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Background: Music therapy has been applied in hemodialysis (HD) patients for relieving mental stress. Whether the stress-relieving effect by music therapy is predictive of clinical outcome in HD patients is still unclear.Methods: We recruited a convenience sample of 99 patients on maintenance HD and randomly assigned them to the experimental (n=49) or control (n=50) group. The experimental group received relaxing music therapy for 1 week, whereas the control group received no music therapy. In the experimental group, we compared cardiovascular mortality in the patients with and without cortisol changes.Results: The salivary cortisol level was lowered after 1 week of music therapy in the experimental group (-2.41±3.08 vs 1.66±2.11 pg/mL, P<0.05), as well as the frequency of the adverse reaction score (-3.35±5.76 vs -0.81±4.59, P<0.05), the severity of adverse reactions score (-1.93±2.73 vs 0.33±2.71, P<0.05), and hemodialysis stressor scale (HSS) score (-6.00±4.68 vs -0.877±7.08, P<0.05). The difference in salivary cortisol correlated positively with HD stress score scales (r=0.231, P<0.05), systolic blood pressure (r=0.264, P<0.05), and respiratory rates (r=0.369, P<0.05) and negatively with finger temperature (r=-0.235, P<0.05) in the total study population. The 5-year cardiovascular survival in the experimental group was higher in patients whose salivary cortisol lowered by <0.6 pg/mL than that in patients whose salivary cortisol lowered by >0.6 pg/mL (83.8% vs 63.6%, P<0.05).Conclusion: Providing music during HD is an effective complementary therapy to relieve the frequency and severity of adverse reactions, as well as to lower salivary cortisol levels. Differences in salivary cortisol after music therapy may predict cardiovascular mortality in patients under maintenance HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to recent estimates, 2%-15% of couples are sterile, and approximately half of the infertility cases are attributed to male reproductive factors. However, the reasons remain undefined in approximately 25% of male infertility cases, and most infertility cases exhibit spermatogenic defects. Numerous genes involved in spermatogenesis still remain unknown. We previously identified Male Germ Cells Rab GTPase-Activating Proteins (MGCRABGAPs) through cDNA microarray analysis of human testicular tissues with spermatogenic defects. MGCRABGAP contains a conserved RABGAP catalytic domain, TBC (Tre2/Bub2/Cdc16). RABGAP family proteins regulate cellular function (e.g., cytoskeletal remodeling, vesicular trafficking, and cell migration) by inactivating RAB proteins. MGCRABGAP is a male germ cell-specific protein expressed in elongating and elongated spermatids during mammalian spermiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to identify proteins that interact with MGCRABGAP during mammalian spermiogenesis using a proteomic approach. We found that MGCRABGAP exhibited GTPase-activating bioability, and several MGCRABGAP interactors, possible substrates (e.g., RAB10, RAB5C, and RAP1), were identified using co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) and nano liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (nano LC-MS/MS). We confirmed the binding ability between RAB10 and MGCRABGAP via co-IP. Additionally, MGCRABGAP-RAB10 complexes were specifically colocalized in the manchette structure, a critical structure for the formation of spermatid heads, and were slightly expressed at the midpiece of mature spermatozoa. Based on these results, we propose that MGCRABGAP is involved in mammalian spermiogenesis by modulating RAB10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male factor infertility accounts for approximately 50 percent of infertile couples. The male factor-related causes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection failure include the absence of sperm, immotile sperm, immature sperm, abnormally structured sperm, and sperm with nuclear damage. Our knockout and knock-in mice models demonstrated that SEPTIN12 (SEPT12) is vital for the formation of sperm morphological characteristics during spermiogenesis. In the clinical aspect, mutated SEPT12 in men results in oligozoospermia or teratozoospermia or both. Sperm with mutated SEPT12 revealed abnormal head and tail structures, decreased chromosomal condensation, and nuclear damage. Furthermore, several nuclear or nuclear membrane-related proteins have been identified as SEPT12 interactors through the yeast 2-hybrid system, including NDC1 transmembrane nucleoporin (NDC1). NDC1 is a major nuclear pore protein, and is critical for nuclear pore complex assembly and nuclear morphology maintenance in mammalian cells. Mutated NDC1 cause gametogenesis defects and skeletal malformations in mice, which were detected spontaneously in the A/J strain. In this study, we characterized the functional effects of SEPT12-NDC1 complexes during mammalian spermiogenesis. In mature human spermatozoa, SEPT12 and NDC1 are majorly colocalized in the centrosome regions; however, NDC1 is only slightly co-expressed with SEPT12 at the annulus of the sperm tail. In addition, SEPT12 interacts with NDC1 in the male