Comorbidity, which can affect the treatment and prognosis of its disease, has gradually caught attention from both at home and abroad. Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mainly involved lung tissues, it may also cause the systemic (or extra-pulmonary) adverse effects. Many types of comorbidities existed in COPD. This article summarized the prevalence, risk factors and pathogenesis of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression, lung cancer, infection, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus. It also con-ducted related studies on the diagnosis and treatment status and current problems of COPD comorbidities, which may provide evidences for COPD outcome evaluation.

Objective To explore the feasibility of evaluation of mice hind limb ischemia-mediated angiogenesis with ultrasound molecular imaging using molecular probes targeted to angiogenesis endothelial marker VEGFR-2.Methods A mice model of unilateral hind-limb ischemia was induced by femoral artery excision in 12 experimental mice.Ultrasound molecular imaging of the ischemia and contralateral non-ischemia hind-limbs was performed in all mice on day 7 after surgery at 8 minutes after intravenous injection of either VEGFR-2 targeting microbubbles or isotype control microbubbles in random with 30 min interval,and the video intensity (VI) was measured.Following ultrasound imaging,the hind-limb was harvested for immunohistochemical analysis.Results As expected,VI in the ischemia hind-limb was significantly higher (P ＜0.05) for MBvEGFR-2 [(25.6 ± 4.3)U] as compared with MBIso[(6.7 ± 1.6)U].However,the ultrasound signal in the non-ischemia hind-limb was low for both MBvEGFR-2 [4.4 ± 1.5)U] and MBIso [(4.6 ± 1.6)U].A marked endothelial VEGFR-2 expression in ischemia hind-limb was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.Conclusions Ultrasound molecular imaging using molecular probes targeted to angiogenesis endothelial VEGFR-2 can effectively evaluate ischemia-mediated angiogenesis.

Objective To evaluate the value of fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) in highly suspicious breast malignant lesions in terms of diagnostic accuracy,complication rate and cost-effectiveness.Methods We retrospectively reviewed records of patients with imaging diagnosis of BI-RADS 4c or 5 categories who have undergone either FNA or CNB under ultrasound guidance in Peking University People's Hospital from 2012 to 2014.Sensitivity,specificity,diagnostic accuracy,positive predictive,negative predictive,false positive rate,false negative rate,accuracy rate and unsatisfactory rate (non-diagnostic rate) were calculated and compared between FNAC and CNB.The complication of the procedures,operation time and cost were assessed.Results Among 638 consecutive cases,273 of them underwent FNA,and 365 underwent CNB.The accuracy rate of FNA and CNB were 99％ and 97.2％.The sensitivity,specificity,diagnostic accuracy,positive predictive,false positive rate and false negative rate were similar between the two groups.The unsatisfactory rate of FNA was significantly higher than that of CNB (25.3％ vs.10.9％,x2 =22.59,P =0.000).There was not severe complication in either groups,while subcutaneous ecchymosis and hematoma were more common in FNA group than in CNB group.The operation time of FNA was shorter than that of CNB (4.8 ± 1.3 min vs.15.5-± 1.7 min,P =0.000).The waiting time for final pathological report was shorter in patients undergoing FNA (1 vs.3 days).An estimated cost for FNA was RMB 447.5 Yuan/case,whereas that was 995 Yuan/case for CNB.Conclusions FNA and CNB are both accurate and safe preoperative diagnostic procedures.FNA is a simple and cost-effective method.

Background and purpose:Kiss-1 and nm23 have been identifi ed as tumor metastasis suppressor genes,and they have been associated with the metastatic potential of breast cancer.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of Kiss-1 and nm23 expression with lymph node metastasis in breast cancer.Methods:The expression of Kiss-1 and nm23 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry in 70 patients with breast cancer.Results:The positive rate of Kiss-1 and nm23 were 62.86% and 68.57%,38.46% and 50.00% in breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis,markedly lower than the 77.27%,and 79.55% in patients without lymph node metastasis(P

