Objective To assess the value of high-frequency color Doppler ultrasound technique combined with hemorheology in detecting early atherosclerosis and monitoring its progression.Methods Twenty-four white big ear rabbits were divided into two groups randomly.Group A (6 rabbits) was fed normal rabbit chow,while group B (18 rabbits) was fed high cholesterol diet and was divided into three subgroups: B1(6 rabbits) with high cholesterol diet for 4 weeks,B2(6 rabbits) for 8 weeks,B3(6 rabbits) for 12 weeks.Intima-media thickness (IMT),diameter of common carotid artery and hemorheology index were observed dynamically and compared with the findings of histological examination.Results IMT of common carotid artery increased gradually in group B at different phases of atherosclerosis.Diameter compensationally enlarged at the early stage,and then stenosed with the progression of atherosclerosis.RBC deformation index of group B began reducing in the second week,but blood viscosity,plasma viscosity,RBC aggregation index and rigidity index gradually increased from the fourth week( P

The cell adhesive properties of decellularized valve scaffolds were promoted by immobilization of valve scaffold with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-containing peptides. Porcine aortic valves were decellularized with trypsin/EDTA, and detergent Triton X-100. With the help of a coupling reagent Sulfo-LC-SPDP, the valve scaffolds were immobilized with glycine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-serine-proline-cysteine (GRGDSPC) peptide. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for surface structure analysis. Myofibroblasts harvested from rats were seeded onto the valve scaffolds. Cell count by using microscopy and modified MTT assay were performed to assess cell adhesion. Based on the spectra of XPS, the conjugation of GRGDSPC peptide with decellularized valve scaffolds was confirmed. Both cell count and MTT assay showed that myofibroblasts were much easier to adhere to the modified valve scaffolds, which was also confirmed histologically. Our findings suggest that it is feasible to immobilize RGD-containing peptides onto decellularized valve scaffolds. And the technique can effectively promote cell adhesion, which is beneficial for in vitro tissue engineering of heart valves.

Objective To analyze right ventrieular diastolic dysfunction in essential hypertension by quantitative tissue velocity imaging(QTVI). Methods Twenty normotensives and forty-five hypertensives underwent standard Doppler echocardiography and QTVI of right ventricular lateral tricuspid annulus. By QTVI,diastolic measurements were obtained. According to WHO standard, the patients with hypertension were classified into three groups, grade Ⅰ (group Ⅰ) 15 cases, grade Ⅱ(group Ⅱ) 15 cases, grade Ⅲ (group Ⅲ) 15 cases. Results Pulsed Doppler eehocardiography showed impaired Doppler diastolic indexes in hypertensives, without changes among the eases groups. In all hypertension groups, QTVI showed reduction of right ventricular Ea, increase of Aa and Ea/Aa<1 comparison with controls. IVRT of Ⅱ, Ⅲgroups was longer than normal. Conclusions Right ventricular diastolic function with essential hypertension decreased according to the degree of staging. QTVI has a greater predictive value than conventional imaging, and is useful for evaluating right ventricular function in patients with essential hypertension.

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 establish a novel method to determine the absolute content of quercetin by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR).Methods DMSO-d6 was employed as solvent,and maleic acid as an internal standard.Proton signal peaks at δ7.50-7.58 and δ6.26 of maleic acid were served as quantification peaks.The content of quercetin is determined with qNMR in comparison with the results obtained by mass balance method.Results Linear regression of quantitative peak areas ratio (As/Ar) of quercetin-maleic acid vs mass ratio (ms/mr) yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.999 3 and a regression equation ofy =2.963 x + 0.134 1.The contents of three batches quercetin were 85.20％,84.93％,and 85.27％,the average was 85.13％ and its RSD was 0.21％.The results were generally consistent with that of mass balance methods.Conclusion This method was easy and simple to handle,and the analysis results were accurate.It could be the complementary for the mass balance method.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of transvaginal elastography in diagnosing cervical cancers.MethodsTotally,124 patients of cervical lesions with definite pathological results were enrolled.Elastograms were collected and the strain ratios of the benign and malignant lesions were record and compared.ROC curve was used to find the best cut-off point.ResultsElastography was useful in differentiating benign and malignant lesions by different color.Values of strain ratio of different pathological lesions were statistically different ( P ＜0.01).The mean value of strain ratio was 2.71 ± 1.56 for benign lesions and 8.32 ± 4.11 for malignant ones.The best cut-off point was 4.99 basing on the ROC curve.The sensitivity and specificity were 80.7％ and 89.6％,respectively.ConclusionsReal-time transvaginal elastography was a new way in differential diagnosing cervical cancers from benign lesions of the cervix.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of strain ratio in differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors,compared with the evaluation based on elastography scores.Methods Elastography examinations were performed in 67 patients with 92 thyroid tumors.Ultrasonic elastograms were evaluated according to the four- and five-score system respectively.Strain ratio of the tumor and the surrounding tissue was also calculated.Clinical value of the three evaluations was compared with pathological findings as the reference standard.Results The area under the curve:0.885 for the four-score,0.904 for the five-score,0.961 for the strain ratio.When a cutoff point of 3 was used,four-score and five-score showed a sensitivity of 78.0%,a specificity of 86.3%,an accuracy of 82.6% and a sensitivity of 80.5%,a specificity of 88.2%,an accuracy of 84.8%,respectively.When a cutoff point of 3.57 was introduced,the strain ratio had 92.7% sensitivity,92.2% specificity,92.4% accuracy.Conclusions Strain ratio was more helpful in diagnostic performance of thyroid tumors as a new semi-quantitative method than elastography scores.

