Objective To investigate the feasibility of MR angiography of the dorsalis pedis artery (DPA),the first dorsal metatarsal artery (FDMA) and the branches at the first toe web by threedimensional time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS) sequence.Methods Forty three patients with suspected or known soft tissue diseases of the ankle and foot were examined retrospectively by MR TRICKS sequence.Two experienced radiologists independently evaluated the visualization performance of DPA,FDMA and its branches with maximum intensity projection.Kappa analysis was performed for the image evaluation of the two radiologists.Consensus scores were obtained if the two radiologists had different scores.Clinical classification of FDMA was carried out for patients with scores equal to,or more than 2 points after imaging evaluation.FDMA was categorized according to its location (superficial,intramuscular,infra-muscular,absent),diameter (large,medium and small) and branching pattern at the toe web (ramifying type,main trunk type and fine small branch).Results The scoring results of the two radiologists indicated a high agreement (Kappa value =0.895,P ＜ 0.05).TRICKS images can clearly show the arterial filling of DPA,FDMA and its branches.The final consensus scores were as follows:8 patients had 4 grade and 22 patients 3 grade,8 patients 2 grade and 5 patients 1 grade.Clinical classification of FDMA for 38 patients(arterial scales ≥2 point):(1) Location:superficial (8 patients),intramuscular (23 patients),intramuscular (7 patients) ; (2) Diameter at the midpoint of FDMA:large (2 patients),medium (25 patients),and small (11 patients); (3)Branching pattern at the toe web:ramifying type (11 patients),main trunk type (5 patients),fine branch (14 patients).Conclusion MR TRICKS sequences are valuable in the evaluation of the DPA and FDMA and its branches,which can provide useful anatomical information for classification of FDMA.

ObjectiveTo investigate the role of caspase 3 in HMME-induced apoptosis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs).MethodsFibroblasts were obtained from 10 patients with untreated hypertrophic scar,and subjected to a primary culture.After 4 to 6 passages of culture,the HSFs were divided into 3 groups to remain untreated(control group),be treated with HMME followed by photodynamic therapy (HMME-PDT group),or the combination of HMME and Z-DEVD-FMK followed by photodynamic therapy (caspase 3 inhibitor group).At 12 hours after the therapy,HSFs were collected and immunofluorescence microscopy was used to observe the fluorescence intensity of caspase 3 after staining with fluorescein isocyanate (FITC) and popodium iodide (PI),flow cytometry was performed to determine the percentage of caspase 3-positive HSFs and apoptosis rate in HSFs after single staining with FITC and PI respectively.Results The fluorescence intensity of caspase 3 was weak in the control group and caspase 3 inhibitor group,but was strong in the HMME-PDT group.An increased percentage of caspase 3-positive HSFs was noted in the HMMEPDT group compared with the control group and caspase 3 inhibitor group(30.86％ ± 1.21％ vs.3.12％ ±0.28％ and 2.46％ ± 0.18％,t =19.92,21.76,both P ＜ 0.05).The apoptosis rate in HSFs was significantly higher in the HMME-PDT group and caspase 3 inhibitor group than in the control group(30.54％ ± 3.78％ and 10.46％ ± 2.15％ vs.2.45％ ± 0.22％,t =35.90,27.97,both P＜ 0.05),and higher in the HMME-PDT group than in the caspase 3 inhibitor group.ConclusionsThe apoptosis in HSFs induced by HMME-PDT is closely related to the activation of caspase 3,while caspase 3 seems to be dispensable for the apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of ischemic preconditioning on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in diabetic rats.Methods Twenty-eight healthy male rats were injected streptozotocin at dose of 45 mg/kg by tail and be fed with normal diet for 4 weeks,then rats were randomly divided into iscbemia/reperfusion (I/R) group and ischemic preconditioning (IP) group.ST segment of electrocardiograph changes and arrhythmias of all rats were recorded before ischemia and 0,15,30 minuets after ischemia and 0.5,2 h after reperfusion.TTC staining was performed to determine myocardial infarct size.TUNEL assay was used to assesse cardiomyocyte apoptosis.The expression of antiapoptotic gene (Bcl-2) and proapoptotic (Bax) was determined by immunohistochemistry.Results Compared with I/R group,ST segment elevation of patients in IP group decrease from (0.675 ±0.150) mV to (0.489 ±0.161) mV at 30 min after ischemia(P ＜0.05).Meanwhile the onset of ventricular premature contraction(VPC) in IP group was (18.21 ± 5.36) min,later than that of control group ((6.47 ± 4.28) min,t =5.241,P =0.000).The duration of VPC was (6.07 ± 4.33) min,shorter than that of I/R group ((16.71 ± 5.48) min,t =4.924,P ＜ 0.01)).The incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) of lP group remarkably decreased compared with I/R group (VT:57.14％ (8/14) vs.14.29％ (2/14),x2 =5.600,P =0.018 ; VF:50.00％ (7/ 14) vs.14.29％ (2/14),x2 =4.094,P=0.043).The myocardial infarct size in IP group was (12.50 ± 9.45) ％,smaller than that of I/R group ((37.50 ± 11.40)％,t =3.211,P =0.006).Cardiomyocyte apoptotic index (AI) was attenuated in IP group than that of I/R group((24.31 ± 3.12)％ vs.(19.01 ± 4.32)％,t =3.227,P =0.006),which was correlate with increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax((0.103 ±0.045) vs.(0.221 ±0.101),t =2.670,P =0.015).Conclusion IP treatment for diabetic rats shows a protect effect on myocardial I/R injury through attenuating myocardial apoptosis,and increasing the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax.