An innovative approach to quantitatively analyze the histamine and its precursor histidine simultaneously in biological matrices was established for the first time based on double adsorption combined with high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).The internal standard was 2-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB).The plasma and brain tissue homogenate was protein precipitated with 3-fold acetonitrile, and the supernatant was then sampled for injection analysis.The chromatographic separation of the target components was achieved on an amino chromatography column (ODS-SPXBridge? Amide).Gradient elution was carried out with the mobile phase consisting of solvent A (0.1% formic acid and 1mmol/L ammonium formate in water) and solvent B (acetonitrile).Mass spectrometry was employed for quantitative analysis with ESI ion source in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.In order to improve the specificity and accuracy, activated carbon and calcite were used for the double adsorption of biological matrices for the first time.The adsorbed matrix was then used for methodology validation.The results showed that histamine and histidine were linear in the quantitative range (correlation coefficient r ≥ 0.999).Accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, matrix effect and stability all met the requirements of biological sample analysis.All results suggested that the present method could not only be efficiently and reliably used for simultaneous quantitative analysis of histamine and histidine in biological samples, but also provide reference for the detection of other endogenous substances.

Objective To screen the anti-nasopharyngeal carcinoma scFv from a human anti-nasopharyngeal carcinoma single-chain phage antibody library, and identify its characteristics. Methods The single-chain phage antibody library was subjected to three rounds of positive and negative cell panning and enrichment, and then it was selected by ELISA. The binding specificity of phage antibodies with naso-pharyngeal carcinoma cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Results After panning, enrichment and testing by ELISA, 3 phage an-tibody clones reacting with CNE2 more strongly than HUVEC and NP69 were picked out from 4212 clones. One clone, HNSAO33, was fur-ther analyzed after DNA sequencing. The results of immunohistochemistry with cultured cells were similar to those of ELISA. HNSAO33 spe-cifically reacted to nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in most human nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue sections except a few human normal naso-pharyngeal tissue sections. The distinction of positive rates was of a great statistical significance. Conclusion ELISA and immunohisto-chemistry results confirmed HNSAO33 specifically bind with nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. The seFv fragment against nasopharyngeal carci-noma may be further developed and applied in clinical diagnosis and therapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective To explore the feasibility of visually assessment of angiogenesis in a murine model of subcutaneous matrigel plugs with ultrasound molecular imaging(UMI) using microbubbles(MB)targeted to endothelial αv-integrins. Methods Matrigel angiogenesis was created by subcutaneous implantation of FGF-2 enriched matrigel in 10 mice. On day 10, UMI of the matrigel was performed in all mice at 6 minutes after intravenous injection of either αv-integrin targeting microbubbles(MBα) or isotype control microbubbles(MBc) in random with 30 min interval,and the video intensity(Ⅵ) was measured. To further test the specificity of the signal coming from MBα,antibody against αv-integrin was injected 10 min before microbubbles injection. Following UMI,all matrigels were harvested for histological analysis. Results As expected,VI of the matrigel was significantly higher ( P ＜0.05) for MBα (20. 5 ± 3.3)U as compared with MBc (4. 8 ± 1.5)U. After blocking with antibody against αv-integrin,a great decrease was observed in the MBα group [VI (4.6 ± 1.2) U, P ＜0.05] while no significant difference was noted for MBc [VI (4. 9 ±1.5)U, P ＞ 0.05 ]. Neovessels within matrigel was positive for αv-integrin. Conclusions UMI with microbubbles targeted to αv-integrins can be effective and specific in evaluating the angiogenesis in a murine model of subcutaneous matrigel plugs.

Objective To develop nanometer-scale bubbles with surfaces of N-palmitoyl chitosan(PLCS) as ultrasound contrast agent and evaluate its characteristics and acoustic effects in vivo. Methods The PLCS nanobubbles were prepared using a cutting technique at differential high-frequency of shear speed. Both optical and transmission electron micrography were performed to determine the nanobubble size and morphology. Concentration, size-distribution and zeta potential of the PLCS nanobubbles were measured by cell counting chamber, Malvern lazer particle analyzer and zeta-sizer at 1-day, 45-day and 90-day. The acoustic effects of the PLCS nanobubbles on myocardium and renal tissue in 6 normal rats were observed using bolus infusion of the nanobubbles intravenously. The maximum video intensity(VI) was measured.Results The PLCS nanobubbles with nice round-shape and uniform site-distribution were demonstrated.The mean diameter,concentration and zeta potential of the PLCS nanobubbles were (617 ± 12) nm, (7.2 ±0.6) × 109/ml and (52.9 ± 1.3)mV at the 1-day,and all of parameters did not change significantly in 45-day and 90-day ( P ＞ 0. 05). A significant contrast-enhancement was noted on myocardium and renal tissue during infusion of the nanobubbles. VI on both tissues was (15.6 ± 1.1)GU and (27.3 ± 2.5)GU,respectively. The visual contrast-enhancement last up to (10 ± 2)min. Conclusions The PLCS nanometerscale bubbles have excellent physical-features and contrast-enhanced ultrasound effects in vivo. It may develop as a novel contrast ultrasound agent which could cross endothelial cell membrances.

Objective:To evaluate the frequency and predictive factors of nipple involvement in a large contemporary cohort of pa-tients and to improve patient selection for the preservation of the nipple-areolar complex. Methods: This retrospective study re-viewed the medical charts of 1,190 patients who underwent traditional mastectomy in Peking University People's Hospital between October 2008 and March 2014. Nipple involvement incidence was compared between the cases of clinically abnormal and clinically normal breasts. Other clinicopathological features and nipple status were analyzed to evaluate the association between these factors and occult nipple involvement. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify predictive factors. Results:Nipple in-volvement was detected in 6.0%of the mastectomy specimens. Meanwhile, incidence was 40.7%(22 out of 54) in clinically abnormal nipple cases and 4.3%(49 out of 1,136) in clinically normal nipple cases (χ2=121.9, P<0.001). Univariate analysis revealed that tumor lo-cation, tumor to nipple distance (≤2 and>2 cm), lymphovascular invasion, diameter (including carcinoma in situ;≤3.5 and>3.5 cm), T stage, N stage, and TNM stage were associated with occult nipple involvement. By logistic regression analysis, tumor location, tumor to nipple distance, T stage, and N stage were determined to be the independent predictors of nipple involvement. Conclusion:Clinical abnormalities of the nipples are reliable and potent predictors of nipple pathology. The cases with peripheral tumor, T1-T2 stage, and N0-N1 stage have lower probability of occult nipple involvement.

BACKGROUND: Donation after cardiac death (DCD) is becoming the main source of organs for transplantation. Donor and recipient gender may play an important role in preoperative evaluation and recipient selection of transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of donor and recipient gender on the recovery of renal function after DCD renal transplantation, and to further guide the selection of recipients. METHODS: The clinical data of recipients and donors of DCD kidney transplantation performed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2012 to March 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. According to donor and recipient gender, the donors and recipients were divided into four groups: group A (male donor, male recipient), group B (male donor, female recipient), group C (female donor, male recipient), group D (female donor, female recipient). The renal function of the recipients was recorded at 1 and 2 weeks, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively to compare the effect of donor and recipient gender on the recovery of renal function. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The serum creatinine level in the groups A and B was lower than that in the groups C and D at postoperative different time points, and there was a significant difference at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). The estimated glomerular filtration rate in the groups A and B was significantly higher than that in the groups C and D at postoperative different time points (P < 0.05). The serum creatinine level in the group C was significantly higher than that in the other three groups at postoperative different time points (P < 0.05). The serum creatinine level in the group A was significantly higher than that in the group B at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). The glomerular filtration rate in the group A was significantly higher than that in the group C at postoperative different time points (P < 0.05). The glomerular filtration rate in the group B was significantly higher than that in the group D at 12 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the male donors show superior renal function to the female donors. The postoperative recovery of renal function is relatively slow when the male recipients receive a kidney of female donors. The female recipients with lower body surface area who receive the kidney of elderly male donors with poor renal function can achieve favorable clinical effects. Therefore, the gender should be used as a reference index for selecting potential recipients.