Acute myeloid leukemia with t(6;9)(p23;q34) is associated with dysplasia and a high frequency of flt3 gene mutations

We report 12 cases of t(6;9)(p23;q34)-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML), all classified using the criteria of the World Health Organization classification. There were 10 women and 2 men with a median age of 51 years (range, 20-76 years). Dysplasia was present in all cases (9 previously untreated), and basophilia was present in 6 (50%). Immunophenotypic studies showed that the blasts were positive for CD9, CD13, CD33, CD38, CD117, and HLA-DR in all cases assessed. CD34 was positive in 11 (92%) of 12, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase was positive in 7 (64%) of 11 cases. The t(6;9) was the only cytogenetic abnormality detected in 7 cases (58%), and 5 cases had additional chromosomal abnormalities. Of 8 cases assessed, 7 (88%) had flt3 gene mutations. We conclude that t(6;9)-positive AML cases have distinctive morphologic features, an immunophenotype suggesting origin from an early hematopoietic progenitor cell, and a high frequency of flt3 gene mutations.     

Effect of melanin produced by a recombinant Escherichia coli on antibacterial activity of antibiotics.

A recombinant plasmid, pYL-1, containing a tyrosinase gene whose expression is under the control of a phage T5 promoter and 2 lac operators, was constructed. Escherichia coli JM109 harboring pYL-1 was used for production of bacterial melanin. A simple procedure for the isolation and purification of melanin was developed. The ultraviolet (UV)-visible light absorption spectra of melanin prepared by chemical synthesis and derived from different organisms, including bacteria, a plant and an animal source, were determined. Melanins produced by both bacteria and chemical synthesis showed a steady increase of absorption at wavelengths of UV light ranging from approximately 200-400 nm, while melanin derived either from plant or animal sources showed an additional discrete absorption peak at wavelength 280 nm upon a similar steady increase of absorption. This additional absorption peak could be due to the presence of protein-bound melanins in animal and plant sources while a free form of melanin was obtained from bacteria and chemical synthesis. Analysis of the effect of bacterial melanin on the activity of antibiotics against E. coli revealed that the activities of polymyxin B, kanamycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin were markedly reduced in the presence of melanin, whereas the activity of norfloxacin was not affected. The reduction of the antibacterial activity may result directly from the interaction of antibiotics with melanin. However, the mechanism of this interaction remains to be demonstrated.     

磷脂双层膜稳定性的理论分析

目的：越来越多磷脂双层膜的原子力显微镜扫描力谱显示溶液离子浓度对磷脂双层膜稳定性有很大影响，本文从理论角度研究溶液离子浓度对磷脂双层膜稳定性的影响，同时解释两个基于不同模型模拟结果差别的原因。方法：主要根据磷脂分子极性端带电特性，将极性端看作偶极子，然后基于偶极-偶极相互作用理论以及泊松-玻尔兹曼理论解决以上问题。结论：随着离子浓度的增加，磷脂双层膜趋于更加稳定；基于两个不同模型模拟结果差别的原因是高浓度溶液的强静电屏蔽作用。     

基于互信息的医学图像配准实验

基于互信息的配准方法，包括互信息和归一化互信息方法，是目前医学图像配准中无创、自动且精度很高的一种方法。已经被广泛应用。但是在其目标函数中存在着一定程度的幅值振荡现象。特别是在单模态图像配准中。我们研究发现，产生这种振荡的原因除了插值赝像外，还有由配准过程中图像重叠部分发生变化而引起的熵的变化不确定性。由插值赝像所带来的振荡基本上可以被消除掉；由熵的变化不确定性所带来的振荡很难被消除，但是这种振荡作用在归一化互信息中影响不大。归一化互信息比互信息具有更高的稳健性，适合于更广的应用范围。     

Incidence and case-fatality rates resulting from the 1998 enterovirus 71 outbreak in Taiwan

