Objective To preliminarily evaluate the feasibility of elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) technology in the determination of liver stiffness as well as its impact factors.Methods Amount to 235 patients with liver neoplasms underwent liver stiffness measurement in the right lobe of liver using an ultrasound scanner (iU Elite,Philips).ElastPQ values were obtained and compared with the liver fibrosis stage (S),the grade of necroinflammatory activity (G) and steatosis assessed histologically as well as gender and age.The factors related to ElastPQ values were explored by stepwise regression in multiple linear regression analysis and the regression equation was established.Results In the multiple linear regression model of ElastPQ values,liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity were associated with ElastPQ (P ＜ 0.05) while other factors including age,gender and hepatic steatosis had no effect on ElastPQ statistically (P ＞0.05).The equation of linear regression was ElastPQ =1.205S + 1.075G + 4.537.Conclusions ElastPQ technique is a reliably noninvasive tool in the liver stiffness measurement.Liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity are the main factors affecting liver stiffness measured by ElastPQ.

Objective To extract principal components from valuable indicators on conventional ultrasoundand contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions and to discuss the diagnostic value of each indicator.Methods One hundred and three patients with 125 thyroid lesions (65 malignant lesions and 60 benign lesions) underwent preoperative grayscale ultrasound (GSUS),color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) and CEUS examinations.Eighteen indicators were chosen to evaluate every lesion and principal components were extracted by principal component and valuable indicators were ordered by importance.Results There were significant differences on GSUS and CEUS indicators between benign and malignant lesions.The first principal component was the representation of contrast enhanced ultrasound and was valuable in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions.The rank of valuable CEUS indicators were homogeneity of enhancement,filling defect,relative arrival time of periphery,peak interior echogenicity,relative arrival time of interior,peak peripheral echogenicity and ring enhancement.Conclusions GSUS and CEUS are valuable in the differential diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions.

Objective To investigate the discriminant analysis model of gray-scale ultrasound (GSUS),contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and the combination of them in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid lesions and the diagnostic values.Methods Ultrasound images of 211 thyroid lesions confirmed by pathology were synthetically reviewed by scoring 5 GSUS indicators including shape (X1),orientation (X2),interior echogenicity (X3),halo sign (X4),and microcalcification (X5),as well as 6 CEUS indicators including relative arrival time of microbubhles in the periphery (X6) and interior (X7),peak periphery (X8) and interior (X9)echogenicity,peripheral ring-enhancement (X10),homogeneity of enhancement (X11).The diagnostic models with their values of GSUS,CEUS and the combination of them were explored by discriminant analysis.Results The discriminant analysis function of GSUS in the diagnosis of thyroid benign and malignant lesions was g1 (X) =0.715 X1+0.276X2 + 1.028X3 +1.197X4 +0.923X5-2.202 with the diagnostic value 86.3％,the discriminant analysis function of CEUS was g2(X) =-0.392X6 +0.541X7-0.117X8 +0.562X9 + 1.173X10 +2.200X11-1.956 with the diagnostic value 89.1％,and the discriminant analysis function of the combination of GSUS and CEUS was g3 (X) =0.418X1 + 0.173X2 + 0.626X3 + 0.558X4 + 0.183X5-0.476X6 + 0.474X7-0.071X8 + 0.399X9 + 0.985X10 +1.639X11-2.530 with the diagnostic value 91.0％.Conclusions GSUS and CEUS were valuable in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid lesions,and the combination of GSUS and CEUS was most valuable.

Objective To investigate the effects of antioxidant SS-31 on sepsis-induced acute lung injury (ALI)in a mouse model of sepsis.Methods Sepsis was induced in male mice by cecal liga-tion and puncture (CLP).Forty-eight adult male mice (C57BL/6,weight 25-32 g)were equally as-signed to the sham+vehicle group (group A),sham+SS-31 group (group B),CLP+vehicle group (group C),or the CLP+SS-31 group (group D).At 0 or 5 h after CLP or sham operation,mice re-ceived an intraperitoneal injection of SS-31 (5 mg/kg of body weight)or the same volume of normal saline.Pulmonary tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α),interleukin (IL)-6,IL-10,malondialdehyde (MDA),superoxide dismutase activities (SOD),myeloperoxidase activities (MPO ),wet-to-dry weight ratio (W/D),reactive oxygen species (ROS),ATP,NF-κB p65,inducible nitric oxide syn-thase (iNOS),and histological scores were assessed 24 h after operation.Results Pneumonia,edema were significantly heavier in group C than in group A (P <0.05).Lung congestion,inflammatory cell infiltration,alveolar wall edema was significantly less in group D than in group C (P <0.05).Pulmo-nary histological scores,IL-6,MDA,MPO,W/D,ROS,NF-κB p65 and iNOS significantly in-creased,while ATP levels decreased in group C when compared with group A (P <0.05).However, SS-31 treatment significantly reversed these parameters when compared with the group C (P <0.05). No difference was observed between the group A and group B.There was no difference of TNF-α,IL-10,and SOD among the four groups.Conclusion SS-31 improves sepsis-induced ALI in a mouse model probably by down-regulating the oxidative stress and inflammation in of sepsis-induced ALI.

