AIM: To investigate the action of testosterone on atherosclerosis in a rabbit model. METHODS: 37 male cholesterol-fed rabbits were divided into five groups: castration group: castrated rabbits without exogenous testosterone administration; testosterone Ⅰ group: castrated rabbits with exogenous testosterone 0.25 mg?kg -1?d -1; testosterone Ⅱ group: castrated rabbits with exogenous testosterone 2.5 mg?kg -1?d -1; testosterone Ⅲ group: castrated rabbits with exogenous testosterone 12.5 mg?kg -1?d -1. The sham operation group was also set. Three months later, the levels of testosterone, blood lipids (including TG, HDL-C, LDL-C), PAI activity, nitric oxide (NO) content, endothelin (ET), angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) in blood were detected. RESULTS: It showed that testosterone in castration group was the lowest. There was no significant difference of TG or LDL-C between castration group and the other four groups. HDL-C in castration group was lower than that in other four groups. NO content of castration group was lower than that in others, but PAI activity, ET and AngⅡ concentration were higher than that in other groups. CONCLUSION: Testosterone is a protective factor against atherosclerosis in male rabbits.

In order to improve the scientific research capability of medical graduates,help them cultivate scientific statistical mind and the ability to resolve actual medical scientific research issues,we made a teaching reform on the teaching objectives,curriculum system,teaching material and informational teaching of Medical Statistics teaching,established a diversified teaching pattern and improved the teaching quality.

Objective To explore the short-term influences of conventional internal medical treatment combined with escitalopram on cognitive function and cardiac function in elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) complicated with depression disorder.Methods A total of 97 patients with CHF complicated with depression disorder in Chongqing Ninth People's Hospital,from October 2014 to October 2015,were selected and randomly divided into the antidepressant group and control group.Both groups were undergoing conventional internal medical treatment.Additionally,patients in the antidepressant group were administrated with escitalopram,while patients in the control group were treated with placebo.The degree of depression and anxiety and cognitive function were assessed by using 24-item Hamilton depression scale (HAMD-24),14-item Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA-14) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA) scale,and the plasma level of NT-proBNP,left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured before and after 6-week treatment.Results After 6-week treatment,the HAMD-24 and HAMA-14 scores and plasma level of NT-proBNP in antidepressant group were lower than those in the control group,while the attention score and LVEF were greater than those in the control group,there were statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).After 6-week treatment,no statistically significant difference was found in other observed indicators between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclnsion For elderly patients with chronic heart failure complicated with depression disorder,it is indicated that escitalopram could not only relieve their anxiety and depression,but also improve their cardiac function and attention.

Objective To observe the repairing effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) and goserelin on chemotherapy-induced ovarian injury, and the distribution and growth of hUC-MSCs transplanted in rat chemotherapy-induced ovarian injury. Methods A total of 120 SD rats were randomized into group A-E:A normal group, B NS control group, C goserelin group, D hUC-MSCs group and E hUC-MSCs+goserelin group. The rat premature ovarian failure (POF) model was established by given a loading dose of cyclophosphamide (CTX, 50 mg/kg) followed by daily intraperitoneal injection of CTX (8 mg/kg) for consecutive 14-day. The hUC-MSCs were injected through caudal vein, and goserelin was given by subcutaneous injection 4 days before POF model established. The serum level of estrogen was detected and numbers of follicles were counted. After GFP was transfected by lentivirus, the distribution and growth of stem cells transplanted in rats were observed by animal in vivo imaging system. Results At day 46, the serum level of estrogen showed no significant difference between group A and group E (P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in the counted follicles between group A and group E (P>0.05). After tail vein injection of the transfected cells, GFP positive cells were found in injury ovarian. Conclusion There is a repairing effect of hUC-MSCs and goserelin on ovarian injury.

Objective:To summarize the ultrasound features of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and analyze its diagnosis value for MTC.Methods:91 patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma (103 nodules) in Department of Thyroid Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from Apr. 2013 to Nov. 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including 36 males and 55 females. Preoperative ultrasound features and serum calcitonin levels were recorded. SPSS 22.0 was used and the measurement data of normal distribution was expressed as ± s, and the enumeration data was described by ratio or rate. The comparison between groups was performed by single factor ANOVA and rank sum test. Results:83.5% (86/103) of the MTC nodules were located in the middle and upper thyroid gland. Hypoechoic accounted for 78.6% (80/103) . 81.6% (84/103) of them had calcification and 74.8% (77/103) of these nodules had abundant blood flow signals (color Doppler flow imaging, CDFI Ⅱ-Ⅲ) . 91.3% (94/103) of them had aspect ratio less than 1, 87.4% (90/103) were solid and 35.0% (36/103) had comet tail sign. The positive rate of preoperative serum calcitonin was 86.8% (79/91) . There were significant differences in shape ( P=0.001) , margin ( P=0.012) , cystic ( P=0.004) , comet-tail ( P<0.001) , lymph node ( P<0.001) and color Doppler flow imaging ( P=0.001) through comparing MTC nodules in different TI-RADS grades. Conclusions:MTC can behave as single, solid, hypoechoic, large round nodule located in the middle or upper thyroid gland, with thick calcification and abundant blood flow signals in ultrasound. The surrounding area may be accompanied with comet tail sign, and the probability of lymph node metastasis is high. The suspicious nodules screened by ultrasound can be further diagnosed by serum calcitonin.

