Distally-extending muscle fibers across involved joints: study of long muscles and tendons of wrist and ankle in late-term fetuses and adult cadavers / 대한해부학회지

It is unclear whether forearm and crural muscle fibers extend distally across the wrist and ankle joints, respectively.We hypothesized, in late-term fetuses, an over-production of muscle bellies extending over the joint. Muscle fibers in histological sections from unilateral wrists and ankles of 16 late-term fetuses (30–40 weeks) were examined and compared with 15 adult cadavers. Muscle fibers of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) in fetuses, especially muscle bellies to the third and fourth fingers, were found to extend far distally beyond the radiocarpal joint.The extensor digitorum and extensor pollicis longus on the extensor side of the wrist were found to carry distally-extending muscle fibers, but these fibers did not extend beyond the distal end of the radius. In the ankle, most muscle bundles in the flexor hallucis longus (FHL), fibularis brevis (FB) and extensor digitorum longus extended distally beyond the talocrural joint, with most FB muscle fibers reaching the level of the talocalcaneal joint. In adult cadavers, muscle fibers of the FDP and FHL did not reach the levels of the radiocarpal and talocrural joints, respectively, whereas the FB muscle belly always reached the talocalcaneal joint. Similarly, some of the FDS reached the level of the radiocarpal joint. Generally, infants’ movements at the wrist and ankle could result in friction injury to over-extended muscle. However, the calcaneal and FDP tendons might protect the FB and FDS tendons, respectively, from friction stress.

Development and growth of the human fetal sacroiliac joint revisited: a comparison with the temporomandibular joint / 대한해부학회지

The human fetal sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is characterized by unequal development of the paired bones and delayed cavitation. Thus, during the long in utero period, the bony ilium becomes adjacent to the cartilaginous sacrum. This mor phology may be analogous to that of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). We examined horizontal histological sections of 24 fetuses at 10–30 weeks and compared the timing and sequences of joint cartilage development, cavitation, and ossification of the ilium. We also examined histological sections of the TMJ and humeroradial joint, because these also contain a disk or disk-like structure. In the ilium, endochondral ossification started in the anterior side of the SIJ, extended posteriorly and reached the joint at 12 weeks GA, and then extended over the joint at 15 weeks GA. Likewise, the joint cartilage appeared at the anterior end of the future SIJ at 12 weeks GA, and extended along the bony ilium posteriorly to cover the entire SIJ at 26 weeks GA. The cavitation started at 15 weeks GA. Therefore, joint cartilage development seemed to follow the ossification of the ilium by extending along the SIJ, and cavitation then occurred. This sequence “ossification, followed by joint cartilage formation, and then cavitation” did not occur in the TMJ or humeroradial joint. The TMJ had a periosteum-like membrane that covered the joint surface, but the humeroradial joint did not. After muscle contraction starts, it is likely that the mechanical stress from the bony ilium induces development of joint cartilage.

Umbilical cord vessels other than the umbilical arteries and vein: a histological study of midterm human fetuses / 대한해부학회지

At birth, the umbilical cord contains various types of thin vessels that are near and outside the umbilicus and separate from the umbilical arteries and vein. These vessels are regarded as the remnant “vitelline vessels” and are often called “umbilical vessels”, although this terminology could lead to confusion with the true umbilical arteries and vein. No study has yet comprehensively examined these vessels using histological sections. Our examination of these vessels in 25 midterm fetuses (gestational age: 10–16 weeks) led to five major findings: (i) all specimens had umbilical branches of the inferior epigastric artery; (ii) 5 specimens had vitelline vein remnants; (iii) 4 specimens had a thin artery originating from the left hepatic artery that ran along the umbilical vein; (iv) 2 specimens had a so-called “para-umbilical vein” that was along the umbilical vein and reached the umbilicus; and (v) all specimens had lymphatic vessels originating from the umbilicus that ran caudally along the umbilical artery. The pelvic vein tributaries were well developed along the intra-abdominal umbilical artery, but did not reach the umbilicus. The lymphatic vessel was distinguished from the veins by an intraluminar cluster of lymphocytes attaching to the endothelium. The arterial branch in the umbilical cord did not accompany veins and lymphatic vessels, in contrast to the mother artery in the rectus abdominis. All these thin vessels seemed to be obliterated when the fibrous umbilical ring grew during late-term. The para-umbilical collateral vein in adults might develop outside the fibrous umbilical ring after birth.

