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Climacteric Flushing in a Man
615
PEDIATRIC UROLOGY
Testosterone Concentrations in Human Seminal Plasma and Saliva and its Correlation With Non-ProteinBound and Total Testosterone Levels in Serum
E.
SANNIKKA, P. TERHO, J. SUOMINEN AND R. SANTTI, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Int. J. Androl., 6: 319-330 (Aug.) 1983 A sensitive, specific and precise nonchromatographic method for the radioimmunoassay of testosterone in human seminal plasma and saliva from adults and pubertal boys is described. The values are compared to total and nonprotein-bound testosterone levels in serum. The salivary and serum levels of free testosterone showed better correlation with the stage of puberty than did the serum levels of total testosterone. The relationship between salivary and free testosterone in serum was maintained after oral administration of testosterone undecanoate. Circadian rhythmicity and the rapid fluctuations in the concentration of salivary testosterone are decreased with aging and after estrogen treatment, and increased with human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation. These findings are more likely to be the consequence of the change in the levels of free testosterone in serum rather than altered efficiency of the filtration of testosterone from the blood stream. Determination of testosterone in saliva does provide a convenient and accurate index of the nonprotein-bound concentration of testosterone in serum, that is the availability of hormone to tissues. P. R. R. 5 figures, 3 tables, 30 references Development of the Oocyte-Penetrating Capacity of Spermatozoa in the Human Epididymis
H.
D. M. MOORE, T. D. HARTMAN AND J. P. PRYOR, Institute of Zoology, The Zoological Society of London, and The Institute of Urology, London, England
Int. J. Androl., 6: 310-318 (Aug.) 1983 The spermatozoa were recovered from epididymal tissue of men undergoing vasectomy or epididymal vasotomy. The development of the penetrating capacity of human epididymal spermatozoa was assessed in vitro using zona-free hamster oocytes. The results concur with the findings of Hinrichsen and Blaquier that human spermatozoa obtained from the caudal epididymis were capable of fusion with zona-free hamster oocytes, while those from the corpus or caput epididymis were not. A significantly higher proportion of spermatozoa showed sustained forward movement in samples recovered from tissue of the cauda or corpus epididymis compared to those from the proximal duct. However, a small percentage of spermatozoa in the caput epididymis (not the efferent ducts) were highly motile and retained this movement overnight. Such spermatozoa did collide with oocytes during incubation but were not observed to bind. Whether this is owing to the failure of caput spermatozoa to undergo the acrosome reaction, and subsequently to modify plasmalemma moieties over the important equatorial segment and post-acrosomal region, or to a true lack of receptors is not clear. P. R. R. 1 figure, 1 table, 23 references Climacteric Flushing in a Man
J. GINSBURG AND B. O'REILLY, Academic Department of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital Medical School, London, England Brit. Med. J., 287: 262 (July 23) 1983
Hot flashes in men after orchiectomy or the administration of gonadotropin-reducing hormone agonist have been described previously but, in this report, some documentation of the event is offered. A 60-year-old man began having hot flashes shortly after bilateral orchiectomy for cancer of the prostate. Circulatory studies during one such attack showed marked increase in blood flow to the hand coincident with the symptoms of flushing, which were strikingly similar to those seen in menopausal women. Treatment with clonidine and calcium supplements provided some relief. T. D. A. 1 figure, 5 references
PEDIATRIC UROLOGY Early Contact, Social Support, and Mother-Infant Bonding
E.
ANISFELD AND E. LIPPER, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
Pediatrics, 72: 79-83 (July) 1983 A study was designed to explore the hypothesis that an interval of close contact between mother and newborn immediately after birth facilitates the establishment of a close bond. Mothers were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 sets of procedures established for the immediate postpartum period. A total of 29 mothers experienced ·extra contact procedures in which the baby was placed on the mother's abdomen for 1 hour and 30 received routine care procedures in which the baby was shown to the mother and then taken to the nursery. Observations of maternal behavior during a feeding were made 2 days after birth by an observer blind to the randomization status of the mother. Results of the study indicate that mothers who were given their newborns to hold for an extended interval immediately after delivery exhibited more affectionate-contact behaviors to their babies at 2 days than did mothers who had not been given this opportunity. The most significant finding of the study is that the effectiveness of the extra contact treatment differed for women with different levels of social support. Women with a higher level of social support showed the same amount of affectionate behavior whether or not they received the extra contact treatment. By contrast, treatment had a substantial effect on the women with lower social support. Women with lower social support who did not have early extra contact interacted minimally with their newborns but women with lower social support who did have early contact with their babies exhibited markedly increased affectionate behavior. The study suggests that extra postpartum contact may be helpful for women who have difficulty becoming involved with their newborns owing to poor social support systems. For other women early contact may not be as necessary. P. M. H. 4 tables, 15 references Optimal Management of Cloaca} Exstrophy C. HOWELL, A. CALDAMONE, H. SNYDER, M. ZIEGLER AND J. DUCKETT, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
J. Ped. Surg., 18: 365-369 (Aug.) 1983 The authors reviewed their experience with 15 patients with cloaca! exstrophy. Patient age ranged from 2 days to 21 years,
PEDIATRIC UROLOGY
Testosterone Concentrations in Human Seminal Plasma and Saliva and its Correlation With Non-ProteinBound and Total Testosterone Levels in Serum
E.
