This study described the radiological features on echocardiography and MRI specific to cardiac amyloidosis confirmed on biopsy. Eleven cases of biopsy-proven cardiac amyloidosis were retrospectively reviewed in this study. All patients underwent biopsy, cardiac MRI and echocardiography. The main echocardiography and MRI findings were as follows: diffuse ventricular and septum wall thickening, atrial enlargement, pericardial effusion, restricted left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function, characteristic granular sparkling of myocardium. MRI revealed a characteristic pattern of global subendocardial late enhancement, extending in varying degrees into the neighboring myocardium. The findings agreed with the infiltration distribution of amyloid protein. Typical abnormalities seen on echocardiography and MRI should have important diagnostic and prognostic value of cardiac amyloidosis. MRI should be considered in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis if echocardiographic features are suspicious.

Objective:To observe the effects of All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on the immune functions of AChR-specific lymphcytes via in vitro assays,and investigate the possibility of ATRA in the clinical treatment of myasthenia gravis (MG).Methods:CFA control group and EAMG experimental rats were established to obtain single lymphocytes suspension and cells were followed by AChR97-116 peptide with or without ATRA stimulation for 72 h,and then viable cell population,cell apoptosis,cell cycle and the distribution of Th cells were determined by flow cytometry.CCK-8 assay was selected to evaluate the effects of ATRA on proliferatory ability of lymphocytes.ELISA was used to detect the antibody secretion of B cells affected by ATRA.Results:Compared with CFA group,lymphocytes obtained from EAMG rats had higher ratios of living cells,and this ratio was obviously decreased after ATRA treatment,P＜0.001.Different concentrations of ATRA promoted the apoptosis of AChR-specific cells (P＜0.001),and the promoted effects were ATRA dose-dependent,however,cell cycles were not changed.ATRA markedly inhibited the proliferation of cells from both CFA and EAMG groups,moreover,AChR-specific cells were more sensitive to ATRA treatment (P＜0.01) than that of cells from CFA rats (P＜0.05).The ratio of AChR-specific CD4+T cells was reduced by ATRA (P＜0.01),and ATRA incubation significantly promoted the percentages of Th2,(PCD4+-4IL-4+＜0.001),Treg (PCD4+-Foxp3+＜0.001) cell types,but markedly inhibited the percentages ofThl7 (PCD4+-IL-17+＜0.05),Thl (PCD4+-IFN-γ+＜0.001) cells.ELISA data showed us that ATRA obviously down regulated the antibody secretion of AChR-specific B cells,P＜0.01.Conclusions:ATRA not only inhibited the functions of AChR-specific T cells,but also suppressed the roles of AChR-specific B cells,predicating a therapeutic effect of ATRA on myasthenia gravis therapy.

Objective To investigate the inhibiting effects of alcohol extract from Dioscore bulbifera on proliferation, colony formation and migration of cancer cell lines. Methods Alcohol extract from Dioscore bulbifera was prepared using Soxhlet extraction. Human gastric cancer cell line MGC803 was treated with different concentrations(0, 60, 120 mg/L)of al?cohol extract from Dioscore bulbifera. In vitro, proliferation, colony formation and migration of gastric cancer cells were detect?ed by MTT, colony formation experiments and Transwell assay respectively. Results The proliferation(day2-day 6, F=29.130, 21.864, 67.826, 36.015, 43.656, P<0.01)and colony formation(F=11.918,P<0.01)of gastric cancer cells were significantly inhibited by administration of alcohol extract from Dioscore bulbifera at both 60 mg/L and 120 mg/L . The migra?tion(F=4.258,P<0.05)of gastric cancer cells were significantly suppressed after cells were treated with120 mg/L alcohol ex?tract from Dioscore bulbifera. Conclusion Alcohol extract from Dioscore bulbifera significantly inhibit proliferation, colony formation and migration of gastric cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE:To study the effects of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin on the proliferation,migration and invasion of thyroid cancer cells SW579 and its mechanism. METHODS:Cells were divided into blank control group,paclitaxel group (3μmol/L),cisplatin group(30 μmol/L),drug combination group(paclitaxel 3 μmol/L+cisplatin 30 μmol/L). 48 h after culture,the relative cell activity was measured by MTT assay. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. Migration and invasion of cell was tested by Transwell assay. The expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten(PTEN),protein kinase B(AKT),Cyclin D1,p27,matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were detected by Western blot. RESULTS:Compared with blank control group,relative cell activity of all treatment groups were decreased;paclitaxel or plus cisplatin also made cell cy-cle arrest in G1 phase,and migration and invasion ability of cell were decreased;the expression of PTEN and p27 remarkably in-creased,while the expression of Cyclin D1,MMP-2,MMP-9 and phosphorylation of AKT were obviously reduced,with statisti-cal significance (P<0.05). Compared with single drug group,the effect of drug combination group strengthened,with statistical significance in above indicators(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS:The inhibition effect of paclitaxel combined with cisplatin on the pro-liferation,migration and invasion of thyroid cancer cells SW579 cell will be strengthened,by a mechanism of up-regulating the ex-pression of PTEN and p27,down-regulating the expression of Cyclin D1,MMP-2 and MMP-9,inhibiting phosphorylation of AKT.

