Purpose To assess the left ventricular global systolic function changes using three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in female patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT) undergoing L-thyroxine treatment. Materials and Methods Thirty-eight female patients with SHT and 40 healthy female volunteers of the same age (control group) were selected, all the SHT patients received L-thyroxine therapy and were followed for 1 year after euthyroid status was achieved; all the participants underwent blood biochemical examinations, complete conventional echocardiographic and 3D-STI examinations, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVEDs), interventricular septal depth (IVSd), left ventricular posterior wall depth (LVPWd), left atrial diameter (LAD), diastolic mitral flow spectrum of A peak, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of the two groups were compared, and the correlation of parameters of three dimensional left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), global radial strain (GRS), global area strain (GAS), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) with each parameter was analyzed. Results IVSd and LVPWd in the study group were higher than those of the control group (t=3.30 and 3.64, P<0.05). Compared with the control group, GLS, GCS, GRS and GAS of left ventricular of SHT patients in the study group were significantly lower (t=8.60, 11.95, 9.78 and 5.92, P<0.05) before treatment. GLS, GCS, GRS and GAS of SHT patients improved after L-thyroxine therapy, and the difference was statistically significant (t=6.91, 9.41, 6.46 and 4.31, P<0.05).TSH level was negatively correlated with E/A ratio and E (r= - 0.39 and - 0.42, P<0.05), and also negatively correlated with GLS, GCS, GRS and GAS (r= - 0.38, - 0.56, - 0.33 and - 0.41, P<0.05). Conclusion Left ventricular global systolic function changes of SHT patients before and after L-thyroxine treatment can be evaluated properly using 3D-STI.

Purpose Heart damage occurs frequently in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), and most of the patients have no obvious symptoms. In this study, three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) was used to assess the systolic function of left ventricle, for early diagnosis of cardiac function changes in patients with mild SLE. Materials and Methods Thirty-six patients with clinical diagnosed mild SLE were enrolled and 40 healthy volunteers were selected as control group. All the participants underwent both conventional echocardiographic and 3D-STI examinations, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVEDs), interventricular septal depth (IVSd), left ventricular posterior wall depth (LVPWd), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), left ventricular global circumferential strain (GCS), left ventricular global radial strain (GRS) and left ventricular global area strain (GAS) were compared between the two groups. Results The GLS, GCS, GRS and GAS of the study group were all lower than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on LVEDd, LVEDs, IVSd, LVPWd, LVEDV, LVESV and LVEF (P>0.05). Conclusion 3D-STI is able to make an objective evaluation of the left ventricular systolic function for patients with mild SLE, and provide help for clinical cardiac function monitoring.

Objective To compare the difference of the left ventricular structure and diastolic func-tion in normotensive offspring with or without a family history of hypertension. Methods One hundred nor-motensive offspring were assessed. Fifty had a family history of hypertension (experimental group) and 50 had no family hi.history of hypertension (control group). By eehocardiography and Doppler tissue imaging, the following parameters of left ventricular structure and diastolic function were examined: interventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventrieular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left ventricular internal dimension (LVIDed), left ventrieular mass index(LVMI) and E/A. Results Compared with control group, experimen-tal group had higher IVST, LVPWT and LVMI, lower peak velocity of the early diastolic wave (e) of mitral annulus, and lower e/a (P<0.05). No differences in LVIDed, left atrial diameter (LA),aortic dimension(AOD), E,A and E/A were found between the two groups. Conclusion The results indicate that genetic factor of parental hypertension influence left ventrieular structure and diastolic function in normotensive offspring, which may precede the elevation of blood pressure.

Objective To diagnose a rare variant Hb Shaare Zedek in a Chinese family,and describe its clinical feature.Methods Blood samples of seven members of three generation were collected.Standard blood routine analysis,hemoglobin electrophoresis and blood gas analysis were used for phenotype analysis.Gap-PCR and reverse dot blot analysis were used to detect common thalassemia mutations.DNA sequence analysis of the human α and β globin genes were used to identify the mutation site of these samples.Results The result of blood routine analysis was normal in the proband,but a abnormal hemoglobin band (22.4％,capillary assay) was found by hemoglobin electrophoresis.In the blood gas analysis,the partial pressure of oxygen and blood oxygen saturation were 72.0 mm Hg ( 1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa) and 93.0％ in the proband.The heterozygous mutations in αl globin gene at codon 56 ( AAG ＞ GAG)which leaded Glu substitution to Lys were identified in the proband.Other family members who carried the same mutation showed similar phenotype,with abnormal hemoglobin band ( 22.4％ - 23.9％,capillary assay),low partial pressure of oxygen (59.0 - 72.0 mm Hg) and blood oxygen saturation (91.0％ -93.0％).Conclusions The heterozygote of Hb Shaare Zedek leads to slight symptoms with abnormal hemoglobin band,decreased partial pressure of oxygen and blood oxygen saturation.Discovery of this mutation enriches the abnormal hemoglobin spetrum of Chinese people,and it is useful for the clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of hemoglobinopathies.

