Births of normal daughters after MicroSort sperm separation and intrauterine insemination, in-vitro fertilization, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection

The world's first deliveries of normal babies after use of flow cytometric separated human sperm cells (MicroSort) for preconception gender selection are reported. Offspring were of the desired female gender in 92.9% of the pregnancies. Most of these pregnancies and births were achieved after simple intrauterine insemination.      

Mouse homologues of the human AZF candidate gene RBM are expressed in spermatogonia and spermatids, and map to a Y chromosome deletion interval associated with a high incidence of sperm abnormalities

An RNA-binding motif (RBM) gene family has been identified on the human Y chromosome that maps to the same deletion interval as the 'azoospermia factor' (AZF). We have identified the homologous gene family (Rbm) on the mouse Y with a view to investigating the proposal that this gene family plays a role in spermatogenesis. At least 25 and probably >50 copies of Rbm are present on the mouse Y chromosome short arm located between Sry and the centromere. As in the human, a role in spermatogenesis is indicated by a germ cell-specific pattern of expression in the testis, but there are distinct differences in the pattern of expression between the two species. Mice carrying the deletion Yd1, that maps to the proximal Y short arm, are female due to a position effect resulting in non-expression of Sry ; sex-reversing such mice with an Sry transgene produces males with a high incidence of abnormal sperm, making this the third deletion interval on the mouse Y that affects some aspect of spermatogenesis. Most of the copies of Rbm map to this deletion interval, and the Yd1males have markedly reduced Rbm expression, suggesting that RBM deficiency may be responsible for, or contribute to, the abnormal sperm development. In man, deletion of the functional copies of RBM is associated with meiotic arrest rather than sperm anomalies; however, the different effects of deletion are consistent with the differences in expression between the two species.      

Psychological stress may induce increased humoral and decreased cellular immunity

Stress alters immune function and affects different immune cell populations in different ways. The authors examined whether psychological stress has different effects on the production of macrophage, T-helper 1(Th1) cell, and T-helper 2(Th2) cell-derived cytokines. Forty-two college students were recruited and their blood was sampled on the day they were to take a stressful academic examination and again 4 weeks after the examination. The stress from the academic examination significantly increased IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10 and decreased IFN-gamma production. These findings suggest that examination stress may increase Th2 cell-mediated humoral immunity and macrophage activities and may decrease Th1 cell-mediated cellular immunity.     

Clinical prognostic values of vascular endothelial growth factor, microvessel density,and p53 expression in esophageal carcinomas

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is known to play a key role in tumor angiogenesis. The tumor-suppressor gene p53 has been thought to regulate VEGF. We investigated the effect of VEGF on esophageal carcinoma and the correlation between VEGF and p53. Tissue samples were taken from 81 patients with esophageal carcinoma after surgery. VEGF and p53 expressions were examined by immunohistochemical staining. Microvessels in the tumor stained for CD34 antigen were also counted. VEGF and p53 expressions were observed in 51.3% (41/80) and 51.9% (41/79), respectively. The microvessel density was 70.9+/-6.7 (mean+/-SE) in VEGF-positive group and 68.7+/-5.1 in VEGF-negative group. However, no correlation was noted between VEGF and p53 expression. Whereas the tumor size, nodal status, depth of invasions, and tumor stage were associated with poor overall survival, VEGF expression or p53 expression was not. These results indicate that VEGF and p53 are highly expressed in esophageal carcinomas. Since the VEGF expression is not correlated with the p53 expression, microvessel density or clinicopathological findings, further studies with other angiogenic molecules are needed to determine the role in esophageal carcinomas.     

Hemangiosarcoma of the abdominal wall following irradiation therapy of endometrial carcinoma.

A hemangiosarcoma of the abdominal wall developed in a long-standing, nonhealing radiation-induced ulcer ten years after therapeutic irradiation for endometrial carcinoma.     

DTNBP1 haplotype influences baseline assessment scores of schizophrenic in-patients

Dysbindin gene (DTNBP1) has been associated with schizophrenia, but literature findings are inconsistent, and further analyses are required. This study is aimed to investigate if a set of DTNBP1 variations might influence clinic psychotic phenotype or treatment response in a sample of 240 Korean schizophrenic in-patients. Four variants have been selected (rs3213207; rs1011313; rs16876759; rs2619522) on the basis of previous findings of association with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and antidepressant response. Single marker analysis gave marginal results. Haplotype analysis identified a significant association between A–A (rs3213207(A/G), rs1011313(A/G)) haplotype and lower PANSS total and positive scores at baseline (p = 0.01; 0.02) and at discharge (p = 0.008; 0.005). Covariate analysis revealed a more stable significant association between A–A haplotype and baseline scores. These results suggest a protective effect of A–A haplotype on psychotic positive symptoms at baseline.     

