So I read this story about the U.N. health agencies recommended Wednesday that heterosexual men undergo circumcision because of "compelling"... click here for this story on Planet Out.

At first I was like how could that be?   You can read the reason below.  I often times wish I was not circumcised.  I wonder what it's like and how different does it make sex feel?  Is there any difference if you're smart and practicing safe sex with condoms anyway?  All questions I'll never be able to answer but I found this whole thing interesting.

Previous research has shown that circumcised men are considerably less likely to be infected with HIV — at least, that is, heterosexual men and "tops."

Now British researchers have found exactly why uncircumcised men seem to be more vulnerable to infection.

The researchers examined tissue samples taken from nine specimens of foreskin volunteered by courageous live donors.

They found that each sample contained cells that secreted a protein called DC-SIGN. The secretion of this protein indicates that the cells had high levels of "receptor" molecules on their surface that lock onto HIV and facilitate it infecting the cell.

There have been very few previous studies of foreskin cells, and those that have been done have only studied cells taken from discarded tissue harvested from circumcision operations. DC-SIGN only appears to be secreted by live donors.

"Biopsies of the penis are rarely taken," say the researchers. "If human tissue were [more widely] available, population studies correlating levels of DC-SIGN expression in the penis, in both circumcised and uncircumcised men, could be correlated with HIV transmission rates."

Reported in Positive Nation, January 2004