Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value of BRAF V600E mutation screening of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA)specimens in patients with thyroid nodule. Methods The BRAF V600E mutation status were assessed in FNA specimens of 104 patients with thyroid nodules before operations.The BRAF mutation status,clinical,and pathology records of the patients were reviewed and the associations between these characteristics and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC ) were analyzed.Results Seventy-one PTC and 14 benign thyroid nodules were included in this study.BRAF V600E mutations were found in 57/71 (80%)PTC.All benign thyroid nodules had no BRAF V600E mutation.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value and negative predictive value of BRAF V600E mutations in differentiation between PTC and benign thyroid nodules were 80%,100%,100% and 50%(P < 0.001 ).In 44 patients with PTC who underwent surgery,the central compartment lymph node metastases and extrathyroidal invasion were not significantly different between BRAF-positive and BRAF-negative PTC (P = 0.283 and 0.307 ).Conclusions BRAF V600E mutation may be a potential tool to facilitate ultrasound in diagnosis of PTC.In patients with PTC,the presence of the BRAFV600E mutation was not significantly associated with prognostic factors.

Objective To explore the energy feature of the spontaneous neural activity in depressive patients with diurnal rhythm.Methods Twenty depressive patients with diurnal rhythm,20 depressive patients without diurnal rhythm and 20 gender-,age-,education-matched healthy controls were scanned with 3.0 T MRI Scanner.According to Results of ANOVA,group-wise two sample t-test was completed.The correlation analysis were conducted between ALFF of significant difference brain regions and the score of Hamilton rating scale for depression.Results The brain regions showing significant differences among three groups were located in the right parahippocampal gyrus(MNI:18,-36,-9;K=136),left parietal lobe(MNI:-54,-45,42;K=86),left cerebellum crus(MNI:-84,-60,36;K=86) and right cerebellum crus(MNI:9,-78,-36;K=91)(P<0.05,Alphasim correct).Compared with non-diurnal rhythm group,the diurnal rhythm group showed significantly increased ALFF in the right parahippocampal gyrus.Compared with healthy group,the diurnal rhythm group showed significantly increased ALFF in right parahippocampal gyrus,left parietal lobe,and significantly decreased ALFF in left cerebellum crus 1 and right cerebellum crus 2.Compared with healthy group,the non-diurnal rhythm group showed significantly increased ALFF in left parietal lobe,and significantly decreased ALFF in left cerebellum crus 1 and bilateral cerebellum crus 2.No correlation between ALFF of significant difference brain regions and clinical symptoms was found(P>0.05).Conclusion The diurnal rhythm observed in depression may be associated with aberrant activity of parahippocampal gyrus.

Objective To study the evolutionary characteristics and rules of two lineages on influenza B virus.Methods A total of 126 HA1 sequences of strains isolated during 1940 to 2012were downloaded from the GenBank.Time of the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) and divergence of the two lineages were calculated based on the data from phylogenetic analysis of HA1gene,using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (Bayesian-MCMC) and molecular clock method.Results The average amino acid variant ratios were ranged from 5.4％ to 10.2％ within the strains of influenza B virus isolated during 1978 to 2010.Compared with the Victoria-like strains,all Yamagatalike strains showed an amino acid deletion at 163th site,while some of them showing a deletion at position 166.HA1 gene of influenza B virus seemed not have been affected by positive selection except a few sites.The evolutionary average rate on HA1 gene was 2.138 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year (95％HPD:1.833 × 10-3-2.437 × 10-3 substitutions/site/year).The estimated dates for TMRCA of the two lineages of influenza B virus could be dated back to 1971 (95％ HPD:1969-1972),while the divergence times of the two lineages were 1973 (95％ HPD:1971-1974) and 1977 (95％ HPD:1975-1978) respectively.Conclusion Significant differences were found on HA1 gene between earlier and recent identified strains of Victoria and Yamagata lineage.Differences between the two lineages increased and showing the potential of dividing themselves into different subtypes in the future.More attention should be paid to these trends and the related epidemiological significance.

Objective To analyze the genetic characteristics of the complete sequence of coxsackievirus A24 variant(CA24v) isolated from acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) outbreaks in Zhejiang province during 2002 to 2010.Methods Complete sequences of CA24v epidemic strains isolated in different years were amplified under the RT-PCR assay,while the sequences of whole genome,VP1,and 3C region of Zhejiang strains were compared with epidemic strains isolated in other areas of China and abroad.Results The whole genome of Zhejiang CA24v strains isolated in 2002 and 2010 was 7456-7458 bp in length,encoding a polyglutamine protein which containing 2214 amino acid residues.There was a insertion with T on site 97 and 119 within 5' non-coding region between epidemic strain Zhejiang/08/10 and strains isolated in 2002.The rates of amino acid homology among Zhejiang/08/10 and other strains isolated since 2002 were between 94.7％ and 100.0％.Compared with the representative strains circulated within the recent 60 years,the largest average amino acid variations had been occurred on region 2A and 3A,with the ratios as 8.4％ and 7.3％ respectively.The smallest variation happened in region 3D,with the ratio only as 1.9％.The rates of stable amino acid variation on the whole genome between strains isolated since 1987 and 2002 were 38 and 20.P-distance within groups appeared that region 3C was more stable than VP1 of strains isolated in 2002-2010,and the 3D of early strain Jamaica/10628/87 might have had a nature of recombination but not observed on those epidemic strains in recent years.Conclusion Within the evolution of CA24v strains,the time course was more significant than the geographical differences.There had been sporadic epidemics of AHC caused by CA24v in Zhejiang province since 2002.