Objective To evaluate the capability of strain rate imaging(SRI)for monitoring regional systolic deformation and synchronicity of left ventricle after coronary artery bypass graft(CABG)and for evaluating effect of surgery and predicting restenosis.Methods The values of systolic strain rate(SRsys),systolic strain(Ssys)and post systolic strain index(PSI)in 5 segments supplied by left anterior descending coronary artery were measured in study group(60 patients with coronary artery disease)at 1 day before and 10 days,1 month,3 months and 6 months after CABG.Forty healthy participants served as a baseline control group.The regional myocardial function before and after CABG was compared and analyzed.Results The peak values of SRsys and Ssys decreased before CABG in study group.In 52 of the 60 patients,SRsys and Ssys in the graft segments increased gradually and showed statistical significance in most studied segments at 3 and 6 months after surgery.In the above 52 patients,value of PSI increased before CABG and reduced significantly in all analyzed segments at 6 months after surgery.The restenosis of graft artery was suspected in 8 patients by SRI and the positive predictive value was 75%.The diagnosis sensitivity of SRI parameter method was higher than that of 2-dimensional echocardiography and the sensitivity of Ssys was higher than that of SRsys.Conclusions SRI can be used to quantitatively assess the regionsl systolic deformation and synchronicity and monitor the improvement of myocardial function after CABG and determine the effect of surgery and predict restenosis of graft artery.

BACKGROUND: Electrochemically deposited coating, as an alternative method of plasma spraying coating, has arose widely attention, however, few reports concerning its in vivo biological features, especially the effect of coating on early osseointegration and duration of bone healing is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the early osseointegration of electrodepositied calcium phosphate and calcium phosphate/chitosan coatings on rabbits' femurs. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An open experiment. The experiment was performed at the Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Stomatology School of Wuhan University from April 2008 to May 2009. MATERIALS: Eighteen male Japanese rabbits were supplied by the animals' center of Wuhan University. Ti_6Al_4V alloy was purchased from Baoji Titanium Nickel Co., Ltd. Chitosan with over 75% degree of deacetylation was produced by American Sigma Company.METHODS: ① Cylindrical titanium alloy implants (3.3×8.0 mm) were designed with a gap (0.3×4.0 mm) in the middle part by using precision machine tool. The implants were prepared electrodeposited calcium phosphate coating surface (ELD group) and electrodeposited calcium phosphate/chitosan coating surface (ELDC group) with 2.5 mA/cm~2 electric current and 52 V temperature. Meantime, the implants with sandblasted surface were prepared as the control group. Totally 36 implants were randomly inserted into the distal femur condyles of 18 rabbits, and the new bone formation was labeled by fluorescence staining. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At weeks 2 and 4 after operation, the implants were subjected to histological and histomorphometric analysis. RESULTS: All groups were observed different-quantity new bone formation. However, only ELDC group was seen fibrous tissues intervened at bone-to-implant interface. The ELD coatings were heterogeneously degraded, and the majority of the ELDC coatings were degraded. The new bone within gaps of ELD and control groups could be seen under the confocal laser scanning microscope with a continuous process of bone apposition. Percentages of bone-to-implant contact within and outside of the gaps of ELD group at weeks 2 and 4 were significantly higher than those of ELDC and control groups (P < 0.05). Bone formation rates of ELD group were significantly higher than those of ELDC group at weeks 2 and 4 after operation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ELD implants can promote early osseointegration and induce bone tissue growth into the gaps; however, ELDC implants go against osseointegration of rabbit femurs.

Objective To evaluate reverse effect of recombinant human Endostatin on drug-resistance of A549/DDP cells to cisplatin (DDP). Methods Lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549 and its DDP-resistant cell line A549/DDP were treated with DDP and recombinant human Endostatin. Difference in drug resistance was analyzed between different regimens ( DDP, Endostatin and combination) and between different cell lines ( human lung adenocarcinoma A549 and drug resistant A549/DDP), after a 72h-treatment in vitro. Reverse effect of recombinant human Endostatin on drug-resistance of A549/DDP to DDP was tested by MTT assay. Results The observed 50% inhibitory concentration ( IC50 ) was (0.72 ± 0.05 ) ug/ml against A549 and ( 11.54 ± 0.64)against A549/DDP in DDP, and (2.0 ± 0.1 ) μg/ml against A549/DDP in rh-Endostatin- DDP combination respectively, with a reversal fold (RF) of 5.77 and a relative reversal rate of 88. 2%. Conclusion rh-Endostatin may reverse drug-resistance of A549/DDP cells to DDP.