Rapid identification of myxoma virus variants by long-range PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis

A long-range PCR method directed at the Myxoma virus (MV) left hand and right hand terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) for rapid amplification of genomic DNA and MV isolate differentiation by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis is described. The efficacy of this method was tested by comparing the results from full genome RFLPs with those from TIRs amplified separately using reference strain Lausanne (Lu) and a field MV strain characterised previously for its virulence in rabbits. The usefulness of this method was also demonstrated by amplifying MV DNA directly from the eyelid tissue of an infected rabbit and comparative RFLP analysis with respect to Lu. The results proved the long-range PCR technique to be a simple highly efficient method for identifying mutations between MV genomes by RFLP analyses of the amplified TIRs and may be used in future studies to identify variable regions for phylogenetic studies.     

CD8+ T‐cell responses to Theileria parva are preferentially directed to a single dominant antigen: Implications for parasite strain‐specific immunity

Although immunodominance of CD8⁺ T‐cell responses is a well‐recognised feature of viral infections, its role in responses to more antigenically complex pathogens is less clear. In previous studies we have observed that CD8⁺ T‐cell responses to Theileria parva exhibit different patterns of parasite strain specificity in cattle of different MHC genotypes. In the current study, we demonstrated that animals homozygous for the A10 and A18 MHC haplotypes have detectable responses to only one of 5 T. parva antigens. Over 60% of the responding T cells from the A18⁺ and A10⁺ animals recognised defined epitopes in the Tp1 and Tp2 antigens, respectively. Comparison of T‐cell receptor β chain expression profiles of CD8⁺ T‐cell lines and CD8⁺ T cells harvested ex vivo confirmed that the composition of the T‐cell lines was representative of the in vivo memory CD8⁺ T‐cell populations. Analysis of the Tp1 and Tp2 antigens revealed sequence polymorphism, which was reflected by differential recognition by T‐cell lines. In conclusion, we have demonstrated a profound immunodominance in the CD8⁺ T‐cell response to T. parva, which we propose is a major determinant of the parasite strain specificity of the response and hence immune protection.     

Strain response of an instrumented intramedullary nail to three-point bending

Objectives:?An experimental biomechanical evaluation of an instrumented intramedullary nail (TriGen® META Nail, Smith&Nephew®) was undertaken. The objectives were two-fold. The first was to identify the most sensitive strain gauge positions and orientations on the nail, and the second was to demonstrate that the nail was capable of detecting changes in stiffness of the nail–bone composite. The function of the instrumented nail is to quantify fracture healing objectively and directly, and so to predict delayed repair or non-union 2 months before current methods.

Methods:?Eight flat pockets were machined onto the surface of the nail and three strain gauges attached in each pocket. The instrumented nail was inserted into fourth generation biomechanical grade Sawbones® tibiae with three different fracture configurations as well as into a non-fractured bone. The nail–bone composite was loaded in three-point bending at five positions to determine the strain changes in each of the eight strain gauge pockets located along the length of the nail. To simulate callus in the simplest way and to increase the stiffness of the nail–bone composite, loops of duct tape in multiples of four were applied over the fracture locus. A three-point loading jig was used to obtain the change in strain with increasing stiffness. Relative displacement of the bone ends was quantified using radiostereometric analysis.

Results:?There was no single position of greatest strain sensitivity for all fracture types. The greatest change in strain occurred when the strain gauge pocket and fracture line were closest. Applying the loading moment directly over the strain gauge pocket also maximised its sensitivity. The duct tape callus simulation showed that the instrumented nail was able to detect a change in stiffness of less than 4.1 Nm/°.

Conclusions:?It has been shown that the instrumented nail can detect physiologically relevant changes in stiffness, and so to provide a useful function as an objective monitor of fracture repair.     

Right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction: a tissue Doppler-derived strain and strain rate study

OBJECTIVE:

Strain and strain rate imaging is currently the most popular echocardiographic technique that reveals subclinical myocardial damage. There are currently no available data on this imaging method with regard to assessing right ventricular involvement in anterior myocardial infarction. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate right ventricular regional functions using a derived strain and strain rate imaging tissue Doppler method in patients who were successfully treated for their first anterior myocardial infarction.

METHODS:

The patient group was composed of 44 patients who had experienced their first anterior myocardial infarction and had undergone successful percutaneous coronary intervention. Twenty patients were selected for the control group. The right ventricular myocardial samplings were performed in three regions: the basal, mid, and apical segments of the lateral wall. The individual myocardial velocity, strain, and strain rate values of each basal, mid, and apical segment were obtained.

RESULTS:

The right ventricular myocardial velocities of the patient group were significantly decreased with respect to all three velocities in the control group. The strain and strain rate values of the right mid and apical ventricular segments in the patient group were significantly lower than those of the control group (excluding the right ventricular basal strain and strain rate). In addition, changes in the right ventricular mean strain and strain rate values were significant.

