Genetic diversity analysis of BMY cattle based on microsatellite DNA markers.

BMY cattle (1/2 Brahman, 1/4 Murray Grey and 1/4 Yunnan Yellow cattle) has been inter se breeding since 1980s. Genetic diversity of BMY cattle was extensively investigated using 16 microsatellite markers. A total of 130 microsatellite alleles and high allele size variance were detected. All loci displayed high genetic diversity with overall mean of N(a) = 8.13, PIC = 0.7224 and H(e) = 0.7666, which were higher than those of many other beef breeds. The allele-sharing neighbour-joining tree clearly displayed the new genotypic combinations and the minglement from both BMY cattle and Brahman. The results provided the genetic information to match the standards of new beef breed in South China.

Karyotype analysis of mithun (Bos frontalis) and mithun bull x Brahman cow hybrids.

We examined the cytogenetics of mithun (Bos frontalis), a domesticated version of the Asian gaur, and hybrids (F(1) generation) produced by artificial insemination of Brahman cows (Bos indicus) with mithun semen. Reproductive potential was also examined in the F(1) generation and a backcrossed heifer for utilization of heterosis. Metaphase chromosome spreads were examined by conventional staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization hybridized with the entire chromosome 1 of mithun as a specific probe. Chromosome 1 of mithun was found to be equivalent to Bos taurus chromosomes 2 and 28. The karyotype of the female mithun (N = 4) comprised 58 chromosomes, including 54 acrocentric and four large submetacentric chromosomes, without the four acrocentric chromosomes found in the domesticated species B. indicus. However, one of the four female mithuns with a normal mithun phenotype had an abnormal karyotype (2n = 59), indicating introgression from B. taurus or B. indicus. The F(1) karyotypes (N = 6, 3♂3♀) of the mithun bull × Brahman cow cross had 2n = 59, intermediate between their parents; they were consistent heterozygous carriers with a centric fusion involving rob(2;28), as expected. Two pronounced red signals were seen in the mithun karyotypes, three red signals in the mithun × Brahman hybrids, and four red signals in the Brahman cattle, in good agreement with centric fusion of bovine rob(2;28). The female backcross hybrid (N = 1) with 2n = 59 had a similar chromosome configuration to the F(1) karyotypes and had rob(2;28). Such female backcross hybrids normally reproduce; however, the F(1) bulls (N = 3) had not yet generated normal sperm at 24 months.

Activity of the multikinase inhibitor dasatinib against ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Here, we explore the therapeutic potential of dasatinib, a small-molecule inhibitor that targets multiple cytosolic and membrane-bound tyrosine kinases, including members of the Src kinase family, EphA2, and focal adhesion kinase for the treatment of ovarian cancer. METHODS: We examined the effects of dasatinib on proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, and kinase activity using a panel of 34 established human ovarian cancer cell lines. Molecular markers for response prediction were studied using gene expression profiling. Multiple drug effect/combination index (CI) isobologram analysis was used to study the interactions with chemotherapeutic drugs. RESULTS: Concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effects of dasatinib were seen in all ovarian cancer cell lines tested, but varied significantly between individual cell lines with up to a 3 log-fold difference in the IC(50) values (IC(50) range: 0.001-11.3 micromol l(-1)). Dasatinib significantly inhibited invasion, and induced cell apoptosis, but less cell-cycle arrest. At a wide range of clinically achievable drug concentrations, additive and synergistic interactions were observed for dasatinib plus carboplatin (mean CI values, range: 0.73-1.11) or paclitaxel (mean CI values, range: 0.76-1.05). In this study, 24 out of 34 (71%) representative ovarian cancer cell lines were highly sensitive to dasatinib, compared with only 8 out of 39 (21%) representative breast cancer cell lines previously reported. Cell lines with high expression of Yes, Lyn, Eph2A, caveolin-1 and 2, moesin, annexin-1, and uPA were particularly sensitive to dasatinib. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide a clear biological rationale to test dasatinib as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer.

