Microcirculation in the upper trapezius muscle during varying levels of static contraction,fatigue and recovery in healthy women —a study using percutaneous laser-Doppler flowmetry and surface electromyography

Summary Microcirculation in the upper portion of the trapezius muscle was measured percutaneously by continuous laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) during two 10-min series of alternating 1-min periods of static contraction and rest determined electromyographically (EMG). Stepwise increased contraction was induced by keeping the arms straight and elevated at 30, 60, 90 and 135°, which was repeated with a 1-kg load carried in each hand. Thereafter, fatigue and recovery were recorded while the subject kept her arms straight and elevated at 45° carrying the 1-kg hand load as long as possible, followed by rest with arms hanging and no load. A group of 16 healthy women of different ages was studied. Signal processing was done on line using a 386 SX computer. The LDF- and root-mean-square (rms) EMG signals were normalized. Spectrum analyses of EMG mean power frequency (MPF) and median spectrum frequency were performed. The rms-EMG increased significantly with an increase in the calculated shoulder torque (r=0.75). Accumulated local fatigue was indicated by a decrease in MPF with increased shoulder angle and added load (r = –0.54). Blood flow increased with increased shoulder angle (r=0.82, with hand loadr=0.62) and with increased shoulder torque (r=0.72), and also showed a significant increase with increased EMG activity (r=0.74). The LDF showed a negative correlation to MPF (r= –0.67), with increased values when MPF was lowered. During the endurance test, a moderate increase of LDF occurred which reached its maximum during the 1st min of recovery. Then, a slow return to the base level was recorded. The ability to increase the flow in the microcirculation with increasing muscle load was not diminished with age.     

Reduction of FK-506 requirements by combination with polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase in orthotopic rat liver transplantation

Reperfusion after ischemia results in endothelial cell injury and Kupffer cell activation. Inflammatory cytokines thus released can induce major histocompatibility complex antigens and increase the immunogenecity of the graft. An orthotopic rat liver allotransplant model was used to test the hypothesis that prevention of reperfusion injury by infusion of polyethylene glycol superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) would result in long-term allograft survival in the presence of subthreshold immunosuppressive dosages. ACI rats were used as donors, and Lewis strain rats as recipients. Orthotopic liver transplantation was initially performed to identify a subthreshold dose of the immunosuppressant FK-506, which would be unable to extend survival longer than control untreated rats with this strain combination. After testing three intramuscular FK-506 doses of 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 mg/kg, it was observed that an FK-506 dose of 0.04 mg/kg/day for 14 days was unable to extend survival longer than in untreated recipients. This dose of FK-506 was used in combination with PEG-SOD at doses of 1000, 3000, 10,000, or 30,000 units. Recipient animals were treated intravenously with PEG-SOD as a loading dose to facilitate tissue penetration on day 1, and beginning on the day of transplantation, every 2 days for the duration of the study. Results of histologic studies and mean survival time were compared in untreated recipients and in rats treated with PEG-SOD plus 0.04 mg/kg/day FK-506. Mean survival time was increased significantly in these animals (p < 0.007) to 40.6 ± 25.6 days as compared with either untreated rats (10.0 ± 2.7 days) or rats treated with 0.04 mg/kg FK-506 alone (13.7 ± 4.2 days). Histologic examination demonstrated a significant reduction in the cellular infiltrate in rats treated with PEG-SOD plus FK-506, as compared with recipients treated with either agent alone or left untreated. Our results therefore suggest a potential approach to reducing immunosuppression in transplantation. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1995;95:1276-81.)     

川芎嗪对肺血管的舒张作用

本实验比较了川芎嗪对不同段的肺血管的舒张作用,结果表明川芎嗪对肺实质内动脉的舒张作用比肺实质外动脉强,内皮细胞能促进川芎嗪对肺动脉的舒张作用。     

核转录因子-κB在缺氧预处理抑制心肌细胞凋亡中的作用

目的 :研究缺氧预处理 (hypoxicpreconditioning ,HPC)对于心肌细胞蛋白激酶C(PKC)和核转录因子κB (NF κB)表达的影响 ,及其在缺氧复氧诱导心肌细胞凋亡中的作用。方法 :在培养的SD乳鼠心肌细胞制作缺氧 /复氧 (H/R)模型 ,以荧光素染料Hoechst3 3 2 5 8测定心肌细胞凋亡率 ;制备心肌细胞蛋白提取物 ,以新PKCε亚型 (nPKCε)特异性抗体测定nPKCε相对蛋白含量 ;以抗NF κB抗体检测NF κB的表达 ;并以PKC抑制剂H7与心肌细胞预孵育后 ,观察H7对于HPC诱导的PKC和NF κB表达上调以及心肌细胞保护作用的影响。结果 :缺氧复氧造成心肌细胞凋亡 ,HPC可以降低心肌细胞H/R后凋亡率 ,并诱导nPKCε和NF κB表达上调 ;PKC抑制剂H7可以消除HPC诱导的PKC、NF κB表达上调和心肌细胞保护作用。结论 :HPC可以提高乳鼠心肌细胞对于H/R的耐受性 ,其机制涉及PKC介导的NF κB表达上调。     

Large duplication in LMBR1 gene in a large Chinese pedigree with triphalangeal thumb polysyndactyly syndrome

