肾静态显像诊断上尿路感染的临床研究

目的:探究肾静态显像(99m Tc-DMSA)在上尿路感染诊断工作中的应用意义。方法:选取2012年7月至2015年2月我院收治的60例上尿路感染患儿为研究对象,均行肾静态显像检查,并与B超检查结果进行对比分析。结果:肾静态显像提示:60例上尿路感染患儿中,肾脏损害占90.00%,其中8例肾疤痕形成,46例急性肾盂肾炎改变,6例正常;在肾脏病变范围上,≤2岁年龄组患儿较2岁年龄组患儿更为广泛,且前者程度更为严重。B超提示肾脏损害占26.67%,其中18例尿路感染反复发作;16例(26.67%)伴有急性肾盂肾炎改变,未检出肾疤痕。B超诊断上尿路感染的阳性率达26.67%,肾静态显像检查诊断上尿路感染的阳性率为90.00%,两者比较差异有显著性(P0.05)。结论:99mTc-DMSA在上尿路感染诊断工作中具有重要的应用意义,可明确病变性质、程度及范围,并可随访病变转归,指导临床治疗,属于上尿路感染的实验室补充性指标,值得临床积极推广。     

Acute stress is detrimental to heart regeneration in zebrafish

Psychological stress is one of the factors associated with human cardiovascular disease. Here, we demonstrate that acute perceived stress impairs the natural capacity of heart regeneration in zebrafish. Beside physical and chemical disturbances, intermittent crowding triggered an increase in cortisol secretion and blocked the replacement of fibrotic tissue with new myocardium. Pharmacological simulation of stress by pulse treatment with dexamethasone/adrenaline reproduced the regeneration failure, while inhibition of the stress response with anxiolytic drugs partially rescued the regenerative process. Impaired heart regeneration in stressed animals was associated with a reduced cardiomyocyte proliferation and with the downregulation of several genes, including igfbp1b, a modulator of IGF signalling. Notably, daily stress induced a decrease in Igf1r phosphorylation. As cardiomyocyte proliferation was decreased in response to IGF-1 receptor inhibition, we propose that the stress-induced cardiac regenerative failure is partially caused by the attenuation of IGF signalling. These findings indicate that the natural regenerative ability of the zebrafish heart is vulnerable to the systemic paracrine stress response.     

Urinary excretion of uric acid,allantoin, and 8-OH-Deoxyguanosine in uricase-knockout mice

ABSTRACT

Although uricase-knockout (Uox KO) mice are reported to develop uric acid (UA) nephropathy, those that mature without severe nephropathy could be useful for research into purine metabolism in humans. In this study, we measured the urinary excretion of creatinine, UA, allantoin, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) collected from Uox KO mice housed in metabolic cages. UA and allantoin were determined using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and creatinine and 8-OHdG were measured with a commercial kit. Uox KO mice excreted significantly higher levels of UA than wild-type mice (C57BL/6), while the excretion of allantoin was significantly lower. Urinary allantoin was detected in Uox KO mice despite a lack of uricase, which is the same as in humans. In contrast to the elevated levels of UA, the daily excretion of 8-OHdG, an oxidative stress marker, was lower in Uox KO mice. UA is thought to act as an anti-oxidizing agent in humans; thus, these results show that Uox KO mice are potential animal models for research into human purine metabolism.     

Infradian rhythmicity in lactogenic hormone (prolactin,growth hormone,cortisol and thyroid hormone) secretion throughout the lactation cycle in mithun cows (Bos frontalis): variation among strains

The role of lactogenic hormones (prolactin, growth hormone, cortisol and thyroid hormone) on lactation yield in Mithun cows as well as their rhythmicity throughout the lactation cycle were studied in Mizoram (n = 4) and Nagaland (n = 7) strain of mithun (Bos frontalis). Blood samples were collected from all the animals from the day of calving to the complete dry off at an interval of 15 days. All the hormones were estimated in the serum by commercially available ELISA kits. Plasma level of cortisol (μg/dl), growth hormone (GH, in ng/ml), prolactin (PRL, in μIU/ml), triiodothyronine (T₃, in nmol/μl) and thyroxin (T₄, in ng/ml) were 20.84 ± 0.29, 28.08 ± 0.56, 9.87 ± 0.20, 27.82 ± 0.56 and 51.33 ± 0.48, respectively, in mithun irrespective of strains during the lactation period. Levels of all the hormones varied significantly (p ≤ 0.01) during different days of lactation cycle but, there was no significant difference among strain. Levels of PRL, GH, cortisol and T₃ were significantly (p < 0.01) higher around calving and declined sharply. The hormones remained in almost steady state during mid-lactation and declined during late lactation. All the hormones stated above were positively correlated with lactational yield thus their role on lactogenesis and galactopoiesis was established.     

