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The major vascular complications associated with diabetes make the management of diabetic mellitus erectile dysfunction (DMED) a challenging endeavor. Notable factors contributing to DMED include oxidative stress, nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway activation, and apoptosis, while nitro-oleic acid (NO2-OA) has been shown to be beneficial in treating these aspects of this condition. We, herein, investigated the effects and possible mechanisms of NO2-OA on erectile function as assessed in a streptozotocin-induced rat model of diabetes. Our results revealed that the erectile function of DMED rats was significantly impaired compared with that of the control group. However, in response to 4 weeks of NO2-OA treatment, there was an improvement in erectile function. The expression of oxidative stress-related indicators was significantly increased and the NO/cGMP pathway was impaired in the DMED group. The expression of proapoptotic factors was increased, while that of antiapoptotic factors was decreased in the DMED group. Moreover, the cell morphology in the cavernous tissue of the DMED group also changed adversely. NO2-OA treatment significantly reversed all these changes observed in the DMED group. In conclusion, NO2-OA treatment partially improved erectile function in DMED rats through mechanisms that included inhibition of oxidative stress, activation of the NO/cGMP pathway, and a reduction in apoptosis.
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AIM:To evaluate the underlying aetiology and clinical characteristics of retinal detachment(RD)in school-age pediatric monocular RD.METHODS:Patients with RD and contralateral blind(monocular RD)aged 7-14 years, from November 2015 to May 2021 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic characteristics and etiology of RD, clinical type, surgical modality, type of intraocular tamponade, pre-and postoperative visual and anatomical outcomes were recorded and evaluated.RESULTS: There were 27 children(27 eyes)with monocular RD at least 6mo follow-up. The average age at presentation was 10.63±2.30 years. Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy(FEVR)(11/27, 41%), postoperative congenital glaucoma(6/27, 22%)and Stickler syndrome(3/27, 11%)were main underlying etiologies. Among them, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment(RRD)comprised 78%(21/27)of the patients, of which 81% patients(17/21)had proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR)C3 or worse. Pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)was done in 85%(23/27)of the patients, of which 83%(19/23)received silicone oil tamponade. Best corrected visual acuity(BCVA, LogMAR)worse than 1.7 was seen in 78%(21/27)of the patients at final visit, and 82%(22/27)had reattached retina, but 41%(11/27)of the patients remained status of silicone oil tamponade at last visit.CONCLUSION:School-age pediatric monocular RD is often associated with underlying congenital or hereditary conditions, and often presented with severe RD and severe PVR reaction which needed vitrectomy combined with silicon oil tamponade, and with poor visual and anatomical short-term prognosis.
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Objective To observe the imaging features of optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in eyes with wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD)after treatment with 3+pro re nata(3+PRN)of intravitreal anti-Ranibizumab.Methods This study included 8 treatment-naive eyes with wAMD diagnosed by fluorescein fundus angiography(FFA)and indocyanine green angiography(ICGA)from September 2016 to May 2017.All the patients were treated with 3+PRN of intravitreal anti-Ranibizumab(0.5 mg/0.05 ml).We performed OCTA with 6 mm×6 mm scans at baseline and 1,3,and 6 months after treatment.We analyzed best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)(logMAR),type of choroidal neovascular(CNV),and morphological features and changes of CNV,central retinal thickness(CRT),outer retina vessel density(ORVD),and choroidal capillary vessel density(CCVD).Results A total of 8 eyes were examined in 8 patients[4 males and 4 females with a mean age of(70.9±10.6)years of age].Three eyes had type Ⅰ CNV and 5 eyes had type Ⅱ CNV.At baseline,month 1,month 3,and month 6,BCVA was 0.55(0.33,0.87),0.35(0.24,0.84),0.35(0.22,0.58),and 0.26(0.10,0.58)logMAR,respectively(all >0.05).CRT was(271.88±91.95),(204.00±45.78),(196.00±31.14),and(219.25±71.32)μm,respectively,and there was a statistical significance between CRT at baseline and CRT at month 3(=2.211,=0.044).ORVD was(41.38±2.77)%,(41.73±3.60)%,(42.53±1.95)%,and(41.40±2.33)%,respectively(all >0.05).CCVD was(64.38±2.24)%,(64.96±1.39)%,(64.16±1.39)%,and(64.63±1.86)%,respectively(all >0.05).Correlation analysis showed BCVA was significantly correlated with both CRT(=0.009, =0.457)and CCVD(=0.001,=0.574),but not with ORVD(=0.093,=0.302).The morphological features at baseline showed that 2 eyes were lump-like,2 eyes were line-like,2 eyes were tangles,1 eye was elliptical ring-like,and 1 eye was fragment.At month 1,the morphologies were improved in 7 eyes,including the CNV showed decreased maximum diameter,rupture/fragment,loss of peripheral capillaries,decreased numbers and density,and reduced maximum cross-sectional area;the condition became worse in 1 eye,including the CNV showed ring formation,increased density,and increased maximum diameter.At month 3,the morphologied of 7 eyes were improved,while no obvious change was seen in 1 eye.At month 6,the CNV became normalized in 5 eyes but worsened in 3 eyes.No intraocular infection or other intravitreal injection-related complication was observed during the follow-up.Conclusion Observing CNV characteristics using OCTA technology can be used to evaluate the efficacy of Ranibizumab in patients with wAMD and guide the treatment and follow-up of wAMD patients.
