Men with serious chronic illnesses and malignancies are less likely to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The aim of this study was to evaluate one possible reason why men do not seek help for erectile dysfunction. For this study, 500 men that visited their family doctors were stratified into one of three groups based on the reasons for their visits and their overall health statuses. A questionnaire was used to ask each participant about his willingness to seek help for erectile dysfunction should it occur during his lifetime.

[Tissue chemoreceptors].

Intraarterial administration of acids or perfusion with solutions inducing acidosis in the small intestine tissue, increase the afferent impulsation in the splanchnic nerves as well as the arterial pressure in anesthetized cats. Threshold concentrations of lactic and carbonic acids don't exceed, at that, their normal contents in the blood and tissues. Similar data were obtained in perfusion of the small intestine with blood of a donor animal whose acid--alkaline balance (AAB) was altered.

[Relationship between the anionic structure of organic acids and the response of cat taste receptors].

With the aid of analysis of afferent impulse activity in the cat chorda tympani, it was shown that the effect of application of organic acids solutions of the same pH to the tongue could be represented as follows: propionic acid greater than lactic acid greater than pyruvic acid. These data confirm the suggestion that carboxylic acids without polar groups are the most effective, and an anion which has OH-group in alpha-position is more effective than an anion with keto-group.

[Analysis of the effect of bicarbonate on taste receptor sensitivity to organic acids].

Addition of NaHCO3 or NaOH to the solutions of lactic or pyruvic acids decreased threshold concentrations of H+ ions and increased intensity of afferent impulsation in the cat chroda tympani nerve. In spite of the fact that the concentrations of both lactate and pyruvate anions with the presence of NaOH and NaHCO3 are the same at equal pH values the observed changes of the receptors responses were more intensive if NaHCO3 had been added. Therefore the influence of NaHCO3 on the perception of organic acids depends not only on its buffer properties but, probably, on direct action of CO2 appearing as the result of interaction of NaHCO3 and acids, as well.