Testis-specific calcium-binding protein CBP86-IV (CABYR) binds with phosphoglycerate kinase 2 in vitro and in vivo experiment.

The investigation of the interacting proteins with testis-specific calcium-binding protein CBP86-IV (CABYR) was carried out in human spermatozoa. The total RNA from human spermatozoa was extracted, and the ORF sequence of TSCBP86-IV gene was amplified and cloned into expression vector pET-28a. The positive recombinant clones were transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21 (DE3) to express fusion protein. Then, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) of TSCBP86-IV was performed in BL21 cell lysate expressing CBP86-IV recombinant protein. The immune complex was captured and identified by mass spectrometry. Reverse Co-IP of potential interacting proteins was performed in human sperm cell lysate. The potential protein interactions were confirmed by yeast two-hybrid system. Thirteen proteins were successfully identified in immune complex from E. coli cell lysate. Phosphoglycerate kinase 2 (PGK2) further showed positive results both in reverse Co-IP and yeast two-hybrid experiments and was confirmed to be interacted with TSCBP86-IV in human sperm cells.

Efficacy of Tadalafil De-Escalation in the Treatment of Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy of tadalafil de-escalation in the therapeutic effects of psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) during the 3 months extension phase. METHODS: A total of 90 men with mild to severe psychogenic ED were randomly divided into 2 groups: tadalafil 5 mg group and tadalafil de-escalation group. Efficacy assessments included the 5-item version of International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), the Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP) questionnaires, Psychological and Interpersonal Relationship Scales (PAIRS), Erection Hardness Score (EHS). RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, tadalafil 5 mg and de-escalation groups enhanced all efficacy outcomes. Patients receiving tadalafil 5 mg and de-escalation experienced a significant mean improvement in the psychogenic erectile function domain of the IIEF-5 from the baseline (p < 0.01). The mean change from baseline was significantly higher for the tadalafil de-escalation group than for the tadalafil 5 mg group (p < 0.05). Response to SEP3, PAIRS and EHS was significantly higher in the tadalafil de-escalation group than in the tadalafil 5 mg group (p < 0.05). The severity of ED in the tadalafil de-escalation group had reduced after treatment. It was also significantly better than those in the tadalafil 5 mg group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Tadalafil de-escalation significantly improved the erectile function among psychogenic ED patients. This implies that tadalafil de-escalation treatment for psychogenic ED is worthy of further clinical practice and research.

Low-expressed testis-specific calcium-binding protein CBP86-IV (CABYR) is observed in idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression level of testis-specific calcium-binding protein CBP86-IV in normal and asthenozoospermic human sperm. METHODS: The total RNA was extracted from human sperm, and target cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Then the cDNA was used for quantitative PCR analysis and cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a, respectively. The fusion protein was induced and expressed as inclusion body which was used to produce the polyclonal antibody against TSCBP86-IV. The protein expression level of TSCBP86-IV from normal human sperm and idiopathic asthenozoospermic samples was detected by the purified antibody. RESULTS: The experimental results showed that the protein expression of TSCBP86-IV was reduced in idiopathic asthenozoospermia and consistent with the transcriptional changing tendency which was detected by quantitative PCR analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The stable and reliable change of TSCBP86-IV may be taken as a new molecular marker for clinical diagnosis of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

[Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of The Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool].

OBJECTIVE: To translate the English version of The Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) into Chinese, evaluate its reliability and validity, and analyze its feasibility in the diagnosis of premature ejaculation (PE). METHODS: Following the forward-backward translation procedure, we developed the Chinese version of PEDT, which was then revised by andrologists and bilingual linguists. We enrolled subjects with or without PE from 15 urological or andrological clinics in China and obtained the information about their demographic characteristics, PEDT scores, and intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT). We evaluated the internal consistency of PEDT using Cronbach alpha, was examined its reliability and stability by test-retest analysis, analyzed its correlation with IELT by Spearman correlation analysis, and tested its sensitivity and specificity by receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) analysis. RESULTS: Totally, 570 PE patients (aged [30.66 ± 7.11] years) and 226 non-PE men (aged [33.01 ± 5.41] years) were recruited, with the mean IELT of (1.34 ± 0.54) min in the former and (11.09 ± 7.5) min in the latter group. The Cronbach's alpha of the Chinese version of PEDT was 0.79, and the test-retest correlation coefficient was 0.75 (P < 0.01). The PEDT score was negatively correlated with IELT (Spearman's p = -0.52, P < 0.01). When the cutoff value of PE diagnosis was defined as 7.5, the sensitivity and specificity of PEDT were 0.80 and 0.78, and when as 8.5, they were 0.72 and 0.89, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Chinese version of PEDT was demonstrated to have good internal consistency, reliability, and validity, as well as a high predictability for PE. It can be used as a reliable and convenient tool to screen PE among Chinese men.

