BACKGROUND:It is confirmed that the onset of osteoarthritis is closely related to inflammatory cytokines. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the levels of interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 in the synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis and their correlation with the severity of osteoarthritis. METHODS: Synovial fluid specimens of 78 patients were harvested to detect the levels of interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 using ELISA assay. The severity of osteoarthritis was estimated by the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score. Pearson correlation analysis was adopted to explore the pairwise correlations between interleukin-6, matrix metaloproteinase-3 and HSS score. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The levels of interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 in the synovial fluid were (13.1±5.7) and (989.3±429.5) μg/L, respectively; the HSS score was (56.4±12.0) points. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 had a significant positive correlation (r=0.70,P< 0.001); the levels of interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 had a negative correlation with the HSS scores (r=-0.70,r=-0.75,P < 0.001). Experimental findings show that there is a positive correlation between interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 in the synovial fluids, and these two cytokines also have a positive correlation with the severity of osteoarthritis, indicating that to measure interleukin-6 and matrix metaloproteinase-3 levels in the synovial fluids of osteoarthritis patients is important for early diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis.

Objective To study the inhibitory effects of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on liver VX2 tumor in rabbits after intratumoral injection. Methods 40 rabbits with implantation of liver VX2 tumors were randomly divided into 4 groups and intratumorally injected with different preparations.Group A: (control group), 1 ml nomal saline containing 0.2% CMC-Na; Group B: ( 5-Fu group),20 mg/ml 5-Fu 1 ml; Group C: (Nano HAP), 20 mg/ml Nano HAP 1 ml; Group D: (5-Fu+Nano HAP), 20 mg/ml 5-Fu 1 ml and 20 mg/ml Nano HAP 1 ml. Ultrasonography was performed to measure liver tumor volume 7, 14, 21 d after treatment. Survival durations of the animals were recorded. Tumor tissues and liver tissues close to tumor were obtained and examined histologically.Results The average tumor volumes 7, 14 and 21 d after treatment were (4.93 ±0.76)cm3,(15. 67±2.75)cm3 and (52. 36±10. 57)cm3 in group A, (4. 16±0. 33)cm3 , (10. 26± 1.60)cm3 and (18. 89±4.65)cm3 in group B, (1.43±0.13)cm3 , (3.69±0.77)cm3 and (9.51±2.09)cm3 in group C, (2. 80±0.46)cm3 , (3. 77±0. 91)cm3 and (8. 46±0.95)cm3 in group D respectively. The average tumor volumes of groups B, C and D were significantly smaller than that of group A in the same time phases after treatment. The life span of group C was longer than that of other three groups, and there was no statistically significant difference between group B and group D, although the two groups were significantly longer than group A. Blood flow was not detected by color Doppler or power Doppler in group C and group D. Pathological examination showed that there was obvious intratumoral necrosis in group C and D. Tumor in group B exhibited thoroughgoing necrosis. Conclusion Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles intratumoral injection is safe and feasible for treatment of liver tumor. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles can exert a significant inhibitory effect on liver VX2 tumor growth in rabbits without liver toxicity.

Objective To investigate the effect of intracoronary application of tirofiban on coronary slow flow patients with acute myocardial infarction during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPC1).Method It was a retrospective analysis of 187 patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with PPCI in the emergency department of Beijing Anzhen Hospital enrolled in this study from January,2008 through January,2011.The patients divided into 2 groups in terms of intra-coronary administration of tirofiban (tirofiban group) and intra-coronary use of nitroglycerol (control group).Data were statistically analyzed by using SPSS 13.0 software.Categorical variables were analyzed using x2 test and continuous variables were compared by t test.Results Between two groups,there were no differences in preoperative systolic pressure (P =0.245),the rate of TIMI flow 3 (P =0.568) after PPCI and ST segment resolution (P =0.824),LVEF (P =0.275) and in-hospital mortality (P =0.502).Compared with tirofiban group,the systolic pressure was lower and the rate of using intra-aortic counter-pulsation was higher in control group.Although the incidence of slight bleeding in the control group was lower than that in the tirofiban group,no severe bleeding was observed in both groups.Conclusions The effect of intracoronary use of tirofiban was similar to that of nitroglycerol in terms of improving slow flow of coronary artery.It could safely and effectively reduce the incidence of the coronary slow flow in the patients after PPCI,but it produced a little impact on systolic pressure.It may be a better method of choice for AMI patient with low blood pressure.

Objective To evaluate sound velocity tissue quantification ( SVQ ) for the quantitative assessment of liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis B ,and to evaluate the correlation between diagnostic performance of sound velocity tissue quantification and blood parameters . Methods From the May of 2013 to May of 2014 ,collect ninety‐nine patients with chronic hepatitis B who was diagnosed by clinic and / or liver biopsy as experiment group ,and thirty healthy volunteers as control group at the same time . The experiment group and control group were evaluated with to measurement the zone speed index ( ZSI) ,and blood cell count . The AST/PLT ratio index ( APRI) was calculated according the following formula , APRI=AST(ULN)/PLT(109/L) . The liver biopsy was performed in the same day with SVQ and all blood parameters .ZSI and APRI were compared by correlation with liver fibrosis stage in chronic hepatitis B . Referring to the histologic fibrosis stage on liver biopsy ,all the ZSI and the APRI value were assessed by using ROC curve analysis . The corresponding cut‐off value ,sensitivity and specificity were also calculated andcompared.Results 1)ThemeanvaluesofAPRIwere(15.9±5.7)m/sforpatientswithS0,(28.1± 2 .8)m/s for patients with S1 ,(35 .8 ± 1 .2)m/s for patients with S2 ,(42 .6 ± 0 .8)m/s for patients with S3 , and (46 .3 ± 1 .3)m/s for patients with S4 .2)Accordingly ,the areas under the ROC curve for ZSI and APRI were 0 .875 and 0 .762 for S≥S1 ,0 .832 and 0 .597 for S≥S2 ,0 .913 and 0 .675 for S≥S3 ,0 .891 and 0 .709 for S≥S4 ,respectively . Conclusions The ZSI and APRI all could be used to evaluate the stage of liver fibrosis ,but the ZSI index is superior to APRI in assessing the stage of liver fibrosis . SVQ could provide object and accurate image ,the quantitative analysis of tissue could timely and accurately evaluate the severity of liver fibrosis .

Viable but non-culturable state in bacterial cells as received uncultured microorganism has be- come the fundamental research issues in medical microbiology, epidemiology, general microbial ecology and sanitation quarantine since it was put forward in 1982. When in this state, bacterium are no longer able to grow and form colonies on conventional culture media, but maintain their patheogenicity, may become latent infection escaping detection to threaten enviroment and human security. With the development of modern molecular biology technique and metagenomics, it provide new research method and opportunity for uncul- tured microorganism in the environment. Recently, with the application of the metagenome technique, ge- netic fingerprinting technical etc, it becomes more and more popular. Simultaneously, along with this state become maturity in the laboratory. It provides a new research route for development and exploitation the uncultured microorganism.

Objective To evaluate the role of early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring in embryo selection in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles. Methods Six hundred and ten IVF/ICSI cycles were randomly assigned to group A(269 cycles) and group B(341 cycles). In group A, transferred embryos were chosen according to embryo growth rate and morphology scoring by 72 h(D3) after fertilization, while early cleavage embryo was added to the selecting system in group B. The pregnancy rate and implantation rate were compared between two groups, and the clinic outcomes were compared between transfers with early cleavage embryos and without early cleavage embryos in group B. Results The pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P < 0.05). Transfers with early cleavage embryos also achieved much higher pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group B (P < 0.01). Conclusion Compared with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring, early cleavage embryo in combination with embryo growth rate and morphology scoring can improve the clinical outcomes in IVF/ICSI cycles.