Objective To observe the influence of tea pigment on myocardial contractility,electrocardiogram(ECG) and heart rate in exsomatized toads under the condition of myocardialischemia.Methods Sixty toads were divided into the normal exsomatized toad heart group(A) and myocardial ischemia toad heart(B).Then the group A was re-divided into the Ringer's solution group (A1),tea pigment low dose(200 mg/L) group(A2) and the high dose(400 mg/L) group(A3);the group B was re-divided into the pituitrin model group(B1),pituitrin + tea pigment low dose(200 mg/L) group(B2) and high dose(400 mg/L) group(B3).The BL-420S biological function experiment system was used to record the myocardial contractile force and ECG change curve of exsomatized toad.Results Compared with the group A1,the myocardial contractility in the group A3 was obviously increased(P＜0.05),the difference in the group A2 had no statistical significance(P＞0.05);the QRS peak value of ECG and heart rate had no statistically significant difference(P＞0.05);compared with the group A1,the myocardial contractility,ECG QRS peak value and heart rate in the group B1 were significantly decreased(P＜0.05);compared with the group B1,the myocardial contractility,ECG QRS peak value and heart rate in the group B2 and B3 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tea pigment can obviously improve the decrease of the exsomatized toad cardiac activity caused by myocardial ischemia.

Objective To evaluate the clinical application value of multi-slice helical CT volumetric (VH) scanning in lumber spine. Methods One thousand of patients with back and leg pain who underwent CT examinations were selected as subjects. We simulated the traditional protocol of single-slice(SS) discrete scanning for L3/4, L4/5, and LS/S1 intervertebral discs. The VH scanning mode was performed with 120 kV, 210 mAs,pitch of 1.5 and coverage of 97. 5 mm. The simulated SS scanning mode was performed with 120 kV, 240 mAs and coverage of 45.0 mm. The diagnostic outcomes and the radiation doses were compared between the two scanning modes. Two groups doctors observed ten terms, including the osseous spinal stenosis,narrowed intervertebral space and so on in two scanning modes respectively. Then consistency analysis of the data was carried out. Results The VH scanning mode showed far more features than the SS mode. The detection rates of the VH mode in the osseous spinal stenosis, narrowed intervertebral space,herniated nucleus pulposus, narrowed lateral recess, vertebral lesion, hypertrophy of L5 transverse process,abnormal direction of facet, facet degeneration, lumbar spondyloschisis, and paraspinal soft tissue were 11.8% (n =118), 38. 5% (n =385), 9. 3% (n =93), 46. 8% (n =468), 31.4% (n =314), 5.7% (n =57), 25.4% (n = 254), 49. 7% (n = 497), 9.9% (n = 99), and 0. 6% (n = 6) respectively, while the detection rates of the SS mode in ten terms were 5.6% (n = 56), 0, 0. 6% (n = 6), 27. 9% (n = 279),22.4% (n =224), 1.2% (n = 12), 16.7% (n = 167), 37.2% (n =372), 0.5% (n =5), and 0.2%(n = 2) respectively. The difference between the two groups had statistically significance (average P <0.05), except the paraspinal soft tissue abnormal (P > 0.05). The detection rates of the VH mode were higher than the SS mode in the osseous spinal stenosis, narrowed intervertebral space, herniated nucleus pulposus, lumbar spondyloschisis, being 6.2% (n = 62) , 38. 5% (n = 385) , 8.7% (n = 87), and 9.4%(n =94), respectively. In addition, VH mode only partially showed the articular facets, narrowed lateral recess, hypertrophy of L.5 transverse process, and paraspinal soft tissue. We could not acquire the imaging slices paralleling to intervertebral discs in SS mode in 467 patients (46.7%) with lumbosacral angle greater than 35°. The radiation dose of VH mode (164.9 mGy/em) was slightly higher than SS mode (147.0 mGy/cm) Conclusion MSCT VH scanning mode can significantly improve the diagnostic rate of lumbar spine diseases compared with SS mode, and was not restricted by the lumbosacral angle with slightly increasing radiation dosage.

