FREQUENCY AND NUMBER OF ULTRASOUND LUNG ROCKETS (B‐LINES) USING A REGIONALLY BASED LUNG ULTRASOUND EXAMINATION NAMED VET BLUE (VETERINARY BEDSIDE LUNG ULTRASOUND EXAM) IN DOGS WITH RADIOGRAPHICALLY NORMAL LUNG FINDINGS

Lung ultrasound is superior to lung auscultation and supine chest radiography for many respiratory conditions in human patients. Ultrasound diagnoses are based on easily learned patterns of sonographic findings and artifacts in standardized images. By applying the wet lung (ultrasound lung rockets or B‐lines, representing interstitial edema) versus dry lung (A‐lines with a glide sign) concept many respiratory conditions can be diagnosed or excluded. The ultrasound probe can be used as a visual stethoscope for the evaluation of human lungs because dry artifacts (A‐lines with a glide sign) predominate over wet artifacts (ultrasound lung rockets or B‐lines). However, the frequency and number of wet lung ultrasound artifacts in dogs with radiographically normal lungs is unknown. Thus, the primary objective was to determine the baseline frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets in dogs without clinical signs of respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lung findings using an 8‐view novel regionally based lung ultrasound examination called Vet BLUE. Frequency of ultrasound lung rockets were statistically compared based on signalment, body condition score, investigator, and reasons for radiography. Ten left‐sided heart failure dogs were similarly enrolled. Overall frequency of ultrasound lung rockets was 11% (95% confidence interval, 6–19%) in dogs without respiratory disease versus 100% (95% confidence interval, 74–100%) in those with left‐sided heart failure. The low frequency and number of ultrasound lung rockets observed in dogs without respiratory disease and with radiographically normal lungs suggests that Vet BLUE will be clinically useful for the identification of canine respiratory conditions.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF BALL PYTHONS (Python regius) IN CURLED RECUMBENCY

Anesthesia and tube restraint methods are often required for computed tomography (CT) of snakes due to their natural tendency to curl up. However, these restraint methods may cause animal stress. The aim of this study was to determine whether the CT appearance of the lungs differs for ball pythons in a curled position vs. tube restraint. Whole body CT was performed on ten clinically healthy ball pythons, first in curled and then in straight positions restrained in a tube. Curved multiplanar reformatted (MPR) lung images from curled position scans were compared with standard MPR lung images from straight position scans. Lung attenuation and thickness were measured at three locations for each scan. Time for positioning and scanning was 12 ± 5 min shorter for curled snakes compared to tube restraint. Lung parenchyma thickness and attenuation declined from cranial to caudal on both straight and curled position images. Mean lung parenchyma thickness was greater in curled images at locations 1 (P = 0.048) and 3 (P = 0.044). Mean lung parenchyma thickness decreased between location 1 and 2 by 86–87% (straight: curled) and between location 1 and 3 by 51‐50% (straight: curled). Mean lung attenuation at location 1 was significantly greater on curled position images than tube restraint images (P = 0.043). Findings indicated that CT evaluation of the lungs is feasible for ball pythons positioned in curled recumbency if curved MPR is available. However, lung parenchyma thickness and attenuation in some locations may vary from those acquired using tube restraint.     

The immune response to anesthesia: Part 1

ObjectiveTo review the immune response to anesthesia including mechanical ventilation, inhaled anesthetic gases, and injectable anesthetics and sedatives.Study designReview.Methods and databasesMultiple literature searches were performed using PubMed and Google Scholar from spring 2012 through fall 2013. Relevant anesthetic and immune terms were used to search databases without year published or species constraints. The online database for Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia and the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care were searched by issue starting in 2000 for relevant articles.ConclusionRecent research data indicate that commonly used volatile anesthetic agents, such as isoflurane and sevoflurane, may have a protective effect on vital organs. With the lung as the target organ, protection using an appropriate anesthetic protocol may be possible during direct pulmonary insults, including mechanical ventilation, and during systemic disease processes, such as endotoxemia, generalized sepsis, and ischemia-reperfusion injury.     

Inhibitory Effect of Dihydroaustrasulfone Alcohol on the Migration of Human Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma A549 Cells and the Antitumor Effect on a Lewis Lung Carcinoma-Bearing Tumor Model in C57BL/6J Mice

There are many major causes of cancer death, including metastasis of cancer. Dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol, which is isolated from marine coral, has shown antioxidant activity, but has not been reported to have an anti-cancer effect. We first discovered that dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol provided a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the migration and motility of human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) A549 cells by trans-well and wound healing assays. The results of a zymography assay and Western blot showed that dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol suppressed the activities and protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Further investigation revealed that dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol suppressed the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38, and JNK1/2. Dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol also suppressed the expression of PI3K and the phosphorylation of Akt. Furthermore, dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol markedly inhibited tumor growth in Lewis lung cancer (LLC)-bearing mice. We concluded that dihydroaustrasulfone alcohol is a new pure compound with anti-migration and anti-tumor growth activity in lung cancer and might be applied to clinical treatment in the future.     