In 1998, an epidemic of hand-foot-and-mouth disease and herpangina caused by enterovirus 71 occurred in Taiwan, leaving many fatalities and severely handicapped survivors in its wake. The reasons this rather common pathogen would cause such a large-scale epidemic remain unknown. A seroepidemiological survey to elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of this outbreak, including its incidence and case-fatality rates was undertaken. Microneutralization tests for antibodies against enterovirus 71 were used to screen four collections of serum samples: 1) 202 specimens taken from individuals > or = 4 years old in 1994; 2) 245 specimens collected from individuals of all ages in 1997; 3) 1,258 specimens collected from individuals of all ages in 1999; and 4) sera samples from a birth cohort of 81 children who had yearly blood samples taken from 1988-98. After the maternal antibody had declined, the seropositive rates began to increase with age. Approximately half of all children aged 6 years or older were enterovirus 71 seropositive. Significantly higher seropositive rates were noted in 1999 than in 1997, in children aged 0.5-3 years. The incidence of enterovirus 71 infection during the epidemic was estimated to be 13-22%, with the higher rates in younger children. The case-fatality rate was highest (96.96 per 100,000) in infants aged 6-11 months, and declined in older children. The results showed that enterovirus 71 is endemic in Taiwan. The apparent lack of large-scale enterovirus 71 activity in the 3 years before 1998 might have been the prelude to the epidemic's appearance in 1998, and might suggest that enterovirus 71 infection will reappear every few years. The lack of a protective antibody in younger children may account for the high incidence and case-fatality rate in this age group.     

CCKB受体诱发的小鼠神经元蛋白质磷酸化的研究

目的：从蛋白质可逆磷酸化修饰的角度初步勾勒出CCK_B型受体介导的胞内信号转导途径。方法:培养的小鼠大脑皮质神经元分为实验组、对照组和受体拮抗剂组，在无磷培养基加入 ［32P］-NaH₂PO₄标记细胞中的磷蛋白后，刺激组给予CCK₈（10^-7 mol/L），对照组加入等量的无磷培养基，受体拮抗剂组在分别加入CCK_A型、CCK_B型受体拮抗剂L364 718、L365 260以及L364 718＋L365 260，浓度均为10^-8 mol/L，孵育10 min后，再加入10^-7 mol/L CCK₈，37 ℃作用60 min，液氮中终止磷酸化反应。裂解细胞提取蛋白质，双向电泳分离，放射自显影7d后，获得磷酸化蛋白的放射自显影双向电泳图谱。采用PDQuest 2D分析软件对图谱进行差异分析，并在Swiss-Prot蛋白质数据库和自建磷蛋白数据库中查询定性。结果:CCK₈作用60 min后，小鼠神经元CCK₈信号转导相关磷酸化蛋白有：多种蛋白激酶、细胞信号分子、生长因子受体、转录因子等。加入L364 718后，神经元中PKCδ、P55G等的磷酸化水平降低，加入L365 260后， PKCα、PKGβ、OGFR、EGFR等的磷酸化水平呈现不同程度的降低，表明皮质神经元中CCK_B受体介导的信号转导更复杂。结论:CCK_A型、GGK_B型受体均可介导CCK₈在神经元的信号转导，但CCK_B型受体可能发挥了更重要的作用，其介导的信号途径可能包括：肌醇磷脂信使系统、cAMP-PKA途径、MAPK途径、JNK途径、PI3K-PKB途径和cGMP-PKG途径。     

Rare SP-A alleles and the SP-A1-6A(4) allele associate with risk for lung carcinoma

