No abstract available.
Humans ; Male* ; Penile Prosthesis*

No abstract available.
Humans ; Male* ; Penile Prosthesis*

No abstract available.
Erectile Dysfunction* ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Male

No abstract available.
Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Nephroma, Mesoblastic* ; Ultrasonography, Prenatal*

PURPOSE: Androgen plays an important role during penile development and is essential for a normal libido in the male, but its role in the regulation of the androgen receptor and maintenance of erectile response has been controversial. We investigated the effect of androgen on apoptosis, proliferation of the penile erectile tissue and androgen receptor after castration and temporary androgen replacement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male adult Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups; sham-operation, castration, and androgen replacement after castration. Androgens (testosterone, DHT) were administrated for 7 days at week 1, 2, 3, and 4 after castration. The weight of whole body and corpus cavernosum and serum testosterone concentration were measured. Androgen receptor expression, percentage of proliferating cells incorporating Ki-67(proliferative index) and percentage of apoptotic cells assessed by morphological analysis(apoptotic index, TUNEL) were analyzed in the penile erectile tissue. RESULTS: Castration induced a significant decrease in serum testosterone concentration from day 1 and a progressive decrease in the corpus cavernosal weight from day 14. Androgen receptor expression decreased after androgen depletion and was restored with androgen replacement. The proliferative and apoptotic index varied as follows after castration and androgen replacement: a significant increase was noted for apoptotic index with a decrease in the proliferative index and androgen receptor expression after castration. Replacement of testosterone propionate and DHT after castration decreased the apoptotic index with an increase in the proliferative index and the expression rate of androgen receptor. CONCLUSIONS: The penile erectile tissue of the adult rat was affected by the androgen milieu via the androgen receptor as seen by either cellular apoptosis or proliferation. Therefore, androgens such as testosterone and DHT play a direct role in the erectile function of the rat at the level of the penile erectile tissue.
Adult* ; Androgens ; Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Castration ; Humans ; Libido ; Male ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Androgen* ; Testosterone ; Testosterone Propionate

PURPOSE: Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced during the degradation of hemoglobin to heme (iron protoporphyrin) and present in various tissues including brain. CO is believed to activate soluble guanylate cyclase to exert its action on the smooth muscles. the effects of CO and its relationships to adrenergic or cholinergic mechanisms were studied using the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosal strips, and the effects of CO and NO were further investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using adult New Zealand rabbits, the corpus cavernosal strip was carefully prepared from rabbit penis and suspended in an 10ml organ bath containing Tyrode solution. When a stable tension level of the strip had been attained, drugs were added to the organ bath the change of motility of the strip was recorded on a computerized polygraph. RESULTS: The NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and CO caused a dosedependent relaxation of the cavernosal strip of the rabbit penis. Pretreatment of SNP and CO had no effect on contraction induced by adrenergic drugs and the effects of SNP and CO was not affected by atropine. The relaxation effects of SNP were inhibited by NO scavenger pyrogallol, inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and methylene blue. The relaxation effects of CO were significantly inhibited by ODQ and methylene blue. the relaxation effects by acetylcholine were inhibited by NO synthase inhibitor L-nitroarginine methyl ester (NAME) and deendothelialization, but not affected by zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP), the heme oxidase inhibitor. On the immunostaining of heme oxidase (HO) in corpus cavernosal smooth muscle strip, the positive staining for HO was observed in the perivascular nerve fibers. CONCLUSIONS: The relaxation effect of NO was confirmed, and CO exerts an endothelium dependent relaxing effect on the cavernosal strip of the rabbit penis similar to NO. This action is seem to be mediated by soluble guanylate cyclase, and the actions of CO is also mediated by similar guanylate cyclase system.
Acetylcholine ; Adrenergic Agents ; Adult ; Atropine ; Baths ; Brain ; Carbon Monoxide* ; Carbon* ; Endothelium ; Guanylate Cyclase ; Heme ; Humans ; Male ; Methylene Blue ; Muscle, Smooth ; Nerve Fibers ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Nitroprusside ; Oxidoreductases ; Penis ; Pyrogallol ; Rabbits ; Relaxation ; Tissue Donors ; Zinc

