Objective To assess left ventricular(LV) regional and global systolic function of patients with coronary artery disease using strain parameter of velocity vector imaging(VVI) technique in quiescent condition. Methods Thirty patients with coronary artery disease and 30 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The two-dimensional gray scale images were obtained in apical 4-chamber view,apical 2-chamber view and long axis view of left ventricle, and three levels of the short axis views(mitral valve, papillary muscle and cardiac apex). The LV wall was divided according to 18 segment model and the longitudinal,radial and circumferential systolic strain (SL, SR, SC) of each segment were analyzed. The difference between the epicardial and endocardial strain measurement were defined as strain gradient and the average of each strain component as global systolic strain. The correlation between global systolic strain of each strain component and the LV ejection fraction(LVEF) were analysed. Results Group A (coronary stenostic degree≤70%) included 176 segments, compared with control group, LS and LS gradient (LSG) decreased significantly from control group( P ＜0.05), while there was no significant difference in CS, RS and CS gradient (CSG) ( P ＞ 0.05). Group B ( coronary stenostic degree＞ 70% ) included 132 segments, compared with control group, LS, CS and RS decreased significantly in group B ( P ＜ 0.05), while there was no significantly difference in LSG and CSG( P ＞0.05). There were also significant difference in LS, RS,CS and LSG between group A and B( P ＜0.05). Global systolic strain of each strain component shown significant correlation with LVEF (P ＜ 0.0001 ). And the global longitudinal systolic strain (GLS) correlated with LVEF most tightly. Conclusions Strain parameter of VVI technique could not only accurately analyze the LV systolic dysfunction but also reflect the stenostic degree of coronary artery. GLS could be a new index for LV systolic function assessment in patients with coronary artery disease.

Objective To assess the coronary flow reserve in the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)by transthroracic echocardiography(TTE).Methods Coronary sinus blood flow of 24 SLE patients and 18 matched healthy controls were assessed by TTE.The coronary flow reserve was calculated as the ratio of hyperemic to baseline blood flow.Hyperemia was induced by intravenous administration of dipyridamole.Results Adequate recordings of blood flow in the coronary sinus under both conditions were obtained by TTE in all study subjects.Patients with SLE were found to have significantly decreased coronary flow reserve comparing with normal SUbiects(1.55±0.21 versus 2.51±0.33.P＜0.01).Conclusions Coronary flow reserve can be measured by TTE in SLE patients,Coronary flow reserve is impaired suggesting that SLE patients may have subclinical coronary artery disease.

Objective Evaluation of left ventricular ( LV) function has great clinical significance in patients with early chro-nic kidney disease (CKD).The study was to evaluate whether two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) technique can offer additional information of cardiac dysfunction in early CKD patients . Methods Conventional echocardiography and 2D-STI echocar-diography were performed in CKD group of 20 patients at stage Ⅱ-Ⅲ and control group of 20 healthy volunteers .LV structure and function were evaluated by conventional echocardiography .Multidirectional strain , strain rate and LV twist parameters were analyzed by 2D-STI technique. Results There was no statistical difference in conventional echocardiographic parameters such as left atrial diam -eter, end-diastolic LV diameter and ejection fraction between CKD group and control group .By applying 2D-STI technique, CKD group had significantly decreased value of global longitudinal strain (-19.8 ±2.4)%and strain rate(-1.1 ±0.3)S-1 in comparison to control group(-22.6 ±2.1)%、( -1.8 ±0.2)S-1, along with significant increase in the values of maximum LV rotation (11.6 ± 4.4)°and LV twist(19.6 ±3.8)°in comparison to control group(8.2 ±3.7)°、(13.5 ±3.6)°(P<0.05).There was no differences in both global circumferential and radial deformation parameters as well as maximum rotation value of LV assist device between two groups(P>0.05). Conclusion 2D-STI can detect subclinical LV dysfunction sensitively in early CKD patients .

