Objective To assess the value of CT in identification and diagnosis of benign and malignant calcified thyroid nodules.Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the CT data of 313 surgically and pathologically confirmed cases with 378 calcified nodules.Based on the size,morphology,and number,calcification was divided into microcalcification (d≤2 mm and axis displayed in only one cross-section),coarse calcification (d＞2 mm or displayed in two or more cross-sections),annular calcification (arc or annular),and multiple microcalcifications (solitary multiple microcalcification without a soft tissue lump);a distribution of microcalcification,coarse calcification,and annular calcification as well as a clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data in benign and malignant thyroid nodules were observed.Results The 378 nodules consisted of 259 benign nodules (68.5％) (all were nodular goiters) and 119 malignant nodules (31.5％) (including 111 papillary thyroid carcinomas,4 follicular carcinomas,3 medullary thyroid carcinomas and 1 lymphoma).Microcalcification was more common in malignant nodules (MNs) than in benign nodules (BNs),with a rate of 43.6％ vs 12.4％,respectively (P≤0.05),and its sensitivity,specificity,positive predicted value,and negative predicted value were 42.9％,87.6％,61.4％ and 76.9％,respectively.Coarse calcification,annular calcification,and clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data were more common in BNs than in MNs,with rates of 52.9％ vs 20.2％ (P≤0.05),66.0％ vs 42.0％ (P≤0.05) and 43.2％ vs 19.3％ (P≤0.05),respectively,whose sensitivity,specificity,positive predicted value and negative predicted value were 66.0％ vs 22.4％ vs 43.2％,58.0％ vs 86.6％ vs 80.7％,77.4％ vs 78.4％ vs 83％,and 43.9％ vs 33.9％ vs 39.8％,respectively.Two multiple microcalcifications without a soft tissue lump were MNs (papillary thyroid carcinoma).Conclusions Microcalcification and multiple calcifications are conducive to the diagnosis of MNs,whereas coarse calcification,annular calcification,and clearer enhanced periphery or internal calcification than nonenhanced data benefit the diagnosis of BNs,but the low specificity and high false positive rate suggest that the judgment of BNs or MNs should not depend on coarse calcification alone.

Objective To evaluate the effects of unilastatin on brain injury in children undergoing aortic arch surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).Methods Twenty ASA physical status Ⅲ or Ⅳ children of both sexes,aged 1-24 months,weighing 3-12 kg,undergoing repair of coarctation of aorta or interrupted aortic arch complicated with intracardiac malformations under CPB,were randomly divided into 2 groups (n =10 each):control group (group C) and ulinastatin group (group U).Ulinastatin 20 000 U/kg was diluted into 10 000 U/ml with normal saline and it was then injected intravenously in 3 parts (1/3 was injected via the internal jugular vein after induction of anesthesia; 1/3 at the beginning of CPB and 1/3 at 5 min before aortic unclamping).In group C the equal volume of normal saline was given instead of ulinastatin.Blood samples were taken from the radial artery after induction of anesthesia (T1),at 10 min after aortic clamping (T2),at 10 min after aortic unclamping (T3),at the end of CPB (T4),and at 6 and 24 h after termination of CPB (T5,T6) for determination of plasma S100B protein and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) concentrations.Results There was no significant difference in plasma levels of S100B protein and NSE at T1 between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05).Plasma S100B protein and NSE levels were significantly increased at T2-5 as compared to the baseline values at T1 in both groups (P ＜ 0.05).Plasma S100B protein and NSE levels were significantly lower at T2-5 in group U than in group C (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Ulinastatin can attenuate brain injury in children undergoing aortic arch surgery under CPB.

AIMTo explore the effect of sodium 4',7-bihydroxylisoflavone-sulfonate (SBIS) on gastric motility in rats and to analyse its mechanisms.

METHODSUsing intraperitoneal (ip) injection and intracerebroventriular (icv) microinjection of drugs and recording the frequency and amplitude of contraction of gastric motility.

