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The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence rate and risk factors of depression in outpatients who were diagnosed with PE. Therefore, between September 2009 and September 2011,1801 outpatients at andrology clinics were enrolled and consented to participate in our survey by completed a verbal questionnaire. It included the following: (1) demographic data (e.g., age, body mass index), (2) PE duration, medical history, and sexual history, (3) self-estimated intravaginal ejaculatory latency times, (4) the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and (5) the National Institute of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) and (6) the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5). The results showed that a total of 1,206 patients were diagnosed with PE. The prevalence rate of depression in these PE patients was 26.78%. Depression was associated with PE duration, NIH-CPSI score, and IIEF-5 score. Risk factors for depression specifically included PE durations for 13-24, 25-60, or ≥61 months, CPSI scores of 15-30 or ≥31, and IIEF-5 scores <22. These findings suggested that several associated factors (PE duration, CPSI scores, and IIEF-5 scores) were the risk factors of depression in men with PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNA molecules, are indicated to play essential roles in spermatogenesis. However, little is known about the expression patterns or function of miRNAs in human testes involved in infertility. Methods: In this study, the miRNA expression profiles of testes of patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) and normal controls were performed by using microarray technologies. Results: Altered microRNA expression in NOA patients was found, with 154 differentially downregulated and 19 up-regulated miRNAs. These findings have been confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays on select miRNAs, including miR-302a, miR-491-3p, miR-520d-3p and miR-383. Several down-regulated miRNA clusters in patients with NOA were identified, such as the oncogenic potential of the mir-17-92 cluster and mir-371,2,3 cluster. Conclusion: This is the first report that the expression of miRNAs is altered in testicular tissues of patients with NOA, suggesting a role of miRNAs in regulating spermatogenesis in human males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that recovery sleep could counteract the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation (SD) on male rats’ fertility. Materials and Methods: Twenty-two rats were housed in groups of six per cage with unrestricted access to food and water in a room. The modified multiple platform method was used to induce SD in rats over a 96-hour period. We examined the effect of SD on semen quality, reproductive hormones, and testicular histology in adult male rats. Then, we investigated the effect of 7 days recovery sleep on impaired reproductive function induced by SD. Results: After the acclimation period, 22 rats were randomly separated into three experimental groups (SD, recovery sleep, and the control groups). Ninety-six hours of SD resulted in a significant decrease in sperm motility (24.33±10.93 vs. 48.20±8.55, p<0.001) and the number of morphologically normal sperm (9.68±2.77 vs. 26.21±14.60, p<0.01) in rats, accompanied by a decrease in testosterone levels (1.53±0.55 vs. 4.44±0.56, p<0.001) and destruction of testicular tissue structure compared with control group. After 7 days of recovery sleep, semen quality, especially sperm motility, was improved and testosterone levels were significantly higher compared to post-SD (3.70±0.53 vs. 1.53±0.55, p<0.05), but remained low compared to the control group. Conclusions: In conclusion, 96 hours of SD deteriorated the parameters of sperm motility and the number of morphologically normal sperm in rats, probably due to the decrease in serum testosterone levels and the disruption of testicular tissue structure when compared to the control group. After 7 days of recovery sleep, semen parameter, especially sperm motility and testosterone levels did not return to baseline levels compared to the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a wet spinning method was applied to fabricate regenerated cellulose fibers filled with low graphene loading which was systematically characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR and XRD techniques. Subsequently, the mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting fibers were investigated. With only 0.2 wt% loading of graphene, a ~50% improvement of tensile strength and 25% enhancement of Young's modulus were obtained and the modified Halpin-Tsai model was built to predict the mechanical properties of composite fibers. Thermal analysis of the composite fibers showed remarkably enhanced thermal stability and dynamic heat transfer performance of graphene-filled cellulose composite fiber, also, the presence of graphene oxide can significantly enhance the thermal conductivity of the composite fiber. This work provided a facile way to improve mechanical and thermal properties of regenerated cellulose fibers. The resultant composite fibers have potential application in thermal insulation and reinforced fibrous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To carry out a real-life retrospective, multicenter survey on the prevalence, subtype, and proposed treatments of premature ejaculation in China. Methods: Real-life data were provided by 8 major Centers from China, selected as active in basic and clinical research on PE and participating to