A previous study showed that the length of the foreskin plays a role in the risk of sexually transmitted infections and chronic prostatitis, which can lead to poor quality of sexual life. Here, the association between foreskin length and sexual dysfunction was evaluated. A total of 5700 participants were recruited from the andrology clinic at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Hefei, China). Clinical characteristics, including foreskin length, were collected, and sexual function was assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) and Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT) questionnaires. Men with sexual dysfunction were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men without sexual dysfunction. Among the 2721 erectile dysfunction (ED) patients and 1064 premature ejaculation (PE) patients, 301 (11.1%) ED patients and 135 (12.7%) PE patients had redundant foreskin, respectively. Men in the PE group were more likely to have redundant foreskin than men in the non-PE group ( P = 0.004). Logistic regression analyses revealed that the presence of redundant foreskin was associated with increased odds of moderate/severe ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.31, adjusted P = 0.04), moderate PE (aOR = 1.38, adjusted P = 0.02), and probable PE (aOR = 1.37, adjusted P = 0.03) after adjusting for confounding variables. Our study revealed a positive correlation between the presence of redundant foreskin and the risk of sexual dysfunction, especially in PE patients. Assessment of the length of the foreskin during routine clinical diagnosis may provide information for patients with sexual dysfunction.
Humans ; Male ; Foreskin ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Erectile Dysfunction/epidemiology* ; Premature Ejaculation/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological/epidemiology* ; Young Adult

Background/Aims: Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy. Methods: We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment. Results: The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset. Conclusions Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.

This study aims to compare the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with semen quality in men from couples with primary and secondary infertility. Semen samples were collected from 133 men who requested fertility evaluation. Seminal tract infection with Ureaplasma spp. (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) was assessed by PCR-based diagnostic assays. Among all patients, the prevalence of STIs was higher in men from couples with primary infertility than that in men from couples with secondary infertility (39.7% vs 21.7%, P = 0.03). The prevalence of UU was 28.8% and 13.3% in men from couples with primary and secondary infertility, respectively. Men from couples with primary infertility were more likely to be positive for UU than men from couples with secondary infertility (P = 0.04). Regarding the UU subtype, the prevalence of Ureaplasma urealyticum (Uuu) and Ureaplasma parvum (Uup; including Uup1, Uup3, Uup6, and Uup14) did not differ between the two groups. No associations between the prevalence rates of MH, MG, and CT were found in men from either infertility group. A lower sperm concentration was associated with STI pathogen positivity in men with primary infertility according to the crude model (P = 0.04). The crude and adjusted models showed that semen volume (both P = 0.03) and semen leukocyte count (both P = 0.02) were independently associated with secondary infertility. These findings suggest the importance of classifying the type of infertility during routine diagnosis of seminal tract infections.
Female ; Humans ; Infertility, Male/epidemiology* ; Male ; Mycoplasma genitalium ; Mycoplasma hominis ; Prevalence ; Semen ; Semen Analysis ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology* ; Ureaplasma urealyticum

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) based on the conventional treatment. METHODS: A total of 35 patients with COVID-19 of mild or ordinary type were involved (3 cases dropped off). Acupuncture was applied on the basis of western medicine and Chinese materia medica treatment. Dazhui (GV 14), Fengchi (GB 20), Kongzui (LU 6), Hegu (LI 4), etc. were selected as the main acupoints, the supplementary acupoints and the reinforcing and reducing manipulations were selected according to syndrome differentiation. Acupuncture treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week. On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, relief condition of the main symptoms was observed. Before acupuncture and on day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, efficacy evaluation scale of TCM on COVID-19 (efficacy evaluation scale) score was recorded. The effects of different intervention time of acupuncture on patients' hospitalization time were compared, the understanding of acupuncture treatment of patients discharged from hospital was recorded, the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: On day 3 and day 7 of acupuncture, the symptoms of lung system and non lung system were both relieved; the scores of efficacy evaluation scale were both decreased compared before acupuncture (P<0.05), and the efficacy evaluation scale score of day 7 of acupuncture were lower than day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). The average hospitalization time of patients received early acupuncture was shorter than late acupuncture (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 84.4% (27/32) on day 7 of acupuncture, which was higher than 34.4% (11/32) on day 3 of acupuncture (P<0.05). During the acupuncture treatment, there were neither adverse reactions in patients nor occupational exposures in doctors. The patients generally believed that acupuncture could promote the recovery of COVID-19 and recommended acupuncture treatment. CONCLUSION On the basis of the conventional treatment, acupuncture can effectively relieve the clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19, early intervention of acupuncture can accelerate the recovery process. Acupuncture has good safety, clinical compliance and recognition of patients.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Treatment Outcome

Vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis is a common type of cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical vertigo. In recent years, with the increase of people's life pace and the number of office staff, the incidence rate has been rising year by year, with a trend of younger age. Because traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in treating cervical vertigo, it is necessary to study the regularity of the Chinese medicine for cervical vertigo. But at present, the research is mainly based on the statistics for frequency and proportion of herbs. In addition, in the process of diagnosis and treatment of Chinese medicine, personal experience also caused differences in prescription compatibility and drug dosage, which makes difficult guarantee for the safety and effectiveness of drug treatment. So, this paper is based on literatures about the traditional Chinese medicine in treatment of cervical vertigo in the past 5 years, by using association rules algorithm, complex system entropy clustering and other non supervised data mining methods. Analysis was made for the use of various drugs in the frequency, the association rules, the core drug combination and the new prescriptions. The traditional Chinese medicine inheritance support system(TCMISS) was utilized to analyze 154 drugs from the 101 prescriptions, determine the use frequency of drugs, analyze the characteristics and the compatibility of core drugs, and dig out 14 core drug combinations and 7 new prescription combinations. The prescription and medication regularities illustrates the drugs for treatment of cervical vertigo, including those for flating liver and suppressing yang, invigorating the circulation of blood to remove blood stasis, reducing water and permeating dampness, increasing qi and activating blood, and nourishing the liver and kidney mainly. Treatment rules are nourishing liver and kidney, invigorating the circulation of blood stasis Tongqiao, reducing phlegm and dampness, flating liver and suppressing yan, dredging collaterals, supplementing qi and nourishing blood. This study aims to summarize frequently used single herbs for vertebral artery type cervical spondylosis, combinations of frequently used herbs and dosage of frequently used herbs with significant efficacy, define the current prescription and medication regularities for treating cervical vertigo and give guidances for clinical mediation.

Objective To analyze the law of the mid﹣term hepatic hemodynamics after liver transplantation and to investigate its relationship with liver function. Methods A total of 56 recipients underwent liver transplantation in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from February 2014 to October 2015 were studied,and divided into normal group (n =24)and abnormal group (n =32)according to the liver function.General information and liver function of both groups were recorded.Furthermore,hepatic artery peak velocity (HAP),portal vein peak velocity (PVP)and portal vein flow (PVF)before the liver transplantation and on postoperative day 1,30 and 90 were measured through ultrasonic detection;hepatic arterial buffer capacity (BC)and adjustment BC were calculated.The univariable and multivariable analysis were performed to analyze the relationship between hepatic hemodynamics and liver function in two groups,and the receiver operating curve (ROC)was drawn. Results The PVP and PVF on postoperative day 30 in abnormal group were significantly higher than those of normal group (P =0.014,0.049).The BC and adjustment BC in normal group were significantly higher than those of abnormal group (P =0.048,0.011).The multivariable analysis showed that adjustment BC was the independent risk factor (P =0.047),with the area under the curve (AUC)of ROC of 0.705,sensitivity of 0.652 and specificity of 0.750. Conclusions PVP,PVF,BC and adjustment BC on postoperative day 30 may be related to abnormal liver function,of which adjustment BC can be used as one of the indicators for diagnosis and intervention of abnormal liver function.

China ; Humans ; Organ Transplantation ; legislation & jurisprudence

Objective To investigate the dynamic change and signifi-cance of proliferating cell nuclear antigen ( PCNA ) expression of mice which were induced into hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) by diethylni-trosamine ( DEN ) .Methods Mice continuously induced cancer with DEN containing drinking water for 24 weeks .The mice were killed in the induction of cancer at different time points.The expression of PCNA protein and nucleic acid in mice liver with HCC were evaluated by Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction,respec-tively.Results The expressions level of PCNA protein and nucleic acid in the liver tissue in mice after induced into HCC by DEN increased gra-dually.They reached a peaked at 24th week, and there was significant differences between them ( P<0.05 ).Conclusion There is a signifi-cant dynamic change of PCNA expression in the liver tissue in mice during the progression of HCC which were induced by DEN.It suggest that PCNA might play an important role in the incidence and development of HCC.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract leakage after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

METHODSSixty-one recipients had digestive tract leakage in early stage after OLT among 1173 cases from January 2000 to December 2010. There were 55 male and 6 female patients, aging from 36 to 61 years, with a median of 45 years. Digestive tract leakage included bile leakage (46 cases), gastric leakage (5 cases), duodenal leakage (1 case), jejunal leakage (4 cases), ileal leakage (1 case) and colon transversum leakage (4 cases). Ten of recipients with gastrointestinal leakage had 1 to 3 times of abdominal surgery before OLT. Abdominal drainage was used in 28 cases with bile leakage, and additionally, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and stenting were performed for 8 of them, and surgical neoplasty for another 18 patients with bile leakage. Simple surgical neoplasty of perforation was performed for 13 patients with gastrointestinal leakage, and diverticulectomy and neoplasty for 1 case with duodenal leakage, and partial jejunostomy for one severe jejunal leakage. Nutritional support was administered for all of cases.

