Influence of uterine secretions on the chromatin of ram spermatozoa at different stages of maturation: Cytophotometric study of Feulgen-DNA after in vitro incubation

Ram spermatozoa taken from the epididymal head, body, or tail or from the ejaculate were examined by microspectrometry after incubation in vitro with ewe uterine fluids at 37°C for 20 hours. Compared with incubation in Ringer's solution, uterine fluid incubation resulted in a decrease in nuclear Feulgen-DNA content. This decrease was greater for more immature spermatozoa (29.0 and 47.3% for spermatozoa from head and body, respectively) than for more mature spermatozoa (17.7 and 4.0% for spermatozoa from the tail and the ejaculate, respectively). In parallel with this decrease, there was a condensation of the chromatin which resulted in a decreased nuclear surface area, especially in spermatozoa taken from the epididymal body. Therefore, it would appear that, during epididymal maturation, changes in the ability of spermatozoa to maintain embryonic development as the spermatozoa mature are due to changes in chromatin structure.     

Chemical complementarity between immune receptors and cancer mutants,independent of antigen presentation protein binding,is associated with increased survival rates

Uterine cancer has been associated with a T-cell immune response that leads to increased survival. Therefore, we used several bioinformatics approaches to explore specific interactions between T-cell receptor (TCR) and tumor mutant peptide sequences. Using endometrioid uterine cancer exome files from the The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we obtained tumor resident V-J recombinations for the T-Cell Receptor alpha gene (TRA). The charged-based, chemical complementarity for each patient''s LRP2 or TTN mutant amino acids (AAs) and the recovered, TRA complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) sequences was calculated, allowing a division of patients into complementary and noncomplementary groups. Complementary groups with TTN mutants had increased disease-free survival and increased expression of complement genes. Furthermore, the survival distinction based on CDR3-mutant peptide complementarity was independent of programmatically assessed HLA class II binding and was not observable based on the CDR3 AA chemical features alone. The above approach provides a potential, highly efficient method for identifying TCR targets in uterine cancer and may aid in the development of novel prognostic tools.     

Negligible effects of blood sampling on reproductive performance and return rates of Tree Swallows

Blood sampling is a frequently used method of collecting genetic and physiological data in natural populations, and understanding the possible impact of blood sampling on individuals and populations is important, both for the welfare of study organisms and to avoid introducing bias into analyses using bled individuals. Most studies of birds have revealed minimal negative effects of blood sampling. However, Brown and Brown (2009. Auk 126: 853–861) found that blood sampling reduced return rates of Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), suggesting that these results are not always generalizable and that swallows (Hirundinidae) may be particularly sensitive to blood sampling. We examined the possible effects of blood sampling on the reproductive performance of female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and the return rates of both females and offspring in a population in New York state. To reduce the chances of Type II error, we tested 15 possible effects of blood sampling on reproductive performance and return rates using generalized linear mixed models. Overall, our results suggest that blood sampling had few negative effects on within‐year reproductive success or survival of adult females. The one exception was that bleeding nestlings had a negative effect on the number of young that fledged in broods of five or six nestlings. Bleeding did not negatively impact return rates of females or nestlings in our Tree Swallow population. Our results support those of other studies suggesting that blood sampling has few negative effects on within‐year reproductive success or survival of adult females, and reiterate the importance of systematically testing for possible effects with datasets compiled over multiple years because such effects may be impossible to detect via direct monitoring during a single breeding season.     