RESULTS(1) The injection (ip) of different doses of SBIS could decrease the amplitude of gastric motility, but it wasn't a dose-dependent effect. SBIS also had no effect on the frequency of contraction. (2) The ip injection of naloxone reversed the inhibitory effect of SBIS on the amplitude of gastric contraction. (3) The effect of SBIS could be increased by the ip injection of propranolol and be reversed by the ip injection of phentolamine. (4) After the ip injection of atropine, the effect of SBIS on gastric motility had not been changed remarkably. (5) Different doses of SBIS had been microinjected (icy), but only the small dose decreased the amplitude of gastric motility and also the frequency of contraction had not been markedly changed.

CONCLUSIONBoth the i.p. and icv injection of SBIS can inhibit the gastric motility. Its effect can be achieved at least not only by endogenous opioid peptide and its receptors, but also adrenergic neuron and its alpha-receptors. Adrenergic neuron and its beta-receptors are also involved in the modulating effect of SBIS.

Animals ; Gastrointestinal Motility ; drug effects ; Isoflavones ; pharmacology ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Objective To discuss the frequent etiology of spontaneous sub-cortical hemorrhage and its diag- nosis.Methods The clinical materials of 79 cases of spontaneous sub-cortical hemorrhage were analyzed.Results 56% of the hemorrhage was caused by arterial-venous malformation.48% of the hemorrhage was caused by occult AVM.Conclusion AVM is the most frequent etiology of spontaneous sub-cortical hemorrhage.CTA plays a special role in its diagnosis.

AIM: To evaluate the changes of corneal high - order aberration (including Coma, Spab, RMSh) after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) with femtosecond laser, sub- Bowman keratomileusis ( SBK ) and laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK). METHODS: Of 82 myopic patients ( 164 eyes ), 31 patients (62 eyes) were treated by FS-LASIK, 31 patients (62 eyes) were treated by SBK, 20 patients (40 eyes) were treated by LASEK. Sirius system was used for measuring the coma aberration, spherical aberration, and high order aberration at 1, 15d,1, 3mo after surgery. RESULTS: 1) Vision: The uncorrected visual acuity of the three groups had no differences (P>0. 05). 2) Corneal aberrations: Three kinds of surgical procedure for patients with corneal aberration had significant impact. The C7, C8, C12 and RMSh of three groups were increased significantly (P<0. 05). The C7, C8, C12 and RMSh were not recovered to preoperative levels after 3mo. But the increase of patients after FS- LASIK was smaller than the other two groups, with statistical significance (P<0. 05). CONCLUSION: Compared with SBK and LASEK, FS - LASIK has better visual acuity in the early postoperative and corneal higher-order aberrations increase is relatively small.

In the criminal cases of driving under the influence (DUI), DNA evidence can be collected from the deployed airbag of the motor vehicle and submitted to the crime lab for touch DNA analysis. The evidence can be acquired when the skin cells are observed on the surface of the airbag in a traffic accident. However, the low quantity or quality of the evidence collected from a crime scene prevents further identification analysis in many cases. In the current study, we reported a case of identifying touch DNA extraction from the shed skin cells from the deployed airbag of a motor vehicle. We managed to collect DNA evidence from the shed skin cells in an airbag using a proper approach of collection and extraction. The 5.87 ng of extracted DNA was sufficient for genotyping and forensic identification, which helped to identify the driver of the car in collision with a pier in the street. In DUI cases and other traffic accidents, therefore, the amount of touch DNA extracted from the deployed airbag can be sufficient for DNA marker genotyping and further analysis.
Accidents, Traffic ; Air Bags ; Alcoholic Intoxication ; Crime ; DNA/analysis* ; Genotype ; Humans ; Motor Vehicles ; Skin/cytology* ; Touch

Objective To construct the eukaryotic expression vector for the fusion gene comprising the genes encoding mouse anti-human cross-linked fibrin single-chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody and low-molecular weight single-chain urokinase. Methods The single peptide of recombinant human ipro-urokinase was ligated with the target fusion gene, and the same reading frame was guaranteed. The ligated compound was subsequently incorporated respectively into pcDNA3 and pMJK expression vectors by DNA recombination technique. Results and Conclusion The desired recombinant plasmids pcDNA3 and pMJK3 containing the signal peptide of recombinant human ipro-urokinase gene and the fusion gene were constructed,which lays the foundation for establishing of a cell line that may secrete the fusion protein.

