Elevated Plus Maze for Mice

Although the mouse genome is now completely sequenced, the functions of most of the genes expressed in the brain are not known. The influence of a given gene on a specific behavior can be determined by behavioral analysis of mutant mice. If a target gene is expressed in the brain, behavioral phenotype of the mutant mice could elucidate the genetic mechanism of normal behaviors. The elevated plus maze test is one of the most widely used tests for measuring anxiety-like behavior. The test is based on the natural aversion of mice for open and elevated areas, as well as on their natural spontaneous exploratory behavior in novel environments. The apparatus consists of open arms and closed arms, crossed in the middle perpendicularly to each other, and a center area. Mice are given access to all of the arms and are allowed to move freely between them. The number of entries into the open arms and the time spent in the open arms are used as indices of open space-induced anxiety in mice. Unfortunately, the procedural differences that exist between laboratories make it difficult to duplicate and compare results among laboratories. Here, we present a detailed movie demonstrating our protocol for the elevated plus maze test. In our laboratory, we have assessed more than 90 strains of mutant mice using the protocol shown in the movie. These data will be disclosed as a part of a public database that we are now constructing. Visualization of the protocol will promote better understanding of the details of the entire experimental procedure, allowing for standardization of the protocols used in different laboratories and comparisons of the behavioral phenotypes of various strains of mutant mice assessed using this test.     

Preclinical Combination Therapy of Clofarabine Plus Radiation

Clofarabine, an approved anticancer drug, was evaluated in combination with radiation in six subcutaneously implanted human tumor xenograft models. Clofarabine had no effect on the growth of SF-295 glioblastoma, which was not enhanced by radiation. There was no difference between clofarabine with and without radiation in the DU-145 prostate model. The combined effect on NCI-H460 lung tumors appeared to be additive. SR475 head and neck, PANC-1 pancreatic, and HCT-116 colon tumors were radiomodified by clofarabine. The radiomodifying capacity of clofarabine was superior to that for gemcitabine in two models (PANC-1 and HCT-116) and was comparable in the other four models.     

Selection of Lysine Plus Threonine-Resistant Mutant of Maize

Resistance to certain amino acids or amino acid analogs can lead to overproduce specific 'free amino acids. By selection-Mutagenic treatment-Selection, lysine plus threonine-resistant mutant (RLT) was obtained from tissue culture of maize, W77-R3019V The resistance of RLT was 20 times higher than that of wild type. The levels of all free aspartate family amino acids in RLT were higher than those in wild type. Especially, threonine was 20 times higher. The resistance was inheritable and segregation in progenies, RLT1 and F1, was approximate to 3:1 and 1:1 resistant/sensitive ratio, respectively. The resistance was inherited as a single dominant or semidominant nuclear gene. In RLT2 embryo cultures, the resistance and free threonine levels in resistant callus were 20 and 23 times higher than those in sensitive one, respectively. In the homozygous seeds of RLT2, the levels of free threonine, arginine, lysine, methionine and isoleucine were 11, 8, 5, 5 and 3 times higher than those of wild type.     

氯胺酮加丙泊酚与芬太尼加丙泊酚用于学龄前 小儿非心脏手术的麻醉效果比较

目的:比较芬太尼加丙泊酚与氯胺酮加丙泊酚用于学龄前小儿非心脏手术的麻醉效果。方法:患儿70例,随机分为两组,F组(n=35),用芬太尼2-3 ug／kg,阿曲库铵0．5 mg／kg,丙泊2-3 mg／kg,静脉注射诱导插管,然后微泵持续注射芬太尼0．03-0．06 ug/kg．min-1,阿曲库铵4-8 ug/kg．min-1,丙泊酚80-150 ug／kg．min-1,K组(n=35),用氯胺酮1-1．5 mg／kg,阿曲库铵0．5 mg/kg,丙泊酚2-3 mg／kg,静脉注射诱导插管,然后微泵持续注射氯胺酮30-60 ug／kg．min-1,阿曲库铵与丙泊酚用量同F组,根据术中的情况予以调整。分别记录两组病例在用药前后的收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)、心率(HR)、麻醉效果、停药至导管拔除时间,以及拔管后因气道梗阻再次插管等情况。结果:K组病例在麻醉诱导时循环稳定,拔管后无呼吸抑制的发生,但术毕拔管的时间延长,F组病例麻醉诱导时HR、SBP、DBP降低明显,拔管后有3例气管痉挛致呼吸抑制重新插管。结论:氯胺酮复合丙泊酚用于学龄前小儿非心脏手术的麻醉,麻醉效果确切,可控性强,麻醉诱导平稳,术中易于调整,术毕拔管虽时间略为延长,但可避免呼吸抑制的发生,较为安全。     

Plus and minus sexual agglutinins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Gametes of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii undergo sexual adhesion via enormous chimeric Hyp-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs), the plus and minus sexual agglutinins, that are displayed on their flagellar membrane surfaces. We have previously purified the agglutinins and analyzed their structural organization using electron microscopy. We report here the cloning and sequencing of the Sag1 and Sad1 genes that encode the two agglutinins and relate their derived amino acid sequences and predicted secondary structure to the morphology of the purified proteins. Both agglutinin proteins are organized into three distinct domains: a head, a shaft in a polyproline II configuration, and an N-terminal domain. The plus and minus heads are related in overall organization but poorly conserved in sequence except for two regions of predicted hydrophobic alpha-helix. The shafts contain numerous repeats of the PPSPX motif previously identified in Gp1, a cell wall HRGP. We propose that the head domains engage in autolectin associations with the distal termini of their own shafts and suggest ways that adhesion may involve head-head interactions, exolectin interactions between the heads and shafts of opposite type, and antiparallel shaft-shaft interactions mediated by carbohydrates displayed in polyproline II configurations.     

Comparison of Side-effects of Tetracycline and Tetracycline Plus Nystatin

In a multicentre, double-blind, controlled trial of tetracycline plus nystatin (Mysteclin) and tetracycline, 111 patients with respiratory infections received one or other drug for a period of 10 days.The incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms was high in both groups before treatment began, and somewhat higher in the Mysteclin group than in the tetracycline group. After 10 days'' treatment 50% of the patients in the Mysteclin group had symptoms, a mean of 1.44 each, compared with 34% of the patients in the tetracycline group, with a mean of 1.47 symptoms each; the difference between the two groups is not significant (P>0.05). The incidence of Candida albicans in the stools at 10 days in the Mysteclin group (9.1%) was significantly lower than that in the tetracycline group (37.1%), but this was not reflected in any reduction in the frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms.     

体表胃肠起搏联合多潘立酮治疗餐后不适综合征的临床观察

目的:研究体表胃肠起搏联合多潘立酮治疗餐后不适综合征的疗效。方法:80例餐后不适综合征的患者,随机分为对照组及观察组。对照组40例予以多潘立酮10毫克,三餐前半小时口服;观察组予以多潘立酮10毫克,三餐前半小时口服,同时予以体表胃肠起搏,2次/日,每次45分钟,共2周,采用8导联胃肠电图仪记录患者空腹及进食后的胃电活动,及应用钡条行胃排空试验。分别于治疗前后对其症状、胃肠电图、胃排空情况进行评估。结果:治疗2周后,经胃肠起搏联合多潘立酮治疗的餐后不适综合征患者症状明显改善,较对照组改善更为明显(P<0.05),胃肠起搏治疗后正常胃电节律百分比较对照组显著改善,实验组胃排空率较对照组改善。结论:体表胃肠起搏联合多潘立酮可显著改善餐后不适综合征患者症状、胃电图参数、胃排空情况.