Diurnal variations of heart rate,urine flow and catecholamine excretion in subjects wearing clothing that provides different thermal insulation

This study investigated the effects of clothing providing different Clo values upon the circadian rhythm of sympathetic nervous activity, as inferred from urinary catecholamine excretion and heart rate, in a thermoneutral environment. Seven health female subjects were studied for 37.5 h, from 21:00 h on the first day to 10:30 h on the third day, in an isolated climatic chamber controlled at 23.8?±?0.2 °C and 60?±?5% RH. Light intensity was 500 lux from 06:30 to 19:30 h, 100 lux from 19:30 to 22:30 h and 0 lux from 22:30 to 06:30 h. Subjects were tested while wearing two different types of clothing: Type L, offering 1.048 Clo of thermal insulation and with the subjects’ extremities covered; and Type H, 0.744 Clo of thermal insulation and the subjects’ extremities exposed. Urine samples were collected every 4 h, their volumes were measured and they were later assayed for their contents of adrenaline and noradrenaline; the mean heart rate for each of these 4-h periods was also calculated. The daily profiles of the variables were assessed by ANOVA, which indicated that the amplitudes and phases of the daily rhythms differed between the clothing types. This result was examined in more detail by assessing the profiles by single and group cosinor analysis (period = 24 h). All four physiological variables showed clear and statistically significant group cosinor rhythms with both types of clothing. The mean amplitudes of urine flow, the excretion rate of urinary adrenaline and heart rate were greater when wearing Type H rather than Type L clothing (p = 0.01 for urine flow and heart rate; p = 0.072 for rate of excretion of adrenaline). Also, the acrophase of the rate of urinary adrenaline excretion was earlier in all subjects wearing Type H rather than Type L clothing (p = 0.048), and the acrophases of urine flow and urinary noradrenaline excretion rate were earlier in six and five of the subjects, respectively. These results show that clothing which is worn in an environment of moderate temperature (23.8 °C) and which offers a lower Clo value (especially if the distal extremities are exposed) might induce an increase in amplitude and/or an advance of acrophase in circadian rhythms of urine flow, excretion of urinary catecholamines and heart rate. It is suggested that these rhythmic changes, which imply changes in the daily profile of sympathetic nervous system activity, might be important when daily thermoregulation and comfort in response to the type of clothing being worn in daily life are considered.     

Factors affecting piglet mortality during the first 24 h after the onset of parturition in large litters: effects of farrowing housing on behaviour of postpartum sows

The present study aimed to identify the factors that affect immediate (within 24 h after farrowing onset) postnatal piglet mortality in litters with hyperprolific sows, and investigate their associations with behaviour of postpartum sows in two different farrowing housing systems. A total of 30 sows were housed in: (1) CRATE (n=15): the farrowing crate closed (0.80×2.20 m) within a pen (2.50×1.70 m), and (2) OPEN (n=15): the farrowing crate open (0.80×2.20×1.80 m) within a pen (2.50×2.40 m) with a provision of 20 ls of hay in a rack. A total of 518 live born piglets, produced from the 30 sows, were used for data analyses during the first 24 h after the onset of parturition (T24). Behavioural observations of the sows were assessed via video analyses during T24. Total and crushed piglet mortality rates were higher in OPEN compared with CRATE (P<0.01, for both). During T24, the OPEN sows tended to show higher frequency of postural changes (P=0.07) and duration of standing (P=0.10), and showed higher frequencies of bar-biting (P<0.05) and piglet trapping (P<0.01), when compared with the CRATE sows. During T24, the mortality rates caused by crushing were correlated with the piglet trapping event (r=0.93, P<0.0001), postural changes (r=0.37, P<0.01), duration of standing (r=0.32, P<0.01) and frequency of bar-biting behaviour (r=0.51, P<0.01) of the sows (n=30). In conclusion, immediate postnatal piglet mortality, mainly due to crushing, may be associated with potential increases in frequency of postural changes, duration of standing and incidence of piglet trapping in postpartum sows in the open crate system with large litters.     

