Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of peripheral blood T-SPOT.TB and pleural effusion′s adenosine deami-nase(ADA)activity in patients with tuberculous pleurisy.Methods Sixty-two patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy were enrolled in the study,whose peripheral blood T-SPOT.TB and pleural effusion ADA were measured and the best diagnostic thresh-old was determined by ROC curve.Results According to the diagnostic criteria of tuberculous pleurisy,24 patients were diagnosed with tuberculous pleurisy,33 were non-tuberculous pleurisy and 5 undiagnosed in the end.The sensitivity of T-SPOT.TB for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy was 91.7 %,the specificity was 81.8%,Positive predictive value was 78.6%,negative predictive value was 93.1%.The ADA activity was (40.5±15.4)IU/L in tuberculous pleurisy group,which was higher than in non tubercu-lous pleurisy group[(2.4 ±9.5 )IU/L](P <0.01 ).The cut-off value of ADA was 22.5 IU/L in tuberculous pleurisy diagnosis, while its sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% and 84.8% respectively.The sensitivity of the combined detection of T-SPOT.TB and ADA was 95.8%.Conclusion The combined detection of peripheral blood T-SPOT.TB and pleural effusion ADA has a higher sensi-tivity in diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy,and has important auxiliary diagnostic value for patients with suspected tuberculous pleurisy.

The osteocyte has been found to be an orchestrator of bone remodeling.The damage of bone leads to osteocyte apoptosis.Sclerostin secreted by osteocyte causes feedback inhibition of bone formation,so inhibition of sclerostin expression has become a new target of treatment for osteoporosis.It seems resonable to direct clinical practise and treatment of metabolic bone diseases through understanding the function of osteocyte in the process of bone remodeling.

New studies have shown that metabolism of bone is controlled by the central nervous system.Gonadotropins secreted by the anterior pituitary stimulate the formation and function of osteoclasts which are closely related to the bone turnover and changes of bone mass. This study overviews the relationship between gonadotropins and bone metabolism.

Objective To observe the effect of 17? estradiol (E 2) on the expression of membrane type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1 MMP) in human osteosarcoma cell line MG 63. Methods The expression of MT1 MMP protein in MG 63 cells were assayed with Western blot and immunohistochemical method. The activity of MMP 2 was determined by gelatin zymogram and ELISA. Results Treatment with different concentrations of E 2 in MG 63 cells resulted in a dose dependent enhancement in expression of MT1 MMP protein (P

Objective To compare bone mineral density(BMD) at relevant measurement sites between two hips in normal subjects. Methods BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA) in the two hips in 70 normal volunteer, 15 to 86 years of age(mean age 53 years). Result Highly significant correlations were found between BMD of the two hips at every measurement sites(r=0.696～0.979, P<0.001),There were small(approximately 2%～3%)but significant differences between BMD of the two hips , The right hip BMD were consistently higher than the left hip BMD at relevant measurement sites (P<0.01)； There were significant positive correlation between BMD and body weight(r=0.289～0.488, P<0.05)except Ward’s triangle. Conclusions BMDs of the two hips are highly correlated at relevant measurement sites; There are strong agreement between BMD of the two hips.

Objective To summarize experience to prevent the main postoperative complications after hypospadias repairs. Method The clinical data of 189 cases of hypospadias repairs was from May 2005 to August 2010,retrospectively analyzed. Results One hundred and seventy-four cases were surgically cured by single-stage operation. All cases had been followed up for 4-36 (18.5 ± 5.5) months, the cases who had become adults were normal penile development and erectile function. Postoperative complications occurred in 15 cases,9 cases of them were urethral fistulas,6 cases were urethral strictures,all were cured or improved after symptomatic treatments. Conclusions Some methods are necessary to raise single-stage urethroplasty success rate and decrease the incidence of fistulas and strictures, such as preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis,appropriate procedure,intraoperative suprapublic urinary diversion,the good blood supply of the flap, modified enswathement, postoperative manage and nursing.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DEXA),scanning electron microscopy,and bone biomechanical test were used to assess comprehensively bone quantity and quality of ovariectomized rats. In OVX rats,not only bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar vertebrae in vivo and vitro,but also BMD of femora (except for R3 region) and proximal metaphysis(R1 region) in vitro decreased obviously (P<0.01)，whose bone loss rates of L5 and L6 were the highest and achieved 13%; the trabeculae of OVX rats were few，fine, and discontinued and there were lacunae on the surface;in OVX rats,both compressive strength of vertebral bodies and the mechanical properties of femora decreased;the falling degree of the former was greater;the maximal compressive power of lumbar vertebrae decreased with 33.32%. We conclude that after 4-month post-ovariectomy, the bone quantity and quality of six-month-old rats decreased, especially in the area of abundant cancellous bone such as vertebral bodies,distal femora; the assessment of the efficiency of new drugs to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis using rat models should include these drugs' effects to the bone mass, the bone structure, and the bone strength.