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of donor liver pretreated by breviscapine on liver transplantation ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats. Methods SD rats served as liver donors and recipients (n =48 each).The recipients were divided into four groups by random number table.The donors in groups A and C were not pretreated with breviscapine,but those in groups B and D were pretreated with 20 mg/L Breviscapine.The cold ischemia time in donor livers of groups A and B was 30-40 min,and that in groups C and D was 12 h. Clotting function, liver function, serum thrombomodulin,caspase3,and relative activity of NF-kB after liver transplantation were assessed,and the pathological changes and TUNEL apoptosis staining were observed.ResultsThe mortality in groups C and D was 40.0％ (8/20) and 29.4％ (5/17),respectively (P＞0.05).There were no significant changes in coagulation function in all groups after operation. The liver function was improved,pathological lesions were alleviated,and apoptosis rate,serum TM,caspase3 expression and activity of NF-kB in the liver tissues of group D were significantly decreased as compared with group C at 3rd day after operation (P＜0.01),but all these parameters in group B had no significant change compared to group A.ConclusionPretreatment of donor livers with breviscapine can reduce the ischemia/reperfusion injury and apoptosis after liver transplantation in rats probably by inhibiting the apoptosis-related pathway and alleviating the damage to the endothelial cells of the liver microcirculation.

Objective To explore the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in diffuse thyroid disease.Methods The elastic modulus were detected by SWE in 41cases of diffuse thyroid disease [including 16 cases of Graves' disease (GD),16 cases of Hashimoto' s thyroiditis (HT) and 9 cases of subacute thyroiditis(SAT)] and 30 cases of healthy volunteers.The elastic modulus,including Emean,Emin and Emax,were measured and compared.Results Compared with the normal group[Emean(15.7-± 2.5)kPa,Emin(11.6 ± 2.4)kPa and Emax (20.2 ± 3.0)kPa],the Emean[(20.4 ± 4.7)kPa],Emin[(14.4-± 3.8)kPa] and Emax [(27.8 ± 7.3)kPa] of GD,the Emean [(18.4-± 5.0)kPa] and Emax [(25.2 ± 5.8)kPa] of HT,and the Emean[(11.0 ± 2.9)kPa] and Emin [(6.0 ± 2.7)kPa] of the SAT were different significantly(P =0.001,0.007,0.001 ; P =0.045,0.001 ; P =0.000,0.000).There were significant differences between the SAT and the other two groups,namely GD and HT (P ＜0.05).Such differences,however,were not found between GD and HT (P ＞0.05).Conclusions SWE can be used to measure the elastic modulus of the thyroid tissue quantitatively and objectively,serving as a useful technique to predict the diffuse thyroid disease.

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of the shear-wave elasticity (SWE) imaging technology on the quantitative diagnosis of chronic nephrosis stage.Methods Sixty patients with nephrosis (nephrosis group) were evaluated with SWE and the renal function test.The Young's modulus value and the renal function were measured,and the results were compared with those of twenty healthy subjects (control group).Results Twenty cases of healthy control group were definited as R0.Sixty patients of nephrosis group were divided into four groups according to renal function:R1-R4.The Young's modulus of the nephrosis group was significantly higher than the control group (P ＜0.01).There were also statistically significant differences among each stage of the nephrosis group (except R1 and R2 of nephrosis group)(P ＜ 0.01).According the ROC curve,the cut-off value of the Young's modulus was 5.53 kPa when maximum area under the curve equal to 0.886,the sensitivity and specificity were 81.70％ and 80.40％.The Young's modulus value and renal function were positively correlated with the stage of nephrosis.The areas under the ROC curves for the Young's modulus,urea nitrogen and csytatin C were 0.965,0.950,0.965 for ≥R3,0.978,0.912,0.961 for =R4,respectively.Conclusions SWE imaging technology provided a new quantitative index for the stage of nephrosis through quantizing the elasticity of the tissue.

The inundation of Cordyceps sinensis counterfeits in the market makes it difficult to identify. In this study, 21 batches of wild C. sinensis from 3 different regions, 30 batches of naturally cultured C. sinensis and 4 kinds of counterfeits extracted by methanol and water were analyzed using NMR technology. 9 characteristic peaks were defined as quantitative criterion after comparison, and NMR fingerprints of C. sinensis were established. According to the result it is highly similar between naturally cultured C. sinensis and wild ones by comparing their NMR fingerprints. However, NMR spectra of four kinds of adulterants showed differences with C. sinensis. The result also showed that NMR fingerprint of C. sinensis are highly characteristic and specific. The NMR characteristic fingerprint of wild C. sinensis was consistent with the naturally cultured C. sinensis, and it indicated that the chemical constituents of wild C. sinensis and naturally cultured C. sinensis are nearly the same.