CONCLUSION:

Right ventricular involvement following anterior myocardial infarction can be assessed using tissue Doppler based strain and strain rate     

变应变率下的肌肉本构方程

目的在Hill肌肉三元素模型基础上推导应变率下的肌肉本构方程。方法在Hill三元素肌肉模型的基础上,利用微分和线性拟合的方法,最终获得了骨骼肌在不同应变率下的应力-应变本构方程。结果结果表明:在应变率|e|≤1下,骨骼肌的本构方程是随应变率不断变化的;当应变率|e|>1时,骨骼肌的本构方程并不受应变率的影响。同时,在|e|≤1下,应变率对应力的影响是随着应变的增加而不断减小的。结论研究结果将有助于利用有限元方法分析骨骼肌在变应变率作用下的受力情况。     

颈椎旋转手法对兔粥样斑块期颈动脉拉伸力学性能的影响

目的探讨颈椎旋转手法对兔粥样斑块期颈动脉拉伸力学性能的影响。方法选取30只健康的雄性新西兰大耳兔,随机分为实验组、模型对照组和空白对照组。实验组对兔进行颈动脉粥样硬化斑块造模及颈椎旋转手法干预,模型对照组仅进行颈动脉粥样硬化斑块造模,而空白对照组不进行任何干预。观测3组兔在不同干预后颈动脉各项拉伸力学性能指标的差异。结果实验组与模型对照组以及空白对照组比较,最大应变、最大载荷和生理性弹性模量均有统计学差异(P0.05);实验组最大应变比模型对照组、空白对照组分别小24.87%、52.09%;实验组最大载荷分别是模型对照组、空白对照组的2.21、3.47倍;实验组生理性弹性模量分别是模型对照组、空白对照组的1.60、1.89倍。结论相对正常颈动脉而言,颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的存在会降低颈动脉的拉伸力学性能,而对存在颈动脉粥样硬化的兔进行颈椎旋转手法操作,会进一步降低颈动脉的拉伸力学性能。因此,临床上对于存在颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的患者,最好避免进行颈椎旋转手法操作。     

Time-dependent Changes in Smooth Muscle Cell Stiffness and Focal Adhesion Area in Response to Cyclic Equibiaxial Stretch

Observations from diverse studies on cell biomechanics and mechanobiology reveal that altered mechanical stimuli can induce significant changes in cytoskeletal organization, focal adhesion complexes, and overall mechanical properties. To investigate effects of short-term equibiaxial stretching on the transverse stiffness of and remodeling of focal adhesions in vascular smooth muscle cells, we developed a cell-stretching device that can be combined with both atomic force and confocal microscopy. Results demonstrate that cyclic 10%, but not 5%, equibiaxial stretching at 0.25 Hz significantly and rapidly alters both cell stiffness and focal adhesion associated paxillin and vinculin. Moreover, measured changes in stiffness and focal adhesion area from baseline values tend to correlate well over the durations of stretching studied. It is suggested that remodeling of focal adhesions plays a critical role in regulating cell stiffness by recruiting and anchoring actin filaments, and that cells rapidly remodel in an attempt to maintain a homeostatic biomechanical state when perturbed above a threshold value.     

超声弹性成像仿真的有限元分析

本文利用有限元分析的方法，用弹性力学的理论计算得到软组织在不同情况下的应变分布。这对于弹性成像的理论分析具有重要的辅助作用，可以研究软组织的不同状态和各种力学参数对弹性成像的影响，以及从理论上估计弹性成像的局限性。有限元分析的结果说明，弹性成像比较适于检测较硬的肿块，另外，还可能判断乳腺肿瘤的一些性质，这在临床上有很大的参考价值。     

Effects of Genetic Background,Gender, and Early Environmental Factors on Isolation-Induced Ultrasonic Calling in Mouse Pups: An Embryo-Transfer Study

Infant rodents emit ultrasonic vocalizations when isolated from dam and littermates. Due to the context of their occurrence and the well described bidirectional modulation by substances known for their capability to influence emotionality, it was postulated that such calls reflect a negative affective state akin anxiety. Comparative studies observed pronounced differences in calling behavior between strains, which were paralleled by differences in maternal care. Therefore, it was recently hypothesized that early environmental factors may have strong impact on call production. Here, the relative contributions of genetic background, gender, and early environmental factors on calling behavior in C57BL/6JOlaHsd and C57BL/6NCrl were studied by using an embryo-transfer procedure. The results show that these sub-strains differ in the amount of calling and specific call features, like call frequency and amplitude. The embryo-transfer procedure indicated that the observed differences in the amount of ultrasonic calling are dependent on the dyadic interaction between mother and pup. Conversely, call features were primarily dependent on the genotype of the pup. Thus, call frequency and frequency modulation were solely dependent on the pup, i.e. its genotype and gender. However, there was one exception, namely call amplitude, which was solely dependent on the genotype of the mother, i.e. on early environmental factors. Furthermore, it was shown that particularly changes in call amplitude might be of high functional relevance, since a sub-strain dependent preference towards pups emitting calls with high amplitudes was observed. In total, it can be concluded that both genomic and nongenomic factors can tune calling behavior in mouse pups.     

应变率成像在胎儿房性心律失常诊断中应用的初步探讨

目的探讨应用速度向量成像（VVI）技术对胎儿房性心律失常时心肌结构力学及形变学影响的应变与应变率研究，评价胎儿心律失常时对心肌应激状态、运动传导就及功能的影像。方法对检出的77例胎儿心律失常（其中室上性心动过速（SVT）12例、65例为频发性房性早搏（PAC））进行VVI成像技术分析，检测心律失常时胎儿心肌运动速度向量变化及对应变与应变率影响，对照组80例心率正常胎儿。结果胎儿SVT12例中7例持续发作48h者治疗前心室率250—310bpm，均合并心衰及出现水肿，VVI速度向量振幅明显降低，其应变与应变率明显低于对照组（P〈0．01）；阵发一陛SVT5例VVI速度向量振幅-过性降低，心肌应变与应变率无变化；频发PAC组示早搏时速度向量振幅改变，且运动方向同步，心肌运动三维数据定量可显示旱搏及代偿间期的三维模式，应变与应变率与对照组无差异（P〉0．05）。结论VVI成像通过心律失常心肌结构力学变化解析胎儿心律失常，特别是对胎儿心动过速时的快速心率可进行实时动态分析。及应用M型扫描法确认心动周期使胎儿心肌应变与应变率分析成为可行。