Objective:To analyze the imaging features of testicular conventional ultrasonography（US），shear wave elastography（SWE），and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography（CEUS）in subtypes of spermatogenic dysfunction（focal，arrest，and exhausted），and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of testicular multimodal ultrasound.Methods:A prospective study enrolled 310 spermatogenic dysfunction patients（focal type group： n=77，arrest type group： n=20，exhaustive type group： n=213）and 30 healthy volunteers（control group）at Shanghai General Hospital between October 2023 and December 2024. All patients underwent preoperative testicular US，SWE，and CEUS examinations，followed by microdissection testicular sperm extraction. Ultrasound parameters were compared among groups，and receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves were plotted to assess the diagnostic efficacy of multimodal ultrasound for different subtypes. Results:①Testicular volume：The arrest group exhibited significantly greater volume compared to the focal group and the exhausted group（all P<0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the arrest group and the normal group（ P>0.05）. ②Mean Young's modulus（Emean）：The arrest group exhibited significantly lower Emean compared with both the focal and exhausted groups（all P<0.05），but showed no significant difference versus the normal group（ P>0.05）. ③CEUS quantitative parameters：The arrival time（AT）and time to peak（TTP）in the exhausted group were higher than those in the normal group，while the peak intensity（PI）and area under the time-intensity curve（AUC）were lower（all P<0.05）. No significant differences were found in AT，TTP，or AUC among the three spermatogenic dysfunction subgroups（all P>0.05）. ④CEUS perfusion patterns：The focal group predominantly exhibited a mottled pattern（70.13%，54/77）. Both the arrest group（90.00%，18/20）and the normal group（93.33%，28/30）predominantly exhibited an rich pattern. The exhausted group predominantly exhibited a sparse pattern（56.34%，120/213）. ⑤ROC curve analysis showed that for differentiating the arrest group from the focal type group and the exhaustive type group，the combination of Emean，testicular volume，and CEUS perfusion pattern yielded an AUC of 0.931，with a sensitivity of 95.00% and specificity of 85.86%. For differentiating the focal type group from the exhaustive type group，the combination of testicular echogenicity，CEUS perfusion pattern，and Emean yielded an AUC of 0.833，with a sensitivity of 81.82% and specificity of 75.12%. Conclusions:Multimodal ultrasonography can comprehensively characterize the imaging features of different subtypes of spermatogenic dysfunction，holding promise as a noninvasive predictive tool.

Objective To investigate the weight loss efficacy and mechanisms of oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite,and to provide new approaches for obesity treatment.Methods Twenty-three SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into control group(n=3)and modeling group(n=20).The control group was fed an ordinary diet for 6 consecutive weeks,and the modeling group was fed a high-fat diet for 6 consecutive weeks to establish a simple obesity rat model.After successful modeling,the modeling group was randomly divided into model group(n=10)and treatment group(n=10).The treatment group started anoint-and-massage therapy with oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite(3 g per rat per time,once a day,20 min each time),which was recorded as day 1.The control group and model group were not treated with oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite but received the same massage,and continued to be fed ordinary feed and high-fat feed respectively.Ten rats in the model group and ten in the treatment group were each divided into 3 groups,with 3,3,and 4 rats in each group.On days 3,6,and 9 after treatment,the rats in the three groups were weighed and cardiac blood collection was performed after isoflurane respiratory anesthesia.After euthanasia by cardiac bloodletting,abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue(aSAT)and perirenal white adipose tissue(pWAT)samples were collected and weighed.Serum triglycerides(TG)and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)levels were measured.Image J software was used to measure aSAT thickness and the diameter and area of perirenal white adipocytes and abdominal subcutaneous adipocytes.Immunofluorescence technique was used to observe the number of telocytes(TCs),cell junctions and exosomes per unit area of aSAT.Transmission electron microscopy was used to measure the length of telopodes(Tps)of dermal and subcutaneous TCs in abdominal skin,and to observe the distribution of exosome vesicles,rough endoplasmic reticulum,mitochondria,and cell junctions.Results Compared with the control group,the body weight of rats in the modeling group increased significantly(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,rats in the model group showed a significant increase in serum TG level,a significant decrease in HDL-C level,and a significant increase in pWAT mass(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed a significantly increased rate of body weight reduction,significantly decreased pWAT mass,significantly decreased serum TG level,and significantly increased HDL-C level(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed significant reductions in aSAT thickness,as well as cell diameter and area in both aSAT and pWAT(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed significantly increased number of TCs per unit area of aSAT,number of exosomes from TCs in aSAT,and Tps length(all P＜0.05).The treatment group showed an increasing trend in the numbers of mitochondria,rough endoplasmic reticulum,and cell junctions in TCs.Conclusion Oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite applied via anoint-and-massage therapy effectively improves obesity-related symptoms such as dyslipidemia and fat accumulation in obese rats by regulating TCs and their intercellular communication.

