AIM: To study the protective effect of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) on ischemia /reperfusion hippocampal slices. METHODS: Ischemia/reperfusion models of hippocampal slices from newborn rats were established. MSCs obtained from adult bone marrow were cultured, isolated and purified. Cell death was assessed using propidium iodide fluorescence. And brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in MSCs was determined by immunocytochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: Maximal dead cells appeared in hippocampal slices 3 to 7 days after reperfusion. When the slices were co-cultured with MSCs, only a few cells were dead. The protective effect of MSCs on the slices was diminished significantly when anti-BDNF antibody was added to the medium. The protein of BDNF was faintly expressed in MSCs under normal conditions. When MSCs were co-cultured with ischemia /reperfusion hippocampal slices, the expression of BDNF in MSCs was increased gradually especially when co-cultured for 3 to 7 days. However, MSCs co-cultured with normal hippocampal slices expressed BDNF at a lower level at any times of co-culture. CONCLUSIONS: In an in vitro model of simulated ischemia, MSCs reduce cell death. Ischemia/reperfusion hippocampal slices co-cultured with MSCs promote the expression of BDNF in MSCs, which in turn protect the ischemic neurons.

OBJECTIVETo explore the difference of the ultrasonic features between anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma.

METHODSThe ultrasound data of 7 patients with histopathologically confirmed anaplastic thyroid carcinomas who were treated in PUMC Hospital from April 2001 to June 2014 were retrospectively studied. In addition, 21 sex-and age-matched patients with histopathologically confirmed papillary thyroid carcinomas during the same period were enrolled as the control group. The pathologic results were regarded as the gold standard. The ultrasonic features of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma were analyzed and compared.

RESULTSPatients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma were predominantly females (5/7,71.4%), with an average age of (64.9 ± 11.3) years. Large mass [(5.17 ± 1.26) cm vs. (1.85 ± 1.89)cm, P<0.001], anteroposterior-to-transverse diameter ratio less than 1(100.0% vs. 47.6%, P ＝ 0.03), and punctuate calcification (100.0% vs. 52.4%, P ＝ 0.03) were more frequently associated with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma than with papillary thyroid carcinoma. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the shape, margin, cystic change, echogenicity, echotexture,vascularity,and envelope (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONIn elderly women with common malignant features on ultrasound, the thyroid nodules with a maximum diameter greater than 5 cm,anteroposterior-to-transverse diameter ratio less than 1,and microcalcifications are highly likely to be anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.

Carcinoma ; diagnostic imaging ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic ; diagnostic imaging ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Thyroid Nodule ; Ultrasonography