To investigate the impact of preoperative serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels on the probability of testicular sperm retrieval, we conducted a study of nonobstructive azoospermic (NOA) men with different testicular volumes (TVs) who underwent microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE). A total of 177 NOA patients undergoing micro-TESE for the first time from April 2019 to November 2022 in Shenzhen Zhongshan Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (formerly Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China) were retrospectively reviewed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on average TV quartiles. Serum hormone levels in each TV group were compared between positive and negative sperm retrieval subgroups. Overall sperm retrieval rate was 57.6%. FSH levels (median [interquartile range]) were higher in the positive sperm retrieval subgroup compared with the negative outcome subgroup when average TV was <5 ml (first quartile [Q1: TV <3 ml]: 43.32 [17.92] IU l -1 vs 32.95 [18.56] IU l -1 , P = 0.048; second quartile [Q2: 3 ml ≤ TV <5 ml]: 31.31 [15.37] IU l -1 vs 25.59 [18.40] IU l -1 , P = 0.042). Elevated serum FSH levels were associated with successful micro-TESE sperm retrieval in NOA men whose average TVs were <5 ml (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.06 per unit increase; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.11; P = 0.011). In men with TVs ≥5 ml, larger TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval (adjusted OR: 0.84 per 1 ml increase; 95% CI: 0.71-0.98; P = 0.029). In conclusion, elevated serum FSH levels were associated with positive sperm retrieval in micro-TESE in NOA men with TVs <5 ml. In men with TV ≥5 ml, increases in average TVs were associated with lower odds of sperm retrieval.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Sperm Retrieval/statistics & numerical data* ; Adult ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Retrospective Studies ; Testis/pathology* ; Microdissection ; Organ Size

Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P＜0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59％(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49％(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35％(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.

Objective To explore the protective mechanism of honey-processed Hedysari Radix in regulating intestinal mucosal injury in rats with spleen qi deficiency.Methods The three-factor composite modeling method of bitter cold diarrhea,overwork and hunger and satiety disorder was used to construct a spleen qi deficiency model rats.After the model was successfully made,they were randomly divided into model group,honey-processed Hedysari Radix group and probiotic group,with 15 animals in each group.Another 15 normal rats were taken as the blank group.The honey-processed Hedysari Radix group was given 12.6 g·kg-1 water decoction of honey-processed Hedysari Radix by gavage,the probiotics group was given Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus triple viable tablets suspension at a dose of 0.625 g·kg-1,and the blank group and the model group were given the same dose of distilled water.The rats in the four groups were administered once a day for 15 days.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect diamine oxidase(DAO)in serum,D-lactic acid(D-LA),secretory immunoglobulin A factor,and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1)and occludin in colon tissues.Results The serum levels of DAO in the blank group,model group,honey-processed Hedysari Radix group and probiotic group were(138.93±9.78),(187.95±12.90),(147.21±6.92)and(166.47±3.37)pg·mL-1;the contents of D-LA were(892.23±49.17),(1 099.84±137.64),(956.56±86.04)and(989.61±51.75)μg·L-1;the contents of SIgA in colon tissues were(14.04±1.42),(11.47±2.39),(11.84±1.49)and(12.93±1.65)μg·mL-1;the relative expression levels of ZO-1 protein in colon tissues were 1.18±0.11,0.42±0.04,0.77±0.05 and 0.95±0.07;the relative expression levels of occludin protein were 1.35±0.31,0.61±0.17,1.19±0.19 and 0.88±0.13;the relative expression levels of AMPK protein were 0.91±0.02,0.35±0.09,0.74±0.08 and 0.59±0.11.Compared with the model group,there were significant differences in the serum content of DAO and D-LA,SIgA content in colon,and the content of ZO-1,occludin and AMPK protein in the honey-processed Hedysari Radix group(P＜0.01,P＜0.05).Conclusion Honey-processed Hedysari Radix can enhance the protective effect on the intestinal mucosa of rats with spleen qi deficiency by regulating the expression of related inflammatory cytokines,intestinal mucosal upper cell enzymes and tight junction proteins in rats with spleen qi deficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy and its effect on serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) between short needling (close-to-bone needling) and conventional acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) with blood stasis obstruction. METHODS: A total of 68 KOA patients with blood stasis obstruction were randomized into a short needling group (34 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a conventional acupuncture group (34 cases, 3 cases dropped off). The same acupoints (Dubi [ST 35], Neixiyan [EX-LE 4], Binzhong [Extra], Liangqiu [ST 34], etc. on the affected side) were selected in the two groups. In the short needling group, short needling technique was adopted, the needles were slowly inserted and the needle bodies were shaken, thus gradually penetrated to the bone. In the conventional acupuncture group, conventional acupuncture was adopted, the needles were penetrated to the muscle. After qi-arrival, Dubi (ST 35) and Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Liangqiu (ST 34) were connected with CMNS6-1 electronic acupuncture instrument, with disperse-dense wave, 2 Hz/10 Hz in frequency, the current intensity was based on patients' feeling, the needles were retained for 30 min, at the same time, the knee joint was irradiated for 30 min with a special electromagnetic wave apparatus in the two groups. Once every other day, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) score, knee joint pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, inflammatory response related indexes (serum TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6 and PGE₂) and knee joint ultrasound were observed，and the clinical effect was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment，the pain, stiffness, function scores and total scores of WOMAC were decreased as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), except for the pain score, the changes of above scores in the short needling group were greater than the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the VAS scores, serum levels of TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6, PGE₂ and knee joint synovium thickness, intra-articular effusion were decreased as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05), the levels of TNF-a, IL-1β, IL-6 in the short needling group were lower than the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the short needling group was 87.1% (27/31), which was superior to 83.9% (26/31) in the conventional acupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Short needling could improve the knee joint function, relieve the pain and inflammatory response, improve the knee joint synovium inflammatory response, reduce the knee joint intra-articular effusion for KOA patients, its effect is better than conventional acupuncture.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/therapy* ; Pain ; Prostaglandins E

