Objective The increased use of high-resolution ultrasound (US) for thyroid disease has markedly increased the detection rate of nonpalpable thyroid nodules .The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of conventional ultrasonography, ultrasonic elastography(UE) and combined application of both in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Methods A retrospective analysis was made on 105 patients with 160 histologically proved thyroid nodules from September 2014 and August 2015 in our hospital.The receiver operating characteristic ( ROC) curve analysis was made on Thyroid Imaging Repor-ting and Data System ( TI-RADS) score, elastography score and the score of combined application.The area under curve ( AUC) was calculated and compared to select the best cut-off value in order to work out the respective diagnostic efficacy of 3 methods and Kappa consistence check with pathologic results . Results In ROC curve analysis, AUC of combination score(0.930, 95%CI:0.890-0.969) was higher than those of TI-RADS score(0.855, 95%CI:0.794-0.915) and elasticity score(0.845, 95%CI:0.780-0.909), and the difference was statistically significant (Z=2.20, 2.03, P<0.05) .Taking TI-RADS score≥4, elastography score≥3, and combination score≥7 as the limitation to diagnose ma-lignant thyroid nodules, the specificity and PPV of combination score(94.3%, 95%CI:0.867-0.979;91.7%, 95%CI:0.809-0.969) were higher than those of TI-RADS score(78.4%, 95%CI:0.681-0.862;84.7%, 95%CI:0.692-0.886) and e-lasticity score(81.8%, 95%CI:0.719-0.889;78.7%,95%CI:0.674-0.870).Kappa value of combination score(0.718, 95%CI:0.610-0.826) was higher than that of TI-RADS score(0.586, 95%CI:0.461-0.711) and elasticity score(0.635, 95%CI:0.515-0.755). Conclusion Conventional ultrasonography and UE are mutual complementation, and the application of conventional ultrasonography combined with UE has higher value than single examination in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules.

Objective To investigate the changes of homocysteic acid (Hcy) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in blood plasma of elderly patients with coronary heart disease and elucidate the risk factors of elderly patients with coronary heart disease.Methods 90 elderly patients with coronary heart disease were divided into 3 groups:stable angina pectoris group (SAP)(n=30),unstable angina pectoris group(UAP)(n=30),acute myocardial infarction group(AMI)(n=30).30 healthy elderly persons elder than 60 years old were enrolled as control group.Venous blood of all persons was harvested during empty stomach and plasma was separated.Then plasma Hcy and CRP were determined.Results The TC and TG levels in the three elderly coronary heart disease groups were significantly higher than those in control group (P

Objective The extensive use of high-resolution thyroid ultrasonography has markedly improved the detection rate of thyroid nodules ( TNs) .However, the ultrasonographic features of benign and malignant TNs usually overlap and have yet to be de-fined.This study aimed to investigate the ultrasonographic features and risk factors of malignant TNs by comparing their ultrasonograph-ic manifestations with those of benign TNs. Methods A total of 119 TNs (63 benign and 56 malignant) in 64 patients were includ-ed in this retrospective study.The gender, age, location of the TNs, and other variables were subjected to univariate analysis, the risk factors of malignant TNs were screened by multivariate logistic regression analysis, and the predictive value of the logistic regression model was assessed using the ROC curve. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk factors of malig-nant TNs in ultrasonography were irregular shape (OR:6.166, 95%CI:1.681-22.617), micro calcification (OR:3.593, 95%CI:1.800-7.169), and A/T ratio≥1 (OR:17.577, 95%CI:1.739-166.468).ROC curve analysis showed the area under the curve (AUC) to be 0.922 (95%CI:0.868-0.976). Conclusion Such ultrasonographic manifestations as irregular shape, micro-calcification, and A/T ratio≥1 are valuable in identifying the nature of TNs.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and aggressive arthritis. The basic pathological changes of RA include intra-articular hyperplasia synovitis and extra-articular vasculitis, symmetrical joint cavity effusion and stenosis, and the formation of pannus leading to the destruction of articular cartilage or joint accessory structures. In the course of RA, swelling and pain of the affected joints occur, causing joint deformities, joint stiffness, and joint dysfunction, and eventually disability. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of the relationship between nerve growth factor (NGF) and RA immunopathology. The results of existing studies have shown that the level of NGF in the synovial fluid of RA patients is elevated, suggesting that NGF plays an important role in immune inflammation-mediated pain behavior. In addition, nerve growth factor precursors (including proNGF and proBDNF, etc.) can promote cell apoptosis and inflammation. Among them, the levels of proBDNF and its receptors have significant changes in the blood of RA patients. Therefore, it can be inferred that proNGF and proBDNF may become new targets for RA treatment. According to the latest international domestic research results, in this paper the research progress of NGF and RA in immunopathology, immune inflammatory response, pain behavior, etc. were briefly introduced, and the potential application value of NGF in the treatment of RA was summarized.

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of P-selectin (CD62P) in bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells of patients with acute leukemia (AL). Methods The CD62P expression in bone marrow mononuclear cells of 15 healthy donors and 56 untreated patients with AL, were examined by flow cytometry. Results The average rate of CD62P expression was (6.72±7.64) % in hematopoietic stem cells (CD+45 CD+34 CD-38) of the 38 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), was (3.46±2.51) % in hematopoietic stem cells (CD+45 CD+34 CD+19) of the 12 patients with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), and was (6.23±4.95) % in hematopoietic stem cells (CD+45 CD+34 CD+7) of 6 patients with T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). The expression rates in those AL patients were higher than that in the healthy controls (1.04 ±1.23) % (t = 2.847, 3.284, 3.091, respectively, P ＜0.01), while there was no difference between the control group and the group who reach CR after routine treatment (t =1.932, P ＞0.05). Furthermore, the leukocyte,hemoglobin and platelet count in CD+62P patients with AML and T-ALL were significantly higher than CD-62P ones (t =4.153, 8.095, 8.289, 7.235, 8.692, 9.832, respectively, P ＜0.05), but there was no significant difference between CD+62P and CD-62P patients with B-ALL (t =0.340, 1.142, 0.019, respectively, P ＞0.05).Conclusion The CD62P is one of the markers of platelet activation, and its expression varies in different types of AL. The CD62P in hematopoietic stem cells of AL could be regarded as a new sign for the leukemic stem cells, as well as a helpful prognostic indicator in treatment response assessment.

