Introduction The premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) was developed to standardize the diagnosis of PE and has been applied in many countries. However, a linguistic validation of the Chinese version of PEDT does not exist. Aims This study aims to undertake the Chinese validation of the PEDT and to evaluate its association with self-estimated intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and clinical expert diagnosis of PE. Methods A Chinese version of PEDT was confirmed by andrologist and bilingual linguist. Participants were recruited among seven different communities of Shanghai from 2011 to 2012, and their information regarding self-reported PE, self-estimated IELT, expert diagnosis of PE, and PEDT scores were collected. Main Outcome Measures Validity of the PEDT and its association with clinical expert diagnosis of PE and self-estimated IELT were analyzed. Results A total of 143 patients without PE (mean age 55.11 ± 7.65 years) and 100 men with PE (mean age 53.07 ± 8.08 years) were enrolled for validation. Of the patients in PE group, the number of men reporting self-estimated IELTs of ≤1, 1–2, and >2 minutes were 34 (34.0%), 22 (22.0%), and 44 (44.0%), respectively. The Cronbach's alpha score (α = 0.77) showed adequate internal consistency, and the test–retest correlation coefficients of each item (r ≥ 0.70, P < 0.001) indicated excellent stability over time. The frequency of agreement showed that there was excellent concordance between PEDT diagnosis and clinician diagnosis when the PEDT scores ≥11. An adequate correlation was found between total PEDT score and self-estimated IELT (ρ = −0.396, P < 0.001), and sensitivity and specificity analyses suggested a score of ≤8 indicated no time-defined PE (self-estimated IELT ≤1 minute). Conclusions The Chinese version of PEDT is valid in screening the presence of PE among Chinese men. The PEDT showed an adequate negative correlation with self-estimated IELT and an excellent concordance with clinician diagnosis of PE.

ANNs improve the prediction accuracy of sperm retrieval. Although the leptin AUC is low, combined use of leptin and FSH can significantly improve the prediction accuracy for sperm recovery in NOA patients. Leptin may be a good assistant marker for diagnosing NOA. However, studies with larger numbers of patients are required to confirm the improved predictive performance of ANNs.

Better understanding of variations in the mechanical properties of cancer cells could help to provide novel solutions for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancers. We therefore developed a calculation model of the intracellular elastic modulus based on the contact pressure between the silicon tip of an atomic force microscope and the target cells, and cutting depth. Ovarian cells (UACC-1598) and colon cancer cells (NCI-H716) were cut into sequential layers using an atomic force microscope silicon tip. The cutting area on the cells was 8 m × 8 m, and the loading force acting on the cells was increased from 17.523 to 32.126 N. The elastic modulus distribution was measured after each cutting process. There were significant differences in contact pressure and cutting depth between different cells under the same loading force, which could be attributed to differences in their intrinsic structures and mechanical properties. The differences between the average elastic modulus and surface elastic modulus for UACC-1598 and NCI-H716 cells were 0.288±0.08 kPa and 0.376±0.16 kPa, respectively. These results demonstrate that this micro-cutting method can be used to measure intracellular mechanical properties, which could in turn provide a more accurate experimental basis for the development of novel methods for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. The cytoskeleton has a major effect on the responsiveness of cells to external stimuli [1][2][3][4][5] and is composed of a variety of protein filaments of different sizes and degrees of stiffness [6][7][8][9][10]. Cells can be cut into sequential layers using an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip, which allows the elastic modulus of the cytoskeleton and the organelles to be determined. The sequential distribution of the intracellular elastic modulus can thus also be plotted, allowing an overall understanding of the mechanical properties of the cells to be determined. This in turn can provide a more detailed experimental basis for studying cytopathology and disease processes. Investigations into intracellular mechanical properties are therefore crucial.In this study, cells were cut into sequential layers using an AFM-based nano-cutting system, and the contact properties between the AFM silicon tip and the cell were analyzed to measure the distribution of the intracellular elastic modulus. In addition, the cell morphology after each cutting process was also examined.