NRAS and BRAF Mutations in Melanoma-Associated Nevi and Uninvolved Nevi

According to the prevailing multistep model of melanoma development, oncogenic BRAF or NRAS mutations are crucial initial events in melanoma development. It is not known whether melanocytic nevi that are found in association with a melanoma are more likely to carry BRAF or NRAS mutations than uninvolved nevi. By laser microdissection we were able to selectively dissect and genotype cells either from the nevus or from the melanoma part of 46 melanomas that developed in association with a nevus. In 25 cases we also genotyped a control nevus of the same patients. Available tissue was also immunostained using the BRAF^V600E-mutation specific antibody VE1. The BRAF^V600E mutation was found in 63.0% of melanomas, 65.2% of associated nevi and 50.0% of control nevi. No significant differences in the distribution of BRAF or NRAS mutations could be found between melanoma and associated nevi or between melanoma associated nevi and control nevi. In concordant cases immunohistochemistry showed a higher expression (intensity of immunohistochemistry) of the mutated BRAF^V600E-protein in melanomas compared to their associated nevi. In this series the presence of a BRAF- or NRAS mutation in a nevus was not associated with the risk of malignant transformation. Our findings do not support the current traditional model of stepwise tumor progression.     

Effects of an Epiphytic Orchid on Arboreal Ant Community Structure in Panama

Epiphytes are conspicuous structural elements of tropical forest canopies. Individual tree crowns in lowland forests may support more than 30 ant species, yet we know little about the effects of epiphytes on ant diversity. We examined the composition of arboreal ant communities on Annona glabra trees and their interactions with the epiphytic orchid Caularthron bilamellatum in Panama. We surveyed the ants on 73 trees (45 with C. bilamellatum and 28 lacking epiphytes) and recorded their nest sites and behavioral dominance at baits. We found a total of 49 ant species (in 20 genera), ranging 1–9 species per tree. Trees with C. bilamellatum had higher average (±SD) ant species richness (4.2±2.28) than trees without epiphytes (2.7±1.21). Hollow pseudobulbs (PBs) of C. bilamellatum were used as nest sites by 32 ant species, but only 43 percent of suitable PBs were occupied. Ant species richness increased with PB abundance in trees, but nest sites did not appear to be a limiting resource on A. glabra. We detected no close association between ants and the orchid. We conclude that higher ant species richness in the presence of the orchid is due to bottom‐up effects, especially the year‐round supply of extrafloral nectar. The structure of ant communities on A. glabra partly reflects interference competition among behaviorally dominant species and stochastic factors, as observed in other forests.     

Variation in male reproductive traits among three bitterling fishes (Acheilognathinae: Cyprinidae) in relation to the mating system

Male traits that correlate with fertilization success include testis size and structure, ejaculate size, ejaculation frequency, and sperm motility. Two hypotheses potentially explain interspecific differences in these traits: sperm competition and sperm limitation. We examined variation in six traits associated with fertilization success in three closely‐related species of bitterling fish; the European bitterling (Rhodeus amarus), the Chinese rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocellatus), and the Chinese bitterling (Rhodeus sinensis). Interspecific differences indicated that the three study species have evolved different sperm allocation strategies. Rhodeus amarus displayed the most developed reproductive apparatus with a number of traits associated with both high levels of sperm production and fertilization efficiency. Rhodeus ocellatus and R. sinensis appear to have more comparable sperm allocation strategies, although relative testis size and spermatozoa head : tail ratio were greater in R. sinensis, suggesting that sperm competition risk may be higher in this species. All three species possessed an unusually well developed sperm duct with evidence of mucin production, which greatly extends the longevity of sperm and, consequently, the period over which fertilization can occur. We discuss these findings in the context of differences in the mating systems of the species examined, and relate the results obtained to differences in the temporal and spatial clustering of fertilizations. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 103 , 622–632.     

应用Maxent生态位模型预测淡水钩虾(甲壳纲,端足目)的分布(英文)

