Objective:To investigate whether herb cake-insulated moxibustion affects the expression of cholesterol metabolism-related protein 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase(HMGR)and inhibits the development of atherosclerosis by regulating the exosomal miR-223 expression.Methods:Thirty-six male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to a normal group,a model group,and an herb cake-insulated moxibustion group,with 12 rabbits in each group.The model and the herb cake-insulated moxibustion groups were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce an atherosclerosis model.Following successful modeling,the herb cake-insulated moxibustion group was subjected to bundling and herb cake-insulated moxibustion intervention,while the other two groups were subjected only to bundling without moxibustion.After 8 weeks of intervention,hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe aortic morphology;the serum levels of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were detected using an automatic biochemical analyzer in each group.Exosome morphology was observed using the transmission electron microscope;Western blotting(WB)was used to detect the protein levels of serum exosomal CD63 and CD9 markers,as well as liver HMGR;additionally,real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify serum exosomal miR-223.Results:HE staining showed thickened aortic intima,lipid infiltration,foam cell aggregation,and structural damage to the arterial wall in the model group.Meanwhile,after modeling,the serum levels of LDL-C,TC,and TG increased significantly in the model and herb cake-insulated moxibustion groups compared to the normal group(P<0.05),suggesting successful atherosclerosis rabbit model preparation.The serum exosomes of rabbits in the model group exhibited a saucer-like or semi-concave spherical shape with diameters of 120-150 nm.WB detection results showed positive expression of the exosomal markers CD63 and CD9.After 8 weeks of intervention,the miR-223 level in the model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group(P<0.01).In contrast,the herb cake-insulated moxibustion group demonstrated significantly reduced serum levels of TC,TG,and LDL-C(P<0.05),increased miR-223 expression(P<0.01),and decreased relative liver HMGR protein expression(P<0.05)compared to the model group.Conclusion:Herb cake-insulated moxibustion may alleviate the progression of atherosclerosis by up-regulating exosomal miR-223 expression and down-regulating HMGR protein expression,thereby inhibiting cholesterol anabolic metabolism.

Objective:To investigate whether herb cake-insulated moxibustion affects the expression of cholesterol metabolism-related protein 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase(HMGR)and inhibits the development of atherosclerosis by regulating the exosomal miR-223 expression.Methods:Thirty-six male New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to a normal group,a model group,and an herb cake-insulated moxibustion group,with 12 rabbits in each group.The model and the herb cake-insulated moxibustion groups were fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce an atherosclerosis model.Following successful modeling,the herb cake-insulated moxibustion group was subjected to bundling and herb cake-insulated moxibustion intervention,while the other two groups were subjected only to bundling without moxibustion.After 8 weeks of intervention,hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe aortic morphology;the serum levels of total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were detected using an automatic biochemical analyzer in each group.Exosome morphology was observed using the transmission electron microscope;Western blotting(WB)was used to detect the protein levels of serum exosomal CD63 and CD9 markers,as well as liver HMGR;additionally,real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify serum exosomal miR-223.Results:HE staining showed thickened aortic intima,lipid infiltration,foam cell aggregation,and structural damage to the arterial wall in the model group.Meanwhile,after modeling,the serum levels of LDL-C,TC,and TG increased significantly in the model and herb cake-insulated moxibustion groups compared to the normal group(P<0.05),suggesting successful atherosclerosis rabbit model preparation.The serum exosomes of rabbits in the model group exhibited a saucer-like or semi-concave spherical shape with diameters of 120-150 nm.WB detection results showed positive expression of the exosomal markers CD63 and CD9.After 8 weeks of intervention,the miR-223 level in the model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group(P<0.01).In contrast,the herb cake-insulated moxibustion group demonstrated significantly reduced serum levels of TC,TG,and LDL-C(P<0.05),increased miR-223 expression(P<0.01),and decreased relative liver HMGR protein expression(P<0.05)compared to the model group.Conclusion:Herb cake-insulated moxibustion may alleviate the progression of atherosclerosis by up-regulating exosomal miR-223 expression and down-regulating HMGR protein expression,thereby inhibiting cholesterol anabolic metabolism.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of breast architectural distortion(AD)in mammography,MRI,and ultrasound,and to explore the value of each imaging examination in the diagnosis of AD lesions.Methods The mammography,ultrasound,and MRI data of 46 patients(48 lesions)with AD detected by mammography were analyzed retrospectively.Based on the pathological results,the imaging characteristics of benign and malignant AD were compared.Results The morphological and central density differences between benign and malignant lesions were statistically significant.There was no significant difference in microcalcification between benign and malignant AD.On 48 breast MRI,26 lesions showed mass enhancement,17 lesions showed non-mass enhancement,3 lesions showed punctate enhancement and 2 lesions showed no enhancement.There was no statistical significance in the distribution of enhancement types.The difference in time-signal intensity curve(TIC)types between benign and malignant AD was statistically significant.There was no statistical significance in ultrasound manifestation between benign and malignant AD.Using imaging findings greater than those in the breast imaging reporting and data system(BI-RADS)4 categories as a suspected malignant diagnosis,based on pathological examination results.The area under the curve(AUC)by mammography,ultrasound,and MRI was 0.582,0.426,and 0.764,respectively,showed significant differences in diagnostic efficiency.Conclusion MRI has higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting breast AD,which significantly improves the diagnosis coincidence rate of lesions,and can provide an important basis for clinicians to make decisions on surgical treatment.

