Surgical methods for varicocele remain controversial. This study intends to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches for treating varicocele through a network meta-analysis (NMA). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were thoroughly searched. In total, 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 24 cohort studies were included, covering 9 different surgical methods. Pairwise meta-analysis and NMA were performed by means of random-effects models, and interventions were ranked based on the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). According to the SUCRA, microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy (MSV; 91.6%), microsurgical retroperitoneal varicocelectomy (MRV; 78.2%), and microsurgical inguinal varicocelectomy (MIV; 76.7%) demonstrated the highest effectiveness in reducing postoperative recurrence rates. In this study, sclerotherapy embolization (SE; 87.2%), MSV (77.9%), and MIV (67.7%) showed the best results in lowering the risk of hydrocele occurrence. MIV (82.9%), MSV (75.9%), and coil embolization (CE; 58.7%) were notably effective in increasing sperm motility. Moreover, CE (76.7%), subinguinal approach varicocelectomy (SV; 69.2%), and SE (55.7%) were the most effective in increasing sperm count. SE (82.5%), transabdominal laparoscopic varicocelectomy (TLV; 76.5%), and MRV (52.7%) were superior in shortening the length of hospital stay. The incidence rates of adverse events for MRV (0), SE (3.3%), and MIV (4.1%) were notably low. Cluster analyses indicated that MSV was the most effective in the treatment of varicocele. Based on the existing evidence, MSV may represent the optimal choice for varicocele surgery. However, selecting clinical surgical strategies requires consideration of various factors, including patient needs, surgeon experience, and the learning curve.
Humans ; Male ; Embolization, Therapeutic/methods* ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Sclerotherapy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male/methods* ; Varicocele/surgery*

Hearing loss is the most prevalent disabling disease. Cochlear implantation（CI） serves as the primary intervention for severe to profound hearing loss. This consensus systematically explores the value of genetic diagnosis in the pre-operative assessment and efficacy prognosis for CI. Drawing upon domestic and international research and clinical experience, it proposes an evidence-based medicine three-tiered prognostic classification system（Favorable, Marginal, Poor）. The consensus focuses on common hereditary non-syndromic hearing loss（such as that caused by mutations in genes like GJB2, SLC26A4, OTOF, LOXHD1） and syndromic hereditary hearing loss（such as Jervell & Lange-Nielsen syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome）, which are closely associated with congenital hearing loss, analyzing the impact of their pathological mechanisms on CI outcomes. The consensus provides recommendations based on multiple round of expert discussion and voting. It emphasizes that genetic diagnosis can optimize patient selection, predict prognosis, guide post-operative rehabilitation, offer stratified management strategies for patients with different genotypes, and advance the application of precision medicine in the field of CI.
Humans ; Cochlear Implantation ; Prognosis ; Hearing Loss/surgery* ; Consensus ; Connexin 26 ; Mutation ; Sulfate Transporters ; Connexins/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by irreversible fibrosis, represents a significant public health burden. This study investigates the causal relationships between gut microbiota, gene methylation, gene expression, protein levels, and pneumoconiosis using a multi-omics approach and Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: We analyzed gut microbiota data from MiBioGen and Esteban et al. to assess their potential causal effects on pneumoconiosis subtypes (asbestosis, silicosis, and inorganic pneumoconiosis) using conventional and summary-data-based MR (SMR). Gene methylation and expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression and eQTLGen, along with protein level data from deCODE and UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, were examined in relation to pneumoconiosis data from FinnGen. To validate our findings, we assessed self-measured gut flora from a pneumoconiosis cohort and performed fine mapping, drug prediction, molecular docking, and Phenome-Wide Association Studies to explore relevant phenotypes of key genes. RESULTS: Three core gut microorganisms were identified: Romboutsia ( OR = 0.249) as a protective factor against silicosis, Pasteurellaceae ( OR = 3.207) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae ( OR = 2.343) as risk factors for inorganic pneumoconiosis. Additionally, mapping and quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that the genes VIM, STX8, and MIF were significantly associated with pneumoconiosis risk. CONCLUSIONS This multi-omics study highlights the associations between gut microbiota and key genes ( VIM, STX8, MIF) with pneumoconiosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies.
Humans ; Male ; East Asian People/genetics* ; Europe ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Lung ; Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/metabolism* ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Multiomics ; Pneumoconiosis/microbiology* ; Intramolecular Oxidoreductases

