Objective To quantitatively assess left ventricular systolic function in rabbits with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM) by quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI). Methods Thirty rabbits were divided into two groups: group A(adriamycin group) and group B(sodium chloride group). Group A( n = 20) were given adriamycin 2 mg/kg intravenously once a week for eight weeks (total dose, 16 mg/kg) to induce DCM model, group B were given with the same dose of sodium chloride injection solution. Two dimensional echocardiography and QTVI examination were performed in all rabbits before and three weeks after the administration,respectively. Peak systolic velocity(Vs), peak displacement(D) and other common parameters were analyzed. Results Common parameters assessed after administration in group B did not show significant changes. The QTVI curves of left ventricle myocardium were regular and the value of Vs and D decreased gradually from the basal segments to the apical segments after the administration. The diameters of atrium and ventricle of group A increased,while the ejection fraction and fractional shortening of left ventricle decreased significantly ( P <0. 05 or P < 0.01). The pattern of the curves still had the regularity. But Vs and D value decreased significantly ( P <0. 05 or P <0. 01). Pathology of myocardium samples of group A showed the cardiomyocyte changes like dilated cardiomyopathy, while samples of group B had no significant change. Conclusions QTVI can accurately evaluate regional systolic function of left ventricle in rabbits with dilated cardiomyopathy, therefore provides experimental foundation for clinical observation and treatment.

Objective To analyze the clinical features, recurrent characters in patients with recurrent Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS). Methods The clinical data of 24 hospitalized patients with recurrent THS from January 2006 to May 2016 were collected The general features, clinical manifestations, disease courses, recurrent features, lab and imaging studies, treatment measures and outcoming of recurrent THS patients was investigated , and compared with 69 patients with first attack THS in corresponding period. Results Recurrent THS patients were 25.8%(24/93) of total THS. The male rate in recurrent group was significantly higher than that in first attack group: 66.7%(16/24) vs. 42.0%(29/69), P<0.05. The involved rate of trigeminal nerves in recurrent group was significantly lower than that in first attack group:16.7%(4/24) vs. 33.0%(23/69), P<0.05. The disease courses were from 3 months to 20 years. The total recurrent frequencies were from 2 to 10 times. The recurrence occurred in the same side in 18 patients, and in contralateral in other 6 patients. The intervals were from 3 months to 6 years, and average intervals were 1.9 years. Two patients recurred in hormone reduction, and 22 patients recurred in hormone withdrawal. All cases received MRI examination. Nineteen patients (79.2%) of them had lesions in cavernous sinus. 16 patients had one side lesions and 3 patients had bilateral lesions. The recurrent patients still had good responds to corticosteroids treatment. Conclusions Recurrences in THS are common, taking place in about 26%total patients, and usually at an interval of months or years from the initial attack. These recurrences may be ipsilateral, contralateral, or rarely, bilateral. Corticosteroids are still effective to recurrent cases.

BACKGROUND: Nanotechnology has widely used in tissue engineered reconstruction in recent years. Most reports are concerning carbon nanomaterials in bone reparation, but the study of peripheral nerve regeneration is poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of chitosan/collagen composite nerve conduit with functionalized carbon nanotubes, in addition, to investigate the therapeutic effect of this novel material.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: The same body controlled experiment of animals was performed at the Tissue Engineering Laboratory and The Key Laboratory of Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from February 2005 to November 2006.MATERIALS: The carbon nanotubes were mixed with 2% chitosan solution, coated on the die to prepare chitosan/collagen composite nerve conduit with functionalized carbon nanotubes. The chitosan/collagen tubes were served as controls.METHODS: A total of 80 male adult-rats were prepared a 4 mm accessory nerve defects models, and repaired by nerve conduit in the experimental material and control material groups. In the auto nerve grafts group, the removed nerve was connected to the broken end. In the blank control group, there was no other treatment except removing 2 mm nerves. The left sides were served as experimental sides and the right sides as within-subject controls.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The repairing outcomes were measured by electrophysiological, myophysiological, and histological measurements.RESULTS: The accessory nerve defects were repaired in a rat model using carbon nanotubes in chitosan/collagen-based composite nerve conduit. As time passed after the surgery, good results of the electrophysiological, myophysiological and histological measurements were achieved, which were similar or superior to those of the nerve autografts.CONCLUSION: The carbon nanotubes in chitosan/collagen-based composite can be an ideal candidate for peripheral nerve regeneration.

