甲状腺自身免疫状态及细胞毒性对不孕妇女反复植入失败的影响

为了探讨RIF患者的甲状腺功能、自身免疫状态、免疫细胞及其相关性,从72名RIF妇女中抽取血样,以评估TAI的患病率、甲状腺功能、免疫细胞绝对数量和百分比。TAI患者甲状腺功能异常的患病率与无TAI患者相比无显著差异(χ^2=0.484,p>0.05)。与无TAI患者比较,TAI患者的T细胞、B细胞和自然杀伤(NK)细胞的绝对数量和百分比没有显著差异(所有p>0.05)。与无TAI的患者相比,TAI患者的细胞毒性T细胞(Tc)百分比显著降低(p<0.05);同时,Th/Tc比率显著增加(p<0.05)。RIF患者的TAI可能是由于伴侣之间潜在的密切组织相容性引起,降低的Tc百分比和增加的Th/Tc比率可能是RIF女性不良妊娠结果的另一个影响因素。     

Development of the embryonic heat shock response and the impact of repeated thermal stress in early stage lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) embryos

Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) embryos were exposed to thermal stress (TS) at different developmental stages to determine when the heat shock response (HSR) can be initiated and if it is altered by exposure to repeated TS. First, embryos were subject to one of three different TS temperatures (6, 9, or 12 °C above control) at 4 points in development (21, 38, 60 and 70 days post-fertilisation (dpf)) for 2 h followed by a 2 h recovery to understand the ontogeny of the HSR. A second experiment explored the effects of repeated TS on the HSR in embryos from 15 to 75 dpf. Embryos were subjected to one of two TS regimes; +6 °C TS for 1 h every 6 days or +9 °C TS for 1 h every 6 days. Following a 2 h recovery, a subset of embryos was sampled. Our results show that embryos could initiate a HSR via upregulation of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) mRNA at all developmental ages studied, but that this response varied with age and was only observed with a TS of +9 or +12 °C. In comparison, when embryos received multiple TS treatments, hsp70 was not induced in response to the 1 h TS and 2 h recovery, and a downregulation was observed at 39 dpf. Downregulation of hsp47 and hsp90α mRNA was also observed in early age embryos. Collectively, these data suggest that embryos are capable of initiating a HSR at early age and throughout embryogenesis, but that repeated TS can alter the HSR, and may result in either reduced responsiveness or a downregulation of inducible hsps. Our findings warrant further investigation into both the short- and long-term effects of repeated TS on lake whitefish development.     

Two Stage Sampling for Simultaneously Testing Main and Side Effects in Clinical Trials

In clinical trials for the comparison of two treatments it seems reasonable to stop the study if either one treatment has worked out to be markedly superior in the main effect, or one to be severely inferior with respect to an adverse side effect. Two stage sampling plans are considered for simultaneously testing a main and side effect, assumed to follow a bivariate normal distribution with known variances, but unknown correlation. The test procedure keeps the global significance level under the null hypothesis of no differences in main and side effects. The critical values are chosen under the side condition, that the probability for ending at the first or second stage with a rejection of the elementary null hypothesis for the main effect is controlled, when a particular constellation of differences in mean holds; analogously the probability of ending with a rejection of the null hypotheses for the side effect, given certain treatment differences, is controlled too. Plans “optimal” with respect to sample size are given.     