RESULTSThe incidence rate of digestive tract leakage in early stage after OLT was 5.20% (61/1173). Intra-operative iatrogenic injury of gastrointestinal tract was occurred in 6 cases with gastrointestinal leakage. After treatment, 11 cases died of multiple organ failure resulted from severe infection, with mortality of 18.0% (11/61), including 4 cases with bile leakage, with the mortality of 8.6% (4/46), and 7 cases with gastrointestinal tract leakage, with the mortality of 46.6% (7/15). The remanent 50 cases through comprehensive treatment with a span of 1 to 3 months recovered and discharged healthily. No digestive tract leakage reoccurred in the follow-up of 6 to 84 months.

CONCLUSIONSThe morbidity of digestive tract leakage in early stage after OLT is low, but its mortality is high, especially for gastrointestinal tract leakage. High dose corticosteroids therapy, history of abdominal operation and intra-operative iatrogenic injury may be high risk factor. Comprehensive treatment is crucial for improving prognosis.

Adult ; Digestive System Fistula ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Drainage ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; diagnosis ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo research the efficacy,security and necessity of combined therapy for preventing postsurgery stiffness after elbow fracture.

METHODSFrom May 2009 to April 2010, 60 patients with elbow fractures treated by operation were randomly divided into two groups: combined therapy group and past procedure group. Thirty patients in the combined therapy group,including 12 males and 18 females, ranging in age from 23 to 63 years, averaged (43.53 +/- 7.74) years old; 15 patients had two parts fractures, including humeral intercondylar fractures combined with olecroanon and (or) ulna coronoid process fractures in 8 cases, fractures of exterior and interior humeral condyle combined with capitulum radius in 3 cases, fractures of olecroanon and ulna coronoid process in 3 cases, fractures of olecroanon and capitulum radius in 1 case; other 15 patients had one part fractures, including fractures of exterior or interior humeral condyle in 8 cases,fractures of olecroanon or ulna coronoid process in 6 cases, fractures of capitulum radius in 1 patient. Thirty patients in the past procedure group,including 11 males and 19 females, ranging in age from 24 to 67 years, averaged (46.13 +/- 6.22) years; 15 patients had two parts fractures, including fractures of humeral intercondylar fracture combined with olecroanon and(or) ulna coronoid process in 7 cases, fractures of exterior and interior humeral condyle combined with capitulum radius in 2 cases,fractures of olecroanon and ulna coronoid process in 5 cases,fractures of humeral intercondylar fracture combined with capitulum radius in 1 patient; 15 pa- tients had one part fracture, including fractures of exterior or interior humeral condyle in 6 cases, fractures of olecroanon or ulna coronoid process in 8 cases, fractures of capitulum radius in 1 patient; the patients in the past procedure group were treated with past procedure methods. Mayo Elbow Performance Score (including gmotion of elbow joint) and security (using X-ray to recheck displacement fracture, internal fixation failure and heterotopic ossification) were evaluated at postoperative 6 months. From 2002 to 2006, 30 patients were reviewed as historical control group, including 17 males and 13 females, ranging in age from 27 to 62 years, averaged (47.17 +/- 7.83) years; 15 patients had two parts fractures, including fractures of humeral intercondylar combined with olecroanon and(or) ulna coronoid process in 7 cases, fractures of exterior and interior humeral condyle combined with capitulum radius in 1 case, fractures of olecroanon and ulna coronoid process in 6 cases, fractures of ulna coronoid process and capitulum radius in 1 case; 15 patients had one part fractures,including fractures of exterior or interior humeral condyle in 9 cases, fractures of olecroanon or ulna coronoid process in 5 cases,fractures of capitulum radius in 1 case. The Mayo Elbow Performance Score of the patients in historical control group was evaluated retrospectively at postoperative 6 months and the results were compared with that of past procedure group.

RESULTSMayo score of combined therapy group was (91.00 +/- 7.81)surpassed to (76.83 +/- 10.71) of the past procedure group and (73.17 +/- 1.99) of historical control group (F = 24.98, P < 0.05). The range of motion of elbow was (102.40 +/- 9.16) degrees of combined therapy group surpassed to (83.57 +/- 6.21) degrees of the past procedure group (t = 9.325, P < 0.05). There were no internal fixation loose,obvious fracture displacement and heterotopic ossification in each X-ray examination of patients in the combined therapy group. The Mayo score of historical control group was (73.17 +/- 11.99), showing no significant differences when compared with (76.83 +/- 10.71) of the past procedure group (LSD, P = 0.172).

CONCLUSIONCombined therapy including different stage, different method combination and different subject to practice to prevent postsurgery stiffness after elbow fracture is effect, security and necessity.

Adult ; Aged ; Case-Control Studies ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Elbow Joint ; injuries ; surgery ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; surgery ; Humans ; Joint Diseases ; physiopathology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control