Objective: To observe the efficacy of mild moxibustion combined with arthroscopic meniscal repair in the treatment of meniscal injury and to explore its action mechanism. Methods: Ninety-eight patients with meniscal injury were divided into a surgery group and a moxibustion plus surgery group by the random number table method, with 49 cases in each group. Both groups received arthroscopic meniscal repair, and the moxibustion plus surgery group was treated with add-on mild moxibustion. The Lysholm score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and mobility of the affected knee were measured before and after treatment, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) levels were measured in the fluid of the affected knee joint. The healing of the meniscus was recorded at a follow-up visit 3 months after the surgery. Results: After treatment, the Lysholm score increased, the VAS score decreased in both groups, and the intra-group differences in both groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The Lysholm score was higher in the moxibustion plus surgery group than in the surgery group, and the VAS score was lower in the moxibustion plus surgery group than in the surgery group. The differences between groups in both scores were statistically significant (P<0.05). The mobility of the affected knee joint increased in both groups (P<0.05), and it was greater in the moxibustion plus surgery group than in the surgery group (P<0.05). When compared with pretreatment, the levels of TGF-β1 and PDGF in the fluid of the knee joint increased in both groups (P<0.05), and the levels of TGF-β1 and PDGF in the fluid of the affected knee joint were higher in the moxibustion plus surgery group than in the surgery group (P<0.05). The healing of the meniscus in the moxibustion plus surgery group was significantly better than that in the surgery group at the follow-up visit 3 months after the surgery (P<0.05). Conclusion: The effect of mild moxibustion combined with arthroscopic meniscal repair is better than the surgery alone in improving knee function, relieving pain, increasing mobility of the affected knee, and promoting meniscal healing, which may be related to the up-regulation of TGF-β1 and PDGF levels in the fluid of knee joint.

Objective To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis of subserous myoma (SM) and ovarian fibroma.Methods CEUS was performed on 58 patients with SM and 26 patients with ovarian fibroma.The enhancement pattern was observed.The diagnostic performance was evaluated by using diagnostic test.Results SM exhibited homogeneous isoenhancement synchronously with the myometrium in early phase.In the late phase,the pseudocapsule remained hyper-enhancement with obvious membraniform sign.Some myomas showed the feeding artery from uterus.Ovarian fibroma demonstrated hyper-enhancement at the periphery portion and hypoenhancement inside.Conclusions The SM and ovarian myomas showed different enhancement patterns,which may provide us some exact information in the differential diagnosis between the two diseases.

ObjectiveTo assess the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)in characterization of adnexal masses in comparison with baseline ultrasound.MethodsOne hundred and thirty-seven masses were examined by CEUS and baseline ultrasound.Two independent investigators reviewed the images before and after contrast agent administration.The diagnostic performances were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the interobserver agreement was analyzed.ResultsAfter review of CEUS,ROC analysis revealed significant improvement in differentiating between malignant and benign pelvic masses that the areas under the ROC curve were 0.731 and 0.738 at baseline ultrasound versus 0.891 and 0.903 at CEUS ( P ＜0.01 ).The accuracy for both investigators also improved significantly after reviewing CEUS.A better interobserver agreement was achieved after reviewing of CEUS (g =0.681 at baseline ultrasound versus κ =0.893 at CEUS) and a better result of specific diagnosis was obtained (73.2％ and 74.2％ at baseline ultrasound versus 90.7％ and 91.2％ at CEUS)(all P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions Real-time CEUS improves the diagnostic performance in adnexal masses for discrimination between malignancy and benignity and improves the capability in specific diagnosis compared with baseline ultrasound.

Objective To assess the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in characterization of pelvic masses.Methods Contrast-enhanced ultrasound was performed on 137 patients with pelvic masses.The results were compared to pathological diagnostic criteria.The diagnostic performance was evaluated by using diagnostic test.Results Sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value,negative predictive value,accuracy and area under ROC curve in diagnosing complex pelvic masses by using contrast-enhanced ultrasound were as follows:85.3％ (29/34),93.2％ (96/103),80.6％ (29/36),95.0％ ( 99/101 ),91.2％ ( 125/137 ),0.892,respectively.Conclusions Contrast-enhanced ultrasound provides a simple and curate method for characterization of pelvic masses.

Objective To investigate the application value of transperineal ultrasound in female patients with cystocele.Methods Transperineal ultrasound were performed in 36 female patients with cystocele and the bladder neck movement degrees (BND),retrovesical angle and the degree of urethral rotation were observed at maximum Valsalva.The ultrasonic manifestation of 36 female patients with cystocele were summarized.Results On maximal Valsalva bladder neck mobility all increased in 36 patients,32 patients with open retrovesical angle (≥140°) and 30 female patients with urethral rotation ≥ 45°.There were 6 cases with type Ⅰ,bladder neck was lower than inferoposterior margin of the symphysis pubis,cystocele with open retrovesical angle (≥140°) and urethral rotation ＜45°.There were 26 cases with type Ⅱ,bladder neck was lower than inferoposterior margin of the symphysis pubis,cystocele with open retrovesical angle (≥140°) and urethral rotation ≥45°.There were 4 cases with type Ⅲ,bladder was lower than inferoposterior margin of the symphysis pubis,cystocele with intact retrovesical angle (＜ 140°) and urethral rotation ≥45°.Conclusions The transperineal ultrasound can be used for classification of cystocele in female patients and which may provide more reliable information for clinical diagnosis.