Distal vaginal atresia: a report of a rare type found a late-term fetus and its histological comparison with the normal pelvis / 대한해부학회지

Solitary distal vaginal atresia is generally caused by a transverse septum or an imperforate hymen. We found a novel type of distal vaginal atresia in a late-term fetus (gestational age approximately 28 weeks) in our histology collection. This fetus had a vaginal vestibule that was closed and covered by a thick subcutaneous tissue beneath the perineal skin in the immediately inferior or superficial side of the imperforate hymen. The uterus, uterine tube, anus, and anal canal had normal development. The urethral rhabdosphincters were well-developed and had a normal topographical relationship with the vagina, but the urethrovaginal sphincter was absent. Thus, vaginal descent seemed to occur normally and form the vestibule. However, the external orifice of the urethra consisted of a highly folded duct with hypertrophied squamous epithelium. Notably, the corpus cavernosum and crus of the clitoris had poor development and were embedded in the subcutaneous tissue, distant from the vestibule. Normally, the cloacal membrane shifts from the bottom of the urogenital sinus to the inferior aspect of the thick and elongated genital tubercle after establishment of the urorectal septum. Therefore, we speculate there was a failure in the transposition of the cloacal membrane caused by decreased elongation of the genital tubercle. The histology of this anomaly strongly suggested that the hymen does not represent a part of the cloacal membrane, but is instead a product that appears during the late recanalization of the distal vagina after vaginal descent. The transverse septum was also likely to form during this recanalization.

Quality evaluation of Xin ’an capsules by combination of fingerprint ，multi-component quantitative analysis and chemical pattern recognition analysis / 中国药房

OBJE CTIVE To establish a method for quality evaluation of Xin ’an capsule by combining fingerprint ， multi-component quantitative analysis and chemical pattern recognition analysis. METHODS High performance liquid chromatography（HPLC）combined with Similarity Evaluation System of TCM Chromatogram Fingerprint （2012 edition）were used to establish the fingerprints of 24 batches of Xin ’an capsules and evaluate the similarity. The common peaks were determined. The contents of glucosylvitexin ，rhamnosylvitexin，vitexin，hyperoside and isoquercetin in Xin ’an capsules were determined by the same HPLC method. Taking the common peak area of fingerprint as the variable ，MetaboAnalyst 5.0 tool was used to draw the cluster analysis （CA）heat map. SIMCA 14.1 software was used to perform principle component analysis （PCA）and partial least squares-discriminant analysis （PLS-DA）. RESULTS Twelve common peaks were identified with the similarity greater than 0.97. Six common peaks were identified as chlorogenic acid ，glucosylvitexin，rhamnosylvitexin，vitexin，hyperoside and isoquercetin.The linear range of glucosylvitexin ，rhamnosylvitexin，vitexin， hyperoside and isoquercetin were 2.36-151.35，9.15-585.20， 1.20-76.50， 0.68-43.20， 0.44-27.90 µg/mL（all r＞0.999）.RSDs of precision ，repeatability and stability （24 h）tests were 163.com all less than 2.00％ . The average recoveries were 95.80％（RSD＝0.96％ ，n＝6），102.10％ （RSD＝0.93％ ，n＝6）， 103.26％（RSD＝1.28％，n＝6），103.89％（RSD＝0.73％，n＝6） and 102.09％（RSD＝1.79％，n＝6），respectively. The contents of the five components were 0.988 8-1.559 1，4.336 6-11.220 1， 0.065 1-0.830 5，0.043 8-0.692 5 and 0.023 2-0.427 2 mg/grain，respectively. The results of CA and PCA showed that 24 batches of samples could be divided into three categories ，i.e. S 1-S15，S16-S18 and S 19-S24. PLS-DA showed that variable importance in projection values of the corresponding component of peak 6 and glucosylvitexin （peak 7），rhamnosylvitexin（peak 8），hyperoside （peak 10） and isoquercetin （peak 11） were greater than 1. CONCLUSIONS The established HPLC fingerprint and multi-component quantitative method are simple and feasible. Combined with chemical pattern recognition analysis ，it can be used for the quality control of Xin ’an capsules. Glucosylvitexin ，rhamnosylvitexin and other components may be differentital markers affecting the quality of each batch of samples.

