[Efficacy and safety of phosphodiesterase inhibitors for erectile dysfunction in diabetic men: A meta analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in patients with diabetes mellitus and provide some evidence for the clinical treatment of the disease. METHODS: We searched MedMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wan Fang Data, VIP and ZADL for randomized controlled trials on PDE-5 inhibitors for ED in diabetic men and evaluated the methodology of the included trials with the Jadad scale. We used the erectile function domain in the IIEF (IIEF-EF), IIEF questions (IIEF-Q) 3 and 4, SEP-2 and -3, and Global Assessment Questions (GAQ) as the main evaluation indexes and employed the Review Manager 5. 1. 0 software for meta analysis. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included, which were all high quality trials with Jadad score > 3. The IIEF-EF scores in 10 of the included studies were subjected to meta analysis using the random-effect model (REM), with a weighted mean difference (WMD) of 5.64 (95% CI 4.41 - 6.83, P < 0.001). The fixed-effect model (FEM) analysis of the IIEF-Q scores in 6 of the studies showed the WMD to be 0.96 (95% CI 0.83 -1.08, P < 0.001) for IIEF-Q3 and 1.11 (95% CI 0.98 - 1.25, P < 0.001) for IIEF-Q4. FEM analysis of the SEP-2 scores showed WMD = 17.67 (95% CI 12. 38 - 22. 97, P < 0.001) in 2 of the studies, and that of the SEP-3 scores WMD = 23.64 (95% CI 17. 49 - 29.79, P < 0.001) in 5 of the studies. The GAQ scores in 11 of the studies were subjected to REM analysis, with OR = 6. 20 and 95% CI 3.65 - 10.52 (P < 0.001). REM analysis was performed on the adverse reactions in 11 of the studies, with OR = 7.43 and 95% CI 4.11 - 13.44 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: PDE-5 inhibitors can effectively and safely improve erectile function in patients with diabetes mellitus.

An Integrated Neural Optrode with Modification of Polymer-Carbon Composite Films for Suppression of the Photoelectric Artifacts.

Optogenetics-based integrated photoelectrodes with high spatiotemporal resolution play an important role in studying complex neural activities. However, the photostimulation artifacts caused by the high level of integration and the high impedance of metal recording electrodes still hinder the application of photoelectrodes for optogenetic studies of neural circuits. In this study, a neural optrode fabricated on sapphire GaN material was proposed, and 4 µLEDs and 14 recording microelectrodes were monolithically integrated on a shank. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/polystyrenesulfonate and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PEDOT:PSS-MWCNT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and graphene oxide (PEDOT-GO) composite films were deposited on the surface of the recording microelectrode by electrochemical deposition. The results demonstrate that compared with the gold microelectrode, the impedances of both composite films reduced by more than 98%, and the noise amplitudes decreased by 70.73 and 87.15%, respectively, when exposed to light stimulation. Adjusting the high and low levels, we further reduced the noise amplitude by 48.3%. These results indicate that modifying the electrode surface by a polymer composite film can effectively enhance the performance of the microelectrode and further promote the application of the optrode in the field of neuroscience.

Sapphire-Based Optrode for Low Noise Neural Recording and Optogenetic Manipulation.

Electrophysiological recordings of neurons in deep brain regions using optogenetic stimulation are essential to understanding and regulating the role of complex neural activity in biological behavior and cognitive function. Optogenetic techniques have significantly advanced neuroscience research by enabling the optical manipulation of neural activities. Because of the significance of the technique, constant advancements in implantable optrodes that integrate optical stimulation with low-noise, large-scale electrophysiological recording are in demand to improve the spatiotemporal resolution for various experimental designs and future clinical applications. However, robust and easy-to-use neural optrodes that integrate neural recording arrays with high-intensity light emitting diodes (LEDs) are still lacking. Here, we propose a neural optrode based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) on sapphire technology, which integrates a high-intensity blue LED with a 5x2 recording array monolithically for simultaneous neural recording and optogenetic manipulation. To reduce the noise interference between the recording electrodes and the LED, which is in close physical proximity, three metal grounding interlayers were incorporated within the optrode, and their ability to reduce LED-induced artifacts during neural recording was confirmed through both electromagnetic simulations and experimental demonstrations. The capability of the sapphire optrode to record action potentials has been demonstrated by recording the firing of mitral/tuft cells in the olfactory bulbs of mice in vivo. Additionally, the elevation of action potential firing due to optogenetic stimulation observed using the sapphire probe in medial superior olive (MSO) neurons of the gerbil auditory brainstem confirms the capability of this sapphire optrode to precisely access neural activities in deep brain regions under complex experimental designs.

