Objective: To better understand the high-resolution ultrasound features of normal parathyroid glands for making correct diagnosis of parathyroid abnormalities and performing interventional therapy. Methods: Fifty normal adult volunteers were enrolled in this investigation on out-patient base. A high-resolution transducer (10 MHz) was used to scan their necks bilaterally from the upper pole of thyroid downwards closely to the clavicle. The shape, size, location, number and internal echoes of parathyroid gland were carefully documented. Results: One hundred and forty parathyroid glands were detected. Eight people had 4 glands detected(16%), 33 people 3 glands (66%), 7 people 2 glands(14%) and 2 had only 1 gland(4%) found. Among the 140 glands, 78(55.7%) were superior parathyroid glands(right 42 and left 36) and the rest 62(44.3%)were inferior parathyroid glands(right 33 and left 29). Conclusion: (1) 10 MHz high-resolution ultrasound can be used for detection of normal parathyroid glands. (2) In most cases the ultrasound findings are 3 parathyroid glands. The superior glands are more easily found than the inferior glands, and those inferior glands deep in the mediastinum can not be detected by ultrasound. (3) The knowledge of small size, oval or round shape, internal hypoechoes and the anatomic site of parathyroid gland helps the ultrasonographer to determine appropriately.

Objective: To investigate the ultrasonographic features of hyperplastic parathyroid glands in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. Methods: Fifty-nine uremic patients accompanied with hyperparathyroidism underwent high resolution parathyroid ultrasonography. On 3 of them ultrasound-guided parathyroid biopsies were performed. The ultrasonographic manifestations of the hyperplastic parathyroids were compared with the optical histology from biopsy. Results :(1) The overall detection rate of parathyroid glands was 83.1% by high resolution ultrasonography, and among those 93. 9% were found to have 1 to 2 glands detectable. (2) Five kinds of manifestations were found, among which the homogeneous internal hypoechoes and multiple hyperechoic rings of calcification in the parathyroid parenchyma were characteristic. (3) One patient showed coexistence of adenoma hyperechoes and hyperplasia hypoechoes in a single parathyroid gland. (4) Lithonephria occured in the transplanted kidney in a patient received renal treated by a successful transplantation, which was indicative of tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Conclusion: High resolution ultrasonography is sensitive and specific to detect the abnormalities of parathyroid glands in the patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism. It is complementary to the laboratory tests of serum parathyroid hormone and serum calcium, and it is valuable for the diagnosis and followup evaluation of hyperparathyroidism. It may be used for the screening of presence or future development of secondary hyperparathyroidism in uremic candidates.

Objective To compare the successful ratio, efficacy and complications between ultrasound-guided and X-ray-guided endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD). Methods EBD was performed in 62 patients under ultrasound guidance and 54 patients under X-ray guidance. Serum bilirubin, the bile duct diameter and the changes of clinical symptoms were compared before and after the procedure. Results Tube placement was successfully achieved in 54 of 62 patients under ultrasound guidance and 51 of 54 patients under X-ray guidance. The serum direct bilirubin and the common bile duct diameter in patients with ultrasound guidance before and one week after procedure were (205.41±115.27) μmol/L vs. (106.47±82.16) μmol/L and (12.6±7.1) mm vs. (8.5±3.1) mm, respectively, with significant difference (all P values<0.05). Whereas they were (211.14±106.25) μmol/L vs. (110.89±59.47) μmol/L and (13.1±7.0) mm vs. (8.8± 3.2) mm, respectively, in patients with X-ray guidance (P<0.05). No complications such as abdominal pain, fever and elevated amylase were found in patients with ultrasound guidance, while 3 patients (5.9%) with X-ray guidence had above complications. Conclusions X-ray is a most effective method in guidance of EBD. However, ultrasound guidence, which may avoid unfavorable factors such as X-ray radiation and allergic contrast agent, has some advantages including real-time display, mobile convenience and emergency bedside application. It can instead of X-ray in performance of endoscopic nasobiliary drainage and endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage in patients with bile duct stone and mild narrow ducl caused by tumors.

