Reliability and validity of the Tibetan version of the International Prostate Symptom Score.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Tibetan version of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS-Tib) in patients with and without urinary symptoms in a Tibetan population. METHODS: The validity and reliability of IPSS-Tib were studied in 85 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 62 controls without lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Reliability was evaluated using the test-retest method and internal consistency using Cronbach's α, and the construct validity was assessed by the correlation between IPSS-Tib scores and quality of life questions (QoL-Tib). RESULTS: The Cronbach's α coefficient of the IPSS-Tib was 0.80 and of a single IPSS scoring item ranged from 0.77 to 0.86. The IPSS-Tib test-retest reliability was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient, and its average value was 0.79 (P < 0.001). The mean (SEM, 95% CI) area under the ROC curve for the IPSS-Tib was 0.91 (0.87-0.96). The IPSS-Tib had a high correlation with the QoL-Tib (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 0.84, P < 0.01). The mean IPSS score before transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was 21.9 (6.8), and dropped to 6.38 (1.54) after TURP (P < 0.001), and the average difference was 15.52 (6.23), related to the drop from 4.5 (0.9) to 1.46 (0.48) in the QoL (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The IPSS-Tib has good reliability and validity in the diagnosis and symptom severity assessment of patients with BPH in Tibetan areas. It is an ideal assessment tool that can be used in Tibetan-speaking areas for patients with BPH and as a method for evaluating postoperative curative effect assessment of patients with BPH.

Prognostic Nomograms for Predicting Overall Survival and Cancer-Specific Survival of Patients With Malignant Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma.

Background: Malignant pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare tumors with few prognostic tools. This study aimed to construct nomograms for predicting 3- and 5-year survival for patients with malignant PPGL. Methods: The patient data was retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. A total of 764 patients diagnosed with malignant PPGL from 1975 to 2016 were included in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two cohorts; the training cohort (n = 536) and the validation cohort (n = 228). Univariate analysis, Lasso regression, and multivariate Cox analysis were used to identify independent prognostic factors, which were then utilized to construct survival nomograms. The nomograms were used to predict 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) for patients with malignant PPGL. The prediction accuracy of the nomogram was assessed using the concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves. Decision curve analysis (DCAs) was used to evaluate the performance of survival models. Results: Age, gender, tumor type, tumor stage, or surgery were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with malignant PPGL, while age, tumor stage, or surgery were independent prognostic factors for CSS (P <.05). Based on these factors, we successfully constructed the OS and CSS nomograms. The C-indexes were 0.747 and 0.742 for the OS and CSS nomograms, respectively. In addition, both the calibration curves and ROC curves for the model exhibited reliable performance. Conclusion: We successfully constructed nomograms for predicting the OS and CSS of patients with malignant PPGL. The nomograms could inform personalized clinical management of the patients.

Improved algorithm for determining the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night Band high-gain stage dark offset free from light contamination.

Dark offset is one of the key parameters for Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) high-gain stage (HGS) radiometric calibration, whose accuracy strongly impacts applications of DNB low-light detection for Earth observation at nighttime. Currently, DNB observation of the VIIRS onboard calibrator blackbody (OBCBB) view, together with its observation of deep space during the spacecraft pitch maneuver performed early in the mission, has been used to compute the HGS dark offset continuously. However, the relationship between the DNB OBCBB data and the Earth view (EV) data is unclear due to electronic timing differences between these two views. It is questionable whether the DNB OBCBB data can monitor the EV HGS dark offset change. Through comprehensive analysis of the DNB OBCBB data and EV data acquired from the monthly special acquisitions known as the VIIRS recommended operating procedures (VROPs), we have shown that the OBCBB data can only track the dark current component of the DNB HGS EV dark offset, instead of the total dark offset. The DNB observation of deep space during the spacecraft pitch maneuver was also contaminated by starlight. With such background, in this paper we propose an improved algorithm for determining the DNB HGS dark offset. By combined use of the DNB OBCBB data and the DNB VROP data, the generated DNB HGS dark offset is both free from light contamination and capable of tracking continuous drift. The improved algorithm could potentially improve the DNB radiometric performance at low radiance level. Our results provide a solid theoretical basis for dark offset calibration of the VIIRS DNB onboard Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership satellite and the following Joint Polar Satellite System satellites.

