[Application of the superior thyroid artery peak systolic velocity in differentiating Graves' disease from autoimmune thyroiditis].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of the superior thyroid artery peak systolic velocity (STA-PSV) for the differential diagnosis of autoimmune thyrotoxicosis. Methods: A total of 301 patients with newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis and without any anti-thyroid drug intervention were collected from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Peking University People's Hospital from Jan. 2015 to Oct. 2018. Among them, 241 patients were with Graves' disease (GD) and 60 patients were with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). STA-PSV, thyroid function and thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) were determined. A multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with STA-PSV. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the discriminating ability of STA-PSV to GD. Results: STA-PSV leves in GD group were significantly higher than those in AIT group [61.00 (41.00, 86.50) cm/s vs. 34.50 (25.25, 46.00) cm/s, P<0.001]. The ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC was 0.790 (95%CI 0.734-0.845), and 49.5cm/s was the optimal cutoff point for the diagnosis of GD, in which the sensitivity was 64.3% and the specificity was 83.3%. In all patients with thyrotoxicosis, multiple linear regression analyses showed free thyroxine (FT(4)) (ß=0.371, 95%CI 0.005-0.010, P<0.001) and TRAb (ß=0.138, 95%CI 0.001-0.014, P=0.035) were positively associated with STA-PSV. Conclusions: The STA-PSV is positively associated with FT(4) and TRAb levels, and it is a helpful marker in differential diagnosis between GD and AIT.

[Ultrasound screening and follow-up study of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in neonates].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) in neonates, and to evaluate the value of urinary ultrasound screening in the early postnatal period. METHODS: The neonates born or treated in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital affiliated to Tsinghua University between January 2016 and December 2018 accepted the urinary ultrasound screening, and the neonates with problem were followed up. In the meanwhile, the maternal pregnancy data were analyzed to screen out the risk factors associated with the onset of CAKUT. RESULTS: (1)A total of 2 655 neonates were screened by ultrasonography, of whom 82 neonates had been diagnosed with CAKUT (male: 60 cases, female: 22 cases), the positive rate was 3.1% (82/2 655). There were 66 cases of hydronephrosis, 6 cases of duplicate kidney, 2 cases of multiple renal cysts, 2 cases of renal cystic dysplasia, 1 case of medullary sponge kidney, 3 cases of small kidney, 1 case of isolated kidney, and 1 case of horseshoe kidney. (2)Of the 66 children with hydronephrosis, 4 cases were lost to the follow-up; 8 cases were followed for less than six months with no significant changes found, and still in the follow-up observation; 54 cases were followed up for 1 year, among which 32 cases were returned to normal within 1 year, 3 cases were alleviated, 7 cases were aggravated, and 12 cases were unchanged. One case underwent surgery for repeated urinary tract infections and decreased renal function. (3) Abnormal fetal urinary ultrasound in the late pregnancy was found to be the most common in the high risk factors of CAKUT. There were 44 high-risk newborns with abnormal fetal urinary ultrasound, and 35 cases of CAKUT were diagnosed after birth. The incidence rate was 79.5%(35/44). (4)Among the 2 655 newborns screened, 2 611 newborns had normal antenatal urinary ultrasonography. Among these neonates with normal urinary ultrasound during pregnancy,47 cases of CAKUT were diagnosed after birth, with an incidence of 1.8% (47/2 611). CONCLUSION: The most common CAKUT in neonates is hydronephrosis and most cases with hydronephrosis had a good prognosis, but they should be followed up regularly. Urinary ultrasound screening for neonates, especially those high-risk neonates with abnormal fetal urinary ultrasound, has important clinical implications for the early detection of CAKUT.

Performance of HbA(1c) for detecting newly diagnosed diabetes and pre-diabetes in Chinese communities living in Beijing.

AIM: To determine the performance of glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) as a screening tool for detecting newly diagnosed diabetes (NDM) and pre-diabetes. METHODS: A diabetes survey was conducted in Beijing among community dwellers who were willing to participate in the survey. Included in the survey were 903 individuals aged 21-79 years without previously diagnosed diabetes and in whom HbA(1c) and other required covariates had been measured. NDM and pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance + impaired fasting glucose) were defined according to the World Health Organization 1999 criteria based on 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted to determine the performance of HbA(1c). RESULTS: The prevalence of NDM and pre-diabetes was 11.1% and 22.4%, respectively. At an optimal HbA(1c) cut-off point of > or = 6.0%, the test gave a sensitivity of 80.0% and a specificity of 89.8% for diagnosing NDM; at an optimal cut-off point of > or = 5.7%, the sensitivity was 59.4% and specificity 73.9% for diagnosing pre-diabetes. Individuals with HbA(1c)> or = 6.0% tended to be more obese than those with HbA(1c) < 6.0%, but blood pressure and lipid profiles did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: HbA(1c) as a single screening test is adequate to detect newly diagnosed diabetes but is not able to identify pre-diabetes in this obese Chinese population.

DNA-binding and photocleavage studies of cobalt(III) mixed-polypyridyl complexes containing 2-(2-chloro-5-nitrophenyl)imidazo [4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline.