Bilateral mandibular first molars of 36 rabbits were extracted.The tooth extraction wounds were treated by:platelet-rich fibrin +acellular dermal matrix(group A),platelet-rich fibrin(group B),acellular dermal matrix (group C) and without treatment (group D,the control) (n =9) respectively.The measurments of alveolar bone height and width showed that there were no significant differences among groups at different times(P ＞ 0.05).Bone histomorphometry showed that at the 2th and 4th week,the best result was found in group A(P＜0.01).While,at the 8th week,the result of group A was still better than that of other 3 ones (P ＜ 0.01),but group B and C showed no significant difference(P ＞ 0.05).The combination of PRF and ADM shows the most significant effect.

OBJECTIVE: To study the protective effects of Naomaitong, a compound traditional Chinese herbal medicine, used together with thrombolysis therapy, on injuries of the lung and stomach in rats with cerebral ischemia. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group, untreated group, urokinase group (thrombolysis group), Naomaitong group, thrombolysis plus Naomaitong group. Cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by autonomous blood blot and inserted nylon thread. Rats were administrated with thrombolysis therapy through artery 3, 6 and 9 h after cerebral ischemia respectively. Twenty-four hours after the administration, mortality of the rats, and the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios, as well as the pathological changes of the brain, lung and stomach were observed, and then cerebral infarct size (CIS) and lung water ratio (LWR) were measured. RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operated group, the rat mortality, and the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios increased, the CIS enlarged, pathological changes of the brain, lung and stomach appeared obvious, and the LWR increased. Naomaitong plus thrombolysis treatment improved the changes above significantly. In the untreated rats with cerebral ischemia, injuries of the brain, lung and stomach were aggravated, the CIS enlarged and the LWR increased in the 9 h group as compared with those in the 3 h group. In the thrombolysis plus Naomaitong group, the pathological changes were improved, the CIS diminished and the LWR reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Injuries of the lung and stomach can be caused by cerebral ischemia, and the impairment was exacerbated following the prolongation of the ischemia. Thrombolysis therapy can cause brain and stomach hemorrhage. Thrombolysis therapy used early can perform protection against the injuries. Naomaitong, used together with thrombolysis, can reduce the mortality, the brain and stomach hemorrhage ratios, and perform protective effects on the injuries of cerebral ischemia.

Objective To explore the correlation between quantitative parameters of blood perfusion with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and microvessel density (MVD),microvessel area (MVA) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).And to investigate the value of CEUS in evaluating the angiogenesis in PTC before operation.Methods Totally 69 cases of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma were selected from April 2014 to October 2016 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University.The CEUS characteristics of 69 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into three groups according to maximum diameter of lesions (＜ 1 cm group,1-2 cm group and ＞ 2.0 cm group),and two groups according to pathologic reports (neck lymph node metastatic and nonmetastatic groups).The blood perfusion parameters between or among different groups were evaluated by ttest or one-way ANOVA.Immunohistochemical staining were performed to evaluate the MVD,MVA in the surgical specimens,and the correlation of quantitative parameters with MVD,MVA were assessed by Spearman.Results (1) Peak Intensity (Peak),area under the curve (AUC),MVD and MVA of thyroid carcinoma were lower than the surrounding normal thyroid tissue (14.95 ± 4.96 vs 22.67±6.11,970.01±263.20 vs 1798.35±563.67,118.91±31.32 vs 206.27±39.58,8.58±-2.68 vs 18.47±3.13),and the differences were statistically significant (t=-8.700,-11.061,-14.377 and-20.532,all P ＜ 0.05).(2)With the increase of the lesion's maximum diameter,Peak,AUC,MVD and MVA increased,and the differences were statistically significant (t=0.000,0.000,0.000,0.000;t=0.027,0.044,0.033,0.000;t=0.027,0.044,0.033,0.000,all P ＜ 0.05).(3) Papillary thyroid carcinoma with lymphatic involvement had significantly higher values of Peak,AUC,MVD and MVA than those without lymphatic involvement (16.86±4.36 vs 13.80±3.55,1128.16±290.85 vs 874.39±192.27,114.12±30.69 vs 103.67±22.19,10.30 ± 2.44 vs 7.54 ± 2.29),and the differences were statistically significant (t=3.177,4.366,6.336 and 4.742,all P ＜ 0.05).(4) A positive correlation existed between the Peak,AUC and MVD,and the differences were statistically significant (r=0.506,0.478,all P ＜0.05).Peak,AUC and MVA showed positive correlation,and the differences were statistically significant (r=0.648,0.653,all P ＜ 0.05).TP,MTT and MVD,MVA showed no correlations (all P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions The values of Peak and AUC calculated from CEUS were correlated to MVD and MVA.CEUS may be used to evaluated the angiogenesis of PTC before operation.And CEUS is helpful for prediction of prognosis of PTC.

