Saw palmetto fruit extract (SPE), as a herbal product, is widely used for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Recent studies show that SPE also has some therapeutic effects on chronic prostatitis, prostate cancer, sexual dysfunction, and so on. This article presents an overview on the application of SPE in the treatment of BPH, prostate cancer, and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, with a discussion on its action mechanisms.
Chronic Disease ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms ; drug therapy ; Male ; Pelvic Pain ; drug therapy ; Plant Extracts ; therapeutic use ; Prostatic Diseases ; drug therapy ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; drug therapy ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Prostatitis ; drug therapy ; Syndrome

Objective To analyze the features of poststroke depression (PSD) between men and women after acute ischemic stroke in China. Methods A total of 1917 ischemic stroke patients were enrolled from the Prospective Cohort Study on Incidence and Outcome of Patients with Poststroke Depression in China. The incidence of PSD and the features were compared between male and female patients. The factors related with PSD of every gender were extracted with Logistic regression analysis. Results The incidence of PSD was higher in women than in men (32.9% vs. 26.6%, P<0.01). There was no difference in the stroke score between women and men (P>0.05). The score of Hamilton Depression Scale was higher in the women than in the men, and the features were similar. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the history of heart disease, history of mental disorders and stroke score related with PSD in women, while the age, history of mental disorders, smoking and stroke score in men. Conclusion The incidence and related factors of PSD 2 weeks after ischemic stroke are different between men and women.

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of the peripheral blood P2X5 receptor at various ambient temperatures, and to explore its relationship with deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome.

METHODSSubjects were selected by questionnaire and expert diagnosis, and assigned to the normal control group, the deficiency-cold syndrome group, and the deficiency-heat syndrome group, 20 in each group. 5 mL venous blood was collected at room temperature (25 °C) and cold temperature (-4-5 °C) respectively. Then the expression of P2X5 receptor was relatively quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and compared at room temperature and cold temperature respectively.

RESULTSThe expression of P2X5 receptor in deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome groups was lower than that in the normal control group at room temperature (P < 0.05). It decreased more at cold temperature in the deficiency-cold syndrome group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01) as well as in the deficiency-heat syndrome group (P < 0.05). The expression of P2X5 receptor showed no difference in all groups at two different temperatures (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of P2X5 receptor was different in different syndrome groups at various ambient temperatures. Ambient temperatures had insignificant effect on the expression of P2X5 receptor of the population with the same syndrome.

Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X5 ; metabolism ; Syndrome

Objective To investigate the variance of cost-effectiveness when treat acute myocardial infaretion of different severe extents with different pattern.Methods Acute myocardial infarction patients were selected from emergency eommand center of Guangzhou from October 2003 to December 2005.These patients wew assigned by the center to First-Class Hospitals at Grade 3 and First-class Hospital at Grade 2,and were followed up after 6 months after post-discharge.Cost in hospital and mortality in hospital were registered.The health of all patients were quantificated using SF-36.According to the assigned hospitals,the patients were divided into single infarction group and complex infarction group.Cost in hospital,mortality in hospital,short-term quality of life were compared between the them.Results Compared with and First-Class Hospital at Grade 2 (101 cases),the single infarction patients in First-Class Hospitals at Grade 3 had higber costs in hospital (P=0.016),better society function,affection role,mental health and health status (P

OBJECTIVETo explore the value of detection of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene and K-ras gene mutations in fecal and blood samples in colorectal neoplasm screening.

METHODSFrom 84 subjects undergoing colonoscopic examination (including 31 with colorectal carcinoma, 26 with colorectal adenoma, and 27 healthy subjects) between October, 2003 and March, 2004, 5 ml of heparinized peripheral blood and 3-5 g fecal specimens were collected. The DNA was extracted from the specimens for detecting the mutation of APC and K-ras gene using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism and the results were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION(1) The incidence of APC gene mutation was 41.9% and 57.7% in the plasma, and 34.8% and 26.8% in the fecal specimens of colorectal carcinoma patients and adenoma patients, respectively, both higher than that in normal subjects (P<0.05), suggesting high consistency between fecal and plasma APC gene mutation detection (K=0.811, P<0.05). (2) The incidence of plasma K-ras mutation was 48.4% in colorectal carcinoma patients, 3.8% in adenoma patients and 0% in normal control subjects, and in the feces, the incidences were 54.8%, 7.7% and 11.1%, respectively. The mutation rate was higher in carcinoma patients than in adenoma patients and normal subjects (P<0.05). Fecal K-ras gene mutation detection was consistent with plasma detection (K=0.662, P=0.000). (3) APC gene mutation detection showed a low sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma, but K-ras mutation detection showed a high specificity. The diagnostic sensitivity increased when combining APC and K-ras gene detection in the plasma or fecal specimens, but there was no evidence to suggest that APC and K-ras mutation detection in the plasma could be better than detection in the feces. (4) For colorectal carcinoma, APC gene mutation is associated with lymphoid node metastasis, but not with the patient's gender, age, tumor location, differentiation, distant organ metastasis or CEA level (P>0.05), and the mutation of K-ras gene is related to the degree of tumor differentiation.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli ; blood ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; genetics ; pathology ; DNA ; blood ; Feces ; Female ; Genes, ras ; genetics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation

OBJECTIVETo express human HZF1 fusion protein in E. coli and to obtain an anti-HZF1 antibody.

METHODSA DNA fragment encoding non-zinc finger region of HZF1 protein was inserted into pET30a vector to get the recombination expression plasmid pET30a-HZF1. E. coli was transformed with pET30a-HZF1 and the selected clones were cultured with isopropy-beta-D-thiogalactoside induction. The proteins were prepared from the culture and the fusion protein was purified by Ni column. Rabbits were immunized and reinforced three times with the purified fusion protein. The antiserum was collected and the titer and the specificity of the antibody were checked by ELISA and Western blot.

RESULTSAntibody against HZF1 was obtained and its titer was more than 1:100 000, as proven by ELISA. Western blot analysis showed specific reaction between this antibody and HZF1 fusion protein or the endogenetic HZF1 protein in hemin-induced K562 cells.

CONCLUSIONSThe specific antibody against HZF1 is obtained. The antibody may have potential application in farther HZF1 function study and HZF1 determination in tissues and cells.

DNA-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Immune Sera ; immunology ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; genetics ; immunology ; metabolism ; Transformation, Bacterial

OBJECTIVETo investigate the status of male reproductive health among middle-aged and older men in the urban area of Nanjing.

METHODSWe collected the laboratory results of 884 middle-aged and older men aged 55 - 89 years from the Xuanwu District of Nanjing present for routine physical examinations, including those of blood routine tests, liver and kidney function, blood glucose, blood lipid, and total prostate specific antigen (TPSA), as well as such reproductive hormone indexes as total serum testosterone (TT), free serum testosterone (fT), and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). We also obtained the above reproductive hormone indexes from 119 young and middle-aged men aged 20 - 39 years as controls.

RESULTSAging-related changes were found in the 50 percentiles of all the reproductive hormones and relevant parameters but those of TT and E2, with gradual increases in LH, FSH and SHBG and decreases in fT, TSI and fTI. Comparison of reproductive hormones and relevant parameters by Mann-Whitney U test did not show any statistically significant differences in the TT level between any two of the five age groups (20 - 39, 55 - 59, 60 - 69, 70 - 79, and > or = 80 yr) (P > 0.05) except between the control and > or = 80 yr groups and the 60 - 69 and > or = 80 yr groups (P < 0.05), nor in the E2 level between any two groups, nor in the levels of LH and FSH except between the 55 - 59 and 60 - 69 yr groups and the 70 - 79 and > or = 80 yr groups, and nor in the levels of fT and TSI except between the 55 - 59 and 60 - 69 yr groups. However, there were significant differences in the levels of SHBG and fTI between any two age groups. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that fT, TSI, and fTI were correlated negatively with aging and LH (P < 0.05, I r I > 0.5) but weakly positively with cholesterol, blood glucose and hemoglobin (P < 0.05, /r/ < 0.5), SHBG and LH positively with aging, SHBG weakly negatively with blood glucose and hemoglobin, LH weakly negatively with hemoglobin, and TT weakly negatively with aging but positively with hemoglobin.

CONCLUSIONThe levels of serum testosterone, particularly that of fT, declined with aging in middle-aged and older men in the urban area of Nanjing, which may contribute to abnormal lipid metabolism, low hemoglobin and high blood glucose.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aging ; blood ; Blood Glucose ; analysis ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin ; analysis ; Statistics, Nonparametric ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation on the testicular histology and reproductive endocrine function in male rats and investigate the possible mechanism of inflammation affecting male fertility.

METHODSThirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group (A) and three LPS intervention groups (B, C, and D) to receive saline and LPS (5 mg/kg i. p, once), respectively. The animals in groups B, C, and D were killed by anesthesia at 12, 24, and 72 hours after treatment. Histopathological changes in the left testis of the rats were observed by HE staining and the levels of the reproductive hormones T, FSH, and LH in the serum were determined by ELISA.

RESULTSCompared with group B, group A showed clear structure of seminiferous tubules, orderly arrangement of spermatogenic cells, a slightly decreased number of sperm in some seminiferous tubular lumens, and shed spermatogenic cells in the rat testis tissue; group C exhibited thinner seminiferous epithelia, disordered structure of seminiferous tubules, irregular arrangement of spermatogenic cells, decreased number of mature sperm and obvious shedding of spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubular lumens; group D manifested similar findings to those of group C, with even more shed spermatogenic cells that blocked the tubular lumens. The levels of serum T, LH, and FSH were (0.490 +/- 0.028) ng/ml, (6.290 +/- 0.515) ng/L, and (1.837 +/- 0.127) IU/L in group A, (0.460 +/- 0.024) ng/ml, (5.881 +/- 0.124) ng/L, and (1.707 +/- 0.098) IU/L in group B, (0.417 +/- 0.021) ng/ml, (5.123 +/- 0.271) ng/L, and (1.620 +/- 0.115) IU/L in group C, and (0.378 +/- 0.021) ng/ml, (4.504 +/- 0.279) ng/L and (1.562 +/- 0.216) IU/L in group D, all decreased in group B as compared with A (P > 0.05). The decreases of T and LH were extremely significant (P < 0.01) and that of FSH was significant in groups C and D (P < 0.05) in comparison with A.

CONCLUSIONLPS-induced inflammation affects the testicular tissue and reproductive endocrine function of male rats, resulting in decreased levels of serum T, LH, and FSH.

Animals ; Endocrine System ; drug effects ; physiology ; Fertility ; drug effects ; physiology ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Humans ; Lipopolysaccharides ; toxicity ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Reproduction ; Seminiferous Tubules ; drug effects ; pathology ; Spermatocytes ; drug effects ; Testis ; drug effects ; pathology ; Testosterone ; blood

Reproductive tract infection is one of the factors of male infertility, but the mechanisms responsible are hitherto poorly defined. Recent studies show that one of the microbial pattern-recognition receptors, Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, plays a critical role in inflammation-induced male infertility. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component in the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria, could induce inflammatory response through TLRs. A large number of researches suggest that TLRs express widely in the male reproductive tract and LPS-induced inflammatory reaction through TLRs may affect male fertility. This article presents an overview on how LPS-induced inflammation through TLRs affects male fertility in terms of its influence on the testis, epididymis and sperm quality.
Genital Diseases, Male ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infertility, Male ; metabolism ; pathology ; Inflammation ; Lipopolysaccharides ; adverse effects ; Male ; Toll-Like Receptors ; metabolism

AIMTo determine whether repetitive exposure to high sustained +Gz acceleration induces persisting changes in the myocardial free radical metabolism and observe the protective effects of low-G training and antioxidant tea polyphenols (TP).

METHODSThirty-two male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=8 each): group A, restrained, was only submitted to +1 Gz for 5 min. Group B, centrifuged, was exposed to five plateaus of 30 s at +10 Gz for intermittent times, three times a week, for three weeks. Group C, low-G trained, was exposed to +2 Gz for 5 min about 1 h prior to +10 Gz stress, and group D was orally given TP at dose of 200 mg/kg about 1 h prior to +10 Gz stress. On the next day morning after last centrifuge run, the rats were decapitated and the hearts were quickly removed. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were measured. Additionally, CuZn-SOD and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) enzymatic contents were examined by immunohistochemical staining and their mRNA were analyzed by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).

RESULTSCompared with group A, MDA concentration and iNOS enzymatic content in myocardial mitochondria were increased significantly (P < 0.05) in group B. Compared with group B, mitochondrial SOD activity was significantly increased in group C (P < 0.05). iNOS enzymatic content was significantly decreased in group C and D. There were no significant differences of CuZn-SOD content, CuZn-SOD and iNOS mRNA levels among the four groups.

CONCLUSIONRepeated high +Gz exposure can induce myocardial free radical metabolic disorder and mainly result in mitochondrial peroxidative injury. But low-G training and natural antioxidant TP have protective effects, and the former is better.

Acceleration ; Adaptation, Physiological ; physiology ; Animals ; Free Radicals ; metabolism ; Male ; Myocardium ; metabolism ; Polyphenols ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tea ; chemistry