ObjectiveTo detect specific antigens of neural cells in amniotic epithelial cells(AECs) in rats. MethodsAECs were dissociated and purified from the amnion of pregnancy 12—14 d rats. The expression of specific markers of neural stem cells (Nestin, Musashi) and differentiated cells (MAP-2,NSE,GFAP) and ChAT, NT-3 in the AECs were detected by immunocytochemistry. ResultsThe cultured AECs displayed positive immunoreactivity to MAP-2, NSE, GFAP, Nestin and Musashi. In addition, the cells also demonstrated immunoreactivity to ChAT and NT-3. ConclusionAECs are similar with neural cells and it may be useful as a sustained source to improve outcome of neural stem cells transplantation.

Objective To evaluate the ultrasonic characteristics of nasal bone absence at 16-34 weeks of pregnancy referring to fetal chromosomal anomalies. Methods The ultrasonic findings of the 20 fetuses with nasal bone absence at second or third trimester in Peking Union Medical College Hospital were reviewed referring to chromosomal karyotyping and labor induction or birth outcomes. Results The ultrasound features of the 20 fetuses including:(1) There were 17 fetuses showed bilateral nasal bones absence. The sonographic features were absence of hyper echo of nasal bone underneath the skin on either sagittal or transverse section. There were 5 fetuses showed multiple abnormalities:Four fetuses showed cardiac abnormalities (three showed atrioventricular septal defect, one showed ventricular septal defect, one showed ventricular septal defect with abnormal great vessels). One fetus showed duodenal obstruction′double bulbs′. The other minor abnormalities including short femur and humerus, increasing echogenetic bowels, aberrant right subclavian artery, mild unilateral ventriculomegaly, mild renal pelvic ectasia, outreached tongue, abnormal gestures of hands. (2) There were 3 fetuses showed unilateral nasal bone absence. The sonographic features were absence of hyper echo of either nasal bone on transverse section but with hyper echo on sagittal section. Two fetuses showed cardiac abnormalities (one fetus showed atrioventricular septal defect, one showed ventricular septal defect). The other minor abnormalities including short femur and humerus, hyper echogenetic bowels, increasing thickness of nuchal translucency or nuchal fold. Twelve fetuses were induced labor but only one had biopsy showed accordant result with ultrasound. (3) Karyotyping results:there were 9 of trisomy 21, 1 of 4p-and 7 of normal karyotype fetuses showed bilateral nasal bone absence. There were 2 of trisomy 21 and 1 of normal karyotype fetuses showed unilateral nasal bone absence. (4) Birth outcomes and follow-up:twelve fetuses induced labor but only one fetus had biopsy. Eight fetuses were born until term and 5 fetuses showed normal in follow-up. The results of twelve fetuses showed concordant with ultrasonic ifndings. Conclusions Characteristics of the nasal bone absence are absence of bilateral or unilateral nasal bones. If we ifnd nasal bone absence in prenatally ultrasound screening, the karyotyping should be recommended in order to detect chromosomal abnormalities especially trisomy 21.

Objective The aim of the study was to determine the placenta volume (PV) at 11-13+6 weeks of gestation by three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) in combination with birth weight, placenta weight, placenta volume at birth and maternal age, body mass index (BMI) additionally. Methods From June 2011 to July 2012, placental volumes were prospectively measured by VOCAL (Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis) method in 129 normal pregnancies of Peking Union Medical College Hospital at 11-13+6 weeks of Gestation, multiples of the median was calculated (MOM) after logarithmic10 transformation referring to different crown-rump length (CRL) groups. The normal pregnancies were selected without any combinations or fetal abnormalities, then recorded the birth weights, placenta diameters and thicknesses and placenta weight at delivery. The maternal basic status was also concluded in the study. Results Correlation analysis results: (1) The transformed placenta volume MOM showed a significant correlation (Spearman rho=0.200, P<0.05) with birthweight but not with placenta weight or placenta volume calculated as ellipsoid (Spearman rho=0.164, 0.112 respectively, P>0.05). (2) The birthweight showed significant correlations with placenta weight, placecnta volume and maternal BMI (Spearman rho=0.478, 0.361, 0.259 respectively, P<0.01). (3) The placenta weight at birth showed a significant correlation with placenta volume at birth (Spearman rho=0.467, P<0.01) and maternal BMI (Spearman rho=0.198, P<0.05). Regression analysis results: (1) Birth weight (g)=1136.9+1530.9×MOM+45.3×BMI-15.0×maternal age (r=0.29, P=0.01<0.05). (2) Placenta weight (g)=88.1+315.3×MOM+10.0×BMI+0.1×maternal age (r=0.27, P=0.02 <0.05). Conclusions The placental volume at 11-13+6 weeks of gestation has significant correlation with birthweight. This might assist in the identification of the high risk pregnancies caring large or low for gestational age fetuses.

Ascites ; Humans ; Language ; Quality of Life ; Reproducibility of Results ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Translations

Objective To investigate the evaluation of medical doctoral students on medical statistics teaching. Methods An investigation was carried out among doctoral students of 2012 using questionnaires in a medical university. A total of 272 doctoral students were investigated and 266 (97.79%)of them had learned medical statistics before enrollment. Statistical description was used to analyze enumeration data by calculating cases and percentages. Results More than 88.00% of them thought that medical statistics was helpful for their future work. More than 60.00% of them thought that the present teaching contents were appropriate and about 93.00% of them thought that examina-tion mode was appropriate. However,65.00% of them thought that the class hours were not enough and some con-tents should be explained more clearly. Conclusions Both basic statistics methods and advanced statistics methods should be given consideration to. Some frontier or hot knowledge of medi-cal statistics should be arranged and the class hours should be increased to expand the content of teaching.