Adolescent ; Brain Diseases ; diagnostic imaging ; Brain Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Hematoma, Epidural, Cranial ; diagnostic imaging ; Hernia ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Plasmacytoma ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective To study the genetic variations between measles vaccinc strain S191 and strains that circulated in Zhejiang province causing the epidemics during 1999 to 20 1 1.Methods Complete sequence of the nine Zhejiang measles strains were amplified by RT-PCR assay.Products were sequenced and the obtained sequences were aligned and analyzed with vaccine strains S191 and the major epidemic strains isolated in foreign countries.Results The homology of amino acid among the nine Zhcjiang strains were 98.77％-99.89％.The strains were not affected by positive selection and the variations on each gene were still in random drift.Compared to vaccine strain S191,there were 135 to 159 amino acid changes in Zhejiang measles virus,in which 113 points were common variable positions,resulting in mutations on five glycosylation sites.At the nucleotide level,the biggest differences between the Zhejiang strains and the vaccine strain S191 were found on N gcne,with the average divergent ratio as 5.5％,while the biggest one was P protein,in the amino acid level,with the average mutation rate as 7.7％.In addition,with the complete genome sequences,the genetic distance between Zhcjiang epidemic strains and vaccine strains was greater than the distances between epidenic strains of genotype D4,B3 and vaccine strains (t=-9.76,P＜0.05；t=-12.39,P＜0.05).Conclusion There were significant differcnccs found in the each of the genes between Zhejiang epidemic strains and the vaccine strain S191.The differences between the current vaccine strains and H genotypc epidemic strains were much larger than the differences between the vaccine and the forcign epidemic strains (genotype D4,B3).Therefore,wc should pay close attcntion to this trend,and to develop candidates for the dcvclopnent of vaccines,as early as possible.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the signal patterns of dual color dual fusion (DCDF) probe and extra signal (ES) probe in the detection of BCR/ABL fusion gene, and illustrate the relation between the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) pattern and the karyotype.

METHODSSixty-five cases of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) and 50 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were detected by FISH with DCDF probe, the BCR/ABL positive samples were detected by FISH with ES probe. Among these cases, 47 cases of CML and 40 cases of ALL perform conventional cytogenetics simultaneously.

RESULTSAll 65 cases of CML were all BCR/ABL positive by FISH. 17 cases showed the atypical pattern by DCDF-FISH, and 12 cases showed the atypical pattern by ES-FISH. There were 7 cases of BCR/ABL positive in 50 cases of ALL by FISH. By ES-FISH, there were 5 cases in which the break-point of BCR gene was located in m-bcr, 2 cases in which the break-point of BCR gene was located in M-bcr. Conventional cytogenetics demonstrated that 43/44(98%) cases of CML and 7/32(22%) cases of ALL were Ph positive.

CONCLUSIONThe features of DCDF-FISH, ES-FISH and conventional cytogenetic are different from each other. According to the features of these method, it can increase the precision of the adjustment of genetic feature to analyze these results comprehensively.

Adult ; Cytogenetics ; methods ; DNA Probes ; Female ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; genetics ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence ; methods ; Karyotyping ; methods ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; genetics ; Male ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics

OBJECTIVEAnalysis the epidemiological characteristics on rabies cases occurred in Guangxi from 2004 to 2008 and summarize the result of healthy-dog infection rabies virus investigation from 2006 to 2008. Exploring the high-occurrence and correlated factors on rabies in Guangxi.

METHODSData collected from the National Disease Surveillance System and the National Active Surveillance System for Rabies from 2004 to 2008 and Data of healthy-dog infection rabies virus investigation from 2006 to 2008 were analyzed.

