Acute bone response to whole body vibration in healthy pre-pubertal boys

The skeleton responds to mechanical stimulation. We wished to ascertain the magnitude and speed of the growing skeleton’s response to a standardised form of mechanical stimulation, vibration. 36 prepubertal boys stood for 10 minutes in total on one of two vibrating platforms (high (>2 g) or low (<1 g) magnitude vibration) on either 1, 3 or 5 successive days (n=12 for each duration); 15 control subjects stood on an inactive platform. Blood samples were taken at intervals before and after vibration to measure bone formation (P1NP, osteocalcin) and resorption (CTx) markers as well as osteoprotegerin and sclerostin. There were no significant differences between platform and control groups in bone turnover markers immediately after vibration on days 1, 3 and 5. Combining platform groups, at day 8 P1NP increased by 25.1% (CI 12.3 to 38.0; paired t-test p=0.005) and bone resorption increased by 10.9% (CI 3.6 to 18.2; paired t-test p=0.009) compared to baseline. Osteocalcin, osteoprotogerin and sclerostin did not change significantly. The growing skeleton can respond quickly to vibration of either high or low magnitude. Further work is needed to determine the utility of such “stimulation-testing” in clinical practice.     

前哨淋巴结检测方法及其在肿瘤中的研究进展

前哨淋巴结(sentinel lymph node,SLN)是肿瘤淋巴结转移的第一站,SLN活检肿瘤阳性的患者需要做系统性淋巴结清扫;SLN活检阴性的患者,不需要做系统性淋巴结清扫,可以缩短手术时间,降低手术费用,减少手术并发症;目前识别SLN的方法包括生物活性染料示踪法,放射性核素示踪法,联合示踪法,纳米炭(carbon nanoparticles,CNP)标记前哨淋巴结活检技术以及吲哚菁绿(Indocyanine Green,ICG)荧光标记法。SLN活检技术在乳腺癌、甲状腺癌、胃癌、恶性黑色素瘤、宫颈癌、子宫内膜癌等肿瘤中皆有不同程度的研究。本文通过复习文献,对前哨淋巴结检测方法予以归纳及其在常见肿瘤中的研究进展予以综述,旨在为恶性肿瘤临床治疗提供参考。     

Die Schalenbildung bei Difflugia oviformis (Rhizopoda,Testacea)

Zusammenfassung Die Schale von Difflugia oviformis ist aus Idiosomen zusammengefügt, d.h. kieseligen Elementen, die in verschiedener Anzahl, Gestalt und Größe in der Zelle vorgefertigt werden. Xenosomen, etwa Quarzkörnchen oder Glassplitter, werden nur gelegentlich in die Idiosomenschicht eingebaut. Die Zellteilung beginnt mit der Morphogenese einer neuen Schale für einen der beiden Abkömmlinge. Eine cytoplasmatische Knospe quillt aus der Öffnung des alten Gehäuses. Die Idiosomen für die neue Schalenwand tauchen nach und nach aus dieser Knospe auf. Die Oberfläche der jungen Anlage erscheint zunächst wellig — die Bauelemente sind in mehreren diskontinuierlichen Lagen gestaffelt, wird jedoch gegen Ende der Morphogenese glatt, wenn die Idiosomen auf eine einzige, kontinuierliche Lage verteilt und in einem Zufalls-Mosaik miteinander verkittet sind.

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Test formation in Difflugia oviformis (rhizopoda, testacea)

Summary The test of Difflugia oviformis is composed of idiosomes, i.e. silicious elements, prefabricated within the cell in various shapes and sizes. Xenosomes, such as grains of quartz, are only occasionally incorporated into the mono-layer of idiosomes. Cell division begins with the morphogenesis of a new test for one of the two offsprings. A cytoplasmic bud protrudes from the aperture of the shell. The elements for the construction of the thecal wall emerge successively from this anlage. The surface of the early anlage first appears to be wrinkled or undulated—the elements being distributed in several discontinuous layers—but becomes smooth towards the end of morphogenesis, as soon as the idiosomes are arranged and glued together in a random mosaic pattern to form a single, continuous stratum.

Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; gefördert durch den Sonderforschungsbereich 53 Paläontologie unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Palökologie, Tübingen. Technische Assistenz: Gudrun Monnier, Rosemarie Freund, Barbara Grunewald.     

