Objective To evaluate the differential diagnosis value of shear wave elastography for Hashimoto's disease with benign or malignant thyroid nodules.Methods Fifty four patients of Hashimoto's disease confirmed by biopsy or pathology were enrolled.Based on benign or malignant of nodules,patients were divided into benign nodules group and malignant nodules group.And the benign group were divided into true nodules and sham nodules.Young's modulus values were measured and compared among different groups.The ROC curve was drawn to evaluate the diagnostic efficency.Results There were tatol 162 nodules in 54 cases with Hashimoto's disease,including 131 of benign nodules (93 of true nodules,38 of sham nodules) and 31 of malignant nodules.The values of Young's modulus for benign,malignant,ture nodules and sham nodules were (33.04±10.95)kPa,(66.15±19.17)kPa,(35.95±9.74)kPa and (30.13±11.87)kPa.For mean values of Young's modulus,there was significantly statistical difference between benign and malignant nodules (t=12.91,P＜0.01).There was significant statistical difference of the Young's modulus among sham nodule group,true nodule group and malignant nodule group (F 36.20,P＜0.01).Compared with the other two groups,the value of Young's modulus in malignant nodules was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (both P＜0.01).Taking 43.65 kPa as the diagnostic point,the sensitivity,specificity,positive likelihood ratio,and negative likelihood ratio of Youngs modulus in diagnosis of benign and malignat nodules were 90.63％,81.25％,4.83,and 0.12.Conclusion Shear wave elastography technique can quantitative analysis the Hashimoto's disease and complicated nodules,which is helpful to determine the essence of the nodules.

Objective To observe the bioeffects on the normal rats synovial with diagnostic ultrasound combined with different doses contrast medium. Methods Twenty normal cleaning level Wister rats were divided into 5 groups (each with 4 rats and 8 knees): ultrasound+100 μl contrast medium, ultrasound+200 μl contrast medium, ultrasound+300 μl contrast medium, ultrasound+500 μl contrast medium, a simple ultrasound irradiation (control group). Each group was irradiated with diagnostic ultrasound for 10 min. Rats were sacrificed after 1 week and joints synovial tissues were observed with pathological HE staining. Results In group ultrasound+100 μl contrast medium, ultrasound+200 μl contrast medium, ultrasound+300 μl contrast medium and control group, no significant damage in synovial tissues was found. In group ultrasound+500 μl contrast medium, synovial cells swelling, showing round, oval or polygonal, synovial tissues hyperplasia, arranged disorder, capillary proliferation, some muscle fiber structure dissolved fracture, inflammatory cell infiltration in the surrounding tissue were found. Conclusion Ultrasound combined with contrast medium can significantly enhance the bioeffects of synovial tissues, and the more the contrast medium doses, the more serious injury occurs in synovial tissues.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical value of human serum Kallikrein 6 for the diagnosis and monitor of pithelial ovarian cancer. Methods Serum levels of KLK6 were analyzed with ELISA in 30 cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma, 20 cases of benign ovarian tumor and 30 cases of healthy women. In the meantime, serum CAi25 was determined with chemiluminescence. Furthermore, serum levels of KLK6 and CA125 were also detected in 12 case of epithelial ovarian carcinoma with the same methods one week and the 3rd month postoperation of follow-up. Results Serum levels of KLK6 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma was higher than that in benign ovarian tumor and healthy women (P < 0.05). KLK6 also showed positive correlation with clinical stage, cytological grade, pelvic lymph node metastasis, recurrent or dead disease (P < 0. 05). On the contrary, KLK6 showed no significant correlation with pathological types (P >0. 05). After surgery of follow-up, KLK6 and CA125 were significantly decreased in 12 case of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (P < 0. 05). Furthermore, the total sensitivity and specificity of KLK6 in the diagnosis of epithelial ovarian carcinoma was 73.3% and 85.0% respectively, followed by the sensitivity to be 50. 0% and 88. 9% for the diagnosis of stage Ⅰ-Ⅱand Ⅲ-Ⅳ disease. Conclusion Our resuits showed KLK6 may be one of the reliable indexes for the diagnosis and monitor of ovarian cancer.

