Objective To characterize the systolic torsion in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) by velocity vector imaging(VVI).Methods Eighty-seven subjects were studied using VVI:27 patients with DCM and 60 healthy control subjects.Left ventricular short-axis acoustic images were acquired at base and apex levels.The rotation angle and rotation velocity of endocardium and epicardium were measured.Results LVEF of DCM group was significantly lower than that of control group ( P＜0.01).The basal and apical rotation angle, rotation velocity were significantly lower in DCM group.The endocardial and epicardial rotation angle, rotation velocity were also significantly lower in DCM group than those in control group (P＜0.01).Conclusions VVI is a rapid and noninvasive tool to quantitatively assess cardiac torsional deformation in DCM patients,which providing another useful modality for evaluating cardiac function.

Objective To investigate strain and strain rate of right ventricular(RV)based on twodimensional image by velocity vector imaging in normal subjects.Methods Thirty-two healthy adults were rolled in this study.Echocardiographic images in 4 chamber view were analyzed by conventional manual tracing for volumes and ejection fractions,which were also measured by velocity vector imaging.Myocardial velocity,strain rate,and strain were determined at the basal,mid,and apical segments of the RV free wall and ventricular septum by velocity vector imaging.Results RV ejection fractions obtained with manual tracing correlated strongly with the same indexes obtained by velocity vector imaging method in all subjects(r=0.91,P＜0.01).The strain and strain rate value of middle segment and basal segment in RV free wall were higher than those of apical segment.There were same trend in ventricular septal.The strain and strain rate of middle segment and basal segment in RV free wall were higher than those of homologous segments in ventricular septal,but the indexes of apical segment in free wail and septal had no difference.The strain and strain rate in RV were not correlated with age.Conclusions Velocity vector imaging could accurately and quantitatively assess the strain and strain rate of RV.

Cardiomyopathies ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Echocardiography ; Heart Ventricles ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Young Adult

Objective To observe the clinical effect of Yiqi Yangyin Huoxue decoction(the function of decoction is to tonify Qi,nourish Yin and enhance blood circulation)on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.Methods This study,carried between January 2005 and December 2005,focused on the effect of Chinese herbs on salivary gland response attribute to radiotherapy.In the treatment group,30 cases took Chinese herbs during the duration of radiotherapy,while in the control group 30 cases were given routine therapy.Results Both groups had finished the radiotherapy,however,in the control group,there were 5 cas- es with a break for 1～2 weeks.For the comparison of the salivary gland change in acute stage,there was no variance(x~2=2.387,P=0.122);the latency for the salivary gland change in treatment group was longer than that in control group(x~2=13.106,P=0.000).For the comparison of Karnofsky after radiotherapy,the KS was superior in the treatment group than that in control group(x~2=12.685,P=0.013);For the comparison of objective effect after radiotherapy,the remission rate in treatment group was 90 %,and it was 86.7 % in control group(x~2=0.638,P=0.727).Conclusion The decoction can remit the salivary gland response caused by radiotherapy in clinic,prolong the latency for acute radioactive response;release the pain of the pa- tients,increase the achievement ratio for radiotherapy,and improve the patients'living condition.To combine with radiotherapy,Chinese herbs is a good supplemental therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the association of islet autoantibodies [ glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody(GADA),protein tyrosine phosphatase antibody(IA-2A)and insulin autoantibodies(IAA)1 with HLA- DQ genotypes in the first-degree relatives of autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus.Methods This was a cross- sectional and case-control study.Three hundred and fifty-one first-degree relatives with normal glucose tolerance of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 376 healthy controls were recruited and measured for GADA,IA-2A and IAA by radioligand assay,and 156 first-degree relatives of patients with autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus and 278 controls were typed for genetic polymorphisms of HLA-DQ with PCR sequencing-based typing method.Results (1)DQA1*03,DQBI*0303,*0401 alleles and DQA1 * 03-DQBI * 0303,DQA1 * 05-DQBI * 0201,DQA1 * 03-DQBI * 0401 haplotypes were significantly increased in the first-degree relatives of autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus(P

Objective To survey and analyze characteristics of brucellosis epidemic in Weinan city of Shaanxi province for the purpose of setting up prevention and control measures for the disease. Methods According to "The Executing Plan for the Work of Surveying Brucellosis Disease in Shaanxi Province", 35 villages(towns) of designated monitoring locations and 24 villages (towns) of randomized monitoring locations in five countries of Weinan were chosen to survey brucellosis disease. The five countries were Chengcheng, Dali, Heyang, Tongguan and Hancheng. High risk populations with a history of contacting livestock and livestock products aged between 7 and 60 underwent clinical and serology examination[rose bengal plate agglutination test(RBPT) and standard tube agglutination test(SAT)]. All manipulation methods and judging standards were in accord with the "Diagnostic Standard for Brucellosis" (WS 269-2007). Results In the designated monitoring location, a total of 8664 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 1407 people were tested by RBPT test and 27 people were positive,the positive rate was 1.92%(27/1407); 27 people were tested by SAT test and 27 people were positive, the positive rate was 100% (27/27); 25 people were diagnosed and the diagnosis rate was 92.59%(25/27). In the randomized monitoring location, a total of 3464 people at high risk were investigated, among whom 411 people were tested by RBPT test and 3 people were positive, the positive rate was 0.73%(3/411 ), 3 people were tested by SAT test which were all positive and made a definite diagnosis. Twenty-eight new cases were made a definite diagnosis and its incidence was 2.06 in a hundred thousand(28/1 361 618). Conclusions The infection of human brucellosis in Weinan city stays at higher level. The governments should increase input for the monitoring,investigating and disinfecting to prevent the disease from increasing and outspreading.

