Births of normal daughters after MicroSort sperm separation and intrauterine insemination, in-vitro fertilization, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection

The world's first deliveries of normal babies after use of flow cytometric separated human sperm cells (MicroSort) for preconception gender selection are reported. Offspring were of the desired female gender in 92.9% of the pregnancies. Most of these pregnancies and births were achieved after simple intrauterine insemination.      

Mouse homologues of the human AZF candidate gene RBM are expressed in spermatogonia and spermatids, and map to a Y chromosome deletion interval associated with a high incidence of sperm abnormalities

An RNA-binding motif (RBM) gene family has been identified on the human Y chromosome that maps to the same deletion interval as the 'azoospermia factor' (AZF). We have identified the homologous gene family (Rbm) on the mouse Y with a view to investigating the proposal that this gene family plays a role in spermatogenesis. At least 25 and probably >50 copies of Rbm are present on the mouse Y chromosome short arm located between Sry and the centromere. As in the human, a role in spermatogenesis is indicated by a germ cell-specific pattern of expression in the testis, but there are distinct differences in the pattern of expression between the two species. Mice carrying the deletion Yd1, that maps to the proximal Y short arm, are female due to a position effect resulting in non-expression of Sry ; sex-reversing such mice with an Sry transgene produces males with a high incidence of abnormal sperm, making this the third deletion interval on the mouse Y that affects some aspect of spermatogenesis. Most of the copies of Rbm map to this deletion interval, and the Yd1males have markedly reduced Rbm expression, suggesting that RBM deficiency may be responsible for, or contribute to, the abnormal sperm development. In man, deletion of the functional copies of RBM is associated with meiotic arrest rather than sperm anomalies; however, the different effects of deletion are consistent with the differences in expression between the two species.      

Immune responses to the expressed products of the CSP antige n gene of Plasmodium falciparum southern China isolate FCC1/HN in Hela cell

Objective To construct a eukaryotic expression system with pcDNA3-PfCSP/Hela for the Circ umsporozoite protein (CSP) gene of Plasmodium falciparum (P.falciparum), t o observe the immune responses in BALB/c mice induced by the expressed proteins .Methods The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3-PfCSP was transformed into the Hela cell line. The expressed protein was isolated and analyzed by using SDS-PAGE and used for immunization of BALB/c mice by subcutaneous, intravenous, and intraperitone al adminstration.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), Dot-ELISA, Wester n blot, T lymphocyte proliferation test, natural killer cell(NKC) activity assay , and CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell detection were used for observation of humoral an d cellular immune responses.Results Immune sera strongly reacted with the expressed protein, antibody titer was up to 1∶6400 as detected by ELISA.Western blot analysis revealed a specific b and at 38.3 Kda.When the spleen cells of normal and immunized BALB/c mice we re specifically stimulated with expressed protein, the optical densities were 0 .12±0.03 and 0.34±0.04, respectively.The latter were significantly highe r than the former (P<0.01).We used the MTT colorimetric assay to measure NKC activity of mice spleen.The results showed that the NKC activity of immuni zed BALB/c mice was remarkably higher than that of the controls (P<0.05). CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were detected by using monoclonal antibody immunofluor escence methods.The results showed that the percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells of immunized group were significantly higher than that of control group ( P<0.05).Conclusions The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and elevated NKC activity to pr oducts made with a eukaryotic expression system could be specifically detected i n BALB/c mice.These findings indicate that the expressed protein could enhance the immune function in mice.     

消痔灵和强的松龙混合液治疗鼻息肉

0　引言　我科 1996 / 1998分别应用消痔灵与强的松龙混合液、消痔灵液、强的松龙液行鼻息肉内 ,鼻息肉蒂部注射治疗鼻息肉各 5 0例 ,并设对照组为鼻腔滴入及口服类固醇激素 5 0例 ,合计 2 0 0例 ,观察并对比其疗效 .1　对象和方法1.1　对象　男 12 8例 ,女 72例 ,年龄 8～ 78(平均 38)岁 ,病程 32 a～ 45 (平均 4.5 ) a.其中在本次治疗前做过一次鼻息肉摘除术后复发的 2 7例 ,做过 2次或 2次以上手术的 12例 .主要症状为鼻塞、流脓涕、头痛及嗅觉减退 .全部病例治疗前均行鼻窦 X线拍片 ,其中上颌窦炎 12 5例、筛窦炎 5 8例、蝶窦炎 2例、…     

Network-related mechanisms may help explain long-term HIV-1 seroprevalence levels that remain high but do not approach population-group saturation

