Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex disease that is often accompanied by mental health disorders. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous clinical presentation of CP/CPPS remain uncertain. This study analyzed widely targeted metabolomic data of expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) and plasma to reveal the underlying pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS. A total of 24 CP/CPPS patients from The Second Nanning People's Hospital (Nanning, China), and 35 asymptomatic control individuals from First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (Nanning, China) were enrolled. The indicators related to CP/CPPS and psychiatric symptoms were recorded. Differential analysis, coexpression network analysis, and correlation analysis were performed to identify metabolites that were specifically altered in patients and associated with various phenotypes of CP/CPPS. The crucial links between EPS and plasma were further investigated. The metabolomic data of EPS from CP/CPPS patients were significantly different from those from control individuals. Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and the citrate cycle in EPS. The tryptophan metabolic pathway was found to be the most significantly altered pathway associated with distinct CP/CPPS phenotypes. Moreover, the dysregulation of tryptophan and tyrosine metabolism and elevation of oxidative stress-related metabolites in plasma were found to effectively elucidate the development of depression in CP/CPPS. Overall, metabolomic alterations in the EPS and plasma of patients were primarily associated with oxidative damage, energy metabolism abnormalities, neurological impairment, and immune dysregulation. These alterations may be associated with chronic pain, voiding symptoms, reduced fertility, and depression in CP/CPPS. This study provides a local-global perspective for understanding the pathological mechanisms of CP/CPPS and offers potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
Humans ; Male ; Prostatitis/blood* ; Adult ; Pelvic Pain/blood* ; Metabolomics ; Prostate/metabolism* ; Middle Aged ; Chronic Pain/blood* ; Metabolome ; Case-Control Studies ; Tryptophan/blood* ; Depression/blood* ; Oxidative Stress/physiology* ; Chronic Disease ; Lipid Metabolism/physiology*

Despite that sleep disturbance and poor neurocognitive performance are common complaints among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors, few studies have focused on the effect of post-COVID-19 sleep disturbance (PCSD) on cognitive function. This study aimed to identify the impact of PCSD on neurocognitive function and explore the associated risk factors for the worsening of this condition. This cross-sectional study was conducted via the web-based assessment in Chinese mainland. Neurocognitive function was evaluated by the modified online Integrated Cognitive Assessment (ICA) and the Number Ordering Test (NOT). Propensity score matching (PSM) was utilized to match the confounding factors between individuals with and without PCSD. Univariate analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of PCSD on neurocognitive function. The risk factors associated with worsened neurocognitive performance in PCSD individuals were explored using binary logistic regression. A total of 8692 individuals with COVID-19 diagnosis were selected for this study. Nearly half (48.80%) of the COVID-19 survivors reported sleep disturbance. After matching by PSM, a total of 3977 pairs (7954 individuals in total) were obtained. Univariate analyses revealed that PCSD was related to worse ICA and NOT performance (P<0.05). Underlying disease, upper respiratory infection, loss of smell or taste, severe pneumonia, and self-reported cognitive complaints were associated with worsened neurocognitive performance among PCSD individuals (P<0.05). Furthermore, aging, ethnicity (minority), and lower education level were found to be independent risk factors for worsened neurocognitive performance in PCSD individuals (P<0.05). PCSD was related to impaired neurocognitive performance. Therefore, appropriate prevention and intervention measures should be taken to minimize or prevent PCSD and eliminate its potential adverse effect on neurocognitive function.
Humans ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology* ; Propensity Score ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Cognition ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Neuropsychological Tests

Objective To analyze the effects of three sterilization methods,namely,pressure steam,low-temperature plasma and ethylene oxide,on the magnetic flux of magnetic surgical devices and their sterilization costs.Methods A total of 234 magnetic surgical devices of different specifications and models(magnetic rings)were randomly divided into Group A,Group B and Group C after the paired number was labelled,and each group consisted of 78 pieces(39 pairs).After packaging each pair of devices according to sterilization specifications,Group A was sterilized by pressure steam,Group B was sterilized by low-temperature plasma,and Group C was sterilized by ethylene oxide.We measured the magnetic flux of three sets of magnetic rings before and after sterilization,and comparatively analyzed the sterilization cost and sterilization time of the single package.Results There was no statistically significant difference in the impact of the three sterilization methods on the magnetic flux of the magnetic surgical devices(P＞0.05),but there was a significant difference in the magnetic flux before and after sterilization for each sterilization method(P＜0.001);the sterilization cost was(1.96±0.16)yuan for Group A,(23.17±0.32)yuan for Group B,and(8.16±0.18)yuan for Group C,showing statistically significant differences among the three groups(P＜0.01).The sterilization time was(65.21±3.36)min for Group A,(45.46±1.39)min for Group B,and(1020.38±12.21)min for Group C,with statistically significant differences among the three groups(P＜0.01).Conclusion None of the three sterilization methods affects the magnetic flux of the magnetic surgical devices.Pressure steam method shows the lowest cost of single package,low-temperature plasma method shows the highest cost of single package,while ethylene oxide method shows the highest sterilization time.Pressure steam should be the preferred sterilization method for magnetic surgical devices.