Subject(s)
Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Angiogenesis Inhibitors , Therapeutic Uses , Angiography , Follow-Up Studies , Ranibizumab , Therapeutic Uses , Retrospective Studies , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Treatment Outcome , Visual Acuity , Wet Macular Degeneration , Diagnostic Imaging , TherapeuticsABSTRACT
Although elevated prolactin levels have been shown to inhibit penile erection, the relationship between prolactin and erection of the penile tip or base has not been extensively researched. We therefore investigated the prolactin's effects on erection of the penile tip and base, with a cross-sectional study of 135 patients with erectile dysfunction, based on scores of ≤21 on the International Index of Erectile Function-5. All patients were tested for nocturnal penile tumescence, blood pressure, serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the associations between prolactin levels and erection at the penile tip and base. We found no obvious relationship between erection time at penile tip and prolactin levels, but observed a negative correlation between base erection time and prolactin level (hazard ratio: -2.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -5.13--0.22). With increasing prolactin concentration, multivariate analysis showed obvious reduction in base erection time among patients with normal Rigiscan results (hazard ratio: -3.10; 95% CI: -7.96-1.77; P < 0.05). Our data indicate that prolactin inhibits penile erection, particularly at the penile base. In addition, when the effective erection time of the penile base lasts longer than 10 min, prolactin has a more obvious inhibitory effect on penile base erection.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Cross-Sectional Studies , Erectile Dysfunction/blood , Penile Erection , Prolactin/blood , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The aim of our study was to investigate the role of platelet parameters including mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet count (PC) in the pathogenesis of penile arteriogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) and to evaluate the association between the platelet parameters and arteriogenic ED. There were 244 patients with ED (based on the International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]-5 ≤21) and 60 healthy controls (IIEF-5 >21) enrolled. All participants were asked to undergo a laboratory examination, and penile vascular function was evaluated using penile color Doppler ultrasonography (pDUS). Among these ED patients, 24 patients with no abnormality on nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) and 84 with normal vasculature or mixed vascular abnormalities were excluded. The other patients were classified into three groups as follows: control (n = 60), arteriogenic ED (n = 99), and venous leakage (n = 37) groups. MPV and PC were significantly higher in the arteriogenic ED group compared with the venous and control groups (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve for MPV to predict arteriogenic ED was 0.707. MPV ≥9.65 fl was recognized as a cut-off value for potential arteriogenic ED (sensitivity: 47.5%; specificity: 91.7%). A significant inverse correlation was detected between MPV and 10-min peak systolic velocity (PSV) (r = -0.34; P < 0.001) in the arteriogenic ED group. These findings suggest that the MPV might be a powerful indicator to predict and diagnose arteriogenic ED, and MPV may be a marker for ED when using pDUS.
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Objective@#To compare three different pathways for transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy (SVS) and investigate the reliability and efficiency of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided SVS (TRUS-SVS).@*METHODS@#We retrospectively analyzed 90 cases of seminal vesiculoscopy conducted directly through the ejaculatory duct or prostatic utricle or under the guide of TRUS. We compared the success rate and complications among the three approaches.@*RESULTS@#Operations were successfully performed in 87 (96.67%) of the 90 cases, 30 through the ejaculatory duct, 37 via the prostatic utricle, and 20 under the guide of TRUS, the operation time ranging from 25 to 75 minutes. Sperm was detected from the seminal vesicle fluid in (92.06%) of the azoospermia patients (58/63) during the surgery and in 77.78% of them (49/63) in semen analysis at 1 week postoperatively. Fifteen hematospermia and 12 spermatocystitis patients were cured. Postoperative follow-up found 20 cases of water-like semen and 3 cases of orchiepididymitis, but no such complications as retrograde ejaculation, incontinence, or rectourethral fistula.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Transejaculatory duct and transprostatic utricle pathways are two common approaches to SVS, while TRUS-SVS may achieve a higher success rate and avoid injury of both the prostate and the rectum.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Azoospermia , Diagnostic Imaging , Ejaculatory Ducts , Diagnostic Imaging , Epididymitis , Diagnostic Imaging , Genital Diseases, Male , Hemospermia , Diagnostic Imaging , Operative Time , Prostate , Diagnostic Imaging , Rectum , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Semen , Semen Analysis , Seminal Vesicles , Diagnostic Imaging , Spermatozoa , Ultrasonography , MethodsABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Several isoforms of p53 have been reported, which may have varying functions and expressions. This study aimed to analyze the expression patterns of p53 isoforms in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at the mRNA and protein levels and their associations with clinical and pathologic factors to explore the mechanism of p53 isoforms' activity in RCC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The specimens of tumours (T) and clinically normal tissues (N) adjacent to them were collected from 41 patients with RCC. mRNA expression levels of p53 isoforms were detected using RT-PCR followed by nested PCR. Protein expression levels were detected using immunohistochemisty and Western blotting with the anti-p53 antibodies DO-1 and DO-12. The data were analyzed with clinicopathological features by chi(2) test or Fisher's exact test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>p53 mRNA was expressed in all tumours and matched clinically normal tissue adjacent to the tumour. All six isoforms could be detected in tumour and normal tissues, with the exception of the Delta133p53beta isoform, which was not detected in the normal tissue. Of the six isoforms, p53beta mRNA was significantly overexpressed in tumour samples (P < 0.001), and correlated with tumour stage. Nested PCR results consistently indicated the presence of p53gamma (19T/22N), Delta133p53 (33T/26N), Delta133p53beta (2T/0N), and Delta133p53gamma (13T/9N). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that p53 was expressed only in tumour tissues and correlated with tumour stage and grade. The results of Western blotting analysis were consistent with these findings.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Although all six isoforms are present in RCC, their function in tumour development or progression might be different. Our findings suggest that p53beta might play an important role in the formation of RCC and it might be used as a new predictor and therapeutic target for RCC.</p>