SANNIKKA, P. TERHO, J. SUOMINEN AND R. SANTTI, Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Anatomy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
Int. J. Androl., 6: 319-330 (Aug.) 1983 A sensitive, specific and precise nonchromatographic method for the radioimmunoassay of testosterone in human seminal plasma and saliva from adults and pubertal boys is described. The values are compared to total and nonprotein-bound testosterone levels in serum. The salivary and serum levels of free testosterone showed better correlation with the stage of puberty than did the serum levels of total testosterone. The relationship between salivary and free testosterone in serum was maintained after oral administration of testosterone undecanoate. Circadian rhythmicity and the rapid fluctuations in the concentration of salivary testosterone are decreased with aging and after estrogen treatment, and increased with human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation. These findings are more likely to be the consequence of the change in the levels of free testosterone in serum rather than altered efficiency of the filtration of testosterone from the blood stream. Determination of testosterone in saliva does provide a convenient and accurate index of the nonprotein-bound concentration of testosterone in serum, that is the availability of hormone to tissues. P. R. R. 5 figures, 3 tables, 30 references Development of the Oocyte-Penetrating Capacity of Spermatozoa in the Human Epididymis
H.
D. M. MOORE, T. D. HARTMAN AND J. P. PRYOR, Institute of Zoology, The Zoological Society of London, and The Institute of Urology, London, England
Int. J. Androl., 6: 310-318 (Aug.) 1983 The spermatozoa were recovered from epididymal tissue of men undergoing vasectomy or epididymal vasotomy. The development of the penetrating capacity of human epididymal spermatozoa was assessed in vitro using zona-free hamster oocytes. The results concur with the findings of Hinrichsen and Blaquier that human spermatozoa obtained from the caudal epididymis were capable of fusion with zona-free hamster oocytes, while those from the corpus or caput epididymis were not. A significantly higher proportion of spermatozoa showed sustained forward movement in samples recovered from tissue of the cauda or corpus epididymis compared to those from the proximal duct. However, a small percentage of spermatozoa in the caput epididymis (not the efferent ducts) were highly motile and retained this movement overnight. Such spermatozoa did collide with oocytes during incubation but were not observed to bind. Whether this is owing to the failure of caput spermatozoa to undergo the acrosome reaction, and subsequently to modify plasmalemma moieties over the important equatorial segment and post-acrosomal region, or to a true lack of receptors is not clear. P. R. R. 1 figure, 1 table, 23 references Climacteric Flushing in a Man
J. GINSBURG AND B. O'REILLY, Academic Department of Medicine, Royal Free Hospital Medical School, London, England Brit. Med. J., 287: 262 (July 23) 1983
Hot flashes in men after orchiectomy or the administration of gonadotropin-reducing hormone agonist have been described previously but, in this report, some documentation of the event is offered. A 60-year-old man began having hot flashes shortly after bilateral orchiectomy for cancer of the prostate. Circulatory studies during one such attack showed marked increase in blood flow to the hand coincident with the symptoms of flushing, which were strikingly similar to those seen in menopausal women. Treatment with clonidine and calcium supplements provided some relief. T. D. A. 1 figure, 5 references
PEDIATRIC UROLOGY Early Contact, Social Support, and Mother-Infant Bonding
E.
ANISFELD AND E. LIPPER, Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Rose F. Kennedy Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
Pediatrics, 72: 79-83 (July) 1983 A study was designed to explore the hypothesis that an interval of close contact between mother and newborn immediately after birth facilitates the establishment of a close bond. Mothers were assigned randomly to 1 of 2 sets of procedures established for the immediate postpartum period. A total of 29 mothers experienced ·extra contact procedures in which the baby was placed on the mother's abdomen for 1 hour and 30 received routine care procedures in which the baby was shown to the mother and then taken to the nursery. Observations of maternal behavior during a feeding were made 2 days after birth by an observer blind to the randomization status of the mother. Results of the study indicate that mothers who were given their newborns to hold for an extended interval immediately after delivery exhibited more affectionate-contact behaviors to their babies at 2 days than did mothers who had not been given this opportunity. The most significant finding of the study is that the effectiveness of the extra contact treatment differed for women with different levels of social support. Women with a higher level of social support showed the same amount of affectionate behavior whether or not they received the extra contact treatment. By contrast, treatment had a substantial effect on the women with lower social support. Women with lower social support who did not have early extra contact interacted minimally with their newborns but women with lower social support who did have early contact with their babies exhibited markedly increased affectionate behavior. The study suggests that extra postpartum contact may be helpful for women who have difficulty becoming involved with their newborns owing to poor social support systems. For other women early contact may not be as necessary. P. M. H. 4 tables, 15 references Optimal Management of Cloaca} Exstrophy C. HOWELL, A. CALDAMONE, H. SNYDER, M. ZIEGLER AND J. DUCKETT, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Uni-
versity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
J. Ped. Surg., 18: 365-369 (Aug.) 1983 The authors reviewed their experience with 15 patients with cloaca! exstrophy. Patient age ranged from 2 days to 21 years,