Objective To study the changes of microarchitecture, bone mineral density (BMD) , and bone mineral content (BMC) in apolipoprtein E knockout( ApoE-/-) mice. Methods Male ApoE-/- mice at 15, 28, and 40-week of age and sex-age-matched wild-type (WT) mice were involved in the study. The trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture were assessed by micro-CT( μCT) in the right distal femur. The total body BMD of the left femur was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA). The relationships among BMD, microarchitecture, and BMC were analyzed. Results Compared with WT mice,the advancing age ApoE-/- mice showed an increased volumetric BMD (vBMD), tissue BMD (tBMD) , BMC, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb. N ) , trabecular thickness (Tb. Th) with an decreased bone surface fraction ( BS/BV), trabecular separation (Tb. SP) , and the structure mode index (P <0. 05 ) in the cancellous bone of femur. The cortical bone microarchitecture parameters as inner perimeter, outer perimeter, cortical area, marrow area, total area and moment of inertia were also increased, but cortical BMD, cortical bone mineral content (C. BMC) and cortical thickness retained constant. At the age of 28 weeks,the total body BMD in ApoEE-/- mice revealed higher than WT mice (P<0. 05) and there was no changes in 15 and 40-week-old mice compared with the sex-age-matched controls. vBMD was positively correlated with BMC, BV/TV,Tb. Th, BS/BV, and C. BMC, with the correlation coefficients 0.955,0.944,0. 834,0.923, and 0.903 .respectively, and there was no correlation between vBMD and the other parameters. Conclusions ApoEE-/- mice display an increased bone mass, suggesting that ApoE has an important role in bone remodeling.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechnism of preptin on connect tissue growth factor (CTGF) in human osteoblasts. Methods Recombinant human preptin was used to treat primary human osteoblasts, and Western blot was used to detect CTGF protein level. Mitogen-activated protein kinase p38(p38MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), and their phosphorylation levels were also detected by Western blot. MAPK inhibitors (PD98059, SP600125, or SB203580)were used to elucidate the mechnism of preptin induced expression of CTGF in human osteoblasts. Results Treatment of human osteoblasts with preptin caused a time and dose-dependent increase in CTGF secretion. Preptin induced activation of ERK, but not p38MAPK or JNK in human osteoblasts. Furhermore, pretreatment of human osteoblasts with the ERK inhibitor PD98059 abolished the preptin-induced CTGF secretion. Conclusion Preptin induces CTGF expression in human osteoblasts by means of ERK/MAPK pathway.

Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). Methods Thirty-two female SD rats after matching body weight were divided randomly into three groups: baseline group (n = 10), control group (n = 11) and GC-treated group (n = 11). The administration time was 9 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. A high resolution micro-CT was used to quantify the densitometric and microarchitectural properties of trabeculae in the proximal metaphysis of right tibia. In situ hybridization histochemistry and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CBI R) in the proximal metaphysis of left tibia. Results At the end of the experiment, whole-body BMD in vivo in the control group [(0. 156±0. 008) g/cm2]was higher than that in the baseline group [(0.147±0.006)g/cm2], while the whole-body BMD in vivo [(0.147±0.006) g/cm2]and total BMD in vitro at femurs in the GC-treated group [(0.220±0.011) g/cm2]was lower than those in the control group [(0. 240±0. 024)g/cm2]. Compared with the baseline group and control group, there was a remarkable decrease in the volumetric BMD, tissue BMD, trabecular number and trabecular connectivity (P<0.05) in the GC-treated group, while there was a significant increase in trabecular separation (P < 0. 05) and trabecular thickness also increased in the proximal metaphysis of tibiae in the GC-treated group. The expression level of CB1R mRNA and protein in osteoclasts in the GC-treated group was markedly higher than that in the baseline group and control group (P < 0. 05). There was a close correlation between the expression level of CB1R mRNA, protein in osteoclasts and some microarchitectural parameters in the proximal metaphysis in the GC-treated group (P<0.05). Conclusions The administration of GC is associated with a decrease in BMD and deterioration in microarchitecture of trabecular bone in rats tibiae. Glucocorticoid may up-regulate the CB1R expression level in osteoclasts and this may be a kind of molecular mechanism of GIOP.