Region-specific constitutive gene expression in the adult porcine meniscus.

The knee meniscus exhibits extensive spatial variations in native healing capacity, biochemical composition, and cell morphology that suggest the existence of distinct phenotypes for meniscus cells. Constitutive gene expression levels of appropriate extracellular matrix proteins may serve as useful molecular markers of cellular phenotypes; however, relatively little is known of variations in the gene expression for meniscus cells of different regions of the tissue. The objective of the present study was to evaluate constitutive differences between radial inner and outer regions in gene expression for extracellular matrix proteins relevant to the meniscus. A secondary objective was to determine if these region-specific differences in gene expression are maintained after periods of monolayer culture. The innermost regions of the meniscus were found to constitutively express higher mRNA levels for proteins highly expressed in articular cartilage, including aggrecan, type II collagen, and NOS2. In contrast, the outer meniscus was found to contain higher gene expression for proteins associated with fibrous tissues including type I collagen, and the proteases MMP2 and MMP3. Isolated inner and outer meniscus cells maintained these region-specific gene expression patterns for collagens and proteoglycans during short-term monolayer culture. The results provide new information that suggests the utility of constitutive gene expression levels as molecular markers to distinguish tissue and cells of the inner and outer meniscus.     

Global attraction and stability for Cohen–Grossberg neural networks with delays

We consider a class of Cohen–Grossberg neural networks with delays. We prove the existence and global asymptotic stability of an equilibrium point and estimate the region of existence. Furthermore, we show that the trajectories of the neural networks with positive initial data will stay in the positive region if the amplification function satisfies a divergent condition. We also establish the existence of a globally attracting compact set for more general networks. We estimate this compact set explicitly in terms of the network parameters from physiological and biological models. Our results can be applied to neural networks with a wide range of activation functions which are neither bounded nor globally Lipschitz continuous such as the Lotka–Volterra model. We also give some examples and simulations.     

A mature cystic teratoma in pineal region mimicking parietal encephalocele in a newborn

Objective Teratoma is the most frequently encountered intracranial tumor at birth and constitutes 18–20% of all germ cell tumors. They are usually located in pineal and suprasellar regions. The authors aim to report an extremely unusual presentation, location, and appearance of a teratoma in a newborn. Case report A soft tissue swelling in the vertex was detected in a 1-month-old girl. Neurological examination was normal. A big, cystic–solid lesion beginning from pineal region and extending to the scalp was detected in magnetic resonance imaging. It is interesting to note that cerebral venous angiography showed that the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) was divided into three branches at the level of the lesion and they joined together distally. The tumor was excised totally. Histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis of a mature cystic teratoma. Conclusion A mature cystic teratoma mimicking parietal encephalocele is extremely rare. Germ cell tumors should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of all midline lesions with unusual radiographic appearance. Cerebral venous angiography or MR angiography must be performed for the diagnosis and the surgical planning in lesions located near SSS.     

Epitope Context and Reshaping of Activated T Helper Cell Repertoire

In recent years, a growing interest in the study of peptide antigenicity in relation to the role of flanking sequences and protein topology in processing, presentation, and recognition has been observed. However, the information available on the antigenicity of recombinant fusion proteins and their effect on the selection of antigen receptor repertoires is limited. To analyze the role of molecular topology of T epitopes in a system relevant to human pathology, we have used the bacterially expressed Schistosoma japonicum glutathione S transferase (GST) to construct recombinant antigens containing HIV-1 derived T cell determinants, and human T cell clones specific for these determinants. We found that antigenicity of a given GST—peptide combination was not the same when T cells and antigen presenting cells from different individuals were tested. Our results show that differences in processing and presentation of chimeric proteins are not dictated by the use of diverse restriction elements. We also found that the context in which an antigenic peptide is delivered affects the recruited repertoire as defined according to T cell receptor Vβ usage and fine specificities of selected T cells.     

