Objective: To determine the clinical application value of percutaneous lung biopsy guided by ultrasound in the diagnosis of peripheral lung lesions of silicosis. Methods: Experimental silicosis was produced in rabbits by the intratracheal administration of silica with non-exposure method. Imaging changes were observed in 36 rabbits on 60 days after intratracheal instillation of silica. To contrast with CT results, percutaneous lung biopsy of peripheral lesions was guided by ultrasound. The success rate of sufficient material, the diagnosis rate of coincidence between biopsy and pathology, and the incidence of complications were calculated. The biopsy with sufficient material, biopsy findings coincided with pathological results and no complications were defined as strictly success of the puncture. The baseline data and monitoring index were compared between successful biopsy group and unsuccessful biopsy group. Each rabbit was intravenously administrated by 10 000 U of heparin for the antiocoagulation and sacrificed by fast injection of 10% KCl through jugular vein catheterization. Specimens from lung tissue were collected and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Pathological changes of lung tissue were observed through an optical microscope. Results: Of 36 silicosis rabbits, peripheral lung lesions of silicosis were observed in 30 rabbits. Biopsy procedures were performed with ultrasound guidance in 30 rabbits. The total success rate of biopsy was 70% (21/30). The success rate of sufficient material was 93% (28/30), the diagnosis rate of coincidence between biopsy and pathology 86%(24/28), and the incidence of complications was 10% (3/30) respectively. Compared with failure group, peripheral lesions in successful biopsy group were bigger in size, closer to the chest wall, and lower respiratory rate, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in weight, heart rate, temperature and stages of silicosis (P>0.05). The pathological results showed typical silicosis nodules. Silica-exposed rabbit also showed signs of vascular remodeling with pulmonary artery muscularization, vascular occlusion, and medial thickening. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided percutaneous lung biopsy is an effective and safe method in peripheral lung lesions of silicosis. It can serve as an important technical means to monitor the evolution of silicosis lesions and provide reference for the diagnosis of silicosis. Observation of small vascular changes in silicosis nodules by lung biopsy is helpful for clinical intervention treatment.

【Objective】 To investigate the expression of BMP8A in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and the relationship between its expression level and clinicopathological features of PTC patients. 【Methods】 Based on TCGA and GEO databases, we analyzed and screened BMP8A, one differentially expressed gene related to PTC. From April 2019 to October 2019, 35 cases of thyroid papillary carcinoma and the tumor-adjacent tissues were collected from the Department of Gastrointestinal Gland Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of BMP8A in PTC and tumor-adjacent tissues, and the relationship between different expression levels and clinicopathological features of the patients was analyzed and compared. Then, we used Western blotting for verification. 【Results】 Both Real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses proved that the expression of BMP8A in PTC was significantly lower than that in the tumor-adjacent tissues (P<0.05), and the expression of BMP8A was also significantly decreased in PTC tissues with cervical lymph node metastasis compared with those without metastasis(P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 BMP8A has a low expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma, and its expression level is related to cervical lymph node metastasis. BMP8A may be a suppressor gene of PTC. This may provide a new direction for further exploring the mechanism of cervical lymph node metastasis in PTC and preventing recurrence after surgery.