 1 (5%) patient was stone-free under 40° and 1 (6%) case with an angle of 45° had residual fragments in the former method. Similarly none of the cases had residual fragments over 90° for Sampaio's method and 90% of the stone-free cases had a more obtuse angle. Thus, we determined that a cut-off point of 40° for the IPA-ureteropelvic axis method and 90° for Sampaio's method was most useful to determine the clearance of lower pole fragments. Conclusion: The factors affecting stone clearance in paediatric patients are similar to adults.

The most favored therapy for idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis is the surgical relief of ureteral obstruction and use of corticosteroids to prevent recurrence. Although effective, long-term corticosteroid treatment could be associated with serious side effects. We would like to present a case of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis treated successfully with intraperitonealization of the ureters and sequential therapy with steroids and tamoxifen to minimize the side effects. Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Objective: To investigate whether combined androgen blockade (CAB) produces any adverse effects on bone metabolism and mineral density in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer.Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 17 stage T4 prostate cancer patients treated with CAB and had no evidence of bone metastasis on bone scintigraphy. The mean duration of CAB and final total prostate specific antigen (PSA) level at the time of study were found at 28.5 ± 15.9 (6–58) months and 0.39 ± 0.5 (0.1–2) ngml, respectively. Twenty age and socioeconomically matched benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients were taken as the control group. Both groups were compared with regard to lumbar bone mineral density (LBD), femur bone mineral density (FBD) and serum parameters of bone metabolism namely calcium (Ca), phosphate (P), magnesium (Mg) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Bone mineral density was measured with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.Results: The mean FBD, LBD and serum Ca, P, Mg and ALP measurement of the patients treated with CAB were 0.85 ± 0.1 g/cm2, 1.16 ± 0.2 g/cm2, 9.1 ± 0.3 mg/dl, 3.6 ± 0.6 mg/dl, 1.95 ± 0.14 mg/dl, 187.5 ± 61 mg/dl, respectively. No significant difference was found between patients subjected to CAB and the age matched controls in any of the studied parameters namely age, FBD, LBD, Ca, Mg and ALP except serum phosphate. Serum phosphate levels were significantly (p =0.001) higher in patients treated with CAB suggesting a minor effect of CAB on bone metabolism.Conclusion: No convincing evidence was found about the detrimental effect of CAB on bone mineral density and metabolism in a highly selected group of patients with advanced prostate cancer without bone metastases.

Objective: To find out whether the combination of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and ondansetron had an increased antiemetic effect. Materials and Methods: Fourteen testis and 11 bladder cancer patients were scheduled for 4 cycles of bleomycin-etoposide-cisplatin (BEP) or methotrexate-vinblastine-etoposide-cisplatin (MVEC) combination chemotherapy, respectively. At each cycle the whole cisplatin dose was given in 1 day that is 100 mg/m2/day in the BEP and 70 mg/m2/day in the MVEC protocols. Ondansetron was given at a dose of 12 mg/day and TENS was applied by commercially available ‘Relief Band’(Maven Labs, Inc., Citrus Heights, Calif., USA). The first 3 cycles of each case were blindly randomized to one of the following regimens; TENS vs. ondansetron vs. a combination of both. The regimens were applied during the administration of cisplatin and the patients were asked to report their nausea according to a scale between 0 to 10. Also for each regimen the number of emetic attacks experienced during the administration of cisplatin was recorded by the same observer. Then the scores of each regimen were compared. Results: The mean nausea scores for regimens TENS, ondansetron and TENS + ondansetron were found to be 5.12 ± 2.54, 3.0 ± 1.71 and 0.8 ± 0.96, respectively. Ondansetron was better than TENS in preventing nausea (p = 0.000). However the combination of TENS and ondansetron resulted in a significant decrease in nausea scores when compared to TENS alone (p = 0.000) or ondansetron alone (p = 0.000). The mean number of emetic attacks for the TENS, ondansetron and TENS + ondansetron regimens were 3.16 ± 1.84, 1.64 ± 1.44 and 0.56 ± 0.82, respectively. A statistically significant difference was present between the number of emetic attacks observed with the TENS + ondansetron combination and TENS alone (p = 0.000) or ondansetron alone (p = 0.001). Ondansetron was again better than TENS in preventing emetic attacks (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The use of TENS as an adjunct to ondansetron therapy has provided significant benefit in preventing nausea and emetic attacks caused by cisplatin.

A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the removal of a misplaced double-J ureteral stent. The lower end of the stent shortly after insertion was at the level of sacroiliac joint. However one week later the stent was further migrated upwards to the level of 4th lumbar vertebra. Immediate ureterorenoscopy was performed to prevent further migration of the stent to the renal pelvis and the stent was removed by the grasping forceps under direct vision successfully.