Objective To investigate the value of B7-H3 in expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) in differential diagnosis of patients with inflammatory elevation of PSA in t-PSA gray zone (4-10 ng/ml). Methods One hundred and sixteen patients from the ages of 19 to 80 years (mean, 40 years) were stu-died. In the group there were 91 chronic prostatitis (CP) patients (mean age 31 years, 19-49 years), including 11 chronic bacterial prostatitis (type II) patients, 26 inflammatory nonbacterial prostatitis (IIIA) patients and 54 noninflammatory nonbacterial prostatitis (IIIB) patients. Transrectal ultrsound guided prostate biopsy was performed on 25 patients (mean age 71 years, 62-80 years) with t-PSA in gray zone (7.21±2.60 ng/ml). Five had positive results, Gleason score was 6 in two cases, 7 in two cases and 8 in one case. Twenty patients had negative results, of whom 11 patients had inflammatory cell infiltration. EPS was collected by transrectal massage, and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed for B7-H3 detection. In addition, 11 normal male controls with a mean age of 30 years (24-46 years) were recruited into the study. Volunteers were excluded if they had a history of genitourinary symptoms or surgery.Results The EPS B7-H3 levels of controls, II, IIIA, IIIB groups were 49.81±11.54, 19.33±13.90, 17.67±15.76, 25.14±13.44 ng/ml, respectively. The levels of EPS B7-H3 in positive biopsy, noninflammatory negative biopsy and inflammatory negative biopsy groups were 26.30±16.32, 30.23±18.42, 10.11±5.42 ng/ml, respectively. The highest levels were found in the control group (P<0.01). Compared to the IIIB, B7-H3 levels in II and IIIA groups were significantly lower (P<0.05). There was no significantly difference between II and IIIA groups (P>0.05). The EPS B7-H3 levels in the inflammatory negative biopsy group were statistically lower than in positive biopsy and noninflammatory biopsy groups (P<0.05). But no significant differences were found among inflammatory negative biopsy, II and IIIA groups (P>0.05). Receiver operating curve (AUC=0.883, P=0.001) utilizing EPS B7-H3 levels≤16.24 ng/ml identified patients with inflammatory elevation of PSA with a sensitivity of 78.6% and a specificity of 81.8% from patients with t-PSA in gray zone. Conclusion The EPS B7-H3 detection provides a new way for differential diagnosis of patients with inflammatory elevation of PSA in t-PSA gray zone resulting in a reduction of unnecessary prostate biopsy.

Objective To investigate the approach and safety of minimally invasive surgical procedures treating symptomatic caliceal diverticular calculi. Methods Clinical data of 21 cases with symptomatic caliceal diverticular calculi were retrospectively reviewed. Twelve females and 9 males aged 22 to 57 years old. The average diameter of caliceal diverticulum was 3.7 cm (2.5-7.0 cm) and average diameter of calculi was 2.3 cm (0.8-3.5 cm). The patients underwent flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy, PCNL or mPCNL, laparoscopic techniques and laparoscopy-assisted transperitoneal PCNL, respectively. Four cases underwent flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy. PCNL (2 cases) or mPCNL(5 cases)were performed in 7 cases. Nine cases underwent laparoscopic techniques. Laparoscopyassisted transperitoneal PCNL was performed in 1 case. Results The operations were performed successfully in 21 cases. No case need to transfer to open surgery during the operation and no major complications like perforation or organic injury were noted. One case with iatrogenic arteriovenous fistula of the kidney after 1 week postoperative was cured by delayed hemorrhage 2 days later, while clinical symptoms of 2 cases with residue calculi relieved. 19 cases without residue calculi were followed up for 6 to 12 month without recurrence. Conclusions After handling indication of treatment efficiently and creating advisable therapeutic decision-making, minimally invasive surgical procedures treating symptomatic caliceal diverticular calculi appears to be effective and safe.

Objective To evaluate the effect of transurethral feedback microwave thermotherapy with the ProstaLund CoreTherm Device(PLFT) in high risk patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Methods Sixty-six high risk patients diagnosed with BPH, including aged ≥80 in 32 pa-tients, hypertension in 31 patients, diabetes in 5 patients, heart failure in 8 patients, chronic obstruc-tive pulmonary disease in 8 patients, cerebral infarction in 11 patients, fracture, amputation or joint stiffness unsuitable for lithotomy position in 3 patients, abnormal blood coagulation in 4 patients, pan-creatitis in 2 patients, cardiac arrhythmia in 6 patients and malignant tumor in 3 patients, were treated with PLFT using individual power at urethral local anesthesia, resulting in coagulation necrosis in 15%-30% of prostate tissue around urethra. Meanwhile, real-time monitoring the temperature of prostate and the tissue around it was used. All patients were evaluated by comparing volume of pros-tate, maximal urinary flow (Q_max), international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and quality of life questionnaire (QOL) in pre-treatment and three months after respectively. Results All of patients well tolerated PLFT. There was bleeding lightly, infection lightly and temporary incontinence. There was no severe surgical complication. After three months, the volume of prostate reduced from 62. 2 ml to 44.5 ml; IPSS decreased from 23. 4 to 11.7; QOL decreased from 4.5 to 2.4; Q_max rised from 4, 2 ml/s to 11.2 ml/s. All differences reached significance. Conclusion PLFT is one of effective and safe treatments for patients with BPH especial BPH complicating with severe conditions.

