Predominant usage of the proximal poly(A) site in alpha mRNAs is not intrinsic to the 3' termini

The maturation of IgM-expressing B cells to IgM-secreting plasma cells is associated with both an increase in mu mRNA and the ratio of secreted to membrane forms of mu mRNA. In contrast, previous studies demonstrated that in vitro the secreted form of alpha mRNA (alpha s mRNA) predominates regardless of the stage of B cell differentiation. The present study demonstrates that alpha s mRNA predominates in both B cells derived from the germinal centers of murine Peyer's patches and in the functional IgA memory population, suggesting that in vitro events accurately represent the generation of a secretory IgA response in vivo. Although the predominant usage of the alpha s poly(A) site is due to RNA processing, it does not depend on either the alpha s poly(A) site, the 3' splice site associated with the exon encoding the membrane exon of IgA (alphaM) or the alphaM poly(A) sites. Analysis of the sequence of the intron between the alpha s terminus and alphaM (alpha s- alphaM intron) demonstrates the existence of several potential regulatory elements. Furthermore, the effects of deletions within the alpha s-alphaM intron on 3' terminus usage demonstrate that the predominant usage of the proximal terminus is not strictly dependent on the length of the intron. Together with previous work, these observations support the idea that choice of 3' terminus for all Ig heavy chain genes is regulated by a similar mechanism, but specific sequences within a heavy chain gene can impinge upon that mechanism.      

Antegrade translumbar aortography

A new catheter-needle combination is described for use in translumbar aortography using a T-12 approach. The catheter has a 90 degree angle 1.5 cm from the tip that allows ready antegrade or retrograde catheterization of the abdominal and thoracic aorta. Injections of contrast material are performed with a tip occluder in place.     

长效甾体避孕药RP-HPLC流动相选择性优化与定量分析

采用极角混合设计技术,模拟溶质色谱保留行为的数学模型,用预测优化流动相实验,对溶质色谱保留行为的数学模型进行修正。通过数次预测、迭代、修正数学模型,提高模型的拟合精度,采用多目标优化指标,计算机辅助,寻求三元流动相的最佳组成。首次利用可编程序紫外检测器的时间程序检测功能,提高微量组分的检测灵敏度,成功地解决了两种长效避孕药制剂的定量分析。     

A novel dose uncertainty model and its application for dose verification

Based on statistical approach, a novel dose uncertainty model was introduced considering both nonspatial and spatial dose deviations. Non-space-oriented uncertainty is mainly caused by dosimetric uncertainties, and space-oriented dose uncertainty is the uncertainty caused by all spatial displacements. Assuming these two parts are independent, dose difference between measurement and calculation is a linear combination of nonspatial and spatial dose uncertainties. Two assumptions were made: (1) the relative standard deviation of nonspatial dose uncertainty is inversely proportional to the dose standard deviation sigma, and (2) the spatial dose uncertainty is proportional to the gradient of dose. The total dose uncertainty is a quadratic sum of the nonspatial and spatial uncertainties. The uncertainty model provides the tolerance dose bound for comparison between calculation and measurement. In the statistical uncertainty model based on a Gaussian distribution, a confidence level of 3sigma theoretically confines 99.74% of measurements within the bound. By setting the confidence limit, the tolerance bound for dose comparison can be made analogous to that of existing dose comparison methods (e.g., a composite distribution analysis, a gamma test, a chi evaluation, and a normalized agreement test method). However, the model considers the inherent dose uncertainty characteristics of the test points by taking into account the space-specific history of dose accumulation, while the previous methods apply a single tolerance criterion to the points, although dose uncertainty at each point is significantly different from others. Three types of one-dimensional test dose distributions (a single large field, a composite flat field made by two identical beams, and three-beam intensity-modulated fields) were made to verify the robustness of the model. For each test distribution, the dose bound predicted by the uncertainty model was compared with simulated measurements. The simulated measurements were within the tolerance bound as expected by a statistical prediction of the model. Using the dose uncertainty distributions, an uncertainty length (uncertainty area and uncertainty volume for two-dimensional and three-dimensional, respectively) histogram (a plot of the dose uncertainty of 1sigma received by a length of field) was made. The histogram provides additional information on superiority of a treatment plan in terms of uncertainty. In summary, the uncertainty model provides the dose comparison tool as well as the evaluation tool of a treatment planning system.     

Adipose tissue engineering using mesenchymal stem cells attached to injectable PLGA spheres

The reconstruction of soft tissue defects remains a challenge in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and a real clinical need exists for an adequate solution. This study was undertaken in order to differentiate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into adipocytes, and to then assess the possibility of constructing adipose tissue via the attachment of MSCs to injectable PLGA spheres. We also designed injectable PLGA spheres for scar-free transplantation. In this study, MSCs and adipo-MSCs (MSCs cultured in adipogenic medium for 7 days) were attached to PLGA spheres and cultured for 7 days, followed by injection into nude mice for 2 weeks. As a result, the difference between lipid accumulation in adipo-MSCs at 1 and 7 days was much higher in vitro than in the MSCs. Two weeks after injection, a massive amount of new tissue was formed in the APLGA group, whereas only a small amount was formed in the MPLGA group. We verified that the newly formed tissue originated from the injected MSCs via GFP testing, and confirmed that the created tissue was actual adipose tissue by oil red O staining and Western blot (PPAR(gamma) and C/EBP(alpha) were expressed only in APLGA groups). Therefore, this study presents an efficient model of adipose tissue engineering using MSCs and injectable PLGA spheres.     

Asimitrin and 4-hydroxytrilobin, new bioactive annonaceous acetogenins from the seeds of Asimina triloba possessing a bis-tetrahydrofuran ring

Bioactivity-directed fractionation of the seeds of Asimina triloba resulted in the isolation of asimitrin (1) and 4-hydroxytrilobin (2). Compound 1 represents an adjacent ring-hydroxylated bis-tetrahydrofuran (THF) acetogenin. Compound 2 has an adjacent bis-THF ring with two flanking hydroxyl groups and a alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-lactone with a 4-hydroxyl group. Compounds 1 and 2 showed cytotoxic selectivity, with 100-10 000 times the potency of adriamycin against prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cell lines.