Comparative proteomic study between human normal motility sperm and idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

PURPOSE: Idiopathic asthenozoospermia is considered as one of the causes of male infertility and characterized by reduced sperm motility. For a better determination of pathogenic mechanism of asthenozoospermia, the exploration of differentially expressed proteins in normal sperm motility and idiopathic asthenozoospermia was conducted in our study. METHODS: Sperm proteins were extracted and isolated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. All significantly changed protein spots were picked up from 2D gels and identified by tandem mass spectrometry. Sixteen of the thirty-three total differentially expressed protein spots were successfully identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Sixteen proteins identified belonged to 15 unique protein groups. GRP78, lactoferrin, SPANXB, PGK2, flagellin, DJ-1, XPA binding protein 2, CAB2, GPX4, and GAPDH were the first to be identified as differentially expressed proteins in idiopathic asthenospermia patients. Meanwhile, the analysis of quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to compare the protein levels, and the results indicated that the expression levels of the gene and protein were not entirely consistent. CONCLUSIONS: These experimental results expand the scope of the protein database, generating targets for further investigation of the pathogenic mechanism of idiopathic asthenozoospermia.

[Low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil for psychological erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil on psychological erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: We randomized 84 psychological ED patients into an observation and a control group of equal number to receive low-dose daily de-escalatory administration and on-demand medication of tadalafil, respectively, both for 2 months. We compared the scores on IIEF-5 and erection hardness (EHS) between the two groups before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The treatment and follow-up were accomplished for 79 cases, with 5 withdrawals in the control group. The IIEF-5 and EHS scores were remarkably improved in both the observation and control groups after treatment. The rate of therapeutic effectiveness was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control (95.2% vs 86.5%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low-dose daily de-escalatory administration of tadalafil is highly effective and even better than on-demand medication of tadalafil for psychological ED.

[Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil for late-onset hypogonadism accompanied with ED].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil on late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) accompanied with ED. METHODS: Ninety cases of LOH accompanied with ED who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into a control group and a combination therapy group, the former treated with tadalafil and the latter with low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil. The LOH symptoms, IIEF-5 scores, sexual encounter profile (SEP) scores, prostate volumes, and the levels of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT) and prostatic specific antigen (PSA) were recorded and compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: The IIEF-5 and SEP scores and the TT and FT levels were 20.6 +/- 3.8, 4.02 +/- 1.08, (15.4 +/- 3.4) nmol/L and (0.391 +/- 0.062) nmol/L, respectively, in the combination therapy group after treatment, significantly higher both than 15.7 +/- 3.9, 1.49 +/- 0.82, (10.1 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.200 +/- 0.045) nmol/L before treatment (P < 0.01) and than 8.6 +/- 3.6, 3.50 +/- 1.21, (10.2 +/- 1.2) nmol/L and (0.210 +/- 0.051) nmol/L in the control group after treatment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Low-dose testosterone undecanoate capsules combined with tadalafil has a definite clinical effect and no obvious adverse reactions in the treatment of LOH accompanied with ED.

[Combination of compound Xuanju capsule and tamoxifen citrate for idiopathic oligozoospermia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with tamoxifen citrate on the seminal parameters of men with idiopathic oligozoospermia. METHODS: We equally assigned 120 men with idiopathic oligozoospermia to receive Compound Xuanju Capsule plus tamoxifen citrate (experiment group) or tamoxifen citrate alone (control group). After 3 months of medication, we compared the concentration and total number of sperm with the baseline, and analyzed the influence of the duration of natural infertility on the therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Both the concentration and total number of sperm were significantly increased in both the experiment and the control groups after 3 months of medication as compared with the baseline (P < 0.05), and the increases were even more significant in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.05). The therapeutic efficacy was remarkably better in the patients with natural infertility < or = years than in those > 3 years (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compound Xuanju Capsule combined with tamoxifen citrate produces satisfactory results in the treatment of idiopathic oligozoospermia, and therefore can be used as a first-line therapy for this disease.

Zinc Complexes Derived from 5-Bromo-2-(((2-isopropylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenol: Microwave-Assisted Synthesis, Characterization, Crystal Structures and Antibacterial Activities.