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.

Eighty-two newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetic patients with poor glycemic control were treated by mitiglinide calcium for 16 weeks.Plasma fibroblast growth factor-21 ( FGF-21 ) level were evaluated.The relationship of plasma FGF-21 levels with body mass index,body fat,waist-to-hip ratio,lipid,blood glucose,HbA1c,and free fatty-acid were analyzed.Plasma FGF-21 was decreased significantly by treatment with mitiglinide calcium in type 2 diabetic patients,and it may play a role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Salivary gland cancer includes a group of heterogeneous malignant tumors. The latest WHO classification of head and neck tumors divides salivary gland cancer into 22 histopathological subtypes. The most common clinical subtypes include mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, salivary duct carcinoma, acinar cell carcinoma and secretory carcinoma, etc. The histomorphology of the subtypes of salivary gland cancer overlaps, making diagnosis and differential diagnosis difficult. The main treatment for salivary gland cancer is tumor resection and postoperative radiotherapy as appropriate. Even in cases of local progression, recurrence and metastasis, the treatment options available are limited, mainly palliative treatment. Accurate determination of tumor receptor expression, genome and pathway changes is the key to changing the prognosis of patients with local progression or distant metastasis. In this paper, the known genetic mutations, amplifications and protein expression profiles of common salivary gland cancer histological subtypes was summarized, and the significance of the above-mentioned molecular genetic changes for disease diagnosis, future research and personalized targeted therapy was analyzed.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between body mass index(BMI) and osteoporosis using Mendelian randomization analysis.Methods:The genetic variation strongly related to BMI was selected as the instrumental variables in the collection data set of the genome-wide association study(GWAS). The MR-Egger regression, weighted median estimator(WME), inverse variance weighted(IVW), simple mode and weighted mode were used for Mendelian randomization(MR) analysis. The causal association between BMI and osteoporosis was evaluated by odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. The MR-APSS method was applied to make the causal inference results based on MR more reliable. The Linkage disequilibrium score regression was applied to evaluate the genetic correlation, and the horizontal pleiotropy test, heterogeneity test, and leave-one-out method were used to evaluate whether the results were reliable, The influence of heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy were reduced by the MR-PRESSO outlier test.Results:A total of 421 SNPs were included, with inverse variance-weighted method as the main analysis approach. The calculated OR value and 95% CI were 0.994(95% CI 0.992-0.997), indicating a protective effect of BMI on osteoporosis. The MR-APSS method showed that the effect of BMI on osteoporosis was statistically significant. Linkage disequilibrium score regression demonstrated a genetic correlation between BMI and osteoporosis. MR-Egger regression intercept showed no horizontal pleiotropy of instrumental variables, and the funnel plot showed no bias in instrumental variables. Leave-one-out analysis confirmed robust results. Conclusion:There may be a negative causal relationship between BMI and osteoporosis and BMI is a protective factor for osteoporosis.

Objective:To analyze the non-enterovirus A71 (non-EVA71) and non-coxsackievirus A16 (non-CVA16) enteroviruses causing hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Kunming and Qujing of Yunnan Province in 2021 by sequencing the VP4/VP2 and VP1 genes and to analyze the phylogenetic characteristics of the VP1 gene of CVA2, aiming to provide reference for the prevention and control of CVA2.Methods:The samples were made and extracted strictly according to the Laboratory Manual for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018 Edition). VP4/VP2 junction regions were firstly amplified and sequenced by MD91/OL68-1 primers. These sequences were firstly edited and then "blasted" on the GenBank to determine the virus serotype. To analyze the phylogenetic characteristics of CVA2, the entire VP1 gene sequences were amplified in two segments using enterovirus species A primers. Virus serotype was again confirmed online by "Enterovirus Genotyping Tool Version 0.1". The sequences of the reference virus genotypes/sub-genotypes were downloaded according to the reference. The phylogenetic trees were constructed by Mega5.2 software and the genetic characteristics were analyzed.Results:A total of 749 non-EVA71 and non-CVA16 enteroviruses were detected in the two areas in 2021. Group A enteroviruses were the main pathogens, with CVA16 as the predominant virus, and a small number of group B enteroviruses were reported. Only five strains of CVA2 were detected with a detection rate of 0.67% (5/749), indicating that CVA2 was a rare pathogen for HFMD in the two areas. The sequencing and serotyping results were consistent using the two genomic regions of VP4/VP2 junction region and VP1 region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that three Kunming strains belonged to genotype A, while two Qujing strains belonged to genotype D.Conclusions:The detection rate of CVA2 in Kunming and Qujing was 0.67% in 2021. CVA2 was a rare pathogen for HFMD in the two regions. Phylogenetic analysis showed genotypes A and D spread in Kunming and Qujing, respectively, but had not caused epidemics. To our knowledge, this was the first report of genotype A of CVA2 in China. Strengthening the laboratory surveillance especially molecular epidemiological surveillance is valuable for the monitor and analysis of transmission source for CVA2.