COL9A1基因与先天性马蹄内翻足的相关性研究

应用限制性片段长度多态性技术结合测序方法,分析了84个先天性马蹄内翻足核心家系COL9A1基因内2个SNP位点rs592121与rs1135056的基因型;应用ETDT软件统计分析各SNP位点基因型与先天性马蹄内翻足的相关性;应用TRANSMIT软件构建单倍型并统计分析单倍型频率是否存在差异; 采用半定量RT-PCR方法检测25例马蹄内翻足患儿肌肉及肌腱组织COL9A1基因mRNA的表达。结果发现rs592121及rs1135056位点在先天性马蹄内翻足中均存在传递不平衡( P < 0. 05)。马蹄内翻足患儿组织中COL9A1基因表达水平高于正常组织(t = 4.7500, P < 0. 05)。提示COL9A1基因可能是先天性马蹄内翻足重要的易感基因。     

COL9A1基因与先天性马蹄内翻足相关性的研究

应用限制性片段长度多态性技术结合测序方法,分析了84个先天性马蹄内翻足核心家系COL9A1基因内2个SNP位点rs592121与rs1135056的基因型;应用ETDT软件统计分析各SNP位点基因型与先天性马蹄内翻足的相关性;应用TRANSMIT软件构建单倍型并统计分析单倍型频率是否存在差异;采用半定量RT-PCR方法检测25例马蹄内翻足患儿肌肉及肌腱组织COL9A1基因mRNA的表达.结果发现rs592121及rs1135056位点在先天性马蹄内翻足中均存在传递不平衡(P＜0.05).马蹄内翻足患儿组织中COL9A1基因表达水平高于正常组织(t=4.7500,P＜0.05).提示COL9A1基因可能是先天性马蹄内翻足重要的易感基因.     

HOXD13、FHL1和先天性马蹄内翻足的相关研究

为研究HOXD13、FHL1和先天性马蹄内翻足的关系, 应用变性梯度凝胶电泳技术检测HOXD13基因在先天性马蹄内翻足个体中的突变, 应用半定量RT-PCR及免疫组织化学技术检测HOXD13、FHL1在先天性马蹄内翻足患者肌肉组织中的表达; 并用软件预测FHL1基因上游HOXD13的结合位点, 凝胶阻滞试验(Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, EMSA)验证HOXD13和FHL1的相互作用。结果84例先天性马蹄内翻足患者中未发现HOXD13基因编码区突变存在。与同期正常足部肌肉组织相比HOXD13(33.3%), FHL1 (46.6%)在先天性马蹄内翻足患者肌肉组织中表达明显下调。EMSA结果表明, 当HOXD13存在时出现特异的DNA阻滞条带。上述结果说明：HOXD13的编码区突变可能不是先天性马蹄内翻足发生的原因, 而HOXD13和 FHL1表达水平的改变可能与马蹄内翻足畸形的发生有关, HOXD13可能通过直接调控FHL1发挥作用。     

GLI3、EN1基因在单纯性马蹄内翻足发生中的功能研究

为了探讨人类GLI3基因在单纯性马蹄内翻足(Idiopathic congenital talipes equinovarus, ICTEV)发生时所起的作用, 文章构建了大鼠Gli3基因启动子区域荧光素酶报告基因表达载体来分析Gli3基因启动子的活性, 并利用P-Match软件预测大鼠Gli3基因启动子区域可能的调控元件, 应用ChIP实验加以验证。并利用RT-PCR、免疫组化和Western blotting的方法分析大鼠En1与ICTEV的相关性。经P-Match软件预测, Gli3基因启动子区域有３个转录因子En1的可能结合位点, 经ChIP实验证实位点1是真正结合位点。RT-PCR、免疫组化和Western blotting方法都证实En1基因在马蹄内翻足模型鼠中表达下降。结果提示大鼠的转录因子 En1可能是Gli3基因的上游负调控元件。在ICTEV患者中, 很可能是由于EN1基因表达水平的下降导致了GLI3基因表达水平的上升, 最终导致ICTEV的发生。     

COL1A1基因转录调控序列变异与单纯性马蹄内翻足的相关性

采用半定量RT-PCR方法检测20例单纯性马蹄内翻足患儿下肢肌肉及肌腱组织中COL1A1基因mRNA的表达, 根据COL1A1基因转录调控区-1 031 bp~ +30 bp及第1内含子的序列, 设计8对引物, PCR扩增后, 采用变性梯度凝胶电泳技术筛查突变并测序。半定量RT-PCR结果表明, 与正常对照组相比, 单纯性马蹄内翻足患儿患侧肌肉及肌腱组织中COL1A1基因表达水平明显上调(t =12.680, P＜0.05); 经PCR-DGGE筛查并测序发现1名患者存在-161(C→T)的杂合变异, 另1名患者存在+274(C→G)的纯合变异。二者均为新发现的变异。提示COL1A1基因转录调控序列变异可能是单纯性马蹄内翻足的致病原因之一。     

Spina bifida cystica and severe congenital bilateral talipes equinovarus in one twin of a monoamniotic pair: a case report

Background

Spina bifida and congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) are common congenital malformations which may occur together and increase morbidity. Monozygous twins are particularly at risk of these malformations and discordance in one type of malformation is typical. The occurrence of both spina bifida and CTEV in one twin of a monozygotic pair is rare.