上颌窦鳞状细胞癌核仁组成区相关嗜银蛋白的检测

观察上颌窦鳞状细胞癌核仁组成区相关区相关嗜银蛋白的改变，方法：采用胶银染色法对２６例上凳窦鳞状细胞癌进行ＡｇＮＯＲｓ检测。     

中国人丙型肝炎病毒囊膜蛋白2HVR1 cDNA的序列分析

目的：了解中国ＨＣＶ流行株高变区１（ＨＶＲ１）的特点。方法：对来自山东（ＳＤ）、上海（ＳＨ）两地患者血清ＲＮＡ进行逆转录－巢式ＰＣＲ，扩增ＨＣＶ囊膜蛋白２基因片段，用ＰＣＲ直接测序法对该片段进行序列测定。结果：（１）扩增片段（命名为Ｐ３８８）对应于日本ＨＣＶ－Ｊ株序列核苷酸１４３９￣１８２６位（氨基酸位３７１￣４９８）；（２）中国人ＨＣＶ ＨＶＲ１位于氨基酸位３８４￣４１０，与发表的ＨＣＶⅡ型ＨＶ     

Structure-activity studies of hydrophobic amino acid replacements at positions 9, 11 and 16 of glucagon

We have designed and synthesized eight compounds 2-9 which incorporate neutral, hydrophobic amino acid residues in positions 9, 11 and 16 of the glucagon molecule: (2) [desHis¹,Va1⁹,11e^11,16] glucagon amide, (3) [desHis¹,Val^9,11,16]glucagon amide, (4) [desHis¹,Va1⁹,Leu^11,16]glucagon amide, (5) [desHis¹,Nle⁹,11e^11,16]glucagon amide, (6) [desHis¹,Nle⁹,Val^11,16]glucagon amide, (7) [desHis¹,Nle⁹,Leu^11,16]glucagon amide, (8) [desHis¹,Val⁹,Leu^11,16,Lys^17,18,Glu²¹]glucagon amide and (9) [desHis¹,Nle⁹,Leu^11,16,Lys^17,18,Glu²¹]glucagon amide. The effect of neutral, hydrophobic residues at positions 9, 11 and 16 led to good binding to the glucagon receptor. Compared to glucagon (IC₅₀= 1.5 nM), analogues 2-9 were found to have IC₅₀ values of 6.0, 6.0, 11.0, 9.0, 2.5, 2.8, 6.5 and 7.0 nM, respectively. When these compounds were tested for their ability to block adenylate cyclase (AC) activity, they were found to be antagonists having no stimulation of adenyl cyclase, with PA₂, values of 6.15, 6.20, 6.30, 7.25, 6.10, 7.30, 6.25 and 7.25, respectively. © Munksgaard 1997.     

腹水良恶性细胞核仁组成区定量研究

使用胶质银染色技术，对２８例良性腹水和２６例恶性腹水进行核仁组成区（ＡｇＮＯＲｓ）形态定量研究。结果表明：良性腹水间皮细胞与恶性腹水癌细胞二者在ＡｇＮＯＲｓ数目、形态、大小及核内分布方面均存在显著差异。另外，对５例临床上疑诊恶性腹水而常规脱落细胞学（ＨＥ）染色阴性或未肯定者进行上述定量分析，确定腹水良恶性质，结果与组织病理学诊断相一致。提示该技术在一定程度上可弥补常规脱落细胞形态学之不足。     

寒冷干燥地区平时火器伤的早期处理

目的　探讨寒冷干燥地区平时火器伤伤情特点与早期救治方法。方法　对 1991年 1月— 2 0 0 2年 12月间 40例火器伤病人的临床救治进行回顾分析。结果　 2 4例枪伤中 ,2 0例一期缝合伤口 ,均一期愈合 ,另外 4例只清创未一期缝合的伤口 ,3例愈合 ,1例感染 ;4例骨折内固定均愈合良好 ,无骨髓炎发生。 16例炸伤病人局部软组织损伤及污染比枪弹伤重 ,14例一期缝合伤口中 ,10例一期愈合 ,4例感染 ,骨折内固定 2例 ,均愈合良好 ,无骨髓炎发生。结论　寒冷干燥地区火器伤早期伤道清创时限可适当延长 ,在平时火器伤的救治中 ,对软组织条件较好的创面 ,早期清创后可一期闭合伤口和骨折内固定 ,这样可减少感染和伤残 ,促进康复     

高温对热区部队战士激素调节的影响

选择某电子对抗团战士和某坦克旅战士共64人,分别在高温、高湿等因素作用下连续作业1h(摩托小时),观察战士体内激素及电解质的变化情况。结果表明:两部队战士的心钠素、皮质醇、醛固酮水平作业前后有非常显著性以上的差异;血清K~+、Ca~(2+)浓度降低,Na~+浓度升高。以上结果表明:高温环境对战士体内激素水平影响显著,机体出现应激性改变。