Objective The purpose of this study is to observe the changes of immune cell subsets in lupus mice after umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) transplantation. Methods B6.MRL-Faslpr lupus mice were randomly divided into the following three groups: the UC-MSCs treated group, the fibroblast like synoviocytes (FLS) treated group and the untreated group. MSC (1×106) or FLS (1×106) were injected into the tail vein of lupus mice respectively. Four weeks after treatment, the spleen index was calculated. The pathological changes of kidney were assessed by HE staining. The frequencies of immune cell subsets in spleen and macrophage in kidney as well as abdominal cavity were analyzed by flow cytometry. Data were analyzed with t test. Results The spleen index of UC-MSCs treated lupus mice [(79 ±9) mg/10 g] and IgG level [(7.5±1.5) mg/ml] were significantly decreased when compared with FLS treated group [(147±23) mg/10 g, t=2.78, P<0.01] [(17.0 ±2.8) mg/ml, t=3.00, P<0.01] and the untreated group [(156 ±16) mg/10 g, t=4.29, P<0.01] [(16.7 ±1.6) mg/ml,t=4.01, P<0.01]. HE staining also showed that the pathological changes of kidney were alleviated after MSCs transplantation. In addition, the frequency of plasma cells in the untreated group [(2.61 2± 0.318)% vs (0.306±0.017)%, t=7.22, P<0.01] and the FLS treated group [(2.412±0.297)% vs (0.306±0.017)%, t=7.07, P<0.01] were markedly higher than MSCs treatment [(0.306 ±0.017)%]. Moreover, the frequency of CD25+Foxp3+/CD4+Treg in the MSCs treated group [(15.08±0.81)%] was significantly increased compared with the untreated group [(8.02 ±0.47)%, t=7.45, P<0.01] and FLS treated group [(8.80 ±0.23)%, t=7.39, P<0.01]. MSCs treatment resulted in a decrease in CXCR5+PD1+/CD4+Tfh and IFNγ+/CD4+Th1 subset, compared with the untreated group [(14.3±1.5)%vs (31.5±3.3)%, t=5.25, P<0.01] [(1.78±0.27)% vs (5.93±1.56)%, t=2.60, P<0.05] and the FLS treated group [(14.3±1.5)%vs (28.8±2.2)%, t=5.49, P<0.01] [(1.78±0.27)%vs (4.88±0.81)%, t=3.61, P<0.01]. The frequency of macrophage in kidney of the MSCs treated group [(3.52 ±0.37)%] was markedly increased compared with the untreated group[(1.58±0.29)%, t=3.25, P<0.01], while neither the IL4+/CD4+Th2 subset nor the IL17+/CD4+Th17subset and the frequency of macrophage in abdominal cavity showed significant changes in the three groups. Conclusion These findings suggest that the therapeutic effects of MSCs on lupus mice may mediate through increasing the frequency of spleen Treg and renal macrophage and decreasing the frequency of Tfh, Th1 and plasma cells.

Objective To assess the effect of ultrasound-guided multiple-spot sector stereotaxis in unipolar cooling cycle radiofrequency ablation of hepatic carcinomas. Methods Ninety-six patients with 112 liver malignancies were treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation using multiple-spot sector stereotaxis method. Conventional multi-section ultrasound scanning was performed to determine the exact location of tumors. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) was performed 15 minutes after treatment to determine whether the tumors were completely inactivated. Contrast enhanced CT (CECT) and CEUS were performed 1 month after treatment to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Results A total of 293 punctures were performed for 112 tumors, technical successful rate with a successful rate of puncture was 91.81% (269/293). CEUS showed no blood flow signals in the tumors 15 minutes after therapy. One month after therapy, CT showed the volume of tumors shrunk, no enhancement was found in 100 tumors (100/112, 89.29%), while partial reinforcement was noticed in 12 tumors (10.71%). Meanwhile, CEUS showed no enhancement in 90 tumors (90/103, 87.38%), when partial reinforcement was noticed in 13 tumors (13/103, 12.62%). Conclusion Ultrasound-guided multiple-spot sector stereotaxis unipolar cooling cycle radiofrequency ablation is an effective and reliable method to treat hepatic carcinomas.