Plasma glucose levels and diabetes are independent predictors for mortality and morbidity in patients with SARS.

AIMS: To investigate the relationships between a known history of diabetes and ambient fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels with death and morbidity rates in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, the clinical and biochemical characteristics of 135 patients who had died from SARS, 385 survivors of SARS and 19 patients with non-SARS pneumonia were compared. RESULTS: All patients were treated according to a predefined protocol. Before steroid treatment, the mean FPG level was significantly higher in the SARS group (deceased vs. survivors vs. non-SARS pneumonia group: 9.7 +/- 5.2 vs. 6.5 +/- 3.0 vs. 5.1 +/- 1.0 mmol/l, P < 0.01). In the SARS group, the percentage of patients with a known history of diabetes was significantly higher in the deceased patients than in the survivors (21.5% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.01). Among patients with no known history of diabetes and before commencement of steroid therapy, those who had hypoxaemia (SaO(2) < 93%) had higher FPG levels than those who did not have hypoxia in both the survivor (8.7 +/- 4.9 vs. 6.3 +/- 2.1 mmol/l, P < 0.001) and deceased (9.8 +/- 4.8 vs. 7.2 +/- 1.5 mmol/l, P < 0.001) groups. A known history of diabetes [odds ratio (OR) 3.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4, 6.3; P = 0.005] and FPG > or = 7.0 mmol/l before steroid treatment (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4, 7.7, P = 0.006) were independent predictors of death. During the course of the illness, FPG levels were negatively associated with SaO(2) (beta =-0.682 +/- 0.305, P = 0.025, general estimation equation model) in SARS patients. Survival analysis showed that FPG was independently associated with an increased hazard ratio (HR) of mortality (HR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0, 1.1, P = 0.001) and hypoxia (HR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0, 1.1, P = 0.002) after controlling for age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: A known history of diabetes and ambient hyperglycaemia were independent predictors for death and morbidity in SARS patients. Metabolic control may improve the prognosis of SARS patients.

Effect of dl-praeruptorin A on ATP sensitive potassium channels in human cortical neurons.

AIM: To investigate the effect of dl-praeruptorin A (Pd-Ia) on ATP sensitive potassium channels (KATP channel) in human cortical neurons. METHODS: Using standard whole cell recording method. Cell membranes were held at -40 mV, commanding potential was -30 to +100 mV and duration was 600 ms. RESULTS: Pd-Ia activated KATP channels in human cortical neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. After consecutive perfusion with external solution containing Pd-Ia 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 micromol/L, currents increased from control (0.9 +/- 0.4) nA to (1.0 +/- 0.4) nA, (1.1 +/- 0.4) nA, (1.2 +/- 0.4) nA, and (1.3 +/- 0.4) nA (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01, n = 5) respectively. Then the current decreased to (0.90 +/- 0.37) nA (P < 0.01, n = 5) after washout with glibenclamide (10 micromol/L). The increscent part of the currents could nearly be inhibited by specific KATP channel inhibitor. CONCLUSION: Pd-Ia could open KATP channel and it is a kind of potassium channel opener

[Investigation on Schistosoma japonicum infection in rodents in Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of rodents in the transmission of schistosomiasis in endemic areas in Yunnan Province. METHODS: Kato-Katz method was used to study the infection rate of rodents, humans and domestic animals. RESULTS: The infection rate was 0.9% (32/3,411) for rodents, 15.6% (461/2,964) for humans, and 9.6% (239/2,482), for domestic animals. The EPG(mean) was 5.8 for rodents, 1.8 for humans, 0.1 for cattle, 0.1 for horses and 0.02 for pigs. CONCLUSION: The rodents played a minor role in the transmission of schistosomiasis in the plateau area of Yunnan province.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastritis among young adults in China.