In this experiment, a novel biotin-avidin conjugation probe was synthesized and employed in the detection of reverse-phase protein microarray. Firstly, the proportion of the biotin-avidin conjugation probe was optimized. Then the rat IgG and goat anti-rat IgG system was served as a model to optimize the fabrication conditions of reverse-phase protein microarray, including the non-specific absorption of streptavidin-Cy3 molecules, spotting buffer as well as protein activities. At last, the biotin-avidin conjugation probe was applied to the detection of the reverse-phase protein microarray. The results show that the protein microarray prepared by using BSA spotting buffer could prevent non-specific absorptions of fluorescent molecules and improve the sensitivity, effectively. In addition, compared with traditional biotin-avidin system, the detection limit could be improved four times using the biotin-avidin conjugation probe. In conclusion, the biotin-avidin conjugation probe has its merits of easy synthesis, low price and could be further conjugated with other signal amplification techniques, which is promising to be used in the detection of protein microarray.
Avidin ; chemistry ; Biotin ; chemistry ; DNA Probes ; Immunoglobulin G ; analysis ; immunology ; Protein Array Analysis ; methods

Purpose To explore three-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (3D-STI) in assessing changes of left ventricular global systolic function of viral myocarditis (VMC) child patients before and after treatment.Materials and Methods Thirty-eight VMC child patients were given related treatment and blood biochemistry test,routine ECG and 3D-STI were taken for examination before and after surgery when the index became normal and results were recorded.Left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd),left ventricular endsystolic diameter (LVEDs),left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV),left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV),left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),global longitudinal strain (GLS),global radial strain (GRS),global circumferential strain (GCS) and global area strain (GAS) were obtained.Results Postoperative cardiac troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels were all statistically lower than those before surgery (P＜0.05).Difference of preoperative and postoperative LVEDd,LVEDs,LVEDV,LVESV and LVEF was of no statistical significance (P＞0.05).Postoperative GLS,GRS,GCS and GAS were statistically higher than those before surgery (P＜0.05).Conclusion 3D-STI can evaluate abnormal change of left ventricular myocardial function of VMC child patients.

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the quality and clinical applicability of pyrosequencing assay kit for detecting hepatitis B virus resistance (HBV DRT).

METHODSSerial dilutions of the International Standard for HBV DNA were used to test the detection limit of the PCR for HBV DRT. Plasmids containing the either a wild-type (WT) copy or one of 10 mutant (MT) copies of the HBV RT gene were used to prepare a series of samples with various mutation ratios. To construct the linear relationship between the true mutation rate and the detected mutation rate, each sample was repeated at least 10 times. A total of 102 clinical samples were analyzed by Sanger sequencing and retested by the PCR for HBV DRT to determine the concordance of these two methods.

RESULTSThe lower detection limit of the PCR for HBV DRT was 50 IU/ml. Except for the RT236 MT, the correlation between the true mutation rate and the detected mutation rate for the other nine resistance-related mutation sites were excellent, with R² more than 0.98 (P less than 0.001). Among the 102 clinical samples, four were not amplified successfully by PCR. The results were significantly different between the PCR for HBV DRT method and the Sanger sequencing method (x² = 71.2, P less than 0.001), and concordance was observed for 897/969 (92.6%) amino acid positions in 98 samples. Concordant results were achieved in 46/98 (46.9%) samples at all 10 mutation sites. For detection of a single mutation site, concordance rates ranged from 71.5% to 100% at the 10 mutation sites, respectively. Analysis of discordant samples showed that in 87.5% (63/72), Sanger sequencing detected WT and the PCR for HBV DRT detected WT/MT. In 5.6% (4/72) of samples, Sanger sequencing detected WT/MT and the PCR for HBV DRT detected WT. In the remaining 6.9% (5/72) of samples, Sanger sequencing detected WT but PCR for HBV DRT detected MT.

CONCLUSIONThe PCR for HBV DRT showed high sensitivity and accuracy in detecting antiviral drug-resistant mutations. The method is superior to Sanger sequencing for detecting minor mutations and can be used for early detection of a resistance mutation.