AIM: To investigate the damages of adrenal gland in rabbits infected with neisseria meningococci(MC).METHODS: 18 rabbits were injected with MC (1?10 11 organism/kg, iv, model group, n=10 ) or normal saline (control group, n=8 ).TNF-? was detected in baseline (before challenged), 60 min and 120 min after injection. 120 min after injection, TNF-? immunochemical localization of adrenal gland was detected with ABC methods by electron microscopy. RESULTS: In model group, TNF-? positive cells were located in medulla and TNF-? released into simus of medulla. The medulla damages were appeared but gland cells of cortex was normal. No damages were showed in control group. TNF-? value of plasm was elevated at 60 min and 120 min after injection compared with control group. CONCLUSION: TNF-? was released into medulla and resulted in medulla damages after MC challenging. Adrenal cortex didnt damaged in early phase of MC septic shock. [

Objective To study high-frequency ultrasonic features of pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS).Methods High-frequency ultrasonic findings in 17 cases with PVNS were analyzed and a comparison between surgical and pathological results was made.Results Of 17 cases,10 cases were diffuse type,7 cases were local type.The main high-frequency ultrasonic signs were as follows: the diffused type synovial PVNS demonstrated as hypoecho,local synovial proliferation was revealed as nodulated and heterogeneous echo,hydrarthrosis of the knee joint was present in 10 cases,the involvement of meniscus occurred in 4 cases,intra-articular cartilage and cortex erosion were showed in 5 cases.Local type PVNS was mainly demonstrated as the nodulated and hypoechoic proliferation of synovium,hydrarthrosis of the joint and cartilage erosion were not found.Conclusions High-frequency ultrasound is a valuable imaging method for diagnosing PVNS in preoperative routine screening.

AIM: To investigate the damages of adrenal gland in rabbits infected with neisseria meningococci(MC).METHODS: 18 rabbits were injected with MC (1×1011 organism/kg, iv, model group, n=10) or normal saline (control group, n=8).TNF-α was detected in baseline (before challenged), 60 min and 120 min after injection. 120 min after injection, TNF-α immunochemical localization of adrenal gland was detected with ABC methods by electron microscopy. RESULTS: In model group, TNF-α positive cells were located in medulla and TNF-α released into simus of medulla. The medulla damages were appeared but gland cells of cortex was normal. No damages were showed in control group. TNF-α value of plasm was elevated at 60 min and 120 min after injection compared with control group. CONCLUSION: TNF-α was released into medulla and resulted in medulla damages after MC challenging. Adrenal cortex didnt damaged in early phase of MC septic shock.

Objective This study aimed at observing expression and clinical significance of metadherin in gastric adenocarcinoma and exploring the potentially regulating mechanism of metadherin in invation and migration of gastric cancer.Methods Expressions of metadherin and E-cadherin in primay lesion of gastric cancer were detected by immunohistochemistry and their correlation to clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis were analyzed by Chi-square tests.Transwell assay and wound healing assay were applied for the ability of invasion and metastasis in gastric cancer cells.Then,the down-regulatied metadherin expression in MKN45 cells by RNA interference (siRNA) was carried out and furthermore,the regulation role of metadherin in epithelial-mesenchymal transition was analyzed also in invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells.Results The positive expression of metadherin was correlated to invading depth (P =0.029),lymph node metastasis (P =0.001),TNM stage (P =0.014) and inhibiting E-cadherin expression (P =0.001).The patients with positive metabherin shared poorer prognosis.Furthermore,the down-regulated metabherin in MKN45 cells would result in the increasing expression of E-cadherin,as well as decreasing expression of N-eadherin,Slug and Snail.At the same time,the abilities of invasion (P =0.027) and migration (P =0.008) of MKN45 cells was decreased.Conclusion metabherin induces EMT in metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma via activating either Slug or Snail but not twist,which would result in the poorer prognosis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of tissue Doppler imaging(TDI)in assessing left ventricular(LV)function after mitral valve replacement(MVR).Methods Forty-five patients having their implantations for more than three months were examined by echocardiography and divided into atrial fibrillation group(AF group,n=21)and sinus rhythm group(SR group,n=24).Thirty normal volunteers served as control group.Left atrium and ventricle indexs of cardiac function and mitral inflow velocity(E)were measured by two dimensional and Doppler echocardiography,and TDI-derived systolic mitral annular velocity(Sm),diastolic mitral annular velocity(Em)and isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT)were measured at the septal and lateral corners of mitral annulus from the apical four-chamber view.Then E/Em ratio was calculated.Results ①Compared with control group,Sm and Em in MVR group were significantly lower and IVRT was higher(P＜0.001),however there were no significant differences between AF group and SR group.② The E/Em ratio in MVR group was significantly higher than that in control group(P＜0.001)and positively correlated with IVRT.The best cutoff value for E/Em ratio was increased of 15 which yielded the sensitivity and specificity in predicting LV diastolic dysfunction were 91.11% and 90.32%,respectively.The area under the ROC curve was 0.9548±0.0402.Conclusions TDI-defived indexes(Sm,Em)can assess LV function accurately and the E/Em ratio,an estimate of myocardial relaxation and LV filling pressures,can be used to evaluate left ventricular diastolic function after MVR.