Objective To investigate the effect of enhanced three-dimensional variable reversal angle fast spin-echo single breath-hold magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(3D SPACE BH MRCP)with high parallel acquisition factor on image quality.Methods A total of 33 patients with clinically suspected pancreatobiliary duct disease who underwent epigastric enhancement and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(MRCP)examination were prospectively collected.All patients were required to acquire a single 3D SPACE BH MRCP before and after enhancement.The signal intensity of the common bile duct and background,signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),and subjective scores of 3D SPACE BH MRCP before and after enhancement were recor-ded.Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test,and the Kappa test was used to assess the consis-tency of scores between the two readers.Results The difference in the common bile duct signals of 3D SPACE BH MRCP before and after enhancement was not statistically significant(Z=-1.215,P=0.224),however the background signal was decreased after enhancement with a significant difference(Z=-3.878,P＜0.001).The SNR and CNR of the images were better than those of 3D SPACE BH MRCP before enhancement(Z=-4.458,P＜0.001;Z=-4.583,P＜0.001).The subjective score of 3D SPACE BH MRCP after enhancement was better than that before enhancement,and the difference was statistically significant(Z=-2.646,P=0.008).There was a strong inter-reader agreement before and after enhancement 3D SPACE BH MRCP scores(Kappa=0.70,P＜0.01 and Kappa=0.73,P＜0.01).Conclusion The enhanced 3D SPACE BH MRCP between portal vein phase and equilibrium phase dose not affect the display of pancreaticobiliary duct,and can effectively suppress the background signal and improve the image quality of MRCP.

Objective:To understand the thyroid function of the physical examination population in Tangshan area, and analyze the effects of thyroid function on blood lipids, fasting blood glucose (FPG), and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D].Methods:A population from the Tangshan area who underwent physical examinations at the Kailuan General Hospital from June 2020 to June 2021 was selected as the study subjects and the levels of their thyroid serological indicators [thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), triiodothyronine (TT3), and thyroid hormone (TT4)] were tested. According to thyroid function, they were divided into normal group, hyperthyroidism group, hypothyroidism group, subclinical hyperthyroidism group, and subclinical hypothyroidism group. We compared the blood lipid indicators [triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], FPG, and 25(OH)D levels in different subgroups, and the Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between TSH levels and blood lipids, FPG, and 25(OH)D levels.Results:In this study, 2 884 subjects were selected from the physical examination population in Tangshan area. The proportion of people with abnormal thyroid function was 12.03%(347/2 884), among which the proportion of subclinical thyroid function abnormal population in the total thyroid function abnormal population was 80.69%(280/347). As men age, the proportion of thyroid dysfunction in the age groups of 21-<30 years old, 30-<40 years old, 40-<50 years old, and ≥50 years old was 5.06%(4/79), 7.52%(33/439), 8.91%(53/595), and 9.95%(66/663), respectively. The proportion of thyroid dysfunction in the above age group of women was 14.02%(15/107), 15.06%(61/405), 15.47%(67/433), and 29.45%(48/163). The serum TG, TC, LDL-C, and 25(OH)D levels in the hyperthyroidism group were lower than those in the normal group, while HDL-C and FPG levels were higher than those in the normal group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). The serum TG and TC in the hypothyroidism group were higher than those in the normal group, while FPG and 25(OH)D were lower than those in the normal group, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). TSH levels were positively correlated with TC and LDL-C, while negatively correlated with FPG and 25(OH)D (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Subclinical thyroid dysfunction is the main cause of thyroid dysfunction in the Tangshan area, and TSH levels are correlated with blood lipids, fasting blood glucose, and serum 25(OH)D levels.