Protective effect of pioglitazone on kidney injury in diabetic rats

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the protective effect of pioglitazone on kidney injury in diabetic rat model and its mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Forty healthy Sprague Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into five groups, with 8 rats in each group. Group A served as control group and were administered with sterile citrate buffer (i.p.) as placebo. Groups B, C, D and E rats were injected (i.p.) with streptozotocin to induce type I diabetes. Diabetic rats in Group B were intragastrically administered with sterile saline solution alone. Groups C, D and E rats were intragastrically given pioglitazone hydrochloride suspension at doses of 10, 20, 30 mg/kg per day, respectively. After eight weeks of treatment, all rats were anesthetized and blood was withdrawn from the abdominal aortic for detection of hemoglobin A1c, serum creatinine (SCr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. Rats were then sacrificed and the left kidney was excised for calculation of kidney hypertrophy index (KHI), observation of renal pathological changes using light microscope and electron microscope. Mean glomerular cross-sectional areas (MGA), mean glomerular volume (MGV), glomerular basement membrane thickness and foot process fusion ratio were calculated. RT-PCR was employed for detection of podocalyxin (PCX) protein expression.@*RESULTS@#Results showed that levels of hemoglobin A1c, BUN, SCr in Groups B, C, D and E rats were significantly higher than those in Group A (P<0.05), while BUN and SCr levels in rats of Groups C, D and E were significantly lower than those in Group B (P<0.05). KHI, MGA and MGV levels were significantly higher in Groups B, C, D and E rats than those in Group A (P<0.05); KHI and MGA levels in Group B rats were significantly higher than those in Groups C, D and E (P<0.05) and MGV in Groups D and E was significantly lower than that in Groups B and C (P<0.05). Histology study showed normal glomerulus structure, morphology, volume, endothelial cells and mesangial cells as well as clear glomerular capillary in Group A rats. Renal mesangial matrix proliferation and expansion of glomerulus cavities in Groups B, C, D and E were observed. However, damage degree in Groups C, D and E were more moderate than that in Group B.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Pioglitazone can reduce kidney damage in diabetic rats, which may be attributed to its role in increasing glomerular PCX protein expression and inhibiting urinary excretion of PCX, and its effect is dose dependent.

Clinical significance of electrophysiological tests of BCR, ICR and PSEP for ED patients / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the clinical significance of electrophysiological tests of bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR), ischiocavernosus reflex (ICR) and pudenda somatosensory evoked potential (PSEP) for patients with erectile dysfunction (ED).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Electrophysiological tests of BCR, ICR and PSEP were performed for 232 ED patients with IIEF-5 scores of 2-20 (10.39 +/- 5.52), another 21 normal volunteer controls underwent the same tests, and the results were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Abnormal results, such as prolonged and advanced latencies, were found in 94 (40.5%) of the patients, which suggested neurotic ED with different degrees of cauda equine nerve injuries.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electrophysiological tests of BCR, ICR and PSEP can objectively reveal the functional state of the cauda equine nerve and offer an important support to the diagnosis of nerve-mediated ED.</p>

Urethroplasty with oblique preputial island flap for the treating of hypospadia / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To Explore the effect of oblique preputial island flap for the treating of hypospadias.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-one patients were performed one-stage urethroplasty with oblique preputial island flap to repair hypospadias.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All cases resulted in a good contour of the penis without any redundancy and a normal anatomic position of slit-shaped urethral meatus. The urination was perfect. Six patients occurred complications (3 cases of urinary fistula, 3 cases of meatal stenosis).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>With extensive scope of materials, reliable blood supply of skin flap, satisfactory appearance of shaping penis and few complications, one-stage urethroplasty with oblique preputial island flap is an effective method to repair hypospadias of penile type and penile-scrotal type.</p>