[Biochemical screening and genetic diagnosis of thalassemia in children from Kunming].

Objective: To investigate the types and frequency of gene mutations in children with thalassemia in Kunming, Yunan Province.

Methods: A biochemical screening for thalassemia was performed by testing RBC fragility, MCV and hemoglobin electrophoresis on 1338 children from Kunming, Yunnan Province. Genetic diagnosis was performed on the children with α-thalassemia by gap-PCR and on the children with β-thalassemia by PCR-RDB.

Expression of pax-6 in rhesus monkey of optical defocus induced myopia and form deprivation myopia.

Background: Pax-6 gene plays an important role in the process of eye development. This study was to determine the role of pax-6 in the axial myopia produced by hyperopic optical defocus and form deprivation in infant monkeys.

Methods: Among seven normal infant rhesus monkeys (aged 1 to 1.

Development and clinical trial of fluorescence PCR diagnostic kit to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Objective: To develop a new diagnostic kit for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) detection on the basis of fluorescence PCR (F-PCR) and conduct clinical trial of this kit for assessing its performance in comparison with other diagnostic methods.

Methods: We collected 546 clinical sputum samples from patients with phthisis and normal subjects to examine TB by way of F-PCR in parallel with examination with modified R.culture, auramine smear with fluorescence staining and LCx DNA diagnostic kit from Abbott for comparison.