After urinary-intestinal diversions metabolic complications may occur in long term follow up. We aimed to evaluate bone metabolism changes in urinary diverted patients. Nineteen patients with urinary diversions (11 Stanford pouch and 8 ileal conduit) performed with diagnosis of locally invasive bladder cancer and 19 age-sex matched healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Bone mineral density (BMD), arterial blood pH, bicarbonate and base excess as well as bone mineralisation parameters at urine and serum were evaluated for all groups. For statistical evaluation, nonparametric comparisons between groups were used. Comparison of ileal conduit and control groups displayed higher alkaline phosphatase and parathormone levels in the patient group though the difference was not significant. The mean BMD values of ileal conduit group were osteopenic, revealing a significant difference with the control group. Statistically significant differences between alkaline phosphatase, parathormone levels of Stanford pouch and control groups were apparent whereas BMD values were not significantly different. When the two patient groups were compared with each other, no difference in BMD or bone metabolism parameter values could be observed. Patients with urinary diversions are under risk of bone demineralisation and must be followed by BMDs, arterial blood analysis and bone mineral metabolism parameters.

66 nonobstructive azoospermic men with normal genetic analysis composed of 32 (48%) patients with and 34 (52%) patients without varicocele were evaluated for the rate of sperm extraction five months after the varicocelectomy. Sperm retrieval was successful in 22 of 32 patients (68%) who had been, operated because of varicocele and in 13 of 34 patients (38.2%) who had no varicocele (OR = 3.55) (CI: 1.15-11.27) (p = 0.025). Overall, sperm extraction was successful in 35 of 66 patients (53%). Repair of varicocele in non-obstructive azoospermic patients may return spermatogenesis to normal in spermatogenetic focuses. So, the presence of varicocele and its treatment might be considered as a prognostic factor for sperm retrieval in these patients.

Objective: To find out the impact ofage-related changes in serum concentrations ofsex hormones on the development of severe lowerurinary tract symptoms and benign prostatichyperplasia (BPH).Patients and methods: The study groupconsisted of 61 consecutive patients subjectedto prostatectomy for BPH between 2000–2001 inour clinic. Forty-five randomly assigned, ageand socioeconomically matched cases without any lower urinary tract symptoms were taken asthe control group. Both clinical BPH andcontrol groups were divided to 3 age groups(namely 50–59, 60–69 and ≥70 years) andage-related changes in serum concentrations ofsex hormones were investigated.Results: Prostate adenoma weight was foundto be increased significantly (p = 0.02) withadvancing age in clinical BPH group. There wasno difference between serum concentrations ofmeasured sex hormones between small and largeprostates except for serum estradiol levels,which were found to be significantly higher inpatients who had an adenoma weight of >50 g(p = 0.047). Similar results were obtained inboth clinical BPH and control groups withrespect to age-related changes in serumconcentrations of sex hormones. Briefly therewas an age-related decrease in serum freetestosterone levels and increase in serumestradiol, prolactin and gonadotropin levels.Serum free testosterone concentration wassignificantly higher in the control group forages 60–69 (p = 0.015) while total testosteronewas higher in BPH patients for patients olderthan 70 years of age(p = 0.027). No othersignificant change was documented between 2groups. An age-dependent increase in serumE/freeT ratio was documented in both clinicalBPH and control patients whereas serum freeT/Tratio was decreased in the BPH group withadvancing age (p = 0.008).Conclusion: The decrease in serum freetestosterone concentrations with a relativerise in serum estradiol levels with advancingage might be an important factor in thedevelopment of BPH. However it is likely thatserum concentrations of sex hormones playlittle impact on the clinical severity ofBPH.

A 45-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the removal of a misplaced double-J ureteral stent. The lower end of the stent shortly after insertion was at the level of sacroiliac joint. However one week later the stent was further migrated upwards to the level of 4th lumbar vertebra. Immediate ureterorenoscopy was performed to prevent further migration of the stent to the renal pelvis and the stent was removed by the grasping forceps under direct vision successfully.