[Transurethral resection of the prostate for BPH in native Tibetans with different prostate volumes: A single-center retrospective analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the perioperative parameters and postoperative sexual function and complications in native Tibetans undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for BPH with different prostate volumes. METHODS: From June 2015 to February 2017, 325 native Tibetans with BPH underwent TURP in the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region. The patients were aged 59－88 years, with a median oxygen saturation level of 84% in the normal status, 24% with hydronephrosis, 40.3% with the history of acute urinary retention, 61.8% with pulmonary hypertension, and 19.1% taking regular medication preoperatively. According to the preoperative prostate volume (PV), the patients were divided into a large PV (LPV) group (PV ≥80 ml, n = 124) and a small PV (SPV) group (<80 ml, n = 201). Perioperative parameters and postoperative sexual function and complications were analyzed and compared between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: The operation time was significantly longer in the LPV than in the SPV group (ï¼»92.36 ± 26.35ï¼½ vs ï¼»56.28 ± 24.61ï¼½ min, P < 0.05) and the intraoperative blood loss was higher in the former than in the latter (ï¼»401.12 ± 50.12ï¼½ vs ï¼»385.15 ± 51.62ï¼½ ml, P < 0.05). Compared with the baseline, at 6 months after operation, the IPSS was significantly decreased in all the patients (22.13 ± 6.23 vs 5.29 ± 1.14 in the LPV group, P < 0.05; 23.04 ± 6.82 vs 5.12 ± 1.28 in the SPV group, P < 0.05), and the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) remarkably improved (ï¼»17.46 ± 5.82ï¼½ vs ï¼»5.91 ± 1.86ï¼½ ml/s in the LPV group, P < 0.05; ï¼»17.99 ± 5.86ï¼½ vs ï¼»6.01 ± 1.92ï¼½ ml/s in the SPV group, P < 0.05). The incidence rate of retrograde ejaculation was markedly higher in the LPV than in the SPV group postoperatively (48.4% vs 20.9%, P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups of patients in the incidence of postoperative complications (13.71% vs 9.45%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TURP is effective and safe for the treatment of BPH native Tibetans with different prostate volumes.

[Bushen Daozhuo Granules for type â ¢ prostatitis: A multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and efficacy of Bushen Daozhuo Granules (BDG) in the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial included 478 patients with type Ⅲ prostatitis, 290 in the trial group and 188 as controls, the former treated with BDG at 200 ml bid and the latter with tamsulosin hydrochloride sustainedrelease capsules at 0.2 mg qd, both for 4 weeks. Before treatment, after 4 weeks of medication, and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal, we obtained the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIHCPSI) scores and compared the safety and effectiveness rate between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the NIHCPSI score was markedly decreased in the control group after 4 weeks of medication (21.42 ± 4.02 vs 15.67 ± 3.65, P < 0.05) but showed no statistically significant difference from that at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (19.03 ± 3.86) (P>0.05), while the NIHCPSI score in the trial group was remarkably lower than the baseline both after 4 weeks of medication and at 4 weeks after drug withdrawal (10.92 ± 2.06 and 12.91 ± 2.64 vs 21.58 ± 3.67, P < 0.05). The trial group exhibited both a higher rate of total effectiveness and safety than the control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: BDG is safe and effective for the treatment of type Ⅲ prostatitis.

Polarimetric imaging and retrieval of target polarization characteristics in underwater environment.

Polarized light fields contain more information than simple irradiance and such capabilities provide an advanced tool for underwater imaging. The concept of the beam spread function (BSF) for analysis of scalar underwater imaging was extended to a polarized BSF which considers polarization. The following studies of the polarized BSF in an underwater environment through Monte Carlo simulations and experiments led to a simplified underwater polarimetric imaging model. With the knowledge acquired in the analysis of the polarimetric imaging formation process of a manmade underwater target with known polarization properties, a method to extract the inherent optical properties of the water and to retrieve polarization characteristics of the target was explored. The proposed method for retrieval of underwater target polarization characteristics should contribute to future efforts to reveal the underlying mechanism of polarization camouflage possessed by marine animals and finally to generalize guidelines for creating engineered surfaces capable of similar polarization camouflage abilities in an underwater environment.

Open-ocean fish reveal an omnidirectional solution to camouflage in polarized environments.

Despite appearing featureless to our eyes, the open ocean is a highly variable environment for polarization-sensitive viewers. Dynamic visual backgrounds coupled with predator encounters from all possible directions make this habitat one of the most challenging for camouflage. We tested open-ocean crypsis in nature by collecting more than 1500 videopolarimetry measurements from live fish from distinct habitats under a variety of viewing conditions. Open-ocean fish species exhibited camouflage that was superior to that of both nearshore fish and mirrorlike surfaces, with significantly higher crypsis at angles associated with predator detection and pursuit. Histological measurements revealed that specific arrangements of reflective guanine platelets in the fish's skin produce angle-dependent polarization modifications for polarocrypsis in the open ocean, suggesting a mechanism for natural selection to shape reflectance properties in this complex environment.

The Stimulative Effect of Yangjing Capsule on Testosterone Synthesis through Nur77 Pathway in Leydig Cells.

