Partial k-space reconstruction in single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging.

Partial k-space sampling is frequently used in single-shot diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (DW-EPI) to reduce the TE and thereby improve the SNR. However, it increases the sensitivity of the technique to bulk rotational motion, which introduces a phase gradient across the tissue that shifts the echo in k-space. If the echo is displaced into the high spatial frequencies, conventional homodyne reconstruction fails, causing intensity oscillations across the image. Zero-padding, on the other hand, compromises the image resolution and may cause truncation artifacts. We present an adaptive version of the homodyne algorithm that detects the location of the echo in k-space and adjusts the center and width of the homodyne filters accordingly. The adaptive algorithm produces artifact-free images when the echo is shifted into the high positive k-space range, and reduces to the standard homodyne algorithm in the absence of bulk motion.     

内毒素休克大鼠核因子κB活化规律及其在生物蝶呤诱生中的作用

目的观察内毒素休克大鼠血浆及主要脏器核因子(NF)κB活化规律及其对生物蝶呤(BH4)和一氧化氮(NO)表达水平的影响,探讨内毒素休克时NF-κB信号通路对BH4诱生NO的分子调控机制及其与多器官功能损害的关系。方法将47只大鼠按表格随机法分为正常组(8只)、内毒素／脂多糖(LPS)组(24只,每观察时相点8只,均同时注射LPS制成休克模型)和拮抗组[15只,每观察时相点5只,均同时注射LPS并以吡咯烷二硫代氨基甲酸盐(PDTC)拮抗]。休克及拮抗组于注射LPS后2、6、12 h观察,并与正常组同法处死,无菌留取大鼠血标本及肝、肺、肾组织,测定组织中NF-κB活性和三磷酸鸟苷环水解酶Ⅰ(GTP-CHⅠ)和诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)mRNA表达水平、血浆和组织中的BH4含量及NO水平、肝脏和肾脏功能指标、肺组织髓过氧化物酶活性。结果与正常组(例如肺组织中NF-κB活性为26±6)比较,LPS组大鼠组织中NF-κB迅速活化(P<0．01),并于注射后2 h达峰值(肺组织中为291±44);LPS组各组织中GTP-CHⅠ和iNOS mRNA表达、BH4和NO水平也较正常组明显升高(P<0．05或0．01),至伤后12 h仍持续较高水平。此外,该组相应器官功能均受到不同程度的损害。应用PDTC的拮抗组大鼠各组织中NF-κB活性均较LPS组有所降低,GTP-CHⅠ、iNOS mRNA表达及BH4、NO水平显著受抑,肝、肺、肾功能明显改善。结论内毒素休克时机体内NF-κB通路高度活化,并对BH4／NO系统具有明显调节效应;可通过下调BH4介导的iNOS的过度活化抑制NF-κB信号途径,从而减轻组织炎性反应,对机体脏器功能起到保护作用。     

基于FAERS的地舒单抗安全警戒信号挖掘与评价

基于FAERS数据库挖掘安全警戒信号,分析评估地舒单抗潜在不良反应信号,为其临床使用提供一定参考依据。方法 通过Openvigil 2.1访问 FAERS 数据库,将地舒单抗作为主要药物,检索自该药首次上市时间（2010年5月—2021年9月）的数据,获得与地舒单抗相关的不良事件报告记录。使用报告比值比法（ROR）和贝叶斯置信度递进神经网络法（BCPNN）筛选地舒单抗安全警戒信号,挖掘潜在的不良反应,并通过工具BioPortal对不良事件信号挖掘结果进行系统分类,通过判断信号间置信区间的变化,发现与药物不良事件关联性较大的信号。结果 从FAERS数据库中收集到270503份不良反应事件（ADE）报告,根据ROR法和BCPNN法共得到343个不良事件信号,通过信号间同义合并、剔除与药物无关的信号后,得到316个不良事件信号。地舒单抗的不良事件系统分类主要为肌肉骨骼和结缔组织疾病、医学检查、胃肠道疾病。FAERS数据库的信号挖掘结果发现,高风险且说明书中未收录的安全警戒信号包括颞下颌关节综合征、下颌脓肿、雌激素缺乏症、血液甲状旁腺激素增加,计算高风险信号的置信区间显示颞下关节综合征较有可能发展成为新的不良反应;另外,也发现种植体周围炎为具有临床意义的可疑警戒信号,但有待进一步观察研究。结论 基于FAERS数据库的信号挖掘结果提示临床应规范使用地舒单抗,治疗期间需警惕患者是否出现颞下颌关节综合征、下颌脓肿、雌激素缺乏症、血液甲状旁腺激素增加等不良反应事件,以便尽早发现尽早处理,从而有效降低临床用药风险     

