bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical elicitation of the penilo‐cavernosus reflex in circumcised men
Authors: Podnar Simon 
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Aetiology (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?It is known that foreskin, but not glans penis, contains a high density of fine‐touch mechanoreceptors. Clinically the penilo‐cavernosus reflex provides information on function of the sacral nerves. The study demonstrated that in the majority of circumicised men this reflex cannot be elicited clinically, but can be measured neurophysiologically.OBJECTIVE• To test clinical observations that the penilo‐cavernosus reflex is much more difficult to elicit in circumcised men.PATIENTS AND METHODS• Men consecutively referred for uro‐neurological or uro‐neurophysiological examination were prospectively included.• Those with possible sacral neuropathic lesions were excluded.• A history was obtained, and a clinical neurological examination was performed.• The penilo‐cavernosus reflex was tested clinically and neurophysiologically using electrical and mechanical stimulation.• Reflex elicitability scores in groups of circumcised men, men with foreskin retraction and a control group of uncircumcised men were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test.RESULTS• The reflex was clinically non‐elicitable in 73%, 64% and 8% of 30 circumcised men, 15 men with foreskin retraction, and 29 control men, respectively.• The scored reflex elicitability was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in control men than in the other two groups clinically, but not neurophysiologically.CONCLUSION• The study confirmed the lower clinical and similar neurophysiological elicitability of the penilo‐cavernosus reflex in circumcised men and in men with foreskin retraction. This finding needs to be taken into account by urologists and other clinicians in daily clinical practice.
Association between smoking cessation and sexual health in men
Authors: Harte Christopher B. , Meston Cindy M. 
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Prevention (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease and death, and – among other medical sequelae – is associated with elevated rates of erectile dysfunction. This is the first study that shows that quitting smoking enhances both physiological and self‐reported indices of sexual health in long‐term male smokers. It is hoped that these results may serve as a novel means to motivate men to quit smoking.OBJECTIVE
To provide the first empirical investigation of the association between smoking cessation and indices of physiological and subjective sexual health in men.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Male smokers, irrespective of erectile dysfunction status, who were motivated to stop smoking (‘quitters’), were enrolled in an 8‐week smoking cessation programme involving a nicotine transdermal patch treatment and adjunctive counselling.
Participants were assessed at baseline (while smoking regularly), at mid‐treatment (while using a high‐dose nicotine transdermal patch), and at a 4‐week post‐cessation follow‐up.
Physiological (circumferential change via penile plethysmography) and subjective sexual arousal indices (continuous self‐report), as well as self‐reported sexual functioning were assessed at each visit.
RESULTS
Intent‐to‐treat analyses indicated that, at follow‐up, successful quitters (n= 20), compared with those who relapsed (n= 45), showed enhanced erectile tumescence responses, and faster onset to reach maximum subjective sexual arousal.
Although successful quitters displayed across‐session enhancements in sexual function, they did not show a differential improvement compared with unsuccessful quitters.
CONCLUSIONS
Smoking cessation significantly enhances both physiological and self‐reported indices of sexual health in long‐term male smokers, irrespective of baseline erectile impairment.
It is hoped that these results may serve as a novel means to motivate men to stop smoking.
Factors associated with ejaculatory and orgasmic dysfunction in men with erectile dysfunction: analysis of clinical trials involving the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor tadalafil
Authors: Paduch Darius A. , Bolyakov Alexander , Beardsworth Anthony , Watts Steven D. 
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Prognosis (cohort series)Level of Evidence 2aWhat's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Many men with ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD) or orgasmic dysfunction (OD) do not seek medical attention. In fact, relatively high proportions of men with erectile dysfunction (ED) have abnormal EjD or OD, and even mild ED is associated with them. Because of the overlap of ED, EjD, and OD, the presence of any one condition should prompt questions about, or a work‐up for, the other two.OBJECTIVE
To determine frequencies of, and risk factors for, ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD) and orgasmic dysfunction (OD) in men with different degrees of erectile dysfunction (ED).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Baseline data from 28 ED trials were integrated and analysed.
The International Index of Erectile Function Question 9 (IIEF‐Q9; ‘When you had sexual stimulation or intercourse, how often did you ejaculate?’) and IIEF‐Q10 (‘How often did you have the feeling of orgasm with or without ejaculation?’) were used to evaluate ejaculatory and orgasmic functions.
Responses of ‘almost never or never’ or ‘a few times (much less than half the time)’ were taken as evidence of EjD or OD, respectively, whereas responses of ‘almost always or always’ or ‘most times (much more than half the time)’ were taken as evidence of normal function.
Estimates of the relative risks (RRs) of EjD or OD were determined for multiple patient characteristics.
RESULTS
Among 12 130 study participants with available data, only 5117 (42.2%) reported normal ejaculatory function, and 4321 (35.6%) normal orgasm, regardless of ED severity.
Among subjects with poor ejaculatory function, 16.7% had mild ED, and among subjects with poor sensation of orgasm, 21.9% had mild ED.
Frequencies of EjD and OD increased with increasing ED severity. Of the 5117 individuals with normal ejaculatory function, 796 (15.6%) had poor sensation of orgasm. Of the 4321 subjects with normal orgasm, 226 (5.2%) had poor ejaculatory function.
Men with (vs without) EjD or OD tended to be younger: 53.7 vs 56.9 years and 54.2 vs 56.2 years, respectively.
Factors associated with increased RRs of EjD and OD included cardiomyopathy (RR for EjD 1.74; RR for OD 1.59); cardiac failure (RR 1.40; 1.22); and baseline use (or history of use) of antipsychotics (RR 1.45; 1.30), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (RR 1.31; 1.27), and tricyclic antidepressants (RR 1.34; 1.28).
CONCLUSIONS
EjD and OD occurred at baseline in more than one in three men enrolled in tadalafil trials. Even men with mild ED reported EjD or OD.
Further studies are warranted to better understand the impacts of EjD and OD on male sexuality and quality of life.
Survival of patients with small cell carcinoma of the prostate during 1973–2003: a population‐based study
Authors: Deorah Sundeep , Rao Marepalli B. , Raman Rachna , Gaitonde Krishnanath , Donovan James F. 
Published: August 2011

