We evaluated vaso-epididymal anastomosis outcomes using a 2-suture microsurgical intussusception technique with longitudinal suture placement in men with idiopathic obstructive azoospermia.

Materials and Methods: Between April 2007 and May 2009, 24 BMS-777607 men with idiopathic obstructive azoospermia underwent 2-layer vaso-epididymal anastomosis using a 2-suture intussusception technique. Two double armed 10-zero polyamide sutures were placed parallel to each other longitudinally along the

epididymal tubule to intussuscept the tubule into the lumen of the vas deferens for the inner layer of the anastomosis. Patency was assessed by return of sperm in the semen.

Results: A total of 23 men with a mean age GSK461364 order of 31 years provided at least 1 postoperative semen sample. All had a mean 67-month history of primary infertility. In 11 men (48%) patency was noted a mean of 6.6 months (range 3 to 15) after surgery. One patient reported pregnancy by natural conception. Men with motile sperm in the epididymal fluid and those with bilateral surgery were more likely to have a patent anastomosis. Conclusions: Within 1 year after surgery approximately half of the men who underwent

longitudinal vaso-epididymal anastomosis for idiopathic azoospermia had return of sperm in the ejaculate.”
“Aripiprazole, a dopamine D(2) receptor partial agonist, is used to treat schizophrenia. Although aripiprazole has been reported to protect non-dopaminergic neurons, its effect on dopaminergic neurons has yet to be investigated. In the present study, we examined whether aripiprazole protected dopaminergic neurons against glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in rat mesencephalic cultures. Pretreatment with aripiprazole protected dopaminergic neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. The neuroprotective effect was not attenuated by sulpiride, a dopamine D(2) receptor antagonist, suggesting MEK162 that the effect

is independent of dopamine D(2) receptors. Aripiprazole reduced intracellular dopamine content in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, its neuroprotective effect was partially inhibited when dopamine was added. These results suggest that aripiprazole protects dopaminergic neurons against glutamate cytotoxicity partly by reducing intracellular dopamine content. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: Surgical treatment for prostate cancer represents a large national health care expenditure. We determined whether state level variation in the cost of radical prostatectomy exists and whether we could explain this variation by adjusting for covariates associated with cost.

Materials and Methods: Using the 2004 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample of 7,978,041 patients we identified 9,917 who were 40 years old or older with a diagnosis of prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy without cystectomy.