Objective To evaluate the efficacy of visual analog scale international prostate symptom score (VAS-IPSS) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH).Methods Three hundred and ninety patients with BPH were recruited to participate in this study and were randomly assigned to one of two groups:the standard IPSS group and the VAS-IPSS group.In each group,sub-groups were further divided to non-interpretation arm (A) and interpretation arm ( B),based on the availability of medical professionals to interpret patientsˊ VAS-IPSS score.In the same way,the similar sub-groups were established in VAS-IPSS group with non-interpretation arm (C) and interpretation arm (D).All the patients were required to fill out the same questionnaires at first consultation and second consultation with an interval of two weeks.Eventually,all the data were collected and analyzed.Results The ICC index was as follows for arms A through D:0.87 (95％CI0.72-0.94); 0.88 (95％CI0.74-0.95); 0.82 (95％CI0.59-0.92); 0.97(95％ CI 0.93-0.99).The optimal prediction factor for arm A was frequency (F =14.70,P =0.010)and the sub-optimal was nocturia ( F =12.10,P =0.000) and urgency ( F =11.80,P =0.000).The optimal prediction factor for arm B was nocturia ( F =6.02,P =0.000 ) and the sub-optimal was urinary incontinence ( F =5.79,P =0.008 ).The optimal prediction factor for arm C was nocturia ( F =30.98,P =0.000) and the sub-optimal was urinary incontinence ( F =22.42,P =0.000).The optimal prediction factor for arm D was nocturia ( F =20.20,P =0.000) and the sub-optimal was urinary incontinence ( F =18.00,P =0.000) and weak urine steam (F =15.30,P =0.000).Conclusions VAS-IPSS is more stable than the standard IPSS.The questionnaire explanation to patients is helpful for improving the VASIPSS stability.

Abstract: The healing process of skin wounds caused by severe mechanical trauma and chronic diseases (e.g., diabetic foot ulcers) is often accompanied by tissue injury, microbial infection, intense inflammatory reactions, hypertrophic scars, and other complications. Microneedles have been widely used to facilitate wound healing in recent years. According to their different modes of action, microneedle formulation can be categorized into five types: solid microneedles, hollow microneedles, coated microneedles, soluble microneedles, and hydrogel microneedles. This paper reviews the preparation methods and characteristics of microneedles, and summarizes their roles in hemostasis, bacteriostasis, anti-inflammation, enhancement of collagen deposition, and angiogenesis, in the hope of providing some reference for future research and development.

Objective:To establish a classification model for rapid identification of hypervirulent subtype ST17 clones of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).Methods:In a retrospective study, 235 strains of GBS strains were selected from multiple centers in China during 2015-2018. For model generation,45 strains of ST17 and 50 strains of non-ST17 (20 ST19, 15 ST12 and 15 ST10 strains) were enrolled as the modeling group. The remaining 90 main ST strains (40 ST17, 16 ST10, 17 ST12 and 17 ST19) were served as validation group. 50 GBS strains classified as other minor ST subtypes were regarded as taxonomic groups. MS spectra were collected by Bruker mass spectrometry, and then loaded for model generation and verification, and screening of differential peptide peaks by genetic algorithm (GA) and model verification on ClinProTools 3.0 software.Results:The recognition rate for ST17-GA model were 99.4% with cross validation value of 96.9%. Among the ten differential peptide peaks for the classification model, the weights of both two main peptide peaks m/z 2 956 and m/z 5 912 were greater than 1, while the weights of the all other eight peptide peaks were less than 0.5. Model validation showed only one of the ST17 was misjudged as non-ST17 strain, resulting in diagnostic accuracy of 98.9%, sensitivity of 97.5% and specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100% and negative predictive value of 98.0%, respectively. For other sporadic STs, 42.0% (21/50) of them were misdiagnosed as ST17 subtype.Conclusion:A MALDI-TOF MS classification model for hypervirulent subtype of ST17 GBS strains has been successfully established with good diagnostic efficacy.

Humans ; Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome ; Phlebovirus