Objective: To investigate connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA and protein expression levels in thyroid tissues and analyze their relation to clinical and pathological features of thyroid cancer. Methods: This study quantified CTGF mRNA and protein expression levels in 72 pairs of thyroid papillary carcinoma, 45 pairs of thyroid adenoma and 71 pairs of simple goiter and their matched thyroid tissues using real-time fluorogentic quantitative PCR (RFQ-PCR) and immunohistochemistry staining and analyze their relationship with clinicopathological parameters. Results: RFQ-PCR showed that the CTGF mRNA expression was significantly higher in 59.7% (43 of 72) thyroid papillary carcinoma tissues than that in the matched thyroid tissues; CTGF mRNA expression was significantly lower in 66.7% (30/45) thyroid adenoma and 88.7% (63/71) simple goiter tissues than that in their matched normal thyroid tissues, respectively. The result of immunohistochemical staining was consistent with that of RFQ-PCR. Logistic regression showed that female, lymph node metastasis, higher pathological grade, bigger tumor volume and elevated TSH levels were risk factors of higher expression of CTGF mRNA in thyroid papillary carcinoma; female, higher pathological grade and higher TSH level were risk factors of higher expression of CTGF protein in thyroid papillary carcinoma; both bigger tumor volume and lower FT4 level were risk factors of higher expression of CTGF mRNA and protein in thyroid adenoma. Both male, lower FT4 and TSH level were risk factors of higher expression of CTGF mRNA and protein in simple goiter. Conclusion: Over-expression of CTGF was important in the tumorigenesis and progression of thyroid cancer, and the CTGF protein might serve as a valuable target for early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer in clinic.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear whether proinflammatory factor, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), γ-interferon and anti-inflammatory cytokine, such as interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels can change after laryngeal transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of TNF-α and IL-10 in different expressive tissue layers and its relationship during the acute rejection episodes, and to evaluate the role of TNF-α and IL-10 levels in serum for prediction of early acute rejection after laryngeal transplantation. METHODS: Laryngeal heterotopic transplantations were performed in Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats. According to different dosages of immunodepressant, all recipients were divided into three groups: Group 0 mg, Group 5 mg, and Group 10 mg. Untreated Sprague-Dawley rats served as normal control group. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Changes in serum TNF-α and IL-10 levels at postoperation days 3, 7 and 11 were positively correlated with these expressions in the epithelium mucosa and submucosa at various time points after transplantation. These indicate that the high-antigenicity of graft mainly concentrates on the layers of mucosa and submucosa. TNF-α and IL-10 concentrations can serve as indexes for predicting acute rejection after laryngeal transplantation.

Objective To compare the performance of high‐throughput ELISA and ECLIA in the determination of carcinoembry‐onic antigen (CEA) .Methods The CEA concentration of serum samples were respectively determinate by high‐throughput ELISA and ECLIA ,and the results were compared .Results Two kinds of detection methods could both accurately reflect the concentration of serum CEA .There was no significant difference between the results of two methods (P> 0 .05) .Within the linear range ,the CEA result of high‐throughput was correlate closely with that of ECLIA (r=0 .922 8 ,P<0 .01) .Conclusion High‐throughput ELISA can accurately detect the serum CEA concentration .

Adult ; Female ; Granuloma, Plasma Cell ; pathology ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; pathology ; Paranasal Sinus Diseases ; pathology

Gastric bronchogenic cysts （GBCs） is uncommon with atypical clinical features. It is difficult to diagnose by preoperative imaging examinations. Therefore , postoperative histopatho-logical examination is regarded as the golden bacteria in ultimate diagnosis. The treatment of GBCs：ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration and endoscopic mucosal resection is only used for small GBCs with intra-cavity growth pattern. However , GBCs with extra-cavity growth pattern is featured with deeply anatomical position , large size , and prone on attaching to vital blood vessels and organs , which makes laparoscopic resection is the first choice in treatment. The authors introduce the diagnosis and treatment of a case of GBCs attaching to lesser curvature , in order to provide references for clinical diagnosis of GBCs.