Objective To investigate the weight loss efficacy and mechanisms of oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite,and to provide new approaches for obesity treatment.Methods Twenty-three SPF female SD rats were randomly divided into control group(n=3)and modeling group(n=20).The control group was fed an ordinary diet for 6 consecutive weeks,and the modeling group was fed a high-fat diet for 6 consecutive weeks to establish a simple obesity rat model.After successful modeling,the modeling group was randomly divided into model group(n=10)and treatment group(n=10).The treatment group started anoint-and-massage therapy with oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite(3 g per rat per time,once a day,20 min each time),which was recorded as day 1.The control group and model group were not treated with oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite but received the same massage,and continued to be fed ordinary feed and high-fat feed respectively.Ten rats in the model group and ten in the treatment group were each divided into 3 groups,with 3,3,and 4 rats in each group.On days 3,6,and 9 after treatment,the rats in the three groups were weighed and cardiac blood collection was performed after isoflurane respiratory anesthesia.After euthanasia by cardiac bloodletting,abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue(aSAT)and perirenal white adipose tissue(pWAT)samples were collected and weighed.Serum triglycerides(TG)and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)levels were measured.Image J software was used to measure aSAT thickness and the diameter and area of perirenal white adipocytes and abdominal subcutaneous adipocytes.Immunofluorescence technique was used to observe the number of telocytes(TCs),cell junctions and exosomes per unit area of aSAT.Transmission electron microscopy was used to measure the length of telopodes(Tps)of dermal and subcutaneous TCs in abdominal skin,and to observe the distribution of exosome vesicles,rough endoplasmic reticulum,mitochondria,and cell junctions.Results Compared with the control group,the body weight of rats in the modeling group increased significantly(P＜0.05).Compared with the control group,rats in the model group showed a significant increase in serum TG level,a significant decrease in HDL-C level,and a significant increase in pWAT mass(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed a significantly increased rate of body weight reduction,significantly decreased pWAT mass,significantly decreased serum TG level,and significantly increased HDL-C level(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed significant reductions in aSAT thickness,as well as cell diameter and area in both aSAT and pWAT(all P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,the treatment group showed significantly increased number of TCs per unit area of aSAT,number of exosomes from TCs in aSAT,and Tps length(all P＜0.05).The treatment group showed an increasing trend in the numbers of mitochondria,rough endoplasmic reticulum,and cell junctions in TCs.Conclusion Oligopeptide-herbal medicine composite applied via anoint-and-massage therapy effectively improves obesity-related symptoms such as dyslipidemia and fat accumulation in obese rats by regulating TCs and their intercellular communication.

Objective:To analyze the imaging features of testicular conventional ultrasonography（US），shear wave elastography（SWE），and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography（CEUS）in subtypes of spermatogenic dysfunction（focal，arrest，and exhausted），and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of testicular multimodal ultrasound.Methods:A prospective study enrolled 310 spermatogenic dysfunction patients（focal type group： n=77，arrest type group： n=20，exhaustive type group： n=213）and 30 healthy volunteers（control group）at Shanghai General Hospital between October 2023 and December 2024. All patients underwent preoperative testicular US，SWE，and CEUS examinations，followed by microdissection testicular sperm extraction. Ultrasound parameters were compared among groups，and receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curves were plotted to assess the diagnostic efficacy of multimodal ultrasound for different subtypes. Results:①Testicular volume：The arrest group exhibited significantly greater volume compared to the focal group and the exhausted group（all P<0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed between the arrest group and the normal group（ P>0.05）. ②Mean Young's modulus（Emean）：The arrest group exhibited significantly lower Emean compared with both the focal and exhausted groups（all P<0.05），but showed no significant difference versus the normal group（ P>0.05）. ③CEUS quantitative parameters：The arrival time（AT）and time to peak（TTP）in the exhausted group were higher than those in the normal group，while the peak intensity（PI）and area under the time-intensity curve（AUC）were lower（all P<0.05）. No significant differences were found in AT，TTP，or AUC among the three spermatogenic dysfunction subgroups（all P>0.05）. ④CEUS perfusion patterns：The focal group predominantly exhibited a mottled pattern（70.13%，54/77）. Both the arrest group（90.00%，18/20）and the normal group（93.33%，28/30）predominantly exhibited an rich pattern. The exhausted group predominantly exhibited a sparse pattern（56.34%，120/213）. ⑤ROC curve analysis showed that for differentiating the arrest group from the focal type group and the exhaustive type group，the combination of Emean，testicular volume，and CEUS perfusion pattern yielded an AUC of 0.931，with a sensitivity of 95.00% and specificity of 85.86%. For differentiating the focal type group from the exhaustive type group，the combination of testicular echogenicity，CEUS perfusion pattern，and Emean yielded an AUC of 0.833，with a sensitivity of 81.82% and specificity of 75.12%. Conclusions:Multimodal ultrasonography can comprehensively characterize the imaging features of different subtypes of spermatogenic dysfunction，holding promise as a noninvasive predictive tool.

