ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the psychological factors and erectile function in patients with refractory chronic prostatitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We obtained and compared the scores on the NIH scales of chronic prostatitis symptoms, anxiety, depression and erectile function among 232 refractory and medical chronic prostatitis patients who had never received any psychotherapy.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant differences were observed in the scores on chronic prostatitis symptoms between the refractory and the medical chronic prostatitis groups, while the scores on anxiety and depression were significantly higher and that on erectile function significantly lower in the refractory than in the medical group (P < 0.01), with a negative correlation between the scores on the former two items and that on the latter.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Obvious psychological factors exist in patients with refractory chronic prostatitis, which may affect their erectile function.</p>
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Anxiety , Psychology , Chronic Disease , Depression , Psychology , Penile Erection , Physiology , Psychology , Prostatitis , Psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of the levels of IGF-I in the epididymis and the expression of IGF-I in the testis of adult male rat after the administration of cyclophosphamide.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-six male adult rats (8 weeks age) were divided into 6 groups. The doses given to the rats of the groups 1 to 5 were 10, 20, 40, 80 and 100 mg/(kg x d), respectively. The remaining group was served as control. All those rats were sacrificed and IGF-I were quantitatively determined by ELISA techniques 2 and 4 weeks after the administration of the drug (by gastric fudge). Immunohistochemical SP technique was used to examine expression of IGF-I in rat testis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of cell factors (IGF-I) in the epididymis of the rats were gradually reduced with the increasing time and dose after administration of the drug. In the mean time the expression of IGF-I in the tissues of the testis of those rats were also gradually reduced.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the time of oligozoospermia/azoospermia induced by the administration of cyclophosphamide, the expression levels of IGF-I in the genetic system were significantly reduced. The possible mechanism of these changes could be attributed to the lower spermatogenesis function of the testis caused by the administration of cyclophosphamide.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Azoospermia , Metabolism , Cyclophosphamide , Toxicity , Disease Models, Animal , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Epididymis , Metabolism , Immunohistochemistry , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I , Oligospermia , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Testis , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ureteroscopic holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy for managing ureteral calculi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ureteroscopic holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy was used in 168 ureteral calculi (proximal 27 cases, middle 33 cases, distal 108 cases). Transurethral cystoscopic holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy in 12 bladder calculi.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Four to six weeks after operation, The stone-free rate was 93% (25/27) in the proximal ureteral calculi, 94% (31/33) in the middle ureteral calculi, 94% (102/108) in the distal ureteral calculi, respectively. The complication rate was 5% (8 cases). the stone-free rate of bladder calculi was 100% (12/12), no complication.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ureteroscopic holmium: YAG laser lithotripsy is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for managing ureteral calculi.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Holmium , Intraoperative Complications , Lithotripsy, Laser , Methods , Postoperative Complications , Treatment Outcome , Ureteroscopy , Urinary Calculi , TherapeuticsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To examine the effects of suramin on the growth, cell cycle and apoptosis of a hormone refractory prostate cancer cell line PC-3M, and to explore the possible mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The roles of diverse concentrations (10, 50, 100 and 200 mumol/L) of suramin on PC-3M cell proliferation at different ratios of fetal calf serum (FCS) (2%, 5%, 10%) were assayed respectively by trypan blue exclusion and tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The effect of suramin on cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induction of PC-3M cells was evaluated with flow cytometry (FCM).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A higher dosage of suramin (200 mumol/L) had a cytotoxic effect on PC-3M cells, while lower dosages from 10 to 100 mumol/L produced a predominant inhibiting effect. Suramin could also play a growth suppressive role in the culture media containing 10% FCS, but to a much less extent than in the media containing lower concentrations(5%, 2%) of FCS. FCM analysis exhibited that suramin at a high dosage of 200 mumol/L could induce apoptosis, and at the other concentrations, G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Suramin's proliferative suppression on PC-3M cells might result from several mechanisms including antagonistic action on growth stimulation via growth factor, arrest of cell cycle and induction of apoptosis.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Cattle , Humans , Male , Antineoplastic Agents , Pharmacology , Apoptosis , Cell Cycle , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Fetal Blood , Prostatic Neoplasms , Pathology , Suramin , PharmacologyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the inhibitory effects of mouse telomerase RNA (mTR) antisense oligodeoxynucleotide(ASODN) on telomerase activity in rat spermatogonia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>9-mer phosphorothioate mTR-ASODN was encapsulated by Lipofect AMINE 2000 (LF 2000) and transfected to type A spermatogonia in Snrague Dawley (SD) rat. Telomerase activity was detected by aid of TRAP-SYBR-Green staining and Bioluminescence technique in type A spermatogonia treated or untreated with ASODN.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>mTR-ASODN conjugated with LF 2000 could significantly inhibit telomerase activity of spermatogonia(P < 0.01). mTR mRNA level also decreased while the spermatogonia were treated with ASODN for 24 h. No change of telomerase activity and apoptosis were observed when SODN, RODN or single LF 2000 was used.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Antisense oligodeoxynucleotide of mTR conjugated with LF 2000 could significantly inhibit telomerase activity of spermatogonia. mTR-ASODN might inhibit telomerase activity of spermatogonia at transcription level.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense , Pharmacology , RNA , Genetics , Metabolism , RNA, Messenger , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Spermatogonia , Cell Biology , Telomerase , Genetics , MetabolismABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To study the expression and the significance of telomerase gene hTERT in testes of infertile male.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By using in situ hybridization(ISH) techniques, the expression of telomerase gene hTERT mRNA in testes of 47 infertile male and 10 normal testicular tissues were observed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In male testes, there was a positive correlation between the expression of hTERT and the quantity and density of germ cells(spermatogonia, spermatocyte, spermatid). The expression of hTERT in some germinal cell of maturation arrest patients were not significantly different with those of normal.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our results suggest that the deficiency of telomerase might be a factor for germinal cell maturation arrest and there might be some other etiological factors in these patients. Our study provides experimental groundwork for the gene therapy of male infertility.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Infertility, Male , Spermatids , Spermatocytes , Spermatogenesis , Spermatogonia , Telomerase , Genetics , Metabolism , Testis , PhysiologyABSTRACT
Objective To study the effect of antiapoptosis factors PED/PEA-15 and XIAP on prostate cancer cells(PC-3)apoptosis.Methods The expressions of XIAP and PED/PEA-15 in prostate cancer cells(PC-3)were respectively assayed using the RT-PCR technique.XIAP and PED/ PEA-15 specific siRNA vectors were designed and constructed and then were transiently cotransfected into PC-3 cells under induction of liposome.The effects of siRNA vectors on PED/PEA-15 and XIAP transcription were assayed by RT-PCR technique,and the effect of XIAP and PED/PEA-15 on cancer cell apoptosis were determined by flow cytometry and microscope observation.Results PED/PEA- 15 and XIAP were both highly expressed in PC-3 cells.Enzyme digestion analysis and DNA sequencing confirmed that the PED/PEA-15 and XIAP-specific siRNA expression vectors were constructed successfully.The designed siRNA sequences of PED/PEA-15 and XIAP could specifically inhibit their transcription.The PC-3 cells which were cotransfected with PED/PEA-15 and XIAP- specific siRNA vectors were more sensitive to doxorubicin.The apoptosis rate of cotransfected cells was significantly increased.Conclusions PED/PEA-15 and XIAP might be involved in the development of prostate cancer.