Objective To compare real -time tissue elastography (RTE)and ultrasound in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC)with cervical lymph node (LN)metastasis.Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical data of 72 patients with PTC.Eighty -four LNs of them were performed with ultrasound-guided fine -needle aspiration biopsy.Patients were divided into two groups:with cervical lymph node metastasis group and without cervical lymph node metastasis group.All patients were reviewed their B -mode ultrasonography (BUS)on cervical lymph node and RTE on thyroid.RTE elasticity indices (EI)of mean (Emean),minimum (Emin),maximum (Emax)and the ratio of Emean in LNs and surrounding muscle (Emean -m)were measured at the thyroids.The performances of RTE and BUS in predicting of PTC with LN metastasis were compared and ana-lyzed.Results The sensitivity and specificity of BUS on diagnosis of the cervical lymph nodes metastasis were 84.0% and 90.0%.The RTE Emea,Emax,Emin and SI in meta -static LNs were significantly higher than those in benign LNs(P =0.001,0.002,0.001,0.007).The RTE results of PTC patients with lymph node metastasis was ana-lyzed by ROC curve.The largest area was Emin.AUC was 0.918,the critical value was 0.240.AUC of SI was 0.896, AUC of Emean was 0.718,AUC of Emax was 0.670.The sensitivity and specificity were 94.0% and 99.4%,respec-tively.Conclusion Co -operation of RTE and BUS was more accurate than simple BUS in diagnosis of PTC with lymph node metastasis.SI and Emin has a high diagnostic value.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Th2 cytokine (hIL-4, hIL-10, hIL-13) on the bovine aortic endothelial cells(BAECs) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor alpher(TNF-?). Methods BAECs were activated by TNF-?(4ng/ml), and a varied dose of Th2 cytokine(2, 5, 10, 20 and 40ng/ml) was used to incubate BAECs for 2h before stimulation with TNF-?, and then co-incubate for 6h or 18h. The expression of cellular adhesive molecules on BAECs was examined by the cellular enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (Cell-ELISA), and BAECs viability was determined by MTT method. Results BAECs pre-treated with Th2 cytokine could down-regulate the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 induced by TNF-? in a dose-dependent manner(P

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of high frequency echocardiography on mice with doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and find out the most valuable monitoring indexes for early doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage.Methods Forty mice were divided into doxorubicin-injection group (ADM group) and control group randomly.Twenty mice in each group were injected with doxorubicin and saline at the same dose for 5 weeks continuously.The parameters of cardic function of ADM group and contol group were observed by high-frequency echocardiography after infection.Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) tested by euzymelinked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and pathological findings were used as the golden standard.Results ①The left ventricular long axis view and the apical four chamber view could be displayed clearly by transthoracic high-frequency echocardiography.②After 5 weeks intervention,weight,heart rate,left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS),E/A,E wave deceleration time(EDT) and other parameters showed marked difference between ADM group and control group(P ＜0.05).③The decrease of diastolic function was earlier than systolic function in ADM group.④LVEF and E/A presented good negative linear correlation to BNP(r =-0.622,P ＜0.05; r =-0.593,P ＜0.01).EDT showed positive linear correlation to BNP(r =0.501,P ＜0.05).Conclusions Cardic function of mice with doxorubicin-induced myocardial damage could be early evaluated accurately by high-frequency echocardiography,which contained good relativity with BNP.

Objective To investigate the effects of human interlukin-13 (hIL-13) on the expression of E- selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) on bovine aortic endothelial cells(BAECs) stimulated by tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-?), and to provide experimental basis for hIL-13 inducing immunity endure and relieving the repulsion reaction of xenograft. Methods BAECs were co-cultured with different concentrations of hIL-13 for 2 h and followed by co-cultured with 4 ng/ml TNF-? for 6 h or 18 h. The expressions of E-selectin and ICAM-1 on BAECs were detected by Cell-ELISA. The effect of hIL-13 on activity of BAECs was detected by MTT colorimetry.Results BAECs pretreateded with hIL-13 could inhibit the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 induced by TNF-?, and showed a does-dependent manner from 5 ng/ml to 20 ng/ml of hIL-13 (P

