Testosterone Is Associated with Erectile Dysfunction: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chinese Men

Testosterone is essential for the regulation of erectile physiology, but the relationship between low testosterone and erectile dysfunction (ED) has not been firmly established.To examine the association between serum total, free and bio-available testosterone and ED in a population-based sample.A consecutive series of 1776 men aged 20–77 participated in the routine physical examination from September 2009 to December 2009 in Guangxi, China. ED was assessed using the five-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Total testosterone (TT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and other biochemical profiles were measured. Free testosterone (FT) and bio-available testosterone (BT) were calculated based on Vermeulen’s formula. Data were collected with regard to smoking, alcoholic drinking, physical activity and metabolic syndrome.The prevalence of ED (IIEF-5<22) was 47.6%. Men with ED were significantly older, and more prone to smoke cigarettes (≥20 cigarettes/day) or drink alcohol (≥3 drinks/week), and more likely to have elevated blood pressure (P = 0.036) or hyperglycemia (P<0.001) compared with those without ED. The significant increase in SHBG with age was parallel to its increase with increasing severity of ED (P<0.001). The obscure increase in TT across the ED status was detected without significance (P = 0.418), but TT was positively associated with ED after adjustment for age [odds ratio (OR)  = 1.02, 95% CI (confidence internal): 1.00–1.04]. FT and BT were inversely associated with ED (OR = 0.14, 95%CI: 0.06–0.33; OR = 0.92 (95%CI: 0.89–0.96, respectively) in the univariate analysis, and this inverse association appeared to be independent of smoking status, alcoholic drinking, physical activity, hyper-triglyceridemia and hyperglycemia.FT and BT are inversely related to worsening ED, whereas the positive association between TT and ED is most likely due to the increase in SHBG

Association of NIPA1 repeat expansions with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a large international cohort

NIPA1 (nonimprinted in Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome 1) mutations are known to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia type 6, a neurodegenerative disease that phenotypically overlaps to some extent with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Previously, a genomewide screen for copy number variants found an association with rare deletions in NIPA1 and ALS, and subsequent genetic analyses revealed that long (or expanded) polyalanine repeats in NIPA1 convey increased ALS susceptibility. We set out to perform a large-scale replication study to further investigate the role of NIPA1 polyalanine expansions with ALS, in which we characterized NIPA1 repeat size in an independent international cohort of 3955 patients with ALS and 2276 unaffected controls and combined our results with previous reports. Meta-analysis on a total of 6245 patients with ALS and 5051 controls showed an overall increased risk of ALS in those with expanded (>8) GCG repeat length (odds ratio = 1.50, p = 3.8×10-5). Together with previous reports, these findings provide evidence for an association of an expanded polyalanine repeat in NIPA1 and ALS

Investigation of the variation in weak-link profile of YBa 2Cu3-xAgxO7-? superconductors by Ag doping concentration

The effect of Ag doping concentration on the microstructure, transport properties and weak-link profile of YBa2Cu3-xAg xO7-? bulk superconducting compound was investigated through resistance-temperature (R-T), ac magnetic susceptibility (?-T), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the critical current density (Jc) versus applied magnetic field (Jc-B) measurements. We used the additive method with cationic ratio of x=0.1-0.4 for the YBCO-Ag system. The change in the silver doping concentration slightly affected the transition temperatures (Tc,zero), whereas, the critical current densities (Jc) of the samples and their magnetic field (B) dependencies were noticeably affected. The improvement on the microstructural properties of YBCO bulk superconductors was observed in SEM analysis, the J c values increased and their magnetic field dependencies decreased with the increasing of Ag concentration up to x=0.2. As well as the current transport properties. Ag doping up to a certain amount produces texturing that gives rise to a modification in the weak-link profile resulting in an enhanced strength of flux pinning which causes an increase in the current carrying capacity. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd

Pretreatment with stellate ganglion blockade before ischemia reduces infarct size in rat hearts