AIM: To investigate the downstream genes of the transcriptional factor Pax-8 related to cardiopathy. METHODS: The total RNA derived from the heart of Pax-8 KO~(-/-) and Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice was extracted. Mouse genome DNA microarray containing 31 802 mouse oligonucleotides probes was used to investigate the differential expression between the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) and the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice hearts. The candidate genes were confirmed by RT-PCR and real time RT-PCR assay. RESULTS: Microarray results showed that, compared to the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) mice, 25 genes were down-regulated and 17 were up-regulated in the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) mice, concerning metabolize enzymes, cell signal conducting and nuclear transcript factors and so on. Bcl2-like 14 (Bcl2l14) was proved to be up-regulated by RT-PCR. Real time RT-PCR results revealed that Bcl2l14 in the Pax-8 KO~(-/-) mice was 2.07 and 2.23 fold as much as that in the Pax-8 KO~(+/-) and the Pax-8KO~(+/+) mice (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The Bcl2l14 gene is one of the downstream genes of Pax-8 and probably plays an important role in the mechanism of ventricular septum defect.

AIM: To investigate the effect of selective silencing of SLC7a8 on uptaking L-dopa in renal tubular epithelial cells of rat (NRK-52E). METHODS: The three siRNAs targeting SLC7a8 (siRNA-1, siRNA-2, siRNA-3) were designed and synthesized. A siRNA with nonspecific coding sequence (siRNA-con) was used for control. All siRNAs were transfected into NRK-52E cells. The siRNA-con transfected group, blank control group and gene-specific silencing SLC7a8 group were set up. The efficiency of transfection was estimated by flow cytometry. The efficiency of RNA interference was detected and screened by RT-PCR preliminarily, and was followed by Western blotting at protein level. The concentrations of L-dopa uptake into the NRK-52E cells were detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry at different time points (6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 120 min). RESULTS: The transfection efficiency was 94% detected by flow cytometry. The initial screening of RT-PCR showed that the efficiencies of RNA interference of siRNA-1 and siRNA-3 were higher, and siRNA-3 was the highest at protein level determined by Western blotting. No distinctive change was found between siRNA-con treated NRK-52E and blank control cells. The L-dopa uptake at different time points (6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 120min) in siRNA-interference group was lower than that in siRNA-con transfected group and blank control group. No significant difference of L-dopa uptake between siRNA-con group and blank control group was observed. CONCLUSION: RNA interference technology selectively down-regulates SLC7a8 expression in rat renal tubular epithelial cells. The L-dopa uptake is also decreased after specifically silencing the slc7a8 expression.

BACKGROUND: Vessel extracellular matrix (VECM) is a natural scaffold material obtained from vascular tissues, which can stimulate angiogenesis and accelerate vascularization of tissue-engineered graft, however, the mechanism is poorly understood.OBJECTIVE: To explore the vascularization effects of release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from VECM in ureteral reconstitution.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: An in vitro cytology observation. The experiment was performed at the Biomedical Engineering Laboratory of First Clinical Medical Science College, Wuhan University, between April and August in 2009.MATERIALS: Abdominal aorta was obtained from 5 rabbits to prepare VECM.METHODS: The VEGF released from VECM in vitro was evaluated by ELISA, the effects of cell proliferation by the released VEGF was detected by MTT colorimetric assay. The defected ureters of rabbits were repaired by homologous VECM in vivo.Then the recovery of the defected ureters and the situation of vasculogenesis were detected at different time point.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The detection of VEGF contents in VECM; and the effects of VECM on vascular endothelial cell proliferation and ureteral reconstitution.RESULTS: In vitro experiment presented that the peak amplitude concentration of VEGF released from VECM in PBS solution was (124.10±1.42) ng/L, which showed proliferative effect on vascular endothelial cells. In vivo, there were some blood vessels on the VECM at 2 weeks after implantation. Epithelial coverage was evident in the lumen of the marginal part of the VECM grafts and the smooth muscle extended from the transition zone. After 8 weeks, the quantity of the blood vessel was increased and the caliber of the blood vessels became wide. There was thickness epithelial lamina in the graft, and the muscle fibers had an organized spatial alignment, forming variably sized bundles. After 16 weeks, there were no significant differences between the regenerative tissue and the normal tissue in morphology.CONCLUSION: The homologous VECM can release VEGF when implanted as tissue engineer biomaterial and might be an ideal replacement biomaterial for ureteral reconstitution.