Loss of test cells leads to the formation of new tunic surface cells and abnormal metamorphosis in larvae of Ciona intestinalis (Chordata, Ascidiacea)

The larvae of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis from which the chorion with the test cells and follicle cells were removed developed normally without the test cells until the early tailbud stage. A number of round-shaped cells morphologically similar to the test cells but with different lectin affinities and autofluorescence, then appeared on the neck region of the demembranated embryos. The new cells had three different types: round, particulate, and granular, and these cells increased in number after the late tailbud stage. The morphology of the adhesive papillae, tunic layers and epidermis of the demembranated larvae was similar to that of control larvae; however, the affinity to lectins was different in the swimming period. Control larvae attached to the substratum after the swimming period, resorbed the tail completely and underwent rotation of the visceral organs. Conversely, rotation occurred before completion of tail resorption in the demembranated larvae. Furthermore, the metamorphic events progressed more slowly in the demembranated larvae. These results suggest that the test cells play important roles in normal development and morphogenesis of ascidian larvae. Received: 4 December 1998 / Accepted: 9 April 1999     

关于北京猿人用火的证据:研究历史、争议与新进展

周口店第1地点古人类用火证据是该遗址一系列重大科学发现中的一项重要内容,在很长时期内,作为同类遗存中最早的记录及其分析论证结果被国际学术界广泛接受。但随着少数西方学者的质疑和挑战,从上世纪八十年代中期开始在这一问题上出现争议,其后开展的埋藏学和地球化学分析又得出进一步否定的结论。但周口店遗址的洞穴地层十分复杂,目前残存的堆积与古人类生存时期的状态有重大差别,与当初大规模发掘时见证的遗物遗迹的分布与埋藏状况也有很大不同,在剖面表层做局部有限的采样分析并不足以推翻以前的系统性研究结论,何况很多否定性的意见源自学术理论思潮的转变和缺乏具体分析的常规性推理。从以前的发掘记录和各种分析结果看,周口店遗址埋藏着丰富的古人类用火证据,这些证据不是孤立的,是可以相互验证和支持的。2009年以来在遗址开展的新的发掘与研究获得重要进展,揭示出具有结构的火塘、烧骨、石灰化的灰岩块等原地用火产生的遗物与遗迹,对相关材料的现代科技分析进一步确定这些遗存的人类用火性质。这样,遗址上文化层的用火证据变得明确无误,相关争议终可尘埃落定。对于下部地层中的用火证据,尚需做同样的发掘、分析和研究工作。     

Power estimation of the t test for detecting differential gene expression

There exist now a number of statistical methods for detecting differential gene expression in experiments with microarray data. In trials under two conditions, a version of the two-sample t statistic is usually used. However, the problem of estimating the power for these tests has so far been insufficiently studied. In this paper, we propose a method to calculate the power of the robust t test for detecting differential gene expression in experiments with twins. We discuss also the results of the implementation of this method to simulated data.     

Novel Comparative Efficiency of Ozone and Gamma Sterilization on Fungal Deterioration of Archeological Painted Coffin,Saqqara Excavation,Egypt

An archeological wooden painted coffin was excavated in Tety tomb from Saqqara excavation. It belonged to the Ministry of Antiquities. This coffin was discovered in a bad state of conservation with many destroyed big and small pieces in Saqqara stores. Analyses and investigation study were performed on the ground layer of the coffin by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X ray analysis (EDX) equipped with environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results confirmed that the degradation factors affecting the wooden painted coffin are essentially attributed to direct effects of microbial phenomena, which have lead to many deterioration forms as: macro- and microcracks, hydrated salts, flaking, coloration, scaling and defoliation microbiological spots. Nine deteriorating fungal species were isolated from the painted and ground layers of the tested coffin. Fusarium moniliforme followed by Aspergillus flavus able to significantly solublize calcium salts as major components of the ground layer of archeological wooden coffin. Effect of ozone and Gamma sterilization on growth; lipid, tryptophan oxidation and protein, nucleic acid leakage in the most dominant toxigenic deteriorated fungal species were detected. No mycelial growth was observed at 4 ppm of ozone at all exposure times. As Gamma radiation dose increased over 250 Gy, the growth parameter gradually decreased to reach the lethal dose at 2000 Gy. The production of mycotoxins by the tested toxigenic fungi was completely disappeared under the exposure to 3 ppm and 90 min to ozone.     