international meetings of sexual medicine and andrology. Centers provided a filled survey containing relevant information concerning PE prevalence, pathogenesis and treatment. Results: In 2019, among 156,486 patients coming to the centers, 32,667 visits having PE as the chief complaint were performed (20.9%). Almost all patients received treatment prescriptions (32,641 patients, 99.92%); 23,273 patients came back for a follow-up visit in the subsequent 12 months (71.2% of those who initially received treatment). Dapoxetine, either alone or in combination with another therapy, was the most prevalent treatment, prescribed to 22,767 patients (69.7% of treated patients), followed by Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) (39.4%). At follow-up, 8174 patients were unsatisfied with treatment, and a new treatment was proposed (35.12%). Dapoxetine was the best treatment, with an overall 27.1% switching rate when used either alone or in combination: while the switching rate for Dapoxetine alone was 44.2%, the association of the same drug with psychotherapy resulted in much lower rates (19.5%) and reached a minimum of 12% when also combined with TCM demonstrating how cultural aspects and medical attitudes may dramatically impact on the therapy of a multifaceted, complex, and culture-grounded sexual symptom such as PE. Conclusions: Taking switching rates as surrogate markers of treatment failure, this real-life study – the largest in the field - shows that in a more patient-oriented (as in Chinese medical culture), and less symptom-oriented (as in Western medical attitudes), Dapoxetine is a successful treatment for PE patients, with higher reliability when used alone or as part of combined and integrated therapies. Conflicts of Interest: EAJ is or has been a speaker and/or paid consultant for Bayer, Ibsa, Lundbeck, Menarini, Merk-Serono, Otsuka, Pfizer, Shionogi, and Viatris. AS has been a paid consultant for Menarini. All others declare not to have any competing interest for the present manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate-sized non-coding RNAs (imsncRNAs) have been shown to play important regulatory roles in the development of several eukaryotic organisms. In the present research, we selected imsncRNA 761 (imsnc761) as a research target. Expression analyses in a previous study showed that imsnc761 was down-regulated in maturation-arrested testis tissues as compared with the level in normal controls. In the present study, we found that imsnc761 could interact with DEAD-box helicase 6 (DDX6) to induce NTERA-2 (NT2 (testicular embryonal carcinoma cell)) cell apoptosis and proliferation inhibition via the p53 pathway. This interaction between imsnc761 and DDX6 also inhibited mitochondrial function and specific gene transcription and translation. To facilitate further research, we used label-free quantitation method to analyze the associated differences in Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and biological processes. This confirmed the changes in several specific pathways, which matched our molecular experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual dysfunctions, which were associated with prostatitis-like symptoms (PLS).We intended to explore the prevalence of prostatitis-like symptoms and outcomes of National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) scores in outpatients with lifelong (LPE) and acquired premature ejaculation (APE). From December 2013 to December 2015, a total of 498 consecutive heterosexual men with PE and 322 male healthy subjects without PE were enrolled. Each of them completed a detailed questionnaire on demographics information, sexual and medical histories, and the NIH-CPSI. Assessment of NIH-CPSI and definition of PLS and PE were used to measure the PLS and NIH-CPSI scores and ejaculatory function for all subjects. Finally, a total of 820 subjects (including 498 men in PE group and 322 men in control group) were enrolled in our study. The mean ages were significantly different between PE and no PE groups. Men with PE reported worse PLS and higher NIH-CPSI scores (P < 0.001 for all). Similar findings were also observed between men with LPE and APE. Men with APE also reported higher rates of PLS and scores of NIH-CPSI (P < 0.001 for all). Multivariate analysis showed that PLS and NIH-CPSI scores were significantly associated with PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide has been used as an adsorbent in wastewater treatment. However, the hydrophily and dispersibility in aqueous solution limit its practical application in environmental protection. In this paper, a novel, environmentally friendly adsorbent, chitosan and chitosan-graphene oxide aerogels with a diverse shape, large specific surface area, and unique porous structure were prepared by a freeze-drying method. The structure of the adsorbents was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD); the specific surface area and swelling capability were also characterized. In addition, removal of diesel oil from seawater by chitosan aerogel (CSAG) and chitosan-graphene oxide aerogel (AGGO-1 and AGGO-2) was studied and batch adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of different adsorbent dosages (0-6 g), contact time (0-120 minutes), pH (3-9), and initial concentrations of oil residue (3-30 g/L) to determine the optimum condition for the adsorption of residue oil from seawater. The results showed that the chitosan-graphene oxide aerogels were more effective to remove diesel oil from seawater compared with pure chitosan aerogel. A removal efficiency ≥ 95% of the chitosan-graphene