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of abdominal acupuncture for cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

METHODSThirty cases of cervical vertigo, in which the color ultrasonography indicated vertebral arterial blood insufficiency, were treated with abdominal acupuncture therapy. The points were Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Xiawan (CV 10), Shangqu (KI 17) and Huaroumen (ST 24). The treatment was given once every day and five continuous treatments made one session. Separately, before treatment and in the 1st and 5th treatments, the cervical vertigo symptom and functional assessment scales were adopted for scoring. Simultaneously, the color ultrasonography was applied to observe the blood flow changes of the bilateral cervical arteries.

RESULTSExcept the score for headache in the 1st treatment, the scores in cervical vertigo and function assessment scale in the 1st and 5th treatments were all improved significantly in 30 patients as compared with those before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In the 1st and 5th treatments, on the affected side, the vertebral artery diameter, mean velocity and blood flow per minute were all improved significantly as compared with those before treatment (all P < 0.01). In one session treatment, the total effective rate was 100.0% (30/30) and the curative rate was 60.0% (18/30).

CONCLUSIONAbdominal acupuncture therapy not only relieves the clinical symptoms, but also improves vertebral arterial blood supply for the patients of cervical spondylosis of vertebral artery type.

Abdomen ; Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regional Blood Flow ; Spondylosis ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Vertebral Artery ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

Objective To improve the design plan and get a piezoelectric actuator with displacement magnification structure,so as to reduce power consumption of the existing incus-stimulating piezoelectric actuator for middle ear implant.Methods Based on anatomical structure of human ear,the piezoelectric actuator with displacement magnification structure,and the one only composed of piezoelectric stack were designed,respectively,then the corresponding coupled mechanical models of the middle ear with the piezoelectric actuator were established.By comparing the calculation results from the two types of coupled mechanical models,the hearing compensation property and power consumption of the actuator before and after the implantation with the displacement magnification structure were analyzed.Results After adding the displacement magnification structure,the sound pressure level (SPL) at 1 kHz frequency was increased from 100 dB to 113 dB when the piezoelectric actuator was stimulated by 10.5 V effective voltages.In addition,for the piezoelectric stack,its power consumption at the frequency of 1,2 and 4 kHz were 6.42,1.56 and 0.28 mW,respectively;after introducing the displacement magnification structure,the power consumption at the above-mentioned 3 frequencies decreased to 0.39,0.09 and 0.01 mW,respectively.Conclusions Piezoelectric actuator with displacement magnification structure in this study can improve hearing compensation ability of the incus-stimulating middle ear implant,and effectively reduce the power consumption.The research findings will help to further improve the structure design of middle ear implant,thus achieving better hearing compensation effect.

Objective To develop a rapid, highly sensitive quantitative method for detecting P24 antigen based on near-infrared fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography.Methods First, we prepared a lateral flow assay test strip, and labeled the detection antibody using a fluorescent microsphere. Second, we optimized the antibody labeling conditions. Third, we optimized the detection conditions. Fourth, we created a working curve. Fifth, we conducted a methodological assessment of the established fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography method. Sixty-six clinical samples were tested, and we compared the established fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography with the quantitative ELISA method. Results According to the working curve, the detection limit of the method is 3.4 pg/mL, and the detection range is 3.4 pg/mL to 10 ng/mL. The average intra-assay recovery was 99.6％, and the Coefficient of Variation (CV) was 5.4％–8.6％; the average inter-assay recovery was 97.3％, and the CV was 8.5％–11％. The detection rate of fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography was higher than ELISA method, and had a good correlation with ELISA. Conclusion The P24 antigen quantitative detection method based on near-infrared fluorescent microsphere immunochromatography has the advantages of rapid detection, high sensitivity, and wide detection range; thus, it is suitable for early clinical diagnosis and continuous monitoring of AIDS.

Vascular aging is one of the most common diseases, which affect human health and quality of life.It can occur in a variety of blood vessels, such as aorta, coronary artery, cerebral vessels and peripheral blood vessels.Atherosclerosis (AS) is the main pathological basis of vascular aging, and many risk factors can promote the development of AS.AS caused by the imbalance of glucose and lipid homeostasis is closely related to vascular aging, and plays an important role in the development of vascular diseases in the elderly.As a basis for the development of vascular disease, how AS participates in vascular aging and how AS and vascular aging influence each other are hot research topics in the academic field at present.This paper reviews the correlation between glucose-lipid homeostasis imbalance AS and vascular aging, and research progress.It is hoped that it will contribute to the understanding of vascular aging so as to provide early intervention.