Objective To evaluate efficiencies of 4 kinds of γ‐interferon release assay(IGRA) detection kits in diagnosis of pul‐monary tuberculosis .Methods 4 kinds of IGRA reagents produced by Oxford Immunotec Ltd (Oxford) in British ,Shanghai Fuxing Changzheng Medical Science Co .,Ltd(Fuxing) ,Cellectis in Australia(Cellectis) and Haikou VTI Biological Institute(VTI) ,respec‐tively ,were used to determine release levels of peripheral bloodγ‐interferon which had antigenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 86 cases of patients with tuberculosis and 80 cases of healthy individuals ,and diagnostic efficiencies were evaluated .Results Among the 4 kinds of IGRA reagents ,including Oxford ,Fuxing ,Cellectis and VTI ,the sensitivity was 93 .02% ,88 .37% ,90 .70% and 91 .86% ,respectively ;the specificity was 92 .50% ,75 .00% ,82 .50% and 87 .50% ,respectively ;the positive predictive value was 93 .02% ,79 .17% ,84 .78% and 88 .76% ,respectively ;the negative predictive value was 92 .50% ,85 .71% ,89 .19% and 90 .91% ;the diagnostic accordance rate was 92 .77% ,81 .93% ,86 .75% and 89 .76% ,respectively ;the area under receiver operating charac‐teristic(ROC) curve was 0 .975 ,0 .892 ,0 .958 and 0 .963 .Conclusion There are no significant differences among Oxford ,Fuxing , Cellectis and VTI reagents ,and reagents could be selected according to clinical requirements .

Objective To evaluate the value of suprasternal long axis view in echocardiography for right pulmonary artery (RPA) lesions.Methods Echocardiography was performed in 31 patients with clinical suspicion of pulmonary vascular disease.Through suprasternal long axis view,RPA,right superior pulmonary artery and right inferior pulmonary artery were identified,and the vessel wall,intraluminal echoes,and location of the lesion were obtained.Blood flow in pulmonary artery was detected with color Doppler flow imaging.The results of echocardiography were compared with those of computer tomography of pulmonary angiography (CTPA) and clinical diagnosis.Results With suprasternal notch echocardiography,RPA lesions were identified in 27 patients.H owever,RPA could not be clearly identified in four patients.There were 22 patients with moderate or low echo mass in RPA,and five patients with intimal thickening and artery stenosis/obliteration.In the 27 patients with detected lesions,20 lesions were located in RPA,seven lesions were located in distal RPA or its branches.Among the results obtained with echocardiography,25 were in accordance with CT results,6 were not in accordance with CT results.Conclusions The suprasternal long axis view of RPA can be an important alternative imaging modality in identification of pulmonary vascular diseases.

Objective To investigate the incidence and the relation between pulmonary hypertension (PH) and cardiac output in hemodialysis (HD) patients with PH. Methods The incidence of PH was estimated with Doppler echocardiography in 78 patients receiving HD. Left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac volume, cardiac output and cardiac index were compared between patients with or without PH. Results PH was found in 20 patients (25.64%), among them15 had mild PH, 4 had moderate PH and 1 had severe PH. There was no statistical difference of ejection fraction, cardiac volume, cardiac output and cardiac index between the two groups. PH was not related to cardiac output. Conclusion HD can lead to PH, but cardiac output can not result in PH. Further investigations about the effect of elevated cardiac output induced by internal arteriovenous fistula and other factors on PH are needed.