小鼠基质重塑相关7(MXRA7)基因产物在肝内互作蛋白质的鉴定（英文）

基质重塑相关7(matrix remodeling associated 7,MXRA7)基因于2002年被命名,但无论在人类或其他动物体系,该基因或其蛋白质产物的功能均未知。直至我们最近的研究表明,该基因可能参与眼睛发育或肝损伤及修复。在本研究中,应用酵母双杂交策略,用小鼠MXRA7诱饵载体对小鼠肝cDNA文库进行筛选,发现23种蛋白质(MUP1, Cpt1a, Mat1a, aldh1l1, Cytb, H2-K1, Psmb1, marc2, Atp5j2, Sec24D, Trf, Rdh7, Apoe, Glud1, Gmfb, Alb, Hdlbp, Pzp, Etnk2, Nrn1, Serpina1a, Apoa2, GNMT)可能直接或间接地与MXRA7蛋白发生相互作用。其中,主要尿蛋白1(major urinary protein,MUP1)或其同家族蛋白质占所有候选克隆的1/6,提示其很可能是小鼠肝内与MXRA7蛋白有较强相互作用的蛋白质。通过基因重组在Hepa 1-6肝癌细胞系中同时过表达MXRA7和MUP1蛋白,荧光染色证明这两种蛋白质在细胞内共定位,应用抗MXRA7或MUP1的抗体进行Pull-down检测,则证明二者共同存在于细胞裂解液中。另外,重组MXRA7蛋白和MUP1蛋白在无任何其他蛋白质的缓冲液体系中直接形成复合体。因此,至少在小鼠肝组织体系中,MXRA7蛋白可能通过与MUP1等蛋白质的相互作用而发挥作用。     

Fragments and dust after Holmium laser lithotripsy with or without “Moses technology”: How are they different?

Urinary stones can be readily disintegrated by Holmium:YAG laser (Holmium laser lithotripsy), resulting in a mixture of small stone dust particles, which will spontaneously evacuate with urine and larger residual fragments (RF) requiring mechanical retrieval. Differences between fragments and dust have not been well characterized. Also, it remains unknown how the recently introduced “Moses technology” may alter stone disintegration products. Three complementary analytical techniques have been used in this study to offer an in‐depth characterization of disintegration products after in vitro Holmium laser lithotripsy: stereoscopic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. Dust was separated from fragments based on its floating ability in saline irrigation. Depending on initial crystalline constituents, stone dust either conserved attributes found in larger RFs or showed changes in crystalline organization. These included conversion of calcium oxalate dihydrate towards calcium oxalate monohydrate, changes in carbapatite spectra towards an amorphous phase, changes of magnesium ammonium phosphate towards a differing amorphous and crystalline phase and the appearance of hydroxyapatite on brushite fragments. Comparatively, “Moses technology” produced more pronounced changes. These findings provide new insights suggesting a photothermal effect occurring in Holmium laser lithotripsy. Figure: Appearance of hydroxyapatite hexagons on stone dust collected after Holmium laser lithotripsy of a brushite stone using “Moses technology.”      

1064 nm acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy

Photoacoustic imaging is a noninvasive imaging technique having the advantages of high‐optical contrast and good acoustic resolution at improved imaging depths. Light transport in biological tissues is mainly characterized by strong optical scattering and absorption. Photoacoustic microscopy is capable of achieving high‐resolution images at greater depth compared to conventional optical microscopy methods. In this work, we have developed a high‐resolution, acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR‐PAM) system in the near infra‐red (NIR) window II (NIR‐II, eg, 1064 nm) for deep tissue imaging. Higher imaging depth is achieved as the tissue scattering at 1064 nm is lesser compared to visible or near infrared window‐I (NIR‐I). Our developed system can provide a lateral resolution of 130 μm, axial resolution of 57 μm, and image up to 11 mm deep in biological tissues. This 1064‐AR‐PAM system was used for imaging sentinel lymph node and the lymph vessel in rat. Urinary bladder of rat filled with black ink was also imaged to validate the feasibility of the developed system to study deeply seated organs.