Electrical ejaculation is widely used for semen collection in ejaculation failure patients with various causes including spinal cord injury. Semen collected by this method show sperm with low quality, and decrease in sperm motility is especially evident; multifactors are responsible but there are some reports that electrical current and increased temperature during electrical ejaculation are the cause. To confirm this theories, we observed the direct effect of variable electrical current and temperature to the motility of normal sperm in vitro. Semen analysis was performed after temperature was maintained at 37, 39, 41, and 43 `C for 10 minutes and electrical current at 5, 10, 15, 20 Volts for 3, 7, and 10 minutes. 1. Sperm motility change with temperature: The ratio of motile sperm decreased significantly (n=32, p<0.01) from 82.20, 70.12, 60.93, 48.87% as the temperature rose 37, 39, 41, 43 `C, respectively. Factors related to motility (distribution of progressive form and rapid velocity) decreased as well and the distribution of static velocity increased. However, additional semen analysis 20 minutes after rests were not significantly different in sperm motility before and after any temperature changes. 2. Sperm change with electrical energy: The motility of the sperm decreased significantly according to increasing volts and time, which showed a time-dependent and voltage-dependent decrease. The ratio of motile sperm decreased significantly to increasing volts and time and factors related to motility (distribution of progressive form and rapid velocity) also decreased. The distribution of static velocity increased. However, additional semen analysis 20 minutes after rests were not significantly different in sperm motility before and after inducing electrical energies. These data suggest that the effect of electrical current and temperature to sperm motility is temporary and that the low quality of sperm collected by electrical ejaculation in patients with ejaculation failure may not be due to the effect of electrical ejaculation but the various conditions of the patients themselves.
Ejaculation ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Male ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sperm Motility* ; Spermatozoa* ; Spinal Cord Injuries

Malignant melanoma of female urethra and vulva is extremely rare and the prognosis remains poor inspite of several types of treatment. We experienced a case of malignant melanoma on urethra and vulva, which was managed by radical cystectomy and vulvectomy with bilateral groin lymphnode dissection. Adjuvant therapy for metastasis following lymphnode dissection with Interferon was done.
Cystectomy ; Female* ; Groin ; Humans ; Interferons ; Melanoma* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prognosis ; Urethra* ; Vulva*

PURPOSE: Androgen was thought to be linked to sexual activity in man but its peripheral action have not been identified precisely. Recently, androgens dependent nature of nitric oxide synthase(NOS), the enzyme system producing nitric oxide(NO) as the principal mediator in penile erection, has been studied. The present study was designed to determine if NO within the penis is regulated by androgen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Effect of testosterone on the penile NO was investigated from three groups of rabbit; control(a sham operation), castration group (four sub-groups: 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after castration) and testosterone replacement group (four sub-groups: testosterone propionate(10mg/day) was given subcutaneously from 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after castration for 7 days respectively). Strips of rabbit corpus cavernosum were isolated and mounted in organ chambers. The relaxation effects were assessed with electrical field stimulation(EFS) in the precontracted cavernosal muscle strips with phenylephrine. Penile NOS activity was measured by the rate of 14C-L-arginine-citrulline conversion. Penile tissue was subsequently stained for the presence of NOS, using a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry. RESULTS: EFS evoked a relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum. A gradual decrease in the EFS evoked relaxation was recorded, proportional to the duration of being castrated, which was restored to the level of control by testosterone replacement. After castration, penile NOS activity was significantly reduced to 51.3%, 43.7%, 37.5%, and 32.7% of the level of control at 1, 2, 3, 4weeks. This decrease in penile NOS activity after castration was also restored by testosterone replacement. Diffusely scattered delicate nerve fibers showing blue color reaction after NADPH-d histochemical staining were reduced in castrated cavernosum in comparison with control. CONCLUSIONS: Based on presented data we conclude that testosterone plays a direct role in penile erection by regulating the activity of NOS within the penis.
Androgens ; Castration ; Male ; NADP ; Nerve Fibers ; Nitric Oxide Synthase* ; Nitric Oxide* ; Penile Erection ; Penis* ; Phenylephrine ; Relaxation ; Sexual Behavior ; Testosterone*

There are many functional foods available nowadays. Functional foods are believed to promote health, physical activities, and satisfaction. However, their efficacy should be proved through both laboratory and clinical trials. To evaluate the efficacy, in vitro effects of specific animal model can be used as an objective laboratory screening test. In vivo function tests can be used as a preclinical animal study with or without administration of functional foods. In clinical trials, validated questionnaires and objective function tests can be used according to various study models. Therefore to validate the efficacy of any nutritional supplement, one or more laboratory results and validated clinical study are necessary. In conclusion, the safety and efficacy of functional foods should be decided based on a functional testing guideline, which can substantially decrease the incidence of drug overuse and protect the public health, accordingly.
Animals ; Functional Food* ; Incidence ; Mass Screening ; Models, Animal ; Motor Activity ; Public Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires