A set of SNPs near or within STR regions useful for discriminating native Lake Biwa and introduced “Eurasian” strains of common carp

We present a set of nuclear DNA SNPs useful for discriminating native Lake Biwa and introduced ??Eurasian?? strains of common carp, and further, for detecting their hybridization. Such SNPs were searched around short tandem repeat (STR) regions to be used later as HapSTR markers. A total of 62 microsatellite locus were screened with PCR and direct sequencing. The resultant nucleotide sequences from typical Lake Biwa (n?=?30) and ??Eurasian?? (n?=?24) specimens indicated that a total of 21 SNPs distributed across 7 loci would be useful for the above-mentioned purpose. All of the SNPs can be genotyped by direct sequencing, simultaneously with STR polymorphisms.     

Malignant Hypertension with an Unusual Presentation Mimicking the Immune Mediated Pulmonary Renal Syndrome

A 27-year-old man presented at the emergency room with hemoptysis. His blood pressure was 180/100 mm Hg, and he had no history of hypertension. Chest radiographs showed bilateral infiltration, suggestive of alveolar hemorrhage. His laboratory data were consistent with acute kidney injury. His serum creatinine level increased abruptly; therefore, renal biopsy was performed. Steroid pulse therapy was administered because of a strong suspicion of immune-mediated pulmonary renal syndrome. Renal biopsy showed proliferative endarteritis, fibrinoid necrosis, and intraluminal thrombi in the vessels without crescent formation or necrotizing lesions. Steroid pulse therapy rapidly tapered and stopped. His serum creatinine level gradually decreased with strict blood pressure control. Ten months after discharge, his blood pressure was approximately 120/80 mm Hg with a serum creatinine level of 1.98 mg/dL. Pulmonary renal syndrome is generally caused by an immune-mediated mechanism. However, malignant hypertension accompanying renal insufficiency and heart dysfunction causing end-organ damage can create a pulmonary hemorrhage, similar to pulmonary renal syndrome caused by an immune-mediated mechanism. The present case shows that hypertension, a common disease, can possibly cause pulmonary renal syndrome, a rare condition.     

Acoustic and tongue kinematic vowel space in speakers with and without dysarthria

Purpose: The purpose is to investigate acoustic and tongue body kinematic vowel dispersion patterns and vowel space in speakers with and without dysarthria secondary to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Method: Acoustic and tongue kinematic vowel spaces were examined at the same time sampling point using electromagnetic articulography in 11 speakers with dysarthria secondary to ALS and 11 speakers without dysarthria. Tongue kinematic data were collected from the tongue body sensor (～25?mm posterior from the tongue apex). A number of acoustic and tongue body kinematic variables were tested.

Result: The result showed that the acoustic and tongue kinematic vowel dispersion patterns are different between the groups. Acoustic and tongue body kinematic vowel spaces are highly correlated; however, unlike acoustic vowel space, tongue body kinematic vowel space was not significantly different between the groups.

Conclusion: Both acoustic and tongue kinematic vowel dispersion patterns are sensitive to the group difference, especially with high vowels. The tongue kinematic vowel space approach is too crude to differentiate the speakers with dysarthria secondary to ALS from speakers without dysarthria. To examine tongue range of motion in speakers with dysarthria, a more refined articulatory kinematic approach needs to be examined in the future.     

吸入伊洛前列素对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学的影响

目的探讨雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学的影响。方法将32名受试者随机分为伊洛前列素组(n=16)和对照组(n=16),自海拔1 400 m历时5 d进入5 200 m,从进入海拔5 200 m当天开始,伊洛前列素组4次/d雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液,连续5 d。对照组用同样的方法吸入生理盐水。于吸入伊洛前列素溶液第5天,用XG-Ⅲ型血液循环功能自动测试仪检测两组受试者的血流动力学。结果伊洛前列素组较对照组P、TPR、ALT、η、BK、PAWP、CCP降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);SV、MAP、BV增高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论在高原雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学有明显的改善作用。     

艾灸对动脉粥样硬化小鼠炎性反应因子及MMP-9的实验研究

目的:观察艾灸对Apo E~(-/-)小鼠主动脉内肿瘤坏死因子(TNF-α)、白细胞介素-10(IL-10)及基质金属蛋白酶9(MMP-9)的影响,并从抑制炎性反应,稳定动脉粥样硬化斑块等角度探讨艾灸在防治动脉粥样硬化中的机制。方法:将48只采用高脂饮食喂养的载脂蛋白E基因敲除小鼠(Apo E~(-/-)小鼠)作为动脉粥样硬化模型,并随机分为3组:艾灸组,模型组,药物对照组。并将16只同龄相同遗传背景的C57BL/6小鼠作为空白对照组。空白组、模型组小鼠每天常规抓取、固定,并放置假艾灸装置。艾灸组小鼠每天抓取固定,并艾灸膻中穴。药物组小鼠每天采用辛伐他汀0.28 mg/100 g灌胃,所有干预20 min/d,6 d/周,干预14周后牺牲,取材检测。Elisa法测定主动脉内TNF-α、IL-10、MMP-9的含量。油红"O"染色观察胸主动脉病理改变。结果:1)与模型组相比,艾灸组,药物组小鼠主动脉内TNF-α、MMP-9含量明显降低(P0.05),艾灸组,药物组之间无明显差异;与模型组相比,药物组IL-10水平明显升高有统计学意义(P0.05),艾灸组小鼠主动脉内IL-10呈升高趋势,但无统计学意义。2)胸主动脉病理改变:与空白组相比,模型组胸主动脉可见明显的AS斑块,内膜破坏,中膜增厚,平滑肌细胞破坏变性,管腔变狭窄。相比于模型组,艾灸组及药物组主动脉病变明显减轻。结论:1)艾灸可以有效缓解动脉粥样硬化病变,抑制动脉粥样硬化斑块生长;2)艾灸可以抑制体内炎性反应,并具有稳定斑块的作用     

Excessive TV watching in patients with frontotemporal dementia

The “environmental dependency syndrome” refers to a loss of personal autonomy such that a person’s environment almost entirely controls their actions. The goal of this study is to learn if patients with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) exhibit prolonged TV watching, a behavior which may be a symptom of environmental dependency. We recruited 40 patients with FTD and 48 patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and asked these participants’ caregivers about TV watching behaviors including total viewing time and channel/show preference, along with other behaviors indicative of environmental dependency. Compared to AD patients, FTD patients watched TV for a longer time. In addition, the patients who watched more TV showed more signs of environmental dependency. Increased TV watching may be a sign of environmental dependency, however further research is needed to explore other hypotheses.