germ cell line through coimmunoprecipitation. During murine spermiogenesis, we observed that NDC1 was located at the nuclear membrane of spermatids and at the necks of mature spermatozoa. In male germ cell lines, NDC1 overexpression restricted the localization of SEPT12 to the nucleus and repressed the filament formation of SEPT12. In mice sperm with mutated SEPT12, NDC1 dispersed around the manchette region of the sperm head and annulus, compared with concentrating at the sperm neck of wild-type sperm. These results indicate that SEPT12-NDC1 complexes are involved in mammalian spermiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The D-galactose (D-gal)-injected animal model, which is typically established by administering consecutive subcutaneous D-gal injections to animals for approximately six or eight weeks, has been frequently used for aging research. In addition, this animal model has been demonstrated to accelerate aging in the brain, kidneys, liver and blood cells. However, studies on aging in male reproductive organs that have used this animal model remain few. Therefore, the current study aimed to optimize a model of male reproductive aging by administering D-gal injections to male mice and to determine the possible mechanism expediting senescence processes during spermatogenesis. In this study, C57Bl/6 mice were randomized into five groups (each containing 8-10 mice according to the daily intraperitoneal injection of vehicle control or 100 or 200 mg/kg dosages of D-gal for a period of six or eight weeks). First, mice subjected to D-gal injections for six or eight weeks demonstrated considerably decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the serum and testis lysates compared to those in the control group. The lipid peroxidation in testis also increased in the D-gal-injected groups. Furthermore, the D-gal-injected groups exhibited a decreased ratio of testis weight/body weight and sperm count compared to the control group. The percentages of both immotile sperm and abnormal sperm increased considerably in the D-gal-injected groups compared to those of the control group. To determine the genes influenced by the D-gal injection during murine spermatogenesis, a c-DNA microarray was conducted to compare testicular RNA samples between the treated groups and the control group. The D-gal-injected groups exhibited RNA transcripts of nine spermatogenesis-related genes (Cycl2, Hk1, Pltp, Utp3, Cabyr, Zpbp2, Speer2, Csnka2ip and Katnb1) that were up- or down-regulated by at least two-fold compared to the control group. Several of these genes are critical for forming sperm-head morphologies or maintaining nuclear integration (e.g., cylicin, basic protein of sperm head cytoskeleton 2 (Cylc2), casein kinase 2, alpha prime interacting protein (Csnka2ip) and katanin p80 (WD40-containing) subunit B1 (Katnb1)). These results indicate that D-gal-injected mice are suitable for investigating male reproductive aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The septin gene belongs to a highly conserved family of polymerizing GTP-binding cytoskeletal proteins. SEPTs perform cytoskeletal remodeling, cell polarity, mitosis, and vesicle trafficking by interacting with various cytoskeletons. Our previous studies have indicated that SEPTIN12+/+/+/- chimeras with a SEPTIN12 mutant allele were infertile. Spermatozoa from the vas deferens of chimeric mice indicated an abnormal sperm morphology, decreased sperm count, and immotile sperm. Mutations and genetic variants of SEPTIN12 in infertility cases also caused oligozoospermia and teratozoospermia. We suggest that a loss of SEPT12 affects the biological function of microtublin functions and causes spermiogenesis defects. In the cell model, SEPT12 interacts with α- and β-tubulins by co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP). To determine the precise localization and interactions between SEPT12 and α- and β-tubulins in vivo, we created SEPTIN12-transgene mice. We demonstrate how SEPT12 interacts and co-localizes with α- and β-tubulins during spermiogenesis in these mice. By using shRNA, the loss of SEPT12 transcripts disrupts α- and β-tubulin organization. In addition, losing or decreasing SEPT12 disturbs the morphogenesis of sperm heads and the elongation of sperm tails, the steps of which are coordinated and constructed by α- and β-tubulins, in SEPTIN12+/+/+/- chimeras. In this study, we discovered that the SEPTIN12-microtubule complexes are critical for sperm formation during spermiogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Septins (full name: Septin; symbol name: SEPT) belong to a family of polymerizing GTP-binding proteins that are required for many cellular functions, including membrane compartmentalization, vesicle trafficking, mitosis and cytoskeletal remodeling. Two of the 14 family members in the mammalian species, Septin12 and 14 are expressed specifically in the testis. In the mouse, knockout of Septin4 and Septin12 leads to male sterility with distinctive sperm pathology (defective annulus or bent neck). In humans, sperm with abnormal expression patterns of SEPT4, 7 and 12 are more prevalent in infertile men. How septin filament is assembled/dissembled