三种手术入路显露男性后尿道的比较（英文）

目的：评价经耻骨上、耻骨下及会阴三种手术入路暴露尿道膜部的优劣。方法：对35具成年男性尸体标本解剖,测量并比较耻骨上缘中点（A）、耻骨下缘中点（B）及会阴部两坐骨结节连线中点（c）分男11到尿道球膜部连接处（D）、前列腺尖（E）及膀胱颈（F）的距离及相关角度;对另20具成年男性尸体标本分别经3种手术入路显露后尿道,标记可能损伤的组织器官并评分。结果：AD=（6．5±0．5）cm,BD=（2．2±0．5）cm,CD=（3．4±0．6）cm,其中BD〈CD〈AD（P〈0．05,SNK法）;AE=（6．6±0．5）cm,BE=（3．0±0．5）cm,CE=（4．4±0．7）cm,其中BE〈CE〈AE（P〈0．05,SNK法）;AF=（5．7±0．6）cm,BF=（4．5±0．5）cm,CF=（6．5±0．6）cm,其中BF〈AF〈CF（P〈0．05,SNK法）。各点连线所成角度中,ZEAD（仅。）=（9．3±2．0）。∠EBD（α2）=（17．4±3．8）°,ZECD（α3）=（9．2±1．6）°,其中α1与α2有显著性差异（P〈0．05,t=11．1）,α3与α2有显著性差异（P〈0．05,t=-12．1）,α1与α3无显著性差异（P〉O．05,t=-0．13）;∠FAE（β1）=（22．7±2．6）°,∠FBE（β2）=（32．9±6．4）°,∠FCE（β3）=（15．0±3．2）°,其中β2〉β1〉β3（P〈0．05,SNK法）。经耻骨上入路损伤评分为13分,经耻骨下为18分,经会阴为15分。结论：暴露从优到劣依次为经耻骨下、经耻骨上、经会阴;损伤从大到小依次为经耻骨下、经会阴、经耻骨上部分。     

Pleiotropic roles of calumenin (calu-1), a calcium-binding ER luminal protein, in Caenorhabditis elegans

Calumenin is a Ca²⁺ binding protein localizing at the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although it has been implicated in various diseases, the in vivo functions of calumenin are largely unknown. Here, we report that calumenin has pleiotropic roles in muscle and cuticle function in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mutant analysis revealed that the calu-1 is required for regulating fertility, locomotion and body size. In addition, calu-1 is important for two behaviors, defecation and pharyngeal pumping, consistent with its ability to bind Ca²⁺. The genetic analysis further suggested the possibility that calu-1 regulates the pharyngeal pumping together with the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP₃) receptor encoded by itr-1. Taken together, our data suggest that calumenin is important for calcium signaling pathways in C. elegans.     

Elevated tropomyosin expression is associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells

Injury to lens epithelial cells (LECs) leads to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) with resultant fibrosis. The tropomyosin (Tpm) family of cytoskeleton proteins is involved in regulating and stabilizing actin microfilaments. Aberrant expression of Tpms leads to abnormal morphological changes with disintegration of epithelial integrity. The EMT of LECs has been proposed as a major cause of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. Using in vivo rodent PCO and human cataractous LECs, we demonstrated that the aberrant expression of rat Tpm and human Tpm1α/2β suggested their association in remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton during EMT of LECs. Expression analysis from abnormally growing LECs after lens extraction revealed elevated expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), a marker for EMT. Importantly, these cells displayed increased expression of Tpm1α/2β following EMT/PCO formation. Expression of Tpm1α/2β was up‐regulated in LECs isolated from cataractous lenses of Shumiya Cataract Rats (SCRs), compared with non‐cataractous lenses. Also, LECs from human patients with nuclear cataract and anterior subcapsular fibrosis (ASF) displayed significantly increased expression of Tpm2β mRNA, suggesting that similar signalling invokes the expression of these molecules in LECs of cataractous SCR and human lenses. EMT was observed in LECs overexpressed with Tpm1α/2β, as evidenced by increased expression of α‐SMA. These conditions were correlated with remodelling of actin filaments, possibly leading to EMT/PCO and ASF. The present findings may help clarify the condition of the actin cytoskeleton during morphogenetic EMT, and may contribute to development of Tpm‐based inhibitors for postponing PCO and cataractogenesis.     

Autophagy-mediated degradation is necessary for regression of cardiac hypertrophy during ventricular unloading

Cardiac hypertrophy occurs in response to a variety of stresses as a compensatory mechanism to maintain cardiac output and normalize wall stress. Prevention or regression of cardiac hypertrophy can be a major therapeutic target. Although regression of cardiac hypertrophy occurs after control of etiological factors, the molecular mechanisms remain to be clarified. In the present study, we investigated the role of autophagy in regression of cardiac hypertrophy. Wild-type mice showed cardiac hypertrophy after continuous infusion of angiotensin II for 14 days using osmotic minipumps, and regression of cardiac hypertrophy was observed 7 days after removal of the minipumps. Autophagy was induced during regression of cardiac hypertrophy, as evidenced by an increase in microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II protein level. Then, we subjected cardiac-specific Atg5-deficient (CKO) and control mice (CTL) to angiotensin II infusion for 14 days. CKO and CTL developed cardiac hypertrophy to a similar degree without contractile dysfunction. Seven days after removal of the minipumps, CKO showed significantly less regression of cardiac hypertrophy compared with CTL. Regression of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy after unloading was also attenuated in CKO. These results suggest that autophagy is necessary for regression of cardiac hypertrophy during unloading of neurohumoral and hemodynamic stress.     

