Objective To investigate the significance of test of receptor activator of nuclear factor?kappa B(NF?κB)ligand(RANKL)in serum and urine for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Methods A total of 53 patients with osteoporosis(the experimental group)and 45 healthy controls(the normal control group)were recruited in this study. The expression levels of RANKL in serum and urine was measured and compared by enzyme?linked immunosorbent assay. Results The serum and urine levels of RANKL in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P<0.01). The areas under receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve of serum and urine RANKL were 0.898 and 0.734, respectively. The combined detection of serum and urine RANKL and Ca2+reached a high sensitivity of 89.5%and a specificity of 86.1%for diagno?sis of osteoporosis. Conclusion RANKL may be closely associated with the progression of osteoporosis. Serum and urine RANKL test may be help?ful in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Objective To establish an animal model suitable for neurosurgeons for the comprehensive training of microvascular anastomosis using rat abdominal aorta and common iliac artery. Methods Twelve adult SD rats were selected,they were generally anesthetized and laparotomized.The abdominal aortas and bilateral common iliac arteries were exposed and fully separated.The lengths and diameters of abdominal aortas and common iliac arteries of each segment were measured.The end-to-end anastomosis were performed choosing the main trunk of the abdominal aorta without a branching artery and longer segment.The unilateral common iliac artery and the sacral median artery were used for end-to-side anastomosis.The bilateral common iliac arteries were used for end-to-side and side-to-side anastomosis.The micro Doppler ultrasound probe was used to detect the blood flow patency of each anastomotic stoma. Results Anatomical separation of the abdominal aortas and the common iliac arteries was successfully performed in 12 SD rats.Each rat could provide 4 vascular anastomosis exercises.The length of abdomen aorta trunk was 15.6 ± 2.5 mm and the diameter was 1.6 ±0.2 mm between the lower left renal artery and right iliolumbar artery.The side-to-side anastomosis was performed.The mean diameter of the median sacral arteries was 0.80 ±0.08 mm.After the fish mouth-like cutting,the end-to-side anastomosis of the right common iliac arteries were conducted.The lenth of left common iliac artery was 9.0 ± 1.5 mm,the diameter was 1.0 ± 0.1 mm,and was cut off at its origin and then the end-to-side anastomosis of the right common iliac arteries were conducted.After end-to-side anastomosis of bilateral common iliac arteries,its distal segment was arranged in parallel with a length of 5.1 ± 0.3 mm,and then the side-to-side anastomosis could be conducted. Conclusions The rat abdominal aorta and iliac artery model can be comprehensively used to simulate the commonly used neurosurgery bypass graft.It is suitable for neurosurgeons with a certain microsurgical basis to conduct a preliminary vascular anastomosis training.

Recent studies have shown that stress can substantially facilitate breast cancer metastasis,which can be reduced by nonselective β1/β2-adrenergic receptor(β1/β2-AR)blocker.However,several side effects were identified.Thus,it is extremely warranted to explore more effective and better-tolerated β2-AR blocker.Currently,we demonstrated that baicalin(BA),a major bioactive component of Scutellaria bai-calensis Georgi,could significantly attenuate stress hormones especially epinephrine(Epi)-induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro.Mechanistically,we identified that β2-AR was a direct target of BA via the drug affinity responsive target stability(DARTS)combined with mass spectrum assay,and BA photoaffinity probe with pull-down assay,which was further confirmed by a couple of bio-physical and biochemical assays.Furthermore,we demonstrated that BA could directly bind to the Phe-193 and Phe-289 of β2-AR,subsequently inhibit cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A-focal adhesion kinase(cAMP-PKA-FAK)pathway,and thus impede epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),thereby hindering the metastatic progression of the chronic stress coupled with syngeneic and xenograft in vivo orthotopic and tail vein mouse model.These findings firstly identify BA as a potential β2-AR inhibitor in the treatment of stress-induced breast cancer metastasis.