Triploid origin of the gibel carp as revealed by 5S rDNA localization and chromosome painting

5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was isolated and sequenced from the gibel carp Carassius auratus gibelio with 162 chromosomes and crucian carp Carassius auratus with 100 chromosomes, and fluorescent probes for chromosome localization were prepared to ascertain the ploidy origin and evolutionary relationship between the two species. Using fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH), major 5S rDNA signals were localized to the short arms of three subtelocentric chromosomes in the gibel carp and to the short arms of two subtelocentrics in the crucian carp. In addition, some minor signals were detected on other chromosomes of both species. Simultaneously, six chromosomes were microdissected from the gibel carp metaphase spreads using glass needles, and the isolated chromosomes were amplified in vitro by degenerate oligonucleotide primed-polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR). Significantly, when the DOP-PCR-generated probes prepared from each single chromosome were hybridized, three same-sized chromosomes were painted in each gibel carp metaphase, whereas only two painted chromosomes were observed in each crucian carp metaphase spread. The data indicate that gibel carp is of triploid origin in comparison with diploid crucian carp.     

中国古代的男性生殖崇拜

当男性在社会生产中的地位日趋重要，并且人们开始将生殖与男性相联系时，男阴便受到崇拜，古人常以鸟作为男性生殖器的像征，这或许是因为鸟头和颈具有与男性生殖器有相似的伸缩功能的缘故，     

The Influence of Intramammary Lipopolysaccharide Infusion on Serum Ca,P, Vitamin D,Cytokines and Cortisol Concentrations in Lactating Sows

Ten multiparous lactating sows were used to investigate whether intramammary infusion of lipopolysaccharides (LPS; Escherichia coli 0111:B4; 2.0 μg/kg of body weight) would affect the circulating concentrations of Ca, P, 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25‐OHD), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and cortisol. The sows were randomly allotted to either control group (control) or LPS‐treated group with five individuals per group and were infused with either physiological saline solution or LPS solution. The rectal temperature and udder quarter appearance were recorded at 0 (just before infusion), 1, 3, 7, 12 or 24 h after infusion. Blood samples were taken at 0, 1, 3, 7, 12 or 24 h after infusion. Before infusion, the rectal temperatures of all sows were below 39.2°C. At 3 and 7 h after infusion, the sows in the LPS group had a rectal temperature over 39.4°C. At 24 h after infusion, the rectal temperatures returned to pre‐infusion levels. Serum Ca and P concentrations in the LPS group decreased (P < 0.05) after LPS infusion compared with the control group at 1 h after infusion. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in the concentrations of 25‐OHD were observed between groups control and LPS at any sampling time. Increased (P < 0.01) concentrations of serum TNF‐α, IL‐6 and cortisol were observed in the LPS group compared with the control group at 3 and 7 h after infusion respectively. In conclusion, the elevation of serum concentrations of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and cortisol and the alterations of circulating concentrations of Ca and P following LPS infusion indicate that the immune system has been activated and immune activation may affect macromineral homeostatic regulation, which might have important implications for metabolic health of lactating sows. Lowered serum Ca and P following immune activation also shows a causative mechanism whereby immune activation increases the risk of secondary disorders such as mastitis‐metritis‐agalactia syndrome. However, immune activation did not affect circulating concentrations of vitamin D metabolites.     

The activity of letrozole in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer and correlation with biological markers – a study of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group

A multicenter phase II trial was conducted to define the activity of letrozole in postmenopausal women with recurrent or advanced endometrial carcinoma, who had no more than one prior line of progestins and never had chemotherapy (except adjuvant). Archival paraffin-embedded tumor samples were retrieved to determine the expression level of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR), p53, HER-2, bcl-2 and PTEN protein, and phosphorylation status of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt). Thirty-two eligible patients were treated with letrozole at 2.5 mg daily continuously, of whom 10 (31%) had prior progestins. Of the 28 patients evaluated for response, one complete and two partial responses were noted; overall response was 9.4% (95% confidence interval 2-25%). Eleven patients had stable disease for a median duration of 6.7 months (range 3.7-19.3 months). Amongst 22 patients who had tumor blocks available, the proportion showing positive expression of the following markers includes: PgR (86%), ER (86%), PTEN (82%), phosphorylated PKB/Akt (59%), bcl-2 (45%), p53 (32%), and HER-2 (0%). None of these markers correlated with response to letrozole or disease progression. In conclusion, letrozole is well tolerated but has little overall activity in this cohort of women with endometrial cancer.     