Three new zinc complexes [Zn3L2(µ2-η1:η1-CH3COO)2(µ2-η2:η0-CH3COO)2] (1), [ZnCl2(HL)] (2) and [ZnBr2(HL)] (3), where L = 5-bromo-2-(((2-isopropylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenolate, HL = 5-bromo-2-(((2-isopropylammonio)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenolate, have been synthesized under microwave irradiation. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV-Vis spectra, molar conductivity, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. X-ray analysis revealed that the Zn atoms in complex 1 are in square pyramidal and octahedral coordination, and those in complexes 2 and 3 are in tetrahedral coordination. The molecules of the complexes are linked through hydrogen bonds and π···π interactions. In order to evaluate the biological activity of the complexes, in vitro antibacterial against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was assayed.

[Jinleng undershorts palliates varicocele].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Jinleng undershorts on the elevated scrotal temperature induced by varicocele as well as on other clinical symptoms of the disease. METHODS: Fifty-one varicocele patients received the treatment of wearing Jinleng undershorts for 30 min twice a day for a course of 90 days. Comparisons were made between the scrotal temperatures and other clinical symptoms of varicocele before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After 90 days of treatment with Jinleng undershorts, the left scrotal temperature of the varicocele patients was significantly reduced from (32.16 +/- 0.79) degrees C to (31.53 +/- 0.77) degrees C (P < 0.01), and the right scrotal temperature decreased from (31.91 +/- 0.73) degrees C to (31.81 +/- 0.63) degrees C (P > 0.05). Compared with pretreatment, significant improvement was found in such symptoms as wetness, fever and swelling of the scrotum, backache, headache, dizziness, fatigue and anxiety (P < 0.05), as well as in testicular pain (P < 0.01) and IIEF-5 score, which was increased from 15.89 +/- 6.13 to 20.04 +/- 3.87 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Jinleng undershorts can be used for the treatment of mild and moderate varicocele.

Preparation of fluoropolymer materials with different porous morphologies by an emulsion template method using supercritical carbon dioxide as a medium.

The choice of a suitable surfactant is key to the formation of a stable water-in-CO2 (W/C) or CO2-in-water (C/W) emulsion. It is even more critical in stabilization of the emulsion containing carbon dioxide (CO2). In this study, the successful preparation of W/C emulsion was achieved by using the amphiphilic block polymer poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-b-poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (mPEG45-b-(TFEMA) n ) as a surfactant, in which CO2 was used as a solvent for the fluoromonomer, trifluoroethyl methacrylate (TFEMA). In the case of the W/C emulsion, CO2 and TFEMA were used as the continuous phase and water as the internal phase of the emulsion system. It has been found that in the length of the block polymer mPEG45-b-(TFEMA) n , the fluorine-containing chain end has a significant effect on the morphology of the polymer and the type of emulsion formed. The morphology of the polymer was observed by scanning electron microscopy which confirmed the type of emulsion formed. With the fluorine-containing end segment, the morphology of the polymer changes from a small hollow sphere in a large hollow sphere to a hollow spherical to a porous structure. Correspondingly, it could be concluded that the type of emulsion could go through the process from water-in-CO2-in-water-in-CO2 (W/C/W/C) emulsion to water-in-CO2-in-water (W/C/W) emulsion to water-in-CO2 (W/C) emulsion. Also, suitable co-surfactants were identified in this study. Investigations were also attempted to check the effect of the amount of surfactant, cross-linker and water/CO2 ratio on the type of emulsion formed as well as the morphology of the resultant polymer.

Does periurethral cleaning with water prior to indwelling urinary catheterization increase the risk of urinary tract infections? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether periurethral cleaning with water before indwelling urinary catheterization increases the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) compared with studies using anti-infective agents. METHODS: A literature search via MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through October 2017 and a manual search of references for additional relevant studies. Trials studying clean intermittent catheterization were excluded. Data were extracted independently by 2 reviewers. Disagreements were resolved through discussion. Results of randomized controlled trials were pooled using random effects models. Both individual and pooled risk estimates were reported using risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: From 121 identified articles, 5 studies involving 824 patients were included in the review (822 patients included in meta-analysis). No statistical significance in the incidence of UTIs existed between the water group and antiseptics group (RR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.77-1.49; P = .89; I2 = 0%). Available data comparing water with povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate demonstrated no significant difference between the incidence of UTIs (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.66-1.83; P = .79; I2 = 0%; and RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.68-1.62; P = .72; I2 = 0%; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Based on current data, water is as safe as other topical antiseptics for periurethral cleansing before indwelling urinary catheter insertion.