Objective To perform literature search and review on the controversial relationship between therapies of hyperthyroidism due to Graves'disease(GD)and the course of Graves'ophthalmopathy(CA)).Methods We searched the database of MEDLINE(1966-2006.3),EMBASE(1984-2005),Cochrane Library(2006 No.1),CBMdisc(1978.1-2006.4)and CNKI(1994-2006).The methodological quality of the studies selected for review was assessed according to the quality assessment criteria suggested by the Cochrane systematic review guideline.Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan 4.2 software.Results Eight studies were included in the systematic review.Meta-analysis showed that there was statistically significant difference between 131I and other forms of therapy[surgery or antithyroid drugs(ATD)](test value:2.31,5.97,3.70,5.55;all P＜0.05)in aggravation of exophthalmos and symptom improvement in patients without receiving thyroxine during the early stage to prevent hypothyroidism.However,there was no statisti cally significant differenee in the above relationship between surgery and ATD therapy in those patients already receiving thyroxine supplement(test value:0.27,0.99;all P＞0.05).There were not yet any studies on the impact between early prevention of hypothyroidism after 131I therapy and GO.Conclusions Based on meta-analysis on literature data,if early measures are not performed to prevent hypothyroidism after 131I therapy,it may induce or aggravate GO more frequently than ATD or surgical treatment.Symptomatic relief of GO after 131I therapy is also less effective than the other 2 forms of therapy.Therefore.131I therapy should be delivered carefully in those patients with GO.

Objective: To explore the relationship between non-dipper pattern of blood pressure circadian rhythm and homocysteine (Hcy), carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 240 T2DM patients including 139 male and 101 female were enrolled. According tonocturnal blood pressure falling rates, the patients were divided into 2 groups: Dipper group,n=80 and Non-dipper group,n=160; based on CAS condition, the patients were divided into another set of 2 groups: CAS group,n=119 and Non-CAS group,n=121. Blood levels of Hcy, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and 24hSBP, dSBP, nSBP, 24hDBP, dDBP, nDBP were compared between 2 groups in each set; the risk factors of CAS were analyzed. Results: The following indexes were higher in Non-dipper group than Dipper group: Hcy by μmol/L (16.41.0±8.08 vs 12.55±4.07), CIMT by mm (1.00±0.59 vs 0.80±0.30), 24 hSBP by mmHg (138.7±19.2 vs 127.5±15.6), dSBP (139.4±19.2 vs 132.0±16.2), nSBP (136.4±20.0 vs 113.8±15.0), nDBP (74.0±12.0 vs 64.9±9.8), allP<0.01. Multi linear regression analysis indicated that Hcy (β=0.011,P<0.01), nSBP (β=0.021,P<0.01), nDBP (β=0.018,P<0.01) could affect blood pressure circadian rhythm. The following indexes were higher in CAS group than Non-CAS group: CIMT (1.18±0.65 vs 0.69±0.72), age by years (62.33±12.02 vs 59.17±10.80), 24 hSBP (138.2±18.2 vs 131.9±18.9), dSBP (139.5±18.4 vs 134.4±18.5), nSBP (133.9±20.7 vs 123.9±20.9) nDBP (73.3±12.8 vs 68.6±11.0),P<0.05 orP<0.01; while 2 indicators in CAS group were lower than Non-CAS group: SBPF (4.00±7.89 vs 7.66±7.36), DBPF (5.95±8.44 vs 10.19±8.67),P<0.01. Logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=2.204,P<0.05), nDBP (OR=2.357,P<0.05), SBPF (OR=2.562,P<0.01) were the risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis. Spearman correlation analysis presented that CIMT was positively related to age (0.195,P<0.05) and negatively related to SBPF (r=-0.191,P<0.01). Conclusion: T2DM patients with non-dipper pattern of blood pressure circadian rhythm were usually combining high blood level of Hcy, non-dipper pattern was the independent risk factor for CAS. Restoring blood pressure circadian rhythm is important to prevent atherosclerosis.

