Activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in mice selected for left- or right-handedness

Asymmetry in brain modulation of the immune system has been previously described. In mice, paw preference has been shown to be associated with immune reactivity but the mechanisms involved in such an association are not yet known. The autonomic nervous system and the neuroendocrine system are considered as major candidates for neural influences on the immune system. In the present study, the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of adult female mice selected for paw preference (left-handers vs. right-handers) was assessed by measuring both adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone plasma levels, as well as the in vitro responses of hypothalamus and adrenocortical cells to various hormone releasing stimuli. The results reported here showed no difference in the activity of the HPA axis between left- and right-handed mice, suggesting that this neuroendocrine axis is not implicated in the association between functional brain asymmetry and immune reactivity. However, our results do not exclude the possibility that the HPA axis could play a role in such an association under other circumstances, such as during development or stressful situations.     

Possibilities of x-ray methods in diagnosis of an acute pancreatitis and its local complications

The ray methods of investigation were applied in 182 patients with an acute pancreatitis (AP). In 28% of patients local complications of AP were revealed: pseudocyst, abscess, pancreatic gland phlegmon, the gastric wall infiltration and ulceration, paracolic infiltrate and colonic obstruction, biliary hypertension, portal hypertension, subcapsular and parenchymatous splenic hematoma.     

Concurrent DNA Copy‐Number Alterations and Mutations in Genes Related to Maintenance of Genome Stability in Uninvolved Mammary Glandular Tissue from Breast Cancer Patients

Somatic mosaicism for DNA copy‐number alterations (SMC‐CNAs) is defined as gain or loss of chromosomal segments in somatic cells within a single organism. As cells harboring SMC‐CNAs can undergo clonal expansion, it has been proposed that SMC‐CNAs may contribute to the predisposition of these cells to genetic disease including cancer. Herein, the gross genomic alterations (>500 kbp) were characterized in uninvolved mammary glandular tissue from 59 breast cancer patients and matched samples of primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Array‐based comparative genomic hybridization showed 10% (6/59) of patients harbored one to 359 large SMC‐CNAs (mean: 1,328 kbp; median: 961 kbp) in a substantial portion of glandular tissue cells, distal from the primary tumor site. SMC‐CNAs were partially recurrent in tumors, albeit with considerable contribution of stochastic SMC‐CNAs indicating genomic destabilization. Targeted resequencing of 301 known predisposition and somatic driver loci revealed mutations and rare variants in genes related to maintenance of genomic integrity: BRCA1 (p.Gln1756Profs*74, p.Arg504Cys), BRCA2 (p.Asn3124Ile), NCOR1 (p.Pro1570Glnfs*45), PALB2 (p.Ser500Pro), and TP53 (p.Arg306*). Co‐occurrence of gross SMC‐CNAs along with point mutations or rare variants in genes responsible for safeguarding genomic integrity highlights the temporal and spatial neoplastic potential of uninvolved glandular tissue in breast cancer patients.     

经食管心房调搏对阵发性室上性心动过速的诊断价值

目的 探讨经食管心房调搏对阵发性室上性心动过速的分型及定位诊断价值。方法 回顾性分析食管心房调搏对193例阵发性室上性心动过速分型及定位诊断结果，并与心内电生理检查诊断结果比较。结果 经食管心房调搏对慢-快型AVNRT及顺向性AVRT的诊断敏感性、特异性、准确性均较高，对少见型AVNRT的诊断敏感性低(25％)。结论 阵发性室上性心动过速发作时食管与体表心电图P^-波起始与极性是诊断阵发性室上性心动过速的关键。经食管心房调搏对心动过速旁道定位误诊原因主要是心动过速时体表心电图P^-波往往与T波融合，导致V1、I导联P^-波极性及V1导联P^-波起始部形态改变。