腔镜下甲状腺手术与传统开放性手术临床疗效对比

目的:比较腔镜下甲状腺手术与传统开放性甲状腺手术的临床治疗效果。方法:对2009年1月至2013年3月在我院行腔镜下甲状腺手术与传统开放手术治疗的200例患者进行分析比较,其中腔镜甲状腺手术组102例(腔镜组),传统开放手术组98例(传统组),比较两组的手术时间、术中出血量、术后引流量、拔管时间、住院时间、术后3及6个月美容效果评分(numerical score system,NSS)及并发症情况。结果:200例腔镜甲状腺手术成功完成,无中转开放手术;腔镜组平均手术时间、引流总量,拔管时间以及住院时间均明显高于传统组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);术中出血量则明显低于传统组(P0.05);术后腔镜组声音嘶哑、饮水呛咳及颈部感觉异常等并发症明显低于传统组(P0.05),而皮下积液和皮下气肿明显高于传统组(P0.05);腔镜组术后3个月及术后6个月NSS评分均明显高于传统组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:腔镜下甲状腺手术临床疗效较传统开放性手术相比,具有手术出血较少,神经损伤率低以及美容效果优异等优势,但也存在一些并发症,需严格按照其适应证对患者进行选择,尊重患者自主选择权,增进医患和谐。     

腹腔镜结肠癌根治术与传统开腹结肠癌根治术的临床对比分析

目的:探讨腹腔镜结肠癌根治术与传统开腹结肠癌根治术疗效的差别。方法:随机将86例结肠癌患者分为两组,各43例。腹腔镜组采用腹腔镜结肠癌根治术,传统开腹组采用开腹结肠癌根治术,观察两组患者手术情况及术后并发症情况。结果:腹腔镜组手术时间、淋巴结清扫数与传统开腹组比较无显著差异(P0.05);腹腔镜组术中出血量少于传统开腹组、住院时间短于传统开腹组(P0.05);腹腔镜组排气时间短于传统开腹组(P0.01),两组并发症发生率差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。结论:腹腔镜结肠癌根治术具有术中出血量少、创伤小、术后恢复快、住院时间明显缩短等特点,可达到传统开腹手术的效果,值得广泛应用。     

Shedding light on black boxes in protein identification

Performing a well thought‐out proteomics data analysis can be a daunting task, especially for newcomers to the field. Even researchers experienced in the proteomics field can find it challenging to follow existing publication guidelines for MS‐based protein identification and characterization in detail. One of the primary goals of bioinformatics is to enable any researcher to interpret the vast amounts of data generated in modern biology, by providing user‐friendly and robust end‐user applications, clear documentation, and corresponding teaching materials. In that spirit, we here present an extensive tutorial for peptide and protein identification, available at http://compomics.com/bioinformatics‐for‐proteomics . The material is completely based on freely available and open‐source tools, and has already been used and refined at numerous international courses over the past 3 years. During this time, it has demonstrated its ability to allow even complete beginners to intuitively conduct advanced bioinformatics workflows, interpret the results, and understand their context. This tutorial is thus aimed at fully empowering users, by removing black boxes in the proteomics informatics pipeline.     

Behavioral Differences of the Insect Morimus funereus (Coleoptera,Cerambycidae) Exposed to an Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Field

Changes in the behavior of Morimus funereus individuals were investigated as early manifestations of the contact of a living system with a changed environment primarily established via the nervous system. These experiments were aimed at revealing possible behavioral differences of a laboratory population of cerambycid beetle M. funereus in an “open field” before and after exposure to an extremely low frequency magnetic field (ELF‐MF, 50 Hz, 2 mT). The experimental groups were divided into several activity categories and exposed to ELF‐MF. The results showed that the activity increased in the groups with medium and low motor activity, but decreased in highly active individuals. High individual variability was found in the experimental groups, as well as differences in motor activities between the sexes, both before and after exposure to ELF‐MF. According to preliminary results, we assume the changes of activity in both sexes after exposure to ELF‐MF. The results showed a tendency toward locomotor activity decrease, the affect being more pronounced in females. As opposed to this type of activity, stereotypic activity of males was increased after the exposure, whereas females maintained the expected tendency of decrease. However, we did not obtain statistically significant differences because of a high individual variability and a low total number of individuals in the experiment (N = 28). Only a detailed analysis of the locomotor activity at 1‐min intervals showed some statistically significant differences in behavior between the sexes.     