Objective:To investigate the malignant potential of histopathological class B3 and B5a lesions by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (CNB).Methods:Retrospective analysis of the histopathological results of 712 breast lesions that successively underwent CNB process and surgical resection in the Shanghai General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022, of which 47 lesions were reported as class B3 and 70 lesions as class B5a.Results:CNB identified 47 category B3 lesions, comprising 19 cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia, 17 papillary lesions, 8 phyllodes tumors, and 3 complex sclerosing lesions. Of these cases, surgical pathology was in full agreement with CNB pathology in 27 instances, indicating a concordance rate of 57.4% (27/47) and an inconsistency rate of 42.6% (20/47). Out of the 20 inconsistent cases, 70.0% (14/20) were upgraded based on the findings from the surgical pathology.Specifically, 4 cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia and 2 cases of intraductal papilloma were upgraded to invasive breast cancer (B5b) after surgery. Among the 4 cases with puncture pathology indicating atypical ductal hyperplasia and one complex sclerosing lesion, these five lesions were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ (B5a) after surgery. Two puncture pathologies were diagnosed as atypical ductal hyperplasia, and these were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (B5b) after surgery. One puncture pathology indicated a borderline phyllodes tumor, and this was upgraded to malignant phyllodes tumor (B5b) after surgery. And 30.0% (6/20) resulted in downgrade after surgery, specifically 4 cases of atypical ductal hyperplasia, which were downgraded to breast adenopathy (B2). Of these, 1 puncture pathology was identified as atypical ductal hyperplasia and one as a borderline phyllodes tumor, which were both downgraded to fibroadenoma (B2). Seventy lesions were diagnosed as B5a lesions by CNB pathology, with 28 of them showing complete concurrence with the surgical pathology, a concordance rate of 40.0% (28/70), and an inconsistency rate of 60.0% (42/70). Of the 42 cases with discrepancies, all 42 were upgraded, yielding an upgrading rate of 100% (42/42). Of these, 21 were upgraded to ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (B5b) and 21 to invasive breast cancer (B5b).Conclusions:Lesions with CNB pathology in categories B3 and B5a have a high rate of postoperative escalation. B3 and B5a lesions should be treated with considerable care, especially atypical ductal hyperplasia, which should be surgically resected, and CNB examination should be performed twice if necessary.

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy of imaging findings on scrotal and transrectal ultrasonography in diagnosing the disease of obstructive azoospermia.Methods:Retrospective analysis of the data of 58 patients with azoospermia and infertility were performed who visited the Department of Andrology in the Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2015 to May 2020. Obstructive azoospermia was revealed by ultrasonography and confirmed by surgery. The qualitative and positional parameters on the sonogram were compared with the surgical results.Results:Among 58 patients with obstructive azoospermia diagnosed by ultrasonography, 3 patients with intratesticular obstruction performed microsurgical sperm extraction. In 21 patients with epididymal obstruction, 18 cases were treated by vasoepididymostomy. Six patients with vas deferens obstruction were treated by vasovasostomy. Two cases with low-level ejaculatory duct obstruction were treated by transurethral resection of the ejaculatrory duct, and 1 case with high-level ejaculatory duct obstruction was treated by microsurgical sperm extraction. A total of 25 patients with congenital absence of bilateral vas deferens performed scrotal exploration and sperm collection for assisted reproduction. Sperm was detected in epididymal fluid or testicular tissue in 57 cases. The accuracy of the diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia by ultrasound scan was 98.3% (57/58) with reference to the existence of sperm identified in the surgery. The intraoperative findings of 54 cases were consistent with the preoprerative ultrasound localization, and the coincidence rate of emplacement diagnosis was 93.1% (54/58).Conclusion:Scrotal and transrectal ultrasound can accurately diagnose obstructive azoospermia qualitatively and regionally, which is of great clinical significance for the correct diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy of imaging findings on scrotal and transrectal ultrasonography in diagnosing the disease of obstructive azoospermia.Methods:Retrospective analysis of the data of 58 patients with azoospermia and infertility were performed who visited the Department of Andrology in the Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from June 2015 to May 2020. Obstructive azoospermia was revealed by ultrasonography and confirmed by surgery. The qualitative and positional parameters on the sonogram were compared with the surgical results.Results:Among 58 patients with obstructive azoospermia diagnosed by ultrasonography, 3 patients with intratesticular obstruction performed microsurgical sperm extraction. In 21 patients with epididymal obstruction, 18 cases were treated by vasoepididymostomy. Six patients with vas deferens obstruction were treated by vasovasostomy. Two cases with low-level ejaculatory duct obstruction were treated by transurethral resection of the ejaculatrory