双向水平地震作用下非对称框架结构抗震分析简化方法

采用刚性楼板假定,取各个楼面的质量中心在x,y方向的位移与绕z轴的转角作为自由度,将非对称空间框架结构简化为串刚片模型.将空间框架按两个正交方向划分为若干平面框架子结构,求得这些平面框架子结构的刚度矩阵后将其缩聚,再应用直接刚度法形成整体结构的刚度矩阵.该方法同时考虑了结构的扭转耦合及梁柱节点的弯曲转动.最后,通过一个结构的模态分析与弹性时程分析,比较了按本文方法与用ansys按空间有限元方法计算的结果,两者相符良好.故本文方法可用于非对称框架结构的抗震分析与设计.     

留置套针经胸壁穿刺肺活检临床应用价值

探讨经胸壁肺活检对诊断肺部疾病的价值。在模拟机定位指引下留置套针经胸壁刺入病灶中心，然后再用细针进行反复抽吸肺组织。结果：３４例肺部病灶均获得得活检组织，病理检查结果１７例为肺癌，５例结核，１例结节病，１１例肺炎症。结论：留置套针经胸壁穿刺定位准确，可直接取得病理组织，阳性率高，并发症低，安全性高。     

仔猪肺型大肠杆菌病的诊断

通过对60余例患病仔猪症状的观察和3例仔猪的解剖及试验化验分析，发现大通种猪场的仔猪的死亡是由肺型大肠杆菌感染所致，药敏试验结果表明该型大肠杆菌对丁胺卡那、头孢唑啉及头孢胺苄敏感，这三类药物可用于该病的治疗。     

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2 attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury

AIM: To investigate the effects and mechanisms of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor-2 (S1P2R)on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). METHODS: ALI model was induced by intratracheal administration of LPS in both wild-type mice and S1P2R -deficient mice. The pathological changes in the lung tissues were observed, and the protein concentration, total cell number, neutrophil ratio, TNF-α level and IL-6 level were determined in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) 24 h after LPS injection. In order to investigate the mechanisms of S1P2R in LPS-induced ALI, 10 min before LPS injection, both wild-type mice and S1P2R -deficient mice were injected with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor by tail vein injection, the pathological changes of the lung tissues were observed, and the protein concentration and total cell number in BALF were determined 12 h after LPS injection. RESULTS: Compared with wild-type mice, S1P2R -deficient mice showed more severe LPS-induced ALI, and the protein concentration, neutrophils and inflammatory cytokines in BALF were significantly increased in S1P2R -deficient mice. Administration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N^ω-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester protected S1P2R -deficient mice from aggravation of ALI. CONCLUSION: S1P2R mediates the protection from LPS-induced ALI possibly through inhibiting nitric oxide synthase.     

Expression and clinical significance of PAK4 in non-small cell lung cancer

AIM: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of PAK4 in the cell lines and tissues of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: PAK4 expression in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells, NSCLC cell lines, NSCLC tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blot. Prognostic value of PAK4 expression was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. RESULTS: PAK4 was over-expressed in the NSCLC cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels compared with HBE cells (P<0.05). PAK4 was over-expressed in the NSCLC tissues at both mRNA and protein levels compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues (P<0.05). PAK4 was over-expressed in the metastatic NSCLC tissues compared with the primary NSCLC tissues (P<0.05). Higher PAK4 staining scores were positively correlated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and clinical stage. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test showed that overall survival was significantly different between the patients with up-regulated PAK4 and the patients with down-regulated PAK4(P<0.05). PAK4 over-expression was associated with NSCLC progression.CONCLUSION: Increased PAK4 expression was associated with tumor invasion, metastasis and prognosis in the patients with NSCLC. PAK4 is an important prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.     

BP Neural Networks and Its Application in Lung Cancer Intelligent Diagnosis System

The learning algorithm of networks is discussed. The programming example of 3 layer BP networks is given with Visual C++6.0 program langue. Based on this model, a lung cancer intelligent diagnosis system is successfully implemented. Furthermore, the paper introduces network's structure design, preferencesand the source of stylebookdatum in factual applications. The ameliorative arithmetic is applied to the study of networks and BP dynamic evolving process is designed. The experiments indicatecell images are recognized and classified by the trained neural network. The study illustrates the system has feasibility and clinical value in lung cancer diagnosis.