RESULTSThe total rabies cases were 2463 in Guangxi from 2004-2008 and average incidence rate was 0.98 per 100 thousand per year. There were 95 counties had rabies case reported, anyway more than 10 cases occurred county number was declined while less than 5 cases rose year by year. The rabies case incidence area was expanded and the cases in middle and west area of Guangxi rose significantly. Rabies cases were reported whole year and no seasonal peak. Human rabies cases mainly were farmers, students and children. Yanger than 20 years old and elder 40 years old were the highest age groups in the population of the investigation, 83.79% cases were attacked by dogs. 78.5% cases classification category III. 83.17% cases had exposed on the upper and lower limbs, 10.56% exposed to the head, face or neck. But 67.88% cases did not receive any PEP and only 18.31% cases vaccinated and 3.63% category III exposure cases combined administration of RIG. The incubation median was 60 days. The rabies virus infection rate among randomly collection healthy-dog brain samples from 2006 to 2008 was 1.92%, 0.93% and 0.89%.

CONCLUSIONUnsuccessful and inadequate PEP of patients were the main factors leading to the high-occurrence of human rabies in Guangxi. And there are a lot of infection rabies virus healthy-dogs alive in Guangxi also as a high-occurrence factor.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Animals ; Brain ; virology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Dogs ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Middle Aged ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

Objective To measure the expression of circulating microRNA (miRNA)in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver failure and its relationship with disease prognosis.Methods The miRNA expressions in serum of 5 patients with HBV-related liver failure and 5 healthy control subjects were compared using Exiqon miRCURY LNATM miRNA microarray.The sera from 20 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB),20 patients hepatitis B related cirrhosis,50 patients with HBV-related liver failure and 40 healthy persons in Ruijin Hospital were collected.The relative expression of miRNA-595 was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).The relative expressions of miRNAs among groups were analyzed using student t test,the correlations were analyzed by Pearson and Spearman correlation.Results Microarray informed that 92 miRNAs changed significantly in patients with HBV-related liver failure,and miRNA-595 increased most significantly.The results of real-time PCR showed that the relative expressions of miRNA-595 ,miRNA-300 and miRNA-122 were 6.03 (t=3.134, P =0.003),3.12 (t=7.221 ,P <0.01)and 2.77 (t=2.671 ,P =0.021),which were higher compared to those in healthy control group.In the analysis of the relationship between miRNA-595 expression and disease prognosis in patients with HBV-related liver failure,the relative expressions of miRNA-595 in patients with CHB,hepatitis B related cirrhosis and HBV-related liver failure were 2.26 (t =3.780,P =0.001),3.32 (t = 6.111 ,P < 0.01)and 6.03 (t = 3.134,P = 0.003),respectively,which were all increased compared to that of the healthy control.The relative expression of miRNA-595 of patients with HBV-related liver failure was 2.66 times (t=2.450,P =0.043)higher than that of patients with CHB. When dividing patients according to prothrombin activity,miRNA-595 increased significantly in patients with early stage liver failure.When dividing patients according to model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score,MELD score was positive correlated with the expression of miRNA-595 when MELD score was under 30 (r=0.673,P =0.004).The expression of serum miRNA-595 in survival group (11 .08,n=23) was higher than that in non-survival group (3.67,n = 27,t =4.309,P =0.041).Conclusions The expressions of miRNA595 ,miRNA-300 and miRNA-122 are all increased in patients with HBV-related liver failure,especially the expression of circulating miRNA-595 at early stage of the disease.The miRNA-595 may be used as a new serum biomarker for monitoring the severity of disease.

Objective To evaluate contrast-enhanced fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging in the detection of leptomeningeal lesions.Methods Seventeen patients with a variety of leptomeningeal lesions were analyzed.The MRI protocol included un-enhanced and contrast-enhanced FLAIR images and contrast-enhanced T_1WI,Comparisons between contrast-enhanced FLAIR images and T_1WI and between un-enhanced and contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were made to determine which sequence better depicted the lesions.Results Leptomeningeal lesions showed as either diffusely or locally abnormal hyper-intensity along sulci or cistern on three sequences.Comparison between contrast-enhanced FLAIR and T_1WI showed that only contrast-enhanced FLAIR revealed the abnormalities in 7,both revealed the abnormalities but the former was superior in 2 ,and both were conspicuous in 7. In 1 patient of tuberculous meningitis,diffuse abnormalities of sulci were shown only on contrast-enhanced FLAIR, abnormalities of cisterns were shown on both sequences but the former was superior.Comparison between un- enhanced and contrast-enhanced FLAIR showed that only contrast-enhanced FLAIR revealed the abnormalities in 9,both revealed the abnormalities but the former was superior in 3,and both were conspicuous in 4. In 1 patient of tuberculous meningitis,abnormalities of cisterns were shown only on contrast-enhanced FLAIR,diffuseabnormalities of sulci were shown on both sequences but the former was superior.Conclusions Contrast-enhanced FLAIR images were superior to un-enhanced FLAIR images and contrast-enhanced T_1WI in the detection of leptomeningeal lesions. Contrast-enhanced FLAIR images are helpful and should be considered when findings on un-enhanced FLAIR images and/or contrast-enhanced T,WI are inconclusive.