Intracardiac transplantation of a mixed population of bone marrow cells improves both regional systolic contractility and diastolic relaxation.

BACKGROUND: Pre-clinical and clinical studies suggest that transplantation of bone marrow-derived stem cells can improve global cardiac function. However, no quantitative assessment of regional systolic contraction and correlation with phenotype has been made. Therefore, we used our model of cryoinfarcted rabbit myocardium for intracardiac transplantation of a mixed population of bone marrow-derived cells and assessed both regional function and myogenic conversion of the cells. METHODS: Nineteen New Zealand white rabbits underwent cryoinjury of the left ventricle. Autologous bone marrow (BM) cells were expanded in vitro. After 2 weeks, either 1 x 10(8) mixed BM-derived progenitor cells (BM group, n = 11) or vehicle (control group, n = 8) were injected into the cryoinjured region. Regional systolic function was measured using micromanometry and sonomicrometry before and 4 weeks after cell injection; cell phenotype was evaluated histologically. RESULTS: All animals in the BM group significantly improved both systolic shortening (0.11 +/- 0.7 vs -0.05 +/- 0.05 mm in the control group, p < 0.05) and regional stroke work when compared with control (9.6 +/- 2.4 vs -1.2 +/- 1.2 mm . mm Hg, p < 0.003). In addition, the BM group had improved global diastolic function, as measured by minimum dP/dt and end-diastolic pressure. On histologic assessment, BM cells differentiated toward a myogenic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Transplanting a mixed population of marrow-derived cells that can adopt a myogenic phenotype improves regional contractility and diastolic relaxation after myocardial infarction.     

Loss of endogenous androgen receptor protein accelerates motor neuron degeneration and accentuates androgen insensitivity in a mouse model of X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Human Molecular     

尼尔雌醇和左炔诺孕酮对人成骨肉瘤 MG-63细胞株雌激素受体亚型的作用

目的：观察不同浓度的尼尔雌醇(NYL)和左炔诺孕酮(LNG)对人成骨肉瘤MG-63细胞株ERα和ERβ表达的作用，探讨旁分泌效应对ERα和ERβ基因表达的影响。方法：人成骨肉瘤MG-63细胞株分为（1）空白对照组：用含1% BSA无血清MEM培养液培养48 h；（2）阳性对照组：培养液中加入10-8 mol/L的17β-estradiol (E2) 培养48 h；（3）药物处理组：培养液中分别加入10-10，10-8，10-6 mol/L的NYL或LNG培养48 h；（4）药物处理+换液组：培养液中分别加入10-10 mol/L的NYL或10-8 mol/L LNG培养48 h，每12 h更换新的含有相应药物的培养液。用半定量RT-PCR检测各组细胞ERα和ERβmRNA的表达。结果：NYL及LNG均能诱导ERα和ERβ亚型mRNA表达上调，诱导ERαmRNA表达的最强作用浓度均为10-6 mol/L。NYL，LNG对ERβ mRNA表达最强作用浓度分别为10-10，10-8 mol/L。每12 h更换干预培养液对ERα表达无影响，但可抑制ERβ的表达。结论：NYL和LNG均可诱导MG-63细胞株ERα和ERβ mRNA表达上调，且2种亚型的表达存在相互制约关系；在NYL和LNG诱导ER亚型表达上调过程中ERβ的表达可能受到旁分泌作用的影响。     

Ballon atrial septostomy under transesophageal echocardiographic guidance

Summary Balloon atrial septostomy is an established method of palliation for several forms of congenital heart disease. Previously performed under fluoroscopic x-ray control, recent reports have demonstrated the utility of transthoracic echocardiographic monitoring. We report the first application of uniplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) (6.7-mm probe) as an alternative imaging modality for control of ballon atrial septostomy on neonates in the intensive care unit.     

Human X-chromosomal lineages in Europe reveal Middle Eastern and Asiatic contacts

Within Europe, classical genetic markers, nuclear autosomal and Y-chromosome DNA polymorphisms display an east-west frequency gradient. This has been taken as evidence for the westward migration of Neolithic farmers from the Middle East. In contrast, most studies of mtDNA variation in Europe and the Middle East have not revealed clinal distributions. Here we report an analysis of dys44 haplotypes, consisting of 35 polymorphisms on an 8 kb segment of the dystrophin gene on Xp21, in a sample of 1203 Eurasian chromosomes. Our results do not show a significant genetic structure in Europe, though when Middle Eastern samples are included a very low but significant genetic structure, rooted in Middle Eastern heterogeneity, is observed. This structure was not correlated to either geography or language, indicating that neither of these factors are a barrier to gene flow within Europe and/or the Middle East. Spatial autocorrelation analysis did not show clinal variation from the Middle East to Europe, though an underlying and ancient east-west cline across the Eurasian continent was detected. Clines provide a strong signal of ancient major population migration(s), and we suggest that the observed cline likely resulted from an ancient, bifurcating migration out of Africa that influenced the colonizing of Europe, Asia and the Americas. Our study reveals that, in addition to settlements from the Near East, Europe has been influenced by other major population movements, such as expansion(s) from Asia, as well as by recent gene flow from within Europe and the Middle East.