These results demonstrate that the protective effect of CO against renal cold I/R injury may involve VEGF upregulation through its upstream signal, HIF-1 activation.

No abstract

Rapamycin, a potent immunosuppressive drug that disrupts normal signal-transduction processes, inhibited hepatocyte proliferation without evidence of inherent cytotoxicity in rat hepatocytes cultured in conventional medium or in a medium enriched with epidermal growth factor. The antiproliferative effect was dose dependent, uninfluenced by the concentration of epidermal growth factor in the medium and long lasting after a brief exposure. The effect of rapamycin was unaltered by the concomitant presence of FK 506 in the medium, suggesting that different binding affinities of these two drugs or even a separate rapamycin binding site may exist. Hepatocytes harvested 12 and 24 hr after partial hepatectomy were progressively less responsive to the antiproliferative effect of rapamycin. The gene expression of transforming growth factor-~ was reduced under in vivo rapamycin treatment, but at the same time the gene expression of albumin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was unchanged or increased. The experiments confirm that rapamycin has inherent growth-control qualities, and they strengthen the hypothesis that the recently defined immunophilin network is central to many aspects of cellular growth control. (HEPATOLOGY 1992;15:871-877.) In both rats and dogs, the immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporine (CYA) and FK506 augment liver regeneration (1-4) and possess other hepatotrophic qualities (5, 6). In contrast, rapamycin (RPM), a powerful immunosuppressant that is chemically related to FK 506 but targeted to a different stage of T-cell activation (7,8), was recently shown to have antiproliferative properties, including inhibition of regeneration of the liver and of the intestine and kidney (9). We report here studies on the antiproliferative action of RPM on cultured rat hepatocytes in conventional medium, on hepatocytes in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-enriched medium and on hepatocytes harvested at different phases of the regeneration response. We also describe a selective reduction by RPM on the gene expression of transforming growth factor-~ (TGF-~). The expression of albumin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP) genes was unaltered or increased. MATERIALS AND METHODSAnimals. Hepatocytes for culture were harvested from regenerating or nonregenerating livers of male Fischer F344 rats weighing between 180 and 200 gm (Hilltop Lab Animals, Inc., Scottdale, PA). Seventy-percent hepatectomy was performed as described by Higgins and Anderson (10). The animals were housed in a temperature-and light (6 AM to 6 pM)-controlled room and received food and water ad libitum. All surgical procedures were performed between 8 and 10 AM. Injections were made intraperitoneally. Hepatocytes in Primary CultureLivers were removed from previously unaltered 7 -wk-old male rats weighing between 180 and 200 gm or 12 to 24 hr after 70% hepatectomy in some of these animals. Hepatocytes were isolated by a modification (11) of the in situ two-step collagenase perfusion technique of Seglen (12) modified by Jirtle et al. ...

The reason behind the spread of penis enlargement practices over time is rooted in the virility that the appearance of the genitals can give a man, as well as an altered perception of his own body. The approach should be to modulate the interventions on the real needs of patients, carefully evaluating the history, the psychological picture, and possible surgical advantages. The aim of this study was to shed light on cosmetic surgery of male genitalia through minimally invasive and more radical techniques, with the purpose of laying the foundation for possible indications and recommendations for the future. A non-systematic literature review using the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted to retrieve papers written in English on cosmetic surgery of the penis published over the past 15 years. Papers discussing cosmetic surgery in patients with concomitant pathologies associated with sexual dysfunction were excluded. The main outcomes recorded were change in penile dimensions in term of length and girth and surgical complications.

Transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) of the prostate is a new minimally invasive treatment option in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE). The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of TPLA in the management of BPE. The primary outcomes were the improvement in urodynamic parameters (maximum urinary flow (Qmax) and postvoiding residue (PVR)) and LUTS relief, assessed using the IPSS questionnaire. The secondary outcomes were the preservation of sexual and ejaculatory functions, assessed with the IEEF-5 and MSHQ-EjD questionnaires, respectively, and rates of postoperative complications. We reviewed the literature for prospective or retrospective studies evaluating the use of TPLA in the treatment of BPE. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed for English language articles published between January 2000 and June 2022. Pooled analysis of the included studies with available follow-up data for the outcomes of interest was additionally performed. After screening 49 records, six full-text manuscripts were identified, including two retrospective and four prospective non-comparative studies. Overall, 297 patients were included. All the studies independently reported a statistically significant improvement, from baseline, in Qmax, PVR, and IPSS score at each timepoint. Three studies additionally demonstrated that TPLA did not affect sexual function, reporting no change in the IEEF-5 score, and a statistically significant improvement in MSHQ-EjD score at each timepoint. Low rates of complications were recorded in all the included studies. Pooled analysis showed a clinically meaningful improvement in both micturition and sexual outcomes mean values at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up, compared with baseline. Transperineal laser ablation of the prostate for the treatment of BPE showed interesting results in pilot studies. However, higher level and comparative studies are needed to confirm its efficacy in relieving obstructive symptoms and preserving sexual function.