Anejaculation: Relevance to Sexual Enjoyment in Men and Women

IntroductionEjaculation and orgasm are important components of sexual response in men. Our understanding of both phenomena is limited. Anejaculation can be a source of substantial distress, even when procreation (ostensibly the only purpose of ejaculation itself) is not a priority.AimTo present an opinion on male perceptions of ejaculation disorders (specifically anejaculation) based on a variety of data sources, including peer-reviewed literature.MethodsA non-systematic review of literature on anejaculation and other impairments of ejaculatory and orgasmic response was conducted. Relevant articles were critically analyzed and reportedMain Outcome MeasureAn opinion is presented, based on existing data sources, on how and why ejaculation is deemed important to men and their sexual partners.ResultsThe peer-reviewed literature on disorders of ejaculation is scant; existing reports oftentimes do not adequately distinguish between orgasm and ejaculation in assessment. Men’s perceptions of ejaculation quality appear to be positively associated with satisfaction with sexual response, particularly regarding orgasm. Based on very limited data, female sexual partners of men appear to often (but not always) value the orgasmic experience of their partner; only a minority prioritize actual ejaculation. There is evidence that disorders of ejaculation may be particularly troublesome for men who have sex with men.Clinical ImplicationsThe influence of medical conditions and treatments on ejaculation should be considered in the clinical context. Psychological adaptations and interventions may be of value in some cases.Strengths & LimitationsData on the clinical relevance of anejaculation outside the context of concomitant orgasmic dysfunction are sparse. Men’s experience of orgasm is at least partially associated with ejaculation-specific variables; whether this association is mediated by psychological, physical, or a combination of factors remains unclear.ConclusionsEjaculation, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction are closely intertwined but distinct phenomena.Shindel AW. Anejaculation: Relevance to Sexual Enjoyment in Men and Women. J Sex Med 2019;16:1324–1327.     

Correction to: Association of rheumatoid arthritis-related autoantibodies with pulmonary function test abnormalities in a rheumatoid arthritis registry

Clinical Rheumatology - The publisher regrets that the two sections under the Results omitted inadvertently on the original published version of the above article.     

Innate Immunity and Immune Evasion by Enterovirus 71

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is a major infectious disease affecting millions of people worldwide and it is the main etiological agent for outbreaks of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Infection is often associated with severe gastroenterological, pulmonary, and neurological diseases that are most prevalent in children. Currently, no effective vaccine or antiviral drugs exist against EV71 infection. A lack of knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of EV71 infection in the host and the virus-host interactions is a major constraint to developing specific antiviral strategies against this infection. Previous studies have identified and characterized the function of several viral proteins produced by EV71 that interact with the host innate immune proteins, including type I interferon signaling and microRNAs. These interactions eventually promote efficient viral replication and increased susceptibility to the disease. In this review we discuss the functions of EV71 viral proteins in the modulation of host innate immune responses to facilitate viral replication.