Effects of bolus thickness and use frequency on skin dose in postmastectomy intensity-modulated radiotherapy / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To investigate the effects of bolus thickness and use frequency on skin dose in postmastectomy intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 20 cases receiving postmastectomy fixed-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy, to analyze the homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) of the target volume and the skin dose (Dmax, Dmean, and Dmin) of radiotherapy plans with 0.5 cm-thick bolus or 1 cm-thick bolus alone at a use frequency of 5 F, 10 F, 15 F, 20 F, and 25 F versus a combination of 0.5 cm and 1 cm-thick bolus, and fit the relationship between skin dose and bolus use frequency. Results As the bolus use frequency increased, the skin dose increased, the hot spot of the target volume decreased, and the low-dose volume decreased. The HI of the target volume with the 1 cm bolus was better than that with the 0.5 cm bolus at all use frequencies (P < 0.05), and HI decreased with the increase of bolus use frequency. For both 0.5 cm and 1 cm bolus, the CI of the target volume increased initially and then decreased, reaching the maximum value at a frequency of around 15 F; the CI showed significant differences only at 20 F and 25 F between the two types of bolus (P < 0.05). The skin Dmax and Dmean were significant higher with the 0.5 cm bolus than with the 1 cm bolus (P < 0.05). The equation for the relationship between skin dose (D) and bolus use frequency (F) was D = A × F + B × F2 + C. The Dmax and HI with the combination of 0.5 cm bolus (6 F) plus 1 cm bolus (8 F) fell between those with the 0.5 cm bolus (15 F) and those with the 1 cm bolus (15 F) (P < 0.05). Conclusion In postmastectomy fixed-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy, skin dose can be calculated based on bolus use frequency. Mixed use of bolus may be more suitable than use of 0.5 cm bolus or 1 cm bolus alone.

Influence of normal tissue objective on intensity modulated radiation therapy for rectal cancer based on the Eclipse treatment planning system / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To analyze the dosimetric effect of the optimization tool, normal tissue objective (NTO), in Eclipse on the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for postoperative patients with rectal cancer. Methods Twenty postoperative patients with rectal cancer were randomly selected. Based on the Eclipse treatment planning system, three IMRT plans were formulated for each patient, with manual NTO as the control group, and automatic NTO and no NTO as the other two groups. The dosimetric parameters of the target volume and organs at risk (OAR) and the monitor units (MU) were compared between the automatic NTO and no NTO groups and the control group under the same optimization conditions. Results Compared with the control group, the automatic NTO group showed a worse conformity index (CI) (t = 3.248, P < 0.05), a 0.6% higher Dmean of normal tissues (t = -3.678, P < 0.05), and no significant difference in the dose to OAR and the MU (P > 0.05); the no NTO group showed a worse CI (t = 16.716, P < 0.05), a better homogeneity index (t = 6.594, P < 0.05), a 3.19% higher Dmean of normal tissues (t = -8.560, P < 0.05), no significant difference in the dose to OAR except the small intestine with higher Dmax (P > 0.05), and a 3.95% increase in the MU. Conclusion From the dosimetry results of the target volume and OAR, the plans with manual NTO and automatic NTO, and without NTO can meet clinical needs, but the plan without NTO increases the hot spots outside the target volume and the MU as well as the Dmean of normal tissues. Manual NTO has no obvious advantages over automatic NTO which is recommended for the fixed-field IMRT of rectal cancer.

NOX4/Src regulates ANP secretion through activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in beating rat hypoxic atria

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NOXs) are the major enzymatic source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). NOX2 and NOX4 are expressed in the heart but its role in hypoxia-induced atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion is unclear. This study investigated the effect of NOX on ANP secretion induced by hypoxia in isolated beating rat atria. The results showed that hypoxia significantly upregulated NOX4 but not NOX2 expression, which was completely abolished by endothelin-1 (ET-1) type A and B receptor antagonists BQ123 (0.3 µM) and BQ788 (0.3 µM). ET-1-upregulated NOX4 expression was also blocked by antagonists of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2; varespladib, 5.0 µM) and cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2; CAY10650, 120.0 nM), and ET-1-induced cPLA2 expression was inhibited by varespladib under normoxia. Moreover, hypoxia-increased ANP secretion was evidently attenuated by the NOX4 antagonist GLX351322 (35.0 µM) and inhibitor of ROS N-Acetyl-D-cysteine (NAC, 15.0 mM), and hypoxia-increased production of ROS was blocked by GLX351322. In addition, hypoxia markedly upregulated Src expression, which was blocked by ET receptors, NOX4, and ROS antagonists. ET-1-increased Src expression was also inhibited by NAC under normoxia. Furthermore, hypoxiaactivated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B (Akt) were completely abolished by Src inhibitor 1 (1.0 µM), and hypoxia-increased GATA4 was inhibited by the ERK1/2 and Akt antagonists PD98059 (10.0 µM) and LY294002 (10.0 µM), respectively. However, hypoxia-induced ANP secretion was substantially inhibited by Src inhibitor. These results indicate that NOX4/Src modulated by ET-1 regulates ANP secretion by activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in isolated beating rat hypoxic atria.