Genetic effects on information processing speed are moderated by age – converging results from three samples

Information processing is a cognitive trait forming the basis of complex abilities like executive function. The Trail Making Test (TMT) is a well‐established test of information processing with moderate to high heritability. Age of the individual also plays an important role. A number of genetic association studies with the TMT have been performed, which, however, did not consider age as a moderating factor. We report the results of genome‐wide association studies (GWASs) on age‐independent and age‐dependent TMT performance in two population‐representative community samples (Munich Antidepressant Response Signature, MARS: N₁ = 540; Ludwig Maximilians University, LMU: N₂ = 350). Age‐dependent genome‐wide findings were then evaluated in a third sample of healthy elderly subjects (Sydney Memory and Ageing Study, Sydney MAS: N₃ = 448). While a meta‐analysis on the GWAS findings did not reveal age‐independent TMT associations withstanding correction for multiple testing, we found a genome‐wide significant age‐moderated effect between variants in the DSG1 gene region and TMT‐A performance predominantly reflecting visual processing speed (rs2199301, P_{meta‐analysis} = 1.3 × 10^?7). The direction of the interaction suggests for the minor allele a beneficial effect in younger adults turning into a detrimental effect in older adults. The detrimental effect of the missense single nucleotide polymorphism rs1426310 within the same DSG1 gene region could be replicated in Sydney MAS participants aged 70–79, but not in those aged 80 years and older, presumably a result of survivor bias. Our findings demonstrate opposing effects of DSG1 variants on information processing speed depending on age, which might be related to the complex processes that DSG1 is involved with, including cell adhesion and apoptosis.     

牙鲆淋巴细胞转化和细胞免疫

利用淋巴转化实验测试了抗原和有丝分裂原对牙鲆T淋巴细胞的影响。结果显示在适宜的生长温度范围内,低温延缓或阻止牙鲆细胞免疫应答的发生,导致淋转水平下降。外周血和脾淋巴细胞非特异性淋转水平较前肾高,外周血和脾淋巴细胞的淋转水平没有显著差异。这可能和外周血、脾和前肾中T细胞占淋巴细胞的比例有关。外周血较脾和前肾特异性淋转水平高,而前肾的淋巴细胞转化水平较脾高,注射引起牙鲆应激反应导致淋转水平升高。     

New mastitis phenotypes suitable for genomic selection in meat sheep and their genetic relationships with udder conformation and lamb live weights

Mastitis can prove expensive in sheep reared for meat production due to costs associated with treatment methods, poor lamb growth and premature culling of ewes. The most commonly used method to detect mastitis, in dairy systems, is somatic cell counts. However, in many meat-producing sheep flocks ewes are not routinely handled, thus regular milk sampling is not always possible. It is, therefore, worthwhile to investigate alternative phenotypes, such as those associated with udder conformation and methods of evaluating somatic cell counts in the milk, such as the California Mastitis Test. The main objectives of this study were therefore: (a) to estimate genetic parameters of traits relating to mastitis and udder conformation in a meat sheep breed; (b) estimate the level of association between somatic cell counts and the California Mastitis Test and (c) assess the relationships between mastitis and both udder conformation and lamb live weights. Data were collected from Texel ewes based on 29 flocks, throughout the UK, during 2015 and 2016. The ewes were scored twice each year, at mid- and late-lactation. Eight different conformation traits, relating to udder and teat characteristics, and milk samples were recorded. The data set comprised of data available for 2957 ewes. The pedigree file used contained sire and dam information for 31 775 individuals. The animal models used fitted relevant fixed and random effects. Heritability estimates for traits relating to mastitis (somatic cell score and the California Mastitis Test), ranged from 0.08 to 0.11 and 0.07 to 0.11, respectively. High genetic correlations were observed between somatic cell score and the California Mastitis Test (0.76 to 0.98), indicating the California Mastitis Test to be worthwhile for assessing infection levels, particularly at mid-lactation. The strongest correlations observed between the mastitis traits and the udder conformation traits were associated with udder depth (0.61 to 0.75) also at mid-lactation. Negative phenotypic correlations were estimated between mastitis and the weight of lamb reared by the ewe (−0.15 to −0.23), suggesting that lamb weights fell as infection levels rose. Genetic correlations were not significantly different from zero. Reducing mastitis will lead to improvements in flock productivity and the health and welfare of the animals. It will also improve the efficiency of production and the resilience to disease challenge. The economic benefits, therefore, of these results combined could be substantial not only in this breed but also in the overall meat sheep industry.