Intraepidermal nerves in human digital skin

Summary Intraepidermal nerve fibers of human glabrous digital skin were investigated using a new silver impregnation method. Nerves were observed to enter the epidermis without regional preference, and to extend into the stratum granulosum. They are non-varicose (smooth) or varicose and range from less than 0.2 m to approximately 2 m in diameter, with varicosities up to 3 m in diameter. Some axons branch profusely within the epithelium, giving off fine branches of differing diameters, while others appear to remain unbranched. At least some intraepidermal axons are fine branches of larger axons taking a horizontal course below the epithelial layer. Others are, at least topically, closely associated with Meissner's corpuscles. At 57 nerves per mm² surface area, the density of intraepidermal nerves found in this investigation is much greater than that reported in recent publications, and agrees closely with values given in several older studies.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. A. Hopf on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Ultrastructural and carbohydrate histochemical study of the Vater-Pacini corpuscles in the digital pads of the North American raccoon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Procyon lotor</Emphasis>), with special regard to basic function

Numerous and very large Vater-Pacini corpuscles were observed in the forefoot digital pads of the North American raccoon (Procyon lotor). In addition to ultrastructure, the distribution and selectivity of complex glycoconjugates in this sensory corpuscle type were examined by carbohydrate histochemical techniques, in particular lectin histochemistry. The Vater-Pacini corpuscles present showed the typical lamellar structure known for mammals and contained high amounts of neutral and acidic glycoconjugates with various saccharide residues (α-l-fucose, β-d-galactose, sialic acid) in a specific intracorpuscular distribution pattern, including variations between the outer lamellae and the inner core. The results obtained are discussed with regard to possible functions of the Vater-Pacini corpuscles found in the raccoon forefoot pads. The corpuscular glycoconjugate components may furnish a high and differentiated viscoelasticity for rapid pressure transmission within the large Vater-Pacini corpuscles. Thus, the digital pads of the forepaws can be considered as part of a specific mechanoreceptor system related to excellent object manipulation properties in this mammalian species.     

Correspondence analysis of digital pattern types in Basque valleys

Fingers pattern types of a sample of 834 unrelated individuals (353 males and 481 females) from the Biscaian Basque valleys of Uribe, Gernika, Markina, Arratia and Durango were subjected to correspondence analysis. The results show that there are different local subpopulations with regard to these dermatoglyphic traits. The importance of whorls in the separation of these populations is observed. Isolation may have been the factor differentiating between the valleys.     

Molecular quantification of environmental DNA using microfluidics and digital PCR

Real-time PCR has been widely used to evaluate gene abundance in natural microbial habitats. However, PCR-inhibitory substances often reduce the efficiency of PCR, leading to the underestimation of target gene copy numbers. Digital PCR using microfluidics is a new approach that allows absolute quantification of DNA molecules. In this study, digital PCR was applied to environmental samples, and the effect of PCR inhibitors on DNA quantification was tested. In the control experiment using λ DNA and humic acids, underestimation of λ DNA at 1/4400 of the theoretical value was observed with 6.58ngμL(-1) humic acids. In contrast, digital PCR provided accurate quantification data with a concentration of humic acids up to 9.34ngμL(-1). The inhibitory effect of paddy field soil extract on quantification of the archaeal 16S rRNA gene was also tested. By diluting the DNA extract, quantified copy numbers from real-time PCR and digital PCR became similar, indicating that dilution was a useful way to remedy PCR inhibition. The dilution strategy was, however, not applicable to all natural environmental samples. For example, when marine subsurface sediment samples were tested the copy number of archaeal 16S rRNA genes was 1.04×10(3)copies/g-sediment by digital PCR, whereas real-time PCR only resulted in 4.64×10(2)copies/g-sediment, which was most likely due to an inhibitory effect. The data from this study demonstrated that inhibitory substances had little effect on DNA quantification using microfluidics and digital PCR, and showed the great advantages of digital PCR in accurate quantifications of DNA extracted from various microbial habitats.     