Relationship between preoperative subjective cognitive decline and postoperative delirium in elderly patients / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between preoperative subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients.Methods:A total of 292 elderly patients of both sexes, aged 65-90 yr, weighing 50-90 kg, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ-Ⅱ, with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score>23 and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score > 26 at 1 day before operation, underwent total knee/hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural block in our hospital from January to December 2020, were collected.The development of SCD was evaluated using subjective cognitive decline scale at 1 day before operation.Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was extracted after successful spinal-epidural anesthesia puncture, the concentrations of β-amyloid protein 40 (Aβ 40), Aβ 42, total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The incidence of POD was evaluated using confusion assessment method during post-anesthesia care unit and at 1-7 days after operation (or before discharge). Patients were divided into POD group and non-POD group according to whether POD occurred within 7 days after operation.The risk factors of which P values were less than 0.05 would enter the logistic regression analysis to stratify the risk factor for incidence of POD. Results:A total of 205 patients were enrolled and 53 patients developed POD (25.8%). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative SCD, and increased CSF p-tau and t-tau concentrations were risk factors for POD of elderly patients, and increased CSF Aβ 42 concentration and Aβ 40/p-tau, Aβ 40/t-tau, Aβ 42/p-tau and Aβ 42/t-tau were the protective factors for POD in elderly patients ( P<0.05). After correction of the confounding factors such as age, sex, body weight, education, the history of smoking and drinking, hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease, family history of dementia, Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), MMSE and MoCA score at 1 day before operation, duration of surgery, duration of anesthesia, intraoperative volume of infusion and blood loss and postoperative pain score, SCD, and increased CSF p-tau and t-tau concentrations were still the risk factors for POD in elderly patients, and increased CSF Aβ 42 concentration and Aβ 40/p-tau, Aβ 40/t-tau, Aβ 42/p-tau and Aβ 42/t-tau were still the protective factors for POD in elderly patients ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Preoperative SCD is the risk factor for POD in elderly patients.

Value of cerebrospinal fluid nerve injury-related proteins levels in predicting postoperative delirium / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objective:To evaluate the value of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) nerve injury-related proteins levels in predicting postoperative delirium (POD) in patients.Methods:A total of 1 000 patients of both sexes, aged 40-90 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, with Mini-Mental State Examination score>24 at 1 day before operation, undergoing elective knee/hip arthroplasty under spinal-epidural anesthesia , were enrolled in this study.Cubital venous blood samples were drawn before anesthesia for detection of the concentrations of plasma total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride.CSF 2ml was extracted after successful spinal-epidural anesthesia puncture for measurement of concentrations of α-synuclein (α-syn), β-amyloid protein 1-40 (Aβ 1-40), Aβ 1-42, total-Tau (t-Tau), phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), progranulin (PGRN) and soluble myeloid cell triggering receptor 2 (sTREM2) (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The Confusion Assessment Method was used at 1, 3 and 7 days after surgery to evaluate the occurrence of POD.The patients were divided into POD group and non-POD group according to whether POD occurred after operation.Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the variables of which P values were less than 0.05 to analyze the risk factors for POD.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and area (AUC) under the curve was calculated to evaluate the accuracy of the related risk factors in predicting POD. Results:A total of 964 patients were enrolled in the study, and 108 patients were diagnosed with POD, and the incidence was 11.2%.The results of logistic regression analysis found that age and and increased α-syn in CSF concentration were risk factors for POD, and decreased PGRN in CSF concentration and Aβ 1-42/p-Tau in CSF were the protective factors for POD ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that α-syn (AUC 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.634-0.748, sensitivity 57.41%, specificity 82.10%, Youden Index 0.3951), PGRN in CSF concentration (AUC 0.695, 95%CI 0.637-0.750, sensitivity 59.26%, specificity 80.86%, Youden Index 0.4012) and Aβ 1-42/p-Tau in CSF (AUC 0.635, 95%CI 0.574-0.692, sensitivity 93.52%, specificity 30.25%, Youden Index 0.2377) could predict the occurrence of POD. Conclusion:PGRN, α-syn concentration and Aβ 1-42/p-Tau in CSF can predict the occurrence of POD in patients.