Objective To assess the usefulness of left ventricular contrast echocardiography in diagnosis of left ventricular myocardium noncompaction.Methods Contrast echocardiography was done in ten patients who were diagnosed or suspected with left ventricular noncompaction by common transthoracic echocardiography,for further study of the trabecular muscles extent,the continuity of the endocardium,the compact myocardium thickness,and the contrast agent in the trabecula recessus.Results By contrast echocardiography,noncompaction myocardium thickness can be perspicuously observed,the turgor of the contrast agent was vividly detected in the trabecular recessus.Especially for the measurement of compaction myocardium,the contrast echocardiography was more accurate than in the condition of the common echocardiography.Conclusions Left ventricular contrast echocardiography can be used in the diagnosis of left ventricular noncompaction,it was a good added method of conventional echocardiography.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the temporary bedside cardiac pacing in controlling torsades de points (TdP) in patients with acquired long QT syndrome (LQTS). Methods Twelve patients with acquired LQTS were enrolled from April 2003 to August 2007 consecutively and their clinical data were analyzed. Bedside cardiac pacing was adopted when other methods couldn't terminate the repeated TdP. Results Twelve patients successfully experienced the temporary bedside cardiac pacing via femoral venous. The average time spent in bedside cardiac pacing was about (10.5±2.4) min. After cardiac pacing the interval of QT and QTc were shortened [ (0.42±0.03 ) svs (0.52±0.06) s, P < 0.05; (0.43± 0.04 ) s vs (0.53±0.05 ) s, P <0.05 ]. The TdP occurred (4.6±1.2 ) times per day before cardiac pacing and it didn't reoccur any more after bedside cardiac pacing. The average time for cardiac pacing was(3.8±1.4) d. When the patients were discharged, the interval of QT and QTe were (0.41±0.02) s and (0.42±0.05) s respectively, there were significant differences compared with that before cardiac pacing(P< 0.05). During 1 year follow-up, the patients didn't experience TdP any more, and the interval of QT and QTe were (0.41± 0.06) s and (0.42±0.05) s respectively. Conclusion The immediate bedside cardiac pacing is a safe and effective way to control the repeated TdP.

Objective To investigate the effects of EMP exposure to male BABL/c mice on the reproduction and its sex ratio.Methods Thirty-three male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into sham-exposed group,10 000 pulses/d exposed group,and 100 000 pulses/d exposed group with 50 Hz static magnetic field of 35 kV/m for 2 weeks consecutively,then the male mice were mated with unexposed females (1 male vs.2 female).Mated males were sacrificed to examine the exposure effects on sperm number and testis index after 7 days of mating.The sex ratio of embryos collected from unexposed mated females was investigated by PCR.Results The sex ratio of offspring was 0.298 (14/47) in the 10 000 pulses/d exposed group,significantly lower than 0.871 (27/31) in the sham-exposed group.No statistical changes were observed in the sex ratio of offspring,sperm number,the weights of testis and testis index after 100 000 pulses/d exposure.Conclusions The exposure of male mice to 35 kV/m EMP at 10 000 pulses/d for 2 weeks consecutively may change the sex ratio of mice's offspring.

ObjectiveTo enhance understanding on echocardiographic and clinical characteristics of valve lesions of non-infective endocarditis (NIE), particularly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Comparative analysis of the diagnostic value of echocardiography was performed in patients with non-infective endocarditis and atypical infective endocarditis (IE).MethodsData from 38 patients with clinically diagnosed NIE in the institution were collected retrospectively during July 2005 and January 2015, including 10 patients with SLE, 10 with rheumatic heart disease, 11 with rheumatoid arthritis, and 7 with hepatitis B. Data of 42 patients diagnosed as atypical IE during the same period were collected as control group. All patients underwent examinations of blood culture, sero-immunological tests, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. Comparison was made between the two groups using SPSS 11.5 software package. ResultsThe difference in blood culture, sero-immunological tests and electrocardiogram was statistically signiifcant between the groups (χ2 value, 26.29, 5.53, and 4.80, respectively, allP<0.05), although there was no statistical difference in results of echocardiography (χ2=0.03,P>0.05). Echocardiography identiifed valvular vegetations in 27 of 38 patients, with NIE with a detection rate of 71.0%; The size of the vegetations ranged from 2 to 7 mm in diameter; Valve vegetations was found in 36 of 42 patients with atypical IE, with a detection rate of 85.7%; the other six cases demonstrated valvular thickening only; in this group, the vegetations ranged from 2 mm to 19 mm in size and were located in the left heart in 28 patients, 8 cases in the right heart. In the case group, two cases of valve lesions in patients with SLE were confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), while missed on TEE examination. Nine cases with more than mild valve regurgitation were identiifed. Ten cases were treated with hormones and cyclophosphamide, after which valve lesions resolution was found on serial echocardiography tests with a follow-up period of 5 days to 3 years.Conclusions Echocardiography is capable of detecting valve lesions at early stage in patients with NIE, particularly in patients with SLE. Echocardiography plays a crucial role in identifying the non-infective thrombotic vegetations, guiding clinical treatment and monitoring the therapeutic effects.

