NF1 mutations in neurofibromatosis 1 patients with plexiform neurofibromas

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by genetic alterations of the NF1 gene on 17q11.2. About 30% of NF1 patients develop plexiform neurofibromas (PNFs), which often cause severe clinical deficits. To determine whether there is a certain genotype underlying PNFs or subtypes of PNFs, we screened 42 NF1 patients from 41 families with PNFs for mutations in the NF1 gene. In 33 out of the 41 (80%) unrelated patients NF1 mutations were found, 24 are novel while the other 9 have been described in previous studies. The 33 mutations included 23 nonsense and frameshift, six splice and four missense mutations. The tumors in these patients had various sizes and features/growth characteristics. No correlation was found between the type or location of the NF1 mutations and size, location or feature of the PNFs, suggesting that many types of NF1 mutations can lead to development of PNFs.     

Computerized analysis of mammographic parenchymal patterns for assessing breast cancer risk: effect of ROI size and location

The long-term goal of our research is to develop computerized radiographic markers for assessing breast density and parenchymal patterns that may be used together with clinical measures for determining the risk of breast cancer and assessing the response to preventive treatment. In our earlier studies, we found that women at high risk tended to have dense breasts with mammographic patterns that were coarse and low in contrast. With our method, computerized texture analysis is performed on a region of interest (ROI) within the mammographic image. In our current study, we investigate the effect of ROI size and ROI location on the computerized texture features obtained from 90 subjects (30 BRCA1/BRCA2 gene-mutation carriers and 60 age-matched women deemed to be at low risk for breast cancer). Mammograms were digitized at 0.1 mm pixel size and various ROI sizes were extracted from different breast regions in the craniocaudal (CC) view. Seventeen features, which characterize the density and texture of the parenchymal patterns, were extracted from the ROIs on these digitized mammograms. Stepwise feature selection and linear discriminant analysis were applied to identify features that differentiate between the low-risk women and the BRCA1/BRCA2 gene-mutation carriers. ROC analysis was used to assess the performance of the features in the task of distinguishing between these two groups. Our results show that there was a statistically significant decrease in the performance of the computerized texture features, as the ROI location was varied from the central region behind the nipple. However, we failed to show a statistically significant decrease in the performance of the computerized texture features with decreasing ROI size for the range studied.     

Hindlimb suspension inhibits air-righting due to altered recruitment of neck and back muscles in rats

Effects of 9-week hindlimb suspension and 8-week recovery on air-righting reaction in response to drop from a supine position were studied in adult rats. The righting time in rats at the end of suspension (approximately 220 ms) was longer than the age-matched controls (approximately 120 ms, p <0.05). The unloading-related change in righting time was accompanied by lowered activities of electromyogram (EMG) and altered recruitment of both neck and back muscles at a specific stage of drop. After 8 weeks of reambulation, righting time recovered toward the control level (approximately 153 ms, p <0.05), but the EMG activity of back muscle was still less than controls. In contrast, the EMG of neck muscle during fall was even increased. The differences in the characteristics of the muscle fibers between two groups were minor. It is suggested that inhibition of recruitment, rather than the changes in the fiber characteristics, of neck and back muscles is one of the major causes of the slow air-righting.     

黄雀延髓层状核的传出纤维联系──HRP法研究

向４２只黄雀的延髓展状核加压注入或微电泳泳入ＨＲＰ后，在同侧的脑桥上橄榄核、对侧的脑桥外侧丘系腹核及中脑外侧核背侧部内见到密集的顺行标记终末或纤维；在双侧的延髓巨细胞核出现了大量的逆行标记细胞；在对侧的层状核内既有密集的标记终末又有一些标记细胞．结果表明：层状核的传出纤维投射到同侧上橄榄核，经外侧丘系走行至对侧的外侧丘系腹核和中脑外侧核背侧部，双侧的层状核之间也有交互投射。此外，层状核接受耳蜗亚核──双侧巨细胞核的传入投射．因此，层状核是听觉上行通路中的第二级中继站．     

法乐四联症心肌纤维结构变化与心功能关系研究

目的　探讨法乐四联症心肌纤维肥大的程度对心功能与术后恢复的影响。方法　对 80例法乐四联症患者右室流出道心肌组织切片改变观察及心肌纤维直径测定 ,结合临床术前彩超测定心功能参数以及右心导管测定参数进行分析。结果　心肌纤维肥大程度与心功能指标有一定的关系。一部分四联症病例心肌纤维发生增生肥大 ,肥大的程度对射血分数无影响 (P >0 0 5 ) ,但与心肌每搏量和年龄有十分显著的相关关系 (P <0 0 1) ,并对术后恢复有一定的影响。结论　法乐四联症心肌纤维形态改变随年龄增长而加重 ,提示在条件允许的情况下 ,应尽早手术为宜     

拟除虫菊酯浸泡大网孔门窗帘毒杀侵入实验小屋蚊虫的研究

本研究采用牛房实验小屋，加装不透光百叶窗和透光门廊，从而全面观察药帘对侵入实验小屋蚊虫毒杀情况，包括蚊虫入屋前接触药帘时和屋内蚊虫外逸出屋外后的死亡情况。结果表明，澳氰菊酯、二氯苯醚菊酯毒效强和持效长，浸泡门窗帘后６个月１８次试验，对侵入屋内蚊虫毒杀，平均死亡率分别为８９．４％和９０．６％。两药对入屋内蚊虫的吸血率均没有明显减少，可能与诱饵动物的吸引力有关。二氯苯醚菊酯有明显驱避作用，其减少蚊虫入屋率，按蚊为７０．６％，库蚊为７５．２％均没有明显减少，阿蚊却没有效应。     