Proteomic analysis of global protein expression changes in the endothelin-1 rat model for cerebral ischemia: Rescue effect of mild hypothermia

Mild hypothermia is a promising neuroprotective therapy in stroke management. However, little is known about its effects on the global protein expression patterns in brain regions affected by ischemic stroke. We investigated protein expression changes associated with the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia via a functional proteomics approach through the analysis of the core (striatum) and the penumbra (cortex) after an ischemic insult in rats induced by endothelin-1 (Et-1). Functional outcome, infarct volume and related global protein expression changes were assessed 24 h after the insult using two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis. Mild hypothermia, induced 20 min after endothelin-1 infusion, improved the neurological outcome, reflected by a 36% reduction in infarct volume and a significantly better neurological deficit score. Hypothermia was typically associated with opposite protein expression changes inthe cortex to those induced by stroke under normothermic conditions, but not in the striatum. The main cellular processes rescued by hypothermia and potentially involved in the protection of the cortex are cellular assembly and organization, followed by cell signaling, thereby confirming that hypothermia is neuroprotective through multiple molecular and cellular pathways.     

Phylogeny and biogeography of highly diverged freshwater fish species (Leuciscinae,Cyprinidae, Teleostei) inferred from mitochondrial genome analysis

The distribution of freshwater taxa is a good biogeographic model to study pattern and process of vicariance and dispersal. The subfamily Leuciscinae (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) consists of many species distributed widely in Eurasia and North America. Leuciscinae have been divided into two phyletic groups, leuciscin and phoxinin. The phylogenetic relationships between major clades within the subfamily are poorly understood, largely because of the overwhelming diversity of the group. The origin of the Far Eastern phoxinin is an interesting question regarding the evolutionary history of Leuciscinae. Here we present phylogenetic analysis of 31 species of Leuciscinae and outgroups based on complete mitochondrial genome sequences to clarify the phylogenetic relationships and to infer the evolutionary history of the subfamily.     

Biomechanical differences of Coflex-F and pedicle screw fixation combined with TLIF or ALIF – a finite element study

Lumbar interbody fusion is a common procedure for treating lower back pain related to degenerative disc diseases. The Coflex-F is a recently developed interspinous spacer, the makers of which claim that it can provide stabilisation similar to pedicle screw fixation. Therefore, this study compares the biomechanical behaviour of the Coflex-F device and pedicle screw fixation with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) or anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) surgeries by using finite element analysis. The results show that the Coflex-F device combined with ALIF surgery can provide stability similar to the pedicle screw fixation combined with TLIF or ALIF surgery. Also, the posterior instrumentations (Coflex-F and pedicle screw fixation) combined with TLIF surgery had lower stability than when combined with ALIF surgery.     

Continuous stress-induced dopamine dysregulation augments PAP-I and PAP-II expression in melanotrophs of the pituitary gland

Under continuous stress (CS) in rats, melanotrophs, the predominant cell-type in the intermediate lobe (IL) of the pituitary, are hyperactivated to secrete α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and thereafter degenerate. Although these phenomena are drastic, the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular changes are mostly unknown. In this study, we focused on the pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) family members of the secretory lectins and characterized their expression in the IL of CS model rats because we had identified two members of this family as up-regulated genes in our previous microarray analysis. RT-PCR and histological studies demonstrated that prominent PAP-I and PAP-II expression was induced in melanotrophs in the early stages of CS, while another family member, PAP-III, was not expressed. We further examined the regulatory mechanisms of PAP-I and PAP-II expression and revealed that both were induced by the decreased dopamine levels in the IL under CS. Because the PAP family members are implicated in cell survival and proliferation, PAP-I and PAP-II secreted from melanotrophs may function to sustain homeostasis of the IL under CS conditions in an autocrine or a paracrine manner.     

Arginine vasotocin neuronal phenotypes, telencephalic fiber varicosities, and social behavior in butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae): potential similarities to birds and mammals

The neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) influences many social behaviors through its action in the forebrain of mammals. However, the function of the homologous arginine vasotocin (AVT) in the forebrain of fishes, specifically the telencephalon remains unresolved. We tested whether the density of AVT-immunoreactive (-ir) fiber varicosities, somata size or number of AVT-ir neuronal phenotypes within the forebrain were predictive of social behavior in reproductive males of seven species of butterflyfishes (family Chaetodontidae) in four phylogenetic clades. Similar to other fishes, the aggressive (often territorial) species in most cases had larger AVT-ir cells within the gigantocellular preoptic cell group. Linear discriminant function analyses demonstrated that the density of AVT-ir varicosities within homologous telencephalic nuclei to those important for social behavior in mammals and birds were predictive of aggressive behavior, social affiliations, and mating system. Of note, the density of AVT-ir varicosities within the ventral nucleus of the ventral telencephalon, thought to be homologous to the septum of other vertebrates, was the strongest predictor of aggressive behavior, social affiliation, and mating system. These results are consistent with the postulate that AVT within the telencephalon of fishes plays an important role in social behavior and may function in a similar manner to that of AVT / AVP in birds and mammals despite having cell populations solely within the preoptic area.