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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the gold standard for nucleic acid amplification in molecular diagnostics. The PCR includes multiple reaction stages (denaturation, annealing, and extension), and a complicated thermalcycler is required to repetitively provide different temperatures for different stages for 30-40 cycles within at least 1-2 hours. Due to the complicated devices and the long amplification time, it is difficult to adopt conventional PCR in point-of-care testing (POCT). Comparing to conventional PCR, isothermal amplification is able to provide a much faster and more convenient nucleic acid detection because of highly efficient amplification at a constant reaction temperature provided by a simple heating device. When isothermal amplification is combined with microfluidics, a more competent platform for POCT can be established. For example, various diagnosis devices based on isothermal amplification have been used to rapidly and conveniently detect SARS-CoV-2 viruses. This review summarized the recent development and applications of the microfluidics-based isothermal amplification. First, different typical isothermal amplification methods and related detection methods have been introduced. Subsequently, different types of microfluidic systems with isothermal amplification were discussed based on their characteristics, for example, functionality, system structure, flow control, and operation principles. Furthermore, detection of pathogens (e.g. SARS-CoV-2 viruses) based on isothermal amplification was introduced. Finally, the combination of isothermal amplification with other new technologies, e.g. CRISPR, has been introduced as well.
Subject(s)
Humans , COVID-19/diagnosis , Microfluidics , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Polymerase Chain Reaction , SARS-CoV-2/geneticsABSTRACT
Objective To analyze the effects of Hual qi huang granules on children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.Methods A randomized,multicenter parallel controlled clinical trial was carried out.A total of 3 000 cases of hospitalized children with mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were selected.All of them were given treatment for mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia with macrolide antibiotics and symptomatic treatment.They were randomly divided into 2 groups:research group and control group.The children of research group were give oral Huai qi huang granules for three months.According to the classification of pneumonia,these two groups were divided into:lobar pneumonia research group,lobar pneumonia control group,lobular pneumonia research group,lobular pneumonia control group.The hospitalization duration of fever,length of hospital stay,the absorption area of lung inflammation and pneumonia severity sores were observed.The frequency of upper respiratory infections,bronchitis,pneumonia were observed in 3 months after discharge.Results 2 378 cases were investigated.The hospitalization duration of fever,length of hospital stay of research group were significantly shorter than that of in control group (P ＜ 0.001).The children with lobar pneumonia,2 weeks after treatment,the absorption of consolidation of the lobar pneumonia research group is significantly better than lobar pneumonia control group (P ＜0.001).After two weeks treatment,the pneumonia scores of lobar pneumonia research group is lower than lobar pneumonia control group (P ＜ 0.05).Followup of 3 months after hospital discharge,frequency of upper respiratory infection and bronchitis of research group,were significantly lower than that of control.In addition,appetite increased significantly in research group than control (P ＜ 0.001).There are 21 cases with drug associated adverse reactions (mild diarrhea),including 12 cases of research group,9 cases of control group,and there was no statistical significance (P ＞0.05).Conclusion Standard treatment combined with oral Huai qi huang granules in the treatment of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia,can significantly shorten hospitalization duration of fever,length of hospital stay and reduce the severity score of pneumonia.Three months oral Huai qi huang granules can significant reduce the frequency of respiratory infections and bronchitis,also can increase patients appetite,and be safe.
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OBJECTIVE: Bipolar disorder (BD) is often misdiagnosed as unipolar depression (UD), leading to mistreatment and poor clinical outcomes. However, little is known about the similarities and differences in subcorticalgray matter regions between BD and UD. METHODS: Thirty-five BD patients, 30 UD patients and 40 healthy controls underwent diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) and three dimensional arterial spin labeling (3D ASL). The parameters including mean kurtosis (MK), axial kurtosis (Ka), radial kurtosis (Kr), fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (Da), radial diffusivity (Dr) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were measured by using regions-of-interest analysis in the caudate, putamen and thalamus of the subcortical gray matter regions. RESULTS: UD exhibited differences from controls for DKI measures and CBF in the left putamen and caudate. BD showed differences from controls for DKI measures in the left caudate. Additionally, BD showed lower Ka in right putamen, higher MD in right caudate compared with UD. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed the Kr of left caudate had the highest predictive power for distinguishing UD from controls. CONCLUSION: The two disorders may have overlaps in microstructural abnormality in basal ganglia. The change of caudate may serve as a potential biomarker for UD.