BACKGROUND: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system existed in bone tissue. Recent studies on antihypertensive drugs found that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor type antihypertensive drug was possibly effective for osteoporosis. Perindopril is one of the commonly used antihypertensive drugs. Whether perindopril affected bone metabolism or could be used in anti-osteoporosis has not been reported.
OBJECTIVE: To observe effects of perindopril on bone metabolism in a rat model of osteoporosis induced by retinoic acid.
METHODS: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, with ten in each group. In the model group and each perindopril groups, rats were intragastricaly administered retinoic acid solution 80 mg/kg per day. After successful model establishment, rats in different perindopril groups were intragastrical y administered perindopril 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg per day, once a day, for 42 consecutive days. In the normal control and model groups, rats were given an equal volume of distil ed water. Serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, bone mass and bone mineral density were detected in each group. Expression of bone specific alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase mRNA in bone tissue was determined.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, after treatment with perindopril, serum calcium and phosphorus levels were increased, alkaline phosphatase activities were significantly decreased, bone mass and bone mineral density were obviously increased in rats with retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis. Expression of bone specific alkaline phosphatase mRNA was higher in the perindopril 8 mg/kg group than in the perindopril 2 and 4 mg/kg groups and model group. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase mRNA expression was higher in the perindopril 8 mg/kg group than in the model group. These results indicated that perindopril could improve partial bone metabolic biochemical markers in osteoporosis rats, promoted bone formation by up-regulating bone specific alkaline phosphatase mRNA expression, and had a certain preventive effect on retinoic acid-induced osteoporosis.

Objective To assess the clinical significance of three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in the evaluation of left ventricular myocardial function in breast cancer survivors with postoperative anthracycline-based chemotherapy.Methods A total of 51 breast cancer survivors with postoperative anthracycline-based chemotherapy were recruited and 31 female healthy volunteers as the controls.Conventional echocardiography and 3D-STI derived parameters [including global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global area strain (GAS)] were measured before and at 3 and 6 anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic cycles.The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was constructed to determine optimal sensitivity and specificity of 3ID-STI derived parameters for the prediction of future cardiotoxicity.Results In comparison with the controls and baseline cases,GLS and GAS deteriorated significantly (P ＜ 0.05 for both).No statistical difference in GCS and conventional parameters showed before and after the initiation of chemotherapy (P ＜0.05,respectively).The ROC curves showed that GAS as the best 3D-STI predictor of patients who develop cardiotoxicity during the follow-up.The area under ROC(AUC) of GAS was 0.894,and its optimal cut-off value was-28.4％,with a specificity of 88.0％ and a sensitivity of 82.9％.AUC of GLS was 0.802,and its optimal cut-off value was-14.3％,with a specificity of 62.0％ and a sensitivity of 85.4％.Conclusions Early decreases in GAS and GLS based on 3D-STI may allow the prediction of subsequent cardiotoxic development accurately in breast cancer survivors with postoperative anthracycline-based chemotherapy.

Objective To investigate the left ventricular (LV) performance in patients with essential hypertension(EH) by global performance index (GPI) based on three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI).Methods A total of 164 EH patients were enrolled and divided into four subgroups according to LV configuration:LV normal group (LVN,n =67),concentric cardiac remodeling group (CCR,n =49),concentric cardiac hypertrophy group (CCH,n =28) and eccentric cardiac hypertrophy group (ECH,n =20).Thirty age and sex matched healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls.3D-STI was performed to assess LV 3D global strain and LV torsion,then LV systolic dyssynchrony index (SDI) and global performance index (GPI) were calculated.Global strain parameters were investigated among the groups,and correlations with GPI were studied.Results GPI,global longitudinal strain(GLS),global area strain(GAS),global radial strain(GRS) and global 3D strain(G3DS) in EH groups were respectively lower than those in the normal controls,and there were statistical differences among the respective parameters (P ＜0.05,respectively).SDI in group CCH and ECH were significantly higher than that in normal controls (P ＜ 0.05,respectively).In multivariate stepwise regression analysis,GAS was the most influential to GPI.Conclusions GPI based on 3D-STI may accurately reflect LV performance in patients with EH,and has potential applications in clinical practice.

