A Sandwich‐Type Electrochemical Biosensor for Detection of BCR/ABL Fusion Gene Using Locked Nucleic Acids on Gold Electrode

In this study, a sandwich‐type electrochemical enzyme‐based LNA‐modified DNA biosensor was developed to detect relative gene in chronic Myelogenous Leukemia first. This biosensor is based on a ‘sandwich’ detection strategy, which involves a pair of probes (a capture probe immobilized at the electrode surface and a reporter probe labeled biotin as an affinity tag for avidin‐HRP) modified LNA. Since biotin can be connected with avidin‐HRP, this biosensor offers an enzymatically amplified electrochemical current signal for the detection of target DNA. This new pattern exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity, and this biosensor has been used for an assay of PCR real sample with satisfactory result.     

Hepatic parenchymal enhancement at Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging: correlation with morphological grading of severity in cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis

The aim was to clarify whether enhancement effects of the liver parenchyma in the hepatobiliary phase (HP) of gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced MR imaging were correlated with the morphological grading of the severity in cirrhosis. A total of 62 patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Relative enhancement (RE) of liver parenchyma was calculated from signal intensity (SI) measurements obtained at precontrast images (SIpre) and 20-min postcontrast HP images (SIpost) as: (SIpost-SIpre)/SIpre. Morphological MR grades of severity in cirrhosis were divided into four groups. Then, RE of liver parenchyma and morphologic MR grading were correlated. Regarding the morphologic severity of cirrhosis, the numbers of patients with MR grade 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 14 (23%), 7 (11%), 28 (45%) and 13 (21%), respectively. The mean REs of liver parenchyma in each group of MR morphologic grade 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 0.71±0.21, 0.62±0.16, 0.70±0.22 and 0.77±0.18, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the MR grading of morphologic severity and the RE of liver parenchyma at 20-min HP. Hepatic parenchymal enhancement in the HP of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging did not necessarily decrease according to the severity of morphologic changes in cirrhosis. This fact may suggest that the hepatic uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA depends on the preserved hepatocytes function rather than the severity of morphologic changes in cirrhosis.     

Beyond laparoscopy: 3-T magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of posterior cul-de-sac obliteration

Objectives

Endometriosis is the ectopic localization of endometrial glands. Symptoms include a wide variety of chronic pelvic pain. Ovarian endometriosis represents the most frequent site of implantation followed by the Douglas pouch which is undepicted unless peritoneal fluid is present. Pelvic exams may be reported as normal in 40% of evaluations, although multiple nodularities are located in this region. Nowadays, laparoscopy represents the standard technique for endometriosis evaluation. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the best noninvasive technique for the evaluation of pelvic lesions. According to the importance of a precise preoperative diagnosis of deep infiltrative endometriosis involving the Douglas pouch, we evaluated feasibility of a 3-T system in the evaluation of this particular region.

Methods

We enrolled 19 women coming with either ultrasound or anamnestic suspicion of endometriosis. Pelvic MRI examination was performed on the 3-T system. We applied a standard exam protocol including pulse sequences [single-shot fast spin echo (FSE)] and high-resolution T2W and T1W FSE sequences with and without FS.

Results

MRI diagnosed posterior cul-de-sac obliteration in 15/19 patients. MRI findings were compared with laparoscopy, thus obtaining the following statistical values: mean sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value, respectively, of 93%, 75%, 93% and 75%. Moreover, we calculated an interobserver agreement k value of 0.72 with a substantial degree of agreement between two radiologists of a sensitivity value of 93% and specificity value of 75%.

Conclusions

Precise preoperative mapping of posterior cul-de-sac region is essential for a preoperative planning. In our work, the 3-T MRI was shown to be excellent in the evaluation of posterior cul-de-sac obliteration associated to an optimal evaluation of the uterosacral ligaments due to the higher contrast spatial resolution.     

脑血管疾病与慢支肺气肿或并感染患者的头发微量元素测定与讨论

对４６例脑血管疾病、５３例慢支肺气肿或并感染患者进行了头发微量元素的测定及讨论。每组病例铜的含量均低于广州地区正常值，且有高度显著性差异（Ｐ〈０．０１），但脑疾患、肺疾患组铜含量相比较无显著性差异（Ｐ〉０．０５），未看出铜与不同病种的特异性关系。锌含量每组均数都低于广州地区正常值，但只有女性有显著性差异（脑病组Ｐ〈０．０１，肺病组０．０１〈Ｐ〈０．０５），而女性脑病组与肺病组间无显著性差异（Ｐ〉０     

Microwave-assisted solid phase synthesis of Imatinib, a blockbuster anticancer drug

An expeditious, high yield and convenient synthesis of Imatinib was carried out on an aldehydic, super acid-sensitive resin, through an efficient, microwave-assisted synthetic protocol. The high versatility of the reaction scheme may enable the straightforward preparation of libraries of potential protein kinase inhibitors endowed with large molecular diversity.     