[Abstract] Objective To define the age-specific normal reference values of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and related parameters in Chinese middle-aged and elderly men.Methods From April 2007 to November 2011,serum PSAs of over 22 055 men aged more than 40 years old in our medical examination center were statistically analyzed.The men was divided into five groups by a 10-year-old interval.Total PSA (tPSA),free PSA (fPSA) and prostate ultrasound results were recorded.The free-total PSA ratio (f/t),PSA density (PSAD) and PSA velocity (PSAV) were calculated.By convention,the 95th percentile (P95)was used as the upper limit value,and the 5th percentile (P5) as the lower limit value.Results The tPSAs were positively correlated with age (r=0.349,P＜0.001).f/t was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.154,P＜0.01).Although f/t was significantly different (P＜0.001) among each age group,P5 of all groups were 0.18.PSAD was significantly different (P＜0.001) between men over and under 70 years,with P95 as 0.09 and 0.15,respectively.PSAD had a positive correlation with age (r =0.263,P＜0.01).The significant difference of PSAV raised between men over and under 60 years,with P95 as 0.21 and 0.58,respectively.PSAV was positively correlated with age (r=0.130,P＜0.01).Conclusions PSA,PSAD and PSAV are positively correlated with age,while f/t is negatively correlated with age.The normal range of f/tis 0.18-1.00 for Chinese men over 40 years old.PSAD's normal ranges are ＜0.09 and ＜0.15 in Chinese men over and under 70 years,respectively.The normal range of PSAV are ＜0.21 and ＜0.58 for Chinese men over and under 60 years,respectively.

AIM To investigate the effects of tranfection of IL 2R antisense RNA expression plasmids on mouse spleen cells' proliferation in vitro and its possible mechanism. METHODS Spleen cells were transfected with IL 2R antisense RNA eukaryotic expression plasmids using adhesion assisted lipofection method, and then the spleen cells were stimulated by mitogen. Cells' proliferation was tested by tetrazolium salt (MTT) method. IL 2R mRNA and protein expression level were measured by slot blot hybridization assay and flow cytometry method respectively. RESULTS The proliferation of spleen cells was inhibited obviously after transfecting with recombinant plasmids. The inhibitory rate of pcAnti mIL 2R?? and pciAnti mIL 2R?? transfected group was higher than that of pcAnti mIL 2R? and pcAnti mIL 2R? transfected group; the inhibitory rate of pcAnti mIL 2R? tranfected group was higher than that of pcAnti mIL 2R? tranfected group. No inhibitory effect on the growth of NIH3T3 cells was observed when they were transfected with recombinant plasmids. IL 2R mRNA and protein expression level were decreased in spleen cells after transfection of recombinant plasmids. CONCLUSION IL 2R antisense RNA can efficiently inhibit the proliferation of mouse spleen cells in vitro. IL 2R?? chimeric antisense RNA showed higher inhibitory rate than ? or ? antisense RNA. IL 2R? antisense RNA was more effective than ? antisense RNA. It can be concluded preliminarily that the inhibitory effect of IL 2R antisense RNA was exclusively on the growth of cells functionally expressing IL 2R. The inhibitory effect on the spleen cells proliferation was likely due to the blocking of IL 2R expression by antisense RNA.