Study Type – Therapy (inception cohort)Level of Evidence 2aWhat's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Small cell carcinoma of the prostate is a lethal disease. Survival data is currently based on case reports and single institution case series which give limited information on its prognostic factors. In this large population‐based study, we provide more robust estimates of survival and have defined the prognostic factors.OBJECTIVE
To describe the survival of patients with primary small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the prostate and assess prognostic factors based on a large population sample.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 241 cases of SCC of the prostate were reported to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries from 1973 to 2003 of which 191 cases were included in our study.
We used the Kaplan–Meier method for estimating survival, and Cox proportional hazard regression modelling to evaluate prognostic variables.
RESULTS
The overall age‐adjusted incidence rate was 0.278 per 1 000 000 (95% confidence interval, 0.239–0.323).
In all, 60.5% presented as metastatic disease compared with 39.5% who presented as local/regional disease (P= 0.012).
The 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months observed survival rates were 47.9%, 27.5%, 19%, 17% and 14.3% respectively.
On univariate analyses, age <60, concomitant low‐grade prostatic adenocarcinoma, absence of metastasis, prostatectomy and radiation therapy were favourable prognostic factors.
In multivariate regression modelling, age, pathology and stage were strong predictors of survival.
CONCLUSIONS
Using the SEER database, we present the largest study describing the epidemiology of primary SCC of the prostate.
We found age, concomitant low‐grade prostatic adenocarcinoma, and stage of the disease to be the strongest predictors of survival for patients with prostatic SCC.
Future studies evaluating a broader range of clinical and molecular markers are needed to refine the prognostic model of this relatively rare disease.
Group Influences on Individual Aggression and Prosociality: Early Adolescents Who Change Peer Affiliations
Authors: Berger Christian , Rodkin Philip C. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe present study addresses the influence that group norms exert on individual aggressive and prosocial behavior. The study hypothesis is that for early adolescents who change their peer group affiliations, the characteristics of the group they are leaving (departing‐group influence) are not as influential as those of the group that they are joining (attracting‐group influence). From a larger sample of fifth and sixth graders who were followed over a one‐year period, 198 early adolescents were identified as those who changed peer group affiliations. Peer nominations on aggression, prosociality, social preference and popularity, and social network information were collected. Results confirmed that there were significant attracting‐ but not departing‐group influences on aggression and prosociality. Expected associations between aggression, prosocial behavior, and social status were confirmed. The discussion is framed around a social‐ecological perspective that emphasizes the short‐term adaptive nature of aggressive behavior in some peer groups and the need for considering social mobility when assessing group influence on individual behavior.
Subtypes of Nonsocial Play and Psychosocial Adjustment in Malaysian Preschool Children
Authors: Choo Mei Sze , Xu Yiyuan , Haron P. Fatimah 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThis study examined subtypes of nonsocial play and their relation to psychosocial adjustment in Malaysian preschool children (N = 141, 72 boys, M age = 4.65 years). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a three‐factor model that distinguished social reticence, solitary‐active play, and solitary‐passive play fit the data reasonably well, and also fit the data better than the alternative one‐ and two‐factor models. The distinction among the three subtypes of nonsocial play was found for both boys and girls. Controlling for children's age, gender, and parents' education, social reticence was related to teachers' ratings of anxious behavior, unsociability, and peer exclusion. Solitary‐active play was associated with parents' ratings of inattentiveness, child difficultness, and teachers' ratings of hyperactivity–distractibility. Solitary‐passive play was related to teachers' ratings of unsociability. The findings provide support for a multidimensional view of nonsocial play in Malaysian children.
How Do People with Intellectual Disabilities and Diabetes Experience and Perceive their Illness?
Authors: Dysch Catherine , Chung Man Cheung , Fox Judy 
Published: August 2011