Objective:Serological and molecular biology methods were used to identify the blood type of a patient with forward and reverse ABO typing inconsistency,and to explore the genetic characteristics of this blood type.Methods:The ABO phenotype of the proband was identified by tube method,and the ABO blood group genotype of the proband and her parents was determined by fluorescent PCR.The 7 exons of the ABO gene were directly sequenced and analyzed.Results:According to preliminary serological identification,the ABO phenotype of this patient was Bel subtype.Genotyping tests showed that the ABO genotype of the proband and her father was B/O1,and her mother was O1/O1.Sequencing of exons revealed novel heterozygous variations in exon 1:c.16_17delinsTGTTGCA.Conclusion:The Novel variations in exon 1 led to Bel subtype in the ABO blood group of the proband,and these variations are heritable.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and the risk factors of fungal sepsis in 25 neonatal intensive care units (NICU) among preterm infants in China, and to provide a basis for preventive strategies of fungal sepsis. Methods: This was a second-analysis of the data from the "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units using the evidence-based practice for improving quality" study. The current status of fungal sepsis of the 24 731 preterm infants with the gestational age of <34⁺⁰ weeks, who were admitted to 25 participating NICU within 7 days of birth between May 2015 and April 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. These preterm infants were divided into the fungal sepsis group and the without fungal sepsis group according to whether they developed fungal sepsis to analyze the incidences and the microbiology of fungal sepsis. Chi-square test was used to compare the incidences of fungal sepsis in preterm infants with different gestational ages and birth weights and in different NICU. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to study the outcomes of preterm infants with fungal sepsis, which were further compared with those of preterm infants without fungal sepsis. The 144 preterm infants in the fungal sepsis group were matched with 288 preterm infants in the non-fungal sepsis group by propensity score-matched method. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of fungal sepsis. Results: In all, 166 (0.7%) of the 24 731 preterm infants developed fungal sepsis, with the gestational age of (29.7±2.0) weeks and the birth weight of (1 300±293) g. The incidence of fungal sepsis increased with decreasing gestational age and birth weight (both P<0.001). The preterm infants with gestational age of <32 weeks accounted for 87.3% (145/166). The incidence of fungal sepsis was 1.0% (117/11 438) in very preterm infants and 2.0% (28/1 401) in extremely preterm infants, and was 1.3% (103/8 060) in very low birth weight infants and 1.7% (21/1 211) in extremely low birth weight infants, respectively. There was no fungal sepsis in 3 NICU, and the incidences in the other 22 NICU ranged from 0.7% (10/1 397) to 2.9% (21/724), with significant statistical difference (P<0.001). The pathogens were mainly Candida (150/166, 90.4%), including 59 cases of Candida albicans and 91 cases of non-Candida albicans, of which Candida parapsilosis was the most common (41 cases). Fungal sepsis was independently associated with increased risk of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (adjusted OR 1.52, 95%CI 1.04-2.22, P=0.030) and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) (adjusted OR 2.55, 95%CI 1.12-5.80, P=0.025). Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure (adjusted OR=2.50, 95%CI 1.50-4.17, P<0.001), prolonged use of central line (adjusted OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.03-1.08, P<0.001) and previous total parenteral nutrition (TPN) duration (adjusted OR=1.04, 95%CI 1.02-1.06, P<0.001) were all independently associated with increasing risk of fungal sepsis. Conclusions: Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis are the main pathogens of fungal sepsis among preterm infants in Chinese NICU. Preterm infants with fungal sepsis are at increased risk of moderate to severe BPD and severe ROP. Previous broad spectrum antibiotics exposure, prolonged use of central line and prolonged duration of TPN will increase the risk of fungal sepsis. Ongoing initiatives are needed to reduce fungal sepsis based on these risk factors.
Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Humans ; Birth Weight ; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight ; Gestational Age ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Sepsis/epidemiology* ; Retinopathy of Prematurity/epidemiology* ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology*