Anthropometric and genetic distance between Gonds of Central India

A morphological and genetic study was undertaken on five Gondi-speaking populations of Central India (Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra States). There has been no systematic biological study on this large Dravidian-speaking tribal group, 4 million in number, amounting to 13% of the total tribal population of India. Data was collected on 16 anthropometric measurements and seven genetic markers (blood groups, hemoglobin, G6PD and plasma protein polymorphisms) on the Raj Gonds, Kolams, Manne, Koyas and Plains Maria Gonds. Various genetic distance measures such as Mahalanobis's D2 and Nei's and Sanghvi's measures and cluster analysis techniques were used to determine the relationship between these groups based on anthropometrics and genetic variables. The statistical analysis revealed the Gonds to be a heterogenous group in both morphology and genetic characteristics. The morphological and genetic distances between these five groups when projected graphically revealed that the spatial distribution of these Gonds generally corresponds to their present geographical distribution. However, the actual relationships among each of the Gond populations show differences when based on these two biological variables, the possible reasons for this being discussed in the paper. The emphasis of this study is on the importance of geographical proximity in producing morphological and genetic similarity between populations, brought about by a short distance as well as similar geographical factors (such as soil, terrain, flora, etc.) drawing these populations together under a common ecocultural umbrella.     

Quantitative ultrastructural studies on rat gastric zymogen cells under different physiological and experimental conditions

Summary Quantitative electron microscopical measurements performed on gastric zymogen cells were aimed at determinations of size and volume density of the zymogen granules, and size of cell and nuclear profiles. 17 groups of rats each comprising 6–8 animals were investigated: five of these groups were used to study the influence of fasting and feeding, three groups were killed at different intervals after a pilocarpine injection, and four other groups were investigated after an atropine injection. The remaining five groups of rats were operated on: vagotomy was performed on one group, vagotomy + pyloroplasty on another, pyloroplasty on the third group, and antrectomy on the last two groups. The operated rats were sacrificed 4 or 10 weeks after the operations.Pilocarpine was more effective than feeding in reducing the size and the amount of zymogen granules. After atropine the size and amount of zymogen granules tended to increase. Ten weeks after pyloroplasty, vagotomy + pyloroplasty, or antrectomy the mean size of the zymogen cells was reduced.Loss of trophic vagal impulses, duodenal regurgitation, and abnormal serum gastrin levels are factors which might be responsible for the zymogen cell hypotrophy in operated rats.Supported by grants from the Swedish Medical Research council (project no 12X-2298), M. Bergvalls Stiftelse, and Julins Fond. Excellent technical assistance was provided by Mrs. Sigrid Kilter and Miss Ulla Hedlund     

Zur numerischen Auswertung von Schnittflächenverteilungen. III

In this paper the connections between volume and absorption mass of objects resp. volume and absorption mass of segments are studied.     

The Design and Analysis of Experiments with Grouped Measurements. II. Comparison of Means

The method of grouped measurements, described in part one of this article, is worked out for some important comparisons of means. Methods for design of experiments for the multiple t-Test are given. Two approximate solutions are proposed. An extensive table facilitate to find out the approximate optimal design in the set of designs with preliminated precision.     

Complex permittivity of representative biological solutions in the 2–67 GHz range

The main purpose of this study is to provide experimental data on the complex permittivity of some biological solutions in the 2–67 GHz range at room and human body temperatures. The permittivity measurements are performed using an open‐ended coaxial probe. Permittivity spectra of several representative monomolecular solutions of proteins, amino acids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates are analyzed and compared. Furthermore, measurements have also been performed for complex biomolecular solutions, including bovine serum albumin (BSA)–DNA–glucose mixture, culture medium, and yeast extract solution. The results demonstrate that for concentrations below 1%, the permittivity spectra of the solutions do not substantially differ from that of distilled water. Measurements carried out for 4% and 20% BSA solutions show that the presence of proteins results in a decrease in permittivity. For highly concentrated RNA solutions (3%), a slight increase in the imaginary part of the permittivity is observed below 10 GHz. Experimental data show that free water permittivity can be used for modeling of the culture medium above 10 GHz. However, at lower frequencies a substantial increase in the imaginary part of the permittivity due to ionic conductivity should be carefully taken into account. A similar increase has also been observed for the yeast extract solution in the lower frequency region of the considered spectrum. Above 10 GHz, the high concentration of proteins and other low‐permittivity components of the yeast extract solution results in a decrease in the complex permittivity compared to that of water. Obtained data are of utmost importance for millimeter‐wave dosimetry studies. Bioelectromagnetics 33:346–355, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.