A novel nucleic acid amplification method,termed loop-mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP),which amplifies DNA with high specificity,efficiency,and rapidity under isothermal conditions,may be a valuable tool for the rapid detection of infectious diseases.This method employs a DNA polymerase that have activity of strand displacement DNA synthesis and a set of four specially designed primers that recognize a total of six distinct sequences on the target DNA.LAMP can amplify a few copies of DNA to 109 in less than an hour.The final products are stem-loop DNA with several inverted repeats of the target and cauliflower-like structures with multiple loops.A positive reaction would be shown as a ladder-like pattern in a gel electrophoresis analysis.Because of the advantage,the LAMP method will be widely applied to research of nucleic acid,clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases and detection of genetically modified organisms etc.

AlM:To observe the efficacy of the multiple wave length laser in treating diabetic retinopathy combined with central retinal vein occlusion.
METHODS:Totally 95 cases ( 100 eyes ) with diabetic retinopathy combined with central retinal vein occlusion were treated by multiple wave length laser. Krypton yellow laser was used for macular edema in focal photocoagulation and diffuse photocoagulation. For peripheral retina, krypton green or krypton red laser were used. Visual acuity, slit - lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy and fundus fluorescein angiography were performed preoperatively and postoperatively. The patients were followed up for 12 to 48wk. ln this study, change in visual acuity and macular edema were observed in both groups, and statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: The effective rate was 61. 2% in diffuse macular edema group and 86. 3% in focal macular edema group. The general effective rate of later was higher than the former, while the treatment effect had significant statistical difference (P<0. 05).
CONCLUSlON:Multiple wave length laser is an effective and safe way to treat diabetic macular edema of diabetic retinopathy combined with central retinal vein occlusion, which is worth widely applying in clinical practice.

In recent years, high plasma homocysteine ( HHcy ) as an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease ( CHD) has been widely received clinical attention.Some detection methods and clinical research for patients with CHD are constantly developing.Enzymatic cycling assay, the most commonly used method at present, represents important application value in the aspects of disease occurrence, severity prediction and therapeutic monitoring for CHD.

Objective To investigate the values of urine neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL), kidney injury molecular-1 (KIM-1) and interleukin-18 (IL-18) in the diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in children after cardiopulmonary by-pass (CPB). Methods Sixty-seven patients who had undergone CPB were recruited from March to June 2013 and assigned to acute kidney injury group (AKI group) or non-acute kidney injury group (non-AKI group) according to the pediatric RIFLE (pRIFLE) cri-teria. Serum and urine samples were collected from each patient at 30 min, 2 h, 4 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after CPB for serum and urine creatinine, urine NGAL, KIM-1 and IL-18. All the data were evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) analysis and area under curve (AUC) analysis. Results Twenty-three cases (34.3%) had AKI in 67 children after CPB. Among them 15 cases were risk-stage AKI, 4 cases injury-stage AKI, 3 cases failure-stage AKI and 1 cases loss-stage AKI. The levels of urine NGAL/Ucr were higher in AKI group than those in non-AKI group at 4h, 48h and 72h after CPB (P<0.05). The cut-off value of NGAL/Ucr was 1.200 at 4 h after CPB, the sensitivity and specificity for prediction of AKI were 0.864 and 0.561, and the AUC was 0.671 (95%CI:0.537-0.804). The levels of urine KIM-1/Ucr were higher in AKI group than those in non-AKI group at 48h and 72 h after CPB (P<0.05). The cut-off value of KIM-1/Ucr was 1.162 at 24h after CPB, the sensitivity and specificity for prediction of AKI were 0.773 and 0.512, and the AUC was 0.698 (95%CI:0.563-0.834). The levels of IL-18/Ucr were higher in AKI group than those in non-AKI group at 4 h after CPB (P<0.05). The cut-off value of IL-18/Ucr was 0.04 at 4 h after CPB, the sensitivity and specificity for predici-ton of AKI were 0.773 and 0.561, and the AUC was 0.655 (95%CI:0.510-0.800). Conclusions It is indicated that urine NGAL, KIM-1 and IL-18 may have important clinical values for early prediction of AKI.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal B-cell disorder in which malignant plasma cells (PC) accumulate in the bone marrow and produce lytic bone lesions and excessive amounts of monoclonal immunoglobulin. The diagnosis of MM requires the examination of bone marrow, showing PC infiltration, detection and quantification of monoclonal immunoglobulin in the serum or urine and evidence of organ damage (hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, anaemia or bone lesions). This review discusses the significance of immunotyping for diagnosis and prognosis of MM.
Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Immunophenotyping ; Multiple Myeloma ; diagnosis ; immunology ; Prognosis