Objective: To compare the characteristics of children's pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases reported from 2019 to 2021 before and during the implementation of the Action Plan to Stop Tuberculosis. Methods: Based on the reported incidence data and population data of child pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) notified to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) from 2019 to 2021, the population information and clinically relevant information in different years were compared. Results: From 2019 to 2021, the reported cases of PTB in children were 363, 664 and 655, respectively. The number of reported cases increased significantly. The median age of the cases in children increased from 10.4 years in 2019 to 11.7 years in 2021 (P=0.005) over a three-year period. The etiological positive rate increased significantly from 11.6% (42/363) in 2019 to 32.2% (211/655) in 2021 (P<0.001). The positive rate of molecular testing increased most significantly, which became the main means of etiological detection and accounted for 16.7% (7/42), 62.0% (57/92) and 75.4% (159/211) of the children with positive etiological results, respectively. The resistance rates of isoniazid and rifampicin were analyzed in children with PTB who underwent drug sensitivity tests. The results showed that the resistance rates of isoniazid and/or rifampicin were 2/9, 3.9% (2/51) and 6.7% (11/163), respectively, with an average of 6.7% (15/223) over three years. The median patients' delay was 27 (12, 49) days in 2019. It was reduced to 19 (10, 37) days in 2020 and 15 (7, 34) days in 2021, both significantly lower than 2019 (P=0.009 and 0.000 2, respectively). Conclusion: From 2019 to 2021, the reported numbers of children with PTB and children with positive etiological results increase significantly in Liangshan Prefecture, while the diagnosis delay of patients significantly reduces.
Humans ; Child ; Rifampin/therapeutic use* ; Isoniazid/therapeutic use* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapy* ; Tuberculosis ; China/epidemiology*

Objective: To compare the characteristics of children's pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) cases reported from 2019 to 2021 before and during the implementation of the Action Plan to Stop Tuberculosis. Methods: Based on the reported incidence data and population data of child pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) notified to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tuberculosis Information Management System (TBIMS) from 2019 to 2021, the population information and clinically relevant information in different years were compared. Results: From 2019 to 2021, the reported cases of PTB in children were 363, 664 and 655, respectively. The number of reported cases increased significantly. The median age of the cases in children increased from 10.4 years in 2019 to 11.7 years in 2021 (P=0.005) over a three-year period. The etiological positive rate increased significantly from 11.6% (42/363) in 2019 to 32.2% (211/655) in 2021 (P<0.001). The positive rate of molecular testing increased most significantly, which became the main means of etiological detection and accounted for 16.7% (7/42), 62.0% (57/92) and 75.4% (159/211) of the children with positive etiological results, respectively. The resistance rates of isoniazid and rifampicin were analyzed in children with PTB who underwent drug sensitivity tests. The results showed that the resistance rates of isoniazid and/or rifampicin were 2/9, 3.9% (2/51) and 6.7% (11/163), respectively, with an average of 6.7% (15/223) over three years. The median patients' delay was 27 (12, 49) days in 2019. It was reduced to 19 (10, 37) days in 2020 and 15 (7, 34) days in 2021, both significantly lower than 2019 (P=0.009 and 0.000 2, respectively). Conclusion: From 2019 to 2021, the reported numbers of children with PTB and children with positive etiological results increase significantly in Liangshan Prefecture, while the diagnosis delay of patients significantly reduces.
Humans ; Child ; Rifampin/therapeutic use* ; Isoniazid/therapeutic use* ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapy* ; Tuberculosis ; China/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVE: To establish an immune gene prognostic model of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and explore its correlation with immune cells in bone marrow microenvironment. METHODS: Gene expression profile and clinical data of TCGA-AML were downloaded from TCGA database. Immune genes were screened by LASSO analysis to construct prognosis prediction model, and prediction accuracy of the model was quantified by receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve. Survival analysis was performed by Log-rank test. Enriched pathways in the different immune risk subtypes were evaluated from train cohort. The relationship between immune prediction model and bone marrow immune microenvironment was verified by flow cytometry in the real world. RESULTS: Patients with low-risk score of immune gene model had better prognosis than those with high-risk score. Multivariate analysis showed that the immune gene risk model was an independent prognostic factor. The risk ratio for AML patients in the training concentration was HR=24.594 (95%CI: 6.180-97.878), and the AUC for 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rate was 0.811, 0.815, and 0.837, respectively. In addition, enrichment analysis of differential gene sets indicated activation of immune-related pathways such as cytokines and chemokines as well as autoimmune disease-related pathways. At the same time, real world data showed that patients with high immune risk had lower numbers of CD8⁺T cells and B lymphocytes compared with low immune risk patients. CONCLUSION We constructed a stable prognostic model for AML, which can not only predict the prognosis of AML, but also reveal the dysregulation of immune microenvironment.
Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics* ; Prognosis ; ROC Curve ; Risk Factors ; Transcriptome ; Tumor Microenvironment/genetics*