Investigation of SLC2A1 26177A/G gene polymorphism via high resolution melting curve analysis in Malaysian patients with diabetic retinopathy

PurposeIn this study, we aimed to investigate the possible association between SLC2A1 26177A/G polymorphism and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Malaysian patients with type 2 diabetes.MethodsGenomic DNA was extracted from 211 Malaysian type 2 diabetic patients (100 without retinopathy [DNR], 111 with retinopathy) and 165 healthy controls. A high resolution melting assay developed in this study was used to detect SLC2A1 26177A/G polymorphism followed by statistical analysis.ResultsA statistically significant difference in 26177 G minor allele frequency between healthy controls (19.7 %) and total patient group (26.1 %) (p < 0.05, Odd ratio = 1.437, 95% Confidence interval = 1.015–2.035) as well as between healthy controls (19.7 %) and DNR patients (27.5%) (p < 0.05, Odd ratio = 1.546, 95% Confidence interval = 1.024–2.336) was shown in this study. However, when compared between DR and DNR patients, there was no significant difference (p > 0.05).ConclusionsThis is the first study which shows that SLC2A1 26177G allele is associated with type 2 diabetes in Malaysian population but not with DR.     

A new approach for evaluating the resectability of pancreatic and periampullary neoplasms

ObjectiveTo establish a new standard for assessing the resectability of pancreatic and periampullary tumors by the Medical Image Three-Dimensional Visualization System (MI-3DVS).MethodsEighty cases of pancreatic and periampullary tumors were examined. The 64-slice multidetector CT (64-MDCT) images and patient data were processed by MI-3DVS. The main elements examined by MI-3DVS included tumor shape, size, and location; distribution of related vessels; luminal morphology of large vessels; distribution and morphology of the small peripancreatic veins; morphology, degree of dilation, and obstructive sites of bile and pancreatic ducts. Based on vascular characteristics of MI-3DVS findings, the cases were classified into five types. Type I and II were resectable, type III were potentially resectable or resectable with combined vascular resection and reconstruction, and type IV and V were unresectable. The outcome was then compared with corresponding CT angiography (CTA) analysis and actual surgical observations.ResultsAmong the 80 cases, MI-3DVS indicated that 60 were resectable and the remaining 20 were not. In contrast, CTA indicated 50 resectable cases and 30 unresectable cases. For 57 cases of pancreatic ductal carcinomas and all 80 cases periampullary tumors, MI-3DVS assessment yielded a positive predictive value of 100%, negative predictive value of 100%, a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 100%. While CTA generated corresponding values of 96%, 60%, 80%, 90%, 82.5%. The overall differences between the two methods were significant (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe new classification system is able to reliably assess the resectability of pancreatic and periampullary tumors.     

Role of hyaluronic acid and laminin as serum markers for predicting significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of serum HA and LN as serum markers for predicting significant fibrosis in CHB patients.MethodsSerum HA and LN levels of 87 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 19 blood donors were assayed by RIA. Liver fibrosis stages were determined according to the Metavir scoring-system. The diagnostic performances of all indexes were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.ResultsSerum HA and LN concentrations increased significantly with the stage of hepatic fibrosis, which showed positive correlation with the stages of liver fibrosis (HA: r = 0.875, p < 0.001; LN: r = 0.610, p < 0.001). There were significant differences of serum HA and LN levels between F2-4 group in comparison with those in F0-F1 group (p < 0.001) and controls (p < 0.001), respectively. From ROC curves, 185.3 ng/mL as the optimal cut-off value of serum HA for diagnosis of significant fibrosis, giving its sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+, LR- and AC of 84.2%, 83.3%, 90.6%, 73.5%, 5.04, 0.19 and 83.9, respectively. While 132.7 ng/mL was the optimal cut-off value of serum LN, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+, LR-and AC were 71.9%, 80.0%, 87.2%, 60.0%, 3.59%, 0.35% and 74.7, respectively. Combinations of HA and LN by serial tests showed a perfect specificity and PPV of 100%, at the same time sensitivity declined to 63.2% and LR+ increased to 18.9, while parallel tests revealed a good sensitivity of 94.7%, NPV to 86.4%, and LR- declined to 0.08.ConclusionsSerum HA and LN concentrations showed positive correlation with the stages of liver fibrosis. Detection of serum HA and LN in predicting significant fibrosis showed good diagnostic performance, which would be further optimized by combination of the two indices. HA and LN would be clinically useful serum markers for predicting significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B, when liver biopsy is contraindicated.     