Effect of Fuzheng Jiedu Prescription Combined with 5-Fu Against Postoperative Recurrence and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer in Mice： An Exploration Based on Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effect of Fuzheng Jiedu prescription（FZJDP） combined with 5-fluorouracil （5-Fu） against postoperative recurrence and metastasis in gastric cancer-bearing mice and explore the possible mechanism based on changes in CD4⁺ T cells， CD8⁺ T cells， and regulatory T （Treg） cells of tumor microenvironment， endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS） and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin（mTOR） pathway. Method:Forty 615 mice were randomly divided into the model group，FZJDP （25 g·kg^-1） group，5-Fu（25 mg·kg^-1）group，and combined （25 g·kg^-1 FZJDP + 25 mg·kg^-1 5-Fu）group， with 10 mice in each group. Mouse forestomach carcinoma （MFC） cells were implanted into the inner side of footpad of the left hind paw and the transplanted tumor was then surgically excised to establish a postoperative recurrence model. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was conducted to observe the pathological changes in mice with gastric cancer recurrence and lung metastasis. The CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T cell ratio in recurrent tumor and the percentages of Treg cells ［CD4⁺，CD25⁺， and forkhead box protein P3 （FOXP3）⁺ cells］ in spleen were detected by flow cytometry. The contents of ERS-related proteins ［78-kDa glucose-regulated protein（GRP78），inositol-requiring enzyme 1 alpha （IRE1<italic>α</italic>），activating transcription factor 6（ATF6），and protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase（PERK）］ and the expression of related proteins in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry （IHC）. Result:Compared with the model group， the combined group significantly increased the recurrent inhibition rate （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The recurrent tumor weight was significantly decreased in each treatment group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The number of lung metastases and metastasis rate declined in each treatment group， and the lowest values were observed in the combined group， without any statistical significance. The CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T cell ratios in the FZJDP group and combined group were significantly elevated （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， while the percentages of Treg cells were reduced （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. However， 5-Fu resulted in a significant increase in Treg cell percentage （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. IHC results showed that the protein expression levels of ATF6 （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， IRE1<italic>α</italic>（<italic>P</italic><0.05），and Akt （<italic>P</italic><0.01） in each treatment group were significantly down-regulated as compared with those in the model group. As revealed by Western blot， the GRP78 expression level in the 5-Fu group was lower than that in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， and the expression levels of PI3K， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， and mTOR were significantly decreased in the 5-Fu group and the combined group （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:FZJDP combined with 5-Fu reduces postoperative recurrence and metastasis in tumor-bearing mice possibly by inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway， diminishing ERS，and improving tumor immune microenvironment.

Content Analysis of 5 Kinds of Heavy Metal in Yougui Pills / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE：To investigate the contents of 5 kinds of heavy metal as copper （Cu），arsenic（As），cadmium （Cd），mercury（Hg）and lead （Pb）in Yougui pills ，and to evaluate its safety risk. METHODS ：Using yttrium （89Y），indium （115In）and bismuth （209bi）as internal standard ，the contents of each element were determined by ICP-MS. ICP-MS condition included that atomization gas flow rate was 0.95 L/min，auxiliary gas flow rate was 1.2 L/min，plasma gas （argon）flow rate was 18 L/min，pump speed was 30 r/min. RF power of inductively coupled plasma was 1 200 W，the voltage in simulation stage was 1 750 V，the voltage in pulse stage was 1 300 V，the voltage of deflection device was －12 V，and the detector was in analog and pulse dual-mode. The determination methods of various elements were investigated ，and 45 batches of marketed Yougui pills were determined. Hazard index （HI）was used to analyze the non-carcinogenic risk of each element and calculate the maximum residual limit（MRL）of each element. RESULTS ：The linear range of Cu ，As，Cd，Hg and Pb ranged from 10-200，1-50，0.4-30，0.2-6 and 2-100 μg/L（all r＞0.999 0），respectively. The limits of quantitation were 0.67，0.23，0.20，0.07，0.27 μg/L. The limits of detection were 0.20，0.07，0.06，0.02，0.08 μg/L. RSDs of precision，stability and reproducibility tests were all lower than 3.5％ （n＝6 or n＝5）. Average recoveries were 92.96％-100.89％（RSD＝2.23％-3.62％，n＝3）. Average contents of Cu ，As，Cd，Hg and Pb in 45 batches of Yougui pills were 2.72，0.28，0.07，0.05，0.62 mg/kg，and superimposed HI of each element was less than 1. The contents of 5 kinds of heavy metals in Yougui pills were lower than the proposed MRL （MRL of Cu ，As，Cd，Hg and Pb were 20，2，1，0.2，5 mg/kg or 111.11，4.44，2.22，1.48，8.89 mg/kg respectively ）. CONCLUSIONS ：Established method can be used for the determination of content of 5 kinds of heavy metal in Yougui pills ；the heavy metal pollution rate of marketed Yougui pills is low and the safety risk is small.

