Purpose:Occult carcinoma of thyroid ( OCT) is difficult to differentiate from benign thyroid nodules because it is small ( < 1 cm),often asymptomatic,shares similar ultrasonographic characteristics.The aim of this study was to retrospectively review the ultrasound diagnosis and pitfalls of ultrasound in OCT.Materials and Methods: The ultrasonography in 37 cases suspected of OCT were reviewed,analyzed and compared with histopathology.Results: 30/37 (81.1% ) cases (38 nodules) confirmed of OCT were found solid,hypoechogenic nodules in 97.4%,with irregular margins ( 33/38,86.8% ),longitudinal-to-transverse ratio = 1 ( 17/38,44.4% ),minute calcification (19/38,50.0%),decreased flow (36/38,94.7%),and resistance index < 0.7( 30/37,81.1%).7/37 (19.0%) cases of misdiag-nosis included 3 chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis with nodules,2 nodular goiter and 2 collagen nodules.They all had overlapping ultrasonographic features.Conclusion: Those ultrasonographic features were of certain value in OCT.

Background and purpose:The genetic and epidemic events that mediate the progression from in-situ to invasive prostate carcinoma are poorly understood.Stoma factors may facilitate the growth and invasion of tumor cells that have lost regulatory mechanisms.However,in situ carcinoma cells are separated from the stoma by a continuous layer of basal epithelial cells.During progression to invasive carcinoma,the basal cell layer becomes disrupted and tumor cells adhere to the basement membrane.This paper discussed the role of Laminin-5 secreted by basal epithelial cells that participated in the invasion of in situ prostate cancer cells.Methods:BPH-1 cells were used as an in vitro model of pre-invasive prostate cancer cells in order to investigate the migration-promoting activity of secreted factors from basal epithelial cells.Adhesion proteins and chemotactic factors that stimulate adhesion,planar polarization,migration were studied by techniques such as immunofluorescent analysis,immunoprecipitation and Western blot.Results:The results showed that the conditioned medium of basal epithelial cells(PEC-CM) contained adhesion proteins and chemotactic factors that stimulated adhesion,planar polarization,migration,and could phosphorylate Akt.LY294002 and Wortmannin partially inhibited PEC-CM-triggered migration(P

Objective To observe the growth and the development of primordial spermatogenic cells by allografting Kun-ming neonatal mouse testes into athymic nude mice.Methods Neonatal mouse testes were grafted under the back skin of nude mice (n=29). Grafts were taken out at the post-grafting day 30-110 and observed on the growth and the appearance, the structure of seminiferous tubules as well as the development of spermatogenic cells and the stage of seminiferous epithelium.(Results) The graft growth in all 29 recipient animals was observed, and the mass of grafts was significantly increased from (0.73)?(0.05) mm in diameter and (5.67)?(0.72) mg in wet weight pre-grafting to (6.75)?(0.73) mm and (113.12)?(78.23) mg post-grafting, respectively. The structure of seminiferous (tubules) inside grafts was clearly seen under a light microscope. And the histological analysis (demons)-(trated) a complete spermatogenesis with all levels of spermatogenic cells including sperm and stage I-XII of the seminiferous epithelium could also be identified.Conclusion Neonatal mouse testes could continuously grow and develop under the back skin of castrated nude mice, which would therefore be a useful tool for investigations on the proliferative and developmental pattern of spermatogenic cells and the regulation mechanism of spermatogenesis.

Objective To investigate the safe model to prevent and treat complications caused by various artificial liver support system(ALSS).Methods The complications in 191 patients with severe hepatitis during the ALSS(Including plasma exchange、plasma exchange associated with continuous venovenous hemofiltration、plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration、plasma exchange associated with plasma absorption、molecular absorbents recycling system) treatment were observed and analyzed. Results During the treatment 287 episodes occurred and the rate of complications was 50.44%(287/569).The clinical manifestation included rash,numbness/tetany,hypotension,blood clotting in the channel,chest distress, disequilibrium syndrome,errhysis on dwell catheter,effusion on dwell catheter.75.61% of these complications was caused by plasma exchange.The rate of complications was the lowest during the treatment of plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration.All of these complications got better after prompt sypotomatic therapies were taken.Conclusions Although the rate of complications was high during the treatment of ALSS,all of the complications got better after prompt sypotomatic therapies were taken.This therapeusis must be performed by intensive care.It is more safe than others during the treatment of plasma exchange associated with hemodiafiltration.

