Endomorphin-1, effects on male sexual behavior.

We examined the effect of endomorphin-1 (EM-1), an endogenous opioid peptide that binds selectively to the mu receptor, on male copulatory behavior in sexually vigorous Wistar rats. In the first experiment, four doses of EM-1 (1, 10, 50, and 100 muM) injected intracerebroventricularly produced a marked increase in ejaculation latency and interintromission interval and reduced the number of ejaculations during the test. In experiment 2 the effects of EM-1 were completely blocked by pretreatment with naloxone (5 mg/kg) 30 min prior to intracerebroventricular injection of EM-1 (100 microM). Collectively these results indicate that the activation of micro receptors by EM-1 modifies parameters associated with ejaculation (increases ejaculation latency and reduces the number of ejaculations) confirming that opioids are released during sexual behavior.

[Results of a smoking cessation program among Spanish pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons]. / Resultado de un programa de cesación de tabaquismo en neumólogos y cirujanos torácicos españoles.

We evaluated the efficacy of a smoking cessation program using 16-hours nicotine patches offered by mail to physicians belonging to the Spanish Pneumological and Thoracic Surgery Society. Fifty-five subjects (21 women) with a mean age of 40 underwent treatment with 16-hours nicotine patches with different dose-time applications dependent on Fagerstrom test scores. Abstinence, which was verified by measuring carbon monoxide in expired air, was 23.6% after 6 months of follow-up. We observed a low rate of mild side effects.