Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the male urinary system as well as the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening is the main method for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer, but has a low specificity for its detection. In recent years, a variety of tumor markers with high sensitivity and specificity have been found. This review focuses on some of the more promising tumor biomarkers such as prostate cancer antigen 3, early prostate cancer antigen, prostate-specific membrane antigen, alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase, and vascular endothelial growth factor.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; blood ; Antigens, Surface ; blood ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Early Detection of Cancer ; GPI-Linked Proteins ; blood ; Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II ; blood ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; blood ; Prostate-Specific Antigen ; blood ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Racemases and Epimerases ; blood ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

China ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Hepatitis B ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; drug therapy ; Phytotherapy

Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Health Policy ; Leadership ; Occupational Health Services ; organization & administration

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of male age on the pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed 7,533 cycles of IVF-ET performed between January 1, 2009 and October 31, 2013. We divided the samples into three groups according to the female age (< 30, 30-34, and 35-38 yr), each again subdivided into six groups based on the male age (< 30, 30-32, 33-35, 36-38, 39-41, and ≥ 42 yr). We compared the rates of implantation, pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth among different age groups.

RESULTSThere were no statistically significant differences in basal E2, FSH, endometrium thickness on the day of hCG administration, number of oocytes retrieved, and days of embryo transfer among different male age groups (P > 0.05). The implantation rate showed an age-dependent decrease in the < 30, 30-32, 33-35, 36-38, 39-41, and ≥ 42 yr male groups, 41.1, 42.0, 39.5, 31.3, 40.7, and 48.6% among the women aged < 30 years (P < 0.05), 40.3, 36.4, 35.1, 35.3, 29.4, and 37.3% among the women aged 30-34 years (P < 0.05), and 48.2, 17.8, 25.3, 23.5, 22.1, and 23.8% among the women aged 35-38 years (P < 0.05). The miscarriage rate was significantly higher in the ≥ 39 yr than in the 30-32 and 33-35 yr male age groups among the women aged 30-34 years (P < 0.05), but showed no remarkable differences among the other male age groups in the women aged < 30 and 35-38 years (P > 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of pregnancy and live birth among different male age groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMale age has some influence on the rates of implantation and miscarriage but not on the rates of pregnancy and live birth in IVF-ET.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; epidemiology ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Embryo Implantation ; Embryo Transfer ; Female ; Fertilization in Vitro ; Humans ; Male ; Oocyte Retrieval ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Rate ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Factors

China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of the novel simplified no-flip surgical approach to Shang Ring male circumcision in adults.

METHODSA total of 528 adult males, aged 18 - 58 (mean 35) years, 63 with phimosis and 465 with redundant prepuce, underwent no-flip Shang Ring circumcision with or without removal of the outer ring. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded and observations were made on such complications as postoperative bleeding, infection, edema, and wound dehiscence.

RESULTSThe operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and 2-hour postoperative pain score were (3.8 +/- 0.3) min, (0.6 +/- 0.1) ml, and 7.3 +/-0.3, respectively. Spontaneous ring detachment occurred at 21.6 +/- 2.1 days postoperatively in 12.7% of the patients (67/528) who had chosen not to remove the rings. Of those who preferred removal of the outer ring (87.3% [461/528]), none experienced any pain at the ring removal 7 days after the operation. Postoperative complications included infection in 3 cases (0.56%) and mild edema in 9 (1.70%), but no bleeding and wound dehiscence. Totally, 518 (98.1%) of the patients felt satisfied with the postoperative penile appearance.

CONCLUSIONNo-flip Shang Ring circumcision, with no need for removal of the inner ring, is a safe and simple approach for adult males, which is superior to conventional Shang Ring circumcision for requirement of fewer surgical instruments, shorter operation time, lower incidence of complications, and better satisfaction with the penile appearance. However, these advantages are to be further demonstrated by more randomized controlled trials.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Circumcision, Male ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phimosis ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Young Adult

Objective To investigate the correlation between angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE) gene polymorphism and kawasaki disease(KD).Methods A 287 bp Alu fragment in intron 16 of the ACE gene was used as insertion(I)/deletion(D) polymorphism marker. The ACE genotype of 28 children (10 children complicated coronary dilataltion) with KD and 35 healthy controls were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ACE concentration in blood serum was measured by ultraviolet-spectrophotometer assay.Results 1.The ACE concentration was significantly higher in KD group than that in healthy control group(P

Objective To estimate blood lead level of children in Jinchang city of Gansu province.Methods According to relevant request,256 children(male 133,female 123) aged 2-7 years from some kindergartens in Jinchang city were randornly selected from Oct. 2004 to Jun. 2005. Blood lead level was measured by atom-absorbing graphiteingle method.Results The average blood lead level of 256 children was(126.30?52.98)?g/L.The lowest blood lead level was 28.3 ?g/L while the highest was 268.0 ?g/L.And 160 children(62.54%) were found with a blood lead level ≥100 ?g/L(the diagnostic level of lead poisoning in children).The blood lead level became higher with the increase of children′s age,as groups aged 2-3 years group were lower than aged 5-6 years and 6-7 years groups,of which the differenes had statistical significance(P0.05).Conclusion Blood lead levels of children in Jinchang city and prevalence of lead poisoning are both relatively higher,to which enough attention shall be paid.

Objective To investigate the current situation of iodine deficiency disorders and the effect of control measures in Sanmenxia city of Henan province, and to formulate targeted control measures for iodine deficiency disorders. Methods In 2008, five villages(offices) were selected according to the east, west, south,north and center position in each county in 6 counties(cities, districts) of Lingbao, Shan, Hubin, Yima, Mianchi,and Lushi in Sanmenxia city. One primary school was selected in each village(office), fifty students aged 8 - 10 in each primary school were randomly selected to check thyroid and their urine and edible salt were collected to detect iodine. Thirty 5th-grade students in each school were selected to carry out the questionnaire survey of health education about iodine deficiency disorders. According to the east, west, south, north and center position, five potable water samples were selected to detect iodine in the village where the primary school was in. Questionnaire survey was also carried out among ten housewives in the village. Thyroid was examined by palpation;ammonium persulfate digestion-arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry(WS/T 107-2006) was used to detect urinary iodine;direct titration(GB/T 13025-1999 ) was used to detect salt iodine;arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry (GB/T 5750.5-2006) was used to detect water iodine. Results One thousand and five hundreds children aged 8 - 10 were analyzed in 6 counties(cities, districts), the rate of goiter was 3.30%(50/1500), the median of urinary iodine was 273.15 μg/L. One thousand and five hundreds salt samples were detected, the coverage rate of iodized salt was 99.93% (1499/1500), the qualified rate of iodized salt was 98.00% (1469/1499), the edible rate of qualified iodized salt was 97.93% (1469/1500), the coverage rate of non-iodized salt was 0.07% (1/1500), the median of salt iodine was 28.9 mg/kg. One hundred and fifty water samples were collected, the median of water iodine was 2.76 μg/L. The pass rate of the questionnaire survey of health education about iodine deficiency disorders was 97.11% (874/900) in students and 98.67% (296/300) in housewives, respectively. Conclusions The prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders has achieved significant results and the monitoring indicators have reached the national standard for eliminating iodine deficiency disorders in Sanmenxia city.

Objective To compare the difference in constituents from different parts of wild and cultivated Ephedra sinica. Methods Using the solvent of 50% methyl alcohol to extract from the stems and roots of wild and cultivated E. sinica under heating reflux, respectively and then determine the content of ephedrine in each extractions by HPLC. The volatile oil was extracted by stream-distillation and analyzed by GC-MS method. Results The content of the ephedrine in extraction of stems and roots of wild E. sinica was 0.55% and 0.000 57% while the content of the cultivated was 0.26% and 0.001 7%. Forty-five compounds in the volatile oil were identified by GC-MS method, among them 13 compounds existed in both wild and cultivated E. sinica. Conclusion The content of the ephedrine is about two times of the cultivated in wild E. sinica′s stems, while it is very low in the roots of two kinds of herbs. And ephedrine is not found in the volatile oil.