Living versus cadaveric-donor renal transplant recipients: a comparison on sexual function.

Erectile dysfunction is experienced by 50% of men with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and uremia. The origin of this dysfunction is multifactorial. The aim of this study was to compare living donor versus cadaveric donor transplant recipients regarding male sexual function. Seventy-seven sexually active male kidney transplant recipients (44 from living donors; 33 from cadaveric donors) were randomly selected from our single-center prospective database of 2016 renal transplants. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected between June 2010 and June 2011. Male sexual function was evaluated with the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire (IIEF-15). We assessed the prevalence of male sexual dysfunction according to established cutoff points for each of the IIEF-15 domains. Mann-Whitney and Pearson's chi- square statistical tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. The median age at the time of completion of the questionnaires was 43 and 51 years (P = .003) with median times from transplantation was of 36 and 42 months for living donor and cadaveric donor recipients, respectively (P = .31). Median durations of ESRD before surgery were 17.5 and 57 months for living donor and cadaveric donor recipients, respectively (P < .001). Living donor and cadaveric donor recipients had median creatinine clearance values of 55 and 57 mL/min, respectively (P = .44). Median time after renal transplantation for first sexual intercourse was 1 and 2 months for living donor and cadaveric donor recipients, respectively (P = .35). Median body mass indices for living donor and cadaveric donor recipients were 24.8 and 24, respectively (P = .31). Regarding sexual function domains, there were significant differences only for intercourse satisfaction. In our cohort, living donor recipients tended to be younger, have shorter time of ESRD, and less incidence of hypertension or diabetes mellitus but with greater tobacco use. In conclusion, living donor transplantation exerted a favorable impact on sexual function.

Abordaje multidisciplinar en el paciente cardiovascular: papel de la Andrología / Multidisciplinary approach to the cardiovascular patient: the role of andrology

Objetivos: La disfunción eréctil comparte factores de riesgo y fisiopatología con la enfermedad cardiovascular. A pesar de la eficacia comprobada del cambio de hábitos de vida en la mejoría de la disfunción sexual de los pacientes cardiovasculares, la salud sexual es un aspecto muchas veces olvidado en los programas de rehabilitación cardíaca. Este trabajo tiene el objetivo de presentar la experiencia de la Unidad de Andrología en el año 2010 en la Unidad de Rehabilitación Cardíaca del Hospital de Santo António/Centro Hospitalar do Porto. Material y métodos: La Unidad de Rehabilitación Cardíaca del Hospital de Santo António proporciona un abordaje multidisciplinar al tratamiento del paciente cardiovascular. La intervención de la andrología en esta unidad se hace al nivel de la fase II y III del programa, a través de sesiones educativas sobre disfunción sexual y orientación terapéutica de los pacientes que presentan quejas sexuales. Resultados: En 2010, fueron referenciados para la Unidad de Rehabilitación Cardíaca 206 pacientes, de los cuales 157 (76,2%) eran de sexo masculino. Entre estos, 50 (31,8%) fueron enviados para la consulta de Andrología, presentando una media de edad de 60,5 ± 7,5 años y una puntuación media del International Index of Erectile Function-5 de 9 ± 4,5. Se verificó una tasa de éxito en el tratamiento del 32,4% de los pacientes, a pesar de que el 44% rechazó el tratamiento. Conclusiones: La disfunción eréctil tiene una prevalencia alta en el paciente con patología cardiovascular, por lo que la participación de la Andrología en unidades de rehabilitación cardíaca puede mejorar la eficacia del tratamiento de la disfunción sexual en estos pacientes. La polimedicación y el rechazo al tratamiento por miedo a los efectos adversos son los principales motivos para el fracaso terapéutico (AU)