A method for the determination of Fe, Co, Mn and Ni in synthetic diamonds by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry ( ICP-AES) was proposed. The synthetic diamond sample was decomposed completely, while the sample was burned in air at 1000 ℃ for 10 h, and then a mixed acid of H2 SO4 , aqua regia and HClO4 was used for the dissolving the residue of the sample. In this method, the limits of detection of Fe, Co, Mn and Ni were 0. 0147, 0. 0018, 0. 0006 and 0. 0027 mg/L, respectively. Under the optimum condition, Fe, Co, Mn and Ni in synthetic diamond sample were determined. The values of RSDs (n=7) were less than 0. 5%. The recoveries of added standard were 94. 0%-105. 0%.

A method for the simultaneous determination of oxygen and nitrogen in synthetic diamonds by inert gas high temperature extraction-impulse heating method was proposed. The sample weight, the selection of analysis power and the calibration curves of oxygen and nitrogen were discussed. Oxygen and nitrogen in analytical samples are determined. Values of RSDs (n=7) for oxygen and nitrogen were less than 4. 5% and 4. 0% respectively. The analytical results of oxygen and nitrogen obtained by the proposed method were in good agreement with those by inert gas fusion-impulse heating method.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of Cornus Officinalis total glycosides (COTG) and Cornus polysaccharides (CP) on myocardial mitochondria and expression levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats.

METHODSThe AMI rat model was established by ligating the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery. Rats were divided into 5 groups according to random digit table, i.e., the sham-operation group, the model group, the COTG prevention group, the CP treatment group, the COTG treatment group, 12 in each group. Normal saline was administered to rats in the normal control group and the model group by gastrogavage. Corresponding medication was respectively administered to rats in the rest 3 groups by gastrogavage. The cardiac function was detected by echocardiography and hemodynamics. The infarct size was determined by Masson trichrome staining. The expression of mitochondrial biogenesis genes such as a subunit of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1 (PGC-1α), PGC-1β, nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1), and GSK-3P mRNA were detected by Real-time PCR.

RESULTSCompared with the sham-operation group, the myocardial infarction size increased, cardiac function decreased, the expression of PGC-1α, PGC-1β, and NRF-1 mRNA decreased, and the expression of GSK-3β mRNA increased (all P <0. 05). Compared with the model group, myocardial infarction sizes were reduced, cardiac function was improved, the expression of NRF-1 mRNA was elevated in the COTG prevention group, the CP treatment group, the COTG treatment group; the expression of the PGC-1α and PGC-1β mRNA was elevated in the COTG prevention group and the CP treatment group; the expression of GSK-3β mRNA was reduced in the CP treatment group (all P <0. 05). Compared with the CP prevention group, fractional shortening (FS) and aortic systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased in the CP treatment group; ejection fraction (EF) decreased in the CP treatment group; the expression of PGC-1α, PGC-1β, NRF-1 mRNA were reduced in the the CP treatment group and the COTG treatment group; the expression of GSK-3β mRNA decreased in the CP treatment group (all P <0. 05). Compared with the COTG treatment group, FS, EF, left ventricular end systolic pressure (LVESP), SBP, and the expression of GSK-3β mRNA were reduced in the CP treatment group (P <0. 05).

CONCLUSIONSCOTG and CP could improve cardiac function, reduce the myocardial infarction area, and promote biogenesis of myocardial mitochondria. Their protective effects on the mitochondria of cadiocytes might be achieved by GSK-3β signalina pathway.

Animals ; Cornus ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta ; Glycosides ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Mitochondria, Heart ; physiology ; Myocardial Infarction ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; Polysaccharides ; Protective Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Transcription Factors