Tropical photoperiods affect reproductive development in the musk shrew, Suncus murinus.

The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether reproductive development in male musk shrews (original stock from Guam Island, 13 degrees N latitude) could be altered by small, ecologically relevant changes in photoperiod. In the first experiment, effects of changes in photoperiod equivalent to those seen between the 2 solstices on Guam Island (90 min) on reproductive maturation were investigated. The results showed that a 90-min difference in photoperiod had a significant effect on weights of various androgen-sensitive target tissues. Furthermore, there was little evidence that the preweaning photoperiod had an effect on the response to the postweaning photoperiod. In the second experiment, effects of changes in photoperiod equivalent to those seen between the equinoxes and solstices on Guam Island (45 min) on reproductive maturation were investigated. The results showed that both a decrease and an increase in photoperiod by 45 min had a significant effect on weights of various androgen-sensitive target tissues. Overall, these results suggest that animals living close to the equator can potentially use small changes in day length to alter or time reproductive function.     

Frequent ongoing T-cell receptor rearrangements in childhood B- precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia: implications for monitoring minimal residual disease

Crosslineage T-cell receptor delta (TCR delta) rearrangements are widely used as tumor markers for the follow up of minimal residual disease in childhood B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The major drawback of this approach is the risk of false-negative results due to clonal evolution. We investigated the stability of V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangements in a group of 56 childhood B-precursor ALL patients by PCR and Southern blot analysis. At the PCR level, V delta 2D delta 3-to-J alpha rearranged subclones (one pathway for secondary TCR delta recombination) were demonstrated in 85.2% of V delta 2D delta 3-positive patients tested, which showed that small subclones are present in the large majority of patients despite apparently monoclonal TCR delta Southern blot patterns. Sequence analysis of V delta 2D delta 3J alpha rearrangements showed a biased J alpha gene usage, with HAPO5 and J alpha F in 26 of 32 and 6 of 32 clones, respectively. Comparison of V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangement status between diagnosis and first relapse showed differences in seven of eight patients studied. In contrast, from first relapse onward, no clonal changes were observed in six patients studied. To investigate the occurrence of crosslineage TCR delta rearrangements in normal B and T cells, fluorescence-activated cell sorter-sorted peripheral blood CD19+/CD3- and CD19-/CD3+ cell populations from three healthy donors were analyzed. V delta 2D delta 3 rearrangements were detected at low frequencies in both B and T cells, which suggests that V delta 2-to-D delta 3 joining also occurs during normal B-cell differentiation. A model for crosslineage TCR delta rearrangements in B-precursor ALL is deduced that explains the observed clonal changes between diagnosis and relapse and is compatible with multistep leukemogenesis of B-precursor ALL.     

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.      

Detecting pre-ovulatory luteinizing hormone surges in urine

The study objectives were to determine (i) if pre-ovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surges, undetected in urine by two immunoradiometric assays (IRMA), were detectable by an ultrasensitive immunofluorometric assay (IFMA) and (ii) the influence of creatinine adjustment on the detection and timing of the urinary LH surges. Daily urine specimens were contributed by healthy 25-36 year old volunteers during 14 ovulatory menstrual cycles for an epidemiological study conducted in 1983-1985. Specimens were selected as having been previously assayed by two IRMA without consistently detecting LH surges. These urine specimens were remeasured using an IFMA and adjusted for creatinine concentration. IFMA measurements revealed unambiguous LH surges in all cycles. Adjusting IRMA urinary LH values for creatinine concentrations revealed previously undetected LH surges in four of eight cycles. Creatinine adjustment also altered the timing of IRMA and IFMA LH surges by 1-5 days. These results demonstrate an IFMA that detects pre- ovulatory LH surges in unpreserved, frozen urine from cycles where such surges were previously undetectable. Further, creatinine adjustment can markedly affect detection and timing of the onset and peak of the urinary LH surge. While our analysis suggests that this adjustment improves the validity of the LH measure, this requires further investigation.      

Lack of functional estrogen receptor beta influences anxiety behavior and serotonin content in female mice

Estrogen has been linked to the modulation of anxiety in females. Here we report results of anxiety tests conducted in female estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) knockout (ERbetaKO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Ovariectomized (OVX) mice treated with chronic estradiol (E2) replacement did not behave differently on the elevated plus-maze when compared with OVX mice that did not experience hormone replacement. However, a genotype difference was noted; WT females were more likely to explore the distal portion of the open arm of the maze than ERbetaKO littermates. In addition, ERbetaKO female mice had significantly lower serotonin (5-HT) content than WT littermates in several brain regions including: the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, preoptic area, and hippocampus. A similar trend was noted in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Dopamine content was reduced within the caudate putamen in ERbetaKO mice as compared to brains from WT animals. Thus, in the absence of functional ERbeta, regardless of the presence or absence of circulating E2 in plasma, female mice exhibited enhanced anxiety and decreased concentrations of 5-HT or dopamine in several brain regions. We hypothesize that ERbeta is required during development to modulate the effects of estrogen on anxiety and catecholamine concentrations in female mouse brains.     

Overview and update on molecular testing in non-small cell lung carcinoma utilizing endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) samples

Lung carcinoma remains one of the most frequent and aggressive human neoplasms. Fortunately, in the last decades, the increasing knowledge of the molecular mechanisms leading to cancer development has allowed the use of targeted therapies with improvement of prognosis in many patients. Clinical management has also changed after the introduction of endobronchialultrasonographic bronchoscopy that allows a conservative staging of lung tumors, avoiding the need of mediastinoscopy for lymph node staging. Lung pathologists and cytopathologists are facing the challenge of giving the more comprehensive prognostic and predictive information with ever smaller tissue or cytological samples. The aim of this review is to summarize the molecular testing for non-small cell lung carcinoma and how pathologists can contribute to the patient's outcome with a conscious management of biological samples.     

松花粉和松针提取物在亲脂性体外模型系统中抗氧化能力和机制的研究

目的:对松花粉和松针提取物在亲脂性抗氧化模型系统中的抗氧化能力和机制进行研究。方法:采用铜诱导的LDL氧化反应模型和Rose Bengal反应模型分别进行评价。结果:松花粉乙醇提取液具有较好的自由基链式反应阻断剂的作用,有效地推迟人血浆中低密度脂蛋白(LDL)氧化生成共轭二烯。松针乙醇提取液对LDL的保护作用优于松花粉。在Rose Bengal系统中,松花粉以清除自由基和螯合铜的两种机制抑制脂质过氧化反应的发生,而松针主要作为自由基清除剂发挥抗氧化作用。结论:松花粉和松针在两个亲脂性体外模型中均发挥很好的抗氧化能力,而抗氧化机制不尽相同。