Objective By using infrared thermal imager (Flir-SC620), to observe the effect of needling Sanyinjiao (SP6) on the skin temperature at Guanyuan (CV4) and Sanyinjiao in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD) of cold and dampness stagnation pattern, and to explore the probability of using infrared thermal imaging for diagnosis and as an objective index for evaluating the action and needling qi of acupuncture. Method Thirty-six subjects were recruited and divided into four group, a health control group (group A), a control group of PD of cold and dampness stagnation pattern (group B), a needling-qi-expected group (group C) and a needling-qi-unexpected group (group D). Group A and B were not given acupuncture treatment, while group C and D were treated with acupuncture at bilateral Sanyinjiao with needles retained for 30 min, and the needling sensations were recorded. The infrared thermal imager was used to detect the skin temperature at Guanyuan and bilateral Sanyinjiao for 40 min for each group, and the temperature was recorded every 10 min. The temperature during different periods of time, 0-10 min, 20-20 min, 20-30 min, 30-40 min, 0-30 min, and 0-40 min were then calculated. In group C, those obtained the needling qi sensation were further grouped into C-1 and those didn’t obtain the sensation were into C-2; in group D, those obtained needling qi sensation were further grouped into D-1 and those didn’t obtain the sensation were into D-2. SPSS 17.0 was adopted for data processing, and the data were analyzed by using MANOVA of repeated measuring. Result Compared to group A (6 cases), the temperature at Guanyuan in group B (6 cases) was significantly decreased during 0-30 min and 0-40 min (P<0.05), the temperature at the left Sanyinjiao during 0-40 min in group B was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the temperatures at bilateral Sanyinjiao during 30-40 min in group B significantly dropped (P<0.05). Compared to group B, the temperatures at Guanyuan during 0-30 min and 0-40 min in group C1 (12 cases) and group D1 (11 cases) were significantly increased (P<0.05), the temperature at left Sanyinjiao during 0-40 min in group D1 was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the temperatures at bilateral Sanyinjiao during 30-40 min in group D1 were significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no case in group C2 and only 1 case in group D2, hence, the data were not enough for analysis. Conclusion Decrease of the infrared temperature at Guanyuan and Sanyinjiao can be taken as one of the diagnostic criteria for dysmenorrhea of cold stagnation pattern. Increase of the infrared temperature at Guanyuan can be regarded as one of the objective evidences for the along-meridian transmission characteristic in needling Sanyinjiao.

Objective To evaluate the right ventricular function of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) by Doppler echocardiography. Methods In 16 patients with CTEPH,end-diastolic left ventricular diameter(LVDd), end-diastolic right ventricular areas (RVEDA), end-systolic right ventricular areas (RVESA), right ventricular fractional area change (RVFAC), pulmonary accelerative time (Pact), pressure gradient of tricuspid valve regurgitation (PGT1), area of tricuspid valve regurgitation (AT1) were measured by echocardiography. Results Fifteen and thirty days after surgery,the LVDd and Pact had increased,RVEDA, RVESA,PGT1 and AT1 had decreased while RVFAC had increased in all cases. Conclusions PTE may effectively improve the right ventricular function of patients with CTEPH.

Objective To explore the feasibility of using short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SLSEP) to quantitate Deqi.Methods A randomized crossover controlled trial was carried out. Healthy subjects were enrolled and allocated to treatment (thick needle, deep insertion and manipulation for Deqi) and control (thin needle, shallow insertion and no manipulation without Deqi) groups. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded before, during and after acupuncture. Deqi was assessed using the score scale in the subjets. The effects of Deqi and no Deqi at point Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on the potentials were observed.Results The preliminary exploration of the feasibility by the trial test showed that the effect of Deqi on short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials had certain regularity. It was worthy to be observed.Conclusion The plan is feasible. The formal test can be conducted.