Objective To explore the impact of morphological changes of mitral valve coaptation on ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR),and observe coaptation image of mitral valve in systole in patients with IMR by using real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3D-TEE).Methods RT3D-TEE was performed on 112 patients with IMR and 38 patients without MR as the control.Patients with IMR were divided into group of mild IMR (n =46),group of moderate IMR (n =45) and group of severe IMR (n =21),according to the severity of mitral regurgitation.Mitral valve quantification (MVQ)software of Qlab 8.1 was used for image post-processing of RT3D-TEE.The coaptation parameters was measured,included length of anterior combination(LCA3dlf),length of posterior combination(LCP3dlf),area of anterior combination(A3DTANT) and area of posterior combination (A3DTPOST) at end-systole.Then,these coaptation parameters of mitral valve were compared statistically.Logistic regression assessing was applied for analyzing the results.Results Coaptation line of anterior and posterior leaflets was almost same in normal subjects.With increasing of mitral regurgitation,a tendency to prolong in LCA3dlf and LCP3dlf were observed in IMR (P ＜0.05).Compared to that in mild and moderate IMR groups,besides A3DTANT and A3DTPOST,LCA3dlf and LCP3dlf were also increased significantly in severe IMR group (P ＜0.05).LCP3dlf was an independent correlation factor of IMR by Logistic regression analysis.The sensitivity was 73.3％ and the specificity was 94.7％ when LCP3dlf≥32 mm was regarded as cut-off point,and the area under the ROC curve was 0.949 (0.900～0.999).Conclusions Abnormal coaptation of anterior and posterior leaflets of mitral valve might be one of main cause of IMR.Involution structure of mitral valve before surgery is helpful for surgeon to select an optical surgical procedure and evaluate effects of treatment in patients with IMR.

Objective To investigate the influences on the femur cortex of the rabbit after ovariectomy and its mechanism.Methods Eighty 6 months-old female pure New Zealand rabbits were divided into two groups:40 rabbits in ovariectomy group and 40 in sham-operation group.The weight averaged 2.2±0.28 kg.Four weeks and 8 weeks after operation,a series of tests were performed in both groups concerning the number,the volume,the rate and the maximal load of cortical bone porosity.The number,the length and the density of linear crack in rabbit femur cortex were documented after repetitive application of minor trauma.Results Micro-CT demonstrated that both on week 4 and 8 after operation,the number,the volume and the rate of cortical bone porosity were all significantly higher in ovariectomy group than that of the control group.Four weeks after operation,the biomechanical test showed the significantly lower average maximal load of rabbit femur in ovariectomy group (1 892.60±59.09) than that of in control group (1 949.25±53.12) (P=0.003).Eight weeks after operation,the average load of both groups decreased to some extent,which was 1 944.55±41.76 in control group and 1 692.40±85.08 in ovariectomy group respectively (P=0.000).However,the average maximal load of ovariectomy group decreased more significantly.Having application of repetitive minor trauma to the bone,the number,the length and the density of linear crack of cortical bone were 3.40± 1.67,216.80± 17.60 μm and 0.40±0.08/mm2 in ovariectomy group,and 2.00± 1.17,160.45± 16.89 μm and 0.29±0.13/mm2 in control group 4 weeks later.And after 8 weeks,they were 5.15±1.18,334.60±13.94 μm and 0.35±0.10/mm2 in ovariectomy group,and 3.10±1.37,182.10±9.80 μm and 0.24±0.09/mm2 in control group.The number,the length and the density of linear crack of cortical bone were all significantly higher in ovariectomy group than that of in control group both on week 4 and on week 8 after operation.Conclusion Ovariectomy increases the porosity of cortical bone of rabbit,destroys its biological property,accelerates the fatigued damage and delays the healing process.These changes may be attributed to fracture and delayed union after fracture.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficiency of autologous transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells for treatment of patients with diabetic lower limb ischemia.MethodsEighteen patients of type 2 diabetes with diabetic lower limb ischemia (30 legs) were treated by autologous transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells.ResultsThe limb pain, cool feeling and numbness feeling improved significantly after PBSC transplantation,the improvement rate were 96.7％, 100.0％ and 95.8％ respectively.Intermittent claudication was also relieved significantly, total remission rate was 76.9％.The ABI and TcPO2 of patients increased significantly at 3 months after transplantation.After the transplantation ABI raised from 0.60 ± 0.11 to 0.71 ±0.12(t =-6.882, P ＜ 0.01) .93.3％ of patients' TcPO2 raised in different degrees.The foot infections were well controlled.Ulcer or toes gangrene got better or healed.No obvious complications or adverse reaction were observed after the transplantation.ConclusionAutologous transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells shows to be a simple, safe and effective method in treating patients with diabetic lower limb ischemia.