Background: A Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the well-known comorbidities in males with diabetes mellitus (DM), whose pathogenesis might be induced by dysregulation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells. UC-MSCs are multipotent cells that attract considerable interest due to immunoregulatory properties and might be a potential strategy to regulate and recover the functional cells and tissues, including tissue improvement in DMED. Objective: This study aims to determine the efficacy of UC-MSCs in improving the erectile function of DMED rats through analyzing the expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, and collagen. Methods: Total number of 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 to 8 weeks old) were randomly divided into four groups (negative control group, positive control group, T1 group, and T2 group). After 16 h fast, 24 rats were randomly selected and intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin to induce DM. At 8 weeks after STZ injection, rats with DMED were identified by unresponsive erectile stimulation within 30 min. PC group received 500 μL; T1 rats treated with 500 μL PBS containing 1x106 UC-MSCs; T2 rats treated with 500 μL PBS containing 3x106 UC-MSCs. After MSCs treatment, the rats were sacrificed and the corpus cavernosum tissues were prepared for histological observations. Results: This study resulted in the administration of UC-MSCs could downregulate the expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, and collagen leading to the improvement of DMED. Conclusion: UC-MSCs improve the expression of TGF-β, α-SMA, and collagen on erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Free radicals formed during strenuous exercise through an increase in reactive oxygen species induce damage to tissues (e.g., muscle and liver) and cause oxidative damage to cells, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction. AIM: As an effective method to repair mitochondrial muscle cell function, this study investigated the effects of red-fleshed pitaya (RFP) ingestion on creatine kinase (CK), which is a biomarker for muscle tissue damage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels during strenuous exercise. METHODS: This study involved 25 3-month-old male rats with an average weight of 200 g. The RFP extract was obtained through ethanol extraction and concentrated using an air-drying method. Rats were randomly allocated into five groups as follows: Two control groups (K1 [no-exercise, no RFP] and K2 [exercise, no RFP]) and three test groups (P1, P2, and P3; subjected to exercise and treated with 75, 150, and 300 mg kg−1 body weight of RFP, respectively). The exercise was in the form of swimming for 20 min 3 times/week for 31 days. CK and MDA were measured through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and histopathological examinations were performed through hematoxylin and eosin staining of rat muscles. RESULTS: The MDA levels after the ingestion of RFP extracts were compared between the K2 group and the P1, P2, and P3 groups. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05 for P1 and P2, and p < 0.01 for P3), indicating the production of free radicals and CK, with features of damaged muscle cells based on histopathology. Ingestion of the RFP extract led to improvements in soleus muscle cells, resulting in cell function repair. CONCLUSION: Levels of MDA and CK increased during exercise, which caused significant muscle damage. However, after treatment with the RFP extract, the levels of both markers decreased. Thus, strenuous exercise causes an increase in reactive oxygen species, resulting in increased free radical levels. RFP ingestion decreased oxidative stress levels, thus repairing mitochondrial cell function.

This study investigated the therapeutic role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on erectile function in a diabetes mellitus erectile dysfunction (DMED) rat model by analyzing the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthetase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the 70 kilodalton heat shock proteins (HSP70). MSCs were isolated from umbilical cords (UCs), and their characteristics identified by flow cytometry and osteogenic differentiation analysis. Thirty 8-week-old rats were divided into four groups: sham, control, T1, and T2. After a 16 h fast, 24 rats were randomly selected and intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce DM. At 8 weeks after STZ injection, rats with DMED were classified into four groups, sham, control group [DMED rats received 500 μL phosphate buffer saline (PBS)]; T1 [DMED rats treated with 500 μL PBS containing 1 × 106 UC-MSCs]; T2 [DMED rats treated with 500 μL PBS containing 2 × 106 UC-MSCs]. Eight weeks after MSCs administration, the rats’ erectile function was measured by cavernous nerve stimulation. The blinded histological and gene expression assessment were used to analyze the eNOS, HSP70 content, and VEGF expression on the penile tissues. MSCs administration, rats in T1 and T2 groups showed a significant enhancement of erectile response that showed a trend of increase of VEGF mRNA level expression was 2.2 ± 0.61 in T2 Group supported with the optimum recovery of eNOS, in which the value of eNOS expression was 20.66% ± 2.32%. While optimum decrease of HSP70 content, the value of HSP70 expression was 15.50% ± 0.90%. IHC results showed that the DMED induction in rats caused a significant decrease of eNOS content in corpus cavernosum tissue. MSCs could ameliorate DMED in rats by increasing VEGF and decreasing HSP70 and eNOS, indicating these cells offer a potential application for DMED patients’ treatment.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of the testicular cancer that were managed in Soetomo Hospital. Materials & Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study. We reviewed the medical records of patient with testicular tumor admitted in Soetomo Teaching Hospital Surabaya, from January 2008 until December 2013. The data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, grading and staging based on pathological examination result, and the management of the cancer. Data was presented in tabular and narrative in order to know the number and percentage of testicular cancer in Surabaya. Results: There were 46 patients with testicular cancer with mean age of 27.1 ± 7.9 years. Peak incidence was 15–35 years old (54%). Testicular mass was the most frequent clinical presentation in 42 patients (91%), abdominal mass and other complaints in 4 patients (9%). Most of the patients live outside Surabaya in 34 patients (72%). Location of the tumor was more frequently in scrotum, which occured in 42 patients (91%). A total of 4 patients (9%) were found to have a history of UDT. Based on the TNM staging, patients with stage pT3 were as many as 20 patients (43%), pT4 11 patients (24%), pT2 7 patients (15%) and pT1 4 patients (9%). In regional lymph nodes staging (N) N3 were as many as 26 patients (57%), N0 9 patients (20%), N2 5 patients (11%) and N1 2 patients (4%). Metastase staging (M) M0 was found in 27 patients (58%) and M1 tumor was found 42%. The major pathological finding was seminoma in 37 patients (80%), Yolk sac tumor in 4 patients (9%), Embryonal Ca in 1 patient (2%), Teratoma in 1 patient (2%) and mixed germ cell tumor in 3 patients (7%). The most widely theraphy was underwent orchidectomy followed by PEB chemotheraphy in 29 patients (64%), 3 patients (6%) underwent EBRT and PEB chemotheraphy, 5 patients (11%) underwent PEB chemotheraphy, There were 9 patients (19%) underwent orchidectomy alone. Group of seminoma tumor show normal limit of tumor marker α-FP and β-HCG and increased in non seminoma. Conclusion: Testicular cancer mostly appears in younger males. Most of testicular cancer was seminoma, diagnosed in advanced stage with metastase 42% of the patient. Most of the patients received orchidectomy followed by PEB chemotheraphy.