基于适配体技术对止咳平喘健康产品中非法添加的沙丁胺醇进行可视化快速检测

基于偶联作用和ssDNA结合蛋白与适配体的结合作用制备检测复合物MB-aptamer～SiO₂@SSB@HRP,利用目标物沙丁胺醇与适配体之间的亲和性比ssDNA结合蛋白与适配体亲和性更高的原理,以沙丁胺醇为"钥匙"将适配体与ssDNA结合蛋白构成的"开关"打开,经过磁性分离,最终以辣根过氧化物酶催化四甲基联苯胺产生的显色反应作为信号输出,建立了沙丁胺醇的可视化快速检测方法。在优化实验条件下,沙丁胺醇浓度与显色反应的吸光度在0.1～10μmol/L之间呈良好线性关系(r²=0.995 9),检出限为0.1μmol/L。对中成药样品进行沙丁胺醇加标回收实验,回收率为86.0%～106%,相对标准偏差为3.9%～12%。该方法能够满足非法添加实际检测需求。     

Effects of chronic ozone (O3) exposure on vocal-fold mucosa in bonnet monkeys

Effects of ambient ozone (O₃) on the respiratory tract have been frequently reported. However, little is known regarding possible effects of chronic exposure to O₃ on the larynx or on vocal-fold mucosa. In this study, six bonnet monkeys were exposed to 1 ppm O₃ 8 h per day, 5 days per week, for 3 months. Three of the monkeys' larynges were examined 4 h after exposure, and three were examined 9 months after exposure. Tissues were subjected to histological staining and morphometric quantification. Results revealed increased thickness of epithelial and connective tissue components of vocal-fold mucosa in the 4-h group and connective tissue changes that persisted in mucosa examined 9 months after exposure. Additional changes indicative of hyperplasia and disorganization of epithelial and connective tissue, as well as disruption of glands and vessels, were also noted in tissues examined at both postexposure intervals. Implications of the data for the larynx and voice quality in humans exposed to similar environmental toxins are discussed.     

Capillary electrophoresis method for plasmatic determination of imatinib mesylate in chronic myeloid leukemia patients

Imatinib (IMAT) is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Despite the efficacy of IMAT therapy, some cases of treatment resistance have been described in CML. Developing a plasma method is important since there are several studies that provided a higher correlation between IMAT plasma concentration and response to treatment. Therefore, in this investigation we validated a method by CE as an alternative, new, simple and fast electrophoretic method for IMAT determination in human plasma. The analysis was performed using a fused silica capillary (50 μm id×46.5 cm total length, 38.0 cm effective length); 50 mmol/L sodium phosphate buffer, pH 2.5, as BGE; hydrodynamic injection time of 20 s (50 mbar); voltage of 30 kV; capillary temperature of 35°C and detection at 200 nm. Plasma samples pre-treatment involved liquid-liquid extraction with methyl-tert-butyl ether as the extracting solvent. The method was linear from 0.125 to 5.00 μg/mL. The LOQ was 0.125 μg/mL. Mean absolute recovery of IMAT was 67%. The method showed to be precise and accurate with RSD and relative error values lower than 15%. Furthermore, the application of the method was performed in the analysis of plasma samples from CML patients undergoing treatment with IMAT.     

Numerical bifurcation control of Mackey–Glass system

In this paper, a mathematical physiological model, Mackey–Glass system of a delay differential equation, is considered. With a greater delay, a periodic solution arises, which characterizes the disease of chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL). To treat such disease, a blood transfusion feedback control is considered, from the point of view of mathematical control. By using a nonstandard finite-difference (NSFD) scheme to the control system, we obtain a numerical discrete system and analyze its Neimark–Sacker and fold bifurcations. The results imply that the condition of the illness could be relieved by transfusing blood to the patient, if the control is a delay control. Finally, the effectiveness of the control are illustrated by several numerical simulations.