The repair of hypospadias is among the most difficult problems in urology, as it demands the construction of a well-functioning urethra and a good cosmetic appearance. We performed a retrospective analysis of 422 cases subjected to one-stage anterior hypospadias repair between 1982 and 1999 in our clinic and investigated the effects of factors Eke degree of hypospadias, surgical technique, and the surgeon's experience on outcome. The operations used were MAGPI (91), urethral advancement (10), Mathieu (260), modified Allen-Spence (50). onlay island flap (5). and double-faced island flap (6) procedures. The early complication rate was 1811, while the final success rate following secondary interventions was 95%. The complications included fistula formation in 49 cases (12%), flap necrosis in 12 (3%). meatal problems in 12 (3%), residual chordee in 4 (1%), and urethral stricture in 1 (< 1%). Complication rates were significantly higher if the meatus was proximal or there was severe chordee and in the first 6 years of the study. The flap procedures were associated with a higher complication rate. It is concluded that one-stage procedures are successful in the repair of anterior hypospadias in experienced hands with proper patient selection.

Objective: Familial benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a recently popularised entity with yet uncertain clinical and pathological features. In the present study we investigated whether there was any difference between clinical characteristics of familial and sporadic BPH in a series of 148 surgically treated BPH patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 148 patients subjected to transvesical or transurethral prostatectomy to determine the clinical features of familial BPH. Patients were categorised as having familial BPH when 3 or more (including the patient) first-degree family members gave a history of BPH. Accordingly 23 cases who fit this criterion were accepted as having familial BPH and the rest of the cases were taken as the control group. The two groups were compared with respect to age, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life score, prostate specific antigen (PSA), maximum urinary flow rate and the weight of the surgical prostate specimen. Results: The mean age, IPSS, quality of life score, total PSA, maximum urinary flow rate and the weight of the surgical prostate specimen were found as 65.13 ± 5.51 years, 23.13 ± 4.82, 4.78 ± 0.95, 6.0 ± 4.1 ng/ml, 6.9 ± 2.7 ml/s and 62.96 ± 38.76 g, respectively, in the familial BPH group whereas the same parameters were measured as 68.13 ± 7.68 years, 24.74 ± 3.73, 4.52 ± 0.85, 5.93 ± 4.75 ng/ml, 4.6 ± 1.71 ml/s and 70.87 ± 53.21 g, respectively. No significant difference was present between familial and sporadic BPH cases in any of the studied parameters. Conclusion: The clinical features of familial BPH did not differ significantly from those of sporadic BPH.

Purpose The clinical, urodynamic and endoscopic aspects of the Stanford pouch ileal neobladder formed with absorbable staples were investigated. Methods A Stanford pouch ileal neobladder was formed using absorbable staples after radical cystoprostatectomy in 30 male patients with the diagnosis of muscle invasive carcinoma of the bladder between 1995 and 1998. The mean age of the patients was 62 (range 41–70) years. Patients were followed with arterial blood gas, serum biochemistry, pouch cystography, urodynamic tests and endoscopy. Results Five (16.7%) patients had early postoperative complications and three were related to the neobladder. One year postoperatively, low grade (I, II) vesicoureteral reflux was present in five (16.7%) cases. The mean preoperative and 6 months postoperative serum creatinine levels were 1.07 ± 0.3 mg/dL and 1.2 ± 0.4 mg/dL, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.1). Six months postoperatively the mean serum chloride level was 109 ± 4.5 (range 100–113) mmol/L and the mean arterial blood pH was 7.37 ± 0.2 (range 7.3–7.4). Two (6.7%) patients required oral alkaline supplementation because of high chloride levels. All the patients except one were continent throughout the day after 1 year. However, nocturnal enuresis was present in 25 (83.3%) cases. The pouch capacity was increased gradually up to 12 months postoperatively and the mean pouch capacity 12 months postoperatively was 460 ± 95.8 mL. Micturition occurred spontaneously in most patients while some needed abdominal straining. None of the patients had a residual urine of more than 60 mL. The mean maximum flow rate 6 months postoperatively was 9.8 (range 5.4–15.0) mL/s. After 6 months the stapled edge was noticed as a nodular line. One year postoperatively only a white scar could be observed at the suture line. Conclusion The Stanford pouch ileal neobladder constructed using absorbable staples was able to provide a good capacity–low pressure reservoir with a low rate of complications.

Background: The ideal tissue for complex urethral reconstruction has yet to be determined, especially in patients with deficient preputium. The use of bladder mucosa as a free graft could be an alternative in these problem cases. Methods: Bladder mucosa graft urethroplasty was performed on 14 patients with penoscrotal or scrotal hypospadias. The mean age of the patients was 18.7 (range 14–23) years. Ten cases were subjected to primary urethral reconstruction while four cases had previous hypospadias repair. Results: Complete urethral replacement by the bladder mucosa tube was performed in six patients. Meatal problems occurred in two (33.33%) patients and proximal fistula formed in one (16.67%) patient. A bladder mucosa graft was combined with preputial or tunica vaginalis grafts distally in eight cases, and one patient in the tunica vaginalis group developed fistula at the anastomosis of the bladder mucosa and tunica vaginalis grafts. The overall complication rate was 28.6%. Conclusions: Our initial results showed that bladder mucosa grafts can be used successfully for urethral reconstruction especially when combined with preputial or tunica vaginalis grafts distally.

