Objective To detect the tissue stiffness of liver lesions by using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI) and to evaluate the clinical value on the characteristics of liver lesions.Methods ARFI was perforrned in 91 patients with 103 liver lesions (56 benign,48 malignant).Tbe elastographic images of virtual touch tissue imaging (VTI) and the values of virtual touch tissue quantification (VTQ) were analyzed.The area under the curve and cutoff value for VTQ value were used to assess diagnostic performance.Results On the elastographic images of VTI,79.17 ％ (31/55) malignant liver lesions and 56.36 ％ (38/48) benign liver lesions appeared stiffer compared with the surrounding liver parenchyma.There was statistical difference between malignant and benign liver lesions (x2 =0.627,P ＜ 0.01).The VTQ values of malignant and benign liver lesions were (2.64±0.65) m/s and (1.72±0.39) m/s,respectively,and there was statistical difference between them (t =8.638,P ＜ 0.01).With a cutoff value of 2.10 m/s for VTQ value,the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis for liver malignancy were 83.3 ％ and 81.8 ％,respectively.Conclusion ARFI can provide information of the tissue stiffuess in live lesions,which is helpful in the differentiation between benign and malignant liver lesions and might become the imaging modality in the future.

Objective To investigate the application of high-frequency ultrasound in pre-operative evaluation of brachial artery elasticity in chronic renal failure patients planning arteriovenous fistula formation.Methods A total of 65 patients with chronic renal failure undergoing radial artery-cephalic vein fistula (chronic renal failure group) and 40 healthy adults (control group) were selected.The elastic modulus (EM) of brachial artery was calculated by ultrasound.All subjects were divided into 5 subgroups according to age (≥50 years),hypertension,diabetes and chronic glomerulonephritis.Patients in subgroup 0 (28 cases),subgroup 1 (22 cases),subgroup 2 (24 cases),subgroup 3 (20 cases),subgroup 4 (11 cases) had 0,1,2,3 and 4 risk factors respectively.Results The levels of systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure,serum creatinine,and the EM of brachial artery in chronic renal failure group were higher than those in control group:(20.65 ± 1.32) kPa vs.(16.38 ± 1.08) kPa,(8.64 ±0.51) kPa vs.(7.12 ±0.35) kPa,(637.3 ± 116.5) μ mol/L vs.(84.7 ±31.1) μmol/L,(132.96 ± 11.78) kPa vs.(102.16 ± 10.10) kPa,and there were significant differences (P ＜ 0.01 or ＜ 0.05).The single factor correlation analysis showed that age in control group,serum creatinine in chronic renal failure group and systolic blood pressure in two groups were significantly positively correlated with the EM of brachial artery(r =0.636,0.548,0.703; P ＜ 0.01).With the increase of risk factors,the EM of brachial artery increased gradually:(96.21 ±9.82),(104.45 ± 10.55),(114.87 ± 11.15),(127.26 ± 12.43),(143.54 ± 12.81) kPa in subgroup 0,subgroup 1,subgroup 2,subgroup 3,subgroup 4,and there were significant differences (F=17.43,P＜ 0.05).The EM of brachial artery increased significantly in subgroup 3 and 4 with multiple risk factors.Conclusions Brachial artery elasticity measured by high-frequency ultrasound can be used as an indicator of vascular function preoperative vascular assessment.Age,systolic blood pressure,pulse pressure and serum creatinine levels are the major risk factors for brachial artery elasticity.The coexistence of multiple risk factors of hypertension,diabetes or chronic nephritis could exacerbate the decrease of brachial artery elasticity.

Objective To explore the emergency PCI symptom-onset-to-balloon time (SOTBT) influence on the local cardial function in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) technology.Methods Sixty cases were ifrst diagnosed with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and undergone emergency PCI surgery in Huangshi central hospital from June 2014 to June 2016. According to SOTBT, patients were divided into two groups: SOTBT≤6h myocardial infarction group, 6 h

ObjectiveTo investigate ultrasonographic signs as the factors for the recurrence of gallstones and polypoid lesion of the gallbla-dder in patients undergoing gallbladder-preserving surgery. MethodsRelated signs including gallbladder size, sound transmission of the gallbladder, gallbladder wall thickness, cholestasis, gallbladder contraction function, and common bile duct diameter measured by preoperative and postoperative ultrasonography, as well as the recurrence of gallstones and polypoid lesions of the gallbladder after surgery, were collected from 700 patients who underwent gallbladder-preserving surgery in Huangshi Central Hospital from January 2011 to February 2015. The Fisher′s exact test and Cox proportional hazards regression model were applied for univariate and multivariate analysis of related factors for recurrence after gallbladder-preserving surgery. ResultsThe shortest and longest follow-up time was 6 months and 48 months, respectively, and the mean follow-up time was 18±12 months. Among the 700 patients, 1 experienced recurrence of gallstones at 1 month after surgery, 2 experienced recurrence of gallstones at 6 months after surgery, 1 experienced recurrence of gallstones at 12 months after surgery, and 1 experienced recurrence of polypoid lesions of the gallbladder at 24 months after surgery. The mean time to recurrence of gallstones and polypoid lesions was 9.8 months after surgery, and the recurrence rate was 0.71% (5/700). The univariate analysis showed that gallbladder wall thickness ≥4 mm, gallbladder contraction function ＜30%, and cholestasis were significantly associated with the recurrence of gallstones and polypoid lesions (all P＜0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that gallbladder wall thickness ≥4 mm, cholestasis, and gallbladder contraction function ＜30% were independent factors for recurrence after gallbladder-preserving surgery (P=0000 3, 0.040 0, and 0.040 0). ConclusionUltrasonography shows that gallbladder wall thickness ≥4 mm, gallbladder contraction function ＜30%, and cholestasis are closely associated with the recurrence of gallstones and polypoid lesions of the gallbladder.