duct, and 1 case with high-level ejaculatory duct obstruction was treated by microsurgical sperm extraction. A total of 25 patients with congenital absence of bilateral vas deferens performed scrotal exploration and sperm collection for assisted reproduction. Sperm was detected in epididymal fluid or testicular tissue in 57 cases. The accuracy of the diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia by ultrasound scan was 98.3% (57/58) with reference to the existence of sperm identified in the surgery. The intraoperative findings of 54 cases were consistent with the preoprerative ultrasound localization, and the coincidence rate of emplacement diagnosis was 93.1% (54/58).Conclusion:Scrotal and transrectal ultrasound can accurately diagnose obstructive azoospermia qualitatively and regionally, which is of great clinical significance for the correct diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in adult males, and its morbidity and mortality keep growing year after year. However, the pathogenesis is not understood clearly yet. The development of prostate cancer is a synergistic, multi-gene process. MicroRNA (miRNA), as small ribonucleic acid molecules and a class of non-coding small RNAs, controls the expression of several genes and plays an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. In recent years, emerging evidence shows that the miRNAs are significantly abnormally expressed in prostate cancer and that they can target multiple signaling pathways involved in the occurrence and progression of prostate cancer, which has important value in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of prostate cancer. In this paper, the origin, formation, and biological properties of miRNAs, as well as their potential application in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, were reviewed with the aim of providing an in-depth understanding of prostate cancer from the perspective of molecular biology and new thinking for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Objective:To investigate the ultrasonographic features and evolution of thyroid shrinking nodules in order to improve the differential diagnosis and management strategy and avoid unnecessary biopsy.Methods:A total of 245 patients with old bleeding of benign thyroid nodules diagnosed via fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) from May 2015 to July 2020 in the southern part of the Shanghai General Hospital Affiliated to the Medical College of Shanghai Jiaotong University, including 263 nodules. The sonographic parameters such as size, shape, aspect ratio, echo, edge, boundary, periphery, halo, calcification, posterior echo enhancement and posterior acoustic attenuation of nodules were analyzed retrospectively, and the ultrasonic appearances of nodules were classified; 41 nodules from 40 patients, who did ultrasound examinations more than twice and had both complete ultrasonographic data, were compared and then classified in order to explore the evolution rules of the nodules.Results:Two hundred and sixty-three thyroid shrinking nodules in 245 cases were classified into 4 types: "cystic wall shrinkage sign" type(71.48%, 188/263), "carcinoma-like" type (22.05%, 58/263), "inflammation-like" type(3.04%, 8/263) and "undefined atypical solid nodules" type(3.42%, 9/263). Of the 41 consecutive follow-up nodules, 37 cases showed obvious cystic wall shrinkage sign, and 7 of them developed into "carcinoma-like" type and 6 cases into "inflammation-like" type.Conclusions:The ultrasonographic appearance of thyroid shrinking nodules is a dynamic process, which can be divided into 4 types: "cystic wall shrinkage sign" , "carcinoma-like" , "inflammation-like" and "undefined atypical solid nodules" types. The "cystic wall shrinkage sign" type is typical and common. The "cystic wall shrinkage sign" type can develope into the "carcinoma-like" type or the "inflammation-like" type.

Objective:To evaluate the qualitative diagnosis of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in different sizes′ benign and malignant breast nodules (BNs) of BI-RADS 4.Methods:A total of 506 BNs in 467 patients from Shanghai General Hospital between October 2017 and May 2019 classified as BI-RADS 4 were divided into large size group (>20 mm, n=198) and small size group (≤20 mm, n=308) according to their largest diameter lines. The CEUS characteristics of benign and malignant BNs in two groups were analyzed by Chi-square test. The CEUS characteristics of BNs were assigned scores for diagnosis of benign and malignant BNs with different sizes, the diagnostic efficacy of these scores was evaluated by ROC curve. Results:There were statistic differences in the degree, size change of the enhanced lesions, enhancement time of lesions compared with surrounding tissues, radial enhancement or not, homogeneity of enhancement, with or without penetrating of perfusion between benign and malignant BNs in both groups (all P<0.001). In small size group, with the critical value of 2.5 points, area under curve(AUC) of ROC curve was 0.793, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of CEUS was 82.67%, 60.22% and 69.48%, respectively. In large size group, with the critical value of 3.5 points, AUC of ROC curve was 0.901, and the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of CEUS was 85.42%, 80.00% and 82.65%, respectively. Conclusions:CEUS has great significance in qualitative diagnosis of benign and malignant in BI-RADS 4 BNs with different sizes. The biopsy could be avoided in BNs greater than 20 mm, while biopsy is still needed in BNs less than or equal to 20 mm.