To investigate the prevalence of gastritis and H. pylori infection among young Chinese in Henan Province, a high incidence area for oesophageal cancer in China, the gastric mucosa was examined in 194 asymptomatic subjects, aged 15-26 years, in the course of an epidemiological study of precursor lesions of oesophageal cancer. Histopathological grading of gastritis and determination of H. pylori infection were performed on haematoxylineosin and Warthin-Starry stained section. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the presence of serum IgG antibodies to H. pylori. A very high prevalence of gastritis (93.8%) was found: 71 subjects (36.6%) presented with superficial gastritis (14 active), 94 (48.5%) with diffuse gastritis (92 active) and in 17 cases (8.8%) diffuse gastritis (16 active) was accompanied by focal atrophy. Silver staining detected H. pylori in 166 (85.6%) of the study participants. However, serological techniques identified H. pylori in only 109 (56.2%). H. pylori was seen in all the 119 cases showing histological signs of active gastritis, in 41 of the 63 cases (65%) without activity, and also in 50% (6/12) of histologically normal subjects. H. pylori infection was found to be associated with a 2.5-fold higher prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis compared with non-atrophic gastritis. A family history of stomach cancer, consumption of pickled vegetables more than twice a month, and a high monthly salt consumption (> 500 g/month) also showed a positive association.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser therapy in patients with early superficial carcinoma of the esophagus and the gastric cardia.

A group of 33 patients, 27 with early superficial esophageal cancer and six with early superficial carcinoma of the gastric cardia, were treated with endoscopic neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser from April 1989 to March 1993. Of the 33 patients, in 32 (97%) the disappearance of the cancer cells was noted. They were treated 1-6 times (average 2.6) with laser irradiation. No serious complications, such as perforation, occurred in the series. Twenty-two patients were followed up for 24-55 months. A negative biopsy was recorded in 16 (72.7%) of the 22 patients; the other six (27.3%) cases were found to have recurrent early cancer during the follow-up period from the 36th to the 40th months, and were treated with supplementary endoscopic therapy or surgical resection. It is suggested that endoscopic Nd: YAG laser may be a safe and effective therapy for early carcinoma of the esophagus and the gastric cardia, when the risks of surgery are too high or the patient has refused surgical resection.

A randomized double-blind intervention study on the effect of calcium supplementation on esophageal precancerous lesions in a high-risk population in China.

To determine whether dietary calcium supplementation affects esophageal precancerous lesions, 200 subjects with esophageal lesions in a high-risk area for esophageal cancer in China (Huixian, Henan) were randomly divided into 2 groups (100 subjects/group). Subjects in one group received an oral supplementation of calcium carbonate tablets (1200 mg of calcium daily), and subjects in the other group received placebo pills for 11 months. At the entry and the end of the trial, esophagoscopy was performed, and 2 or 3 biopsy specimens were taken from the middle and lower thirds of the esophagus and from macroscopic lesions, if any, of each subject for histopathology and cell proliferation analysis with deoxythymidine labeling. In comparison to normal epithelium, increased proliferative compartment size was observed in epithelia with hyperplasia or dysplasia. After the intervention, the percentage of individuals with "normal epithelium," "basal cell hyperplasia," "basal cell hyperplasia II," and "basal cell hyperplasia III and dysplasia" were 44, 31, 13, and 11% in the calcium group and 35, 39, 17, and 6% in the placebo group, respectively. The labeling index was 0.046 in the calcium group and 0.044 in the placebo group. After the intervention, the labeling index in basal cell layers 1 to 5, the major zone of cell proliferation, fell 38% in the calcium group and 44% in the placebo group from before the intervention. Therefore, in this study, calcium supplementation was not shown to have beneficial effects in alleviating precancerous lesions and abnormal cell proliferation patterns.

[Comparative study of brain tumors treated at China Medical University, China and Kyushu University, Japan].