Objective To assess the values of MRI and echocardiography for the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis (CA). Methods Eleven cases with CA proved pathologically performed MRI and echocardiography, the findings were analyzed retrospectively. Results The characteristic features of cardiac amyloidosis on MRI and echocardiography were:diffuse slight myocardial thickening of the left ventricular wall and interventricular septum (11 cases ), slight myocardial thickening of the interatrial septum (5 cases), increased left ventricular mass (7 cases), enlarged left atrium ( 7 cases), impaired ventricular systolic and diastolic function (10 cases ), pleural and pericardial effusions (11 and 9 cases ).Echocardiography showed that myocardium was hyperechoic and presented as ground glass with some spotty hyperechoes in 6 cases. MRI revealed a distinct diffuse delayed enhancement of subendocardial and entire myocardium in 8 cases. Conclusion Doppler echocardiography is the first-choice imaging technique and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can provide more information for the diagnosis of CA.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of automated breast volume scanner(ABVS) system in detection musculoskeletal system lesions.Methods Totally 49 patients were scanned by Acuson S2000 ABVS system after conventional ultrasound examination.The scanning data of ABVS were stored and automatically reconstructed to obtain coronal and sagittal images.Then the results were analyzed and the occurrence rates of circle sign of different lesions were compared.Results The images of 49 lesions were obtained with ABVS and conventional ultrasound successfully.Statistical difference of the occurrence rate of circle sign was found between benign and malignant lesions (x2 =5.559,P =0.021).However,there was no statistical difference between hemangioma and malignant lesions (x2 =2.098,P =0.156).Meanwhile,a missed lesion in conventional ultrasound examination was found in coronal view by ABVS.Conclusions ABVS system can obtain effective coronal images of musculoskeletal system lesions,which represents a progress.

Histomonas meleagridis is a facultative anaerobic parasite, which can cause a common poultry disease known as histomoniasis. The species and age of the birds impacts on the susceptibility, with turkey being the most susceptible species. Chickens are less susceptible to H. meleagridis than turkeys and usually serve as reservoir hosts. Here, the diagnosis of an outbreak of histomoniasis in backyard Sanhuang chickens is described. The primary diagnosis was made based on clinical symptoms, general changes at necropsy, histopathology, and the isolation and cultivation of parasites. The pathogen was further confirmed by cloning, PCR identification, and animal inoculation tests. A strain of H. meleagridis, named HM-JSYZ-C, with a higher pathogenicity level in chickens was obtained. The study lays a foundation for further investigations into H. meleagridis and histomoniasis in chickens.
Animals ; Birds ; Chickens ; Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; Diagnosis ; Parasites ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Poultry Diseases ; Protozoan Infections ; Turkey ; Turkeys ; Virulence

It is unknown whether the famous sex-related difference in emotion processing is accounted for by biological sex, gender role, or their interaction. To clarify the issue, in Study 1 we recorded event-related potentials in response to negative and positive images of diverse intensities when 47 masculine (26 males) and 47 feminine (22 males) subjects performed a non-emotional task. The occipital P1 and N1 amplitudes were larger in women than in men, while feminine subjects showed larger N1 amplitudes than masculine subjects, regardless of sex. Moreover, feminine subjects showed enhanced frontocentral N2 (210–270 ms) amplitudes for highly and mildly negative than for neutral stimuli, while masculine subjects showed an emotion effect only for highly negative stimuli. The feminine-specific effect for mildly negative stimuli was positively correlated to the feminine score, and this correlation was located to the anterior cingulate and the superior and medial frontal gyri. Furthermore, feminine but not masculine subjects showed enhanced parietal P3 (330–560 ms) amplitudes for highly and mildly positive than for neutral stimuli, an effect positively related to the feminine score and localized to the precuneus, posterior cingulate, and superior temporal gyrus. Machine learning analyses verified that single-trial N2 and P3 amplitudes of feminine subjects reliably discriminated the intensity of negative and positive stimuli, respectively. For ecological considerations, in Study 2 we used an observational approach (n = 300) and confirmed that feminine gender role, rather than biological sex, predicted individual differences in daily experience of emotion-related psychopathological symptoms. These findings provide solid evidence for the critical impact of gender role rather than sex on emotional susceptibility.