A Study of Early Pregnancy Factor Activity in Preimplantation

PROBLEM and METHOD: Early pregnancy factor (EPF), an Immunosuppressive substance, which appears in pregnant women's sera 48 h after fertilization, is a kind of pregnancy-specific protein. To determine whether the EPF activity could be a super early indicator of pregnancy, we used rosette inhibition assay to detect EPF activity in the sera, collected from 70 women 2–7 days after ovulation intending to conceive monitored by ultrasonography. Simultaneously we selected 40 non-pregnant sera and 12 early-pregnant sera as negative control and positive control, respectively. RESULTS: The results of this study demonstrated that EPF activity is detected in 35 women's sera out of 70 women within 2–7 days after ovulation, and 28 women out of the 35 were pregnant, which was known by follow-up, and 7 were not pregnant, possibly due to either false positive results or embryo loss because of preimplantation failure, thus causing no pregnancy. The other 35 out of 70 had no EPF activity and 34 of them were not pregnant, which was known by follow-up, but one case became pregnant, which was false negative result. Our study showed that diagnosis of the super early pregnancy could be made by detecting EPF activity in maternal serum within the time of preimplantation. The accuracy of pregnancy diagnosis by this method is 88.6%, with a false negative rate of 3.4% and a false positive rate of 17.1%. The β-HCG level was measured from the above 70 women's sera in order to contrast EPF activity. All of the sera collected 2–6 days following ovulation indicated that there were lower β-HCG values in very early pregnancy (≥a5 mIU/ml). On the seventh day after ovulation, EPF activity was detected in 11 out of 15 sera with only 2 of them with a b-HCG level that reached or slightly surpassed that of the early pregnancy diagnosis (5 mIU/ml and 5.4 mIU/ml, respectively). This demonstrated that β-HCG is not the earliest signal of pregnancy; otherwise the EPF activity is one that appears 2–6 days earlier than β-HCG appears. We measured the progesterone level of the 48 sera from the 70 collected above within 2–7 days postovulation and found most of them reached the level of progesterone in the luteal phase (7.5–98.3 nmol/L). This indicated that ovulation had taken place in these women, which was in accordance with observations by ultrasonography. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that diagnosis (of 88.6%) of super early pregnancy could be made with an accuracy of 88.6% by detecting EPF activity in maternal serum within 2-days after ovulation. This offers a basis for pregnancy diagnosis for the women who attempt to terminate their pregnancy safely or who conceive unexpectedly, and it contributes to family-planning.     

CD5 (OKT1) augments CD3-mediated intracellular signaling events in human T lymphocytes

CD5 is expressed on thymocytes, all mature T cells, and a subset of mature B cells, and probably contributes to T-cell–B-cell adhesion. We assessed whether CD5-crosslinking by mAb augments T-cell stimulation. Plate-bound anti-CD5 or anti-CD3 mAb alone had no effect on any of the assessed activation parameters of resting T cells. However, concomitant signaling through both CD5 and CD3 by plate-bound antibodies resulted in marked increases in T-cell surface CD69 expression and T-cell metabolism, as assessed by the T cell's ability to reduce 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxylmethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulphophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) to formazen. In addition, simultaneous cross-linking of CD5 and CD3 caused a significant (p < 0.001) increase in phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in resting T cells compared to stimulation with anti-CD3 mAb alone or anti-CD3 mAb plus anti-CD5 isotype control antibody. These results indicate that CD5 augments signaling through CD3 and consequently functions as a costimulatory molecule for resting T cells.     

