OBJECTIVETo propose a simple and practical method for preparing a mouse model of oligo-astheno-terato-spermia/azoospermia, and to offer a methodological suggestion for the studies on the related mechanism of spermatogenesis and evaluation of medication efficacy by observing the early changes of testis morphology after 5-fluorouracil treatment.

METHODSMice were injected with a single dose of 5-flourouracil at 250 mg/kg via the tail vein, and their testes were harvested and paraffin sections prepared before and 3, 7, 11 and 14 d after the injection to be observed for the morphological changes by hematoxylin and eosin staining.

RESULTSThe numbers of spermatocytes/spermatids were progressively reduced inside the testis seminiferous tubules of the mice at 3, 7 and 11 d after the 5-fluorouracil injection, and the tubule walls became thinner, which reached the nadir at 11 d, with evident swelling and crazing of the seminiferous tubules. At 14 d, the swelling almost disappeared and spermatocytes became repopulated, while the flaws still existed in the seminiferous tubules and no mature sperm were seen.

CONCLUSIONOne-dose injection of 5-fluorouracil via the tail vein might be a simple and effective method for preparing the animal model of reproductive function damage induced by chemotherapeutic medication.

Animals ; Fluorouracil ; pharmacology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; drug effects

Objective To evaluate feasibility of early skeletal muscle injury by using shear wave elastography.Methods Sixty patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis treated in Department of Orthopedics of People's Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2020 to January 2021 were selected as the research subjects.Conventional scanning and shear wave elastography techniques were applied to investigate affected and healthy knees.Measurement included cartilage morphology,thickness and damage,joint cavity effusion,synovial membrane thickness,ligament morphology,meniscus protrusion degree,and detection of shear wave values in attachment area of quadriceps tendon on patella.Thickness and shear wave values of tendons in different observation areas on affected side and healthy side were compared.Affected knee joint was assigned a value based on the ultrasound characteristics,and Spearman correlation was used to analyze correlation between ultrasound score and shear wave value.Results Among 60 patients,fifty-six cases(56/60,93.3%)of cartilage injury in knee joint,30 cases(30/60,50.0%)of synovial hyperplasia in knee joint,35 cases(35/60,53.3%)of medial meniscus extrusion in knee joint,57 cases(57/60,95.0%)of effusion in knee joint cavity,21 cases(21/60,35%)of osteophyte formation in knee joint,and zero case of popliteal cyst in knee joint.There were 34 cases with ultrasound score less than three points,26 cases with score three to seven points,and zero case with score more than seven points.Shear wave value of the tendon in affected lateral area was significantly greater than that in affected medial area(P<0.01).Shear wave value of tendon in healthy medial area was significantly higher than that in affected medial area(P<0.01).Shear wave value of quadriceps tendon decreases with increase of ultrasound score,showed a high correlation(r=0.955,P<0.01).Conclusion Shear wave elastography is a non-invasive and relatively easy-to-operate method for evaluating muscle injury,which is highly correlated with severity of knee osteoarthritis,can help detect early strain points,providing possibilities for grading and diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis.