[Tadalafil for erectile dysfunction: an overview].

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common male disease and frequently encountered in Andrology. PDE5 inhibiter can competitively inhibit the hydrolysis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), increase the cGMP concentration in the smooth muscle cells of the corpus cavernosum penis, and achieve the therapeutic effect on ED. Tadalafil can elevate the level of cGMP in the corpus cavernosum and effectively improve ED of various causes and degrees. Tadalafil therapy for ED, characterized by long efficacy, high safety, easy acceptance by patients and their partners, and obvious promotion of patients'self-confidence and natural experience in sexual activities, can achieve satisfactory physiological and psychological results and effectively improve the quality of patients' sexual life. Therefore tadalafil deserves an extensive clinical application in the treatment of ED.

A Candidemia Case Caused by a Novel Drug-Resistant Candida auris with the Y132F Mutation in Erg11 in Mainland China.

Background: Candida auris is a pathogen first found in external ear canal, becoming a major threat to global health. Here, we describe a candidemia case caused by a novel drug-resistant Candida auris strain. Case Presentation: An 80-year-old patient, with multiple serious medical conditions, was suffered from candidemia caused by Candida auris, died 9 days after admission in our hospital. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this C. auris isolate (designated BJCA003) belongs to the South Asian clade, carries the Y132F mutation in the protein Erg11. And antibiotic susceptibility test indicated that BJCA003 is resistant to fluconazole and amphotericin B, not susceptible to caspofungin. In addition, this strain has multiple colony and cellular morphologies under different culture conditions. Conclusion: Strain BJCA003 is a novel drug resistant C. auris strain in mainland China, the Y132F mutation in Erg11 may attribute to fluconazole-resistance, alarming that we still face more challenges about C. auris.

Effects of the hemolytic index on the test results of a dry chemistry analyzer and a verification of the hemolytic interference threshold.

BACKGROUND: This study verified and assessed 26 biochemical indicators tested by a dry chemistry analyzer using the hemolytic index test function to determine the degree of interference and the trends among the hemolysis samples on the test results. This study also sought to ensure that reasonable test reports could be issued taking into account practical clinical needs. METHODS: The samples were manually divided into the control group and the test group. The hemolytic index and biochemical indicators of the samples were tested using the Ortho Vitros 5600 to compare the deviation of the test results between the 2 groups. The judgment standard was set as 1/3 of the total error allowable as required by the quality assessment criterion of the National Center for Clinical Laboratories. The interference degree of hemolysis on the dry chemistry-based biochemical indicators was assessed, and the hemolytic thresholds of 26 biochemical indicators provided by the manufacturer were verified in terms of their validity and rationality. RESULTS: The hemolytic thresholds of 26 dry chemistry-based biochemical indicators were verified to analyze the degree of interference. The results revealed that hemolysis interfered with 17 indicators. Hemolysis positively interfered with the test results of phosphorus, creatine kinase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GGT), magnesium, iron, total protein, potassium, total bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, albumin, and aspartate aminotransferase, but negatively interfered with cholinesterase, direct high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, elevated carbon dioxide alkaline phosphatase, and alanine aminotransferase. A negative deviation of γ-GGT by hemoglobin was described in the manufacturer's statement, but our test data showed a positive deviation by hemolysis. The hemolytic threshold verification results of the other biochemical indicators were consistent with the manufacturer's statement. CONCLUSIONS: The hemolytic index test function was used to determine which samples were interfered with by hemolysis to make an analytical judgment according to the hemolytic interference thresholds of the different test items, verify the validity of the hemolytic thresholds of the test items, perform reasonable tests on the hemolytic samples, and issue valid reports to reduce the rejection rate of the hemolytic samples, shorten the turnaround time (TAT) of laboratories.

Epidemiology and antifungal susceptibilities of yeast isolates causing invasive infections across urban Beijing, China.

AIM: To investigate the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of yeast isolates causing invasive infections across Beijing. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 1201 yeast isolates recovered from blood and other sterile body fluids were correctly identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization TOF MS supplemented by DNA sequencing. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute broth microdilution method. RESULTS: Candida (95.5%) remained the most common yeast species isolated; Candida albicans (38.8%) and Candida parapsilosis (22.6%) were the leading species of candidemia. Azole resistances were mainly observed in Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis isolates. CONCLUSION: This study outlined the epidemiologic data of invasive yeast infections and highlighted the need for continuous monitoring of azole resistances among C. glabrata and C. tropicalis isolates in Beijing.