ABSTRACT
Objectives: We examined the effect of oil intake differing in fatty acid composition on fat accumulation amount, concentration of serum and fat droplets adipocytes of liver tissue in rats. Methods: Young male rats were fed a high cholesterol diet containing either lard, soybean oil, perilla oil or fish oil for 4wk. The control diet contained a lard component. Results: Posterior abdominal wall fat and testicle peripheral fat weights were significantly lower in the fish oil group compared with the control and the soybean oil group. The number of fat droplets was significantly higher in the liver tissue of rats in the perilla oil group compared with the other groups, and many fat droplets with small diameters were observed. The proportion of fat droplets to the total area was significantly lower in the perilla oil group and the fish oil group compared with the control and the soybean oil group. Conclusion: The results suggested that oil intake differing in fatty acid composition correlates with fat accumulation amount and lipid droplet area in the liver tissue. Fish oil intake correlated with reduced visceral fat accumulation and is expected to be useful in the prevention and improvement of obesity.
ABSTRACT
Objective To screen for and validate the principal ultrasonographic features of normal human parathyroid glands, so as to provide guidance for diagnostic ultrasound in parathyroid pathologies and protection of normal parathyroid during total thyroidectomy. Methods From Apr. 2008 to Dec. 2012, the neck ultrasonograms focusing on the thyroids and adjacent structures were obtained from 600 healthy subjects. One-by-one identification and exclusion was performed based on anatomical evidences, and the most probable parathyroid images (termed as presumed parathyroid sonogram) of normal human parathyroid were obtained. Based on those presumed parathyroid sonograms, we compared the detection rates of parathyroid in subjects with or without hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy, and we also analyzed the ultrasonic features of patients with hyperparathyroidism. Moreover, we assessed the influence of intraoperative ultrasonography on the occurrence of hypoparathyroidism following total thyroidectomy. The accuracy and reliability of the presumed parathyroid sonogram were discussed. Results It was verified that the normal parathyroid appeared as a small well-circumscribed nodule with fine and homogenous internal hyperechoes. Their configuration varied, with oval shape as the commonest one; the texture was softer than that of adjacent thyroid parenchyma, with the quantitative strain ratio below 1 on elastography. About 62. 5% of the normal parathyroids were filled with color Doppler flow signals. The gland was small, with the mean length, width, and thickness being (6.38 + 1.46), (3.76 + 1.02), and (2.75 + 1.99) mm, respectively, and the mean volume was (0.13 + 0.06)mL by VOCAL method. The inferior glands were much better displayed than the superior ones. As for the patients who had experienced a total thyroidectomy, among five cases complicated with postoperative hypoparathyroidism, 4 (80%) developed the absence of parathyroid on ultrasonography, which was not seen in 35 patients with normal parathyroid function. As for the patients with hyperparathyroidism, normal parathyroid glands were invisible in the area of adenomatous or hyperplastic parathyroids. One patient (3. 3%) with intraoperative ultrasonography and six patients (20%) without intraoperative ultrasonography developed postoperative hypoparathyroidism (P<0. 01). Two patients with thyroid agenesis showed 2 normal ipsilateral normal parathyroids. Conclusion In the present study we have successfully obtained the ultrasonic features of normal parathyroids using non-invasive research strategies, which have been preliminarily validated in clinical application.