Reduced swimming abilities in fast-growing transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio associated with their morphological variations

Critical swimming speeds (U(crit)) and morphological characters were compared between the F(4) generation of GH-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio and the non-transgenic controls. Transgenic fish displayed a mean absolute U(crit) value 22.3% lower than the controls. Principal component analysis identified variations in body shape, with transgenic fish having significantly deeper head, longer caudal length of the dorsal region, longer standard length (L(S)) and shallower body and caudal region, and shorter caudal length of the ventral region. Swimming speeds were related to the combination of deeper body and caudal region, longer caudal length of the ventral region, shallower head depth, shorter caudal length of dorsal region and L(S). These findings suggest that morphological variations which are poorly suited to produce maximum thrust and minimum drag in GH-transgenic C. carpio may be responsible for their lower swimming abilities in comparison with non-transgenic controls.

Morphological variety of the soft palate in normal individuals: a digital cephalometric study

OBJECTIVES

The literature describes the morphology of the soft palate as being of only one kind and ignores its diversity, but in our clinical work we discovered that the morphology of the soft palate has a variable presentation on lateral cephalometry. The aim of our study was to investigate the variation of the velar morphology.

METHODS

In this study, the sample comprised 200 normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5-48 years (mean 19.37 years). The morphology of the soft palate on lateral cephalometry was examined and classified into six types. The dimensional differences of the soft palate between each pair of types and the differences in proportion to different age and gender groups were also studied.

RESULTS

The morphology of the soft palate was classified into six types. There was a significant difference between the pre-adult and adult groups and also between male and female groups in proportion to velar type. The velar length in Type 3 was significantly shorter than in all other types apart from Type 6. However, there was no significant difference between any two of the other 5 types.

CONCLUSIONS

The soft palate has variable radiographic appearances on lateral cephalometry. The classification system and statistical findings here may help the research of velopharyngeal closure in cleft palate individuals, and aetiological study of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and other conditions.

Autoimmune dacryoadenitis and keratoconjunctivitis induced in rabbits by subcutaneous injection of autologous lymphocytes activated ex vivo against lacrimal antigens

Autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), activated in a mixed cell reaction when co-cultured with purified rabbit lacrimal epithelial cells, are known to induce a Sjögren's-like autoimmune dacryoadenitis and keratoconjunctivitis when injected directly back into the donor animal's inferior lacrimal gland (LG). This study shows that autoreactive lymphocytes injected subcutaneously in a site away from the LG is capable of inducing an autoimmune disease in a rabbit. Induced disease (ID) develops more slowly, taking 4weeks as compared to 2weeks in the direct injection model. Initially, both clinical symptoms and histopathology are less pronounced than in the direct injection ID model, but later the immunocytochemistry shows the same CD4+/CD8+ ratio of 4:1 for both injection methods. The finding that lymphocytes activated against lacrimal antigens can travel or home from the injection site back to the inferior and superior LG, as well as the conjunctiva, suggests that these anatomical sites may have common epitopes that induce pathogenic CD4+ T cells that produce a Sjögren's-like syndrome.

Selective blockade of NF-kappaB by novel mutated IkappaBalpha suppresses CD3/CD28-induced activation of memory CD4+ T cells in asthma

BACKGROUND

Nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) overactivation plays a crucial role in T-helper 2 (Th2)-biased allergic airway inflammation by increased activation and decreased apoptosis of CD4(+) T cells. We have shown that targeted NF-kappaB suppression in dendritic cells by adenoviral gene transfer of a novel mutated inhibitor of NF-kappaB (IkappaBalpha) (AdIkappaBalphaM) contributes to T-cell tolerance, but the immunosuppressive action of AdIkappaBalphaM on memory (CD45RO(+)) CD4(+) T cells remains enigmatic.

METHODS

CD45RO(+) T cells from Dermatophagoides farinaei-sensitized asthmatic patients, untransfected or transfected with AdIkappaBalphaM or AdLacZ (beta-galactosidase) for 24 h, were stimulated with anti-CD3 (1.0 microg/ml) plus anti-CD28 (0.5 microg/ml) monoclonal antibody for an additional 24 h. IkappaBalphaM transgene expression and NF-kappaB activation were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Phenotype and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry, annexin V binding, and terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling analyses. Cytokine production and cell proliferation were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and [(3)H] thymidine incorporation.

RESULTS

A unique 801-bp IkappaBalphaM cDNA and a dose-dependent increase in IkappaBalphaM transgene expression were observed in AdIkappaBalphaM-transfected CD45RO(+) T cells. Significantly, AdIkappaBalphaM inhibited CD3/CD28-mediated NF-kappaB activation in CD45RO(+) T cells, leading to evident apoptosis, reduction of eotaxin, RANTES, Th1 [interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2], and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 despite a slight decrease in IL-10) cytokines and secondary proliferative response. AdIkappaBalphaM also upregulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and downregulated CD69 besides no change in CD28.

CONCLUSION

IkappaBalphaM might be beneficial to augment memory CD4(+) T-cell tolerance through modulating B7-CD28/CTLA-4 co-stimulatory pathways and NF-kappaB-dependent cytokine profiles in allergic inflammatory diseases including asthma.