Objective To select sonogram features for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid small nodules by Logistics regression analysis,and to contribute the binary Logistic regression model of sonogram features as independent variable and evaluate the value of conventional ultrasonography and ultrasound elastography (UE) in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid small nodules.Methods 166 thyroid nodules (≤ 10 mm) in 140 patients were reviewed and analyzed by 2D ultrasound,color Doppler flow imaging and UE.A Logistic model was obtained based on pathology as golden diagnosis criteria.The odds ratio of variables in the equation were compared to assess various variables,especially the efficacy of elastography in the diagnosis.Results Four statistically significant features were finally entering the Logistic stepwise regression model,including shape,calcification,the internal component of nodules and elasticity score.And the odds ratio of the elasticity score was higher than other features.Conclusions The analysis of binary Logistic regression can select the valuable variables for the diagnosis of pathological nature of thyroid small nodules.UE has much more dominances than other features.The combinated application of UE and 2D ultrasonic features plays a great clinical role in the final diagnosis of thyroid small nodules.

Objective To study the cryoprecipitate effect of local external treatment of anal fistula surgical wound repair.Methods A total of 95 cases of low simple anal fistula patients was chosen, and was divided into three groups according to random number table method.The cryoprecipitate group (n =32 cases) began with cryoprecipitate dressing (2 layer) even to fill in a wound, once per day.The Kangfuxin group (n =32 cases) used Kangfuxin solution.The exposed burn ointment (MEBO) group (n =31 cases) used MEBO to cover the wound.The healing time, postoperative wound healing rate, the granulation tissue growth, new epithelial coverage, and adverse reactions were observed.Results The cryoprecipitate group in 14 d and 21 d had postoperative wound healing rate (60.97 ±4.20)％ and (97.69 ± 1.79)％ ,wound healing time (21.31 ±2.08)days;it had higher healing rate and shorter healing times compared to other two groups (P ＜0.05).Wound repaired more neatly;and 14d and 21d after the operation, wound granulation tissue growth rate [(61.06 ± 13.29) ％ and (97.63 ± 2.81) ％] and new epithelial coverage [(33.03 ±4.15)％ and (94.97 ±4.36)％] were more than the control groups (P ＜0.05) with less adverse reactions relative to control groups.Conclusions The cryoprecipitate contained in the composition has a strong biological activity.It can promote the wound tissue cell growth, and promote the wound repair.

Objective To investigate the effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the generation of human myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) relied on peripheral blood monocytes,and to establish efficient induction system in vitro of MDSCs.Methods Kidney transplantation recipients between January and March 2017 were included in this study.Purified CD14 + cells isolated from peripheral blood were cultured in the presence of GM-CSF with different concentrations for 7 days.Phenotypes and immunosuppressive abilities of induced MDSCs (iMDSCs) were investigated with FACS analyses.Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression was detected by qRT-PCR to determine the influence of iNOS-pathway on the immunosuppressive abilities of iMDSCs.Results A total of 11 recipients were included in this study.HLA-DR expression decreased sharply after the culture with GM-CSF.iMDSCs showed the similar phenotype characteristics with monocytic-MDSCs (M-MDSCs) as well as significant ability to suppress T cells proliferation and cytokines production.iMDSCs expressed higher levels of iNOS than monocytes,and the inhibitor effects of iMDSCs were significantly reduced after treatment with L-NMMA (1 mmol/L).The variations of phenotype and suppressive ability were concentrationdependent,and more significant changes could be revealed in the group of 10 μg/L GM-CSF.Conclusion GM-CSF-treated peripheral blood monocytes can be efficiently transformed to M-MDSCs,and suppress T cells proliferation and cytokines secretion via iNOS-dependent pathway.These results may contribute to establish MDSCs induction system,which would provide a basis for the clinical application of MDSCs.