Objective To investigate the effect of 8 Hz infrasound on the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in the rat hippocampus.Methods Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into groups to be exposed to 90,100 and 130 dB infrasound,and a control group(n=12).All the animals in the infrasound exposure groups were exposed to 8 Hz infrasound at the planned intensity for 2 hours daily for 4 weeks.The rats of the control group were treated identically except that the infrasound amplitude was 0 dB.The animals were sacrificed and their brains were examined at the end of the 4-week infrasound exposure.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of BDNF protein,and in situ hybridization(ISH)was used to observe the distribution of BDNF mBNA in the hippocampus.Results Eight Hz infrasound induced down-regulation of BDNF protein in the hippocampus,with volume-dependent characteristics.ISH showed that BDNF mRNA was distributed widely in the hippocampus.After exposed to infrasound,BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus decreased,especially in the dental gyrus.Conclusion Eight Hz infrasound can down-regulate the expression of BDNF in the hippocampus,especially in the dental gyrus.

ObjectiveTo investigate the occurrence of new cretinism cases and the prevalence of endemic goiter in iodine deficiency disorders(IDD) high-risk areas of Fujian province,so as to put forward target prevention and control measures for these areas.Methods Twelve counties from Xiuyu,Xiangan,Pingtan,and Dongshan were chosen into the survey by simple random sampling,searching for new cretinism cases were carried out in children under 10 years old.Two schools were chosen in every county and the thyroid volume of forty children aged 8 - 10 were determined by B-ultrasonography methods and their urinary iodine(UI) was determined by As3--Ce4+catalytic spectrophotometry in each school.Twenty women of child-bearing age aged 18 - 40 were chosen for collecting edible salt and urine samples,and the salt iodine content was determined using self-quantitative kit and their UI was also determined by As3--Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry.Results In the 4 high-risk counties,no cretinism cases were found.The goiter rate of children aged 8 - 10 was 3.6％(37/1027),and that in Dongshan county was 5.4％(13/240),which was higher than the national standards for eliminating IDD( ＜ 5％).The median urinary iodine(MUI) of children aged 8 - 10 was 175.3 μg/L,and the MUI of women aged 18 -40 was 152.7 μg/L.The coverage rate of iodized salt was 82.7％(382/462).ConclusionsNew case or suspected new case of cretinism is not discovered in the high-risk areas of IDD of Fujian province,and median urinary iodine level of people is in the adequate range.

Objective To analyze the monitoring results of patients with iodine deficiency disorders,and to find out the eliminating process of iodine deficiency disorders and the iodine nutritional status of population before adjustment of iodine level in edible salt in Fujian Province.Methods Thirty counties(cities,districts) were sampled by population proportion probability sampling in the whole Province in 2011; one primary school was selected from each of those 30 counties(cities,districts) ; 40 children aged 8-10 were selected from each of those 30 primary schools; thyroid volume of these children was examined by type-B ultrasound and the iodine level in edible salt from those 40 households was tested by the method of direct titration.Twelve urine samples of those 40 children were collected randomly,and urinary iodine level was tested by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.Resident's per capita salt intake was calculated by the three-day-weighing method.In the village(where the school was in),5 drinking water samples were collected in the north,the south,the east,the west and the center of the village.If the water supply was centralized in the village,then 2 tap water samples were collected.Water iodine level was determined by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.Three townships(towns,street offices)were selected in the vicinity of those schools; 5 pregnant and 5 lactating women were selected in each of those 3 townships (towns,street offices).Their urinary iodine level was determined by arsenic cerium catalytic spectrophotometry.Results Totally 1219 children aged 8 to 10 were examined,and their goiter rate was 4.92％(60/1219).Three hundred and sixty three urine samples were tested,and the median urinary iodine level was 223 μg/L.Among them,urinary iodine ＜ 50 μg/L accounted for 5.2％ (19/363),and ＜ 100 μg/L accounted for 14.6％ (53/363).The median urinary iodine level of pregnant women was 147.2 μg/L,and 52.0％(235/452) of them were less than 150 μg/L.The median urinary iodine level of lactating women was 134.1 μg/L.The consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 94.4％ (1143/1211).Per capita daily salt intake was 6 g,and 81.4％ (293/360) of the residents' intake was less than 9 g.The median iodine content of drinking water was 6.2 μg/L,and 89.5％ (68/76) of them was less than 10 μg/L.Conclusions All indicators have met the national standard of eliminating iodine deficiency disorders in Fujian Province in 2011.But there is an iodine deficiency problem in pregnant women,and these women should be given extra iodine supplement.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum osteocalcin levels and glucolipid metabolism in elderly type 2 diabetic patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods Data collected from 97 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)admitted to the Department of Geriatric Endocrinology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2014 to April 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into the T2DM group(type 2 diabetic patients without NAFLD,n＝ 47)and the NAFLD group(T2DM patients with NAFLD,N ＝ 50).Healthy elderly subjects (n ＝ 30)from the same period served as the control group.Body mass index(BMl),osteocalcin,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,homeostasis model assessment for insulin secretion index (HOMA-β) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),total cholesterol,triglyceride,high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL C)were compared between the 3 groups.Results Levels of fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,HbAlc,total cholesterol,triglyceride,LDL-C and HOMA IR were higher,while levels of HDL-C,HOMA-β and osteocalcin were lower in the T2DM and NAFLD groups than in the control group(all P＜＜0.05).Levels of BMI,fasting glucose,fasting insulin,HbAlc,total cholesterol,triglyceride,LDL-C and HOMA-IR were higher and levels of osteocalcin were lower in the T2DM group than in the NAFLD group(all P＜0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that the osteocalcin level was negatively correlated with fasting blood glucose,HbA1C,HOMA IR and BMI(r＝-0.701,0.442,-0.337 and 0.543,P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and positively correlated with HOMA-β (r ＝ 0.341,P ＜ 0.05) in the NAFLD group.With serum osteocalcin as the dependent variable,multiple linear regression results showed that fasting blood glucose was an independent influencing factor for serum osteocalcin(β＝-1.57,P＜0.05)in the fatty liver group.Conclusions Serum osteocalcin levels significantly decrease in elderly T2DM patients with NAFLD,are closely correlated with glucolipid metabolism,and may have some important clinical significance in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objective To induce mouse embryonic stem(ES)cells to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells by means of a 5-step model system.Methods E14.1 mouse ES cells were cultured in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor(LIF)for 2 days(step 1),then the cells were cultured in hanging drops to form embryonic bodies(EBs)and the resulting EBs were cultured in suspension for 6 days in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor bFGF(step 2).Subsequently the EBs were cultured in the medium containing glucagon- like peptide 1(GLP-1),hepatocyte growth factor(HGF),nerve growth factor(NGF)and nicotinamide for 10 days(step 3).After that,the EBs were dissociated into single cells,and the cells were cultured in monolayer in the presence of GLP-1,betacellulin,activin A,bFGF and nicotinamide for 10 days(step 4).Finally,the cells were cultured in low-glucose medium containing nicotinamide for 4 days(step 5).Insulin and some other islet- related genes expressions were investigated using RT-PCR and insulin expression was also investigated by DTZ- staining and immunohistochemistry.The percentage of insulin-secreting cells was evaluated by flowcytometry and insulin concentrations were measured by RIA.Results mRNA expression of insulin became visible at step 3 and more evident at step 5.Additionally,at step 5,mRNAs of glucagon,somatostatin,pancreatic polypeptide(PP), pancreatic duodenal homeobox 1(PDX-1),beta-cell E box transactivator 2(Beta2)and neurogenin 3(Ngn3) were detected.DTZ-staining positive cells and insulin immunohistochemical staining positive cells were observed. The percentage of insulin-positive cells was(24.0?2.5)%(n=6).In the presence of 5.6 mmol/L and 25 mmol/L glucose,insulin concentrations were(0.05?0.01)?g/L and(0.13?0.02)?g/L respectively(n= 6).Conclusion E14.1 mouse ES cells can be induced to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells by the 5-step model system.Insulin-secreting cells can release insulin into culture medium when treated with glucose,and insulin concentrations increase with rising concentration of glucose.