Yangjing Capsule (YC), an innovative Chinese medicine based on traditional prescription, promotes testosterone synthesis by upregulating the expression of steroidogenic enzymes. Nur77 as a nuclear receptor is known to regulate the expression of many steroid synthetases. This study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms by which YC regulates testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were employed to assess the expressions of steroidogenic enzymes and Nur77 after treating MLTC-1 cells with YC. The luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to detect the activity of Nur77 gene promoter. Also, the expressions of steroid synthases were detected after Nur77 gene was knocked down. YC significantly stimulated Nur77 production and upregulated StAR and HSD3B expression, and this agrees with the activity of Nur77 gene promoter that was significantly enhanced by YC. Interestingly, knockdown of Nur77 blocked the above YC's effects and consequently inhibited testosterone synthesis in MLTC-1 cells. YC promotes StAR and HSD3B expression and upregulates testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells, which is mediated by Nur77 pathway.

Yangjing Capsule Ameliorates Spermatogenesis in Male Mice Exposed to Cyclophosphamide.

Yangjing capsule (YC), a traditional Chinese compound herbal preparation, has been proven as an effective drug to improve spermatogenesis in clinical practice. However, its pharmacological mechanisms were not fully clarified. This study was designed to investigate the protective effects of YC on spermatogenesis in the mouse model of spermatogenesis dysfunction induced by cyclophosphamide (CP). The administration of YC significantly increased the epididymal index, sperm count, and sperm motility of model mice. Histopathological changes demonstrated that CP caused obvious structural damage to testis, which were reversed by the administration of YC. Results from TUNEL assay showed that treatment with YC dramatically decreased the apoptosis of spermatogenic cell induced by CP. Moreover, YC treatment could inhibit the mRNA and protein expression of Bax to Bcl-2 and also raised expression of AR at both mRNA and protein levels. These data suggest that YC might ameliorate spermatogenesis in male mice exposed to CP through inhibiting the apoptosis of spermatogenic cell and enhancing the actions of testosterone in spermatogenesis.

Scintillation of nonuniformly correlated beams in atmospheric turbulence.

We investigated the scintillation properties of nonuniformly correlated (NUC) beams in atmospheric turbulence and have shown that NUC beams can not only have lower scintillation but also higher intensity than Gaussian-Schell model beams and even higher intensity than coherent Gaussian beams over certain propagation distances.

Statistics of optical vortex wander on propagation through atmospheric turbulence.

The transverse position of an optical vortex on propagation through atmospheric turbulence is studied. The probability density of the optical vortex position on a transverse plane in the atmosphere is formulated in weak turbulence by using the Born approximation. With these formulas, the effect of aperture averaging on topological charge detection is investigated. These results provide quantitative guidelines for the design of an optimal detector of topological charge, which has potential application in optical vortex communication systems.

Reduction of turbulence-induced scintillation by nonuniformly polarized beam arrays.

We have explored a method to reduce turbulence-induced scintillation by using an incoherent beam array composed of beamlets with nonuniform polarization. It is shown that significant scintillation reduction of such an incoherent beam array can be obtained by using nonuniformly polarized beamlets whose scintillation properties are optimized.

Phase singularities, correlation singularities, and conditions for complete destructive interference.

A previously derived condition for the complete destructive interference of partially coherent light emerging from a trio of pinholes in an opaque screen is generalized to the case when the coherence properties of the field are asymmetric. It is shown by example that the interference condition is necessary, but not sufficient, and that the existence of complete destructive interference also depends on the intensity of light emerging from the pinholes and the system geometry; more general conditions for such interference are derived. The phase of the wave field exhibits both phase singularities and correlation singularities, and a number of nonintuitive situations in which complete destructive interference occurs are described and explained.

Scintillation of pseudo-Bessel correlated beams in atmospheric turbulence.

The concept of pseudo-Bessel correlated beams is introduced, and their scintillation properties on propagation through turbulence are investigated. By using the Rytov approximation, the scintillation index of pseudo-Bessel correlated beams is formulated in weak turbulence. The study of scintillation is extended into strong turbulence by numeric simulations. It is shown that by choosing an appropriate coherence parameter, pseudo-Bessel correlated beams have lower scintillation than comparable fully coherent beams in both weak and strong turbulence. In addition, the configuration of pseudo-Bessel correlated beams is modified by adding a horizontal beamlet; the scintillation properties of these modified beams are also discussed.

Scintillation of Airy beam arrays in atmospheric turbulence.

We investigate the scintillation properties of Airy beam arrays in atmospheric turbulence. By utilizing the "self-bending" propagation property of Airy beams, the constituent beamlets propagate through relatively independent regions of turbulence but still largely overlap at the on-axis detector. Through numeric simulations, it is shown that the scintillation of an Airy beam array is significantly reduced and close to the theoretical minimum.

Scintillation of nonuniformly polarized beams in atmospheric turbulence.

We demonstrate, through numerical simulations, that an appropriately chosen nonuniformly polarized coherent optical field can have appreciably smaller scintillation than comparable beams of uniform polarization. This results from the fact that a nonuniformly polarized field acts as an effective two-mode partially coherent field. The results described here are of direct relevance to the development of free-space optical communication systems.