A case of POEMS syndrome comprising of a complicated diagnostic procedure: Case report.

RATIONALE: This article presents the case of a patient with recurrent chronic diarrhea and cachexia who was misdiagnosed, followed by a literature review to summarize the reasons for misdiagnosis of POEMS syndrome and the treatment strategies. PATIENT CONCERNS: The diagnosis and treatment of this patient suggest that with the improvement of M-protein detection levels, the diagnosis of patients with low M-protein levels, such as those with POEMS syndrome, has been greatly aided. DIAGNOSES: POEMS syndrome requires polyneuropathy and monoclonal plasma cell proliferation as mandatory diagnostic criteria. Therefore, patients presenting with polyneuropathy should routinely undergo M-protein testing and consider the possibility of POEMS syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: The patient, in this case, was treated primarily with relatively conservative immunomodulatory agents. OUTCOMES: During follow-up after treatment, the patient's diarrhea and malnutrition showed significant improvement. LESSONS SUBSECTIONS: POEMS syndrome has low clinical specificity and a high rate of misdiagnosis. However, once a definitive diagnosis is made, the treatment outcome is favorable.

Recent Progress of Transition Metal Phosphides for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution can effectively alleviate the troublesome global energy crisis by converting solar energy into the chemical energy of hydrogen. In order to realize efficient hydrogen generation, a variety of semiconductor materials have been extensively investigated, including TiO2 , CdS, g-C3 N4 , metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and others. In recent years, to achieve higher photocatalytic performance and reach the level of large-scale industrial applications, photocatalysts decorated with transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have shone brightly because of their low cost, stable physical and chemical properties, and substitution for precious metals of TMPs. This Review highlights the preparation methods and properties associated with photocatalysis of TMPs. Moreover, the H2 generation efficiency of photocatalysts loaded with TMPs and the roles of TMPs in catalytic systems are also studied systematically. Apart from being co-catalysts, several TMPs can also serve as host catalysts to boost the activity of photocatalytic composites. Finally, the development prospects and challenges of TMPs are put forward, which is valuable for future researchers to expand the application of TMPs in photocatalytic directions and to develop more active photocatalytic systems.

[Effects of Yishen Shengjing Capsules on semen quality and gonadal hormone levels in rats with dibutyl phthalate-induced reproductive function injury].

OBJECTIVE: To study the possible pathogenesis of infertility caused by dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and investigate the effects of Yishen Shengjing Capsules (YSC, kidney-tonifying and essence-producing capsules) on DBP-induced reproductive function injury and its possible action mechanisms in male Wistar rats. METHODS: Models of DBP-induced reproductive function injury were made in 80 male Wistar rats and another 20 were used as blank controls. After modeling, the model rats were randomly divided into a model control, a high-dose YSC, a medium-dose YSC, and a low-dose YSC group. Four weeks after intervention, all the animals were sacrified for observation of the histomorphologic changes in the testis under the light microscope, measurement of sperm concentration, motility and abnormality, and determination of the levels of serum testosterone (T), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Compared with the blank controls, the model rats showed obvious pathological changes in testicular histomorphology, significantly decreased sperm concentration and motility, increased sperm abnormality, reduced contents of serum T and LH, and elevated the level of serum FSH (P<0.01). After 4 weeks of medication, the animals of the high-, medium-, and low-dose YSC groups, in comparison with the model controls, exhibited different degrees of recovery from testicular histomorphological damage, remarkably increased sperm concentration and motility, decreased sperm abnormality, elevated levels of serum T and LH, and reduced content of serum FSH (P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in all the parameters above between the high-dose YSC and medium- and low-dose YSC groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DBP reduces sperm motility and concentration, increases sperm abnormality, causes damage to the morphological structure of the rat testis, decreases the contents of serum T and LH, and elevates the level of the serum FSH. Yishen Shengjing Capsules can improve DBP-induced productive function injury, increase sperm motility and concentration, decrease sperm abnormality, elevate the level of serum T and LH, reduce the content of serum FSH, improve the morphological structure of the testis, and thus promote the reproductive function of the male rat.