Objectives: Erectile dysfunction shares common risk factors and pathophysiology with cardiovascular disease. In spite of the well-proved efficacy of lifestyle changes regarding improvement of sexual dysfunction of cardiovascular patients, sexual health is an often forgotten issue in cardiac rehabilitation programs. This work has aimed to present the experience of the Andrology Unit in Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit of the Hospital de Santo António/Centro Hospitalar do Porto during 2010. Material and methods: The Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit of the Hospital de Santo António uses a multi-disciplinary approach in the treatment of cardiovascular patients. Andrology particulates in this Unit in the phases II and III of the program, through education sessions on sexual dysfunction, and therapeutic orientation of patients who have sexual complaints. Results: During 2010, 206 patients were referred to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit, 157 (76.2%) of whom were male patients. Of these, 50 (31.8%), mean age of 60.5±7.5 years and mean age of the International Index of Erectile Function 5 of 9±4.5, were referred to Andrology for consultation. There was a treatment success rate of 32.4% of patients, even though 44% refused treatment. Conclusions: Erectile dysfunction has high prevalence in patients with cardiovascular disease. The participation of Andrology in Cardiac Rehabilitation Units may improve the efficacy of the treatment of sexual dysfunction in this group of patients. Multiple medications and non-adherence to treatment by patients because of fear of side-effects are the main reasons for treatment failure (AU)

[Multiple schwannoma of the penis]. / Schwanoma mútiple del pene.

Schwannoma or neurilemmoma designate a tumour that originates in the Schwann cells of peripheral nerves, therefore occurring anywhere in the body. They are very rare in the penis. In the literature are reported twenty seven cases of penile schwannoma. We report a case of multiple schwannoma of the penis and make a brief literature revision about this rare pathology.

Schwanoma múltiple del pene / Multiple schwannoma of the pennis

El schwanoma o neurilemoma es un tumor con origen en las células de Schwann de la vaina de los nervios periféricos. En la literatura están descritos veintisiete casos de schwanomas del pene. Presentamos un caso de schwanoma múltiple del pene, haciendo una breve revisión de la literatura sobre este raro tumor con respecto a su etiopatogenia, diagnóstico, tratamiento y orientación

Schwannoma or neurilemmoma designate a tumour that originates in the Schwann cells of peripheral nerves, therefore occurring anywhere in the body. They are very rare in the penis. In the literature are reported twenty seven cases of penile schwannoma. We report a case of multiple schwannoma of the penis and make a brief literature revision about this rare pathology

Electric-field assisted immobilization and hybridization of DNA oligomers on thin-film microchips.

Single, square voltage pulses in the microsecond timescale result in selective 5'-end covalent bonding (immobilization) of thiolated single-stranded (ss) DNA probes to a modified silicon dioxide flat surface and in specific hybridization of ssDNA targets to the immobilized probe. Immobilization and hybridization rates using microsecond voltage pulses at or below 1 V are at least 10(8) times faster than in the passive control reactions performed without electric field (E), and can be achieved with at least three differently functionalized thin-film surfaces on plastic or glass substrates. The systematic study of the effect of DNA probe and target concentrations, of DNA probe and target length, and the application of asymmetric pulses on E-assisted DNA immobilization and hybridization showed that: (1) the rapidly rising edge of the pulse is most critical to the E-assisted processes, but the duration of the pulse is also important; (2) E-assisted immobilization and hybridization can be performed with micrometre-sized pixels, proving the potential for use on microelectronic length scales, and the applied voltage can be scaled down together with the electrode spacing to as low as 25 mV; and (3) longer DNA chains reduce the yield in the E-assisted immobilization and hybridization because the density of physisorbed single-stranded DNA is reduced. The results show that the E-induced reactions can be used as a general method in DNA microarrays to produce high-density DNA chips (E-immobilization) and speed the microarray-based analysis (E-hybridization).

Immobilization and hybridization by single sub-millisecond electric field pulses, for pixel-addressed DNA microarrays.

Single square voltage pulses applied to buried electrodes result in dramatic rate increases for (1) selective covalent bonding (immobilization) of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) probes to a functionalized thin film SiO(2) surface on a plastic substrate and (2) hybridization of ssDNA to the immobilized probe. DNA immobilization and hybridization times are 100 ns and 10 micros, respectively, about 10(9) times faster than the corresponding passive reactions without electric field. Surface coverage is comparable. Duration, magnitude and slew rate of the voltage pulse are all key factors controlling the rates of ssDNA immobilization and hybridization. With rise times of 4.5 ns, pulses shorter than 1 ms and voltages below 1V are effective. The ssDNA adsorbed on the surface is reoriented by the rapidly changing electric field. This reduces steric barriers and speeds the immobilization and hybridization reactions. These results open the way for pixel-addressed microarrays driven by silicon microelectronics circuits.