To evaluate changes in quality- of- life of adults with concomitant exotropia before and after surgery.
●METHODS:A retrospective cohort method was used in this research. Sixty - five patients with concomitant exotropia ( ranged from 18 - 30 years) were enrolled. Quality of life was studied with 2 different questionnaires [the Adult Strabismus - 20 ( AS - 20) and the MOS 36 -item Short - Form health survey ( SF - 36 )], which patients completed preoperatively and at 3mo postoperatively.
●RESULTS: With the AS - 20, 3mo after surgery, the mean psychosocial and visual function scores of AS- 20 improved significantly (P<0. 01). Similarly, with the SF-36, the mean score in 7 of 8 areas improved significantly ( P < 0. 01 ), including physiological function, role limitations due to physiological health, general health, vitality, social function, role limitations due to emotional problems, mental health and the overall mean score. However, with respect to bodily pain, no significant improvement was found after surgery(P>0. 05).
● CONCLUSlON: Surgical treatment of concomitant exotropia in adults gives a highly significant improvement in quality - of - life scores. We should pay more attention to the impact of strabismus on quality of life clinically to improve the outcome of the surgery.

Objective To investigate the source of the blood flow through ventricular septum in normal subject caused by slice-thickness artifact in echocardiography. Methods Echocardiography was performed in 50 normal subjects without ventricular septum defect by two models of echocardiography unit equipped with two models of transducer, observing the conditions and sections in which the blood flow through ventricular septum could be detected. Results The blood flow through ventricular septum was detected in 8 normal subjects using the certain model of echocardiography unit,especially in parasternal four chambers section and parasternal irregular sections, while the blood flow through ventricular septum wasn't detected in the other 42 subjects by any echocardiography unit. The blood flow through ventricular septum was caused by coronary vessel in atrioventrieular groove proved by combining dynamic observation with anatomy analysis. Conclusions The blood flow through ventricular septum in normal subjects, a kind of slice-thickness artifact in echocardiography,is caused by coronary vessel in atrioventricular groove mapped into intact ventricular septum.

Objective To determine the influence of gender on the association between serum uric acid and branchial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).Methods Cross-sectional data from 1418 adults who underwent routine laboratory tests and baPWV measurements were analyzed in a gender-specific manner.BaPWV≥ 1400 cm/s was defined as abnormality.The individuals were assigned to four groups (Q1,Q2,Q3 and Q4) according to the gender-specific quartiles of serum uric acid.The relationship between serum uric acid and the baPWV values was assessed by Spearman's correlation coefficients.In female,the relationship of serum uric acid quartiles with baPWV was evaluated by logistic regression analysis.Results In male and female,diastolic blood pressure,fasting blood glucose,triglyceride and body mass index were increased with serum uric acid level,in contrast to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.The Spearman's correlation coefficient for the relationship between serum uric acid and baPWV was 0.18 in female and-0.05 in male (P =0.16).In female,univariate logistic regression analysis showed that in comparison with group Q1,odds ratio (OR) value of baPWV abnormality of group Q4 was 2.45 (95％confidence interval (CI) 1.48 to 4.06).In multivariate logistic regression,after adjusting for creatine and estimated glomerular filtration rate,OR value of baPWV abnormality of group Q4 was 2.45 (95％ CI 1.48 to 4.06) when compared with group Q1.However,after adjustment for age and other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases,there were no significant differents in ORs among serum uric acid quartile groups.Conclusions The association between serum uric acid level and baPWV in female may depend on age and metabolic syndrome components.

Objective To evaluate the current situation of two-way referral system by qualitative study.Methods The qualitative study was carried out in Department of General Internal Medicine of Peking Union Hospital and 4 clinics under Beijing Gaobeidian Community Health Center from June to December 2009.In-depth interview was conducted on 6 patients,who were referring from community health center to tertiary hospital and 16 general practitioners in the community.The method of thematic framework was used for data analysis.Results Only 1 of the 6 patients,who made the appointment,completed the two-way referral.From the view of the patients,the interrupt of the two-way referral was due to long-time waiting,inconvenient transportation to the hospital,availability of specialists,unsmooth process of referral and unsatisfied doctors.However,the community health service staff thought that difficulties of the two-way referral originated from the system,doctors,patients,and doctor-patient relationship.Sometimes patients distrusted doctors both in hospital and in community; communications between doctors or between doctors and patients were less efficient; patients had multiple choice for their primary care and they may go to any hospital freely bypass community-based referral system; patients had excessive expectation for medicine and doctors; some patients paid less attention to their own health,and so on.For improvement of the two-way referral system,the community health service staff proposed concrete measures in terms of relevant policy,the hospital,community health service,the doctors and patients; they emphasized the importance of upgrading their own communication ability and professional skills for primary care.Conclusions Many factors may influence successful implement of two-way referral,so it is necessary to improve the relevant policy and procedures and to upgrade medical staff in community.