Altered splenic B cell subset development in mice lacking phosphoinositide 3-kinase p85alpha

The signaling enzyme phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is activated following B cell receptor (BCR) engagement and by many other receptors on B lymphocytes. Mice lacking p85alpha, the predominant PI3K regulatory isoform, exhibit defects in B cell development and activation that are grossly similar to those found in mice lacking Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) and other critical signaling molecules. However, a detailed analysis of splenic B cell subsets in p85alpha-deficient mice has not been reported. Here we show that these mice are deficient in four major B cell subsets: transitional-1, transitional-2, follicular and marginal zone. These defects are distinct from those observed in Xid mice that express a mutant Btk unable to interact with PI3K lipid products. Moreover, mice with both genetic lesions exhibit even greater impairment in B cell development. Finally, we show that transgenic expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in p85alpha-deficient mice restores the transitional B cell subsets but not the marginal zone subset, and produces a follicular population with an aberrant phenotype. These findings establish a role for PI3K-p85alpha in differentiation of both follicular and marginal zone B cells, and suggest that these functions are required not solely for the propagation of anti-apoptotic signals.     

MKK4 and metastasis suppression: a marriage of signal transduction and metastasis research

MAP kinase kinase 4 (MKK4) is a member of the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) signaling cascade and is involved in the regulation of many cellular processes. We have recently demonstrated a functional role for MKK4 in the suppression of metastases. In this review, we discuss the established cellular and biochemical functions of MKK4, as well as a new function for MKK4 as a metastasis suppressor gene. Because of the importance of signaling studies to this translational work, a detailed example of the strategy and tools that can be employed to define the biochemical mechanism of MKK4-mediated metastasis suppression is presented. Finally, the potential therapeutic utility of these findings is discussed.     

神经调节因子及其信号转导机制

神经调节因子(NRG)是一个由4种基因编码的多肽家族,包含4种同源异构体NRG-1,2,3和4,其功能性受体是由ErbB酪氨酸激酶受体组成,属于跨膜酪氨酸激酶的表皮生长因子受体家族成员,包括ErbB2/HER2/neu,ErbB3/HERS和ErbB4/HER4.NRG通过诱导ErbB受体构象变化,使ErbB蛋白形成二聚体,继而激活酪氨酸激酶,引起C-末端的自身酪氨酸磷酸化和反式酪氨酸磷酸化,而发挥其生物学作用.     

Analysis of the subcellular localization of the proteins Rep, Rep' and Cap of porcine circovirus type 1

Porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) encodes two major ORFs. The cap gene comprises the major structural protein of PCV, the rep gene specifies Rep and Rep', which are both essential for initiating the replication of the viral DNA. Rep corresponds to the full-length protein, whereas Rep' is a truncated splice product that is frame-shifted in its C-terminal sequence. In this study, the cellular localization of PCV1-encoded proteins was investigated by immune fluorescence techniques using antibodies against Rep, Rep' and Cap and by expression of viral proteins fused to green and red fluorescence proteins. Rep and Rep' protein co-localized in the nucleus of infected cells as well as in cells transfected with plasmids expressing Rep and Rep' fused to fluorescence proteins, but no signal was seen in the nucleoli. Rep and Rep' carry three potential nuclear localization signals in their identical N-termini, and the contribution of these motifs to nuclear import was experimentally dissected. In contrast to the rep gene products, the localization of the Cap protein varied. While the Cap protein was restricted to the nucleoli in plasmid-transfected cells and was also localized in the nucleoli at an early stage of PCV1 infection, it was seen in the nucleoplasm and the cytoplasm later in infection, suggesting that a shuttling between distinct cellular compartments occurs.