AIM: To measure the macular thickness of normal young people by 3D 1000 optical coherence tomography (OCT) and study the repeatability of measuring results and the relationship between the thicknesses of macular and gender. At the same time, to compare our result with the data of other types of OCT, and to understand the consistency of the measuring results of macular thickness of different types of OCT.
METHODS: Totally 222 eyes in 111 young people were detected using 3D scan mode of Topcon 3D OCT 1000 (ver 2.4 ) . Twelve cases ( 24 eyes ) underwent repeatability check. We took transverse comparison between our measured results with other research's results.
RESULTS: There were 111 cases of young people, whose age were from 18-27 years old, all uncorrected and corrected visual acuity were≥1. 0, all intraocular pressure were <21mmHg. The average thickness of all macular region was 273. 32±17.08μm. Retinal volume of macular area was 7. 73 ± 0.37mm3 . Center thickness was 161 -264μm, and the average thickness was 200. 13±18. 81μm. Central macular thickness were 188 - 273μm, and the average thickness was 229. 00 ± 18. 20μm. The central macular thickness in men was significantly greater than that in women, and there was statistical difference. The results of repeated check of 12 cases ( 24 eyes ) in the macular area were no statistical difference except the outer ring of nasal quadrant, and the repeatability of average thickness in central macular thickness was better than in center thickness.
CONCLUSION:The repeatability of macular examination is good. The central macular thickness can be better repeated than the center thickness. The central macular thickness is 229. 00±18. 20μm in young people, according to the 3D 1000 OCT measurements. There are statistical difference of central macular thickness between different genders.

The aim of this study was to establish a diagnostic method for ABO genotyping and to investigate the distribution of ABO genotype in Beijing Han population so as to understand the distribution characteristics and regularity of ABO genotype. An ABO genotyping method was established by using multiplex-PCR-RFLP and PCR-SSP techniques, and the ABO allele frequency in Beijing Han population was investigated. The results showed that A102, O1 and B allele were more common genes in Beijing Han individuals. And A102 allele was predominant in the phenotype A group in this population. Three O2 alleles were found and no A201 allele was found while gene frequency investigation was performed. No A101A101, A101O2, A102O2, BO2 and O2O2 in this population were discovered. It is concluded that the primary regularity of ABO allele distribution in Beijing Han population is found through this study. It provides basic reference for further study of ABO types.
ABO Blood-Group System ; genetics ; Adult ; Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; ethnology ; Female ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; methods ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Young Adult

The study was purposed to investigate whether processing and storage conditions might influence the stability of the HCV RNA in whole blood or in plasma. The samples obtained from seven patients known to be positive for HCV RNA were kept in different storage conditions with different anticoagulants, and at the end of processing the plasma samples were frozen at -80 degrees C until fluorescent quantitative PCR testing. The results showed that there was no significant loss of HCV RNA titers in whole blood anticoagulated with CPDA or ACD or EDTA or none (P > 0.05), while differences in comparison of the EDTA-anticoagulant storage condition with three other anticoagulants storage conditions at 4 degrees C after 48 hours were significant (P < 0.05). The HCV RNA level decreased to 53.8%, 72.5% and 29.8% after 48 hours of storage of whole blood anticoagulated with ACD at 4 degrees C, 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C respectively. The HCV RNA level of plasma samples stored at 4 degrees C and at 25 degrees C (room temperature) after 7 days decreased to 70.9% and 25.1% respectively. After four freeze-thaw cycles the HCV RNA level decreased 38.9% in plasma samples. It is concluded that the HCV RNA is stable relatively. The HCV RNA is resistant to degradation under routine laboratory handling and storage conditions or blood collection, transport and processing conditions. The influence of different anticoagulants on the stability of HCV RNA is different. Blood samples would better be stored at 4 degrees C after collection and plasma separated within 48 hours. And it is important for the stability of HCV RNA undergoing asepsis blood collection process. HCV RNA remains stable at 4 degrees C for at least 7 days or at room temperature for 3 days, allowing greater flexibility in samples collection and transport in transfusion practice nowadays. HCV RNA in plasma samples subject to up to three short-term freeze-thaw cycles is still stable.
Blood Donors ; Blood Preservation ; methods ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Hepatitis C ; virology ; Humans ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; drug effects ; Specimen Handling ; standards ; Temperature ; Time Factors

Limitations of polyacrylamide gel or agarose gel electrophoretic methods in genotyping research affect the interpreting of detection results. In order to develop a simple and reliable method for appraising results of ABO genotyping detection, the microfluidic chip analysis system was established by using microfluidic chip to replace the gel electrophoresis and combining with multiplex-PCR-RFLP technique. 150 blood samples were tested by this microfluidic chip analysis system with multiplex-PCR-RFLP technique to evaluate its stability and accuracy. The results showed that all the testing results were consistent with serologic ABO genotyping results and 1 blood sample with decrease of B antigen caused by CML was identified. In conclusion, the established microfluidic chip analysis system is stable and reliable technique. Application of this technique enables the ABO genotyping results to be more objective and accurate.
ABO Blood-Group System ; genetics ; Blood Grouping and Crossmatching ; methods ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Genotype ; Humans ; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques ; Microfluidics ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis

This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between cytogenetic evolution and disease progression in patient with MDS-RAEB. By a long term (6 years) follow-up of a patient with MDS-RAEB, peripheral blood cell count, bone marrow cell morphology and conventional cytogenetics were monitored regularly. In addition, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied to confirm the aberrant karyotype. The results indicated that this patient was failed with conventional chemotherapy of AML, but had response to ATRA and 6-MP in the 72 months follow-up. At initial diagnosis, the cytogenetics analysis showed normal karyotype, whereas 46, XY, 2q+[1]/46, XY[19] was found at 48 months, 46, XY, dup(1q)[3]/46, XY[7] at 56 months, and dup (1) as well as der (11) with complex karyotype at 68 months, which was accompanied by progressive decrease of platelet count. It is concluded that karyotype evolution is perhaps associated with progression of MDS.
Adult ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 ; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Karyotyping ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myelodysplastic Syndromes ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its risk factors in population over 40 years old in northern part of Guangdong province.

METHODSUsing uniform scheme, procedures and questionnaire, a cluster-randomized-sampling survey for the population aged over 40 years in a rural area of Shaoguan in the northern part of Guangdong province was performed. Spirometry was performed for every participant, followed by a bronchodilatation test when bronchial obstruction was present.

RESULTSThere were 1468 cases with complete data from 1498 people aged >or= 40 years including 640 males, 828 females with an average age of 54.3 years old. The total prevalence of COPD was 12.0%. The prevalence of COPD in males was significantly higher than that in females (18.3% vs. 7.1%, P < 0.01). Only 80.7% of the patients with COPD presented one or more symptoms as cough, phlegm, or dyspnoea. Underdiagnosis of COPD would be quite serious. Only 26.1% of the cases was previously diagnosed to have chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or COPD. Smoking was an important risk factor to COPD and 78.4% of the patients with COPD were smokers. However, relation of biomass and COPD called for further investigation.

CONCLUSIONPrevalence of COPD was much higher than expected in the northern part of Guangdong while smoking was an most important risk factor of COPD. Lung function test seemed to be of great importance to COPD diagnosis, especially in the earlier period of COPD.

Adult ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Sex Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the correlation between signal/cutoff (S/CO) ratios of anti-HCV EIA and their true positivity for determining the predictive value of S/CO ratios.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty-nine samples of blood from donors positive for anti-HCV at the initial screening were collected from Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Kunming and Urumchi. All the samples were retested by Ortho and 6 Chinese domestic anti-HCV EIA kits in duplicate, and detected for HCV RNA (NAT) using Chiron Procleix HIV/HCV system (transcription mediated amplification, TMA). The HCV RNA negative samples were further tested for anti-HCV by Chiron RIBA 3.0. Either NAT or RIBA positive samples were interpreted as the true positive.

RESULTSAll 7 anti-HCV EIA kits had a significant correlation between S/CO ratios and true positivity. The S/CO ratio of Ortho > or = 3.8 predicted the true positivity in 96.1% of the samples tested. The S/CO ratios of BGI-GBI, GWK, SABC, KHB, InTec, and Wantai were > or = 7.0, > or = 10.0, > or = 6.0, > or = 10.0, > or = 8.6, > or = 14.0 and predicted 96.1%, 96.1%, 97.3%, 96.0%, 96.1%, 96.0% of the true positivity, respectively.

CONCLUSIONSThe S/CO ratios of anti-HCV EIA kits are associated with the true positivity. S/CO ratios of Ortho, BGI-GBI, GWK, SABC, KHB, InTec and Wantai predicting > or = 95% true positivity are > or = 3.8, > or = 7.0, > or = 10.0, > or = 6.0, > or = 1 0.0, > or = 8.6 and > or = 14.0, respectively.

Blood Donors ; Hepacivirus ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; methods ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

To investigate the expression of phospholipase C-gamma1 (PLC-gamma1) in mouse embryonic tissues, serial tissue sections were prepared routinely for immunocytochemistry for PLC-gamma1. The results showed that PLC-gamma1 was expressed in the cartilage, skeletal muscles, myocardium, the collecting tubule of the kidney, connective tissues and the brain, suggesting the important role PLC-gamma1 and the related signal pathway may play in the development of mouse embryonic tissues.
Animals ; Brain ; embryology ; enzymology ; Cartilage ; embryology ; enzymology ; Embryo, Mammalian ; enzymology ; Female ; Fetal Heart ; enzymology ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney ; embryology ; enzymology ; Mice ; Muscle, Skeletal ; embryology ; enzymology ; Phospholipase C gamma ; biosynthesis ; Pregnancy

BACKGROUNDCoronary artery disease (CAD) is generally considered as a disease of middle-aged men. It is widely accepted that the risk for CAD of premenopausal women is low because of hormone protection. Based on our clinical experience, more and more premenopausal women suffer from angina and myocardial infarction without adequate concern. Even now, there are still limited detailed data to describe the characteristics, mechanism and prognosis of premenopausal CAD patients. This article aimed to analyze the clinical and angiographic characteristics of premenopausal women with CAD.

METHODSA total of 565 premenopausal women and 721 postmenopausal women (56 - 60 years old) who underwent coronary angiography for the first time from April 2004 to December 2007 were enrolled. The clinical data and coronary angiographic characteristics (presence, localization, length and severity) were compared between the premenopausal and postmenopausal CAD groups.

RESULTSPremenopausal CAD patients presented less frequently with hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia compared with postmenopausal CAD patients (55.0% vs 66.0%, 15.0% vs 31.5%, 23.9% vs 37.4%, respectively; all P < 0.05). Although we found more frequent involvement of single vessel in premenopausal CAD (43.2% vs 26.9%, P = 0), and triple vessels in postmenopausal (56 - 60 years old) CAD patients (33.8% vs 20.4%, P = 0), much more severe lesions (> or = 90%) at left main (2.9% vs 1.1%, P = 0.048) and proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) (28.2% vs 16.6%, P = 0) in the premenopausal CAD group were found.

CONCLUSIONPremenopausal women with chest discomfort are always found to have obvious atherosclerosis, more inclined to be located at the left main and proximal LAD, which is a strong predictor of an adverse clinical outcome.

Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Diabetes Mellitus ; pathology ; Dyslipidemias ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Postmenopause ; Premenopause