肝硬化门静脉高压患者并发上消化道出血的危险因素及RLR、TBA、PT的预测效能研究

摘要 目的：分析肝硬化门静脉高压（CPH）患者并发上消化道出血（UGIB）的危险因素并探讨红细胞分布宽度与淋巴细胞比值（RLR）、总胆汁酸（TBA）、凝血酶原时间（PT）的预测效能。方法：选取2019年5月～2022年4月我院收治的150例CPH患者,根据是否并发UGIB分为UGIB组57例和非UGIB组93例。采用多因素Logistic回归分析CPH患者并发UGIB的危险因素,受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线分析RLR、TBA、PT对CPH患者并发UGIB的预测效能。结果：两组患者饮酒史比例、Child-Pugh分级、门静脉内径、食管静脉曲张程度、Hb、白蛋白、RDW、LC比较差异统计学意义（P＜0.05）。UGIB组RLR、TBA高于非UGIB组,PT长于非UGIB组（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,饮酒史、Child-Pugh C级、门静脉内径增加、重度食管静脉曲张、RLR上升、TBA上升、PT上升为CPH患者并发UGIB的独立危险因素,Hb上升为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。ROC曲线分析显示,RLR、TBA、PT单独与联合预测CPH患者并发UGIB的曲线下面积（AUC）分别为0.804、0.779、0.786、0.920,灵敏度分别为63.16％、70.18％、59.65％、77.19％,特异度分别为94.62％、80.65％、88.17％、96.77％。RLR、TBA、PT联合预测CPH患者并发UGIB的AUC大于RLR、TBA、PT单独预测（P＜0.05）。结论：饮酒、Child-Pugh C级、门静脉内径增加、重度食管静脉曲张、RLR上升、TBA上升、PT上升是CPH患者并发UGIB的危险因素,Hb上升为保护因素,RLR、TBA、PT联合预测CPH患者并发UGIB的效能较高。     

Soluble Fas receptor and soluble Fas ligand in the serum of women with uterine tumors

It is commonly accepted that apoptosis plays an important role in the death of normal and neoplastic cells. Related proteins and their receptors on cell surfaces regulate apoptosis. One of the best-characterized systems is the Fas-Fas ligand system. The aim of the study was to examine the concentrations of soluble Fas receptor (sFas) and the soluble ligand for the Fas receptor (sFasL) in serum of women with uterine tumors.The study included 42 women with uterine tumors. As a normal control, sera were obtained from 20 healthy female volunteers. The concentrations of sFas and sFasL in serum were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA.Significant increases of the mean value of sFas and sFasL were found in the serum of women with uterine tumor compared to the control group (p < 0.0001). The mean levels of these parameters increased in consecutive stages of the clinical extent of the uterine cancer (I-III). The lowest concentration was observed in women with stage I and the highest in women with stage III of clinical extent according to FIGO.Apoptosis that appears to occur in the cancerous cells of malignant uterine tumors is associated with high levels of sFas and sFasL in serum.     

Establishment and characterization of human malignant lymphoma cell line derived from uterine cervix

Human uterine cervical malignant lymphoma (B-cell type) was cultured and the cell line (HIUML) was newly established. The HIUML cells were round in shape and had a tendency to make floating clusters. The cells had a smooth surface or protrusion on the margin of the cytoplasm, and proliferate in floatation. The population doubling time was about 32 hours and 42 or more passages were successfully observed in two years. The HIUML cells were not transplantable into nude mice but were successfully done in the cheek pouch of hamster with formation of malignant lymphoma. Epstein-Barr virus was detected in the HIUML cells.     

老年上消化道出血发病因素及与HP感染相关性分析

目的:研究老年上消化道出血发病因素及与HP感染的相关性。方法:选取我院以消化性溃疡为诊断而收入院患者300例,进行钡餐及胃镜检查,其中合并出血者125例,未合并出血者175例,对照组选用相同时期出现消化道疾病且经胃镜检查排除消化性溃疡者310例。检测所有患者HP感染的情况和服用非甾体类抗炎(NSAIDs)药物的情况,根据是否服药及服用时间的长短分为ABCD组。测定消化性溃疡组与对照组中暴露人数与非暴露人数的比值比即OR值,并进行统计学分析。结果:1发生消化性溃疡的OR值,HP合并NSAIDs组为20.31,明显高于HP组和NSAIDs组,且大于两者之和,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);2消化性溃疡合并出血与服用NSAIDs药物时间的关系显示,B组的OR值为3.79,C组的OR值为7.88,D组的OR值为10.41,B组C组D组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);3发生消化性溃疡合并出血的OR值,HP合并NSAIDs组为13.31,明显高于HP组的1.12和NSAIDs组的1.54,且大于两者之和,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:老年上消化道出血的发病主要与消化性溃疡有关,HP感染与服用NSAIDs药物在发病过程中具有协同作用。