Objective: To analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of life expectancy (LE) and health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) in Guangzhou from 2010 to 2019, and quantize the comprehensive impact of different causes and sequelae on health. Methods: The LE, HALE, and cause-excluded health adjusted life expectancy (CEHALE) were estimated using cause-of-death surveillance datasets from Guangzhou Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2010 to 2019 and open data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Joinpoint log-linear regression model was used to analyze the temporal trend and described spatial distribution. Results: In 2019, the LE in residents in Guangzhou was 82.9 years (80.1 years in men and 85.9 years in women), and the HALE was 75.6 years (74.0 years in men and 77.3 years in women). Compared with the urban fringe, the central urban area had higher LE and HALE, and the differences between LE and HALE were small. The LE and HALE in Guangzhou showed an increasing trend from 2010 to 2019. The LE increased by 2.8 years (AAPC=0.4, 95%CI: 0.3-0.4), with the increase of 2.8 years in men and 2.9 years in women. The HALE increased by 2.4 years (AAPC=0.3, 95%CI: 0.3-0.4), with the increase of 2.5 years in men and 2.2 years in women. The median healthy life lost due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases was 6.2 years (AAPC=-4.2, 95%CI: -5.3--3.1), while the median healthy life lost due to non-communicable diseases was 14.7 years (AAPC=1.6, 95%CI: 0.9-2.3), the median healthy life expectancy reduced by injury was 6.3 years (AAPC=-3.5, 95%CI: -4.5--2.6). Musculoskeletal disorders, skin and subcutaneous diseases, cardiovascular diseases, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes and kidney diseases were the top five diseases causing healthy life expectancy loss. Conclusion: The LE and HALE in residents in Guangzhou increased steadily from 2010 to 2019, but the quality of life in the urban fringe was lower than that of the central urban area. Non-communicable diseases were the leading causes of healthy life expectancy loss. Health policies and prevention measures should be developed according to area specific characteristics, and social medical resources should be rationally allocated to key diseases to reduce their disease burden.
Cost of Illness ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Life Expectancy ; Male ; Noncommunicable Diseases ; Quality of Life

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Improvement in the quality of life is reflected in the narrowing of the gap between health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) and life expectancy (LE). The effect of megacity expansion on narrowing the gap is rarely reported. This study aimed to disclose this potential relationship. METHODS: Annual life tables were constructed from identified death records and population counts from multiple administrative sources in Guangzhou, China, from 2010 to 2020. Joinpoint regression was used to evaluate the temporal trend. Generalized principal component analysis and multilevel models were applied to examine the county-level association between the gap and social determinants. RESULTS: Although LE and HALE in megacities are increasing steadily, their gap is widening. Socio-economic and health services are guaranteed to narrow this gap. Increasing personal wealth, a growing number of newborns and healthy immigrants, high urbanization, and healthy aging have helped in narrowing this gap. CONCLUSION In megacities, parallel LE and HALE growth should be highly considered to narrow their gap. Multiple social determinants need to be integrated as a whole to formulate public health plans.
Cities ; Health Status ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Life Expectancy ; Quality of Life ; Social Determinants of Health