During membrane depolarization associated with skeletal excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, dihydropyridine receptor [DHPR, a L-type Ca2+ channel in the transverse (t)-tubule membrane] undergoes conformational changes that are transmitted to ryanodine receptor 1 [RyR1, an internal Ca2+-release channel in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane] causing Ca2+ release from the SR. Canonical-type transient receptor potential cation channel 3 (TRPC3), an extracellular Ca2+-entry channel in the t-tubule and plasma membrane, is required for full-gain of skeletal EC coupling. To examine additional role(s) for TRPC3 in skeletal muscle other than mediation of EC coupling, in the present study, we created a stable myoblast line with reduced TRPC3 expression and without alpha1SDHPR (MDG/TRPC3 KD myoblast) by knock-down of TRPC3 in alpha1SDHPR-null muscular dysgenic (MDG) myoblasts using retrovirus-delivered small interference RNAs in order to eliminate any DHPR-associated EC coupling-related events. Unlike wild-type or alpha1SDHPR-null MDG myoblasts, MDG/TRPC3 KD myoblasts exhibited dramatic changes in cellular morphology (e.g., unusual expansion of both cell volume and the plasma membrane, and multi-nuclei) and failed to differentiate into myotubes possibly due to increased Ca2+ content in the SR. These results suggest that TRPC3 plays an important role in the maintenance of skeletal muscle myoblasts and myotubes.
Animals ; Calcium/metabolism ; Calcium Channels/metabolism ; Calcium Channels, L-Type/genetics/metabolism ; Cations/metabolism ; *Cell Differentiation ; *Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Excitation Contraction Coupling ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; Membrane Potentials ; Mice ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/*metabolism ; Muscle Proteins/metabolism ; Myoblasts, Skeletal/*metabolism ; Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel/metabolism ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum/*physiology ; Synaptophysin/metabolism ; TRPC Cation Channels/genetics/*metabolism ; Transient Receptor Potential Channels/metabolism

Sildenafil relaxes vascular smooth muscle cells and is used to treat pulmonary artery hypertension as well as erectile dysfunction. However, the effectiveness of sildenafil on skeletal muscle and the benefit of its clinical use have been controversial, and most studies focus primarily on tissues and organs from disease models without cellular examination. Here, the effects of sildenafil on skeletal muscle at the cellular level were examined using mouse primary skeletal myoblasts (the proliferative form of skeletal muscle stem cells) and myotubes, along with single-cell Ca2+ imaging experiments and cellular and biochemical studies. The proliferation of skeletal myoblasts was enhanced by sildenafil in a dose-independent manner. In skeletal myotubes, sildenafil enhanced the activity of ryanodine receptor 1, an internal Ca2+ channel, and Ca2+ movement that promotes skeletal muscle contraction, possibly due to an increase in the resting cytosolic Ca2+ level and a unique microscopic shape in the myotube membranes. Therefore, these results suggest that the maintenance ability of skeletal muscle mass and the contractility of skeletal muscle could be improved by sildenafil by enhancing the proliferation of skeletal myoblasts and increasing the Ca2+ availability of skeletal myotubes, respectively.
Animals ; Cytosol ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Hypertension ; Maintenance* ; Male ; Membranes ; Mice ; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myoblasts, Skeletal ; Pulmonary Artery ; Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel ; Sildenafil Citrate*

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in breast precancerous lesions . Methods Retrospectively analyzed the contrast-enhanced ultrasound model and angiographic predictive model of 465 cases of the A prospective multicenter study of breast nodules contrast-enhanced ultrasound" that led the Sichuan Provincial People′s Hospital from January 2016 to April 2017 ,which included 69 cases of breast precancerous lesions and 396 other types benign lesions ,and the sensitivity ,specificity and accuracy of the diagnosis of breast precancerous lesions were calculated . Results The sensitivity of ultrasound predictive model for the diagnosis of precancerous lesions was 60 .9％ and AUC was 0 .681 . Precancerous lesions mainly showed non-concentricity , increased homogeneity , and increased lesions;other types of benign lesions mainly showed non-centripetal ,high uniformity enhancement and lesion size unchanged . Conclusions Contrast-enhanced ultrasound shows a potential value in the differential diagnosis of precancerous lesions and other types of benign lesions ,that can help clinicians to take early intervention measures for breast precancerous lesions ,but there are still many problems to be solved .