Effects of hydrogen peroxide on human dentin structure

It has been hypothesized that hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) bleaching may cause destruction of dentin by a mechanism of protein oxidation. However, to our knowledge, there has been no direct chemical evidence to validate this viewpoint. To investigate the effects of H(2)O(2) on the structure of human dentin, we used Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy. Human intact dentin specimens were treated either with 30% H(2)O(2) or Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS). Significant differences were observed in ATR spectra parameters. Additionally, demineralized dentin specimens were also tested. They were completely dissolved in the H(2)O(2), but remained intact in the 0.1 N HCl and HBSS. The results suggested that H(2)O(2) attacked both the organic and mineral components of dentin. Destruction of the organic components was mainly because of the oxidizing ability of H(2)O(2), while changes in the mineral components were probably due to its acidity.

Cardioprotective effects of novel tetrahydroisoquinoline analogs of nitrobenzylmercaptopurine riboside in an isolated perfused rat heart model of acute myocardial infarction

We have investigated the cardioprotective effects of novel tetrahydroisoquinoline nitrobenzylmercaptopurine riboside (NBMPR) analog nucleoside transport (NT) inhibitors, compounds 2 and 4, in isolated perfused rat hearts. Langendorff-perfused heart preparations were subjected to 10 min of treatment with compound 2, compound 4, or vehicle (control) followed by 30 min of global ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion. For determination of infarct size, reperfusion time was 180 min. At 1 microM, compounds 2 and 4 provided excellent cardioprotection, with left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) recovery and end-diastolic pressure (EDP) increase of 82.9 +/- 4.0% (P<0.001) and 14.1 +/- 2.0 mmHg (P<0.03) for compound 2-treated hearts and 79.2 +/- 5.9% (P<0.002) and 7.5 +/- 2.7 mmHg (P<0.01) for compound 4-treated hearts compared with 41.6 +/- 5.2% and 42.5 +/- 6.5 mmHg for control hearts. LVDP recovery and EDP increase were 64.1 +/- 4.2% and 29.1 +/- 2.5 mmHg for hearts treated with 1 microM NBMPR. Compound 4 was the best cardioprotective agent, affording significant cardioprotection, even at 0.1 microM, with LVDP recovery and EDP increase of 76.0 +/- 4.9% (P<0.003) and 14.1 +/- 1.0 mmHg (P<0.03). At 1 microM, compound 4 and NBMPR reduced infarct size, with infarct area-to-total risk area ratios of 29.13 +/- 3.17 (P<0.001) for compound 4 and 37.5 +/- 3.42 (P<0.01) for NBMPR vs. 51.08 +/- 5.06% for control hearts. Infarct size was more effectively reduced by compound 4 than by NBMPR (P<0.02). These new tetrahydroisoquinoline NBMPR analogs are not only potent cardioprotective agents but are, also, more effective than NBMPR in this model.

Activation of FGFR1beta signaling pathway promotes survival, migration and resistance to chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia cells

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are important regulators of hematopoiesis and have been implicated in the tumorigenesis of solid tumors. Recent evidence suggests that FGF signaling through FGF receptors (FGFRs) may play a role in the proliferation of subsets of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs). However, the precise mechanism and specific FGF receptors that support leukemic cell growth are not known. We show that FGF-2, through activation of FGFR1beta signaling, promotes survival, proliferation and migration of AML cells. Stimulation of FGFR1beta results in phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt activation and inhibits chemotherapy-induced apoptosis of leukemic cells. Neutralizing FGFR1-specific antibody abrogates the physiologic and chemoprotective effects of FGF-2/FGFR1beta signaling and inhibits tumor growth in mice xenotransplanted with human AML. These data suggest that activation of FGF-2/FGFR1beta supports progression and chemoresistance in subsets of AML. Therefore, FGFR1 targeting may be of therapeutic benefit in subsets of AML.

D-dimer levels in pleural effusions

INTRODUCTION

D-dimer is a degradation product of cross-linked fibrin. We hypothesized that hemorrhagic pleural effusions would have greater D-dimer levels than non-hemorrhagic pleural effusions, and that persistently bloody effusions would be distinguishable from thoracentesis-induced bloody effusions by the D-dimer level.

METHODS

Forty pleural effusions were studied. D-dimer levels (measured by ELISA), red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and protein level was measured for each effusion. Ten effusions, five non-bloody, and five bloody were studied for each of the following disease states: parapneumonic effusion, congestive heart failure, post-coronary artery bypass grafting, and lung cancer.

RESULTS

No significant difference of the D-dimer level was noted between bloody and non-bloody effusions of different disease states (P=0.286). There was no significant difference in the median D-dimer levels between all the bloody and all the non-bloody effusions (P=0.88). There was no significant difference (P=0.51) in D-dimer levels between five diseases groups when the bloody and non-bloody fluids were combined. The D-dimer levels did not correlate with the RBC count (r=0.11, P=0.48), WBC count (r=0.13, P=0.53), LDH (r=0.01, P=0.93), or protein levels (r=-0.01, P=0.93) in any of the groups.

CONCLUSION

Measurement of pleural fluid D-dimer levels does not distinguish persistently bloody effusions from non-bloody effusions, and does not aid in narrowing the differential diagnosis of an effusion.