实验性肺水肿大鼠血浆中内皮素、一氧化氮含量的变化以及硝普钠、川芎嗪对其的影响

在肾上腺素所致大鼠肺水肿实验中，发现其血浆中内皮素（ET－1）明显升高，一氧化氮（NO）稍有增高，但ET－1的增幅远远大于NO的增幅，动物均在15min内死亡。ET的增高与儿茶酚胺的升高有密切关系。经硝普纳（NP）、川芎嗪（TMP）预防后，ET－1与NO基本恢复正常，趋于平衡，动物长期存活。提示：肺水肿时NO相对于ET－1明显降低，NP、TMP可对NO与ET的平衡起调节作用。     

Polyarteritis Nodosa with Atrophy of the Left Hepatic Lobe

A 73-year-old Japanese man with a history of partial gastrectomy due to gastric cancer 4 years previously was admitted because of intermittent fever. The patient developed abdominal pain, erythema, and myalgia in addition to the fever during the final clinical course, and died of acute heart failure. Autopsy disclosed atrophy of the left lobe of the liver and acute myocardial infarction. Neither metastasis nor recurrence of the cancer was observed. Small and medium-sized arteries of the visceral organs showed various stages of necrotizing vasculitis with narrowing of the lumina. The vasculitis was most prominent in the left lobe of the liver and in the heart. Narrowing of the portal vein due to portal tract inflammation in addition to vasculitis of the hepatic arteries may have induced ischemia and infarction, which had resulted in atrophy of the left hepatic lobe. Acta Pathol Jpn 42: 662–666, 1992.     

在动态模拟体液中致密CaP陶瓷表面形貌对类骨磷灰石层形成的影响研究

磷酸钙陶瓷植入体内后其表面类骨磷灰石层的形成是诱导成骨的先决条件。本实验在模拟体液 (Simu-lated body fluid,SBF)以人体骨骼肌组织的正常生理流率 (2 ml/ 10 0 m l· min)下 ,研究在动态 SBF中致密磷酸钙陶瓷表面形貌对类骨磷灰石层形成的影响。结果表明 :在生理流速条件下 ,材料的粗糙表面有利于类骨磷灰石层的形成 ,加大 SBF中 Ca2 +、HPO4 2 -离子浓度 ,类骨磷灰石层的形成速度加快。本研究进一步证实了材料的几何形貌对类骨磷灰石形成的影响 ,加深了对磷酸钙陶瓷在体内诱导成骨机理的理解     

The UTX gene escapes X inactivation in mice and humans

We recently have identified a ubiquitously transcribed mouse Y chromosome gene, Uty , which encodes a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) protein. A peptide derived from the UTY protein confers H-Y antigenicity on male cells. Here we report the characterization of a widely transcribed X-linked homologue of Uty , called Utx , which maps to the proximal region of the mouse X chromosome and which detects a human X-linked homologue at Xp11.2. Given that Uty is ubiquitously transcribed, we assayed for Utx expression from the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in mice and found that Utx escapes X chromosome inactivation. Only Smcx and the pseudoautosomal Sts gene on the mouse X chromosome have been reported previously to escape inactivation. The human UTX gene was also found to be expressed from Xi. We discuss the significance of these data for our understanding of dosage compensation of X-Y homologous genes in humans and mice.      

Tissue and lineage-specific variation in inactive X chromosome expression of the murine Smcx gene

To understand how gene expression patterns are established on the inactive X chromosome during development, we have studied the murine gene Smcx, which is expressed from both the active and inactive mouse X chromosomes. In all tissues assayed, Smcx only partially escapes X inactivation, with expression levels from the inactive X allele approximately 30-65% that of the active X allele. Additionally, inactive X expression levels differed between extraembryonic and embryonic tissues and among different tissues from newborn and adult mice. Imprinted extraembryonic tissue had the lowest levels of inactive X Smcx expression, whereas the highest levels were in heart. These data suggest that the chromosomal basis of X inactivation differs among tissues, perhaps reflecting differences in the timing or regulation of inactivation in these cell lineages.      