BackgroundThe effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on public health have attracted wide attentions.The association of the thermal effect of ELF-EMFs with cancer and ocular tissue damage has been of concern.However,the pathological changes of scleral tissue after exposure to ELF-EMFs as well as the relationship between these changes and myopia are still poorly understood.ObjectiveThe present study was to investigate the molecular pathological changes of human fetal scleral fibroblasts (HFSFs) after exposure to ELF-EMFs in vitro and to explore the possible mechanism in the occurrence and development of myopia.MethodsHFSFs were cultured and passaged and then exposed to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields,and HFSFs that did not receive the irradiation of ELF-EMFs were used as the control group.The expression of collagen type Ⅰ (COL1A1 ) mRNA and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) mRNA in cultured HFSFs were detected by real-time qualitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) under different magnetic field intensites (0,0.1,0.2,0.5,1.0 mT) and different exposure time (0,6,12,24,36,48 hours).Cell proliferation assay of HFSFs was detected by the cell counting kit 8 ( CCK8 ) assay.The expression levels of COL1 A1 and MMP-2 proteins in HFSFs were further confirmed by immunofluorescence staining.Results The expression of COL1A1 mRNA was significantly down-regulated under the exposure of 0.2 mT ELF-EMFs for 6 hours,in comparison with the control group;moreover,it decreased in parallel with the increased of flux density (0.099±0.008 vs.0.050±0.004) (P =0.009 ).The expression of MMP-2mRNA was up-regulated conspicuously after exposure to 0.1 mT ELF-EMFs for 24 hours,and it increased with exposure time in comparison with the control group ( 0.009 ±0.001 vs.0.018±0.003 ) ( P =0.038 ).Proliferation of HFSFs (A450) was inhibited following the exposure to 0.2 mT ELF-EMFs for 24 hours in comparison with the control group (P =0.009 ).The expression of COL1 A1 in the experimental group was decreased,compared with the control group,but the expression of MMP-2 was increased.ConclusionsELF-EMFs inhibit the proliferation of HFSFs and expression of COL1 A1 in HFSFs,which might be one of the reasons for the development of myopia.

The therapeutic effects and mechanisms of traditional Chinese kidney-tonifying drugs in treating osteoporosis have become the focus under study. Pharmacological studies have shown that traditional Chinese kidney-tonifying drugs are promoters for the proliferation of osteoblasts, inhibitors for the activity of osteoclasts, regulators for the estrogen level and its receptor, plays important roles in promoting osteogenesis and suppressing adipogenesis of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), modulating the function of OPG/RANK/RANKL system and the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, as well as antioxidation. The anti-osteoporotic active ingredients and pharmacological action mechanism of traditional Chinese kidney-tonifying drugs are summarized from the perspective of molecular and cell biology in this paper, so as to provide references for the study of their mechanism of anti-osteoporosis and for the development of traditional Chinese kidney-tonifying and bone-strengthening drugs.
Animals ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Kidney ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy ; physiopathology

Objective To evaluate argon-helium cryoablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The clinical data of 66 patients with pathologically-proved HCC were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the therapeutic scheme the patients were divided into TACE group (n=31) and combination group (TACE+argon-helium cryoablation, n=35). All the patients were followed up for 5-35 months. The complete remission rate, total effective rate and survival time were evaluated. The short-term and the long-term effectiveness were compared between the two groups. Results Both the complete remission rate and total effective rate of the combination group were significantly higher than those of TACE group (P<0.05). The median survival time of the combination group was significantly longer than that of TACE group (P=0.038). The half-year, one-year and 2-year overall survival rates of the combination group were higher than those of TACE group, although the differences were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion For the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, argon-helium cryoablation combined with TACE can improve the short-term effect and prolong the progression-free survival time, although its exact effectiveness still needs to be confirmed by large sample, multi-central and randomized controlled studies.