预测物种的适生区对于物种资源的评估、保护以及生物多样性的管理非常重要。由于全球气候变化和人类的过度开发,冷水性无脊椎动物的衰减速度比在陆地和海洋生活的无脊椎动物都要高。目前关于中国淡水钩虾分布方面的研究很少,本研究基于103个地表淡水钩虾的不同分布位点和广布种湖泊钩虾Gammarus lacustris 23个不同分布位点以及32个环境因子数据,使用生态位模型(Maxent)预测了淡水钩虾和湖泊钩虾在我国的适生分布区域。结果显示淡水钩虾非常适合分布在我国的一些偏远山区,如长白山、太行山、横断山、天山、昆仑山和祁连山,而青藏高原的东部、西部边缘地区和南部分布地区、尼泊尔、不丹和朝鲜半岛也是淡水钩虾的潜在适生区域,但淡水钩虾在我国华南、华中和华北的平原地区分布却很少,其在我国的潜在分布区与-10℃和5℃1月平均气温线间的区域相似。淡水钩虾是典型的狭温性物种,在不适宜温度条件下很难存活,这可能也是限制其扩散和存活的关键性因素。     

血管抑素的临床应用研究进展

血管抑素是第一个被发现的肿瘤源性血管生成抑制因子,能抑制血管内细胞的增殖和迁移,从而抑制肿瘤的生长。通过一些实验方法能够检测肿瘤患者体内的血管抑素水平。血管抑素在未来的肿瘤治疗、诊断、预后判断和新生血管疾病的治疗中有着广阔的应用前景。     

18F-FDG PET 和治疗量131I 全身扫描对分化型甲 状腺癌根治术后转移灶检测的临床价值评估

目的:探讨18F-FDG PET显像和131I-全身扫描(131I-WBS)SPECT显像对分化型甲状腺癌(DTC)术后转移灶的临床诊断价值。方法:对57例外科术后拟行131I治疗的DTC患者行18F-FDG PET全身显像和131I-WBS扫描,观察和记录在糖代谢和碘代谢中DTC转移灶的定位及数量变化,并同时测定甲状腺球蛋白(Tg),促甲状腺激素释放激素(TSH)等实验室检查项目。结果:57例DTC患者18F-FDG PET显像发现真阳性20例、假阳性3例、真阴性31例、假阴性3例,其灵敏度为87.0%,特异性为91.2%。而131I-WBS扫描发现真阳性13例、假阳性2例、真阴性34例、假阴性8例,其灵敏度为61.9%,特异性为94.4%。PET显像和131I-WBS扫描共检出阳性病灶73个,其中淋巴结32个,肺5个,纵隔6个,骨26个,其他部位4个。PET显像发现43个阳性病灶(58.9%),而131I-WBS检出30个(41.1%)。当Tg水平>10μg/L时,随着Tg在血清含量的增高,两种显像方法的对DTC转移灶的阳性检出率亦随之升高。结论:两种检查对DTC术后转移灶的监测和131I的治疗具有良好的互补性,18F-FDG PET显像在Tg阳性和131I-WBS阴性的患者的转移灶检出上更具有优势,有重要的临床指导意义。     

甲亢患者甲状腺激素水平与血脂代谢相关性分析及临床意义探讨

目的:探讨甲亢患者甲状腺激素水平与血脂代谢指标之间的关系。方法:对160例甲亢患者治疗前后的甲状腺激素(TH)水平、血脂水平进行对照分析。结果:甲亢治疗前后与健康对照组比较,游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸(FT3)、游离甲状腺素(FT4)明显增高,促甲状腺激素(TSH)明显降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)、载脂蛋白A(apoAΙ)、载脂蛋白B(apoB)均明显降低,且差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01);低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)无明显变化(P>0.05)。结论:甲状腺激素与脂类代谢密切相关,临床上在诊治甲亢患者时,应当加强血脂水平的监测,以便更好地指导临床诊治,为疾病的发生发展、判断预后提供有价值的实验室检测指标。     

铜绿假单胞菌临床菌株TTSS表达水平及相关因素分析

Ⅲ型分泌系统（type Ⅲ secretion system, TTSS）是铜绿假单胞菌的重要致病因子．分析临床菌株中TTSS的表达水平,对于研究铜绿假单胞菌的致病机制具有重要意义．本研究通过测定融合报告基因exsA-lacZ和exoT-lacZ编码的β-半乳糖苷酶活力,分析了150株铜绿假单胞菌临床菌株exsA和exoT基因的表达水平,发现71株（47.33%）细菌exsA基因的表达为阳性,65株（43.33%）细菌exoT基因的表达为阳性,基因exsA与exoT表达水平存在正相关（P <0.001）,且不同菌株间两者表达水平差异较大．采用统计学方法对实验结果进一步分析发现,TTSS表达与呼吸道感染等临床症状相关（P <0.05）;与标本的分离时间相关（P =0.029）;与菌株亚胺青霉烯耐药性存在负相关（P <0.05）．本研究结果显示,铜绿假单胞菌临床菌株TTSS表达水平差异较大,与多种因素存在相关性.