Objective To study the repeatability and consistency of normal female pelvic floor structure using transperineal real‐time three‐dimensional ultrasound .Methods Forty‐two cases of normal adult female were evaluated by two different experience operator ,using the real‐time three‐dimensional ultrasound diagnostic apparatus .The bladder neck movement degrees and the levator hiatus area were observed after Valsalva condition .Differences between the groups were compared .Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ,the coefficient of variation (CV) and Bland‐Altman analysis of consistency were evaluated . Results The bladder neck movement degrees and the levator hiatus area measured by the experienced operator (operator 1) and less experienced operator(operator 2) were (18 4.8 ± 5 8.4)cm and (17 7.9 ± 5 4.8) cm ,(17 5.3 ± 3 9.5)cm2 and (17 3.1 ± 4 3.2)cm2 ,respectively .There was no significant difference between the two operators ( P > 0 0.5) .The intra‐ICC were 0 8.9 and 0 9.0 ,CV were 7 2.6% and 3 0.3% .Experienced operator repeatability (ICC= 0 9.9 ,0 9.4) was slightly higher than the less experienced researchers (ICC 0 9.2 ,0 8.1) .The analysis results of Bland‐Altman image showed good consistency between two different operators .Conclusions The current study proves real‐time three‐dimensional ultrasound is a reproducible method for female pelvic floor structure assessment ,and the reproducibility is very well .The detection performance of experienced operator slightly better than the one with less experience ,strengthen the training of junior doctors may further improve the accuracy of measurement .

Objective To investigate the application value of transperineal ultrasound in female urethras and pathological change of circum-urethras.Methods 403 female patients were examined by transperineal ultrasound in condition of resting and maximum Valsalva,female urethras and pathological changes of circum-urethras were observed and ultrasonic manifestation were concluded.Results By transperineal ultrasound the images of normal urethras and pathological change of circum-urethras were clearly discernible.403 female patients were examined,380 normal.18 urethral calcification,there was hyperecho stripe in urethras.2 urethral cyst,there was round anechoic area in circum-urethras and no fistula between round anechoic area with urethras.2 urethral diverticulum,there was round anechoic area in circumurethras and a fistula between round anechoic area with urethras.1 urethrovaginal fistula,there was irregular hypoechoic area between urethras with vagina,the irregular hypoechoic area both communicate with urethras and vagina.Conclusions Transperinealr ultrasound can be used for examination urethras and pathological change of circum-urethras in female patients and may provide more reliable information for clinical diagnosis.

Aim To evaluate the effects of notoginsen-oside R1 on store-operated calcium entry ( SOCE ) in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells ( PASMCs ) of chronic hypoxia ( CH)-and monocrotaline ( MCT)-in-duced pulmonary hypertension ( PH) rats. Methods Mn2+ quenching of Fura-2 and measurement of intra-cellular free calcium concentration ( [ Ca2+] i ) using fluo-3 were examined in PASMCs of CH-exposed and MCT-treated rats. Results ①CH-exposed and MCT-treated rats exhibited profound PH when examined 3 weeks after hypoxia exposure or MCT injection, respec-tively. ②In the presence of 3 μmol·L-1 nifedipine, 10 μmol · L-1 notoginsenoside R1 significantly re-duced cyclopiazonic acid ( CPA )-induced the percent reduction in Fura-2 fluorescence measured 500 sec af-ter application of Mn2+, the maximal rate of Mn2+quenching, the amplitude of the Ca2+ influx transient and the resting [ Ca2+] i in PASMCs of CH-exposed and MCT-treated rats. Conclusion Notoginsenoside R1 inhibits SOCE and reduces resting [ Ca2+] i in PASMCs of CH-and MCT-induced PH rats.

Objective To explore the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS)in the differential diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma and endometrial hyperplasia.Methods Forty-five patients with endometrial carcinoma and 21 patients with hyperplasia were studied by CEUS.Twenty-four normal women were enrolled as contrast group.Results In normal uterus, myometrium exhibited earlier enhancement later washout than the endometrium.Similar phenomenon was observed in patients with hyperplasia.In patients with endometrial carcinoma,the lesion showed wash-in and washout earlier, at least not later than the myometrium.Conclusions Endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia showed different enhancement patterns,which may be helpful for the diagnosis of the two diseases.

Vibrios are universal conditioned-pathogenic bacteria in marine culture environment, and the outbreak of vibrio disease resulted in a serious damage to aquaculture. Considering that vibrio disease in aquatic species, especially fishes, usually originated from mixed infection of different species (serotypes or subspecies) of vibrios, it is important to select the potential cross-protective protein antigens as candidates of polyvalent or combined vaccines. In present research, several strains of vibrios were isolated from infected large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) and subsequently identified as six strains of V. harveyi, one V. parahaemolyticus and one V. alginolyticus by physiological, biochemical and molecular biological methods. Their outer membrane proteins (OMPs) were extracted and the SDS-PAGE and Western blotting results show that three immuno-blots with common molecular weight presented at approximate 45 kDa, 35 kDa and 22 kDa on their OMP electrophoretogram, indicating the existence of antigens with cross-protection in their OMPs. With the aids of combination of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-D) and Western blotting and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), a deduced porin (GenBank Accession No. ZP_01260407) from V. alginolyticus and a maltoporin precursor (GenBank Accession No. NP_801154) from V. parahaemolyticus were able to react with polyclonal antibody to whole V. harveyi, suggesting these two proteins could act as the cross-protective antigens and the vaccines prepared with these porins would be probable to bring cross protection to three different vibrios.
Animals ; Antigens, Bacterial ; immunology ; Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins ; immunology ; Cross Reactions ; Fish Diseases ; microbiology ; Perciformes ; microbiology ; Vibrio ; classification ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; pathogenicity ; Vibrio Infections ; microbiology