Immune responses to the expressed products of the CSP antige n gene of Plasmodium falciparum southern China isolate FCC1/HN in Hela cell

Objective To construct a eukaryotic expression system with pcDNA3-PfCSP/Hela for the Circ umsporozoite protein (CSP) gene of Plasmodium falciparum (P.falciparum), t o observe the immune responses in BALB/c mice induced by the expressed proteins .Methods The recombinant plasmid pcDNA3-PfCSP was transformed into the Hela cell line. The expressed protein was isolated and analyzed by using SDS-PAGE and used for immunization of BALB/c mice by subcutaneous, intravenous, and intraperitone al adminstration.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), Dot-ELISA, Wester n blot, T lymphocyte proliferation test, natural killer cell(NKC) activity assay , and CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell detection were used for observation of humoral an d cellular immune responses.Results Immune sera strongly reacted with the expressed protein, antibody titer was up to 1∶6400 as detected by ELISA.Western blot analysis revealed a specific b and at 38.3 Kda.When the spleen cells of normal and immunized BALB/c mice we re specifically stimulated with expressed protein, the optical densities were 0 .12±0.03 and 0.34±0.04, respectively.The latter were significantly highe r than the former (P<0.01).We used the MTT colorimetric assay to measure NKC activity of mice spleen.The results showed that the NKC activity of immuni zed BALB/c mice was remarkably higher than that of the controls (P<0.05). CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells were detected by using monoclonal antibody immunofluor escence methods.The results showed that the percentage of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells of immunized group were significantly higher than that of control group ( P<0.05).Conclusions The humoral and cell-mediated immune responses and elevated NKC activity to pr oducts made with a eukaryotic expression system could be specifically detected i n BALB/c mice.These findings indicate that the expressed protein could enhance the immune function in mice.     

消痔灵和强的松龙混合液治疗鼻息肉

0　引言　我科 1996 / 1998分别应用消痔灵与强的松龙混合液、消痔灵液、强的松龙液行鼻息肉内 ,鼻息肉蒂部注射治疗鼻息肉各 5 0例 ,并设对照组为鼻腔滴入及口服类固醇激素 5 0例 ,合计 2 0 0例 ,观察并对比其疗效 .1　对象和方法1.1　对象　男 12 8例 ,女 72例 ,年龄 8～ 78(平均 38)岁 ,病程 32 a～ 45 (平均 4.5 ) a.其中在本次治疗前做过一次鼻息肉摘除术后复发的 2 7例 ,做过 2次或 2次以上手术的 12例 .主要症状为鼻塞、流脓涕、头痛及嗅觉减退 .全部病例治疗前均行鼻窦 X线拍片 ,其中上颌窦炎 12 5例、筛窦炎 5 8例、蝶窦炎 2例、…     

Stability of carthamin fromCarthamus tinctorius in aqueous solution: pH and temperature effects

Thermal stability of a red pigment, carthamin, fromCarthamus tinctorius was investigated to explore possible applications as natural color additives for foods, cosmetics, and nutraceuticals. Degree of degradation reactions of carthamin at acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions were determined with UV/Vis spectral measurements. Decomposition half lives of carthamin at 25°C were 4.0 h, 5.1 h, and 12.5 h at pH 5.0, pH 7.0, and pH 12.0, respectively, indicating that carthamin is much more stable at alkaline pH than acidic or neutral conditions. The activation energies of carthamin at pH 5.0, pH 7.0, and pH 12.0 were 15.6, 15.7 and 16.8 kcal/mol, respectively.     

Comparative biodistribution of indium- and yttrium-labeled B3 monoclonal antibody conjugated to either 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-6-methyl-DTPA (1 B4M-DTPA) or 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid (2B-DOTA)

The biodistribution of indium-111/yttrium-88-labeled B3 monoclonal antibody, a murine IgG1k, was evaluated in non-tumor-bearing mice. B3 was conjugated to either 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-6-methyl-DTPA (1B4M) or 2-(p-SCN-Bz)-1,4,7,10 tetraazacyclododecane tetra-acetic acid (2B-DOTA) and labeled with ¹¹¹In at 1.4–2.4 mCi/mg and ⁸⁸Y at 0.1–0.3 mCi/mg. Non-tumor-bearing nude mice were co-injected i.v. with 5–10 Ci/4–10 g of ¹¹¹In/⁸⁸Y-labeled B3 conjugates and sacrificed at 6 h and daily up to 168 h post-injection. Mice injected with ¹¹¹In/⁸⁸Y (IB4M)-B3 showed a similar biodistribution of the two radiolabels in all tissues except the bones, where significantly higher accretion of ⁸⁸Y than ¹¹¹In was observed, with 2.8% ± 0.2% vs 1.3% ± 0.16% ID/g in the femur at 168 h, respectively (P<0.0001). In contrast, mice receiving the ¹¹¹In/⁸⁸Y-(DOTA)-B3 conjugate showed significantly higher accumulation of ¹¹¹In than ⁸⁸Y in most tissues, including the bones, with 2.0% ± 0.1% vs 1.2% ± 0.09% ID/g in the femur at 168 h, respectively (P<0.0001). Whereas the ratios of the areas underneath the curve (%ID × h/g) in the blood, liver, kidney and bone were 0.96, 1.12, 1.13, and 0.74 for ¹¹¹In/⁸⁸Y-(IB4M)-B3 and 0.84, 1.23, 1.56, and 1.31 for ¹¹¹In/⁸⁸Y (DOTA)-B3, respectively, ratios 1 were observed between ¹¹¹In-(IB4M)-B3 and ⁸⁸Y-(DOTA)-B3. In summary, while neither IB4M nor DOTA was equally stable for ¹¹¹In and ⁸⁸Y, the fate of ⁸⁸Y- (DOTA)-B3 could be closely traced by that of ¹¹¹ In-(IB4M)-B3.