Objective To assess left ventricular systolic strain in patients with mitral valve replacement (MVR) by speckle tracking echocardiography. Methods Two-dimensional images were acquired from the apical four-chamber view, two-chamber view and long-axis of the left ventricular view in 30 MVR patients (MVR group) and 30 healthy subjects matched by age and gender(control group), and then were analysed off line to evaluate left ventricular systolic strain. The maximum systolic longitudinal strain(LS) of myocardial segments and global longitudinal strain(GLS) were measured in apical views. Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) was calculated using Simpson's method. The correlation between GLS and LVEF was analyzed using Pearson's method. Results Compared with the control group, LS of corresponding segment and GLS in MVR group decreased significantly (P < 0.01), but there were no statistical differences within MVR group(P>0.05). There was a good linear positive correlation between GLS and LVEF in patients (r = 0.710, P <0.01). Conclusions Speckle tracking eehoeardiography is available for measuring left ventricular systolic strain and estimating global systolic function in patients with MVR. Bull's-eye strain map, created by speckle tracking imaging, can achieve an accurate real-time segmental wall motion analysis.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of color M-mode Doppler echocardiography (CMM) in assessing left ventricular(LV) diastolic function after mitral valve replacement(MVR). Methods Fifty-two patients who had received the implantation for more than three months were examined by echoeardiography (MVR group). Thirty age and sex-adjusted normal volunteers served as control group. Dimensions of left atrium and ventricle,ejection fraction(EF) and mitral inflow velocity(E) were measured by two-dimensional and Doppler eehocardiography. Color M-mode Doppler flow propagation velocity(Vp) and TDl-derived diastolic mitral annular velocity(Em) were measured from the apical four-chamber and two-chamber views. Then two new indexes based on the ratio of E to Vp(E/Vp) and E to Era' (E/Em') were while E/Vp and E/Era' increased, there were significant differences(P <0.01). The correlation coefficient and atrial fibrillation(P <20.01) ,however E/Vp was lower affected hy EF or atrial fibrillation(P >0.05). dysfunction were 2.00. Conclusions CMM is an effective technique to assess LV diastolic function after MVR. E/Vp has good consistency with E/Era and may be a potential useful parameter for assessing LV diastolic function.

Objective To investigate the global and regional dyssynchrony of left ventricle in patients with coronary artery disease before and after revascularization by tissue synchronization imaging(TSI).Methods Subjects with the left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD)stenosis＞75% who underwent revascularization(n=26)and normal controls(n=30)were studied with TSI.Echocardiography was performed one day before revascularization,then repeated one month and three month after the operation,respectively.The sample volumes were located at the mid-myocardium of base and middle segments in apical four-,two- and three-chamber view of left ventricle.The time-to-peak velocity(Tp)of all myocardial segments were examined to access the regional dyssynchrony,and the standard deviations of Tp of 12 segments(TSD)were calculated to evaluate the global dyssynchrony.Results Before revascularization,Tp of segments in the anterior wall and the interventricutar septum in patients were more delayed than those of control group(P＜0.01),and the color coding of ischemic segments were red and yellow.After operation,Tp of delayed segments were significant improved,and the color coding turn to yellow or even green,but there was still significant difference of Tp between disease group and control group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.05).TSD decreased gradually on the preoperatative,early postoperative,and later postoperative echocardiogram,and it on each time point of the disease group were all longer than that of control group.An improvement of TSD was observed after revascularization,especially for the three month examination(P＜0.01),but the difference between early and later postoperation was not significant(P＞0.05).Conclusions The asynchronous motion of LV is very obvious in CAD patients.After revascularization,both global and regional dyssynchrony were improved gradually.Moreover,TSI is a convenient and non-invasive way to quantitate left ventricular asynchrony with the parameters.

Objective To evaluate a new computer-aided technique applicable for myocardial contrast echocardiography(MCE) to quantitate automatically calibrated myocardial contrast intensity(CD and to test the feasibility of calibrated CI in assessing myocardial perfusion. To analyze the relationship on myocardial perfusion,regional contractile function and cell apoptosis in stunned myocardium. Methods According to coronary occlusion and reperfusion at different times, rabbits were divided into three groups: 15 min occlusion/30min reperfusion (group Ⅰ ),30 min occlusion / 60min reperfusion (group Ⅱ ) and 120 min occlusion / 60min reperfusion (group Ⅲ ). MCE was performed on all rabbits at baseline,occlusion and after reperfusion,and its images were analyzed by a new computer-aided technique. Myocardial calibrated CI of each segment was measured automatically by software. Percentage wall thickening (WT) of each risk segment at each stage were also measured by echocardiography. The apoptotic index(AI) in regional left myocardial dysfunction was calculated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferease-mediated biotinylated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling(TUNEL ). Results (1) During occlusion, WT in the areas at risk decreased to zero or negative and the calibrated CI values were significantly lower than those at baseline ( P ＜0.01 ). After reperfusion, WT in all risk segment remained depressed, but calibrated CI significantly improved in group Ⅰ and Ⅱ while those remained unchanged in group Ⅲ. (2)AI in risk myocytes were (13. 70 ± 5.48 ) %, (36.25 ± 5.55 ) % and ( 62.06 ± 6. 70 ) %, respectively, both statistically significant difference between the two groups ( P ＜0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ). AI were negatively correlated to WT and calibrated CI ( r = - 0. 87 and r = - 0. 77, P ＜0.05). Conclusions MCE with computer-aided technique can assess quantitatively myocardial perfusion and regional contractile function. Short-term ischemiareperfusion does not cause myocardial necrosis, but it will lead to myocardial cell apoptosis and the phenomenon of myocardial stunning. Prolonged ischemia, even if given sufficient reperfusion, can lead to apoptosis and necrosis simultaneously.

Objective To investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluation of the protective effect of edaravone injection in rabbit skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury.Methods Thirty healthy New Zealand white rabbits were established a model of skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury in left hind limb and randomly divided into the experimental group and control group.Edaravone was injected with the dose of 1.5 mg/kg at the time of 30 minutes before reperfusion in the experimental group,the control group were given an equal volume of physiological saline.Blood samples were collected respectively at the times of pre-ischemia,post-ischemia and 24 hours after reperfusion for detecting creatine kinase(CK),lactic dehydrogenase(LDH),and CEUS parameters such as peak intensity(PI),time to peak (TTP) and area under the curve(AUC) were measured at the same time.Pathological examination was carried out after the rabbits were sacrificed.Results ①Serological tests:compared to before the blocking of blood supply,the content of CK and LDH after the blocking were significantly increased (P ＜ 0.01);compared to before or after the blocking,the content of CK and LDH at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion in the two groups were increased,and was lower in the experimental group than the control group.(②CEUS:compared to before the blocking,PI,TTP and AUC in each group were significantly increased after the blocking and at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion(P ＜0.01);compared to those in the control group,PI and AUC in the experimental group were decreased at the time of 24 hours after reperfusion,but there was no significant difference in TTP(P ＞0.05).③Correlation analysis:there was a good correlation between PI,AUC and CK,LDH (r =0.87,0.81,0.86,and 0.80,respectively).④Pathological analysis:muscle fibers were swelling with no stripes,partial fractures and interstitial edema and a large amount of inflammatory cells were infiltrated in the control group,while muscle fibers were almost normal with a small amount of inflammatory cells infiltrated in the experimental group.Conclusions Edaravone injection before reperfusion can obviously improve rabbit skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury,and CEUS can be used to observe these changes directly and effectively.