This paper summarized researches about the factors that influenced the measurement of hand grip, including equipments, ethnics,genders, ages, morphological parameters, handedness, occupation, grip width, body posture and psychological factors. All these are to be considered in studies of grip strength.

Objective:To investigate the significance of metronomic therapy against Helicobacter pylori (HP) in the prevention of delayed emesis caused by chemotherapy of gastric cancer compared with the routine therapy. Methods:HP infection was confirmed by carbon 14 breath test in 69 patients. Combined chemotherapy was employed for the first time in the patients, who were divided into groups A and B. Metronomic therapy was administered to group A (n=33). Briefly, triplex medication against Helicobacter bacil i triplex was oral y ad-ministered:20 mg of omeprazole and 0.5 g of amoxicillin twice daily, with 200 mg of tinidazole once daily. Oral administration in group A was performed for 14 days from the start of chemotherapy. Simultaneously, 5-HT3 antagonists were applied. By contrast, group B (n=36) was treated with the oral triplex medication against Helicobacter bacilli:20 mg of omeprazole and 1 g of amoxicillin twice daily, with 400 mg of tinidazole once daily. Oral administration in group B was performed for 7 days from the beginning of chemotherapy with simultaneous application of 5-HT3 antagonists. Both groups were simultaneously treated with the 5-HT3 antagonist granisetron at 3 mg once daily during the administration of anti-HP therapy. HP infection was evaluated by immunohistochemistry before and after treatment. Results:The total effective rate for emesis in group A was 84.85%, which was significantly higher than that in group B (55.56%). Among the patients in group A, 15.15%demonstrated delayed emesis, compared with 44.44%of the patients in group B;the number of individuals was significantly lower in group A than in group B. The average number of chemotherapy cycles in group A was significantly higher than that in group B at 3.1 cycles;the difference between groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). In addition, the HP infection in group B was significantly lower than that in group A (P<0.05). Conclusion:Compared with one week of treatment with the conventional dose, two weeks of low-dose metronomic therapy against HP during chemotherapy can significantly reduce chemotherapy induced delayed emesis and can significantly reduce the degree of HP infection in patients with gastric cancer with HP infection.

BACKGROUND:The in vivo degradation process of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite porous scaffolds is not very clear. Research on the effects of rat osteoblasts and degradation products is less.
OBJECTIVE:To analyze the biocompatiblity of rat osteoblasts with degradation products of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite porous scaffolds.
METHODS:The second generation of cultured rat osteoblasts were respectively cultured in the extract of degradation products of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds (experimental group) and Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium containing 10%fetal bovine serum (control group). At 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 days of culture, cel counting was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Alkaline phosphatase activity was measured by the recommended method of determination of the Federation, and total protein was determined by BCA method.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The proliferation speed, alkaline phosphatase activity, total cel ular protein synthesis and ratio of alkaline phosphatase to total protein in rat osteoblasts cultured in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). This experiment showed that the degradation products of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite porous scaffolds cannot only promote rat osteoblast adhesion, growth and proliferation, but also enhance its ossification function, with good biocompatibility.

Objective To observe the phosphorylation of Smad3 in hyperplastic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) induced by hematoporphyrin monomerthyl ether (HMME) followed by photodynamic therapy (PDT).Methods Fibroblasts were isolated from the hypertrophic scar tissues of 10 patients and subjected to culture in vitro.After 3-5 passages,the HSFs were divided into 4 groups:control group receiving no treatment,PDT group pretreated with HMME of 4 μg/ml followed by PDT,HMME group induced by HMME alone,and laser group irradiated with laser alone.Fluorescence microscopy was used to observe the expression of Smad3 after immunofluorescent staining with anti-Smad3 antibody,and Western blot to detect the expression of Smad3 and phosphorylated Smad3 in these HSFs.Paired t test was conducted to compare the difference in Smad3 and phosphorylated Smad3 expression between these groups.Results The total fluorescence intensity of Smad3 was similar between these groups,but the intranuclear fluorescence signal was significantly weaker in the PDT group than in the control group.The level of phosphorylated Smad3 was statistically decreased in the PDT group compared with the control group (0.20 ± 0.02 vs.0.92 ± 0.15,P ＜ 0.05),but no significant difference was observed between the HMME group and laser group (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion PDT may inhibit the proliferation of HSFs via attenuating the phosphorylation of Smad3.