ACTH Syndrome, Ectopic ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; metabolism ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; complications

Objective To explore the relationship between the overlap volume of organ at risk (OAR) and target (Voverlap) and the mean dose to OAR (DmOAR) in intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).Methods Fifty randomly selected patients undergoing IMRT for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and an equal number of patients undergoing radical IMRT for cervical cancer in our hospital were enrolled as subjects.The relationship between Voverlap and DmoAR in IMRT was analyzed.The Matlab software was used to generate function to fit the relationship between Voverlap and DmOAR for different OARs.Results The Voverlap varied among patients with NPC or cervical cancer.The ratio of Voverlap to the volume of OAR (VOAR) was positively correlated with the ratio of DmOAR to the prescribed dose (Dp) (all P=0.01).A function was generated to fit the correlation between Voverlap/VOAR ratio and DmOAR/Dp ratio.Conclusions In IMRT,patients have different Voverlap/VoAR ratios due to varicd target volume,disease stages,OAR filling status,and OAR volume.As criteria for plan verification,a specific DmOAR value for each OAR should be calculated before radiotherapy planning based on the corresponding correlation function and the Voverlap/VoAR ratio with a fixed dose prescription.It can be used to reduce the subjective influence on the optimization of radiotherapy planning.

Objective To explore the feasibility of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transfection into the joint synovial tissues of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) rats by ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction.Methods Twenty-eight normal rats were established the RA rat model,four rats were control group,twenty-four rats were categorized into four experimental groups:EGFP,ultrasound +EGFP,microbubbles + EGFP,and ultrasound + microbubbles + EGFP.The last group was irradiated with ultrasound for 10 min after the mixture consisting of 300 μl Sono Vue and 10 μg EGFP was injected into the joint cavity.The rats were sacrificed after 3 days and the joint synovial tissues were collected for EGFP observation under fluorescence microscopy and quantitative analysis by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).Results Comparing with control group,EGFP expression was observed in the rat joint synovial tissues from all groups.However,a strong EGFP expression was observed in the ultrasound + microbubbles +EGFP group.EGFP expression had no statistically significant difference (the P values were 0.89,0.93,and 0.82,respectively,P ＞ 0.05) in the EGFP,ultrasound + EGFP and microbubbles + EGFP groups.However,EGFP expression in the EGFP,ultrasound + EGFP,microbubbles + EGFP groups significantly differed (all P values were ＜0.01) from that in the ultrasound + microbubbles + EGFP group.Conclusions Ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction can improve EGFP transfection efficiency into the joint synovial tissues of RA rats.

This study was aimed to optimize the extraction process of double-marker components for Arctium lappa L. The central composite design and response surface methodology was used. According to 3 main factors, the extraction rates of arctiin and arctigenin was used as evaluation indexes. Multiple linear regression and two-order polynomial equation were used. The binomial fitting model was performed in the optimization of arctiin and arctigenin extraction technology. The results showed that the indentified optimized extraction technology of arctiin and arctigenin was 70% ethanol, 24-fold, ultrasonic solvent extraction for 15 minutes. It was concluded that this technology was able to extract large amount of arctiin and arctigenin, which provided experiment evidences for arctiin and arctigenin preparation. It also provided references for the development and utilization of arctiin and arctigenin.