Objective To investigate the clinical value of strain ratio in differential diagnosis of thyroid tumors,compared with the evaluation based on elastography scores.Methods Elastography examinations were performed in 67 patients with 92 thyroid tumors.Ultrasonic elastograms were evaluated according to the four- and five-score system respectively.Strain ratio of the tumor and the surrounding tissue was also calculated.Clinical value of the three evaluations was compared with pathological findings as the reference standard.Results The area under the curve:0.885 for the four-score,0.904 for the five-score,0.961 for the strain ratio.When a cutoff point of 3 was used,four-score and five-score showed a sensitivity of 78.0%,a specificity of 86.3%,an accuracy of 82.6% and a sensitivity of 80.5%,a specificity of 88.2%,an accuracy of 84.8%,respectively.When a cutoff point of 3.57 was introduced,the strain ratio had 92.7% sensitivity,92.2% specificity,92.4% accuracy.Conclusions Strain ratio was more helpful in diagnostic performance of thyroid tumors as a new semi-quantitative method than elastography scores.

Objective By constructing mortalin stably expressing ovarian cancer cell lines in A 2780 and A2780/cis, we demonstrate the role of mortalin in the ovarian cancer cell growth .Methods CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell viability in the overexpression mortalin group compared with the control group .The flow cytometry analysis was used to understand the effect of upregulated mortalin on the ovarian cancer cell cycle .Western blotting was used to determine the expression and phosphorylation level of MAPK /ERK and JNK/SAPK signal pathways .Results The results showed that increased expression of mortalin could accelerate ovarian cancer cell proliferation and promote G 1 transition, leading to a faster restoration of normal distribution of cell cycle .We found that mortalin overexpression significantly activated p-Raf and p-ERK1/2, but not p-JNK.Conclusion The results demonstrate that mortalin effect on the ovarian cancer cell proliferation contributes to active the MAPK-ERK signaling pathway .

BACKGROUND:Stem cel therapy has been used for prevention and treatment of degenerative disc disease. Considering the special microenvironment in the intervertebral disc, the survival rate and differentiation ability of transplanted cels are decreased, which may lead to the poor efficacy of stem cel therapy. How to improve the survival ability and therapeutic effect of the transplanted cels is the focus of stem cel therapy for degenerative disc disease.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of cobalt chloride combined with hypertonic solution pretreatment on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels that wil be transplanted for treatment of degenerative disc disease.
METHODS:(1)In vitro cel experiment: bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels were divided into three groups and subjected to normal culture medium (normal control group), 1% hypertonic mother solution (hypertonic group), 100 μmol/L cobalt chloride (hypoxia group), or 1% hypertonic mother solution plus 100 μmol/L cobalt chloride (combined group) for 1 week. Then, 2% hypertonic solution and 200 μmol/L cobalt chloride cobalt chloride were used to simulate the anaerobic and hypertonic environment intervenes in pretreated and untreated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels for 24 hours. After that, RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of caspase-3 for apoptosis evaluation. (2)In vivo animal experiment: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into model, cel transplantation and hypertonic plus hypoxic groups. Rat models of intervertebral disc degeneration were made in these three groups. After modeling, rats in these three groups were given no treatment, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel transplantation or transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels which were subjected to hypertonic and hypoxia pretreatments into the intervertebral disc. Two weeks later, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR methods were used to detect cel distribution and related gene expression, respectively, thereby to evaluate the therapeutic effect of stem cels.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1)In vitro cel experiment: caspase-3 mRNA expression was significantly reduced in pretreated bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels compared with the untreated cels (P < 0.05). (2)In vivo animal experiment: compared with the control group, the caspase-3 and interleukin-1β in the intervertebral disc and a number of degenerative indexes were decreased in the cel transplantation. Compared with the cel transplantation group, these indicators had better outcomes in the hypertonic plus hypoxic group (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cels have therapeutic potential for degenerative disc disease, and have better adaptability and transplantation effects by hypertonic and hypoxia pretreatments.

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of quantitative tissue velocity imaging (QTVI) in assessing left ventricular(LV) global and regional myocardial function in patients with mitral valve replacement(MVR).Methods Eighty patients having their implantations for more than six months were examined by echocardiography.QTVI-derived parameters such as peak systolic velocity(Sa,Sm) and early diastolic velocity(Ea,Em) of mitral annulus and LV wall were measured from the apical four-chamber,two-chamber and long axis corresponding myocardial segments in MVR groups decreased and LV ejection fraction but negative correlation between Ea' and isovolumic relaxation time(IVRT') in patients(P<0.01).Conclusions QTVI plays an important role in determining LV function of patients after MVR accurately.