Fetal cervical zygapophysial joint with special reference to the associated synovial tissue:a histological study using near-term human fetuses / 대한해부학회지

Human fetal cervical vertebrae are characterized by the large zygapophysial joint (ZJ) extending posteriorly. During our recent studies on regional differences in the shape, extent, and surrounding tissue of the fetal ZJ, we incidentally found a cervical-specific structure of synovial tissues. This study aimed to provide a detailed evaluation of the synovial structure using sagittal and horizontal sections of 20 near-term fetuses. The cervical ZJ consistently had a large cavity with multiple recesses at the margins and, especially at the anterior end, the recess interdigitated with or were located close to tree-like tributaries of the veins of the external vertebral plexus. In contrast to the flat and thin synovial cell lining of the recess, the venous tributary had cuboidal endothelial cells. No or few elastic fibers were identified around the ZJ. The venous-synovial complex seems to be a transient morphology at and around birth, and it may play a role in the stabilization of the growing cervical ZJ against frequent spontaneous dislocation reported radiologically in infants. The venous-synovial complex in the cervical region should be lost and replaced by elastic fibers in childhood or adolescence. However, the delayed development of the ligament flavum is also likely to occur in the lumbar ZJ in spite of no evidence of a transient venous-synovial structure. The cuboidal venous endothelium may simply represent the high proliferation rate for the growing complex.

Relationship of the fabella with the origins of the plantaris and gastrocnemius lateral head muscles in late-term fetuses: a histological study / 대한해부학회지

Previous studies of midterm fetuses indicated that a cartilaginous fabella appeared to be embedded in the plantaris (PL), and was fused with the gastrocnemius lateral head (GL). We re-examined the topographical anatomy of the fabella or its analogue (a tight fibrous mass) originating in the GL and/or PL by evaluating histological sections of the unilateral knees of 15 late-term fetuses. Regardless of whether the cartilaginous fabella was present (6 fetuses) or absent (9 fetuses), the origins of the PL and GL muscles each had three parts. In each fetus, the fabella or its analogue was embedded in a thick common tendinous origin of the GL and PL. PL1 (whose origin is similar to that of the adult PL) originated from the femoral condyle immediately above the common tendon; PL2 originated from the posteromedial aspect of the fabella or its analogue; and PL3 originated from the inferior aspect of the fabella or its analogue. The muscle fibers of PL1, PL2, and PL3 joined to provide a thick plantaris. GL1 (which is adjacent to PL2) originated from the common tendon in the superior side of the fabella or its analogue and GL2 originated from the inferior side of the fabella or its analogue. GL1 and GL2 joined to provide a thick bundle, whereas GL3 (located far below the fabella or its analogue) originated from the posterior surface aponeurosis.Therefore, drastic reconstruction at these muscle origins was necessary during development. Due to the strong mechanical stress from the GL and the space-occupying effect of the muscle, we hypothesize that PL2 and PL3 are degraded or absorbed into the GL1 and GL2 during the postnatal period, so that the remaining PL1 was likely the remaining PL in adults.