宫颈病变程度与人类乳头瘤病毒(16、18型)负荷的关系

目的探讨宫颈病变程度与人类乳头状瘤病毒(HPV)16、18型负荷的关系。方法采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应(FQ-PCR)方法,检测宫颈不同病变活检组织及石蜡包埋标本中HPV16、18型感染状况。结果正常宫颈上皮感染HPV16、18型阳性率为3%,CINⅠ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ级和宫颈癌感染HPV16、18阳性率分别为45.7%,69.5%,72.2%和74.6%。正常宫颈与CIN,宫颈癌HPV16、18阳性率差异有极显著性(P<0.0001)。宫颈糜烂(Ⅰ°、Ⅱ°、Ⅲ°),CIN(Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ级)及鳞癌HPV16、18阳性标本平均拷贝数分别为:3.58×103、1.80×105、1.19×107,随着病变程度加重而逐渐增加,差异有极显著性(P<0.0001)。结论宫颈病变程度与HPV16、18型负荷呈正相关。对宫颈病变组织标本行HPV16、18型检测,对判断宫颈病变发展趋势,积极处理癌前病变,阻断病程、预防宫颈癌的发生将起到重要作用。     

抗人喉癌/抗VEGF双功能抗体制备及应用研究

目的：研制抗人喉癌／抗血管内皮因子（VEGF）双功能克隆抗体，用于喉癌抗血管生成治疗。方法：采用二次杂交瘤技术制备抗人喉癌／抗VEGF双功能抗体。经酶联免疫吸附试验法和SP法检测喉癌及癌前病患者血清及癌组织中VEGF的含量表达。结果：获得6株分泌抗人喉癌／抗VEGF双功能抗体的杂交瘤，经免疫组化证实与喉癌细胞特异性结合率为93％，而与血管内皮细胞结合率为89％。血清中VEGF含量表达，喉癌组与癌前病组及正常对照组相比差异均显著。IgG亚型鉴定为IgG2aBSAb抗体效价为1：25 600倍（ELISA法）。结论：二次杂交瘤法制备的双功能抗体具有均匀性、可控性、效价高、稳定性好，可用于喉癌抗血管生成治疗，动态检测可作为判断喉癌预后的客观指标。     

Additive Antinociception between Intrathecal Sildenafil and Morphine in the Rat Formalin Test

The possible characteristics of spinal interaction between sildenafil (phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor) and morphine on formalin-induced nociception in rats was examined. Then the role of the opioid receptor in the effect of sildenafil was further investigated. Catheters were inserted into the intrathecal space of male Sprague-Dawley rats. For induction of pain, 50 µL of 5% formalin solution was applied to the hind-paw. Isobolographic analysis was used for the evaluation of drug interaction between sildenafil and morphine. Furthermore, naloxone was intrathecally given to verify the involvement of the opioid receptor in the antinociception of sildenafil. Both sildenafil and morphine produced an antinociceptive effect during phase 1 and phase 2 in the formalin test. The isobolographic analysis revealed an additive interaction after intrathecal delivery of the sildenafil-morphine mixture in both phases. Intrathecal naloxone reversed the antinociception of sildenafil in both phases. These results suggest that sildenafil, morphine, and the mixture of the two drugs are effective against acute pain and facilitated pain state at the spinal level. Thus, the spinal combination of sildenafil with morphine may be useful in the management of the same state. Furthermore, the opioid receptor is contributable to the antinocieptive mechanism of sildenafil at the spinal level.     

An EST-enriched comparative map of Brassica oleracea and Arabidopsis thaliana

A detailed comparative map of Brassica oleracea and Arabidopsis thaliana has been established based largely on mapping of Arabidopsis ESTs in two Arabidopsis and four Brassica populations. Based on conservative criteria for inferring synteny, "one to one correspondence" between Brassica and Arabidopsis chromosomes accounted for 57% of comparative loci. Based on 186 corresponding loci detected in B. oleracea and A. thaliana, at least 19 chromosome structural rearrangements differentiate B. oleracea and A. thaliana orthologs. Chromosomal duplication in the B. oleracea genome was strongly suggested by parallel arrangements of duplicated loci on different chromosomes, which accounted for 41% of loci mapped in Brassica. Based on 367 loci mapped, at least 22 chromosomal rearrangements differentiate B. oleracea homologs from one another. Triplication of some Brassica chromatin and duplication of some Arabidopsis chromatin were suggested by data that could not be accounted for by the one-to-one and duplication models, respectively. Twenty-seven probes detected three or more loci in Brassica, which represent 25.3% of the 367 loci mapped in Brassica. Thirty-one probes detected two or more loci in Arabidopsis, which represent 23.7% of the 262 loci mapped in Arabidopsis. Application of an EST-based, cross-species genomic framework to isolation of alleles conferring phenotypes unique to Brassica, as well as the challenges and opportunities in extrapolating genetic information from Arabidopsis to Brassica and to more distantly related crops, are discussed.