OBJECTIVE To investigate the intervention effect and potential mechanism of breviscapine on hepatic fibrosis （HF） in rats based on the transforming growth factor-β（1 TGF-β1）/Smad2/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1（ERK1） and Kelch-like epichlorohydrin-associated protein 1（Keap1）/nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2（Nrf2）/heme oxygenase-1（HO-1） pathways. METHODS Totally 60 rats were randomly divided into normal control group， model group， breviscapine low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （5.4， 10.8， 21.6 mg/kg）， and colchicine group （positive control， 0.45 mg/kg）， with 10 rats in each group， half male and half female. Except for the normal control group， HF model of the other groups was induced by carbon tetrachloride. Subsequently， each drug group was given corresponding medicine by gavage once a day for 28 days. The liver appearance of rats in each group was observed and their liver coefficients were calculated. The levels of alanineaminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST）in serum， those of ALT， AST， superoxide dismutase （SOD），malondialdehyde （MDA） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH- Px） in liver tissue were detected. The liver tissue inflammatory and fibrotic changes were observed. The protein and mRNA expressions of TGF-β1， Smad2， ERK1， Nrf2， Keap1 and HO-in liver tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with the normal control group， the model group showed large areas of white nodular lesions in the liver， obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen fiber deposition. The body weight， the levels of SOD and GSH-Px in liver tissue， the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 were significantly lowered in the model group （P＜0.05）； the liver coefficient， the percentage of Masson staining positive area， ALT and AST levels of serum and liver tissue， MDA level of liver tissue， the protein and mRNA expressions of TGF-β1， Smad2， ERK1 and Keap1 were significantly increased （P＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， the liver lesions of rats in each drug group were improved， and the above quantitative indexes were generally reversed （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Breviscapine has a good intervention effect on HF rats， which may be related to inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad2/ERK1 pathway for anti-fibrosis and regulating Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to inhibit oxidative stress.

Objective:To explore the locations of the lumbosacral nerve roots by use of the magnetic stimulation.Methods:Thirty healthy subjects were studied. The projections of the right L 2 to S 1 intervertebral foramina on their body surfaces were determined manually with ultrasound assistance. Magnetic stimulation was applied to different nerve root segments to induce compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) in the vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles of the lower limbs. The changes in latency, amplitude, and motor threshold were observed. Results:Magnetic stimulation on the L 2-L 3 segment resulted in a significant direct excitation of the vastus medialis. That on the L 5-S 1 segment evoked a significant direct excitatory effect on the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius, with a motor threshold below 40%, an amplitude exceeding 1mV, and many effective responses. However, during the magnetic stimulation on the L 4 segment, the amplitude of the vastus medialis was above 1mV, with no significant differences in the number of effective responses among the muscle groups. Moreover, there was a stepwise change in the latency of effective muscle responses to magnetic stimulation at different segments. The CMAP latencies of 12+ ms for the tibialis anterior and 13+ ms for the gastrocnemius indicated activation of the L 5 and L 4 nerve roots, respectively, while those of 6+ ms, 7+ ms, and 8+ ms for the vastus medialis suggested activation of the L 4, L 3, and L 2 nerve roots, respectively. Conclusions:Based on the responses (CMAP latency, amplitude and motor threshold) of the vastus medialis, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius to magnetic stimulation at different L 2 to S 1 segments, the spinal nerve root segments responsible for innervation can be inferred.

Objective:To assess the diagnostic value of ATP stress myocardial perfusion imaging(MPI) in detecting coronary heart disease (CAD) with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) as the gold standard.Methods:A total of 95 consecutive patients (65 males, 30 females, age (56.2±8.5) years) who underwent ATP stress/rest MPI and coronary angiography (CAG) within one month in Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from May 2018 to December 2018 were enrolled prospectively. The adverse reactions of ATP stress test were observed. Semi-quantitative analysis was performed on MPI results, and the summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS) were obtained. Quantitative analysis was performed on CAG images, and the degree of QCA coronary artery stenosis was analyzed. Using QCA as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficiency of ATP stress MPI was calculated. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to analyzed the relationship between SSS and the degree of QCA coronary artery stenosis.Results:In 95 cases, the incidence of adverse reactions in ATP stress test was 73.7%(70/95), which could be relieved automatically after drug withdrawal. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of ATP stress MPI in diagnosing coronary artery stenosis ≥50% were 45.3%(24/53), 81.0%(34/42), 75.0%(24/32), 54.0%(34/63) and 61.1%(58/95) respectively, which were 15/16, 78.5%(62/79), 46.9%(15/32), 98.4%(62/63), and 81.1%(77/95) respectively in diagnosing coronary artery stenosis ≥70%. There was moderate correlation between SSS and the degree of QCA coronary artery stenosis ( r=0.418, P=0.017). Conclusion:ATP stress MPI has a clinical value in the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia in CAD.

Objective:To explore the changes of right ventricular myocardial perfusion in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) pig models with a quantitative analysis technique based on dynamic SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging, and analyze the relationship between myocardial blood flow, hemodynamics and right ventricular function.Methods:Eleven Chinese miniature pigs (all males, 6-8 months old) weighing 25-30 kg were selected. The PAH models were established by ligating the main pulmonary artery and embolizing the right lower pulmonary artery. After the models were established, dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging with one-day resting/adenosine stress 99Tc m-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) SPECT was performed, and the quantitative parameters of left and right ventricles were obtained, including stress myocardial blood flow (SMBF), rest myocardial blood flow (RMBF) and myocardial flow reserve (MFR: the ratio of stress to rest myocardial blood flow). Right heart catheterization was performed to evaluate the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP), and the right heart function index tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was measured by transthoracic echocardiography. According to TAPSE, animals were divided into right heart function preserved group ( n=5, TAPSE≥17 mm) and right heart dysfunction group ( n=4, TAPSE<17 mm). Pearson correlation analysis and the independent-sample t test were used for data analysis. Results:Nine experimental pig models were established with increased mPAP of (38.1 ± 11.6 ) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Myocardial perfusion imaging showed clear radiotracer uptake in the right heart and myocardial hypertrophy. There was a significant positive correlation between right ventricular myocardial RMBF ((0.71±0.13) ml·min -1·g -1) and mPAP ( r=0.94, P< 0.001). The SMBF in the decreased right ventricular function group was significantly lower than that in the preserved right ventricular function group ((1.66±0.35) vs (2.24±0.30) ml·min -1·g -1;t=2.68, P=0.032). Conclusion:SPECT myocardial blood flow quantification can be used to evaluate the right ventricular myocardial blood flow in pig models of PAH.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of bipolar-plasmakinetic transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate (B-TUERP) in day surgery. METHODS: From January 2021 to August 2022, 34 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) underwent B-TUERP in day surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Patients completed the screening and anesthesia evaluation before admission and received the standard surgery which implements "anatomical enucleation of the prostate" and "absolute bleeding control" on the same day of admission, and by the same doctor. Bladder irrigation was stopped, catheter was removed and the discharge evaluation was performed on the first day after operation. The baseline data, perioperative conditions, time of recovery, treatment outcomes, hospitalization costs, and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: All operations were successfully conducted. The average age of the patients was (62.2±7.8) years, average prostate volume was (50.2±29.3) mL. The average operation time was (36.5±19.1) min, the average hemoglobin and blood sodium were decreased by (16.2±7.1) g/L and (2.2±2.0) mmol/L, respectively. The average postoperative length of hospital stay, and total length of hospital stay were (17.7±2.2) and (20.8±2.1) h, respectively, and the average hospitalization cost was (13 558±2320) CNY. All patients were discharged on the day after surgery except for one patient who was transferred to a general ward. Three patients received indwelling catheterization after catheter removal. The 3-month follow-up results showed a substantial improvement in the International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life score and maximum urinary flow rate (all P<0.01). Three patients experienced temporary urinary incontinence, 1 patient experienced urinary tract infection, 4 patients were diagnosed with urethral stricture and 2 patients experienced bladder neck contracture. No complications above Clavien grade Ⅱ occurred. CONCLUSIONS The preliminary results showed that B-TUERP ambulatory surgery is a safe, feasible, economical and effective treatment for appropriately selected patients with BPH.
Male ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Prostate/surgery* ; Prostatic Hyperplasia/surgery* ; Ambulatory Surgical Procedures ; Quality of Life ; Feasibility Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To analyzed the urinary microbiota characteristics of upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC) patients.Methods:Urine samples were collected from 23 patients with UTUC (UTUC group) and 22 patients with benign diseases (control group) admitted to Yijishan Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College from July 2021 to July 2022. The differences in age [(60.9±5.7) years vs. (61.4±8.8) years], sex (male/female: 15/8 vs. 9/13), and body mass index [(22.9±1.8) kg/m 2 vs. (23.4±1.7) kg/m 2] between the UTUC group and the control group were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The V4 region of the 16S rRNA of urinary microorganisms was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq6000, and the results were processed using QLLME2. Differences in α-diversity between groups were analyzed by using the Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 indices. Differences in β-diversity between groups were analyzed by using unweighted principal coordinates analysis (PCoA). Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size(LEfSe)was used to identify the bacterial taxa with different abundances between groups. Significant differences were defined as LDA>2. Results:The Chao1 index (703.12±265.54 vs. 506.20±214.02) and Shannon index (5.61±1.85 vs. 5.07±1.34) were significantly higher in the UTUC group compared to that in the control group ( P<0.05). The α-diversity of urinary microbes was elevated in the UTUC group compared to that in the control group but the difference in β-diversity was not statistically significant ( P=0.161). The enrichment of Bacteroidaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Acidaminococcaceae, Thermaceae, Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae abundance was higher in the urine of UTUC patients(LDA > 2). Further subgrouping analyses of the UTUC patients showed that the differences in Chao1 index (706.44±271.84 vs. 784.09±272.72), Shannon index (6.04±1.30 vs. 5.91±1.67), and Simpson index (0.94±0.08 vs. 0.89±0.22) between the muscle-invasive group and the non-muscle-invasive group were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). The difference in α-diversity between muscle-invasive and non-muscle-invasive group was not statistically significant, but the difference in β-diversity was statistically significant ( P=0.047). The urinary microbial communities of Gammaproteobacteria, Cutibacterium, Rhodococcus and Nocardiaceae were enriched in muscle-invasive group and differed from that in non-muscle-invasive group(LDA>2). Conclusions:This study suggests that the urinary microbial community was more abundant in UTUC patients than in non-UTUC patients and that Bacteroidaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Acidaminococcaceae, Thermaceae, Erysipelatoclostridiaceae, and Coriobacteriaceae were more abundant in the urine of UTUC patients. The urinary microbial community was more abundant in the urine of non-muscle-invasive patients than in the muscle-invasive patients, and Gammaproteobacteria, Cutibacterium, Rhodococcus and Nocardiaceae were more abundant in the urine of non-muscle-invasive patients.