Objective To construct the eukaryotic expression vector for the fusion gene comprising the genes encoding mouse anti-human cross-linked fibrin single-chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody and low-molecular weight single-chain urokinase. Methods The single peptide of recombinant human ipro-urokinase was ligated with the target fusion gene, and the same reading frame was guaranteed. The ligated compound was subsequently incorporated respectively into pcDNA3 and pMJK expression vectors by DNA recombination technique. Results and Conclusion The desired recombinant plasmids pcDNA3 and pMJK3 containing the signal peptide of recombinant human ipro-urokinase gene and the fusion gene were constructed,which lays the foundation for establishing of a cell line that may secrete the fusion protein.

Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical ; Constipation/surgery* ; Humans ; Megacolon/surgery* ; Proctocolectomy, Restorative

BACKGROUNDHedgehog (Hh) signaling plays an important role in both embryonic development and postnatal tissue homeostasis. Aberrant Hh activation results in a large variety of cancers. This study was designed to discover novel modulators in Hh signaling pathway.

METHODSWe performed yeast-two-hybrid screening and immunoprecipitation to identify the interaction of Nedd4 and Smo. To verify whether Nedd4 is involved in the regulation of Hh signaling, we monitored the activation of Gli-luciferase reporter by overexpressing Nedd4 together with Gli-luciferase reporter. In order to examine the role of endogenous Nedd4 in regulating Hh signaling, we used a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference strategy to silence the Nedd4 expression, and then perform dual-luciferase reporter assay. Statistical comparisons were performed by Student's t tests.

RESULTSWe showed that Nedd4 binds to Smo in the transfected HEK293 cells. Overexpression of Nedd4 alone did not significantly activate the Gli reporter compared to pcDNA3 control (Nedd4 group: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), relative luciferase unit (RLU) 1.87 ± 0.41). However, Smo agonist (SAG)-stimulated activation of Gli-luciferase reporter was markedly potentiated in Nedd4 transfected cells (Nedd4 group: SAG, RLU 13.49 ± 1.04, P < 0.05), indicating that overexpression of Nedd4 increases Gli luciferase reporter activity and Nedd4-induced activation of Hh signaling is activity dependent. In Nedd4 knockdown NIH 3T3 cells, the luciferase reporter activity was measured basally and after SAG treatment. In scrambled cells, compared to DMSO, SAG could activate reporter activity by (4.16 ± 0.84)-fold. In Nedd4 knockdown cells, the luciferase reporter activation by SAG was significantly inhibited (SAG, RLU 1.72 ± 0.24, P < 0.05); knockdown of Nedd4 did not change the basal activity of luciferase activity (DMSO, RLU 0.86 ± 0.11), suggesting that the loss of Nedd4 expression diminishes Gli-dependent activity in the Hh pathway and the regulation of Nedd4 in the Hh signaling pathway is activity-dependent.

CONCLUSIONNedd4 positively regulates the Hh pathway and provides a potential target for inhibiting Hh signaling in cancer therapy.

Animals ; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport ; physiology ; HEK293 Cells ; Hedgehog Proteins ; physiology ; Humans ; Mice ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; Nedd4 Ubiquitin Protein Ligases ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology ; Smoothened Receptor ; Transcription Factors ; physiology ; Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases ; physiology ; Zinc Finger Protein GLI1