Case presentation

A 22 year-old Cameroonian primigravida at 36 weeks of a twin gestation was received in our district hospital at the expulsive phase of labour on a background of sub-optimal antenatal care. A caesarean section indicated for cephalo-pelvic disproportion was performed and life monoamniotic male twins were extracted. The first twin was normal. The second twin had spina bifida cystica and severe bilateral CTEV. Routine postnatal care was ensured and at day 2 of life, the affected twin was evacuated to a tertiary hospital for proper management. He was later on reported dead from complications of hydrocephalus.

Conclusions

Spina bifida cystica with severe bilateral CTEV in one twin of a monoamniotic pair illustrates the complexity in the interplay of causal factors of these malformations even among monozygotic twins who are assumed to share similar genetic and environmental features. The occurrence and poor outcome of the malformations was probably potentiated by poor antenatal care. With postnatal diagnoses, a better outcome was difficult to secure even with prompt referral. Early prenatal diagnoses and appropriate counseling of parents are cardinal.

     

A semantic explanation for the External Argument Generalization

-Er nominals usually obey the External Argument Generalization: the argument of the nominal receives the thematic role that the verb assigns to its external argument. I argue that this syntactic generalization, as well as the exceptions to it, can be explained by semantics.Specifically, -er nominals usually express properties that are inherent in the subject; I argue that they therefore belong to the class of expressions that express such properties—dynamic modals. Crucially, dynamic modals are subject oriented; hence, the proposal that -er nominals are dynamic modals naturally provides an account of the External Argument Generalization.     

A third explanation for female infanticide

Two directly opposed explanations for the distribution of female infanticide across cultures have recently appeared. Divale and Harris propose to explain this practice as part of a system which reduces population growth. Dickemann says that the practice serves to increase reproductive success. I criticize each of these explanations and propose a third which depends on the technoecological and economic constraints given precedence by Harris and Divale, combined with the insights of sexual selection which are central to Dickemann's account.     

A statistical explanation of MaxEnt for ecologists

MaxEnt is a program for modelling species distributions from presence‐only species records. This paper is written for ecologists and describes the MaxEnt model from a statistical perspective, making explicit links between the structure of the model, decisions required in producing a modelled distribution, and knowledge about the species and the data that might affect those decisions. To begin we discuss the characteristics of presence‐only data, highlighting implications for modelling distributions. We particularly focus on the problems of sample bias and lack of information on species prevalence. The keystone of the paper is a new statistical explanation of MaxEnt which shows that the model minimizes the relative entropy between two probability densities (one estimated from the presence data and one, from the landscape) defined in covariate space. For many users, this viewpoint is likely to be a more accessible way to understand the model than previous ones that rely on machine learning concepts. We then step through a detailed explanation of MaxEnt describing key components (e.g. covariates and features, and definition of the landscape extent), the mechanics of model fitting (e.g. feature selection, constraints and regularization) and outputs. Using case studies for a Banksia species native to south‐west Australia and a riverine fish, we fit models and interpret them, exploring why certain choices affect the result and what this means. The fish example illustrates use of the model with vector data for linear river segments rather than raster (gridded) data. Appropriate treatments for survey bias, unprojected data, locally restricted species, and predicting to environments outside the range of the training data are demonstrated, and new capabilities discussed. Online appendices include additional details of the model and the mathematical links between previous explanations and this one, example code and data, and further information on the case studies.     

A structural explanation for the binding of multiple ligands by the alpha-adaptin appendage domain.

The alpha subunit of the endocytotic AP2 adaptor complex contains a 30 kDa "appendage" domain, which is joined to the rest of the protein via a flexible linker. The 1.9 A resolution crystal structure of this domain reveals a single binding site for its ligands, which include amphiphysin, Eps15, and epsin. This domain when overexpressed in COS7 fibroblasts is shown to inhibit transferrin uptake, whereas mutants in which interactions with its binding partners are abolished do not. DPF/W motifs present in appendage domain-binding partners are shown to play a crucial role in their interactions with the domain. A single site for binding multiple ligands would allow for temporal and spatial regulation in the recruitment of components of the endocytic machinery.     

Affinity of adriamycin to phospholipids. A possible explanation for cardiac mitochondrial lesions.

Two thirds or more of adriamycin (ADM) is found in the hydrophilic phase when the drug is dissolved in the two-phase system of Folch. This distribution is changed dramatically by the presence of all the negatively charged phospholipids, which form an electrostatic complex with the drug in the lower lipophilic phase.The molar ratio of ADM to phospholipids in the lower phase is 2 to 1 with cardiolipin, which has 2 phosphate molecules, and 1 to 1 with phosphatidic acid which has only one. ADM is recovered from lipophilic phase by acidification. No complex was obtained with sulfatides or ADM-ADN complex.The relevance of these data to the pathogenesis of ADM induced cardiac mitochondrial lesions is discussed.     

A probability matrix for the identification of vibrios

A probability matrix for computer-assisted identification of vibrios has been constructed, based on the API 20E system. Data were gathered from 173 strains representing 31 taxa of vibrios and related organisms, from a variety of sources. The matrix was tested internally by four statistical programs. Program OVERMAT tested the separation and program MOSTTYP the discretion and homogeneity of the taxa. Most of the taxa were satisfactory but a few were less so; reasons for this are discussed. Program CHARSEP and program DIACHAR tested the separation and diagnostic values, respectively, of the characters used. The overall test error was 4–5%. The matrix was assessed externally by its performance in the identification of vibrio-like strains isolated from freshwater. Of 243 wild strains, 79–4% were identified with ten taxa, with a Willcox score of ζ 0–99.