[94 km Brillouin distributed optical fiber sensors based on ultra-long fiber ring laser pumping].

A novel optical amplification configuration based on ultra-long fiber laser with a ring cavity was proposed and applied to Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) sensing system, in order to extend the measurement distance significantly. The parameters used in the experiment were optimized, considering the main limitations of the setup, such as depletion, self-phase modulation (SPM) and pump-signal relative intensity noise (RIN) transfer. Through analyzing Brillouin gain spectrum, we demonstrated distributed sensing over 94 km of standard single-mode fiber with 3 meter spatial resolution and strain/temperature accuracy of 28 /1. 4 degree C.

Distributed Raman amplification using ultra-long fiber laser with a ring cavity: characteristics and sensing application.

Distributed Raman amplification (DRA) based on ultra-long fiber laser (UL-FL) pumping with a ring cavity is promising for repeaterless transmission and sensing. In this work, the characteristics (including gain, nonlinear impairment and noise figure) for forward and backward pumping of the ring-cavity based DRA scheme are fully investigated. Furthermore, as a typical application of the proposed configuration, ultra-long-distance distributed sensing with Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA) over 142.2 km fiber with 5m spatial resolution and ± 1.5 °C temperature uncertainty is achieved, without any repeater. The key point for the significant performance improvement is the system could offer both of uniform gain distribution and considerably suppressed pump-probe relative intensity noise (RIN) transfer, by optimized design of system structure and parameters.

Hybrid distributed Raman amplification combining random fiber laser based 2nd-order and low-noise LD based 1st-order pumping.

A configuration of hybrid distributed Raman amplification (H-DRA), that is formed by incorporating a random fiber laser (RFL) based 2nd-order pump and a low-noise laser-diode (LD) based 1st-order pump, is proposed in this paper. In comparison to conventional bi-directional 1st-order DRA, the effective noise figure (ENF) is found to be lower by amount of 0 to 4 dB due to the RFL-based 2nd-order pump, depending on the on-off gain, while the low-noise 1st-order Raman pump is used for compensating the worsened signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the vicinity towards the far end of the fiber and avoiding the potential nonlinear impact induced by excess injection of pump power and suppressing the pump-signal relative intensity noise (RIN) transfer. As a result, the gain distribution can be optimized along ultra-long fiber link, due to combination of the 2nd-order RFL and low-noise 1st-order pumping, making the transmission distance be extended significantly. We utilized such a configuration to achieve ultra-long-distance distributed sensing based on Brillouin optical time-domain analysis (BOTDA). A repeater-less sensing distance record of up to 154.4 km with 5 m spatial resolution and ~ ± 1.4 °C temperature uncertainty is successfully demonstrated.

Influence of the depth of the sperm counting chamber on sperm motility / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the influence of the depth of the sperm counting chamber on sperm motility.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We measured the depths of sperm counting chambers using the Filmetrics F20 Spectral Reflectance Thin-Film Measurement System. Then, according to the WHO5 manual, we analyzed 36 semen samples for the percentages of progressively motile sperm (PR) and non-progressively motile sperm (NP) and sperm motility (PR + NP) with the Ruiqi CFT-9201 computer-aided sperm analysis system, and compared the results of analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The depths of the 4 sperm counting chambers were 9.8, 12.7, 15.7 and 19.9 microm, respectively, and the obtained PR were (44.00 +/- 11.63), (41.96 +/- 12.62), (40.86 +/- 11.71) and (37.78 +/- 11.38)%, NP (13.54 +/- 3.01), (14.13 +/- 2.94), (14.91 +/- 3.02) and (16.53 +/- 2.77)%, and sperm motility (57.53 +/- 11.06), (56.08 +/- 11.97), (55.78 +/- 11.55) and (54.31 +/- 12.11)% from the 4 chambers, respectively. The depth of the sperm counting chamber was correlated negatively with PR (r = -0.993, P < 0.05) and sperm motility (r = -0.978, P < 0.05), but positively with NP (r = 0.989, P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the 9.8 microm and 19.9 microm deep chambers in PR and NP (P < 0.05) though not in sperm motility among the 4 chambers of different depths.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The impact of the depth of the sperm counting chamber on sperm motility should not be ignored, for the deviation of the results from the chambers of different depths may lead clinicians to incorrect diagnosis and consequently inappropriate therapeutic approaches. Different reference ranges of sperm motility need to be normalized in correspondence to the depths of sperm counting chambers.</p>

FSH, LH, PRL, E2 and T in 8-17 year old males: investigation and analysis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) in male adolescents of different ages by determining their levels in 8-17 years old boys.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We included in this study 627 male adolescents aged 8-17 years and qualified through physical examinations. All the subjects underwent determination of FSH, LH, PRL, E2 and T with an automatic ACCESS microparticle chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer and detection of liquid quality control by immunoassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>FSH remained at a low level in the 8-10 years old male adolescents and increased at 11 years; the levels of LH and T were low before the age of 12 years and began to increase at 13 years; and that of E2 was low before the age of 13 years and began to rise after that, all with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the male adolescents, FSH, LH and T significantly increased at 11, 12 and 13 years old, respectively, which marked the beginning of sexual development.</p>

Prevalence and influential factors of erectile dysfunction in male renal transplant recipients: a multiple center survey / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Renal transplants can improve the quality of life for recipients, but the quality of their sexual life might not be improved. This study was conducted to research the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) and the influential factors in male renal transplant recipients (RTRs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three renal transplantation centers. Structured questionnaires were administrated by trained interviewers to 824 male renal transplant patients, who had active sexual lives in the last 6 months.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Complaints of ED were reported by 75.5% of the 809 RTRs (age range 19 - 75 years, mean age (45 +/- 10) years), whose questionnaires were completed. Mild, moderate and severe ED were reported at 53.6%, 8.3% and 13.6%, respectively. The mean age and the graft duration were significantly higher in male RTRs with ED compared to potent graft recipients (P = 0.00 and 0.04, respectively). The prevalence of ED increased with the increase in age. It was 60.7%, 65.8%, 75.2%, 87.5% and 92.2% in patients with age below 30 years, 31 - 40 years, 41 - 50 years, 51 - 60 years and over 60 years, respectively (P = 0.000). Moreover, the severity of ED increased with aging. The percentage of moderate and severe cases of ED increased from 6.7% in patients below 40 years to 28.9% in those over 40 years (P = 0.000). The prevalence of ED in the RTR who had no occupation was higher than in those who were holding a position (P = 0.001). The prevalence of ED decreased with the increase in the education level. The prevalence of ED was 94.3%, 86.4%, 74.0% and 67.8% in men with elementary school or lower, middle school, high school, and college or higher degrees, respectively (P = 0.000). Patients, whose distal end of arteria iliaca interna was interrupted and underwent iterative transplantation, worried transplanted kidney function was impacted by sexual life, and received cyclosporine (CsA)-based immunosuppressive regimens, were more likely to have ED (P = 0.000, 0.001, 0.000, 0.000, respectively). After Logistic regression analysis, only five factors, age, education level, interruption of arteria iliaca interna distal end, worrying transplanted kidney function impacted by sexual life and CsA-based immunosuppressive regimens sustained their significance.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Renal transplant has varying effects on erectile function. ED is highly prevalent among RTRs and its influential factors are multiple. Age, education level, interruption of arteria iliaca interna distal end, worrying transplanted kidney function impacted by sexual life, CsA-based immunosuppressive regimens are the main influential factors of ED in male RTRs.</p>