Objectives: To investigate the role of stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) in cardio-protection against ischemia reperfusion injury. Methods: This prospective randomized, experimental study was carried out between August and October 2008 in the Department of Anesthesia, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey. Twenty-one rats were randomly divided into 3 groups; group 1 - SGB group (rats with percutaneous ganglion blockade), group 2 - preconditioned (P) group (rats that were subjected to ischemia and then reperfusion periods for 5 minutes), and group 3 - control group (rats that were injected with normal saline). Results: During the ligation period, the length of arrhythmia was significantly shorter in group 2 compared with group 3 (p0.05). But the arrhythmia score was significantly lower both in group 1 and group 3, compared with group 2 (p<0.02). Both in the ischemic and reperfusion periods, the incidence of arrhythmia was lowest in group 1. The infarct size was measured significantly less in groups 1 and 2 compared with group 3 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Pretreatment with the left SGB leads to lower arrhythmia scores and reduced infarct size in the Langendorff-perfused rat hearts compared with group 3, but not with group 2

Changes in adenosine nucleotides in the heart tissue of rats following different types of death

Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were killed by cervical dislocation, electric shock and drowning to investigate the correlations between types of death and levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in heart tissue after death. The hearts were taken out after death and ATP, ADP and AMP levels in the heart muscle were measured

Effect of perioperative inadvertent hypothermia on the ECG parameters in patients undergoing transurethral resection

OBJECTIVE: Perioperative inadvertent hypothermia (PIH) (core body temperature to < 36 °C) is a common event during surgery. PIH may result from multiple factors. Elderly urology patients are at greater risk than other patients for hypothermia. PIH may cause adverse postoperative cardiac clinical manifestations. Our study aimed to determine the effects of postoperative alteration of core body temperature on the ECG parameters in patients undergoing transurethral resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine patients, 40-83 years of age, who were scheduled for elective Transurethral Resection Prostate and/or Bladder (TUR-P and/or TUR-B) were enrolled in the study. Patients with operation times more than 30 minutes were included. Core temperatures were measured and standard 12-lead ECG readings were taken before surgery and immediately upon arrival in the postanesthesia care unit. RESULTS: 59 patients were included this study. Prevalence of PIH (< 36°C) was (57.6%). The postoperative temperature was found to be significantly lower than the preoperative of all patients (preop 36.46±0.39; postop 35.68±0.59, paired sample t-test, p<0.001). Also in all patients, postoperative QTc dispersions were found to be significantly longer than the preoperative QTc dispersions (preop 59.66±32.69; postop 74.57±37.47 ms, p<0.05). When we divided the patients; hypothermic and normothermic, postoperative QTc dispersions were significantly different between two groups (68.23±33.43 ms, and 83.20±41.50 ms; p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of inadvertent intraoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing transurethral resection is relatively high. QTc dispersion of mild hypothermic patients was significantly longer than normothermic patients'

Research and Application Center on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the attitudes of doctors about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in this research.Methods: Overall, 234 doctors who were working in Abant Izzet Baysal University Health Research and Application Center and who accepted to participate in this research were included. Research data were obtained by a questionnaire containing questions about demographic characteristics of doctors and their knowledge about CPR. Questionnaires were applied between 27.02.2012 and 04.06.2012. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. A value of p< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: It was determined that 90% of the participants included in the study applied and/or observed CPR, and 62% of participants did not attend any CPR course. In addition, 64.1% of the doctors were found to be aware of guidelines prepared every 5 years. Although 65.2% of the doctors who attended a course previously gave a correct answer for the question about the number of cardiac compressions during adult CPR, 47.6% of the doctors who did not attend a course gave the correct answer (p= 0.014). Additionally, 71.9% of participants who attended a course previously and 51.7% of participants who did not replied correctly to the question 'What should be done immediately after defibrillation during CPR?' And also the results for the question about how many joules is necessary to begin defibrillation with a monophasic defibrillator were statistically significant according to the attendance for a CPR course (p< 0.005).Conclusion: In this study, we have identified the lack of knowledge of the doctors about resuscitation