Introduction Many studies of the prevalence of erectile dysfunction have been conducted in several countries. This is the first Portuguese study that provides current and comparative data on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction. Aim The main objective was to estimate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men aged 40 to 69 years and correlate erectile dysfunction to certain risk factors. Main Outcome Measures Evaluation of erectile dysfunction was achieved using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), a 15-item questionnaire that has been developed and validated as a brief and reliable self-administered scale for accessing erectile function. Methods The Portuguese Erectile Dysfunction Study was based on a questionnaire that included socio-demographic variables, information on lifestyle and risk factors, and the IIEF. In total, 3,548 questionnaires were administered to men aged 40 to 69 years in 50 primary healthcare centers between July 2004 and January 2005 in a combination of both self-administration and interviews. Erectile dysfunction was defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse. Results The response rate was 81.3%. The total prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 48.1% (age-adjusted). Prevalence increases with age: 29%, 50%, and 74% in men aged 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, and 60 to 69 years, respectively. Severity of erectile dysfunction also increases with age: 1%, 2%, and 10% of complete erectile dysfunction in men aged 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, and 60 to 69 years, respectively. Conclusions The prevalence of erectile dysfunction is strongly related to age. There is also a correlation with the health status of participants.

The results confirm the popular use of Zanthoxylum rhoifolium as an analgesic, and contribute to the pharmacological knowledge of this species because it was shown that EtOH and its less polar partition fractions (HEX, AcOEt) have an antinociceptive effect in models of chemical nociception, and that lupeol appears to be one of the constituents responsible for this effect.

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The checklist can be used by prospective organizers of conferences to plan an event and to ensure inclusion and participation of people with disabilities.

Introduction: Endothelial dysfunction characterized by endogenous nitric oxide (NO) deficiency made 56% of patients affected with erectile dysfunction decline treatment with PDE-5 inhibitors. New forms of treatment are currently being developed for this group of patients. Materials and Methods:The study compared the effect of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and two substances of the nitrosylruthenium complex, cis-[Ru(bpy)2(SO 3 )(NO)]PF-6-9 ("FONO1") and trans-[Ru(NH 3 )4(caffeine)(NO)]C13 ("LLNO1") on relaxation of rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and aortic vascular endothelium. The samples were immersed in isolated baths and precontracted with 0.1 µM phenylephrine (PE) and the corresponding relaxation concentration/response curves were plotted. In order to investigate the relaxation mechanisms involved, 100 µM ODQ (a soluble guanylate cyclase-specific inhibitor), 3 µM or 10 µM oxyhemoglobin (an extracellular NO scavenger) or 1 mM L-cysteine (a nitrosyl anion-specific scavenger) was added to the samples. Results: All the NO donors tested produced a significant level of relaxation in the vascular endothelium. In corpus cavernosum samples, FONO1 produced no significant effect, but LLNO1 and SNP induced dose-dependent relaxation with comparable potency (pEC 50 = 6.14 ± 0.08 and 6.4 ± 0.14, respectively) and maximum effect (Emax = 82% vs. 100%, respectively). All NO donors were found to activate soluble guanylate cyclase, since the addition of the corresponding inhibitor (100 µM ODQ) completely neutralized the relaxation effect observed. The addition of oxyhemoglobin reduced the relaxation effect, but did not inhibit it completely. In aortic vascular endothelium 3 µM oxyhemoglobin decreased the relaxation effect by 26% on the average, while 10 µM oxyhemoglobin reduced it by over 52%. The addition of 100 µM L-cysteine produced no significant inhibiting effect. Conclusions: These results suggest that LLNO1 and FONO1 are potent vasodilators. LLNO1 was shown to induce a significant level of relaxation in rabbit corpus cavernosum. The substances tested were shown to activate soluble guanylate cyclase and release intracellular NO.