Purpose To evaluate the subclassifications of pT2 diseases in tumor-nodes-metastases ( TNM) staging system for prostate cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy ( RP) with the diag-nosis of clinically localized PCa was conducted. Any preoperative therapies, in terms of active surveillance, hormone therapy or radia-tion were exclusion criteria. The RP specimens were completely embedded and histopathologically evaluated for extraprostatic exten-sion, seminal vesicle invasion and staged according to the 2002/2010 TNM staging criteria. Results Using current 2002/2010 TNM staging criteria, in all, 15 cases of the tumors were pT2, 10 cases were pT3a, and 5 cases were pT3a. When subclassification of pT2, 2 cases of the tumors were pT2a, 13 cases of the tumors were pT2c, and none was identified as a pathological T2b tumor. Conclusion The results of the present study suggest that the pathological substaging criteria of organ-confined prostate cancer via methods used in the current 2002/2010 TNM staging system may not be appropriate. Efforts should be made to upgrade the current TNM staging system for prostate cancer.

Objective To explore lipoxinA4 (LXA4) expression in maternal serum of pregnant women and the protective effect and mechanism of LXA4 on trophoblastic cells from oxidative injury. Methods Trophoblastic cells were randomized into six groups: Control group; Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) group, cells were stimulated by 10 μg/ml LPS for 24 h; Intervention group, cells stimulated by LPS were treated with 100 nmol/L LXA4 for 24 h; LXA4 group, cells were treated with 100 nmol/L LXA4 for 24 h; Antagonistic group, cells stimulated by LPS were treated with 100 nmol/L LXA4 plus 100 μmol/L N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-pyrrolidine (BOC-2) for 24 h; BOC-2 group, trophoblastic cells stimulated by LPS were treated with 100 μmol/L BOC-2 for 24 h. The serum concentration of LXA4 in normal group and preeclampsia group was detected by ELISA. The intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was detected by 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) as a fluorescent probe. SOD mRNA was analyzed by RT-PCR. SOD and Nrf2 protein expressions were analyzed by Western blot. The levels of SOD in trophoblastic cells were detected by using detection kit. Results (1) The serum concentration of LXA4 was significantly lower in preeclampsia group (165.53±18.89) pg/L than in the control [(545.67±30.91) pg/L, P<0.01]. (2) Compared with control group, the levels of ROS in LPS group were significantly higher, DCF density of trophoblastic cells increased from 53.00±3.08 to 77.00±5.83 (P<0.01). The expression of nuclear Nrf2 protein, SOD mRNA and protein in LPS group were obviously decreased (P<0.01). The levels of SOD in LPS group were also significantly lower (P<0.01). (3) Compared with LPS group, the levels of ROS in intervention group were significantly lower, DCF density of trophoblastic cells decreased from 77.00±5.83 to 62.00±3.39 (P<0.01). The expression of nuclear Nrf2 protein, SOD mRNA in intervention group were obviously increased (P<0.01), so did the SOD protein expression (P<0.05). The levels of SOD were significantly increased from (4.77±0.34) U/ml to (8.93±0.53) U/ml (P<0.01). (4) The levels of SOD in antagonistic group were lower than in intervention group, but still higher than LPS group. [(6.23±0.41) U/ml vs (8.93±0.53) U/ml (P<0.01) or (4.77±0.34) U/ml (P<0.01)]. No significant difference was found in the levels of SOD between BOC-2 and LPS group (P>0.05). Conclusions LXA4 can significantly reduce the oxidative stress of placental trophoblastic cells stimulated by LPS. LXA4 can bind to lipoxin receptors and activate Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway playing a protective effect. So LXA4 in pregnant women can affect the oxidative stress of placenta.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of 5(S),6(R),7-trihydroxyheptanoic acid methyl ester (BML-111) on pregnant mice with fetal growth restriction(FGR) induced by antenatal dexamethasone and its probable mechanism. MethodsThe mice were mated overnight,with day 1 of pregnancy designated as the day on which spermatozoa were presented in a vaginal smear.The pregnant mice were then randomly divided into control group,dexamethasone group and BML-111 group.From 9 to 14 days of pregnancy,pregnant ICR mice of control,dexamethasone and BML-111 group were treated separately with saline,dexamethasone(5 mg/kg) and dexamethasone at 8:00 am,and two hours later they were treated separately again with 1 mg/kg saline,saline and BML-111.On the day 18 of gestation,they were sacrificed after blood were collected from their eyeballs.The serum lipoxin A4 was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fetuses were delivered by cesarean section; the placenta and uterus were immediately removed and frozen.Gene expressions of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 ( 11β-HSD2 ),interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in placenta and lipoxin A4 receptor-formyl peptide receptor 3 (FPR3)in uterine were detected by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction and compared with analysis of variance.The 11β-HSD2 protein in mice placenta was detected by immunohistochemistry. ResultsThe mean fetal weight of dexamethasone group was (0.823±0.054) g,lower than that of the control group and BML-111 group [(1.103±0.218) g and (0.992 ± 0.207) g] (t =- 4.108 and - 2.890,P ＜ 0.05 respectively).Protein expression of 11β-HSD2 in dexamethasone group (0.030±0.019) was weaker than that in control group (0.058±0.015,t=-3.107,P＜0.05) or in BML-111 group (0.049±0.026,t=-2.211,P＜0.05).The expression of 11β-HSD2 mRNA in dexamethasone group (0.457±0.062) was lower than that in control group (0.943±0.057,t=-9.418,P＜0.05) or in BML-111 group (0.698±0.071,t=-4.617,P＜0.05).Expression of IL-1β mRNA in dexamethasone group (0.543±0.103)was less than that in control group (0.710± 0.085,t=-3.736,P＜0.05) but more than that in BML-111 group (0.229 ±0.031,t=7.025,P＜0.05). The expression of FPR3 mRNA in dexamethasone group (0.323 ± 0.019) was less than that in control group (0.857 ± 0.057,t =-14.630,P＜0.05) or in BML-111 group (0.499 ±0.050,t=-4.822,P＜0.05).The serum concentration of lipoxin A4 in dexamethasone group was lower than that in control group [(64.463±22.144) pg/ml vs (101.610±24.916) pg/ml,t=3.152,P＜0.05].ConclusionsBML-111 regulate the expression of 11β-HSD2 and then protect against FGR resulted from too much prenatal application of dexamethasone.

