Objective To develop a phenylketonuria (PKU) screening method based on a compact disk (CD) type microfluidic chip capable of generating reciprocating flow within the microchannels that facilitate rapid DNA hybridization. Methods This microfluidic device consists of a two-layer structure: a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) top layer containing 12 DNA hybridization microchannels, and a bottom glass layer with immobilized hydrogel conjugated DNA arrays. The DNA arrays included R243Q, V245V and the blank control probes. When the CD device was spun, the PCR products were driven into the hybridization channel by centrifugal force. When the rotation of the CD device was stopped, capillary force pulled the PCR products solution to flow back to the channel. After the on-chip hybridization, the hybridization signals were captured on a fluorescence microscope. The specificity, detection limitation and reproducibility of this device were evaluated. Thirty DNA samples from pregnant women with suspected PKU were detected by this device.Then the results were compared with DNA sequencing results. Results With the compact disk type microfluidic chip, the hybridization time could be reduced to 15 min, sample consume could be as low as 1. 5 μl and the detection limitation was 0. 7 ng/μl. With the chip based method, samples of PKU patients and healthy controls were detected and the results were consistent with DNA sequencing results. Five different batches of chips and five micro-channels of each chip were selected to test one PKU patients with V245V mutation. All the results were positive, indicating good reproducibility. Four cases of V245V mutation and 1 case of R243Q mutation were found in 30 suspected PKU carried pregnant women. Conclusion The compact disk microfluidic device has advantages of simple, rapid and highly sensitive, thus is well suited to PKU screening.

Dual-energy computed tomography (CT) reconstruction imaging technology is an important development direction in the field of CT imaging. The mainstream model of dual-energy CT reconstruction algorithm is the basis material decomposition model, and the projection decomposition is the crucial technique. The projection decomposition algorithm based on projection matching was a general method. With establishing the energy spectrum lookup table, we can obtain the stable solution by the least squares matching method. But the computation cost will increase dramatically when size of lookup table enlarges and it will slow down the computer. In this paper, an acceleration algorithm based on projection matching is proposed. The proposed algorithm makes use of linear equations and plane equations to fit the lookup table data, so that the projection value of the decomposition coefficients can be calculated quickly. As the result of simulation experiment, the acceleration algorithm can greatly shorten the running time of the program to get the stable and correct solution.

Objectives:To explore health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and identify its associated variables in Chinese patients with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) .Methods:In this cross-sectional study, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to adult patients with MPNs to assess symptom burden measured by MPN-10 and HRQoL measured by Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) .Results:The data from 1405 respondents with MPNs, including 645 (45.9%) with essential thrombocythemia (ET) , 297 (21.1%) with polycythemia vera (PV) , and 463 (33.0%) with myelofibrosis (MF) , were analyzed. 646 (46.0%) respondents were male. The median age was 56 (range, 18-99) years. The mean MPN-10 scores were 13.0±12.7, 15.0±14.7, and 21.0±16.6 ( P<0.001) , and the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores were 48.0±8.5, 47.0±9.0, and 42.0±10.0 ( P<0.001) and 51.0±11.0, 50.0±10.8, and 49.0±11.1 ( P=0.002) for respondents with ET, PV, and MF, respectively. Respondents with MF reported the lowest score of physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, social function, and global health status (all P<0.01) and the highest score of fatigue, pain, dyspnea, appetite loss, diarrhea, and financial problems (all P<0.05) in EORTC QLQ-C30. Multivariate analyses revealed that higher MPN-10 scores were significantly associated with lower PCS (-0.220 to -0.277, P<0.001) and MCS (-0.244 to -0.329, P<0.001) scores; increasing age (-1.923 to -4.869; all P<0.05) , lower PCS score. Additionally, comorbidity (ies) , symptom at diagnosis, splenomegaly, anemia, unknown driver gene, and higher annual out-of-pocket cost were significantly associated with lower PCS and/or MCS scores. However, age ≥ 60 years, urban household registration, concomitant medication, and receiving ruxolitinib therapy in respondents with MF were associated with higher MCS scores. Weak correlations were found between MPN-10 score (except the subscale of appetite loss and constipation) and EORTC QLQ-C30 score in majority of subscales in respondents with ET (| r| = 0.193-0.457, all P<0.001) , PV (| r| = 0.192-0.529, all P<0.01) , and MF (| r| = 0.180-0.488, all P<0.001) , respectively. Conclusions:HRQoL in patients with MPN was significantly reduced, especially in patients with MF. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were significantly associated with the HRQoL in patients with MPNs.

Objectives:To investigate the clinical and genetic features of young Chinese patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) .Methods:In this cross-sectional study, anonymous questionnaires were distributed to patients with MPN patients nationwide. The respondents were divided into 3 groups based on their age at diagnosis: young (≤40 years) , middle-aged (41-60 years) , and elderly (>60 years) . We compared the clinical and genetic characteristics of three groups of MPN patients.Results:1727 assessable questionnaires were collected. There were 453 (26.2%) young respondents with MPNs, including 274 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) , 80 with polycythemia vera (PV) , and 99 with myelofibrosis. Among the young group, 178 (39.3%) were male, and the median age was 31 (18-40) years. In comparison to middle-aged and elderly respondents, young respondents with MPN were more likely to present with a higher proportion of unmarried status (all P<0.001) , a higher education level (all P<0.001) , less comorbidity (ies) , fewer medications (all P<0.001) , and low-risk stratification (all P<0.001) . Younger respondents experienced headache (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.007; MF, P=0.001) at diagnosis, had splenomegaly at diagnosis (PV, P<0.001) , and survey (ET, P=0.052; PV, P=0.063) . Younger respondents had fewer thrombotic events at diagnosis (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.011) and during the survey (ET, P<0.001; PV, P=0.003) . JAK2 mutations were found in fewer young people (ET, P<0.001; PV, P<0.001; MF, P=0.013) ; however, CALR mutations were found in more young people (ET, P<0.001; MF, P=0.015) . Furthermore, mutations in non-driver genes (ET, P=0.042; PV, P=0.043; MF, P=0.004) and high-molecular risk mutations (ET, P=0.024; PV, P=0.023; MF, P=0.001) were found in fewer young respondents. Conclusion:Compared with middle-aged and elderly patients, young patients with MPN had unique clinical and genetic characteristics.