In many cities, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 seroprevalence among drug injectors stabilizes at 30-70% for many years without secondary outbreaks that increase seroprevalence by 15% or more. The authors considered how HIV-1 incidence can remain moderate at seroprevalence levels that would give maximum incidence. Previously suggested answers include behavioral risk reduction and network saturation within high-risk subgroups. Among 767 drug injectors studied in 1991-1993, during a period of stable high seroprevalence in New York City, risk behaviors remained common, and networks were far from saturated. The authors suggest a different network-based mechanism: in stable high-prevalence situations, the relatively small sizes of subnetworks of linked seronegatives (within larger networks containing both infected and uninfected persons) may limit infectious outbreaks. Any primary infection outbreak would probably be limited to members of connected subcomponents of seronegatives, and the largest such subcomponent in the study contained only 18 members (of 415 seronegatives). Research and mathematical modeling should study conditions that may affect the size and stability of subcomponents of seronegatives. Finally, if the existence of small, connected components of seronegatives prevents secondary outbreaks, this protection may weaken, and vulnerability to new outbreaks increase, if HIV-1 seroprevalence falls. Thus, in situations of declining prevalence, prevention programs should be maintained or strengthened.     

Multigenic control of skin tumor susceptibility in SENCARA/Pt mice

Skin tumors induced in mice by initiation-promotion (2 microg DMBA-2 microg TPA) protocols were found to be under multigenic control. Eighty- one N2 mice from the cross (BALB/cAnPt x SENCARA/Pt)F1 x SENCARA/Pt that were either solidly resistant (no papillomas) or highly susceptible (> or = 7 papillomas/mouse) were subjected to a 'genome scan' using 89 microsatellite markers to check for associations with susceptible and resistant phenotypes. A locus on Chr 5 (Skts4) was found to control the susceptibility of SENCARA/Pt mice and the resistance of BALB/cAnPt mice to papilloma formation. In addition, higher than expected linkage scores were seen for the markers D9Mit271, D11Mit268 and D12Mit56. Further work is required to establish whether genes determining papilloma formation are located in these regions of the genome. In general, no evidence was seen for loss of heterozygosity in microsatellite markers on Chrs 5, 9 and 11 in 17 microdissected papillomas from (BALB/c x SENCARA)F1 hybrid mice.      

DNA vaccination using bacillus Calmette-Guerin-DNA as an adjuvant to enhance immune response to three kinds of swine diseases

In order to enhance the immune efficacy of DNA vaccination, experiments were conducted to investigate the regulating effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin （BCG）-DNA as an adjuvant on immune responses of mice against foot-and-mouth disease （FMD）, Aujeszky＇s disease （AID） and classical swine fever （CSF）. BCG-DNA was purified from BCG by ion-exchange chromatography. Three DNA vaccines （pVSG, pVgD and pVE2） against the respective infection were constructed, and BCGDNA was coimmunized to mice by muscle injection. The results showed that titres of specific immunoglobulin （Ig）G to the vaccines mounted remarkably in the sera of the adjuvant covaccinated mice （P〈0.01）. Antibody isotype IgG2a and IgG1 also increased, respectively, in mice coimmunized with BCG-DNA compared with those of the control groups （P〈0.01）. Cellular immune cytokine interferon-gamma and cytotoxic T lymphocytes were detected in coimmunized BCG-DNA groups （P〈0. 05）. Whereas interleukin-4, humoral immune cytokine, was not significant （P〉 0. 05）. These results suggest that codelivery of BCG-DNA with DNA vaccines against FMD, AjD and CSF can enhance the induction of antigen-specific, especially, cell-mediated immunity.     

Vitiligo in children and adolescents: association with thyroid dysfunction

Background The clinical characteristics of vitiligo in children and adolescents with an emphasis on thyroid dysfunction have only been reported in a few studies. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of children and adolescents with vitiligo and compare the incidence of thyroid dysfunction between them and controls without vitiligo at the same age. Methods A retrospective analysis of 324 Korean children and adolescents with vitiligo was performed. The results of thyroid function screening tests in them (n = 254) were compared with controls (n = 122). Results Of the total 324 children and adolescents with vitiligo, vitiligo vulgaris was the most common type (42.3%) and the most commonly involved site was the face (54.6%). A total of 15 of 254 (5.9%) patients screened for thyroid function were diagnosed with thyroid disease (four had Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; two, Graves’ disease; seven, subclinical hypothyroidism; and two, subclinical hyperthyroidism). None of the 50 patients with segmental vitiligo showed any thyroid dysfunction (P = 0.047). There was no significant difference in the incidence of thyroid disease between children and adolescents with vitiligo and the control group, in which seven of 122 (5.7%) showed thyroid dysfunction. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated the characteristics of children and adolescents with vitiligo and also observed no significant difference in the incidence of thyroid disease between children and adolescents with vitiligo and the control group.