Exposure to Strong Static Magnetic Fields Induces Hypoactivity in Weaning Mice

We studied the effects of a prolongued exposure to a strong (1.0 Tesla) static and uniform magnetic field upon the open field behaviour and body weight of weaning mice. We observed a marked reduction in the exploratory activity of mice exposed to the field relative to that of control animals kept in similar surroundings, and handled in the same way as the exposed mice. One week of continuous exposure to a 1.0 T field significantly reduces peripheral square entries (p<0.01) as well as rearings (p<0.05), but has no effect on body weight. Our findings agree with the suggestion that a strong magnetic field may act as stressing agent.     

Discipline-building in synthetic biology

Despite the multidisciplinary dimension of the kinds of research conducted under the umbrella of synthetic biology, the US-based founders of this new research area adopted a disciplinary profile to shape its institutional identity. In so doing they took inspiration from two already established fields with very different disciplinary patterns. The analogy with synthetic chemistry suggested by the term ‘synthetic biology’ is not the only model. Information technology is clearly another source of inspiration. The purpose of the paper, with its focus on the US context, is to emphasize the diversity of views and agendas coexisting under the disciplinary label synthetic biology, as the two models analysed are only presented as two extreme postures in the community. The paper discusses the question: in which directions the two models shape this emerging field? Do they chart two divergent futures for synthetic biology?     

Bone morphogenic proteins signaling in adipogenesis and energy homeostasis

A great deal is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating terminal differentiation of pre-adipocytes into mature adipocytes. In contrast, the knowledge about pathways that trigger commitment of mesenchymal stem cells into the adipocyte lineage is fragmented. In recent years, the role of members of the bone morphogenic protein family in regulating the early steps of adipogenesis has been the focus of research. Findings based on these studies have also highlighted an unexpected role for some bone morphogenic protein in energy homeostasis via regulation of adipocyte development and function. This review summarizes the knowledge about bone morphogenic proteins and their role in adipocyte commitment and regulation of whole body energy homeostasis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Brown and White Fat: From Signaling to Disease.     

Comparative genome sequence analysis of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and 9 other isolates of its genus for factors influencing codon and amino acid usage

In the present study, major constraints for codon and amino acid usage of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, Sulfolobus solfataricus, Sulfolobus tokodali, Sulfolobus islandis and 6 other isolates from islandicus species of genus Sulfolobus were investigated. Correspondence analysis revealed high significant correlation between the major trend of synonymous codon usage and gene expression level, as assessed by the “Codon Adaptation Index” (CAI). There is a significant negative correlation between Nc (Effective number of codons) and CAI demonstrating role of codon bias as an important determinant of codon usage. The significant correlation between major trend of synonymous codon usage and GC3s (G + C at third synonymous position) indicated dominant role of mutational bias in codon usage pattern. The result was further supported from SCUO (synonymous codon usage order) analysis. The amino acid usage was found to be significantly influenced by aromaticity and hydrophobicity of proteins. However, translational selection which causes a preference for codons that are most rapidly translated by current tRNA with multiple copy numbers was not found to be highly dominating for all studied isolates. Notably, 26 codons that were found to be optimally used by genes of S. acidocaldarius at higher expression level and its comparative analysis with 9 other isolates may provide some useful clues for further in vivo genetic studies on this genus.     

Molecular cloning and catalytic characterization of a recombinant tropine biosynthetic tropinone reductase from Withania coagulans leaf

Tropinone reductases (TRs) are small proteins belonging to the SDR (short chain dehydrogenase/reductase) family of enzymes. TR-I and TR-II catalyze the conversion of tropinone into tropane alcohols (tropine and pseudotropine, respectively). The steps are intermediary enroute to biosynthesis of tropane esters of medicinal importance, hyoscyamine/scopolamine, and calystegins, respectively. Biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids has been proposed to occur in roots. However, in the present report, a tropine forming tropinone reductase (TR-I) cDNA was isolated from the aerial tissue (leaf) of a medicinal plant, Withania coagulans. The ORF was deduced to encode a polypeptide of 29.34 kDa. The complete cDNA (WcTRI) was expressed in E. coli and the recombinant His-tagged protein was purified for functional characterization. The enzyme had a narrow pH range of substantial activity with maxima at 6.6. Relatively superior thermostability of the enzyme (30% retention of activity at 60 °C) was catalytic novelty in consonance with the desert area restricted habitat of the plant. The in vitro reaction kinetics predominantly favoured the forward reaction. The enzyme had wide substrate specificity but did not cover the substrates of other well-known plant SDR related to menthol metabolism. To our knowledge, this pertains to be the first report on any gene and enzyme of secondary metabolism from the commercially and medicinally important vegetable rennet species.