[Inhibin B level helps evaluate the testicular function of prepubertal patients with varicocele].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the serum inhibin B (INHB) level in evaluating the testicular function of the prepubertal patient with varicocele (VC) after high ligation of the spermatic vein (HLSV). METHODS: This study included 31 prepubertal male patients with left VC, averaging 12.55 years of age and 9 complicated by right VC. We collected peripheral blood samples before and at 4, 12 and 26 weeks after HLSV as well as spermatic venous blood samples intraoperatively for determination of the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone (T), anti-sperm antibody (AsAb) and serum INHB by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, statistically significant differences were observed in the INHB level in the peripheral blood at 12 and 26 weeks after operation (ï¼»255.18 ± 69.97ï¼½ vs ï¼»141.78 ± 59.82ï¼½ pg/ml, P < 0.05) and that in the spermatic venous blood intraoperatively (ï¼»255.18 ± 69.97ï¼½ vs ï¼»412.44 ± 259.42ï¼½ pg/ml, P < 0.01). Spearman's analysis showed a negative correlation between the level of INHB and that of FSH (r = －0.224, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The level of serum INHB in the peripheral blood of the prepubertal VC patient is decreased within 6 months after HLSV and negatively correlated with that of FSH. The levels of INHB and FSH may well reflect the testicular function of the prepubertal VC patient.

[Endpoint Temperature Prediction of the Basic Oxygen Furnace Based on the Flame Temperature Measurement at the Converter Mouth].

In the basic oxygen steelmaking process, the endpoint temperature of the molten steel is one of the key factors whether the molten steel is qualified for tapping. Currently, it mainly relies on the experienced operators to control the endpoint temperature of the molten steel, and the prediction precision may vary among different operators. In order to realize the effectively end-point steel temperature prediction of the basic oxygen furnace as well as to meet the requirement of different sizes of the converter mouth, a new method based on the flame temperature measurement at the converter mouth was proposed in this paper. Firstly, a fiber-optic spectrometer system in the visible and near infrared spectral range was designed which can real-timely and effectively realize the collection of the flame radiation information at the converter mouth. Secondly, in consideration of the actual temperature of the flame and the distance between the converter and the designed system, an improved calibration method instead of the halogen lamp was adopted, and the two-color method was employed for the flame temperature measurement. Then a regression model based on the support vector machine was built with the flame temperature and several other parameters of the steel-making process as the input variables of the model. Verification experiment was carried out on 68 industrial data collected in the steel-making workshop. The results show that the prediction accuracy of this method is superior to the experienced operators, and close to the sub-lance based method. As a result, the proposed method can provide a feasible and effective solution to the end-point steel temperature prediction for those small-sized and medium-sized converters.