The role of diallyl thiosulfinate associated with nuciferine and diosgenin in the treatment of premature ejaculation: a pilot study

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of an association of diallyl thiosulfinate with nuciferine and diosgenin in the treatment of a group of patients suffering from premature ejaculation (PE), primary or secondary to erectile dysfunction (ED). Materials and methods: From July 2015 to October 2016, 143 patients (mean age 25.3; range 18-39) affected by PE completed the study and were finally analyzed in this phase I study. All patients, after clinical assessment and laboratory evaluation were asked to take an association of diallyl thiosulfinate with nuciferine and diosgenin as oral tablet, once a day, on alternate days, for three months. At the baseline and after three months of treatment, each patient was asked to complete the following questionnaires: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT), Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ). Results: A statistical significant improvement in terms of erectile function, comparing the IIEF-5 value at baseline and follow-up visit was found (respectively IIEF-5: 8.7 vs 14.01; p < 0.001). Moreover, at follow-up visit, 97/143 men (67.8%) referred a subjective improvement of the erection quality and a better control of the ejaculation (PROs). The IELT improved too between the baseline evaluation and the follow-up visit (p < 0.001). Conclusion: In conclusion, our study, even if supported by preliminary results, showed how Diallyl Thiosulfinate, Nuciferine and Diosgenin is able to improve the control of ejaculation in patients suffering from PE, primary or secondary to ED without any significant adverse effects

Isolation and Characterization of Multiple Forms of Glutamate-Aspartate Aminotransferase from Pig Heart

Abstract At least four different protein fractions provided with aspartate aminotransferase activity can be isolated from pig heart cytoplasm. No difference is detected in the sedimentation coefficient, immunodiffusion properties, and primary structure (as studied by quantitative amino acid analysis and peptide mapping of tryptic digests) of the three main fractions, called, respectively, α, β, and γ in their order of increasing anodic mobility on starch gel electrophoresis. The three main fractions differ significantly in specific activity, kinetics of recombination of the apoenzyme with the coenzyme, and behavior in 8 m urea. The most visible difference among them is in the way in which the coenzyme is bound to the enzyme protein. In the α and β fractions, pyridoxal phosphate is bound mostly in an "active" mode, characterized by absorption peaks at 362 or 430 mµ (depending upon the pH) and by the capacity to transaminate reversibly with the amino acid substrates. In the γ form, most of the coenzyme is bound in a nonactive mode, characterized by an absorption peak at 340 mµ and by the incapacity to react with amino acid substrates. Upon aging, the α and β fractions lose some activity, while a portion of their coenzyme becomes bound in the inactive mode. Even after these changes have occurred, the various fractions maintain their electrophoretic individuality, which is also preserved after resolution and after treatment with concentrated urea. Electrophoretic analyses carried out on a water extract of a single heart taken immediately after the death of the animal reveal the presence of the various subforms; this indicates either that the various subforms exist as such in the living cell or, if they are artifacts, that they must be formed very early in the preparation and under extremely mild conditions

Correlation of NM23-H1 cytoplasmic expression with metastatic stage in human prostate cancer tissue

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Three vs. Four Cycles of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Localized Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Undergoing Radical Cystectomy: A Retrospective Multi-Institutional Analysis

Three or four cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard neoadjuvant treatment prior to cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Although NCCN guidelines recommend 4 cycles of cisplatin-gemcitabine, three cycles are also commonly administered in clinical practice. In this multicenter retrospective study, we assessed a large and homogenous cohort of patients with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) treated with three or four cycles of neoadjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine followed by radical cystectomy, in order to explore whether three vs. four cycles were associated with different outcomes

Neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio predicts mortality in bladder cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy

To investigate the prognostic role of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC)

Laparoscopic management of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction following pyeloplasty: a single surgical team experience with 38 cases

ABSTRACT Purpose To describe and analyze our experience with Anderson-Hynes transperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) in the treatment of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). Materials and methods 38 consecutive patients who underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic redo-pyeloplasty between January 2007 and January 2015 at our department were included in the analysis. 36 patients were previously treated with dismembered pyeloplasty and 2 patients underwent a retrograde endopyelotomy. All patients were symptomatic and all patients had a T1/2>20 minutes at pre-operative DTPA (diethylene-triamine-pentaacetate) renal scan. All data were collected in a prospectively maintained database and retrospectively analyzed. Intraoperative and postoperative complications have been reported according to the Satava and the Clavien-Dindo system. Treatment success was evaluated by a 12 month-postoperative renal scan. Total success was defined as T1/2≤10 minutes while relative success was defined as T1/2between 10 to 20 minutes. Post-operative hydronephrosis and flank pain were also evaluated. Results Mean operating time was 103.16±30 minutes. The mean blood loss was 122.37±73.25mL. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.47±0.86 days. No intraoperative complications occurred. 6 out of 38 patients (15.8%) experienced postoperative complications. The success rate was 97.4% for flank pain and 97.4% for hydronephrosis. Post-operative renal scan showed radiological failure in one out of 38 (2.6%) patients, relative success in 2 out of 38 (5.3%) patients and total success in 35 out of 38 (92.1%) of patients. Conclusion Laparoscopic redo-pyeloplasty is a feasible procedure for the treatment of recurrent ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO), with a low rate of post-operative complications and a high success rate in high laparoscopic volume centers