NOX4/Src regulates ANP secretion through activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in beating rat hypoxic atria

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NOXs) are the major enzymatic source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). NOX2 and NOX4 are expressed in the heart but its role in hypoxia-induced atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion is unclear. This study investigated the effect of NOX on ANP secretion induced by hypoxia in isolated beating rat atria. The results showed that hypoxia significantly upregulated NOX4 but not NOX2 expression, which was completely abolished by endothelin-1 (ET-1) type A and B receptor antagonists BQ123 (0.3 µM) and BQ788 (0.3 µM). ET-1-upregulated NOX4 expression was also blocked by antagonists of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2; varespladib, 5.0 µM) and cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2; CAY10650, 120.0 nM), and ET-1-induced cPLA2 expression was inhibited by varespladib under normoxia. Moreover, hypoxia-increased ANP secretion was evidently attenuated by the NOX4 antagonist GLX351322 (35.0 µM) and inhibitor of ROS N-Acetyl-D-cysteine (NAC, 15.0 mM), and hypoxia-increased production of ROS was blocked by GLX351322. In addition, hypoxia markedly upregulated Src expression, which was blocked by ET receptors, NOX4, and ROS antagonists. ET-1-increased Src expression was also inhibited by NAC under normoxia. Furthermore, hypoxiaactivated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B (Akt) were completely abolished by Src inhibitor 1 (1.0 µM), and hypoxia-increased GATA4 was inhibited by the ERK1/2 and Akt antagonists PD98059 (10.0 µM) and LY294002 (10.0 µM), respectively. However, hypoxia-induced ANP secretion was substantially inhibited by Src inhibitor. These results indicate that NOX4/Src modulated by ET-1 regulates ANP secretion by activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in isolated beating rat hypoxic atria.

Fetal cervical zygapophysial joint with special reference to the associated synovial tissue:a histological study using near-term human fetuses / 대한해부학회지

Human fetal cervical vertebrae are characterized by the large zygapophysial joint (ZJ) extending posteriorly. During our recent studies on regional differences in the shape, extent, and surrounding tissue of the fetal ZJ, we incidentally found a cervical-specific structure of synovial tissues. This study aimed to provide a detailed evaluation of the synovial structure using sagittal and horizontal sections of 20 near-term fetuses. The cervical ZJ consistently had a large cavity with multiple recesses at the margins and, especially at the anterior end, the recess interdigitated with or were located close to tree-like tributaries of the veins of the external vertebral plexus. In contrast to the flat and thin synovial cell lining of the recess, the venous tributary had cuboidal endothelial cells. No or few elastic fibers were identified around the ZJ. The venous-synovial complex seems to be a transient morphology at and around birth, and it may play a role in the stabilization of the growing cervical ZJ against frequent spontaneous dislocation reported radiologically in infants. The venous-synovial complex in the cervical region should be lost and replaced by elastic fibers in childhood or adolescence. However, the delayed development of the ligament flavum is also likely to occur in the lumbar ZJ in spite of no evidence of a transient venous-synovial structure. The cuboidal venous endothelium may simply represent the high proliferation rate for the growing complex.

Relationship of the fabella with the origins of the plantaris and gastrocnemius lateral head muscles in late-term fetuses: a histological study / 대한해부학회지

Previous studies of midterm fetuses indicated that a cartilaginous fabella appeared to be embedded in the plantaris (PL), and was fused with the gastrocnemius lateral head (GL). We re-examined the topographical anatomy of the fabella or its analogue (a tight fibrous mass) originating in the GL and/or PL by evaluating histological sections of the unilateral knees of 15 late-term fetuses. Regardless of whether the cartilaginous fabella was present (6 fetuses) or absent (9 fetuses), the origins of the PL and GL muscles each had three parts. In each fetus, the fabella or its analogue was embedded in a thick common tendinous origin of the GL and PL. PL1 (whose origin is similar to that of the adult PL) originated from the femoral condyle immediately above the common tendon; PL2 originated from the posteromedial aspect of the fabella or its analogue; and PL3 originated from the inferior aspect of the fabella or its analogue. The muscle fibers of PL1, PL2, and PL3 joined to provide a thick plantaris. GL1 (which is adjacent to PL2) originated from the common tendon in the superior side of the fabella or its analogue and GL2 originated from the inferior side of the fabella or its analogue. GL1 and GL2 joined to provide a thick bundle, whereas GL3 (located far below the fabella or its analogue) originated from the posterior surface aponeurosis.Therefore, drastic reconstruction at these muscle origins was necessary during development. Due to the strong mechanical stress from the GL and the space-occupying effect of the muscle, we hypothesize that PL2 and PL3 are degraded or absorbed into the GL1 and GL2 during the postnatal period, so that the remaining PL1 was likely the remaining PL in adults.