Serum neopterin for early assessment of severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome

Neopterin and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were determined in serum samples from 129 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients and 156 healthy blood donors. In the patients with confirmed SARS, an early neopterin elevation was detected already at the day of onset of symptoms and rose to a maximum level of 45.0 nmol/L 3 days after the onset. All SARS patients had elevated neopterin concentrations (>10 nmol/L) within 9 days after the onset. The mean neopterin concentrations were 34.2 nmol/L in acute sera of SARS patients, 5.1 nmol/L in convalescent sera, and 6.7 nmol/L in healthy controls. In contrast, the mean CRP concentrations in both acute and convalescent sera of SARS patients were in the normal range (<10 mg/L). Serum neopterin level in SARS patients was associated with fever period and thus the clinical progression of the disease, while there was no significant correlation between the CRP level and the fever period. Serum neopterin may allow early assessment of the severity of SARS. The decrease of neopterin level was found after steroid treatment, which indicates that blood samples should be collected before steroid treatment for the neopterin measurement.     

结直肠癌淋巴管生成的特点及其临床病理意义

目的探讨结直肠癌中淋巴管的分布特点、增殖状态及其与转移和预后的关系。方法采用淋巴管特异标记podoplanin对96例结直肠癌及其相应正常组织进行免疫组织化学染色检测微淋巴管密度,以CD34标记血管检测微血管密度作为对比,并分别与Ki-67进行双标免疫组织化学染色检测淋巴管和血管增殖活性,结合结直肠癌临床病理参数和预后分析。结果结直肠癌中心及浅表部淋巴管多为闭锁的条索状,边缘区淋巴管多呈管样扩张状。结直肠癌边缘区淋巴管密度(51.2±25.5)及较正常结直肠组织(29.4±9.0)和肿瘤其他区域显著性增高(P<0.01),并且其淋巴管内皮Ki67指数(0.23±0.17)也较其他区域显著性增高(P<0.05)。结直肠癌边缘区微淋巴管密度与淋巴管受累、淋巴结转移、远处器官转移及预后密切相关(P<0.01或P<0.05)。结论结直肠癌组织中存在新生淋巴管,且主要分布于肿瘤边缘区,癌周围淋巴管密度增加与癌细胞转移相关,结直肠癌边缘区微淋巴管密度测定对评估其淋巴结转移和预后判断可能具有意义。     

Custom step wedge blocking using dynamic multileaf collimation for parametrial pelvic boost irradiation following brachytherapy for carcinoma of the cervix

Carcinoma of the cervix is typically treated with a combination of intracavitary brachytherapy and external beam radiation. The external beam dose is delivered with whole pelvis fields followed by split fields that protect midline organs at risk (bladder and rectum) while treating the parametria. Three approaches have been developed to shield midline structures: a simple rectangular block, a block customized to a single brachytherapy isodose line, and a step wedge filter constructed to conform to multiple brachytherapy isodose lines. A customized step wedge filter has the potential to produce a more homogeneous dose distribution but has not achieved widespread use due to labor intensive construction. We have developed a simple, novel method to produce a custom midline step wedge using dynamic multileaf collimation (dMLC). A comparison of film measurements in a phantom with the dose calculated by a commercial treatment planning system demonstrated agreement within 3% or 3 mm. The technique requires delivery times comparable to conventional techniques.     

Validation of target volume and position in respiratory gated CT planning and treatment

The capability of a commercial respiratory gating system based on video tracking of reflective markers to reduce motion-induced CT planning and treatment errors was evaluated. Spherical plastic shells (2.8-82 cm3), simulating the gross target volume (GTV), were placed in a water-filled body phantom that was moved sinusoidally along the longitudinal axis of the CT scanner and the accelerator for +/- 1 cm at 15-30 cycle/min. During gated CT imaging, the x-ray exposure was initiated by the gating system shortly before the end of expiration (so that the imaging time would be centered at the end of expiration); it was terminated by the scanner after completion of each slice. In nongated CT images, the target appeared distorted and often broken up. GTVs volume errors ranged 16%-110% in axial scans, and 7%-36% in spiral scans. In gated CT images, the spheres appeared 3 and 5 mm longer than their actual diameters (volume errors 2%-16%), at the respective respiration rates of 15 and 20 cycles/min. At 30 cycles/min the target appeared 1 cm longer, and volume error ranged 25%-53%. During treatment, gating kept the beam on for a duration equal to the CT acquisition time of 1 s/slice. The difference in positional errors between gated CT and portal films was 1 mm, regardless the size of residual motion errors. Because of the potential of suboptimal placement of the gating window between CT imaging and treatment, an extra 1.5-2.5 mm safety margin can be added regardless of the size of residual motion error. For respiratory rates > or = 30 cycles/min, the effectiveness of gating is limited by large residual motion in the 1 s CT acquisition time.