Seroprevalence of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus among poultry workers in Jiangsu Province, China: an observational study

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) are the third most frequently reported nosocomial infection, and the most common on surgical wards. HIV-infected patients may increase the possibility of developing SSI after surgery. There are few reported date on incidence and the preventive measures of SSI in HIV-infected patients. This study was to determine the incidence and the associated risk factors for SSI in HIV-infected patients. And we also explored the preventive measures.

Methods

A retrospective study of SSI was conducted in 242 HIV-infected patients including 17 patients who combined with hemophilia from October 2008 to September 2011 in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center. SSI were classified according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria and identified by bedside surveillance and post-discharge follow-up. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).

Results

The SSI incidence rate was 47.5% (115 of 242); 38.4% incisional SSIs, 5.4% deep incisional SSIs and 3.7% organ/space SSIs. The SSI incidence rate was 37.9% in HIV-infected patients undergoing abdominal operation. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery with lower preoperative CD4 counts were more likely to develop SSIs. The incidence increased from 2.6% in clean wounds to 100% in dirty wounds. In the HIV-infected patients combined with hemophilia, the mean preoperative albumin and postoperative hemoglobin were found significantly lower than those in no-SSIs group (P<0.05).

Conclusions

SSI is frequent in HIV-infected patients. And suitable perioperative management may decrease the SSIs incidence rate of HIV-infected patients.     

血栓通离子导入联合康柏西普玻璃体腔注射治疗视网膜静脉阻塞合并黄斑水肿

目的：研究血栓通离子导入联合康柏西普玻璃体腔注射治疗视网膜静脉阻塞(RVO)合并黄斑水肿(ME)的临床效果及安全性。

方法：前瞻性研究。将2017-06/2019-06我院106例106眼RVO合并ME患者采用随机数字表法均分为观察组和对照组各53例53眼,均给予玻璃体腔注射康柏西普进行治疗; 观察组另加用血栓通注射液离子导入进行干预,用药时间3mo,两组均随访1a并根据病情进行补充治疗,观察并比较两组治疗前后最佳矫正视力(BCVA)、黄斑区中央视网膜厚度(CRT)、补充治疗情况、房水血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)水平及药物不良反应。

结果：两组治疗后BCVA明显改善(P<0.05),CRT明显降低(P<0.05),且观察组治疗3、6、12mo BCVA高于对照组,CRT低于对照组(P<0.05); 两组治疗后黄斑总容积和房水VEGF水平均明显降低(P<0.05),且观察组治疗1、3、6、12mo黄斑总容积和VEGF水平低于对照组(均P<0.05); 观察组康柏西普、曲安奈德注射次数和激光光凝患者占比均低于对照组(P<0.05); 观察组治疗期间发生眼压升高1眼、结膜下出血3眼,对照组发生结膜下出血2眼、眼内炎1眼,两组比较无差异(P>0.05)。

结论：血栓通离子导入联合康柏西普玻璃体腔注射治疗RVO合并ME可有效抑制VEGF表达,减轻ME并改善患眼视力,疗效和安全性均值得肯定。     

线粒体DNA与心肌病的关系

人类线粒体DNA（mtDNA）是细胞内唯一存在于细胞核外的遗传物质,参与了转录、编码2个rRNA,22个tRNA及线粒体呼吸链中的13种蛋白多肽亚单位。人类某些疾病与线粒体DNA缺陷有关。心肌病是一类原因不明的伴随心脏功能障碍的心肌疾病。研究显示,线粒体产生的大量活性氧可导致mtDNA缺失或突变,tRNA基因保守序列突变影响肌肉收缩蛋白合成,造成氧化磷酸化缺陷,影响能量代谢。因此,线粒体的功能缺陷可能在心肌病的发生发展中起一定的作用。本文探讨了mtDNA突变与心肌病的关系,对mtDNA的深入研究将为临床寻找病因以及预防、诊断、治疗心肌病提供新思路。