小麦温敏雄性不育系YM3314育性转换相关基因分析

采用抑制消减杂交技术,构建了小麦温敏不育系YM3314在陕西杨陵秋播(不育环境)和春播(可育环境)幼穗单核期正反交cDNA文库,对获得的136条高质量EST序列采用BLASTx序列比对进行同源性分析,并利用AmiGo和QuickGo浏览器根据GO(gene ontology)数据库对基因表达产物进行功能分类,比较两种育性条件下幼穗cDNA文库的表达谱,以探讨YM3314的育性转换机理.结果显示:不育文库(B库)中初级代谢(13.51%)、转运(13.51%)、抗病与防御(8.11%)以及功能未分类(18.92%)的EST序列所占比例均高于可育文库(K库)中对应的EST序列比例,且分别是K库的2.30倍、1.53倍、2.76倍、1.29倍;K库中与信号传递(14.71%)相关的EST序列所占比例明显高于B库,是B库的2.72倍;两个库中与能量代谢、蛋白质合成、蛋白质修饰/加工/储藏相关的EST序列所占比例相差不大.分析表明,两个文库中与初级代谢、信号传递等有关的基因表达差异可能是导致其育性转换的重要基础.     

Blogging Evolution

A weblog (“blog”) is an publication on the WorldWideWeb in which brief entries are displayed in date order, much like a diary or journal. I describe the general characteristics of blogs, contrasting blogs with other of WWW formats for self-publishing. I describe four categories for blogs about evolutionary biology: “professional,” “amateur,” “apostolic,” and “imaginative.” I also discuss blog networks. I identify paradigms of each category. Throughout, I aim to illuminate blogs about evolutionary biology from the point of view of a user looking for information about the topic. I conclude that blogs are not the best type of source for systematic and authoritative information about evolution, and that they are best used by the information-seeker as a way of identifying what issues are of interest in the community of evolutionists and for generating research leads or fresh insights on one’s own work.

64排螺旋CT下肢血管成像技术与DSA评估动脉狭窄的效果对比研究

目的探讨64排螺旋CTA评估下肢动脉狭窄闭塞性疾病的效果。方法对43例下肢动脉闭塞性疾病患者行64排螺旋CTA扫描,18例一周后行双下肢DSA检查,将每侧下肢血管分成8段,动脉狭窄程度分为：正常、轻度狭窄、中度狭窄、重度狭窄、闭塞5个级别。并以DSA为标准来评估。结果对18例患者双侧下肢共288段血管进行研究,CTA与DSA对血管狭窄程度显示一致的有275段,被CTA高估有ll段血管,低估有2段血管。结论64排螺旋CTA是下肢动脉狭窄硬化性疾病可靠的评估方法。     

便携式心电监护中实时信号处理方法研究

针对心电信号处理过程中的心电信号数字滤波、心电波形的动态显示、心电数据存储等问题,阐述了3个可用于心电信号实时处理的方法：一是运用滤波器频谱的周期性减少了滤波器系数个数,提高了运算速度,并根据卷积公式特点实现了数字滤波的实时性;二是运用基于内存虚拟屏幕技术实现心电波形动态显示,解决了屏幕闪烁和绘图不连续问题;三是采用嵌入式数据库SQLITE实现了心电数据存储。所有方法均考虑实时性要求,并已成功用于课题组开发的便携式心电监护仪,效果较为理想,具有很强的实用价值。     

两种数字化影像信息检测系统图像质量与辐射剂量的比较研究

目的对比研究平板探测器和影像板两种数字化影像信息检测系统图像质量与辐射剂量的关系。方法应用DR和CR系统分别对对比度-细节体模（CDRAD2．0）进行不同辐射剂量的曝光成像。记录每次曝光的模体表面辐射剂量,将所获取的影像用CDRAD 2．0评估软件分析计算图像质量因子反数值IQFinv,并应用Spearman相关性检验和Wilcoxon秩和检验进行分析,比较两种数字化影像信息检测系统图像质量与辐射剂量的差异。结果在管电流量不同mAs时,DR系统的IQFinv值与CR的IQFinv值差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论辐射剂量相同时,平板探测器对于低对比度细节的检测能力优于影像板;在获得相同的图像质量时,与CR相比应用DR大大降低了被检者辐射剂量。