Polydactyly and syndactyly are digital abnormalities in limb‐associated birth defects usually caused by genetic disorders. In this study, a five‐generation Chinese pedigree was found with triphalangeal thumb polysyndactyly syndrome (TPTPS), showing an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. We utilized linkage analysis and whole genome sequencing (WGS) for the genetic diagnosis of this pedigree. Linkage analysis was performed using a genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip and three genomic regions were identified in chromosomes 2, 6, and 7 with significant linkage signals. WGS discovered a copy number variation (CNV) mutation caused by a large duplication region at the tail of chromosome 7 located in exons 1–5 of the LMBR1 gene, including the zone of polarizing activity regulatory sequence (ZRS), with a length of approximately 180 kb. A real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay confirmed the duplication. The findings of our study supported the notion that large duplications including the ZRS caused TPTPS. Our study showed that linkage analysis in combination with WGS could successfully identify the disease locus and causative mutation in TPTPS, which could help elucidate the molecular mechanisms and genotype–phenotype correlations in polydactyly.     

The role of beta-catenin, TGF beta 3, NGF2, FGF2, IGFR2, and BMP4 in the pathogenesis of mesenteric sclerosis and angiopathy in midgut carcinoids

A subset of midgut carcinoids (MCs) result in mesenteric angiopathy (MA) and bowel infarction as a consequence of vascular compression caused by extensive mesenteric sclerosis (MS). The goal of this study was to determine whether the level of expression of several fibrosing-related growth factors was related to the finding of MA and/or MS in MCs. Eighteen cases of MC, 6 with both extensive MS and MA (group I), 5 with extensive MS only (group II), and 7 with ordinary MS only (group III), were analyzed for immunoexpression of beta-catenin, transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF beta 2), nerve growth factor 2 (NGF2), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), insulin growth factor receptor (IGFR), and bone morphogenic protein 4 (BMP4) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Standard immunohistochemical technique was used following antigen retrieval. Immunostaining was scored semiquantitively as the product of the percentage and intensity (0 to 2+) of the immunostaining, giving a possible range of 0 to 200. One-way analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney nonparametric analyses were used for statistical analysis. The mean scores of immunoreactivity of each factor in groups I, II, and III were as follows: 135, 174, and 147 for beta-catenin (cytoplasmic reactivity only); 106, 112, and 92 for TGF beta 3; 1.67, 32, and 36 for NGF-2; 2.5, 48, and 55 for FGF-2; 19, 112, and 66 for IGFR2; 140, 45, and 52 for BMP4. There were significant differences in NGF-2 immunoreactivity between groups I and III (P = 0.0023) and in BMP4 immunoreactivity between groups I and II (P = 0.017) and groups I and III (P = 0.022). All MCs expressed high levels of membranous beta-catenin, moderate levels of TGF beta 3 and IGFR2, and low levels of FGF-2, with no significant differences seen among the groups. MCs with prominent MS and MA (group I) expressed significantly higher BMP4 than those in groups II and III, suggesting a potential role of BMP4 in the pathogenesis of MA. The level of NGF-2 expression was significantly lower in group I than in group III, possibly indicating abnormal angiogenesis in the formation of angiopathy.     

内皮祖细胞在血管组织工程的应用

内皮祖细胞是一群具有游走特性,能进一步增殖分化成为成熟内皮细胞的幼稚内皮细胞.内皮祖细胞参与了出生后缺血组织的血管发生和血管损伤后的修复.内皮祖细胞的发现为血管组织工程种子细胞增添了一个新来源.本文重点介绍成体内皮祖细胞的来源、鉴定、生物学特性、功能以及在血管组织工程中的应用.     

血管内皮生长因子和E26转录因子在乳腺癌中的表达及意义

目的 试图揭示血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）和E26转录因子（E26 transformation-specificl,ETS-1)在乳腺癌组织中的表达规律,探讨其在血管生成和肿瘤浸润转移中的作用机制。方法 应用原位杂交和免疫组织化学链霉素抗生物系－过氧化物酶复合物法（SP）法,检测48例乳腺癌组织中VEGF和ETS－1的mRNA和蛋白的表达。结果 乳腺癌细胞高表达VEGF mRNA和蛋白,阳性率分别为75％（36／48）,70．8％（34／48）,而血管内皮细胞几乎不表达;ETS－1既表达在乳腺癌细胞,也表达在血管内皮细胞。癌细胞中mRNA和蛋白表达阳性率分别为85．4％（41／48）,79．2％（38／48）;VEGF和ETS－1高表达组的血管密度明显高于低表达组（均P＜0．01）;VEGF和ETS－1的表达与组织学分级和淋巴结转移密切相关,并且高表达组的微血管密度明显高于低表达组（P＜0．01）。结论 VEGF和ETS－1可促进乳腺癌血管形成,同时也促进肿瘤的浸润和转移;检测VEGF和ETS－1的表达可做为乳腺癌恶性度,浸润转移等生物学行为的参考指标。     

基于小波变换的心电信号基线矫正方法

本文介绍一种基于小波变换的心电信号基线漂移去除方法。该方法利用小波变换多分辨分析的特性,将含噪声及基线漂移心电信号进行多尺度分解,结果表明,某尺度下的分解信号较好地反映了心电信号基线漂移,在重构过程中可直接将其去除。