We have re-examined histopathological specimens of brain tumors extirpated at China Medical University from May, 1990 to June, 1992. During the last 2 years, about 400 cases of brain tumors were operated and 349 cases were histopathologically diagnosed and classified by one of the authors (T. I). The most common tumor was meningioma, 97 cases, followed by gliomas, 87 case and neurinoma, 71 cases. The sex and age distributions of these three tumor types were compared to those of Kyushu University Hospital, Japan. The most striking difference was age of meningioma and neurinoma patients, and Chinese patients were 10 years younger than Japanese patients. The incidence of 30th age group of meningioma was 25% in China and 10% in Japan. Thirty percent of neurinoma patients were operated at 30th and 40th age in China and Japan, respectively. The sex and ages of astrocytoma patients were almost the same frequencies in China and Japan. Among 22 cases of congenital tumors, 11 cases of epidermoid tumor in cerebello-pontine cistern was included. Cerebral tuberculoma, although rarely encountered in Japan, was 2 cases in China.

Epidemiological study of precursor lesions of oesophageal cancer among young persons in Huixian, China.

A total of 538 subjects (354 males, 184 females) were investigated in a high-risk area for oesophageal cancer in China to provide large-scale data on the prevalence of chronic oesophagitis among persons below 25 years of age. The survey included an oesophagoscopy with guided biopsies and cytology, a physical examination, an interview and collection of a 10-ml blood sample and overnight urine. Histologically confirmed oesophagitis was found in 43.5% of male and 35.6% of female subjects. Mild and moderate oesophagitis was associated positively with consumption of burning hot beverages, family history of oesophageal cancer, frequent consumption of cottonseed oil, cigarette smoking, a clinical diagnosis of oral leukoplakia and seborrhoeic dermatitis; negative associations were seen with frequent consumption of fresh fruit, meat and eggs. A significantly higher level of urinary nitrate was found in the diseased group, but no difference was seen with regard to any of the N-nitrosamino acids measured.

Labeling index and labeling distribution of cells in esophageal epithelium of individuals at increased risk for esophageal cancer in Huixian, China.

The pattern of proliferation of epithelial cells in esophageal epithelium was studied by means of [3H]deoxythymidine labeling of esophageal epithelium in subjects from Huixian, Henan Province, China, a high-risk geographical region for esophageal cancer. Comparisons were made among patterns of cell proliferation observed in normal esophagus, in hyperplasia, in mild dysplasia, and in moderate dysplasia in a total of 118 subjects. The amount of cell proliferation observed was lowest in normal esophageal epithelium and increased progressively in subjects having hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, and moderate dysplasia. The location of proliferating cells was limited mainly to the base of the esophageal epithelium in normal esophagus, but expanded toward the surface of the esophageal lining in individuals with hyperplasia and dysplasia. The larger total numbers of proliferating cells in the esophageal epithelium and the progressive expansion of the proliferative compartment toward the epithelial surface found in hyperplasia and in dysplasia could both facilitate the screening of subjects for esophageal cancer risk and serve as intermediate biomarkers in prophylactic dietary or pharmacological intervention studies.

Precursor lesions of esophageal cancer in high-risk populations in Henan Province, China.

This report discusses precancerous changes in the esophageal mucosa from three points of view: the histopathologic features of the esophageal mucosa in persons known to be at high risk for esophageal carcinoma (EC); the histopathologic features of the esophageal mucosa of asymptomatic persons randomly selected from areas at high and low risk for EC; and a prospective follow-up of a randomly examined group to determine the impact of esophagitis and dysplasia upon subsequent development of EC. Esophagitis was commonly found at endoscopic examination, but there was no difference in frequency of esophagitis in the randomly selected subjects from high-risk and low-risk areas. Although one third of patients with dysplasia developed cancer over a follow-up period of 30 to 78 months, only 4% of those with esophagitis alone developed EC. The authors conclude that dysplasia, diagnosed by cytologic or histologic examination, is a precancerous state, and that esophagitis is a nonspecific pathologic condition of the esophagus, but moderate and severe types of chronic esophagitis might create an environment favorable for the development of esophageal carcinoma.