Introduction  Diabetes is a significant health problem amongst people with intellectual disabilities, yet there is a lack of qualitative literature looking specifically at their experiences and perceptions of living with this chronic illness.Method  Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of four people with intellectual disabilities and diabetes.Results  Results showed that participants demonstrated some knowledge of the language surrounding diabetes, but considerable confusion and uncertainty about their illness. The impact of diabetes was described in terms of physical, emotional and social consequences, and participants spoke of diabetes in the context of co‐existing health problems.Conclusions  People with intellectual disabilities and diabetes face many challenges when perceiving and coping with their illness. Gaining insight into these challenges could help health professionals work together more effectively and provide appropriate support to people with intellectual disabilities and diabetes.
Components of oviduct physiology in eutherian mammals
Authors: Hunter R.H.F. 
Published: August 2011

Recalling the evolutionary sequence of development first of gonad and subsequently of oviducts, ovarian endocrine regulation of all known components of oviduct physiology is reviewed. Ovaries not only influence oviducts via the systemic blood circulation, but also locally by counter‐current transfer of relatively high concentrations of steroid hormones and prostaglandins between the ovarian vein and oviduct branch of the ovarian artery. The efficiency and impact of such counter‐current transfer is greatest around the time of ovulation, the transfer process receiving further inputs from hormones present in peritoneal fluid. Classical oviduct physiology is summarised, and the potential molecular consequences of temperature gradients within the duct lumen examined.At ovulation, an oocyte‐cumulus complex is displaced in minutes from the follicular surface to the site of fertilisation at the ampullary‐isthmic junction of the oviduct. This rapid initial phase is contrasted with the subsequent slow progression of embryos to the uterus in days, still encompassed within a zona pellucida. Regarding transport of spermatozoa, the formation of a pre‐ovulatory reservoir in the caudal portion of the oviduct isthmus is noted, with suppression of motility and sperm‐head binding to epithelial organelles acting to maintain fertilising ability. Completion of capacitation is prompted shortly before ovulation, predominantly by Ca2+ influx into bound spermatozoa. A controlled release of spermatozoa coupled with their hyperactivation results in initial sperm:egg ratios at the site of fertilisation close to unity, thereby avoiding the pathological condition of polyspermy.Both the oviduct milieu and embryonic development are influenced by paracrine activity of follicular granulosa cells released at ovulation and remaining in suspension in the vicinity of the oocyte or embryo. These cells may amplify early pregnancy signals from a zygote to the endosalpinx. Beneficial effects of the oviduct on domestic animal embryos are contrasted with anomalies arising as a consequence of in vitro culture. Primate embryos do not require exposure to an oviduct for normal development, perhaps due to overlapping compositions of endosalpingeal and endometrial secretions. Additionally, primate endometrial secretions may be modified by viable gametes or an embryo in the presence of a cumulus cell suspension.
Spatial Guidance of Cell Asymmetry: SeptinGTPases Show the Way
Authors: Spiliotis Elias T. , Gladfelter Amy S. 
Published: August 2011

Eukaryotic cells develop asymmetric shapes suited for specific physiological functions. Morphogenesis of polarized domains and structures requires the amplification of molecular asymmetries by scaffold proteins and regulatory feedback loops. Small monomericGTPases signal polarity, but how their downstream effectors and targets are spatially co‐ordinated to break cell symmetry is poorly understood. Septins comprise a novel family ofGTPases that polymerize into non‐polar filamentous structures which scaffold and restrict protein localization. Recent studies show that septins demarcate distinct plasma membrane domains and cytoskeletal tracks, enabling the formation of intracellular asymmetries. Here, we review these findings and discuss emerging mechanisms by which septins promote cell asymmetry in fungi and animals.image
Differential effects of escitalopram administration on metabolic parameters of cortical and subcortical brain regions of Wistar rats
Authors: Gonçalves Cinara L. , Rezin Gislaine T. , Ferreira Gabriela K. , Jeremias Isabela C. , Cardoso Mariane R. , Carvalho-Silva Milena , Zugno Alexandra I. , Quevedo João , Streck Emilio L. 
Published: August 2011