Further studies on interactions between periaqueductal gray, nucleus accumbens and habenula in antinociception.

Previous findings from this laboratory with the intracerebral microinjection technique suggested that the periaqueductal gray (PAG), nucleus accumbens, and habenula might constitute a unidirectional loop to play their roles in pain modulation. In the present study we demonstrate that intra-habenular injection of naloxone antagonizes the analgesia elicited by morphine injected into the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and that intra-accumbens injection of naloxone is capable of attenuating the analgesic effects of morphine injected into the habenula. These results indicate that the relationships between these nuclei may be more complex than the putative unidirectional loop.     

Muscarinic receptor-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositols in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells is sensitive to pertussis toxin

Effects of pertussis toxin or cholera toxin on carbachol-stimulated inositol-1-phosphate ([3H]IP1) accumulation were studied using the human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y). The maximal carbachol-stimulated [3H]IP1 accumulation in the SH-SY5Y cells was decreased from 51.4 fmol/10(6) cells to 42.4 fmol/10(6) cells (P less than 0.05) and 22.1 fmol/10(6) cells (P less than 0.01) in the absence and presence of 1 microgram/ml and 10 micrograms/ml pertussis toxin, respectively while the EC50 values did not change. Cholera toxin (1 mg/ml) did not alter carbachol-stimulated [3H]IP1 accumulation in these cells. These results suggest that a pertussis toxin sensitive G-protein may be involved in muscarinic receptor-phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis coupling in SH-SY5Y cells.     

Changes in malondialdehyde contents in serum and tissues after ischemia and reperfusion of the bowel in dogs]

The portal circulation was reduced to 50% for one hour by partially occluding the superior mesenteric artery, and the relationship between the changes in malondialdehyde (MDA) and multiple organ damage was studied. The results showed that there was a marked change in hepatic enzymology, with MDA values significantly elevated in serum and lung and liver tissues after the reperfusion when compared with controls. These results suggested that lipid peroxidation initiated by free oxygen radicals played an important role in the multiple organ damages, and the extent of organ damage was closely correlated with the contents of MDA in tissues.     

Expression of EGF receptors in cell lines derived from female genital cancers and enhancement of the therapeutic effect of anticancer drugs by EGF]

Manifestation of EGF receptors and enhancement of an anticancer agent by EGF were studied in cultured cells derived from female genital cancers. 1) The numbers of EGF-receptors of SKG-3a, RMUG-s, HUOA, A-431 and HEC-1 were 1.22 x 10(4), 6.94 x 10(4), 2.75 x 10(4), 5.25 x 10(5) and 0.92 x 10(4) sites per cell respectively. The values for the dissociation constant (Kd) of RMUG-s, SKG-3a, HUOA and HEC-1 were 340pM, 477pM, 989pM and 2,187pM, respectively. 2) All cell lines were stimulated by EGF at low concentrations and inhibited at higher concentrations. The growth stimulation rates for SKG-3a, HEC-1, HUOA and RMUG-s in the presence of 0.01 nM EGF at 48 hours were 8, 18, 21.1 and 3.7%, respectively. The growth inhibition rates for SKG-3a, A-431, HEC-1, HUOA and RMUG-s in the presence of 1.0 nM EGF at 48 hours were 32, 28, 25.8, 11.2 and 6.8%, respectively. 3) The antitumor effect of CDDP was enhanced by the presence of EGF at both a concentration of 0.01 nM (except for A-431) and a concentration of 1.0 nM, in all cell lines. 4) EGF receptors of RMUG-s and HUOA were decreased by CDDP. The values for RMUG-s and HUOA were 1.71 x 10(4), 0.52 x 10(4) (CDDP 0.4 microgram/ml) and 0.95 x 10(4), 0.29 x 10(4) sites per cell (CDDP 2.0 micrograms/ml), respectively. The effect of CDDP on EGF receptors was not recognized in SKG-3a and HEC-1. In brief, EGF receptors were significantly expressed in cell lines derived from female genital cancers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)