Advances of Artificial Intelligence Application in Medical Imaging of Ovarian Cancers / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Ovarian cancer is one of the three most common gynecological cancers in the world, and is regarded as a priority in terms of women's cancer. In the past few years, many researchers have attempted to develop and apply artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to multiple clinical scenarios of ovarian cancer, especially in the field of medical imaging. AI-assisted imaging studies have involved computer tomography (CT), ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this review, we perform a literature search on the published studies that using AI techniques in the medical care of ovarian cancer, and bring up the advances in terms of four clinical aspects, including medical diagnosis, pathological classification, targeted biopsy guidance, and prognosis prediction. Meanwhile, current status and existing issues of the researches on AI application in ovarian cancer are discussed.

Dosimetric study on middle ear with three whole-brain radiotherapy techniques / 中国辐射卫生

Objective This study aims to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the three techniques in improving the target volume dose and protecting the auris media cavity and eustachian tube isthmus region by investigating the dosimetric differences of three whole-brain radiotherapy techniques. Methods Thirty patients with whole brain metastases were randomly selected to design fixed field intensity modulated radiotherapy (ff-IMRT) plan, volumetric arc modulated therapy (VMAT) and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) plan, and to meet a 95% PTV prescription dose (40 Gy). The dosimetric parameters and monitor units of the target volume and organ at risk (OAR) in the three groups of treatment plans were compared and analyzed. Results The Conformity Index (CI) of the ff-IMRT plan (0.93 ± 0.02) was better than the VMAT plan (0.89 ± 0.01) and the 3DCRT plan (0.73 ± 0.03), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The Homogeneity Index (HI) of the three plans were ff-IMRT (0.05 ± 0.01)、VMAT(0.08 ± 0.1) and 3DCRT (0.08 ± 0.01), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The Gradient Index (GI) were ff-IMRT (1.77 ± 0.1), VMAT (1.61 ± 0.07), 3DCRT (1.39 ± 0.08), respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The monitor units (MU) were ff-IMRT (1551.97 ± 85.02), VMAT (303.7 ± 24.28) and 3DCRT (226.2 ± 2.5), respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The Dmax of the middle ear of the three plans were ff-IMRT (2557.54 ± 477.39) cGy, VMAT (3107.9 ± 362.28) cGy, 3DCRT (4055.37 ± 71.45) cGy, respectively. The Dmax of the eustachian tube isthmus were ff-IMRT (2425 ± 380.4) cGy, VMAT (2902.4 ± 526.3) cGy and 3DCRT (3862.7 ± 135.9) cGy, the difference were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion In whole-brain radiotherapy, ff-IMRT and VMAT significantly reduced the dose of the bilateral middle ear cavities and eustachian tube isthmus compared with 3DCRT. VMAT is recommended for WBRT for reducing the number of monitor units significantly.

Computed Tomography Imaging Features of IgG4-related Nephropathy / 中国医学科学院学报

Objective To investigate the computed tomography(CT)imaging features of IgG4-related kidney disease(IgG4-RKD).Methods The clinicopathological and imaging data of 36 IgG4-RKD patients(including 26 cases of renal parenchyma,10 cases of renal pelvis,24 cases of double kidney or multiple lesions,and 12 cases of single focus)were retrospectively analyzed.Results IgG4-RKD had specific clinicopathological and imaging features.Although the kidney or renal pelvis was involved,there were no common clinical manifestations of malignant tumors such as hydronephrosis and hematuria.The boundary was clear and complete,and it had typical characteristics of continuous progressive enhancement.The peak value was mostly in the solid and excretory phase,and there were no imaging manifestations such as liquefaction,necrosis,cystic degeneration,and calcification.Even if the renal pelvis was obviously involved and the focus was large,there was no invasion of the peripheral renal parenchyma,the shape of the renal pelvis still existed,the wall was smooth,and there was no enlarged peripheral lymph nodes.Conclusions CT images of IgG4-RKD are similar to those of renal malignant tumors.Based on clinicopathological features,CT findings,and blood IgG4-related tests,a definite diagnosis can be made and unnecessary operation can be avoided.