Objective:Considering that mitochondria may be drug targets and some characteristics of drug–mitochondria interactions may still be misjudged because of the difficulty in foreseeing and understanding all possible implications of the complex pathophysiology of mitochondria, our study aimed to investigate the effect of escitalopram on the activity of enzymes of mitochondrial energy metabolism.Methods:Animals received daily administration of escitalopram dissolved in saline [10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (IP)] at 1.0 ml/kg volume for 14 days. Control rats received an equivalent volume of saline, 1.0 ml/kg (IP), for the same treatment period. Twelve hours after last injection, rats were killed by decapitation and brain areas were rapidly isolated. The samples were homogenised and the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, some enzymes of Krebs cycle (citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase) and creatine kinase were measured.Results:We verified that chronic administration of escitalopram decreased the activities of complexes I and II–III in cerebellum, hippocampus, striatum and posterior cortex whereas prefrontal cortex was not affected. Complex II activity was decreased only in striatum without affecting prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and posterior cortex. However, chronic administration of escitalopram did not affect complex IV and enzymes of Krebs cycle activities as well as creatine kinase.Conclusion:In this study we showed a decrease in the activities of complexes I and II–III in most of the brain structures analysed and complex II activity was decreased only in striatum. However, it remains to be determined if mitochondrial dysfunction is rather a causal or a consequential event of abnormal signalling.
Management of Group B streptococcal sepsis risk in well, term newborns
Authors: Behjati S , Prentice P , Rennie J 
Published: August 2011

AbstractAim:  To investigate how clinically well, term newborns at risk of early‐onset Group B streptococcal (EOGBS) disease are currently managed in the United Kingdom (UK).Methods:  Review of guidelines of UK neonatal units.Results:  One hundred and twenty‐five guidelines covering 157 neonatal units were received (71% of UK units), three of which were excluded from the review. We found great variation in every aspect for the management of EOGBS disease risk including the following: definition of risk factors; management of at‐risk newborns; choice of antibiotics.Conclusion:  Our findings highlight the need for national consensus guidelines and clinical trials into the management of risk babies at risk of EOGBS disease.
Development of smooth pursuit eye movements in very preterm born infants: 3. Association with perinatal risk factors
Authors: Strand Brodd Katarina , Grönqvist Helena , Holmström Gerd , Grönqvist Erik , Rosander Kerstin , Ewald Uwe 
Published: August 2011

AbstractAim:  To investigate the association between perinatal risk factors and neonatal complications and early oculo‐motor development in very preterm infants.Methods:  Perinatal risk factors were identified, and the potential association with early oculo‐motor development was evaluated by measuring smooth pursuit eye movements (SP) at 2 and 4 months’ corrected age (CA) in a population of very preterm infants born in Uppsala County 2004–2007 (n = 113).Results:  Among the 15 tested factors, eight showed significant association in univariate analysis with lower levels of SP at 4 months’ CA, namely administration of prenatal corticosteroids, gestational age, birthweight, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, periventricular leukomalacia, intraventricular haemorrhage >grade 2, and persistent ductus arteriosus. At 2 months’ CA, only retinopathy of prematurity >stage 2 was associated with lower levels of SP. When all factors significant in the univariate tests were included in multiple regressions aimed to assess each factor’s independent relation to SP, periventricular leukomalacia was the only significant independent factor. When adding 2–5 of the significant factors using multiple regression analysis, the levels of SP became lower.Conclusion:  Perinatal risk factors were associated with lower levels of SP. This could be interpreted as delayed or disturbed development of normal oculomotor ability.
The efficacy of a topical gel with triester glycerol oxide in denture‐related mucosal injuries
Authors: Geckili Onur , Bektas‐Kayhan Kivanc , Eren Pinar , Bilgin Tayfun , Unur Meral 
Published: August 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00549.x

The efficacy of a topical gel with triester glycerol oxide in denture‐related mucosal injuriesObjective:  The efficacy of a topical gel with triester glycerol oxide for treating ulcerations related to new complete dentures was studied and compared with a placebo gel.Materials and methods:  Fifty edentulous patients were enrolled in this double‐blind clinical study. All subjects received new maxillary and mandibular complete dentures and were recalled 1, 3 and 7 days after denture placement. Twenty‐five subjects received topical gel with triester glycerol oxide (TGO), and 25 subjects received topical gel without TGO. At each visit, pain and discomfort with the new dentures was assessed, and at the last visit, healing of ulcerations was also graded by a clinician. Subjects also graded the gel’s taste, smell and ease of use.Results:  Specifically, there was no statistically significant difference in ulcer healing (p > 0.05), ratings of smell, taste and ease of use (p > 0.05) or pain and discomfort scores (p > 0.05). However, within‐group differences were observed in pain and discomfort scores between follow‐up sessions (p = 0.01 for all comparisons).Conclusion:  Clinically, TGO gel is not effective in the treatment of mucosal injuries occurring following placement of complete dentures.