Objective To explore the qualitative evaluation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant thyroid nodules (TNs).Methods Totally 110 outpatients with 132 TNs underwent CEUS were enrolled in this study in Jinling Hospitall Medical School of Nanjing University (Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military).Nanjing General Hospital of Nanjing Military All the nodules underwent ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).113 TNs were histologically diagnosed,the characteristics of enhancement for each noudle were scored.The characteristicsof enhancement between benign and malignant TNs were compared by chi-square test.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were conducted to determine the diagnostic values of thyroid CEUS.Results Contrast-enhanced patterns were significantly different between benign and malignant TNs in the degree,homogeneity of enhancement,enhanced ring and boundary,shape and size of the enhanced lesions (x2=23.85,P ＜ 0.001;x2=7.43,P=0.04;x2=34.54,P ＜ 0.001;x2=25.7,P ＜ 0.001;x2=53.10,P ＜ 0.001;x2=22.78,P ＜ 0.001;x2=30.90,P ＜ 0.001).Contrast-enhanced patterns were not significantly different between benign and malignant TNs in the process and completeness of enhancement.Malignant lesions had concentric (79.5％),inhomogeneous (89.0％) and low (71.1％) enhanced with irregular (79.5％) and unclear (64.4％) boundary and bigger size (63.0％).The typical CEUS feature of benign nodules was peripheral ring hyperenhancement (34.7％).According to ROC curve,the cut off value was 3.5 points.The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for CEUS was 0.862 (95％CI:0.797-0.927).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy for CEUS were 80.8％,79.6％,80.3％ respectively.Conclusion The pattem of CEUS may assist in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant TNs.

Objective To observe the long-term relationship between body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular events in male elderly hypertensive patients.Methods A total of 839 male elderly (＞ 65 years old) hypertensive patients were included in this prospective study.Baseline data were obtained on January 2004 and participants were followed up yearly till January 2014.Patients were divided into 3 groups according to their BMI:normal weight group (18.5 kg/m2 ≤BMI ＜24.0 kg/m2),overweight group (24.0 kg/m2 ≤ BMI ＜ 28.0 kg/m2),obese group (BMI ≥ 28.0 kg/m2).All-cause death and cardiovascular events were compared.Results The average age of all 839 hypertension men was (75.4 ± 4.8) years at baseline.Baseline systolic blood pressure was (133.7 ± 14.6) mmHg(1 mmHg =0.133 kPa),diastolic blood pressure was (74.3 ± 9.3) mmHg.Baseline systolic and diastolic blood pressure was similar among the three groups.All 839 patients completed follow-up.There were 178 all-cause deaths,54 cardiovascular deaths,51 new/recurrent myocardial infarctions and 105 new/recurrent strokes during follow up.Incidence of all-cause mortality in overweight group (16.74％,72/430) was significantly lower than in normal weight group (27.01％ (74/274),P ＜ 0.05).Kaplan-Meier curves showed the all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality were higher in normal weight group than in the other two groups.According to the Cox proportional hazards regression model,the risk of all-cause mortality (RR =0.867,95％ CI:0.792-0.949) and cardiovascular death (RR =0.179,95 ％ CI:0.05-0.645) in patients with a BMI ≥ 24.0 kg/m2 were lower than in the group with BMI ＜ 24.0 kg/m2.Conclusion Obesity paradox phenomenon is observed in elderly male hypertensive patients in that higher BMI is associated with lower mortality risks in elderly male hypertensive patients during the 10 years follow-up.

Objective: To comprehensively evaluate the quality of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei based on gray correlationalanalysis and functional components, and to explore the difference of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei in different genuineproducing areas. Methods: HPLC was utilized to analyze 14 main compositions contained in the samples, includingemodin, rhein, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, physcion, rheinoside, physcion glucoside, chrysophan, aloe-emodinglucoside, emodin methyl glycoside, sennoside, sennoside B, catechin and gallic acid. Then python 2.7 software wasemployed for gray correlation analysis of functional components closely related to the traditional efficacy of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei. Results: The qualities of Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grow in different areas were different. Tanggute Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grew in Tianzhu Gansu had the best effects of "expelling water retention and attacking the accumulation", and that grew in Yajiang Sichuan had the best effects of "clearing heat and removing toxin". Zhangye Radix et Rhizoma Rhei grew in Lixian Gansu had the best effect of"expelling stasis and unblocking the channels". Conclusion: Patternrecognition has broad prospects in the field of quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicine. From the clinicalefficacy of traditional Chinese medicine, pattern recognition at the level of efficacy components can provide a new ideafor establishing a more complete and scientific quality evaluation system for traditional Chinese medicine.