and how the SEPT-related complex regulates spermatogenesis still await further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To purify human muscle-derived cells (hMDCs) that could be used for managing urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and for bladder reconstitution. MATERIALS AND METHODS hMDCs isolated by a modified preplate technique (MPT) from skeletal muscles of limbs were purified by CD34 antibody and magnetic Dynabeads cell selection system (MDCSS). The growth-doubling time of the hMDCs and purified hMDCs was measured. The purified hMDCs were characterized by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS The growth-doubling time of hMDCs was ≈24 h, which increased to 35 h after purifying using the MDCSS. There were scanty fibroblasts after purification and the MDCSS-purified hMDCs were identified by high expression of stem cell markers and myoblast markers. The expression proportion of the stem cell marker CD34 and myoblast marker CD56 in the hMDCs was higher after purification (MDCSS) than before (MPT), at 32.13% vs 4.12% and 21.56% vs 8.60%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The purification of hMDCs showing high expression of stem cell and myoblast markers is feasible. These purified hMDCs could potentially be used for urological regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a common phenomenon for office workers {to listen to music} while executing daily routines at their desks. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between work concentration level and background music. This research would first follow examples in previous researches, and then explore the influence of background music on participants' scores on attention tests. We hope to gain a preliminary understanding of the possible influence of background music on people's focus and concentration when doing work. Thirty-two college students were separated into three controlled groups; all were given the attention test. Group [a] listened to background music while being tested for 10 minutes; group [b] had no background music at all; and group [c] listened to the music for 10 minutes prior to the attention test. The test was conducted in a "noise free" environment. The means and error rates for each group were then calculated. The findings showed that, in comparison with "no music at all", those who listened to music prior to testing obtained higher scores in attentiveness (most probably a supplemental effect of the music), whereas those who listened to music during attention test showed extremely high level of variation in attention test scoring. Background music does affect people's job-site behavior. In fact, all three test conditions – no background music at all, background music before the work shift, and background music during work – have affected worker performance on different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of hospitalized patients have an indwelling urinary tract catheter (IUC) placed at some time during their hospital stay and may suffer from catheter-associated urinary tract infections, the leading cause of nosocomial infections. Here we investigated the prevalence of uropathogens associated with catheter-associated urinary tract infections and assessed the resistances of these pathogens to commonly prescribed antibiotics. In total, 2,997 urine samples were examined at a regional hospital in Taipei, Taiwan in 2004: 1,948 (65%) samples from hospitalized patients and 1,049 (35%) samples from outpatients. Patients with IUCs accounted for 1,381 samples (46%). Stratified analyses were used to calculate the age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of antimicrobial resistance associated with the use of IUCs. Compared to the urine specimens of the patients without IUCs, those isolated from catheterized patients had a lower prevalence rate of Escherichia (E.) coli (23.4% vs 36.8%) and higher rates of resistant strains including Pseudomonas species (16.4% vs 8.6%) and rare gram-negative bacilli (5.8% vs 4.5%). Additionally, IUCs significantly increased the antimicrobial resistance of E. coli (OR 2.41-3.07), other species of Enterobacteriaceae (OR 1.57-2.38), and rare gram-negative bacilli (OR 2.41-5.21) to nearly all antibiotics tested, such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Thus, IUCs increased the prevalence of urinary tract infections caused by some highly resistant pathogens. Moreover, IUCs were associated with the increased risk of concurrent resistance of Enterobacteriaceae. Clinicians are advised to exercise better management of urinary catheter in order to further reduce and control catheter-associated urinary tract infections in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation causes the loss of E-cadherin of melanocytes, leading them to escape from neighboring keratinocytes during melanoma development. However, little has been paid on its effect on E-cadherin of keratinocytes. In the present study we therefore focus on whether UVB affects expression of E-cadherin-catenin complex in human HaCaT keratinocytes. We found that E-cadherin, β-, and γ-catenin but not α-catenin were proteolytically cleaved