ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of Young's modulus by supersonic shear wave elastography (SWE) in differential diagnosis of thyroid solid nod1ules.MethodsEighty-three patients with 113 solid nodules were examined by SWE.All the nodules were confirmed by pathology.According to Young's modulus,a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn,and it used to identify the value of optimal operating point for differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.Results ① The mean of Young's modulus of benign nodules was (23.57 ± 9.35)kPa,which was significantly different from the valve of malignant nodules (43.73 ± 19.82) kPa ( t =6.31,P =0.00).(②) It showed that the optimal operating point of ROC curve as 27.49,with high sensitivity(93.2％),specificity(81.2％) and accuracy (85.8％).The area under ROC curve was 0.91.Conclusions SWE is a newly quantitative technique of ultrasonography,which is helpful to identify and distinguish in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus medicine in treating laryngopharyngeal reflux due to liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency. Methods: A total of 70 patients were divided into a control group and an observation group by the random number table method, with 35 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with conventional medications, and the observation group was treated with additional acupuncture therapy. The reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS) were evaluated. Esophageal motility indicators such as lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) and upper esophageal sphincter pressure (UESP), and salivary pepsin level were measured. The clinical efficacy was also compared. Results: The total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the RSI and RFS scores in both groups decreased significantly (all P<0.05), and the RSI and RFS scores in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (both P<0.05). There were no significant changes in the LESP and UESP in the control group (both P>0.05), while LESP and UESP in the observation group increased significantly (both P<0.05), and higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). The salivary pepsin levels in both groups decreased (both P<0.05), and the salivary pepsin level in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture plus medicine can improve symptoms and signs in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux due to liver-qi stagnation and spleen deficiency, and regulate esophageal motility and salivary pepsin level. Its efficacy is more significant compared with medicine alone.

Objective To investigate numerical distance effect of numerical processing in amblyopic children aged from 6 to 13. Methods 46 amblyopic children and 43 control children with normal sight were divided into 3 groups respectively:7Y group (6~8 years old),9Y group (9~10 years old) and 12Y group (11~13 years old). The numerical comparison task (judging the magnitude of number) was used in this study and error rate( ER) and reaction times ( RTs) were recorded. Results ( 1) RTs of judging the num-ber 4 (7Y group (995±100)ms,9Y group (964±141)ms,12Y group (701±125)ms) were significant lon-ger(P<0.05) than RTs of judging the number 1((882±140)ms,(790±119)ms,(550±41)ms) in 3 control groups;RTs of judging the number 6((968±116)ms,(918±126)ms,(712±125)ms) were significant lon-ger(P<0.05) than RTs of judging the number 9((862±121)ms,(774±151)ms,(625±141)ms). (2) In the 12Y group of amblyopic children:RTs of judging the number 4((942±107)ms) were significant longer (P<0.05) than RTs for judging the number 1((847±136)ms). (3) No developmental significant difference was found neither within the control children nor within amblyopic children using the RTs D-values which gained by the RTs of far distant numbers ( 1/2/8/9 ) minus close distant numbers ( 3/4/6/7 ) . Conclu-sion Only 12Y group of amblyopic children show numerical distance effect in subitizing(>5).The develop-ment of numerical processing in amblyopic children is slower than that in children with normal sight.

OBJECTIVETo develop nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen (NHAC) composite and test its ability in bone repairing.

METHODSNHAC composite was developed by biomimetic method.

RESULTSThe composite showed some features of natural bone in both composition and microstructure. The minerals could contribute to 50% by weight of the composites in sheet form. The inorganic phase in the composite was carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite (HA) with low crystallinity and nanometer size. HA precipitates were uniformly distributed on the type I collagen matrix without preferential orientation. The composite exhibited an isotropic mechanical behavior. However, the resistance of the composite to localized pressure could reach the lower limit of that of femur compacta. The tissue response to the NHAC composite implanted in marrow cavity was investigated. Knoop micro-hardness test was performed to compare the mechanical behavior of the composite and bone. At the interface of the implant and marrow tissue, solution-mediated dissolution and macrophage-mediated resorption led to the degradation of the composite, followed by interfacial bone formation by osteoblasts. The process of implant degradation and bone substitution was reminiscent of bone remodeling.

CONCLUSIONThe composite can be incorporated into bone metabolism instead of being a permanent implant.

Animals ; Bone Regeneration ; Bone Remodeling ; Bone Substitutes ; Carbon ; Collagen ; Durapatite ; Femur ; injuries ; surgery ; Implants, Experimental ; Nanotechnology ; Rabbits

AIMTo study the absorption of zedoary oil in intestine of rat.

METHODSIn situ single pass perfusion model was used and the concentrations of three components in perfusate were determined by HPLC in combination with diode array detection.

RESULTSThe P(app) s of curcumol, curdione and germacrone were all low and had no significant difference (P > 0.05) at zedoary oil concentration of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 mg x mL(-1) in transmucosal fluid or in four different regions of intestine of rat [duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon]. The absorption rates of germacrone and curdione were faster than curcumol's in this study.

CONCLUSIONThe zedoary oil concentration in transmucosal fluid had no significant effect on the P(app) s within the scope of 0.4-1.2 mg x mL(-1). The absorption of curcumol, curdione and germacrone showed the passive diffusion process, and didn't contain a special absorption window.

Animals ; Biological Transport ; Colon ; metabolism ; Curcuma ; chemistry ; Duodenum ; metabolism ; Ileum ; metabolism ; In Vitro Techniques ; Intestinal Absorption ; Jejunum ; metabolism ; Male ; Perfusion ; Plant Oils ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Sesquiterpenes ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics

BACKGROUNDThe plasma concentration of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) is negatively correlated to renal function in glomerular diseases. Effects of VLDL on renal function have been partially attributed to the proliferation of mesangial cells. This study examined the potential role of the p42/44 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in mesangial cell proliferation induced by VLDL.

METHODSMesangial cells were treated with VLDL at different concentrations or for different time. The cell cycle of the mesangial cells was analyzed by XTT assay and flow-cytometry; MAPK activity was also assayed. In some experiments, cells were treated with VLDL together with or without 0.1 µmol/L PD 98059.

RESULTSTen to 500 µg/ml VLDL stimulated the proliferation of mesangial cells cultured in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. The effect was associated with an increase in p42/44 MAPK activity. Increased proliferation of mesangial cells by VLDL was significantly attenuated by PD98059, a specific p42/44 MAPK inhibitor.

CONCLUSIONThese results indicate that the p42/44 MAPK pathway is an important regulator of mesangial cell proliferation and of renal functions.

Animals ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Lipoproteins, VLDL ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mesangial Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To review the development and application of powdering technique on oily drug of the traditional Chinese medicine. There have been numerous methods of powdering technique on oily drug, such as preparing complexation, microcapsule, adsorption by adsorbent, solid lipid nanoparticles, etc. And beta-Cyclodextrin complexation is the most usually operated. Powdering techniques have broad prospects in the pharmaceutical field, but more efforts should be made to improve oily drug of the traditional Chinese medicine.
Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Nanotechnology ; Powders ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; beta-Cyclodextrins

Based on the wavelet transform, the ways and process of wavelet de-noising are presented in the paper. The detail experimental results show that wavelet de-noising is better than traditional filtering ways, and the soft-threshold denoising is obviously better than the hard- threshold denoising.
Algorithms ; Artifacts ; Electrocardiography ; methods ; Humans ; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Wavelet Analysis

Colectomy ; Colonic Neoplasms/surgery* ; Colonoscopy ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; Lymph Nodes/pathology* ; Robotic Surgical Procedures