Next to cigarette smoking, genetic factors may contribute to lung cancer risk. Pulmonary surfactant components may mediate response to inhaled carcinogenic substances and/or play a role in lung function and inflammation. We studied associations between surfactant protein (SP) genetic variants and risk in lung cancer subgroups. Samples (n=308) were genotyped for SP-A1, -A2, -B, and -D marker alleles. These included 99 patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC, n=31), or non-SCLC (NSCLC, n=68) consisting of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n=35), and adenocarcinoma (AC) (n=23); controls (n=99) matched by age, sex, and smoking status (clinical control) to SCLC and NSCLC; and 110 healthy individuals (population control). We found (a) no significant marker associations with SCLC, (b) rare SP-A2 (1A9) and SP-A1 (6A11) alleles associate with NSCLC risk when compared with population control, (c) the same alleles (1A9, 6A11) associate with risk for AC when compared with population (6A11) or clinical control (1A9), and (d) the SP-A1-6A4 allele (found in approximately 10% of the population) associates with SCC, when compared with population or clinical control. A correlation between SP-A variants and lung cancer susceptibility appears to exist, indicating that SP-A alleles may be useful markers of lung cancer risk.     

His-tag不影响RSV重组蛋白G1F/M2的免疫原性

目的：观察His-tag是否影响RSV重组蛋白G1F/M2的免疫原性。方法：PCR扩增G1和F/M2基因片段,插入表达载体pET-His和pET-DsbA-His中,转化E.coli BL21（DE3）,IPTG诱导表达,采用Ni^＋螯合亲和层析法纯化得His-G1F/M2和DsbA-His-G1F/M2,将后者用凝血酶消化,再经Ni＋螯合亲和层析法纯化得G1F/M2,将His-G1F/M2和G1F/M2免疫BALB/c小鼠,用ELISA测定抗体滴度,MTT法测定细胞毒性T细胞活性（CTL）。结果：两种蛋白在BALB/c小鼠中诱导的RSV特异性抗体和CTL活性无显著差异。结论：His-tag不影响RSV重组蛋白G1F/M2的免疫原性。     

125I标记抗人CD40 mAb 5H6在荷人卵巢癌(HO8910)BALB/c裸鼠体内分布及放射免疫显像

目的研究125I标记抗人CD40单克隆抗体(mAb)5H6同卵巢癌细胞HO8910体外结合的生物学特性以及在荷瘤鼠体内的分布和放射免疫显像.方法氯胺-T法进行mAb 5H6125I标记(125I-5H6),Lindmo法计算125I-5H6的免疫活性分数;细胞结合饱和实验进行Scatchard分析计算解离常数Kd及最大结合位点数Bmax;建立荷人卵巢癌(HO8910)裸鼠模型,分析125I-5H6在体内的分布,并用SPECT进行放射免疫显像.结果mAb 5H6标记率为(85.4±5.2)%,放射化学纯度为(99.2±0.5)%,125I-5H6免疫活性分数为(38.6±5.4)%,与HO8910细胞的亲和力Kd=(0.711±0.06)nmol/L.在荷瘤鼠体内特异性结合HO8910肿瘤,48小时达到高峰,放射免疫显像肿瘤清晰可见.结论125I-5H6同卵巢癌HO8910细胞在体外结合具有很高亲和力,在体内能特异性结合HO8910肿瘤,能获得优质的放射免疫图像.     

Determination of gene organization in the human IGHV region on single chromosomes

Organization of the IGHV genes (n=108) on single human chromosomes has been determined by detecting these sequences in single sperm using multiplex PCR amplification followed by microarray detection. A total of 374 single sperm samples from five Caucasian males were studied. Three deletion/insertion polymorphisms (Del I-Del III) with deletion allele frequencies ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 were identified. Del I is a previously reported polymorphism affecting three IGHV genes (IGHV1-8, IGHV3-9, and IGHV2-10). Del II affects a region 2-18 kb containing two pseudogenes IGHV(II)-28.1 and IGHV3-29, and Del III spans approximately 21-53 kb involving genes IGHV4-39, IGHV7-40, IGHV(II)-40-1, and IGHV3-41. Deletion alleles of both Dels II and III were found in a heterozygous state, and therefore, could not be easily detected if haploid samples were not used in the study. Results of the present study indicate that deletions/insertions together with other possible chromosomal rearrangements may play an important role in forming the genetic structure of the IGHV region, and may significantly contribute to antibody diversity. Since these three polymorphisms are located within or next to the 3' half of the IGHV region, they may have an important role in the expressed IGHV gene repertoire during immune response.