in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. The effect was only observed in keratinocyte undergoing apoptosis. Cleavage of β- and γ-catenin was fully abolished by caspase-3 and caspase-8 inhibitors, whereas cleavage of E-cadherin was inhibited by neither caspase nor metalloproteinase inhibitors. Functional analysis showed that the cleavage resulted in the disruption of the physical association between E-cadherin and catenins, indicating that E-cadherin signaling was compromised in UVB-irradiated HaCaT keratinocytes. Because E-cadherin in keratinocytes plays important roles in mediating cell–cell adhesion in epidermis of skin, the loss of E-cadherin and signaling components in keratinocytes may lead to the disruption of skin integrity after UVB exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Those patients featuring a large prostate and undergoing transurethral resection typically face a longer duration of surgery, they have a higher degree of hemorrhage and a higher irrigant volume required for the procedure, and they tend to reflect a higher incidence of morbidity than is the case for a small prostate. We report on the relative safety and efficacy of transurethral electrovapor resection of the prostate (TUVRP) as compared with standard transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for Taiwanese patients having a prostate size >50 ml. Patients and Methods: Seventy-six symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia patients featuring a prostate size >50 ml were randomized and underwent either TUVRP using wedge loop or standard TURP. Perioperative parameters, treatment outcome, and adverse events associated with the surgical procedure are assessed herein. Results: Mean operation time, changes in hemoglobin levels, resected prostate weight, perioperative irrigant volume needed, and incidences of recatheterizations and readmissions, all differed significantly when the two surgical procedures were compared. The average expense differences for the two procedures were impressive (p < 0.0001). No postoperative intergroup sexual dysfunction differences were noted. Clinical improvements following either TUVRP or TURP were significant and sustained for at least a period of 2 years. Intergroup comparison of International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life, peak flow rate, and postvoid residual volume revealed no significant differences at 2 years (p = 0.45, 0.48, 0.12, and 0.29, respectively). The need for postoperative medical retreatment and/or reoperation did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.62 and p = 0.56, respectively, at 6 months and p = 0.47 and p = 0.48, respectively, at 2 years). Conclusions: The TUVRP procedure offers advantages as regards a number of perioperative parameters when compared with the TURP procedure, and it seems that TUVRP might provide at least an equivalent treatment outcome as is the case for TURP. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Clinically affected cystic fibrosis (CF) patients present a spectrum of genital phenotypes ranging from normal fertility to moderately impaired spermatogenesis and congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens (CBAVD). Little is known about the CF incidence in the Taiwanese population. It has been shown that the CBAVD in men without clinical evidence of CF is associated with a high incidence of mutated CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) alleles. In order to understand the involvement of the CFTR gene in the aetiology of Asian/Taiwanese male infertility, we screened the entirety of the CFTR gene in 36 infertile males with CBAVD. METHODS: Temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) followed by direct DNA sequencing was used. RESULTS: Five mutations, p.V201M, p.N287K, c.-8G>C (125G>C), p.M469I and p.S895N, were found in five of the patients. p.N287K occurred in the first transmembrane-spanning domain, p.M469I in the first ATP-binding domain and p.S895N in the second transmembrane-spanning domain, were novel. In addition, seven homozygous and seven heterozygous 5T alleles in the intron 8 poly(T) tract were found. The overall frequency of CFTR mutant alleles in Taiwanese CBAVD males was 26 out of 72=36%. This finding was lower than the published frequency of CFTR mutations in other ethnic CBAVD patients (ranging from 50 to 74%). The frequency of p.M470V in Taiwanese CBAVD patients is not significantly different from that in the general population (P=0.12). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study add to the short list of Taiwanese/Asian CFTR mutations. Unlike Caucasian patients, the CFTR mutations cannot account for the majority of Taiwanese CBAVD. This is consistent with the low incidence of CF in the Asian/Taiwanese population. Furthermore, the mutation spectrum of CFTR in CBAVD patients does not overlap with the Caucasian CFTR mutation spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the genetic screening for patients with azoospermia and severe oligo-asthenospermia. Prevalence of genetic defects in patients with chromosome disorder; Correlation of severity of gene deletion with clinical testicular functions of patients; Benefits of genetic screening.

