Factors affecting penetration of zona-free hamster ova

The sperm penetration assay is an expensive, time-consuming test to assess male fertility in vitro. Although some investigators are enthusiastic in its application, others feel that it is not sensitive or specific enough to be used as part of the routine infertility evaluation. Indeed, this bioassay is not a faithful reproduction of in vivo conditions. However, if the SPA is abnormal, it is unlikely that sperm will fertilize a human ovum in vivo. Conversely, a normal SPA does not guarantee successful in vivo fertilization. No bioassay can be absolute in its predictive value, but false-negative results must be kept to a minimum for this bioassay to be of any clinical significance. Each laboratory performing the SPA should optimize the assay for sensitivity, reproducibility, and minimization of false-negative results and then establish normal and abnormal ranges of its own. If the limitations of the SPA are kept in mind, and if we employ it very selectively, it may still be useful.     

Empty sella syndrome in childhood

The empty sella syndrome is common in middle-aged women, usually presenting with headache, and only occasionally associated with endocrine or visual abnormalities. It is rare in childhood. Childhood cases tend to present either with endocrine disturbances, visual symptoms, or with craniofacial syndromes. We present three cases of complete empty sella with childhood onset, each discovered unexpectedly during evaluation of endocrine or visual dysfunction.     

HLA-B27相关的前葡萄膜炎眼后节并发症的临床特点

目的探讨HLA—B27阳性的前葡萄膜炎眼后节并发症的临床特点及治疗。方法2002年1月至2005年10月就诊的前葡萄膜炎患者采用流式细胞术进行外周HLA-B27的检测，筛选出71-例82眼HLA-B27阳性前葡萄膜炎患者，分为两组：实验组为眼后节受累的患者24例31眼，对照组为眼后节未受累的患者47例51眼。另有HLA—B27阴性前葡萄膜炎患者74例116眼作参考。所有患者均进行裂隙灯、眼底镜等常规眼科查体，部分行眼底荧光血管造影。分析了HLA—B27相关的前葡萄膜炎眼后节并发症的临床特点。采用x^2检验及t检验进行统计学分析。结果71例82眼HLA—B27阳性前葡萄膜炎中有24例31眼占37．8％出现眼后节并发症者，包括：黄斑囊样水肿12例15眼占48．4％，视乳头水肿7例8眼占25．8％，而玻璃体炎最多见为21例27眼占87．1％，8例10眼占32．3％患者存在两种或两种以上的眼后节表现。74例116眼HLA—B27阴性者有8例12眼占10．3％有眼后节表现。实验组中发生前房成型纤维素渗出31眼中18眼占58．06％和积脓31眼中9眼占29．03％明显高于对照组（前房纤维素渗出51眼中3眼，5．88％，X^2=27．56，P〈0．01；前房积脓51眼中1眼，1．96％，X^2=13．20，P〈0．01）；实验组中伴发相关全身性疾病24例中有16例占66．67％的几率高于对照组（47例中有17例，31．66％，X^2=5．94，P〈0．05）。出现眼后节并发症的患者经全身及局部应用糖皮质激素治疗，31眼中有11眼最佳矫正视力≥1．0。结论HLA-B27阳性前葡萄膜炎易出现眼后节并发症，HLA—B27相关的前葡萄膜炎眼后节受累的患者发生相关全身性疾病和前房纤维素渗出与积脓的几率较高。     

西宁地区健康小儿窦房结功能测定的初步探讨

应用食道心房调博缩测定健康小儿窦房结功能，以了解西宁地区正常数值与平原地区进行对比。选择２７例健康小儿，将Ｆ６二级电极导管从鼻腔送入，定位地食道心电图最大正负双相Ｐ波处，采用苏州东方电子仪器厂生产的ＤＦ－３Ａ型心脏电生理治疗仪进行检查，从而作出诊断。     

大鼠胸腺降黑素受体的鉴定及生物学特性

应用放射配体结合法证实大鼠胸腺内存在降黑素特异结合部位，该结合位点可以满足特异结合部位的基本条件：１．低结合容量；２．高亲和力；３．可饱和性；４．可逆性；５．对降黑素高度特异性。此外，该特异结合位点具昼夜节律；亚细胞分布的研究表明以细胞核含量最高，线粒体次之，并具有年龄依赖性降低，以出生时最高。     

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and xenografts by comparative genomic hybridization and spectral karyotyping

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and xenografts represent valuable models for functional and therapeutic studies on this common malignancy in Southeast Asia. The karyotypic information in most NPC cell lines and xenografts, however, remains largely unclear to date. We have characterized the chromosomal aberrations in six commonly used human NPC cell lines and xenografts using the molecular cytogenetic technique of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Genomic imbalances identified in cell lines were further correlated with structural abnormalities indicated from spectral karyotyping (SKY) analysis. CGH revealed consistent overrepresentations of 8q (six out of six cases) with a smallest overlapping region identified on 8q21.1q22. Other common gains included 7p (4/6 cases), 7q (4/6 cases), 12q (4/6), and 20q (4/6 cases), where minimal overlapping regions were suggested on 7p15p14, 7q11.2q21, and 12q22q24.1. Common losses were detected on 3p12p21 (4/6 cases) and 11q14qter (4/6 cases). Although SKY analysis on cell lines revealed predominantly unbalanced rearrangements, reciprocal translocations that involved chromosome 2 [i.e., t(1;2), t(2;3), and t(2;4)] were suggested. Furthermore, SKY examination illustrated additional breakpoints on a number of apparently balanced chromosomes. These breakpoints included 3p21, 3q26, 5q31, 6p21.1p25, 7p14p22, and 8q22. Our finding of regional gains and losses and breakpoints represents information that may contribute to NPC studies in vitro.