Objective:To investigate differences in cardiac function and perfusion parameters measured by IQ-SPECT and low energy high-resolution (LEHR)-SPECT, as well as effects of scattering correction (SC) and CT attenuation correction (AC) on myocardial perfusion imaging.Methods:From May 2020 to September 2020, 80 patients (58 males, 22 females, age (57±10) years) who underwent SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging were retrospectively enrolled in Fuwai Hospital. According to the standardized left ventricular end-diastolic diameter of body surface measured by two-dimensional echocardiography, patients were divided into 2 groups: A group ( n=34) with significantly enlarged left ventricle and B group ( n=46) with no significant enlargement of left ventricle. LEHR-SPECT and IQ-SPECT gated myocardial perfusion imaging were performed in all patients. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF), summed rest score (SRS) and total perfusion defect (TPD) were measured. Parameters measured by two methods and differences before and after SC and AC were compared by using paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. The correlation was analyzed by Pearson correlation or Spearman rank correlation analyses, and the consistency was analyzed by Bland-Altman analysis. Results:In A group, EDV, EF and SRS measured by IQ-SPECT were significantly lower than those assessed by LEHR-SPECT after SC and AC (EDV: (257±137) vs (276±154) ml, EF: (21±11)% vs (26±13)%, SRS: 17(6, 25) vs 18(8, 28); t values: -2.63, -7.46, z=-2.14, all P<0.05); all parameters measured by LEHR-SPECT and IQ-SPECT had well correlation ( r values: 0.965, 0.969, 0.967, rs values: 0.920, 0.960, all P<0.001) and consistency. In B group, EDV and EF measured by IQ-SPECT were significantly lower than those assessed by LEHR-SPECT after SC and AC (EDV: (96±40) vs (107±39) ml, EF: (46±15)% vs (54±16)%; t values: -6.23, -10.71, both P=0.001); SRS and TPD measured by IQ-SPECT after SC and AC were significantly lower than non-SC and non-AC (SRS: 2(1, 4) vs 5(3, 11), TPD: (3%(1%, 5%) vs 7%(3%, 12%); z values: -4.11, -4.16, both P<0.001); all parameters measured by LEHR-SPECT and IQ-SPECT had well correlation ( r values: 0.956, 0.978, 0.958, rs values: 0.926, 0.944, all P<0.001) and consistency. Conclusions:There are good correlation and consistency of left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion parameters acquired by IQ-SPECT and LEHR-SPECT. Moreover, IQ-SPECT is able to shorten acquisition time, resulting in great potential in clinical application.

A total of 4 patients with renal cancer were admitted to our hospital from October 2006 to September 2015 in a familial renal cancer family. Among the 4 patients, 1 patient showed unilateral multiple clear cell carcinoma, 1 patient showed bilateral multiple clear cell carcinoma, and 2 patients showed bilateral multiple chromophobe cell carcinoma. No mutation of VHL or FLCN gene was found in all patients by genetic analysis.

Objective:To analyze the relationships between baseline percentage of pulmonary perfusion defect scores (PPDs%) and residual pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients.Methods:A total of 37 CTEPH patients (21 males, 16 females, age (50±12) years) who had pre- and post-pulmonary endarterectomy ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans from January 2016 to January 2019 at Fuwai Hospital were retrospectively collected. Residual pulmonary hypertension was defined as post-surgery mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) higher than 30 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Semi-quantitative index PPDs% was calculated to represent the extent of impaired perfusion in the whole lung. Pre- and post-surgery pulmonary hemodynamic parameters including pulmonary arterial pressure and resistance and lung perfusion were compared. Factors that may be related residual pulmonary hypertension were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Paired t test and independent-sample t test were also used. Results:Pulmonary endarterectomy significantly decreased mPAP ((50.22±11.72) vs (26.41±10.61) mmHg; t=12.599, P<0.001) and pulmonary vascular resistance((10.06±5.48) vs (2.89±1.58) Wood unit; t=8.086, P<0.001). The number of defected lung segments (13.79±2.11 vs 5.52±2.82; t=11.593, P<0.001) was significantly reduced. Patients who had residual pulmonary hypertension ( n=11) exhibited significantly higher PPDs% before the surgery compared to those who were without residual pulmonary hypertension ( n=26; (57.48±5.88)% vs (47.77±11.09)%; t=-3.458, P=0.002). Baseline PPDs% was an independent factor for predicting residual pulmonary hypertension after pulmonary endarterectomy (odds ratio ( OR)=1.106, 95% CI: 1.006-1.216, P=0.036). Conclusions:Pulmonary V/Q scan can assess the therapeutic effects of pulmonary endarterectomy. Extent of impaired lung perfusion assessed by V/Q scan is the influencing factor for post-surgery residual pulmonary hypertension.

Objective:To study the feasibility of cardiac 99Tc m-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI)/ 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) dual-isotope imaging with cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) SPECT. Methods:Using a heart phantom, 99Tc m-MIBI single-isotope imaging and 99Tc m-MIBI/ 123I-MIBG dual-isotope imaging were acquired separately. Model A, B, C represented normal heart, 99Tc m/ 123I matched myocardium, 99Tc m/ 123I mismatched myocardium, respectively. Nineteen patients (9 males, 10 females; age (56±16) years) from September 2018 to June 2020 at Fuwai Hospital were enrolled to participate 99Tc m-MIBI myocardial perfusion imaging and myocardial perfusion/cardiac sympathetic imaging with 99Tc m-MIBI/ 123I-MIBG dual-isotope. Perfusion percent (PP%) and summed rest score (SRS) for all myocardial segments were obtained using quantitative perfusion SPECT (QPS) software by analyzing myocardial perfusion images. Difference and relationship between PP% and SRS were analyzed (Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses). No physical correction was applied for both acquisitions. Analysis of variance for repeated measurement data and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results:There was no significant difference in myocardial perfusion images between 99Tc m single-isotope and 99Tc m/ 123I dual-isotope imaging with the heart phantom. 123I did not significantly impact on 99Tc m images. For patients, PP% did not differ between 99Tc m single-isotope ((69.2±14.5)%) and 99Tc m/ 123I dual-isotope imaging ((69.5±16.2)%; F=0.005, P=0.946) and correlated well ( r=0.845, P<0.01). SRS for 99Tc m single-isotope was 2(1, 13) and 2(2, 12) for 99Tc m/ 123I dual-isotope imaging ( z=-0.774, P=0.439) and the correlation between the two acquisitions was excellent ( rs=0.975, P<0.01). Conclusions:Even without physical correction, cardiac images interpretation won′t be significantly influenced by the interference of 123I with relatively higher energy on 99Tc m images. Cardiac 99Tc m-MIBI/ 123I-MIBG dual-isotope imaging is feasible.