Asexuality development among middle aged and older men.

Objectives: To assess erectile function in middle-aged and older men with asexuality status and further analyze their specific reasons for this condition.

Subjects And Methods: Men who had regular sexual intercourse attempts (sex frequency ≥ 1 time per month) were classified into mild erectile dysfunction (ED), moderate to severe ED and non-ED according to International Index of Erectile Function-5, and men having no sexual intercourse attempts for at least 6 months were defined as having an asexuality status. The risk factors associated with ED were collected in a sample of 1,531 Chinese men aged 40 to 80 years, and the self-report reasons for asexuality were recorded in asexual cohort individually.

[Treatment of varicocele infertility men patients of different Chinese medical syndrome types by integrative medicine treatment selection: a primary research].

Objective: To explore the optimal treatment selection for treating varicocele (VC) male infertility patients accompanied with oligozoospermia or azoospermia of different Chinese medical syndrome types by comparing the efficacies of integrative medicine.

Methods: One hundred and twenty male infertility patients with VC accompanied with oligozoospermia or azoospermia were assigned to Chinese medical treatment group (A) and the surgical group (B), each consisting of three Chinese medical syndrome types, i.e.

[Sexual function inspection room for special penile insertion disorder].

Objective: To determine the role of the sexual function inspection room in the treatment of patients with special penile insertion disorder.

Methods: This study included 6 couples received at the Andrology Clinic of Shanghai Renji Hospital from September, 2010 to February, 2011, who complained of being unable to accomplish sexual intercourse, all due to the husbands' abnormal penile erection. The couples had tried to make love 3 to 6 times after getting married, but never succeeded.

[Leptin level in azoospermic patients and its clinical value].

Objective: To detect the levels of seminal plasma leptin (SPL) and serum leptin (SL) in patients with azoospermia, and to explore the methods of using SPL and SL alone or the combination of SPL, SL and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) for the differential diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia (OA) and non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA).

Methods: We enrolled in this study 45 patients with diagnosed OA, 41 with unexplained NOA and 30 men with normal semen parameters as controls. The azoospermia patients underwent percutaneous aspiration from the epididymis (PESA) or aspiration/extraction from the testis (TESA/TESE), and all the subjects were detected for the levels of serum FSH, SPL and SL.

[Standardized diagnosis and treatment of azoospermia: a report of 1027 cases].

Objective: To constitute an appropriate procedure for clinical diagnosis and treatment for men with azoospermia in China.

Methods: Following a procedure which combined the recommendations from WHO, European Association of Urology (EAU), American Urological Association (AUA), American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) with our own experiences, 1 027 patients with azoospermia were divided into different subtypes according to patients' case histories and outcomes of various routine and specialized examinations. Then appropriate treatments were chosen according to the diagnostic subtypes.

Xeno-free culture of human spermatogonial stem cells supported by human embryonic stem cell-derived fibroblast-like cells.

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) divide continuously to support spermatogenesis throughout postnatal life and transmit genetic information to the next generation. Here, we report the successful establishment of the method for the isolation and identification of human SSCs from testicular tissue, and to determine the culture conditions required to expand SSCs on human embryonic stem cell-derived fibroblast-like cells (hdFs). Large-scale cultures of SSCs were maintained on hdF feeder layers and expanded in the presence of a combination of cytokines and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor for at least 2 months.

[Therapeutic effect of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor on pathological changes of tunica albuginea in erectile dysfunction: experiment with rats].

Objective: To investigate the pathological changes of tunica albuginea in erectile dysfunction (ED), the role of tunica albuginea in penis erection, and the therapeutic effect of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (PDE5I) on ED.

Methods: Thirty 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 equal groups: (1) control group fed with normal diet for 16 weeks, (2) high-fat group fed with the diet containing 2% cholesterol and 10% pork fat, and (3) Tadalafil group fed with high-fat diet for 16 weeks and undergoing gastric perfusion of Tadalafil 2 mg/kg daily since the 13th week for 4 weeks. Sixteen weeks later, intracavernous pressure and mean arterial pressure were measured, and the ratio of maximal intracavernous pressure to mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) was calculated blood samples were collected.

[The feeder layer of human embryonic fibroblasts supports the growth of human spermatogonial stem cells].

Objective: To investigate the methods and conditions for the isolation, purification and culture of human spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) on the feeder layer cells of human embryonic fibroblasts (hEFs).

Methods: SSCs isolated and purified from normal human fetal testicular tissues by sequential two-step enzyme digestion and Percoll uncontinuous density gradient centrifugation were cultured on the feeder layer cells of hEFs isolated from 5-9 weeks old human embryos. The surface markers SSEA-1 and OCT4 of the SSCs were detected by immunohistochemistry; the alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity of the SSC clones measured; and the expressions of the SSC-related genes determined by RT-PCR.

[A multi-center clinical trial of Qianlieantong tablets for chronic prostatitis].

Objective: To observe the efficacy and safety of Qianlieantong Tablets in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.

Methods: A multi-center, self-controlled open clinical trial was conducted. A total of 280 subjects with chronic prostatitis were enrolled and treated by Qianlieantong Tablets, 3 times a day, 5 tablets each time.

[IIEF-5 cannot be used as a tool for differential diagnosis of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction].

Objective: To evaluate the 5-item version of the international index of erectile function (IIEF-5) as a method to differentiate the causes of vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods: In all, 103 ED patients (mean age 46.8 +/- 18.

[A controlled randomized trial of the use of combined L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine treatment in men with oligoasthenozoospermia].

Objective: To determine the efficacy and safety of combined L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine therapy in infertile males with oligoasthenozoospermia.

Methods: One hundred fifty patients with oligoasthenozoospermia were randomized selected into treatment and control groups. The treatment group with 90 patients were given L-carnitine (2 g/d) and acetyl-L-carnitine (1 g/d) orally, twice a day.

[Survey on reproductive health status of Shanghai college students].

Objective: To explore reproductive health condition of college students in Shanghai and provide scientific basis for reproductive health education.

Methods: From July 2004 to March 2005, 1192 college students (majors including medicine, science and engineering, arts and culture; 618 medical students and 549 non-medical; 555 male and 612 female) from seven time-day colleges in Shanghai were investigated with a reproductive health questionnaire involving sex. The questionnaire was constituted by 72 topics, involving the need of education, sex attitude, sex videos, sex hygiene knowledge and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), etc.

[Comparison between sildenafil plus sertraline and sertraline alone in the treatment of premature ejaculation].

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of sildenafil plus sertraline with those of sertraline alone in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

Methods: Seventy-two patients with PE but without any obvious organic cause were enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into Groups A and B of equal number.

[Effects of growth hormone supplementation on erectile function and expression of nNOS in aging rats].

Objective: To explore the effects of growth hormone( GH) supplementation on erectile function and expression of nNOS in the intracavernosal nerves in aging rats.

Methods: Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 18 months were randomly divided into Groups A and B, and ten 2-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats included in Group C. 1 U/(kg x d) GH was given to Group A, and the same volume of saline to Groups B and C.

[The effects of testosterone undecanoate on relaxation of rat corpus cavernosum smooth muscle in vitro].

Objectives: To investigate the role of Undecanoate (Andriol), as a kind of testosterone, in regulating the relaxation of isolated rat corpus cavernosum in vitro.

Methods: The castrated rats were given high and low dosage Andriol respectively, compared with intact and castrated rats. After treatment of 4 weeks, the corpora cavernosa were cut, trimmed as to strips.