Combined fine-needle aspiration with core needle biopsy for assessing thyroid nodules: a more valuable diagnostic method?

Purpose@#This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of combined fine-needle aspiration (FNA) with core needle biopsy (CNB) in thyroid nodules. @*Methods@#FNA and CNB were performed simultaneously on 703 nodules. We compared the proportions of inconclusive results and the diagnostic performance for malignancy among FNA, CNB, and combined FNA/CNB for different nodule sizes. @*Results@#Combined FNA/CNB showed lower proportions of inconclusive results than CNB for all nodules (2.8% vs. 5.7%, P1.0 cm (2.0% vs. 5.0 %, P1.5 cm (2.1% vs. 3.9 %, P=0.016). The sensitivity of combined FNA/CNB in predicting malignancy was significantly higher than that of CNB (89.0% vs. 80.0%, P1.5 cm, the difference between combined FNA/CNB and CNB was not significant (84.2% vs. 78.9%, P=0.500). @*Conclusion@#Regardless of nodule size, combined FNA/CNB tended to yield lower proportions of inconclusive results than CNB or FNA alone and exhibited higher performance in diagnosing malignancy. The combined FNA/CNB technique may be a more valuable diagnostic method for nodules ≤1.5 cm and nodules with a risk of malignancy than CNB and FNA alone.

Chemical constituents of Hypericum perforatum / 中国中药杂志

A chemical investigation on the aerial parts of Hypericum perforatum resulted in the isolation of a new phloroglucinol derivatives (1), and seven known compounds (2-8). The structures of the compounds were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods (MS, IR, 1D NMR, and 2D NMR) as 3-methyl-4,6-di (3- methyl-2-butenyl)-3-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)-2-(2-ethyl-1-oxobutyl)-cyclohexanone (1)，hyperforin (2)，(2R,3R,4S,6)-3-methyl-4,6-di(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-2-(2-methyl-1-oxo-propyl)-3-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)-cyclohexanone (3)，hyperscabrin B (4)，hyperscabrin C (5)，furohyperforin isomer 1 (6)，furoadhyperforin (7)，and furohyperforin (8). Compound 1 was a new compound, and compounds 3-5 were obtained from H. perforatum for the first time.

Research development of ginkgo terpene lactones / 中国中药杂志

Ginkgo terpene lactones, as an important active ingredient from Ginkgo leaves, has high medicinal values and has been widely used in clinics. This article would review the researches both at home and abroad, including chemical composition, structure-activity relationship, analytical methods, pharmacological effects, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and so on, providing a reference for further development and utilization of ginkgo terpene lactones.

Construction of expression vector pLCK-CD69-IRES-EGFP and generation of CD69 transgenic mice / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct the expression vector pLCK-CD69-IRES-EGFP that contains mouse cell surface activation protein CD69 and enhanced green fluorescent protein(EGFP),and to generate CD69 transgenic mice based on this vector.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>First, RNA was extracted from mouse lung tissue and cDNA was synthesized via reverse transcription. PCR primer was designed through the PubMed searching, then mouse CD69 DNA fragment was amplified with PCR. Second, this DNA fragment was subcloned to the pInsulater-LCK-IRES-EGFP plasmid and constructed the transgenic vector after the verification of nucleotide sequence. Third, the expression vector was then transfected into 293 T cells and its expression in 293 T cells was observed under fluorescence microscope. Last, microinjection was performed to transfer the expression vector pLCK-CD69-IRES-EGFP into fertilized eggs, which were implanted into pseudo-pregnant recipient mice. After birth the tail samples of the pups were obtained for the purpose of genotyping to determine the transgenic founders. Fluorescence microscope and flow cytometer were used to measure the expression of CD69 on cells.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The construction of the expression vector pLCK-CD69-IRES-EGFP was verified by enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing. The transfected 293 T cell showed expression of the protein under fluorescence microscope. Identification of PCR for the tail tissue of the pups confirmed the present of CD69 transgene and resting lymphocytes demonstrated the expression of CD69.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The construction of expression vector pLCK-CD69-IRES-EGFP and generation of CD69 transgenic mice have been successfully processed, which lays a foundation of the solid pattern studies in inflammatory diseases.</p>

Correlation of the Desialylation of Platelets with Efficacy of the First-line Therapy for ITP / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect desialylation of platelets in primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP) patients with FITC-labelled ECL and RCA-1, and compare the correlation of the desialylation level and the efficacy of first-line therapy for ITP.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Before treatment, 48 ITP patients were selected and their levels of ECL and RCA-1 were detected with flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The desialylation level in the different efficacy groups by using the first-line therapy of corticosteroids and (or) intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) had a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The correlation analysis showed negative relation of the therapeutic efficacy with desialylation level, that is to say, the more high of desialylation level, the more poor therapeutic efficacy of the first-line therapy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The desialylation level of platelets in ITP patients is related with the first-line therapeutic efficacy, the efficacy for patients with high desialylation level is poor, suggesting that the FcR-independent pathway exists in clearance of platelets in ITP patients. Therefore, the desialylation level of platelets may suggest the first-line therapeutic efficacy for ITP patients to a certain degree, and may be used as a potential target for the treatment of refractory ITP.</p>

Spaceflight alters the gene expression profile of cervical cancer cells / 癌症

Our previous study revealed that spaceflight induced biological changes in human cervical carcinoma Caski cells. Here, we report that 48A9 cells, which were subcloned from Caski cells, experienced significant growth suppression and exhibited low tumorigenic ability after spaceflight. To further understand the potential mechanism at the transcriptional level, we compared gene expression between 48A9 cells and ground control Caski cells with suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and reverse Northern blotting methods, and analyzed the relative gene network and molecular functions with the Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) program. We found 5 genes, SUB1, SGEF, MALAT-1, MYL6, and MT-CO2, to be up-regulated and identified 3 new cDNAs, termed B4, B5, and C4, in 48A9 cells. In addition, we also identified the two most significant gene networks to indicate the function of these genes using the IPA program. To our knowledge, our results show for the first time that spaceflight can reduce the growth of tumor cells, and we also provide a new model for oncogenesis study.

Preliminary research on the regeneration of injured rabbit vocal folds after the transplantation of human amniotic epithelial cells / 中华耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the survival, growth and distribution of human amniotic epithelial cells (hAEC) after injected into injured rabbit vocal folds, in addition, to assess the ability of hAEC to affect the components of lamina propria extracellular matrix (ECM) and prevent vocal fold scarring.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>hAEC were isolated from human amnion and marked by Lenti-EGFP. Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were used for this experiment. EGFP-hAEC was injected into the left injured vocal folds in thirteen rabbits, and the contralateral thirteen vocal folds experienced an injured procedure only ("injured untreated control"), and four vocal folds were left as untreated controls. The survival, distribution, differentiation potential and secretion function of hAEC were examined by immunofluorescence method. HE staining and immunohistochemical staining were performed for the evaluation of collagen and fibronectin respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>hAEC showed a cobblestone-like growth. After implanted into the injured vocal folds, hAEC could survive in vocal fold lamina propria for 2 months. The immunofluorescence analysis showed the evidence of hAEC differentiation into muscle cells as well as secretion the ECM protein. Three months postoperatively, the density of collagen was higher in the injured untreated control folds than that in the injured vocal folds injected with hAEC and the untreated controls. Besides, the content of fibronectin in the injured untreated control group was significantly increased.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>hAEC survived in the vocal folds lamina propria, and had the potentiality to differentiate into vocal folds tissue and secret some ECM components. The histological improvement caused by the injected cells demonstrate that hAEC had the ability to promote the repairment and regeneration of injured vocal folds.</p>

Association between ambient temperature and hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases:a case-crossover study / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the association between ambient average temperature and hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases(International Classification of Diseases,Tenth Vision ICD-10:I00-I99) in Beijing,China.Methods Data was collected on daily hospital emergency room visits for cardiovascular diseases from Peking University Third Hospital,including meteorological data(daily average temperature,relative humidity,wind speed,and atmospheric pressure) from the China Meteorological Data Sharing Service System,and on air pollution from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.Time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze data on 4 seasolls.Results After adjusting data on air pollution,1 degree(℃) increase of ambient average temperature would associate with the emergency room visits of odds ratio(Ors)as 1.282(95%CI:1.250-1.315).1.027(95%CI:1.001-1.055),0.661(95%CI:0.637-0.687),and 0.960 (95%CI:0.937-0.984) in spring,summer,autumn,and winter respectively.After controlling the influence of relative humidity,wind speed,and atmospheric pressure,1℃ increase in the ambient average temperature would be associated with the emergency room visits on Ors value as 1.423 (95%CI:1.377-1.471).1.082(95%CI:1.041-1.124),0.633(95%CI:0.607-0.660)and 0.971(95%CI:0.944-1.000) in spring,summer,auttmm,and winter respectively.Conclusion These data on outcomes suggested that the elevated level of ambient temperature would increase the hospital emergeney room visits for cardiovascular diseases in spring and summer while the elevated level of ambient temperature would decrease the hospital emergency room visits for the cardiovascular diseases in autumn and winter,suggesting that patients with cardiovascular diseases should pay attention to the climate change.