BLM has Contrary Effects on Repeat-Mediated Deletions,based on the Distance of DNA DSBs to a Repeat and Repeat Divergence

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建立小鼠皮肤移植排斥模型稳定获得记忆T细胞

目的建立一种稳定的通过小鼠皮肤移植获得小鼠记忆T细胞的方法。方法以C57BL/6小鼠为受者、DBA/2小鼠为供者行皮肤移植;同时行C57BL/6小鼠行同种同系皮肤移植做对照。术后1-8周,每周取小鼠脾脏,使用流式细胞仪检测所有受体鼠脾单个核细胞悬液中记忆T细胞的比例（n=10）。结果（1）同种异系皮肤移植组：术后第4周的C57BL/6小鼠脾单个核细胞悬液中记忆T细胞的比例较术后1~3周显著增多（P〈0.01）;术后5~8周的记忆T细胞比例较术后第4周显著增多（P〈0.01）;术后1~3周小鼠记忆T细胞比例无差异（P〉0.05）;术后5~8周小鼠记忆T细胞比例无差异（P〉0.05）。（2）同种同系皮肤移植组：术后8周,每周产生的记忆T细胞比例无差异（P〉0.05）。结论接受同种异系皮肤抗原刺激4~5周后,小鼠记忆T细胞发生稳态增殖,此模型可以稳定的获得小鼠记忆T细胞。     

Is the ‘rejection reaction’ inducing ability in sporophytic self-incompatible systems restricted only to pollen and tapetum?

Summary The present investigation describes the stigmatic rejection response, induced by anther or pollen at developmental stages ranging from anther primordia to mature pollen, as well as in other floral and vegetative tissues. This has been studied in a sporophytic self-incompatible system, Brassica campestris (Brassicaceae). The implications of these observations have been discussed.     

A new method for choosing sample size for confidence interval-based inferences

Scientists often need to test hypotheses and construct corresponding confidence intervals. In designing a study to test a particular null hypothesis, traditional methods lead to a sample size large enough to provide sufficient statistical power. In contrast, traditional methods based on constructing a confidence interval lead to a sample size likely to control the width of the interval. With either approach, a sample size so large as to waste resources or introduce ethical concerns is undesirable. This work was motivated by the concern that existing sample size methods often make it difficult for scientists to achieve their actual goals. We focus on situations which involve a fixed, unknown scalar parameter representing the true state of nature. The width of the confidence interval is defined as the difference between the (random) upper and lower bounds. An event width is said to occur if the observed confidence interval width is less than a fixed constant chosen a priori. An event validity is said to occur if the parameter of interest is contained between the observed upper and lower confidence interval bounds. An event rejection is said to occur if the confidence interval excludes the null value of the parameter. In our opinion, scientists often implicitly seek to have all three occur: width, validity, and rejection. New results illustrate that neglecting rejection or width (and less so validity) often provides a sample size with a low probability of the simultaneous occurrence of all three events. We recommend considering all three events simultaneously when choosing a criterion for determining a sample size. We provide new theoretical results for any scalar (mean) parameter in a general linear model with Gaussian errors and fixed predictors. Convenient computational forms are included, as well as numerical examples to illustrate our methods.     

Is ABO group incompatibility really the reason of accelerated failure of cryopreserved allografts in very young patients? – Echography assessment of the European Homograft Bank (EHB) cryopreserved allografts used for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract<Superscript>*</Superscript>

Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction (RVOTR) with cryopreserved allograft for Ross operation and other congenital or acquired cardiac malformation has become a routine and currently, the procedure of choice for children and young patients. A tendency of accelerated degeneration in the youngest recipients has been reported. Some authors advocate the ABO group incompatibility as the main reason for such failure. This retrospective monocentric study presents the long-term outcome of the European Homograft Bank (EHB) cryopreserved allografts, used for RVOTR in Ross operation (group one) and other congenital heart malformation-s (group two). The evaluation of the allograft performance was done by means of echography, considering the allografts with the transvalvular gradient of ≥40 mm Hg and/or regurgitation of ≥3+ as failed. Fifty-one patients of group one and 123 of group two were analysed after completed follow-up information. About 25.5% of patients of group one and 30.8% of group two had a compatible, whereas 74.5% of group one and 68.92 of group two an incompatible ABO group with the donor. The mean follow up was 45.77 and 68.88 months, respectively. In second group 22.76% received the aortic, while 77.24% pulmonary allograft. Only three cases of group one (5.88%) failed: one with a compatible (7.69%) and two with an incompatible ABO group (5.26%) (p = 0.1), whereas 39 patients (29.4%) of group two failed between 20.1 and 120.2 months (29.73% with and 29.07% without ABO compatibility, p = 0.03). Contrary, the age showed more importance in the allograft failure: out of 41 failed allografts, 24 (58.54%) were implanted in patients of 0–5 years (9 or 37.5% with compatible and 15 or 62.5% with incompatible ABO group). Generally, analysing both groups together, there was no influence of ABO mismatching on the allograft failure (p = 0.79). Contrary, there was a significant difference in survival between Ross and non-Ross group (p = 0.00082). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of early experience on the behaviour of yearling rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in the presence of a strange object: classification and correlation approaches

Special techniques are needed to help us understand the long-term effects of infants' experiences of their relationships with their mothers, especially when direct experimental control of the interaction between mother and young is impossible, or could distort their relationship. A classification approach is developed to show how outcomes in individuals can be predicted from their earlier experiences and characteristics. Four-week-old rhesus monkey infants' characteristic levels of enterprise persisted through their first year, but could be reduced in certain individuals who had been kept off their mothers by high rates of early maternal rejection. Correlational approaches are difficult to interpret when they fail to confirm simple effects of experience or of individual characteristics, because they are based on groups not individuals, and because certain individuals can affect the values of correlation coefficients in ways that cannot be specified without using a classification approach. The possible effects on correlation coefficients of inconsistent individuals, and of being unable to specify which infants respond in which ways to relevant variables were discussed.     

Allopeptides and the alloimmune response

The inherent ability of the host immune system to distinguish between self- and non-self forms the basis of allorecognition. T lymphocytes constitute the most important effector arm of allorecognition. Here we describe the fundamentals of direct and indirect pathways by which allopeptides are presented to effector T cells. The nature of allopeptides presented along with tolerogenic strategies like altered peptide ligands and intra- or extra-thymic allopeptide inoculation are discussed. In addition, we speculate on the potential of regulatory T cells to modulate alloimmune responses.     

Murine Cervical Heart Transplantation Model Using a Modified Cuff Technique

Mouse models are of special interest in research since a wide variety of monoclonal antibodies and commercially defined inbred and knockout strains are available to perform mechanistic in vivo studies. While heart transplantation models using a suture technique were first successfully developed in rats, the translation into an equally widespread used murine equivalent was never achieved due the technical complexity of the microsurgical procedure. In contrast, non-suture cuff techniques, also developed initially in rats, were successfully adapted for use in mice^1-3. This technique for revascularization involves two major steps I) everting the recipient vessel over a polyethylene cuff; II) pulling the donor vessel over the formerly everted recipient vessel and holding it in place with a circumferential tie. This ensures a continuity of the endothelial layer, short operating time and very high patency rates⁴.Using this technique for vascular anastomosis we performed more than 1,000 cervical heart transplants with an overall success rate of 95%. For arterial inflow the common carotid artery and the proximal aortic arch were anastomosed resulting in a retrograde perfusion of the transplanted heart. For venous drainage the pulmonary artery of the graft was anastomosed with the external jugular vein of the recipient⁵.Herein, we provide additional details of this technique to supplement the video.     

Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Technique

It is now over forty years since this technique was first reported by Corry, Wynn and Russell. Although it took some years for other labs to become proficient in and utilize this technique, it is now widely used by many laboratories around the world. A significant refinement to the original technique was developed and reported in 2001 by Niimi. Described here are the techniques that have evolved over more than a decade in the hands of three surgeons (Plenter, Grazia, Pietra) in our center. These techniques are now being passed on to a younger generation of surgeons and researchers.Based largely on the Niimi experience, the procedures used have evolved in the fine details - details which we will endeavor to relate here in such a way that others may be able to use this very useful model. Like Niimi, we have found that a video aid to learning is a priceless resource for the beginner.