Objective:To evaluate the predictive value of the quick sequential organ failure assessment(qSOFA) score in septic shock after percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL).Methods:309 patients who underwent PCNL at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between May 2018 and October 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Among them, there were 192 men and 117 women, whose mean age was (51.4±12.8)years (range from 20 to 79 years). There were 82 cases(26.5%) of hypertension and 23 cases(7.4%) of diabetes. There were 88 patients(28.5%) with positive preoperative urine culture.102 patients(33.0%) were diagnosed with staghorn calculi by abdominal CT and urinary tract abdominal plain film(KUB).78 patients(25.2%) had a history of urinary surgery. The qSOFA and SIRS were evaluated to all patients within 24 h after PCNL and the best diagnostic criteria was considered as qSOFA≥2 and SIRS≥2. Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves were constructed and the areas under the curve(AUC) were calculated to compare the discriminatory ability of qSOFA and SIRS with the post-PCNL septic shock. A univariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the covariates associated with post-PCNL sepsis. Then adjusted multivariate analysis was used to identify the predictive value of positive qSOFA and SIRS for the postoperative clinical outcomes including postoperative hospitalization days, postoperative blood transfusion, postoperative re-intervention, residual stone, planned readmission within 30 days and unplanned readmission within 30 days.Results:Among the 309 patients who underwent PCNL, 23 patients(7.4%) met the positive qSOFA criterion while 84 patients(27.2%) developed to SIRS. 7 patients(2.3%) were admitted to ICU after operation and were eventually diagnosed as septic shock, among which 6 patients met the criteria of qSOFA and SIRS. 8 patients(2.6%) underwent multi-channel operation. The median operative time of 309 patients was 85(56, 115) min. Postoperative calculus composition analysis showed that 64 patients(20.7%) were infectious calculi. Postoperative KUB showed residual calculi in 179 patients (57.9%). The median postoperative hospital stay was 7(6, 9) days. 10 patients(3.2%) received blood transfusion. 9 patients(2.9%) received re-intervention after surgery. There were 41 patients (13.3%) of planned readmissions and 16 cases (5.2%) of unplanned readmissions within 30 days. The AUC of qSOFA and SIRS was 0.900 and 0.799 respectively. The qSOFA had a higher specificity, positive likelihood ratio and positive predictive value(94.4%, 15.23, 26.1%)than that of SIRS(74.2%, 3.32, 7.1%)for septic shock. In univariate logistic regression analysis significant associations were observed between positive urine culture, stone size, staghorn stones, struvite stones, surgery history, operation time and sepsis after PCNL. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that postoperative length of stay( OR=1.237, 95% CI 1.048-1.459, P=0.012) and postoperative transfusion( OR=8.265, 95% CI 1.409-48.481, P=0.019) were closely associated with qSOFA after adjusting for covariates shown to be related to post-PCNL sepsis mentioned above. Conclusions:The qSOFA could be superior to SIRS in predicting septic shock after PCNL.

Objective To estimate the value of transrectal ultrasound/magnetic resonance imaging (TRUS/MR) fusion targeted prostate biopsy(targeted biopsy,TB) in the biopsy naive patients.Methods Between September 2015 and September 2016,91 patients with PI-RADS ≥ 3 suspicious regions on the multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) were retrospectively evaluated.The age of patients was 46-83 years (median 68).Serum PSA level before biopsy was 1.2-85 ng/ml (median 11.2 ng/ ml),in which 36 cases with PSA ＜ 10 ng/ml,30 cases 10-20 ng/ml,and 25 cases ＞ 20 ng/ml.Two-core TB using real-time virtual sonography (RVS) platform for mpMRI-suspicious lesions was followed by 12-core systematic biopsy (SB).The detection rates for any cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (CsPCa) were compared between TB and SB.Results The total detection rate for PCa was 57.1％,with a comparable positive rate between TB (44.0％) and SB (51.7％) groups which did not significantly differ (P =0.14).The proportion of CsPCa in TB group was higher than that in SB group (80.0％ vs.68.1％,P =0.21).In TB group,detection of PCa for grade 5 lesions was significantly higher than that for grade 3 lesions (77.1％ vs.10.3％,P ＜0.001).Detection of PCa was comparable between TB and SB groups in different regions of PSA ＜ 10 ng/ml,10 ～ 20ng/ml and ＞ 20ng/ml (27.8％ vs.36.1％,50％ vs.56.7％,60％ vs.68％,respectively).Conclusions This study revealed a similar rate of prostate cancer detection between 2-core targeted biopsy guided by TRUS/MR fusion and 12-core random biopsy in different PSA regions for no prior biopsy men.TB maybe tend to detect high proportion of CsPCa.PI-RADS is instructive to select appropriate patients for TB.