Traditional augmentation cystoplasty using gastrointestinal segments is known to be associated with metabolic abnormalities and alterations in the bladder causing potential carcinogenesis. In this respect alternative techniques have been searched preferably lined by urothelium. We performed ureterocystoplasty in 7 patients with a diagnosis of neurogenic bladder and investigated the clinical and functional aspects.Between 1995 and 1999, ureterocystoplasty was performed using both ureters in 4 male and 3 female children with bilaterally functional kidneys. Patients' ages varied between 1 and 7 (mean 4.7) years. Before the operation all the children were incontinent, had a small-capacity noncompliant bladder, and high-grade (IV-V, International Classification System) reflux on voiding cystouretrography (VCU). Technetium-99m DTPA renal scintigraphy was also performed in all children to evaluate renal function before and after the operation.Before the operation the mean end-filling intravesical pressure was 45.6 (35-60) cm H(2)O which decreased to 18.9 cm H(2)O 3 months postoperatively. The mean bladder capacity 3 months after ureterocystoplasty was found to be 279.3 (250-330) ml. All the children were continent and VCU showed the absence of reflux. There was mild to moderate improvement in renal function after surgery in both kidneys on technetium-99m DTPA renal scintigraphy. Three (43%) patients could void spontaneously with abdominal straining, whereas 4 (57%) children could empty their bladders by clean intermittent catheterization. A double-J stent was inserted in 1 (14%) patient because of a rise in serum creatinine after the removal of the ureteral catheter. Patients were followed for a mean period of 30 (8-50) months and all the children remained continent. The bladder capacity and end-filling pressure measurements were also stable.Ureterocystoplasty was found to be an effective method for bladder augmentation in bilaterally functional kidneys with an acceptable complication rate

A 60-year-old female patient was subjected to transurethral resection of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and was given intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment for 6 weeks. The control cytoscopy performed after 6 months revealed a polypoid lesion at the trigon and the lesion was resected, The pathological examination of the specimen showed no evidence of cancer but the presence of a metaplastic lesion that was nephrogenic adenoma, Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

With the availability of new and sophisticated surface measurement techniques extremely high resolved topography and structure measurements are possible. But now, one detects that conventional surface parameters are insufficient to provide information about the technical functional ability of the workpiece. In order to find out the appropriate parameters for characterising the functional behaviour, a parameterised mathematical model based on physics of the function of the surface is to be derived. In a second step measurement procedures and evaluation algorithm must be defined in order to characterise the functional ability based on the geometrically measured surface. A concept to characterise the surface with function-oriented parameters has been developed. With this method, it is possible to investigate cause-effect relations and to link geometrical and functional properties of workpieces. Based on this approach two examples, wettability and friction of technical surfaces, are given.

To investigate the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of acute pyelonephritis, and to evaluate the impact of meloxicam and/or L-carnitine in addition to conventional antibiotic treatment.A total of 48 Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups according to their treatment, which was started 1 day after inoculation of all rats with Escherichia coli (ATCC 25 922, 10(10) cfu/mL). Group 1 received only antibiotic treatment with ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg, IM). Groups 2 and 3 received L-carnitine (500 mg/kg, IM) and meloxicam (3 mg/kg, IM) in addition to conventional treatment, respectively. Group 4 received combination therapy (L-carnitine and meloxicam) in addition to the first group. Rats were killed 3 and 7 days after E. coli inoculation and underwent nephrectomy. Histologic determination of tubular atrophy, acute and chronic inflammation, interstitial fibrosis and biochemical determination of superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, total thiol content, total antioxidant capacity, and malondialdehyde and protein hydroperoxide levels were measured.Interstitial fibrosis (P = .06), chronic inflammation (P = .536), and tubular atrophy (P = 0.094) decreased in group 4 compared with the other groups, but there was a statistically significant decrease only in acute inflammation (P = .015). In addition, if the day of nephrectomy is considered, there was again a significant decrease in acute inflammation on day 7 compared with day 3 in groups 2, 3, and 4 (P = .002). Catalase significantly increased in group 2 (P = .029), group 3 (P = .02), and group 4 (P = .014), and decreased in group 1 (P = .012) in day 7.L-carnitine and meloxicam alleviated oxidative stress, probably by decreasing lipid peroxidation and enforcing antioxidant defense system. Acute renal inflammatory injury can be prevented much more effectively by combination therapy rather than by conventional therapy alone.