oxide aerogels could be achieved easily at the initial concentrations of 20 g/L, which indicated that the chitosan-graphene oxide aerogels can be used to treat the industrial oil leakage or effluent in the natural water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan, modified with different dosages of graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), was first prepared, and its adsorption capacity for reactive red (RR) dye in aqueous solutions was investigated, in this paper. The structure and morphology of the adsorbents were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, EDX, BET, and TGA. The effect of varying parameters (pH, temperature, adsorbent loading, and contact time) was also investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity based on the Langmuir model was found to be 32.16 mg/g. In addition, experimental kinetic data were analyzed by the psuedo-first order and psuedo-second order equation models. The psuedo-second order model proved to be the best model for the adsorption system, which suggested that adsorption might be controlled by the chemical rate-limiting step through sharing of electrons or by covalent forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the relationship between NIH-CPSI and IIEF-5 in Chinese men with CP/CPPS. A large cross-sectional and multicenter survey was conducted from July 2012 to January 2014. Men were recruited from urology clinics which were located at the five cities in China. All men participated in the survey by completing a verbal questionnaire (consisted of sociodemographics, past medical history, sexual history, and self-estimated scales). The results showed that 1,280 men completed the survey. Based on the CP/CPPS definition, a total of 801 men were diagnosed as having CP/CPPS. Men with CP/CPPS reported higher scores of NIH-CPSI and lower scores of IIEF-5 than men without CP/CPPS. NIH-CPSI scores were significantly negatively correlated with IIEF-5 scores. The total scores of NIH-CPSI were significantly more strongly correlated with question 5 than other questions of IIEF-5. The total scores of IIEF-5 were significantly more strongly correlated with pain symptoms scores of NIH-CPSI. Strongest correlation was found between QoL impact and question 5 of IIEF-5. The findings suggested that NIH-CPSI scores were significantly negatively correlated with IIEF-5 scores. Strongest correlation was found between QoL impact and question 5 of IIEF-5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ureter is vulnerable during general, gynecologic, and urologic surgeries. The traditional open surgical approaches to treating the iatrogenic ureteral injuries have shown several disadvantages such as relatively high rate of severe complications. Although the applications of endourological techniques for management of lower ureteral strictures have been routinely introduced over the last 10 years, most of the different modalities were based on the utilization of hydrophilic instruments that can facilitate the traversal of strictures surrounded by the sutures with gradually increasing force. Interestingly, we have revealed the Ho:YAG laser as the outstanding auxiliary approach to incising the sutures during the ureteroscopy for its well-controlled penetration depth, minimal scarring, and precise cutting. As far as we know, the combined utilization of Ho:YAG laser to incise the sutures responsible for the strictures and double J ureteral stent for drainage has not been extensively reported. Normal ureters of the patients managed by this novel approach were shown by the follow-up 3-4 months later, which demonstrated that the available technique was promising to effectively treat the iatrogenic ureteral injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wireless passive high-temperature pressure sensor without evacuation channel fabricated in high-temperature co-fired ceramics (HTCC) technology is proposed. The properties of the HTCC material ensure the sensor can be applied in harsh environments. The sensor without evacuation channel can be completely gastight. The wireless data is obtained with a reader antenna by mutual inductance coupling. Experimental systems are designed to obtain the frequency-pressure characteristic, frequency-temperature characteristic and coupling distance. Experimental results show that the sensor can be coupled with an antenna at 600 °C and max distance of 2.8 cm at room temperature. The senor sensitivity is about 860 Hz/bar and hysteresis error and repeatability error are quite low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaporins are multifunctional membrane channels that facilitate the transmembrane transport of water and solutes. When transmembrane mineral nutrient transporters exhibit the same expression patterns as aquaporins under diverse temporal and physiological conditions, there is a greater probability that they interact. In this study, genome-wide temporal profiling of transcripts analysis and coexpression network-based approaches are used to examine the significant specificity correlation of aquaporins and transmembrane solute transporters in developing maize leaf. The results indicate that specific maize aquaporins are related to specific transmembrane solute transporters. The analysis demonstrates a systems-level correlation between aquaporins, nutrient transporters, and the homeostasis of mineral nutrients in developing maize leaf. Our results provide a resource for further studies into the physiological function of these aquaporins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MYB transcription factors