A total of 120 patients with Ⅲ/Ⅳ degree hemorrhoids were randomly divided into 3 groups.Self-made drainage(A group),traditional device(B group)and stuffing(C group) were used at the end of operation.The patient postoperative complications and satisfaction were observed and compared.The results showed that postoperative abdominal distension,pain,medical dressing dampness and satisfaction were better in A group than those in B and C groups(all P ＜0.01).Postoperative abdominal distention in B group was lighter than that in C group and medical dressing dampness less in C group than that in B group (all P ＜ 0.01).Thus the self-made drainage device may reduce the levels of postoperative abdominal distension,pain and medical dressing dampness and increase postoperative patient satisfaction.

Objective To investigate the optimum target plasma concentration of propofol in preventing the adverse effects of carboprost tromethamine in the patients undergoing caesarean section.Methods One hundred and twenty-eight nulliparous parturients who were at full term with a singleton fetus,of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ,aged 24-37 yr,weighing 54-78kg,scheduled for elective caesarean section under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia,were randomly divided into 4 groups (n =32 each) using a random number table:control group (group C),and different concentrations of propofol groups (P1-3 groups).Carboprost tromethamine 250 μg was injected into the body of the uterus,and propofol with the target plasma concentrations of 0.8,1.2 and 1.6 μg/ml was simultaneously given by target-controlled infusion in P1,P2 and P3 groups,respectively,and normal saline was infused at a rate of 0.5 ml · kg-1 · h-1 in group C.The occurrence of cardiovascular events was recorded from the end of carboprost tromethamine administration until the end of surgery.The relatedadverse effects after carboprost tromethamine administration,and Ramsay sedation score at 15 mm after carboprost tromethamine administration were recorded,and satisfactory sedation was defined as Ramsay sedation score of 2.The occurrence of complications associated with combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was recorded during the postoperative follow-up.Results Compared with group C,the incidence of carboprost tromethamine-related adverse effects was significantly decreased in P2 and P3 groups,the rate of satisfactory sedation was significantly increased in P1 and P2 groups,the incidence of hypotension and tachycardia was significantly decreased in group P1 (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the incidence of carboprost tromethamine-related adv erse effects in group P1,and in the rate of satisfactory sedation in group P3 (P＞ 0.05).Compared with group P1,the incidence of carboprost tromethaminerelated adverse effects was significantly decreased in P2 and P3 groups,the rate of satisfactory sedation was significantly increased in group P2,and the rate of satisfactory sedation was significantly decreased in group P3 (P＜0.05).Compared with group P2,the rate of satisfactory sedation was significantly decreased (P＜0.05),and no significant change was found in the incidence of carboprost tromethamine-related adverse effects in group P3 (P＞0.05).No cardiovascular events were found in group P2,and the incidence of hypotension was 9％ in group P3.Conclusion The optimum target plasma concentration of propofol in preventing the adverse effects of carboprost tromethamine is 1.2 μg/ml in the patients undergoing caesarean section.

OBJECTIVE To analyze clinical and etiologic characteristics of indwelling venous catheter-related infection(CRI) in artificial liver support system(ALSS)-treated patients and explore the measures of prevention and treatment.METHODS Bacterial culture and drug sensitivity test were performed in cusp of catheters after being pulled out and the peripheral blood in liver failure patients.RESULTS Sixty four strains were isolated including 56 Gram-positive strains,2 Gram-negative strains and 6 fungi ones,respectively.The most frequent organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis which had high sensitivity to vancomycin.CONCLUSIONS The most effective measure is removing catheters in time,and vancomycin is the most optimal agent for CRI.