Objective:To develop an intelligent recognition and precise segmentation technique using ultrasonic images，and to enhance diagnostic efficiency and accuracy.Methods:A total of 1，430 patients diagnosed with uterine fibroids through transvaginal ultrasonography at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangming from November 2020 to October 2024 were retrospectively included. Ultrasonic images were manually annotated by two experienced physicians and reviewed by a senior expert. The Mask DINO deep learning model was used for lesion segmentation，and the segmentation results were optimized using ellipse fitting technology. Model performance was evaluated using the Dice coefficient，intraclass correlation coefficient（ICC），mean absolute error（MAE），and measurement accuracy.Results:In the test set of 286 cases，the average Dice coefficient of model prediction was 0.992，indicating extremely high segmentation accuracy. The average accuracy of lesion identification by the model was 0.909，with 241 correctly identified samples，19 basically correct samples，and 26 incorrect samples. In terms of long and short axis measurements，the ICC of the model's direct predictions were 0.871（short axis）and 0.784（long axis），with MAE of 0.436 cm（short axis）and 0.508 cm（long axis）. After optimization with ellipse fitting，the ICC increased to 0.893（short axis）and 0.866（long axis），and the MAE decreased to 0.191 cm（short axis）and 0.274 cm（long axis），the measurement accuracy improved significantly.Conclusions:The intelligent recognition and precise segmentation technique for uterine fibroids based on ultrasonic images constructed in this study performed excellently in lesion segmentation and measurement，it can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of diagnosis.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of darolutamide in the treatment of patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 17 cases of prostate cancer patients who received treatment with darolutamide in combination with ADT at our hospital from January to December 2022. The median age was 70 (range: 56 to 92) years old. The median pre-treatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 63.50 (range: 29.16 to 700.74) ng/ml. Sixteen cases had a Gleason score of 8 or above, and 11 cases were classified as high tumor burden (with four or more bone metastases and/or visceral metastases). The patients were treated with darolutamide in combination with goserelin (10.8 mg, subcutaneous injection, every 12 weeks). The decrease in PSA levels was observed at 2 weeks and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months post-treatment. The time to achieve a 50% decrease in PSA level (PSA50), a 90% decrease (PSA90), and a PSA level of ≤0.2 ng/ml was recorded.Adverse drug reactions were also documented.Results:All the 17 patients were followed up and continued to receive darolutamide at our center without any loss to follow-up. The median follow-up time was 11.4(8.9, 15.3)months. It showed a median PSA decrease from baseline of 83.33% at 2 weeks, 95.37% at 1 month, 96.71% at 2 months, 97.22% at 3 months, and 99.10% at 6 months. The median time to achieve PSA50, PSA90, and PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/ml were 1.3 (0.9, 1.7)months, 1.7 (1.2, 2.4)months, and 3.6 (2.9, 4.5)months respectively. Six patients with bone metastases experienced relief of metastatic lesions after treatment. Only one patient developed papules on the left upper limb, which were assessed as grade 1 rash, and the rash disappeared after three days treatment of topical application of hydrocortisone cream.Conclusions:Darolutamide could rapidly control and significantly reduce PSA levels in prostate cancer patients, with a favorable safety profile.

Objective:To develop and validate a clinical warning model for severe pediatric community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) using electronic health records.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted, analyzing clinical data of 15 750 children hospitalized for CAP at Wuhan Children′s Hospital between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023. Patient data were randomly split into training and testing sets at a 7∶3 ratio. Six supervised machine learning models were constructed in the training set, optimized using five-fold cross-validation, and evaluated in the testing set. Model performance was assessed using ROC-AUC, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, calibration curves, and clinical decision curve analysis at optimal thresholds. The best-performing model was selected, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were used to interpret feature importance. A program interface was developed based on the model results, enabling integration into clinical decision support systems for automated early warning.Results:A total of 15 750 participants, ranging in age from 28 days to 18 years, were included in the study. The median age was 2 years [interquartile range (IQR): 0-4 years], with 9 555 males (60.67%) and 6 195 females (39.33%). Among them, 2 211 (14.04%) developed severe pneumonia. In the prediction models, XGB outperformed other models with an ROC-AUC of 0.884 (95% CI: 0.870-0.898), sensitivity (0.803, 95% CI: 0.772-0.832), specificity (0.828, 95% CI: 0.816-0.839). Calibration analysis showed strong agreement between predicted and observed risks (Brier score: 0.081, 95% CI: 0.075-0.086). The analysis based on the SHAP method revealed that respiratory rate, heart rate, T-lymphocyte subsets, and red blood cell volume distribution width-SD are predictive factors for severe progression of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children. Conclusion:An interpretable machine learning model was developed for the early detection and personalized treatment planning of severe CAP in children, providing valuable support to clinicians.