Thermal Analysis of THz Schottky Diode Chips with Single and Double-Row Anode Arrangement.

GaN Schottky diodes show great potential in high-power terahertz frequency multipliers. The thermal characteristics of GaN Schottky diodes with single and double-row anode arrangements are described in this paper. The temperature distribution inside the Schottky diode is discussed in detail under the coupling condition of Joule heat and solid heat transfer. The effects of different substrates and substrate geometric parameters on the thermal characteristics of the Schottky diode chips with single and double-row anode arrangements are systematically analyzed. Compared with that of the chip with single-row anode arrangement, the maximum temperature of the chip with double-row anode arrangement can be reduced by 40 K at the same conditions. For chips with different substrates, chips with diamond substrates can withstand greater power dissipation when reaching the same temperature. The simulation results are instructive for the design and optimization of Schottky diodes in the terahertz field.

[High ligation of the spermatic vein and sperm DNA fragmentation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of high ligation of the spermatic vein (HLSV) on DNA fragmentation in varicocele (VC) patients. METHODS: Thirty-four VC patients underwent HLSV. Sperm motion indexes and the results of papanicolaou staining and DNA fragmentation detection were analyzed before and 3 months after the operation according to the WHO guidelines. RESULTS: Compared with pre-operation, HLSV achieved a significant increase in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm (P < 0.01), and remarkable decreases in DNA fragmentation, sperm deformity index (SDI) and multiple anomalies index (MAI) (P < 0.01). The patients also showed significant increases in sperm concentration and the percentages of grade b sperm (P < 0.05) and grade a and a + b sperm (P < 0.01) after the operation. The post-operative percentages of sperm DNA fragmentation in those with grades I - III VC were markedly lower (P < 0.01), but showed no significant difference from that in those with subclinical VC (P > 0.05). The percentage of big-halo sperm was significantly increased (P < 0.01), while those of the medium-, small- and non-halo sperm remarkably decreased (P < 0.01) after HLSV. CONCLUSION: HLSV can effectively improve the sperm quality of VC patients.

[Transurethral unroofing in seminal vesicle cyst].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of transurethral unroofing in treatment of seminal vesicle cyst. METHODS: Seven patients seminal vesicle cyst 2.1 cm x 3.0 cm x 3.3 cm - 5.5 cm x 6.3 cm x 10.2 cm in size, aged 36 (21 - 65), with the symptoms of hematospermia (4 cases), hematuria (3 cases), epididymitis (2 cases), dysuria (1 case), bladder irritation symptoms (1 case), bloody mucus of urethral orifice after miction (1 case), perineal discomfort (2 case), and infertility (3 cases), underwent transurethral unroofing of seminal vesicle cyst. RESULTS: Operation was performed successful on all 7 patients. The mean operative time was 20 min, the mean estimated operative blood loss was 5 ml, and the mean hospital stay was 3 d. Follow-up was conduced for 28.3 months (8 months-10 years). All patients were free of symptoms after surgery, without recurrence and complications that needed further therapy. Two of the 3 patients with infertility succeeded in fertilization 1 year after surgery, and 1 patient with retrograde ejaculation underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection and succeeded in fertilization 6 months after operation. CONCLUSION: Transurethral unroofing provides an effective approach to the seminal vesicle cyst with minimal invasion, short hospitalization, and rapid recovery.

[Etiology, diagnosis and management of spontaneous per renal hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the etiology, diagnosis, and management of spontaneous perirenal hemorrhage (SPH). METHODS: The clinical data of 35 patients, 10 males and 12 females, aged 35.9 (12-77), with the diagnosis of SPH, without history of trauma, anticoagulant use, dialysis, and renal transplantation, were analyzed. RESULTS: The underlying disease of SPH included angiomyolipoma (18 cases), renal cell carcinoma (7 cases), kidney cyst (2 cases), renal artery aneurysm (3 cases), rupture of renal artery aneurysm accompanied with pregnancy (2 cases), renal pheochromocytoma (3 cases 2 of which accompanied with pregnancy), congenital stricture of pelvic ureter junction (1 case), and liver cancer (1 case). The most common underlying diseases were nephrogenic (96%) with angiomyolipoma ranking first (54%) followed by renal cell carcinoma (21%). The underlying diseases were diagnosed correctly in 23 cases (69%). CT helped in diagnosis of 34 cases. Surgery was performed on most of the cases. CONCLUSION: The most common causes of SPH is renal neoplasms more than 50% of which are benign. Renal artery aneurysm and pheochromocytoma tend to rupture during pregnancy. CT is the first method of choice in diagnosis.