Objective: To compare the prognostic evaluation value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in rectal cancer patients. Nomogram survival prediction model based on inflammatory markers was constructed. Methods: The clinical and survival data of 585 patients with rectal cancer who underwent radical resection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiao tong University from January 2013 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off values of NLR, PLR, LMR, and SII were determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The relationship between different NLR, PLR, LMR and SII levels and the clinic pathological characteristics of the rectal cancer patients were compared. Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate regression analysis. Nomogram prediction models of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with rectal cancer were established by the R Language software. The internal validation and accuracy of the nomograms were determined by the calculation of concordance index (C-index). Calibration curve was used to evaluate nomograms' efficiency. Results: The optimal cut-off values of preoperative NLR, PLR, LMR and SII of OS for rectal cancer patients were 2.44, 134.88, 4.70 and 354.18, respectively. There was statistically significant difference in tumor differentiation degree between the low NLR group and the high NLR group (P<0.05), and there were statistically significant differences in T stage, N stage, TNM stage, tumor differentiation degree and preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level between the low PLR group and the high PLR group (P<0.05). There was statistically significant difference in tumor differentiation degree between the low LMR group and the high LMR group (P<0.05), and there were statistically significant differences in T stage, N stage, TNM stage, tumor differentiation degree and preoperative CEA level between the low SII group and the high SII group (P<0.05). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the age (HR=2.221, 95%CI: 1.526-3.231), TNM stage (Ⅲ grade: HR=4.425, 95%CI: 1.848-10.596), grade of differentiation (HR=1.630, 95%CI: 1.074-2.474), SII level (HR=2.949, 95%CI: 1.799-4.835), and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (HR=2.123, 95%CI: 1.506-2.992) were independent risk factors for the OS of patients with rectal cancer. The age (HR=2.107, 95%CI: 1.535-2.893), TNM stage (Ⅲ grade, HR=2.850, 95%CI: 1.430-5.680), grade of differentiation (HR=1.681, 95%CI: 1.150-2.457), SII level (HR=2.309, 95%CI: 1.546-3.447), and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (HR=1.837, 95%CI: 1.369-2.464) were independent risk factors of the DFS of patients with rectal cancer. According to the OS and DFS nomograms predict models of rectal cancer patients established by multivariate COX regression analysis, the C-index were 0.786 and 0.746, respectively. The calibration curve of the nomograms showed high consistence of predict and actual curves. Conclusions: Preoperative NLR, PLR, LMR and SII levels are all correlated with the prognosis of rectal cancer patients, and the SII level is an independent prognostic risk factor for patients with rectal cancer. Preoperative SII level can complement with the age, TNM stage, differentiation degree and postoperative adjuvant chemoradiotherapy to accurately predict the prognosis of rectal cancer patients, which can provide reference and help for clinical decision.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoembryonic Antigen ; Humans ; Inflammation/classification* ; Lymphocytes ; Neutrophils ; Nomograms ; Preoperative Period ; Prognosis ; Rectal Neoplasms/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies

Objective: To investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and sexual development in Chinese children. Methods: A nationwide multicenter and population-based large cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities of China from January 2017 to December 2018. Data on sex, age, height, weight were collected, BMI was calculated and sexual characteristics were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on age, including ages 3-<6 years, 6-<10 years, 10-<15 years and 15-<18 years. Multiple Logistic regression models were used for evaluating the associations of BMI with sexual development in children. Dichotomous Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the distribution of early and non-early puberty among normal weight, overweight and obese groups. Curves were drawn to analyze the relationship between the percentage of early puberty and BMI distribution in girls and boys at different Tanner stages. Results: A total of 208 179 healthy children (96 471 girls and 111 708 boys) were enrolled in this study. The OR values of B2, B3 and B4+ in overweight girls were 1.72 (95%CI: 1.56-1.89), 3.19 (95%CI: 2.86-3.57), 7.14 (95%CI: 6.33-8.05) and in obese girls were 2.05 (95%CI: 1.88-2.24), 4.98 (95%CI: 4.49-5.53), 11.21 (95%CI: 9.98-12.59), respectively; while the OR values of G2, G3, G4+ in overweight boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.38), 1.52 (95%CI: 1.36-1.70), 1.88 (95%CI: 1.66-2.14) and in obese boys were 1.27 (95%CI: 1.17-1.37), 1.59 (95%CI: 1.43-1.78), and 1.93 (95%CI: 1.70-2.18) (compared with normal weight Tanner 1 group,all P<0.01). Analysis in different age groups found that OR values of obese girls at B2 stage and boys at G2 stage were 2.02 (95%CI: 1.06-3.86) and 2.32 (95%CI:1.05-5.12) in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, respectively (both P<0.05). And in the age group of 6-10 years, overweight girls had a 5.45-fold risk and obese girls had a 12.54-fold risk of B3 stage compared to girls with normal BMI. Compared with normal weight children, the risk of early puberty was 2.67 times higher in overweight girls, 3.63 times higher in obese girls, and 1.22 times higher in overweight boys, 1.35 times higher in obese boys (all P<0.01). Among the children at each Tanner stages, the percentage of early puberty increased with the increase of BMI, from 5.7% (80/1 397), 16.1% (48/299), 13.8% (27/195) to 25.7% (198/769), 65.1% (209/321), 65.4% (157/240) in girls aged 8-<9, 10-<11 and 11-<12 years, and 6.6% (34/513), 18.7% (51/273), 21.6% (57/264) to 13.3% (96/722), 46.4% (140/302), 47.5% (105/221) in boys aged 9-<10, 12-<13 and 13-<14 years, respectively. Conclusions: BMI is positively correlated with sexual development in both Chinese boys and girls, and the correlation is stronger in girls. Obesity is a risk factor for precocious puberty in preschool children aged 3-<6 years, and 6-<10 years of age is a high risk period for early development in obese girls.
Adolescent ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity/epidemiology* ; Overweight/epidemiology* ; Puberty ; Puberty, Precocious ; Sexual Development