The ligand 2-(2-chloro-5-nitrophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline(CNOIP) and its complexes [Co(bpy)(2)(CNOIP)](3+) (1) and [Co(phen)(2)(CNOIP)](3+) (2) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine; phen=1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized and characterized. Binding of the two complexes with calf thymus DNA has been investigated by spectroscopic methods, cyclic voltammetry, viscosity, and electrophoresis measurements. The experimental results indicate that both complexes bind to DNA through an intercalative mode. In comparison with their parent complexes containing PIP ligand (PIP=2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), the introduction of NO(2) and Cl groups to the PIP ligand decreased the binding affinity of complexes 1 and 2 to CT DNA. Both complexes have also been found to promote the photocleavage of plasmid pBR 322 DNA, the hydroxyl radical (OH*) is suggested to be the reactive species responsible for the cleavage.

DNA-binding and photocleavage studies of cobalt(III) polypyridyl complexes:.

Two complexes of [Co(phen)2IP]3+ (IP=imidazo[4,5-f][l,10]phenanthroline) and [Co(phen)2PIP]3+ (PIP=2-phenylimidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) have been synthesized and characterized by UV/VIS, IR, EA and mass spectra. The binding of the two complexes with calf thymus DNA has been investigated by absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, viscosity measurements and DNA cleavage assay. The spectroscopic studies together with cyclic voltammetry and viscosity experiments support that both of the complexes bind to CT DNA by intercalation via IP or PIP into the base pairs of DNA. [Co(phen)2PIP]3+ binds more avidly to CT DNA than [Co(phen)2IP]3+, which is consistent with the extended planar and pi system of PIP. Noticeably, the two complexes have been found to be efficient photosensitisers for strand scissions in plasmid DNA.

Enantiomeric ruthenium(II) complexes binding to DNA: binding modes and enantioselectivity.

A series of enantiomerically pure polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes, delta- and lambda-[Ru(bpy)2 (HPIP)](PF6)2 (delta-1 and lambda-1; bpy=2,2'-bipyridine, HPIP = 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), delta and lambda-[Ru(bpy)2(HNAIP)](PF6)2 (delta-2 and lambda-2; HNAIP = 2-(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), delta- and lambda-[Ru(bpy)2 (HNOIP)](PF6)2 (delta-3 and lambda-3; HNOIP = 2-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline), and delta- and lambda-[Ru(bpy)2(DPPZ)](PF6)2 (delta-4 and lambda-4; DPPZ= dipyridophenazine), have been synthesized. Binding behavior of these chiral complexes to calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been investigated by electronic absorption, steady-state emission, and circular dichroism spectroscopies, as well as by viscosity measurements and equilibrium dialysis binding studies. Several points came from the results. (1) The DNA-binding properties were distinctly different for the [Ru(bpy)2L]2+ (L=HPIP, HNAIP, HNOIP) series of ruthenium(II) complexes, which indicates that the photophysical behavior of the complexes on binding to DNA can be modulated through ligand design. (2) Different binding rates of individual enantiomers of complexes 1 and 4 to DNA were observed through dialysis experiments. The lambda enantiomer bound more rapidly than the lambda enantiomer and their different intercalative binding geometries were suggested to be responsible. (3) Both delta-2 and lambda-2 bound weakly to CT-DNA; delta-2 may bind through a partial intercalation mode, whereas lambda-2 may bind in the DNA groove. (4) There was no noticeable enantioselectivity for complexes 1, 3, and 4 on binding to CT-DNA. Both of their enantiomers can intercalate into DNA base pairs. It is noted that delta-3 and lambda-3 exhibited almost identical spectral changes on addition of CT-DNA, and a similar binding manner of the isomers to the double helix was proposed.

Synthesis, characterization and antitumor activity of a series of polypyridyl complexes.

A series of polypyridyl complexes have been synthesized. All polypyridyl complexes and some of the soluble ligands have been assayed for antitumor activity in vitro against the HL-60 (the human leucocytoma) cells, BEL-7402 (the human liver carcinoma) cells, KB (the human nasopharyngeal carcinoma) cells and HELA (the human adenocarcinoma of cervix) cells. The results indicate that several complexes have relative activity against different cell lines. Especially, the complexes [Co(bpy)(2)(pip)](3+), [Co(phen)(2)(pip)](3+), [Ru(bpy)(2)(pztp)](2+) and [Ru(pztp)(2)(bpy)](2+) show relative high activity against four tumor cell lines. Moreover, they are slightly more effective than cisplatin. At the concentration of 100 mug/mL, the complexes show inhibitory rate of 72 approximately 86% for the cancer cells and have no toxicity for MDCK and Vero cells. It is indicated that these complexes can inhibit cancer cells selectively.

Study of the interaction between novel ruthenium(II)-polypyridyl complexes and calf thymus DNA.

Four new complexes L2RuL'2+, where L = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), L' are Schiff bases or phenylhydrazones derived from 4,5-diazafluoren-9-one (AFO), were prepared. They were characterized by elemental analyses, absorption, IR, and emission spectra. The binding of these complexes to calf thymus DNA has been investigated by absorption, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and viscosity measurement. The experimental results show that the complexes bind to calf thymus DNA by three kinds of binding modes, respectively-electrostatic mode, nonintercalative binding mode, and intercalative binding mode.