Unconsummated marriage: can it still be considered a consequence of vaginismus?

Unconsummated marriage (UM) is the failure to perform successful sexual intercourse at the beginning of the marriage. Vaginismus has been traditionally reported as the leading cause. ED is also a leading cause for UM. This appears to be a significant problem in the conservative middle-Eastern societies and in the developing countries, where couples are strongly prevented by religious rules and cultural taboos from sexual experiences before wedding. One could think that according to major sexual freedom and information, in Western countries UM is now disappearing, but the number of observed cases by the authors in 2008-2012 was relevant. The aim of this study is to compare the literature data from non-Western countries with the features of UM in Western ones, focusing on cases observed by the authors, and to verify whether the etiology of UM proposed in the '70s is still relevant, outlining any changes that occur in current reality. In our series, traditional appearance of UM is no more effective, while the role of man is undervalued, because of his frailty, lack of self-confidence and ignorance, expressing a social and cultural change of man's role in the couple.

Male sexuality and regulation of emotions: a study on the association between alexithymia and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Alexithymia is a multidimensional construct that describes a constellation of personality features characterised by difficulties in differentiating, identifying and communicating emotions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate prevalence of alexithymia in outpatients with erectile dysfunction (ED), both in the psychogenic lifelong type (PLED) and in the acquired one (PAED). ED severity was evaluated with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) and alexithymia was measured using the Italian version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The results suggest a high incidence of alexithymic characteristics in patients with psychogenic ED, a positive correlation between the alexithymia level and ED severity in patients with PAED and statistically significant differences in the alexithymia level between the two subgroups PLED and PAED. We assumed that alexithymia contributes to the origin of the PLED, and to a more severe manifestation of ED, once it appears in the acquired form.

Integrin pattern and effect on contraction in cultured testicular peritubular myoid cells.

PROBLEM: Neither the integrin pattern nor the biological functions of integrins have been extensively documented in human cultured testicular peritubular myoid cells (TPMC). The integrin pattern and the presence of some proteins of the immunoglobulin superfamily on human TPMC as well as the role of integrins in TPMC contraction were examined. METHOD OF STUDY: Integrin expression was evaluated by immunofluorescence and FACS analysis. To assess the role of integrin in TPMC contraction, human and rat cells were added to a collagen gel system and exposed to contractile stimuli. RESULTS: The immunofluorescence and cytofluorimetric analysis showed that human cultured TPMC express alpha1, alpha2, alpha3, alpha4, alpha5, alpha6, alphav, beta1, beta3, and beta4 integrin subunits, and significant amounts of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), whereas they do not present alpha4, beta2, beta7 subunits, nor intercellular adhesion molecule-2 (ICAM-2) and neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). The preincubation of human cells with an anti-beta1 mAb and of rat cells with a polyclonal anti-beta1 antibody inhibited TPMC contraction induced by different contractile stimuli. CONCLUSION: Our investigation documented a broad integrin pattern on human cultured TPMC as well as a role for integrins in human and rat TPMC contraction.

[Primary absolute anorgasmy in the male. Report of three clinical cases]. / Anorgasmia primaria assoluta maschile. Considerazioni su tre casi clinici.

Primary absolute anorgasmia is the impossibility to have orgasm and ejaculation during wake or every kind of sexual activity, in men with normal erectile function and nocturnal emission. In this syndrome the nervous system is unimpaired; the frequency is very low, with a very small number of reported cases in literature. Andrologists are generally requested by the patients for the first clinical approach. They should collaborate with sexologists for the diagnosis and treatment. Personal experience in 3 cases of anejaculatory men aged between 28 and 34, observed in the years 1995-1996, is presented and the clinical features of the patients and therapeutic strategy described. In two cases a sexual behavioral therapy was performed with success; in the third an electrovibration was employed to obtain the first orgasmic sensation.

[Uretero-arterial fistula as a complication of vascular surgery]. / Fistola uretero-protesica come complicanza della chirurgia vascolare.

Urinary fistulae between ureter and iliac arteries are very uncommon. A case of fistula connecting ureter and bypass between iliac and femoral arteries is reported. This kind of surgical complication, due to arterial lesion during coxo-femoral arthroprosthesis implant has never been reported in the literature.

[Retroperitoneal mixoid liposarcoma: a difficult diagnosis with often unfavorable prognosis. Case report]. / Liposarcoma mixoide retroperitoneale: patologia di difficile interpretazione e spesso di prognosi sfavorevole. Un caso clinico.

Liposarcoma is the most common adult soft tissue sarcoma. The hallmark is the immature fat cell or lipoblast. It occurs in late adult life, frequently in the lower extremities, in the retroperitoneal, perineal and mesenteric region. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma doesn't produce symptoms until it is very large. A review of the literature is made and the case of a 65-years old man, submitted to surgical treatment for a bulky retroperitoneal mixoid liposarcoma is reported.