Objective To summarize the characters of the elastograms of different pathological nodules, and to observe the value of elastography in differentiating benign from malignant thyroid solid nodules. Methods One hundred and sixteen patients with thyroid nodules were enrolled in the study and 122 nodules were detected in total. All of them were examined by elastography and conventional ultrasound. Five sonographers were invited to evaluate the nodules double blinded basing on the images and the four-point system proposed by Fukunari. The interobserver agreement was evaluated by Kappa coefficient. Diagnostic performances of the five readers were compared by the ROC curves. Distributions of elastography scores of different pathological nodules were compared by one-way ANOVA. Results Interobserver agreements on scoring the nodules were moderate. Mean value of benign nodules was obvious lower than that of the malignant ones. The mean score of nodular goiters was 2.67 ± 0.89, range from 1 to 3. Most of the adenomas got score of 2, but the score of thyroiditis was quite high. No significant differences were found between the comparison of thyroiditis and thyroid cancers. Areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of the five readers were 0.82,0.81,0.79,0.73 and 0.83 respectively. When 3.5 was choosen as the cut-off point, the sensitivity of elastography was 82.4%, and specificity was 71.6%. Conclusions Elastography was really a useful technique for it can provide a new index for the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. However, the 4-point score system is not comprehensive enough.

Objective To approach the clinical presentation,treatment and diagnosis of primary seminal vesicle carcinoma.Methods The records of 4 patients who diagnosed seminal vesicle carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed,including the symptoms signs and examination results as well as operation program,postoperative therapy.Considered to the literature reports.Bilateral seminal vesicles,bladder, prostate and rectum were totally removed in one case.Seminal vosiculectomy and partial cystoprostotectomy were performed in 2 cases,and the another one,bilateral lower ureterectomy and ileum substitute bladder was be done.Results Followed up for 3 months to 5 years,and no recurrence had been observed so far, one died of colon cancer after 2 years.Conclusions Early symptoms of primary seminal vesicle carcinoma are unobvious,so that early diagnosis of seminal vesicle carcinoma is difficult and the misdiagnosis is so usually.Thus,accurate recognition is important for early diagnosis.Radical surgery appears to offer the best chance and different approaches can be selected according to tumor stage and invasive condition of the circumambient organ.Comprehensive treatment like hormonal therapy,along with the 5-fluorouracil,paclitaxel,and oxaliplatin chemotherapy regimen appears to be effective against adenocarcinoma.

Objective To study the blood flow in aneurysm and its influence on mechanical properties of vascular walls for two kinds of common aneurysms, so as to improve the diagnosis and treatment of aneurysms and the prognosis of patients. Methods The interaction between the aneurysm-carrying vessels and blood of two common aneurysms was studied by fluid-structure interaction method. The blood flow velocity, wall deformation, stress distribution and damage form of aneurysm-carrying vessels were analyzed. Results The blood flow in both aneurysms were slow and stable, which resulted in better deposition and adhesion conditions. The junction between the aneurysm and the downstream of the blood vessel was a dangerous place for damage. The spindle aneurysm would undergo shear failure on outer wall of the aneurysm, while the cystic aneurysm would undergo stretching failure on inner wall. Under the effect of the same blood flow, a larger stress appeared on the cystic aneurysm, which was more prone to damage, and the tensile failure would lead to a more serious consequences. Conclusions The junction at the aneurysm and blood vessel is prone to damage, and the cystic aneurysm is more dangerous and harmful.

For cochlear implant training and robotic cochlear implant experiments, the design method of scalable scala tympani model was proposed. The mathematical model of the cochlea was used as the central curve of scala tympani channel. Referring to the clinical anatomy data, the contour of the scala tympani cross-section was approximated as an ellipse. The profile was placed along the central curve, and the angle was adjusted to determine the position and orientation of the profile in three dimensions such that the central curve passes through its center. The data was imported into Matlab to generate a three-dimensional mathematical model of scala tympani, which can be expanded by setting different scale factors. The virtual scala tympani model was generated in SolidWorks, and the 2:1 fully transparent scala tympani model were fabricated by 3D printing to replace the specimen for experiment.
Cochlea/surgery* ; Cochlear Implantation ; Cochlear Implants ; Robotics ; Scala Tympani/surgery*

Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of non-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor sodium butyrate (NaB) on neuropathic pain and pain-induced memory impairment in mice.Methods:Forty clean grade male C57BL/6J mice were were divided into 4 groups by random number table method ( n=10 in each group): sham + saline, sham + NaB, chronic constriction injury (CCI)+ saline and CCI + NaB.The mouse CCI model was established by sciatic nerve ligation. Non-selective HDAC inhibitors NaB(300 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected into the mice in Sham+ NaB group and CCI+ NaB group once a day 15-28 days after modeling, while the mice in Sham+ saline group and CCI+ saline group were intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of saline. On the 14th and 28th day after operation, the athletic ability was measured by open field test (OFT), the pain behavior was measured by paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) and paw withdrawal latency (PWL), and the memory function was measured by Y-maze. After the behavioral experiment, hippocampus and spinal dorsal horn tissues were taken for the activity of HDAC measurement, and hippocampus tissues were taken for the expression levels of BDNF and PSD95 measurement. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis. The data were compared by repeated measurement ANOVA and one-way ANOVA. Results:After treatment with NaB, the interaction effects of the accuracy of spontaneous alternation of PWT, PWL and Y maze in mice were significant( F=21.07, 6.98, 7.79, all P<0.05). Compared with the Sham + saline group, the PWT((0.83±0.30)g, (0.25±0.22)g, (0.24±0.11)g; both P<0.05), the PWL((14.97±4.02)s, (5.99±1.51)s, (6.87±0.90)s; both P<0.05) and the spontaneous alternation in Y maze(71.57±2.80)%, (56.96±0.60)%, (62.86±4.94)%; both P<0.05) in CCI+ Saline group and CCI+ NaB group were lower. After treatment with NaB, compared with CCI + saline group, PWT((0.22±0.13)g, (0.62±0.23)g; P<0.05), PWL((5.62±2.00)s, (8.82±2.13)s; P<0.05)and the accuracy of spontaneous alternation of Y maze were significantly higher ((56.54±7.50)%, (66.35±8.20)%; P<0.05), the HDAC activity in hippocampus((173.40±7.38)%, (122.70±8.40)%; P<0.05)and in spinal cord ((153.40±10.58)%, (111.40±11.40)%; P<0.05)were significantly lower, and the expression of BDNF((0.65±0.06), (0.87±0.43); P<0.05)and PSD95((0.70±0.40), (0.87±0.04); P<0.05)were significantly higher in CCI + NaB group. Conclusion:NaB can improve neuropathic pain and pain-induced memory impairment.The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of HDAC activity and the up-regulation of BDNF and PSD95 expression in hippocampus.

Objective:To analyze the expression and prognosis of B-cell lymphoma 7 protein family member A (BCL7A) in hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as the effect and mechanism of BCL7A expression on the invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.Methods:The cancer tissues and adjacent tissues of 40 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent radical hepatobiliary resection in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from November 2017 to March 2018 were prospectively collected for protein extraction, including 29 males and 11 females, aged (58.5±10.4) years. The information of 374 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 50 cases of adjacent tissues were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, and the hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines Hep3B and SMMC-7721 were transfected with overexpressing BCL7A plasmid and empty vector plasmid (negative control), respectively. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of BCL7A, and Western blotting was also used to detect the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (N-cadherin, E-cadherin, snail). Transwell and cell scratch assays were used to detect cell invasion and migration.Results:Compared with adjacent tissues, the mRNA expression of BCL7A in 50 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in TCGA was significantly increased ( t=13.38, P<0.001). According to the median mRNA expression level of BCL7A, 374 patients were divided into BCL7A high expression group ( n=187) and low expression group ( n=187), and the cumulative survival rate of BCL7A high expression patients was lower than that of low expression group, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.95, P=0.009). Western blot was used to detect the relative expression of BCL7A protein in cancer tissues, and found it was higher compared to adjacent tissues. Compared with the negative control group, the number of cells invaded by the BCL7A overexpression group of hepatoma cells Hep3B and SMMC-7721 was more than the negative control group respectively, (153.7±1.3) vs (63.7±4.7) and (307.7±25.14) vs (72.3±12.5), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=7.97, 8.38, both P=0.001) .The results of the cell scratch assay were consistent with the results of the Transwell invasion assay. The expressions of N-cadherin and snail in the BCL7A overexpression group were higher than those in the negative control group, and the E-cadherin was lower, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The expression of BCL7A in cancer tissues of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is elevated and is associated with poor prognosis. BCL7A may promote hepatocellular carcinoma cell metastasis and invasion by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.