Objective To introduce a new computer-aided technique applicable for myocardial contrast echocardiography(MCE)to quantitate automatically calibrated myocardial contrast intensity(CI)and to test the value of color-coded images of calibrated CI in assessing myocardial perfusion.Methods There were two experimental groups of anesthetized rabbits,which underwent 30 min(group I)and 120 min(groupⅡ)coronary occlusion followed by 60 min reperfusion.MCE was performed on all rabbits during occlusion and after reperfusion,and its images were analyzed by a new computer-aided technique.Myocardial calibrated CI of each segment was measured and a color-coded map was produced automatically by software.The risk areas and infarct sizes obtained by myocardial perfusional defect(MPD)and color-coded map were compared with those by fluorescent microsphere and triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride(TTC)staining.Results Compared with non-risk segments,myocardial CI values were significantly decreased in risk segments in group Ⅰ and Ⅱ before calibration (P＜0.01),however,myocardial calibrated CI values were significantly decreased in risk segments in group Ⅱ(P＜0.01)and not different in group Ⅰ after calibration.Calibrated CI in-70 pix was an optimal cutoff point to identify infarcted segments and to yield the sensitivity of 95% and specificity 87%.The correlation between the risk area by MPD and fluorescent staining was 0.84(P=0.003)whereas color-coded map and staining was 0.91 (P＜0.001).The correlation between the infarct size by MPD and TTC was 0.75(P＜0.001),and between color-coded image and TTC was 0.89(P＜0.001).Conclusions MCE with a new computer-aided technique canassess quantitatively myocardial perfusion and identify automatically risk area and infarct region.

Objective To investigate the left ventricular(LV) systolic hemodynamics and the distribution of blood flow in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy(HCM) by vector flow mapping(VFM).MethodsThirty-five random non-obstructive HCM patients(case group) and forty healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled.Peak systolic velocity (Vs),peak systolic flow (Fs) and total systolic negative flow (SQ-) of two groups were compared.Velocity vector,streamline and vortex distribution of two groups were observed.Results Vs,Fs,SQ- of the control group and Vs,Fs of the case group all showed a decreasing trend from the basal segments to the apical segment(P<0.05).SQ- of the case group lost this decreasing tendency.Vs,Fs of all segments and SQ- of the middle and apical segment of the case group were higher than those of the control group.SQ- of the basal segment of the case group were significantly lower than that of the control group(P＜0.01).Distribution of blood flow:The velocity of blood flow was faster in the case group than that in the control group and the direction was disordered.The streamlines of the case group were discontinuous,and vortexes in the case group were more than that in the control group.Conclusions VFM technology could quantitatively evaluate LV systolic hemodynamics in patients with HCM,and can clearly show the distribution of blood flow.

Objective To summarize the characters of the elastograms of different pathological nodules, and to observe the value of elastography in differentiating benign from malignant thyroid solid nodules. Methods One hundred and sixteen patients with thyroid nodules were enrolled in the study and 122 nodules were detected in total. All of them were examined by elastography and conventional ultrasound. Five sonographers were invited to evaluate the nodules double blinded basing on the images and the four-point system proposed by Fukunari. The interobserver agreement was evaluated by Kappa coefficient. Diagnostic performances of the five readers were compared by the ROC curves. Distributions of elastography scores of different pathological nodules were compared by one-way ANOVA. Results Interobserver agreements on scoring the nodules were moderate. Mean value of benign nodules was obvious lower than that of the malignant ones. The mean score of nodular goiters was 2.67 ± 0.89, range from 1 to 3. Most of the adenomas got score of 2, but the score of thyroiditis was quite high. No significant differences were found between the comparison of thyroiditis and thyroid cancers. Areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of the five readers were 0.82,0.81,0.79,0.73 and 0.83 respectively. When 3.5 was choosen as the cut-off point, the sensitivity of elastography was 82.4%, and specificity was 71.6%. Conclusions Elastography was really a useful technique for it can provide a new index for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. However, the 4-point score system is not comprehensive enough.

Objective To create a large samples digital database of breast ultrasound imaging (DDBUI),which is open and can be used for scientific research,clinical training and diagnose in order to improve early diagnostic rate of breast cancer by using the database.Methods The database applies structured query language (SQL) to record the integrated resources of patients with breast masses and utilizes Brower/Server (B/S) technology to achieve universal data access.Results The database consists of 853 cases and 5780 images.So far,researchers in home and abroad have done many researches with the images in DDBUI.For example,the speckle reduction,enhancement,segmentation and classification algorithms for computer aided diagnosis (CAD).The database provides a complete shared operation platform for clinical diagnosis and teaching.Conclusions The first public database of breast ultrasound images is created which provides comprehensive information for the development and verification different CAD algorithms,and is helpful for researches,ultrasound diagnosis learning,and improving the breast cancer diagnosis.