Subject(s)
Humans , Anisotropy , Basal Ganglia , Bipolar Disorder , Cerebrovascular Circulation , Depressive Disorder , Diffusion , Gray Matter , Perfusion Imaging , Perfusion , Putamen , ROC Curve , ThalamusABSTRACT
We reported a simple and fast fluorescence system based on quantum dots ( QDs ) to detect glutamate dehydrogenase ( GLDH) , which inverted glutamate to α-ketogrutarate using NAD+ as a coenzyme. The fluorescence of CdTe QDs was quenched by nicotinamide adenine dimucleotide ( NAD+) through an electron transfer pathway, and the quencher NAD+ could be consumed by adding NAD+-dependent enzymes and corresponding substrates. Based on this principle we introduced GLDH to consume NAD+ in the QDs/NAD+ system, leading to the enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of QDs, which was in proportional to the amounts of GLDH added. Using this fluorescence system, we measured GLDH in a wide concentration range from 10 U/L to 1000 U/L, which was of significance in clinical diagnosis of different kinds of liver diseases.
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Objective To investigate the feasibility of diffusion-weighted(DWI) MRI on basis of the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC),and the diagnostic value of pure molecular diffusion coefficient (D),perfusion-related diffusion coefficient (D *) and perfusion fraction (f) in first onset NPC.Methods From December 2011 to January 2013,40 consecutive patients (26 men,14 women; median age,52 years) with suspected NPC were examined on a 3.0 T MR scanner.DW imaging was performed by using a single-shot echo-planar sequence with 13 b-values (0,10,20,30,50,80,100,150,200,300,400,600,800 s/mm2).MR imaging was compared with endoscopy and biopsy for the detection of NPC.Mean interval time between MR imaging examination and subsequent nasopharyngeal biopsy was 3 days (range,0-11 days).The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the pathological results,group A was subjects with NPC (17 men,9 women; median age,35) and group B was ones with nasopharyngeal chronic hyperplastic inflammation(NPH) (9 men,5 women; median age,35).The D,D * and f were measured and compared in patients with first onset NPC and nasopharyngeal hyperplasia (Mann-Whitney test).Results IVIM DWI was successful in 24/26 with NPC and 12/14 with NPH.D value was significantly lower in A group compared with B group [mean,(0.70 ± 0.13) ×10-3 mm2/s vs (0.78 ± 0.05) × 10-3 mm2/s ; U =2.05,P ＜ 0.05],as was f value [mean,(16.25 ±1.46) ％ vs (26.20 ± 3.90) ％ ; U =11.16,P ＜ 0.01].However,D* value was significantly higher in Agroupas compared with B group[mean,(161.8 ±23.56) × 10-3 mm2/s vs (55.28 ± 17.05) × 10-3 mm2/s; U =13.90,P ＜0.01].Conclusions IVIM DWI is a feasible technique for investigating first onset NPC and D value has a certain value in differentiating NPC and NPH.D* value has an important potential value in distinguishing benign and malignant NPC.
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Objective To investigate the diagnostic value comparatively of CT and radiography in pneumoconiosis.Methods Chest radiographic and CT images were analyzed retrospectively in 52 cases with pneumoconiosis.Results The pulmonary disseminated small shadowes (diameter 10 mm),13 cases and 9 cases were detected by CT and radiography respectively.20 cases (5 pneumonia,3 pulmonary tuberculosis,1 lung cancer,6 pneumothorax,4 pulmonary emphysema) and 10 cases (1 pneumonia,1 pulmonary tuberculosis,6 pneumothorax,2 pulmonary emphysema) with complications were showed by CT and radiography respectively.Conclusion CT is not superior to radiography in diagnosis of simple pneumoconiosis,but CT is superior to radiography detecting the big shadow of lung and complications,and it can help radiologists to avoid mistakes.
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Objective To evaluate the diagnostic and therapentic value of ERCP for choledocholithiasis.Methods ERCT and EST in 142 cases with suspected choledoholithiasis were performed for treating choledocholithiasis.All the imaging data were analyzed retrospectively.Results Among 142 cases,128 cases were choledocholithiasis,3 cases were suspected choledocholithiasis,6 cases were normal and 5 cases were miss-diagnosis.The diagnostic accuracy of ERCT was 90.1%(128/142).EST were successful in 129 cases,and 4 cases were failure,the successful rate was 96.9%.Conclusion ERCT is of important value in diaguosing choledocholithiasis and EST is safe and reliable for treating choledocholithiasis.