We describe the 2 unique Asian cases of pure urinary bladder lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELCA). One patient had metastatic pelvic lymphoadenopathy and the other with superficial tumor. The EBER in situ hybridization both showed negative results despite racial or geographical factors might influence the peculiar susceptibility of individuals of Asian ancestry to Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma. The 2 patients were treated pertinently with satisfactory outcomes and intravesical BCG instillation is performed to prevent superficial LELCA recurrence rationally. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case report on the occurrence of pregnancy after preimplantation genetic diagnosis by fluorescence in situ hybridization in an infertile male with mosaic trisomy 18 Taipei, Taiwan. Use of 18-, X- and Y- chromosome probes; List of several chromosomal aberrations; Importance of blood chromosome study for patients scheduled for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

: BACKGROUND Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a distinct clinical entity accounting for ∼25% of obstructive azoospermia in infertile men. The association between CBAVD and mutated CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) alleles is well demonstrated in Caucasians, but the identity of CBAVD-susceptibility genes remains elusive in Asians. We investigate genomic copy number variations (CNVs) in a patient cohort of Taiwan. : METHODS AND RESULTS Genome-wide screening for genetic CNVs was conducted on eight individuals with CBAVD using array-based comparative genomic hybridization. One recurrent CNV was detected on 3q26.1 in five patients, and another was detected on a reproduction-related gene PANK2 in two patients. For the former, we further characterized the breakpoints in CBAVD and assessed the incidence in healthy individuals by tiling path arrays. The deletion in each patient was confirmed, and seven out of the eight controls were also affected. Examination of the homozygous loss of PANK2 by PCR in a larger cohort showed a homozygous deletion in only one of the 26 CBAVD males, and not in any of the 20 azoospermic patients without CBAVD, nor in any of the 16 control subjects. : CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that 3q26.1 may not be a critical region for CBAVD. Additionally no strong association was found for PANK2 in this reproduction disorder. Other reproduction-related genes, such as PBX1, BRD3, COL18A1 and HMOX1, identified by this initial study may inspire further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. There are currently no studies in the Asia-Pacific region using the erection hardness score (EHS) and Quality of Erection Questionnaire (QEQ) to assess erectile dysfunction (ED). Aims. To provide up-to-date data on the prevalence of ED in Taiwanese men and to validate the EHS and QEQ in this population. Methods. A representative sample of 1,060 men aged ≥30 years completed a telephone interview. ED status was confirmed via direct questioning and using the abridged five-item version of the 15-item International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). Responses regarding EHS, QEQ, marital and sexual satisfaction, and attitude to treatment were also recorded. Main Outcome Measures. IIEF, EHS, and QEQ. Results. The prevalence of ED, as defined by IIEF-5, was 27% among all respondents and 29% among those aged ≥40 years. Although, the prevalence of ED increased with age, men of all ages tended to underestimate their erectile problems. Among men who indicated that they did not have ED, 25% were found to have mild to moderate ED according to the IIEF-5 assessment. An EHS ≤3, indicating the presence of ED, was reported in 26% of men. The EHS was consistent with the QEQ: When the EHS was 4, the satisfaction of each domain of QEQ ranged from 85% to 90%. The QEQ score correlated well with the IIEF-5 score and significantly affected both sexual and marital satisfaction ( P < 0.005). Conclusions. These data indicate that EHS is a simple, practical tool for clinical use. QEQ scores appear to be independently associated with sexual and marital satisfaction, and may be of value in the assessment and monitoring of ED patients. While ED is a common health problem in Taiwan and the prevalence of ED increases with age, affected men lack awareness regarding the presence of erectile problems and the importance of initiating timely and effective treatment. Hwang TIS, Tsai T-F, Lin Y-C, Chiang H-S, and Chang LS. A survey of erectile dysfunction in Taiwan: Use of the erection hardness score and quality of erection questionnaire. J Sex Med 2010;7:2817–2824. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]