play central roles in plant responses to abiotic stresses. How stress affects development is poorly understood. Here, we show that OsMYB3R-2 functions in both stress and developmental processes in rice (Oryza sativa). Transgenic plants overexpressing OsMYB3R-2 exhibited enhanced cold tolerance. Cold treatment greatly induced the expression of OsMYB3R-2, which encodes an active transcription factor. We show that OsMYB3R-2 specifically bound to a mitosis-specific activator cis-element, (T/C)C(T/C)AACGG(T/C)(T/C)A, a conserved sequence that was found in promoters of cyclin genes such as OsCycB1;1 and OsKNOLLE2. In addition, overexpression of OsMYB3R-2 in rice led to higher transcript levels of several G2/M phase-specific genes, including OsCycBT1;1, OsCycB2;1, OsCycB2;2, and OsCDC20.1, than those in OsMYB3R-2 antisense lines or wild-type plants in response to cold treatment. Flow cytometry analysis revealed an increased cell mitotic index in overexpressed transgenic lines of OsMYB3R-2 after cold treatment. Furthermore, resistance to cold stress in the transgenic plants overexpressing OsCycB1;1 was also enhanced. The level of cellular free proline was increased in the overexpressed rice lines of OsMYB3R-2 and OsCycB1;1 transgenic plants compared with wild-type plants under the cold treatment. These results suggest that OsMYB3R-2 targets OsCycB1;1 and regulates the progress of the cell cycle during chilling stress. OsCPT1, which may be involved in the dehydration-responsive element-binding factor 1A pathway, showed the same transcription pattern in response to cold as did OsCycB1;1 in transgenic rice. Therefore, a cold resistance mechanism in rice could be mediated by regulating the cell cycle, which is controlled by key genes including OsMYB3R-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed development in Arabidopsis thaliana undergoes an initial phase of endosperm proliferation followed by a second phase in which the embryo grows at the expense of the endosperm. As mature seed size is largely attained during the initial phase, seed size is coordinately determined by the growth of the maternal ovule, endosperm, and embryo. Here, we identify SHORT HYPOCOTYL UNDER BLUE1 (SHB1) as a positive regulator of Arabidopsis seed development that affects both cell size and cell number, shb1-D, a gain-of-function overexpression allele, increases seed size, and shbl, a loss-of-function allele, reduces seed size. SHB1 is transmitted zygotically. The increase in shb1-D seed size is associated with endosperm cellurization, chalazal endosperm enlargement, and embryo development. SHB1 is required for the proper expression of two other genes that affect endosperm development, MINISEED3 (MINI3) and HAIKU2 (IKU2), a WRKY transcription factor gene and a leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase gene. SHB1 associates with both MINI3 and IKU2 promoters in vivoo SHB1 may act with other proteins that bind to MINI3 and IKU2 promoters to promote a large seed cavity and endosperm growth in the early phase of seed development. In the second phase, SHB1 enhances embryo cell proliferation and expansion through a yet unknown IKU2-independent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complete cellulose synthesis is required to form functional cell walls and to facilitate proper cell expansion during plant growth. AtCESA2 is a member of the cellulose synthase A family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that participates in cell wall formation. By analysis of transgenic seedlings, we demonstrated that AtCESA2 was expressed in all organs, except root hairs. The atcesa2 mutant was devoid of AtCESA2 expression, leading to the stunted growth of hypocotyls in seedlings and greatly reduced seed production in mature plants. These observations were attributed to alterations in cell size as a result of reduced cellulose synthesis in the mutant. The orientation of microtubules was also altered in the atcesa2 mutant, which was clearly observed in hypocotyls and petioles. Complementary expression of AtCESA2 in atcesa2 could rescue the mutant phenotypes. Together, we conclude that disruption of cellulose synthesis results in altered orientation of microtubules and eventually leads to abnormal plant growth. We also demonstrated that the zinc finger-like domain of AtCESA2 could homodimerize, possibly contributing to rosette assemblies of cellulose synthase A within plasma membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report firstly describes an extremely rare case of repetitive double J stent calculi formation after renal transplantation caused by the antihyperparathyroidism (HPT) drug calcitriol. In 2012, a woman initially presented to our hospital for anuria with lower abdominal pain. She was diagnosed with allograft hydronephrosis and double J stents obstruction by calculi formation after transplantation and treated with triplicate stents replacements in another hospital without clinical manifestations improvements. Through detailed exploration of medical history, we conclude that the abnormal calculi formation is due to the calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) administration, a drug which can increase renal tubular reabsorption of calcium for treating posttransplant HPT bone disease. After discontinuing calcitriol, the patient was stone-free and had a good recovery without severe complications during the 9-month follow-up. Our novel findings may provide an important clue and approach to managing formidable repetitive double J stent calculi formation in the clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]