Objective To evaluate whether global 2-dimensional strain imaging can offer additional benefit over conventional echocardiography to detect subclinical myocardial damage in patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD). Methods Conventional echocardiography and global 2-dimension strain imaging were performed in 39 patients with CKD [23 men and 16 women,mean age (45.6± 14.6) years] and 29 control subjects. Twenty patients had CKD stage 2 or 3(group 1 ) and nineteen patients had CKD stage 4 or 5(group 2). Left ventricular structure and function were evaluated by conventional echocardiography. Global longitudinal and circumferential strain and strain rate were analyzed. Results There were no differences in ejection fraction and fraction shortening between CKD patients and controls. Compared with controls, CKD groups had significantly decreased value of global longitudinal strain and strain rate. Global longitudinal strain decreased from - (23.8 ± 3.1 ) % in controls to - ( 18. 5 ± 2.4) % in group 1 and to - (15.2 ± 3.2) % in group 2 ( P ＜0. 001 ). Compared with controls, there was no difference in global circumferential strain and strain rate between group 1 and controls, but global circumferential strain and strain rate of group 2 was reduced [ - (17.1± 3. 0) % vs -(21.2±2.8)%, P＜0.05;-(1.0±0.2)% vs -(1.3±0.3)%, P＜0.05]. In correlation analyses, global longitudinal strain was positively related to eGFR( r =0. 376, P ＜0. 001 ) and inversely related to left ventricular mass index( r = - 0. 473, P ＜0.01). Conclusions Global 2-dimensional strain imaging may represent a useful tool for the assessment of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in patients with CKD.

To explore the relationship between inactivation of TGF-beta signaling pathway and acute leukemia, the expressions of TGF-beta1, TbetaRII and c-myc in the bone marrow mononuclear cells were detected by S-P immunocytochemical staining. The results showed that no significant difference of TGF-beta1 exepression was found between the patients and the control (P > 0.05), the expression of TbetaRII was significantly lower in patients than in control (P < 0.05) and the expression of c-myc was significantly higher in patients than in control (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of TGF-beta1, TbetaRII and c-myc exepression between acute nonlymphoid leukemia and acute lymphoid leukemia (P > 0.05). Expressions of TbetaRII and c-myc were negatively correlated (r = -0.474, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the leukemic cells escape from the growth inhibitory effect because of the inactivation of TGF-beta signaling pathway; downregulation of TGF-beta receptor II cause c-myc overexepression and leukemogenesis.
Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Bone Marrow Cells ; metabolism ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Leukemia ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc ; biosynthesis ; Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta ; biosynthesis ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; biosynthesis

In order to evaluate the characteristics of the spray drying of total flavonoids of Epimedium extracts assisted with soybean polysaccharide, a certain percentage of soybean polysaccharide or polyvidone were added to the total flavonoids of Epimedium extract to conduct the spray drying. The effect of soybean polysaccharides against the wall sticking effect of the spray drying was detected, as well as the powder property of total flavonoids of Epimedium spray drying powder and the dissolution in vitro behavior of the effective component. Compared with the total flavonoids of Epimedium spray drying powder, soybean polysaccharide revealed a significant anti-wall sticking effect. The spray drying power which had no notable change in the grain size made a increase in the fluidity, improvement in the moisture absorption and remarkable rise in the dissolution in vitro behavior. It was worth further studying the application of soybean polysaccharide in spray drying power of traditional Chinese medicine.
Epimedium ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; analysis ; Particle Size ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; Powders ; Soybeans ; chemistry