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic suture anchor fixation for acute bony Bankart lesions.Methods:Data of 49 patients with acute bone Bankart injury treated with suture anchor fixation under arthroscopy at the Affiliate Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University School of Medicine from February 2019 to July 2024 were retrospectively analyzed, including 34 males and 15 females, aged 46.4±17.7 years (range, 18-81 years). Body mass index was 26.3±4.2 kg/m 2 (range, 19.8-37.9 kg/m 2). There were 17 patients with left shoulder and 32 patients with right shoulder. The time from injury to operation was 12.6±10.5 d (range, 1-50 d). CT three-dimensional reconstruction showed that the area of bone defect accounted for 20.1%±11.4% (range, 8%-49%) of the glenoid area. According to the degree of bone defect, there were 38 cases in the bone defect area ≤25% group and 11 cases in the bone defect area >25% group. All 49 patients received shoulder arthroscopic fixation with wire anchor. All 49 the patients were treated under shoulder arthroscopy using suture anchor technique. Using American Shoulder & Elbow Surgeon (ASES) score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score, Rowe score as well as shoulder range of motion to evaluate shoulder function. The position and healing of the fracture mass were evaluated with shoulder joint CT and three-dimensional reconstruction at immediate and final follow-up. Results:The incision healed in one stage and no infection occurred in all patients. All 49 patients were followed up for a period of 3 to 81 months, with an average follow-up of 23.8±20.2 months. At the final follow-up, the mean forward elevation, external rotation, and internal rotation improved from 126.1°±20.3°, 36.9°±14.0°, and 10±2 preoperatively to 167.1°±15.5°, 66.8°±8.3°, and 6±1 at the last follow-up, respectively ( P<0.05). At the final follow-up, the mean ASES score, UCLA score, and Rowe score were all significantly improved from 41.3±11.9, 14.2±6.1 and 46.9±14.7 preoperatively to 89.7±7.8, 31.5±3.6 and 92.4±7.4, respectively ( P<0.05). The differences between the final follow-up and preoperative values for forward elevation in the bone defect area >25% group and the bone defect area ≤25% group were 43°±20° and 41°±21°, respectively. The differences in lateral external rotation were 34°±8° and 29°±18°, while the differences in internal rotation (measured by hand-behind-back reach) were 5±2 and 4±2, respectively. None of these differences were statistically significant. The differences between the final follow-up and preoperative scores in the bone defect area >25% fracture fragment group and the bone defect area ≤25% group were as follows: ASES score, 50.9±14.4 vs. 47.7±12.8; UCLA score, 18.4±3.2 vs. 17.0±6.9; and Rowe score, 40.5±13.5 vs. 46.9±15.0. None of these differences were statistically significant. CT examination at the last follow-up showed that all fractures were healed, all patients in the bone defect area ≤25% group achieved good reduction, and 3 patients in the bone defect area >25% group had step-offs on the glenoid surface. Postoperative shoulder adhesion occurred in 5 patients, which was improved after intensive abduction and external rotation exercise. Conclusions:Arthroscopic suture anchor fixation is effective for the bone defect area ≤25% bony Bankart lesions, offering advantages of minimal invasiveness and rapid recovery. For lesions involving more than the bone defect area 25% of the glenoid surface, enhanced fixation strength is recommended to prevent fracture fragment displacement.

To promote the understanding of the requirements of sheet for oral solid preparation in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China(2025 edition)and improve the quality control level of related parties in production and use,the key quality control items specified in Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and the testing points were analyzed and discussed combined with the current situation of sheet for oral solid preparation industry and relevant standards at home and abroad.Suggestion was given that quality control should be carried out according to product characteristics,application,production process,and risk assessment,and reasonable limits should be set.

Objective:To explore the expression regulation of lipid metabolism gene ABHD5 in testes.Methods:Differential gene analysis was performed by integrating databases of TCGA and GTEx to identify the target gene ABHD5.The expression trends of ABHD5 gene in testicular carcinoma tissue were analyzed.Human testis single-cell atlases were obtained from the Human Protein Atlas and Male Health Atlas databases to determine the expression distribution of ABHD5 across different testicular cell types.Additionally,the GTEx database was utilized to visualize the expression pattern of ABHD5 in the testis,thereby enhancing the understanding of its transcriptional profile.The relationship between ABHD5 expression and age was assessed through integrated database analysis.Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to detect differential expressions of ABHD5 in testicular tissues of young and aged mice respectively.Results:The TCGA database indicated that the expression of ABHD5 in human testicular carcinoma tissue was significantly lower than that in normal testicular tissue which showed a negative correlation with patient survival.ABHD5 was highly ex-pressed in germ cells of the testis reveaked from Human Protein Atlas and Male Health Atlas databases.The stability of ABHD5 protein was crucial for testicular tissue,and its expression decreased with age.Furthermore,Western blot and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that ABHD5 expression in the testicular tissue of aged mice was significantly lower than that in young mice.Conclu-sion:ABHD5 plays an important role in testicular tissue,and may be inseparable from testicular tumors and reproductive aging.How-ever,its mechanism of action remains to be further studied.