Objective:To investigate the effects of hematopoietic progenitor kinase 1 (HPK1) overexpression by construction of lentiviral vector on the proliferation and apoptosis of breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells,and to elucidate its possible mechanism.Methods:The cells were infected with the lentivirus overxpressing HPK1,and the MCF-7-HPK1 and MDA-MB-231-HPK1 cell lines were stably expressed HPK1;each cell line was divided into three experimental groups:blank group (untreated),control group (empty vector) and HPK1-overexpression group.The expression levels of HPK1 mRNA and protein in breast cancer cells in each group were detected by RTPCR and Western blotting methods,respectively.The cell proliferation rate was detected by MTT assay.The cell cycle and apoptotic rate were detected by flow cytometry.Transwell assay was used to analyze the cell migration ability.Western blotting method was used to measure the expression levels of caspase 3,PTEN,MMP-9,MMP-2,Ki-67and HPK1 proteins.Results:Compared with blank groups and control groups,the expression levels of HPK1 mRNA and protein in the both cell lines in HPK1 overexpression groups were significantly up-regulated (P＜0.05),the proliferation rates were significantly decreased (P＜0.05) and the apoptotic rates were significantly increased (P＜0.05),the number of cells crossing matrigel was significantly reduced (P＜0.05),the cell cycle of MCF-7 was blocked in G1 phase (P＜0.05),the expression levels of caspase 3 and PTEN proteins in HPK1 overexpression group were significantly increased (P＜0.05),and the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins were significantly decreased (P＜0.05).Conclusion:HPK1 overexpression can inhibit the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and induce apoptosis,which may be related to the up-regulation of caspase 3 and PTEN and down-regulation of MMP-9,MMP-2 and Ki-67.

{L-End}Objective To analyze the current status of occupational stress and its influencing factors among workers in pharmaceutical enterprises in Beijing City. {L-End}Methods A total of 860 employees from six pharmaceutical enterprises in Beijing City were selected as the research subjects using convenience sampling method. The Chinese version of the New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate the occupational stress, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the influencing factors of occupational stress. {L-End}Results The detection rate of high occupational stress was 1.40% (12/860). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the workers with higher education level and longer length of service had a higher risk of high occupational stress (all P<0.01). Workers who were satisfied with their jobs had a lower risk of high occupational stress than those who were unsatisfied with their jobs (P<0.01). Workers who were satisfied with life had a significantly lower risk of high occupational stress than those who were unsatisfied with life (P<0.01). {L-End}Conclusion The detection rate of high occupational stress in workers of pharmaceutical enterprises is relatively low. Occupational stress is mainly affected by individual factors such as education level and length of service, and work and life satisfaction. Improving job and life satisfaction is helpful to reduce occupational stress level.

Objective To construct the recombinant plasmid of coxsackievirus group A type 16 (CA16)VP1,express in E.coli and identify expressed product. Methods The CA16 VP1 gene was amplified by PCR,The constructed recombi-nant plasmid pET21b-CA16 VP1 was transformed into E.coli BL21(DE3) for expession and purification,expressed and purified product was identified by SDS-PAGE,Indirect ELISA tested Antigenicity and validity of recombinant proteins CA16 VP1. Results The coxsackievirus group A type 16 VP1 protein was expressed in peokaryotic cells and purified, which showed specific reaction with mice antiserum against CA16 virus,high reactivity with part serums of the elderly population in Taiyuan city. Conclusion CA16 VP1 protein was successfully expressed, had good Antigenicity and va-lidity,which will lay a foundation for study on the CA16 diagnostic kits.

OBJECTIVETo screen of high cariogenicity Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains isolated from clinical specimens preliminary.

METHODSAcidogenicity, aciduricity, extracellular polysaccharide production and adhesion of 41 strains of S. mutans isolated from clinical specimens were investigated to screen high cariogenicity S. mutans strains.

RESULTSThere were different cariogenicity among 41 strains of S. mutans, in which 3 strains of S. mutans had all high ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid, indicated there were 3 strains with high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens. Another 3 strains of S. mutans with all low ability to produce extracellular polysaccharide, adhere to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite, produce acid and tolerate acid indicated they were low cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

CONCLUSIONWe may have obtained high cariogenicity S. mutans strains isolated from clinical specimens.

Dental Caries ; Durapatite ; Humans ; Saliva ; Streptococcus mutans

OBJECTIVETo identify Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains from clinical samples.

METHODSPlaque samples from caries-active and caries-free sites on enamel surfaces were obtained and cultivated for S. mutans isolation. Morphology, biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction using primers homologous to surface protein antigen I/II (spaP), glucosyltransferase B (gtfB) and dextranase (dexA) were used to identify S. mutans. Genotype of isolated S. mutans was determined by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTSForty-six strains of S. mutans were obtained from the 32 subjects and were identified as S. mutans by biochemistry, automatic microorganism analysis system and polymerase chain reaction. Five identical genotypes were found by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSIONForty-one strains of S. mutans with different genotype were obtained from clinical samples.

Dental Caries ; Dental Plaque ; Genotype ; Glucosyltransferases ; Humans ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Streptococcus mutans

OBJECTIVETo select and identify ssDNA aptamers specific to Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity isolated from clinical specimens.

METHODSSubtractive SELEX technology targeting the whole intact cells was used to screen for ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates Streptococcus mutans strains with different cariogenicity. Radioactive isotope, flow cytometry, gene cloning and sequencing, MEME online software and RNA structure analysis software were employed to analyze the first and secondary structures of the aptamers and identify the screened aptamers.

RESULTSDetection by radioactive isotope showed sufficient pool enrichment after 9 rounds of subtractive SELEX. Flow cytometry showed that the selected aptamers H1, H16, H4, L1, L10 and H19 were capable of binding specifically with highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains but not with strains with a low cariogenicity. The aptamer H19 had the strongest binding capacity to highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains, with a dissociation constant of 69.45∓38.53 nmol/L.

CONCLUSIONWe have obtained the ssDNA aptamers specific to the clinical isolates of highly cariogenic Streptococcus mutans strains.

Aptamers, Nucleotide ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; DNA Primers ; Dental Caries ; microbiology ; Gene Library ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Conformation ; SELEX Aptamer Technique ; Species Specificity ; Streptococcus mutans ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification