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The larvae of Echinococcus (hydatidcyst) can parasitize humans and animals, causing a serious zoonotic disease-echinococcosis. The life history of Echinococcus is complicated, and as the disease progresses slowly after infection, early diagnosis is difficult to establish. Due to the limitations of imaging and immunological diagnosis in this respect, domestic and foreign scholars have established a variety of molecular detection techniques for the pathogen Echinococcus over recent years, mainly including nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time quantitative PCR, and nucleic acid isothermal amplification technology. In this article, the research progress of molecular detection technology for Echinococcus infection currently was reviewed and the significance of these methods in the detection and diagnosis of hydatid and hydatid diseases was also discussed.

To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and identify the risk factors ofA cross-sectional study was performed for questionnaire surveys among colorectal cancer patients in Henan Cancer Hospital during the period from March to July, 2021. Patients' stool samples were collected, and the triosephosphate isomerase (A total of 307 colorectal cancer patients were investigated, including 176 males (57.3%) and 131 females (42.7%). PCR assay detected 8.1% [95% confidential interval (The prevalence of

Background Free flaps are widely used in maxillofacial reconstruction; however, this approach was not feasible in the current case. It was not possible because the free flap method requires microvascular anastomosis expertise, which is difficult, time-consuming and costly. Case presentation An 86-year-old woman suffered squamous cell carcinoma on the right side of her face, which resulted in a large soft-tissue defect. Here, we present a case of facial reconstruction from the inferior margin of the jaw to the top of the head. The size of the defect was 18.5 cm × 7.5 cm, which is rare for a patient of this age in the maxillofacial area. We used the supraclavicular artery island flap (SCAIFP) which measured 19.3 cm × 8.3 cm to repair the defect. After the operation, the flap survived without complications. Then, the patient was followed for 10 months and was satisfied with the aesthetic and functional results at the donor and recipient sites following the tumour resection. The tumour did not recur, and facial nerve function was preserved. Conclusion Our results provide a new choice for the reconstruction of large defects of the head and face, and expand the potential applications of the SCAIFP.

To construct a cDNA library ofTotal RNA was extracted fromThe SMATR cDNA library ofA SMART cDNA library of

造成下颌骨病变的病因，包括口腔恶性肿瘤、下颌骨的先天性畸形、放疗后引起的骨质坏死以及头颈颌面部的外伤等。作为颞下颌关节的主要组成部分之一，下颌骨的缺陷通常会导致严重的面部畸形和咀嚼功能障碍，进而严重影响患者的生活质量。因此，个体化、精准地修复重建下颌骨的缺损成为头颈外科医生关注的重点。四川省肿瘤医院头颈外科收治1例右侧牙槽骨深面滑膜肉瘤侵犯下颌骨的青年女性患者，运用显微外科技术结合计算机辅助设计/计算机辅助制作（computer aided design/computer aided manufacture， CAD/CAM）及3D打印，采用游离骼骨肌皮瓣精准的个体化修复重建了下颌骨节段性缺损，术后达到满意的修复效果。.

颈部淋巴结转移是甲状腺乳头状癌（papillary thyroid carcinoma，PTC）主要的转移方式，其中，中央区是PTC颈部淋巴结转移的常见转移区域，文献报道微小乳头状癌中央区淋巴结的转移率为24.1%~64.1%。目前国际上，在术前评估颈部淋巴结为阴性（cN0）的PTC手术治疗过程中，中央区淋巴结是否行预防性颈清扫尚存争议。中央区淋巴清扫（central lymph node dissection，CLND）可以根治区域淋巴结，但是同时会显著提升术后并发症的发生率。关于中央区淋巴结亚区的研究逐步增多，目的在于让我们对于中央区淋巴结转移规律有一个更深刻的认识，从而有助于PTC患者能够得到更加精确的个体化治疗。淋巴结亚区研究对详细认识肿瘤淋巴结转移规律及为PTC患者CLND提供重要的理论依据。本文回顾和总结近年来的相关文献，对cN0 PTC是否行预防性CLND的现状，中央区淋巴结及其亚区的解剖范围和临床意义，进行综述。.

女性47岁患者，主因发现颈部肿物入院，入院后颈部B超检查甲状腺未见明显异常，完善各项术前检查后行右颈深部肿块切除术，术中见肿物位于颈部动脉、迷走神经深部，与动脉关系密切，局部见质韧肿大淋巴结。术后病理报告为甲状腺滤泡性腺瘤，出院诊断为颈鞘异位副甲状腺腺瘤，术后随访半年未见声音嘶哑、手足麻木、抬肩障碍、Horner综合征等，甲状腺功能未见异常。.

AIM To investigate the diagnostic value of ultrasound elastography (UE) for benign and malignant axillary lymph nodes. MATERIALS AND METHODS A literature search was conducted from PubMed, Cochrane EMBASE, and Medline. Fourteen studies including 1,186 patients with 1,411 lymph nodes were enrolled. Overall, diagnostic descriptive statistics included pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were generated by random effect model. Subgroup analyses were performed in (real-time elastography [RTE] versus shear wave elastography [SWE]) and (conventional ultrasound versus combination of traditional ultrasound and elastography). Meta-regression was used to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS The overall pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of UE was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71–0.86), 0.90 (95% CI: 0.83–0.95), and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.88–0.93), respectively. In the subgroup analysis of the two UE techniques, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of SWE was higher than that of RTE (sensitivity: 0.82>0.77; specificity: 0.91>0.89; AUC: 0.94>0.89). The pooled diagnostic value of ultrasound combined with UE were significantly improving compared with traditional ultrasound (sensitivity: 0.87>0.82, specificity: 0.83>0.78, and AUC: 0.91>0.87). No independent heterogeneous factor was found in meta-regression. CONCLUSION The results indicate that UE was an effective technique for identifying malignant axillary lymph nodes due to its high diagnostic efficiency, which can provide useful information for surgical procedure selection.

Extrathyroidal extension of thyroid cancer has been an important adverse factor affecting the prognosis of patients. According to the latest NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) guidelines, extrathyroidal extension is the surgical guide fortotal thyroidectomy in newly diagnosed patients, and its incidence in differentiated thyroid cancer is 5%-34%, belonging to T3-T4 stage.In the eighth edition of thyroid cancer AJCC staging, the T3 stage was first divided into T3a (tumor4 cm and limited to the thyroid) and T3b (gross extrathyroidal extension invading only strap muscles from a tumor of any size), and the "minimal extrathyroidal extension(tumor invasion intoperithyroidal soft tissue or strap muscle invasion)"of the seventh edition was removed from the T stage and changed to the gross extrathyroidal extension invading only strap muscles, but there is still much controversy. It can be seen that different degrees of "extrathyroidal extension" have significant differences in the survival and prognosis of thyroid cancer. This article reviews the latest research progress of extrathyroidal extension, and discusses the significance and clinical research progress of it.甲状腺癌腺外侵犯一直是一项重要的影响患者预后的不良因素。根据最新美国国家综合癌症网络（National Comprehensive Cancer Network，NCCN）指南，甲状腺腺外侵犯是初治患者甲状腺全切的手术指征，其在分化型甲状腺癌中的发生率为5%~34%，隶属于T3-T4分期。在甲状腺癌第八版美国癌症联合委员会（American Joint Committee on Cancer，AJCC）分期中首次将T3分期分为T3a（肿瘤直径4 cm且局限于甲状腺内）及T3b（甲状腺外侵犯明显累及带状肌，无论肿瘤的大小），并将第七版中的"微小外侵（侵犯甲状腺周围组织或带状肌等）"从T分期中直接删除，更改为肉眼可见的带状肌受侵，但这点目前尚存在诸多争议。可见不同程度"甲状腺外侵犯"对于甲状腺癌的生存及预后影响存在显著差异。本文就目前甲状腺癌腺外侵犯的研究进展作一综述，探讨腺外侵犯的意义及临床研究进展。.

报道四川省肿瘤医院头颈外科将计算机辅助设计（computer-aided design，CAD）及3D打印应用于下颌骨良性肿瘤治疗的方法及经验。CAD及3D打印的应用提高了手术的精确性，缩短手术时间，且术后功能及形态恢复良好。CAD及3D打印应用于下颌骨良性肿瘤手术可提高手术的精确性，缩短手术时间，同时有助于皮瓣的选择及制定。.

四川省肿瘤医院收治1例硬软组织复合型缺损的晚期口腔癌患者，运用显微外科技术结合计算机辅助设计及3D打印技术，采用游离髂骨肌皮瓣联合游离前臂皮瓣修复复杂性缺损并达到满意的修复效果。.

Thyroid tumors are one of the most common diseases, and the thyroidectomy surgery increases. The outpatient surgery is the new trend in clinic. Is it suited for the thyroidectomy? In this article, we will analyse the setting of hospital, surgeon, surgery, patients, and so on, to prove the safety for the outpatient thyroidectomy. After the analysis, the safety of outpatient thyroidectomy surgery will be ensured only if strictly controlling the condition of hospital, surgeons and patients, and following the relation indications.甲状腺肿瘤是目前最常见的疾病，而甲状腺手术日益增多。现今日间手术已成为外科手术新的趋势，那么日间手术是否适宜甲状腺手术？本文通过对医院、医生、手术、患者等方面探讨，分析其安全性。经过本文的分析，发现只要从医院、患者和医生各个层面严格把控，严控相关适应证，在各方面都完备的情况下，甲状腺日间手术的安全性是能够得到保障的。.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth common malignant tumors of whole body with a high incidence, which accounts for 90% of the head and neck malignant tumors. Previous studies have shown the risk factors, such as tobacco and alcohol, are related to the occurrence and development of HNSCC. However, recent studies have shown that the non-tobacco and non-alcohol related HNSCC increased year by year. At the same time, more and more studies have shown that HNSCC is related to the infection with human papilloma virus (HPV), and the occurrence and development of HPV-positive HNSCC has own characteristics in epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis. In this paper the research progress for HPV-positive HNSCC is reviewed.头颈鳞状细胞癌(鳞癌)发病率较高，在全身恶性肿瘤中位居第6位，占头颈部恶性肿瘤的90%。过去一般认为烟草、酒精等危险因素与头颈鳞癌发生、发展有关，但新近研究表明，非烟酒相关的头颈鳞癌逐年增加。同时，越来越多的研究表明，头颈鳞癌与人乳头状瘤病毒(HPV)感染相关，其发生、发展具有自身独特的流行病学及临床特点。本文就HPV阳性的头颈鳞癌相关研究作一综述。.

Background and objective The survival outcomes of patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) differ significantly between individuals. The aim of this study is to build a prognostic score model (PSM) incorporating circulating tumour markers for metastatic NPC in an epidemic area. Methods Seven hundred and ninety-nine patients with disseminated NPC were analysed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariable analyses were conducted using the Cox proportion hazards model. Factors analysed included patients, characteristics (gender, age group, performance status), circulating tumour-marker characteristics (Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) DNA level, EBV VCA-IgA level, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) level), basic laboratory characteristics (leucocyte count, haemoglobin level, albumin level), and disease characteristics (presence of metastasis at presentation, disease-free interval, number of metastatic sites, specific metastatic sites). The PSM was built according to numerical score derived from the regression coefficients of each independent prognostic variable. The prognostic score of each patient was calculated by totalling up the scores of each independent variable. Results Independent prognostic factors included performance status, age, haemoglobin level, LDH level, ALP level and EBV DNA level. Three prognostic groups based on PSM were obtained: low risk (total score = 0–4); intermediate risk (5–8); high risk (9–12). Median survivals of the three groups were 25.5, 15.1 and 7 months, respectively, (P Conclusion Clinical and laboratory characteristics can help guide the prognostication of patients with metastatic NPC in epidemic areas.

Two new zinc(II) complexes, [ZnBr2L1] (I) and [ZnBr2L2] (II), where L1 is 2-[(2-isopropylaminoethylimino)methyl]-5-methoxyphenol and L2 is N,N-dimethyl-N′-(1-pyridin-2-yl-ethylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine, were prepared and characterized using elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. In complex I, the Zn(II) atom is coordinated by one phenolic O and one imino N atoms of L1 and two Br atoms, forming a tetrahedral coordination geometry. In complex II, the Zn(II) atom is in a trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry with the equatorial plane formed by the imino N atom of L2 and two Br atoms and with the two axial positions occupied by one pyridine N and one amino N atoms of L2. In the crystal structure of I, the mononuclear zinc complex molecules are linked through intermolecular N-H…O and N-H…Br hydrogen bonds, forming chains running along the y axis. The chains are further linked via intermolecular C-H…Br hydrogen bonds. In the crystal structure of II, the mononuclear zinc complex molecules are linked through intermolecular C-H…Br hydrogen bonds, forming a 3D network.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex disease trait of unknown aetiology. Genome-wide linkage studies in human SLE identified several linkage regions, including one at 1q23, which contains multiple susceptibility genes, including the members of the signalling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) locus. In mice there is a syntenic linkage region, Sle1. The SLAM genes are functionally related cell-surface receptors, which regulate signal transduction of cells in the immune system. Family-based association study in UK and Canadian SLE families identified variants in the promoter and coding region of SLAMF7 and LY9 contributing to SLE disease susceptibility. The strongest association was from rs509749, in exon 8 of LY9 (P=0.00209). rs509749 encodes a Val/Met nonsynonymous change in amino acid 602 in the cytoplasmic domain of LY9. In the parents and affected individuals from the Canadian SLE families, the risk allele of rs509049 skews the T-cell population by increasing the number of CD8+ memory T cells, while decreasing the proportion of CD4+ naïve T cells and activated T cells. Since rs509749 lies within the consensus binding site for SAP/SH2D1a, which influences downstream signalling events from LY9, the mechanism for increased CD8+ memory T cells may include differential binding SAP/SH2D1a to the cytoplasmic domain of LY9.

Application of free flap is one of the important repair means in head and neck surgery. A variety of free flaps, such as anterolateral thigh flap, have showed unique advantages in repair for tissue defects after resection of head and neck tumor, and have became increasing popularity. Lateral arm flee flap is an important repair means in plastic surgery, which has developed more than 30 years, but the application of this flap for reconstruction in head and neck surgery is relatively backward, with few reports. This review focuses on the creativity and innovation, the relationship between anatomy and clinical application, and the application status and prospects for lateral arm flee flap in individual head and neck reconstruction surgery.

Subgrade is the base of highway structures, so to evaluate its construction quality accurately is very important to ensure the required strength of the whole highway. Several subgrade segments under construction of Tai-Ao highway in China were selected as engineering examples, the point-to-point test mode was adopted, and then the deflections, dielectric values and compaction degrees were in-situ tested with the new and traditional NDT (Non-destructive testing) devices or control methods such as FWD (dynamic falling weight deflectometer), BB (static Benkenlman beam), PFWD (portable falling weight deflectometer), GPR (ground penetrating radar), special dielectric constant device, and sand cone method, and FWD, PFWD and GPR are proved to be the rapid and precise devices for quality control of the highway subgrade.

A method for direct imposition of essential boundary condition and treatment of material discontinuity in element free galerkin (EFG) method is presented. By using the actual displacements at the nodes on the essential boundary and the material interface in each material domain, the stiffness matrix and load vector at an integral point have been rewritten and transformed. As a result, the proposed method yields a positive, symmetrical and banded global stiffness matrix like it is in finite element methods and has the advantages of stabilization and easy implementation as compared to the penalty method, the Lagrange method, and other methods. Numerical results indicate that the present method is effective and retains high rates of convergence for both displacements and energy.

To study the protective effect for Chinese medicine of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis (PBCRBS) on vascular endothelial cells (VEC) in rats, aiming at further research on the mechanism of blood stasis syndrome and PBCRBS.Establishing a model of blood stasis with endothelial damage by means of giving rats an injection of adrenalin and making it swim in ice-cold water, then measuring the number of circulating endothelial cells (CEC) in whole blood and rheology. Moreover observing the change of the above indexes after the rats have taken Leech, Radix salviae miltrorrhizae (RSM) and its composite recipe for 5 days or 10 days.It could increase the number of CEC accompanied by whole blood viscosity, fibrinogen and hematocrit in rats with blood stasis. But for groups taking Chinese medicine, the number of CEC was decreased distinctively and blood rheology was improved.The rat with blood stasis syndrome suffered from obvious injury of VEC. The Leech, RSM and its composite recipe could protect VEC.

A new pentacyclic triterpenoid saponin, lucyoside R, has been isolated from the leaves of Luffa cylindrica along with lucyoside G. Its stucture was established as 2 alpha, 21 beta-dihydroxyhederagenin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside based on spectral and chemical evidence.

Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) promotes the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) to the acceptor site of the ribosome. During the elongation cycle, EF-Tu interacts with guanine nucleotides, aa-tRNA and its nucleotide exchange factor (EF-Ts). Quantitative determination of the equilibrium dissociation constants that govern the interactions of mammalian mitochondrial EF-Tu (EF-Tu(mt)) with guanine nucleotides was the focus of the work reported here. Equilibrium dialysis with [3H]GDP was used to measure the equilibrium dissociation constant of the EF-Tu(mt) x GDP complex (K(GDP) = 1.0 +/- 0.1 microM). Competition of GTP with a fluorescent derivative of GDP (mantGDP) for binding to EF-Tu(mt) was used to measure the dissociation constant of the EF-Tu(mt) x GTP complex (K(GTP) = 18 +/- 9 microM). The analysis of these data required information on the dissociation constant of the EF-Tu(mt) x mantGDP complex (K(mGDP) = 2.0 +/- 0.5 microM), which was measured by equilibrium dialysis. Both K(GDP) and K(GTP) for EF-Tu(mt) are quite different (about two orders of magnitude higher) than the dissociation constants of the corresponding complexes formed by Escherichia coli EF-Tu. The forward and reverse rate constants for the association and dissociation of the EF-Tu(mt) x GDP complex were determined using the change in the fluorescence of mantGDP upon interaction with EF-Tu(mt). These values are in agreement with a simple equilibrium binding interaction between EF-Tu(mt) and GDP. The results obtained are discussed in terms of the recently described crystal structure of the EF-Tu(mt) x GDP complex.

The 9p21 gene cluster, harboring growth suppressive genes p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a, is one of the major aberration hotspots in human cancers. It was shown that p14ARF and p16INK4a play active roles in the p53 and Rb tumor suppressive pathways, respectively, and p15INK4b is a mediator of the extracellular growth inhibition signals. To elucidate specific targets and aberrations affecting this subchromosomal region, we constructed a detailed alteration map of the 9p21 gene cluster by analyzing homozygous deletion, hypermethylation, and mutation of the p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a genes individually in 40 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and compared the genetic alterations with mRNA expression in 18 of these samples. We detected aberrant promoter methylation of the p16INK4a gene in 16 (40%), of p14ARF in 6 (15%), and of p15INK4b in 5 (12.5%) tumor samples. Most p16INK4a methylations were exclusive, whereas all but one of the p14ARF/p15INK4b methylations were accompanied by concomitant p16INK4a methylation. We detected homozygous deletion of p16INK4a in 7 (17.5%), of p14ARF-E1beta in 13 (33%), and of p15INK4b in 16 (40%) tumor samples. Most deletions occurred exclusively on the E1beta-p15INK4b loci. Two samples contained p14ARF deletion but with p16INK4a and p15INK4b intact. No mutation was detected in the p14ARF and p16INK4a genes. Comparative RT-PCR showed good concordance between suppressed mRNA expression and genetic alteration for p15INK4b and p16INK4a genes in the 18 frozen samples, whereas 5 of the 13 cases with suppressed p14ARF mRNA expression contained no detectable E1beta alteration but aberrations in the p16INK4a locus. Our results show that in human ESCCs, p14ARF is a primary target of homozygous deletion along with p15INK4b, whereas p16INK4a is the hotspot of hypermethylation of the 9p21 gene cluster. The frequent inactivation of the p14ARF and p16INK4a genes may be an important mechanism for the dysfunction of both the Rb and p53 growth regulation pathways during ESCC development.

Human mitochondrial phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (mtPheRS) has been identified from the human EST database. Using consensus sequences derived from conserved regions of the alpha and beta-subunits from bacterial PheRS, two partially sequenced cDNA clones were identified. Unexpectedly, sequence analysis indicated that one of these clones was a truncated form of the other. Detailed analysis indicates that unlike the (alphabeta)2 structure of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cytoplasmic forms of PheRS, the human mtPheRS consists of a single polypeptide chain. This protein has been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Gel filtration and analytical velocity sedimentation centrifugation indicate that the human mtPheRS is active in a monomeric form. The N-terminal 314 amino acid residues appear to be analogous to the alpha-subunit of the prokaryotic PheRS, while the C-terminal 100 amino acid residues correspond to a region of the beta-subunit known to interact with the anticodon of tRNAPhe. Comparisons with the sequences of PheRS from yeast and Drosophila mitochondria indicate they are 42 % and 51 % identical with the human mtPheRS, respectively. Sequence analysis confirms the presence of motifs characteristic of class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. KM and kcat values for ATP:PPi exchange and for the aminoacylation reaction carried out by human mtPheRS have been determined. Evolutionary origins of this small monomeric human mtPheRS are unknown, however, implications are that this enzyme is a result of the simplification of the more complex (alphabeta)2 bacterial PheRS in which specific functional regions were retained.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) was found to have an analgesic effect in the peripheral nervous system. Both electrophysiological and behavioural experiments suggested an anti-noceiceptive effect of IL-2 in animals. Biochemical experiments revealed that IL-2 could displace diprenorphine binding in both NG 108-15 cells and HEK 293 cells transfected with pCDNA3-DOR (delta opioid receptor). Furthermore, IL-2 significantly inhibited cAMP production stimulated by forskolin in both NG 108-15 and transfected HEK 293 cells, indicating that the binding of IL-2 to the delta opioid receptor is functional.

The major species of voltage-gated potassium channel found on mammalian T lymphocytes is referred to as the type n channel. This potassium channel exhibits unique functional properties which distinguish it from other species of potassium channels, including a potential role in the onset of cellular events associated with T cell activation. As a first step in characterizing specific biochemical properties of the type n channel, we have generated polyclonal antisera against bacterial fusion proteins containing peptide regions unique to the mouse and human type n channel. From membranes of T cell lines derived from both mouse (SAK 8 cell line) and human (Jurkat cell line), the type n channel can be immunoprecipitated following either surface labeling with 125I or metabolic labeling with 32P. The apparent molecular mass of the immunoprecipitated type n channel is approximately 65 kDa, significantly greater than that of the 58-kDa in vitro translated product, and suggestive of post-translational modification events. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the metabolically labeled Jurkat type n channel reveals phosphorylation of serine residues exclusively. In vitro studies also describe the ability of both protein kinase A and protein kinase C to phosphorylate the Jurkat type n channel. The former kinase also appears to phosphorylate a 40-kDa protein which co-immunoprecipitates with the type n channel. These data suggest that direct phosphorylation of the T lymphocyte type n potassium channel or its associated 40-kDa subunit may serve as a means by which channel activity is regulated.

Three compounds were isolated from the leaves of Luffa cylinderica Roem. Their structure have been identified as 21 beta-hydroxy-gypsogenin (L-2), 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-arjunolic acid (L-8) and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-21-beta-hydroxyhederangenin (L-10), respectively, by spectroscopic (IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, EI-MS and FAB-MS) and chemical methods. L-2 and L-10 are new compounds.

Low stringency hybridization screening of a rat genomic DNA library with a previously described cDNA clone encoding a rat voltage-gated potassium channel has resulted in the characterization of a member of the potassium channel family, RGK5. An uninterrupted nucleotide sequence encodes a protein 525 amino acids in length, revealing that the entire coding region resides on a single exon. RGK5 transcripts are present in both mouse thymus and rat brain, as determined by Northern blot analysis. RNA transcribed in vitro from RGK5 genomic DNA directs the expression of functional potassium currents after injection into Xenopus oocytes. The currents are activated by depolarization, being half-activated at -14 mV, and inactivate almost completely during depolarizations of 1 to 2 s. The properties of the currents strongly resemble those of the type n potassium channel present on both immature thymocytes and Th lymphocytes.

In order to search for effective antimyocardial ischemic agents, fourteen new 3-[4-[(3-alkylamino-2-hydroxy)propoxy]phenyl(benzyl)]-substituted 4(3H)-quinazolinones (II) were synthesized. Substituted o-aminobenzoic acids used as the starting materials were allowed to react with acetic anhydride and then p-amino-phenol (method A), or with N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)formamide (method B), or with thionyl chloride and then N-(4-hydroxybenzyl)formamide (method C) to form 3-[(4-hydroxyphenyl(benzyl)]-substituted 4(3H)-quinazolinones (III). The intermediate III reacted with epichlorohydrin to form the epoxides (IV). The reaction of IV with an excess of isopropylamine or tert-butylamine in boiling chloroform gave the desired products. Of all the compounds synthesized, compounds II3-5 and II13 were found to increase the tolerance of mice to hypoxia. Further evaluation is in progress.

Purpose: To develop a procedure for conducting true 3D treatment planning and evaluation using a novel 3D display device integrated with a conventional treatment planning system for a multi‐institutional planning study. Method and Materials: The 3D display device, Perspecta, includes 3D cursor and beam placement tools and renders auto‐stereoscopic images with a resolution of about 100 million voxels. Treatment planning calculations occur within Pinnacle and scripts are used to transfer all plan information bidirectionally between Pinnacle and Perspecta. Perpsecta includes software (PerspectaRad) to integrate information for displaying and planning. The procedure includes: 1) Transfer of contour information from Pinnacle to Perspecta; 2) Determining or refining beam orientations utilizing Perspecta; 3) Transferring the plan back to Pinnacle for dose calculation; 4) Transferring the dose distribution to Perspecta for evaluation in 3D. Results: By using this procedure, true 3D treatment planning and evaluation has been conducted for the first 11 cases in a multi‐institutional study. Beam placement was readily accomplished on the 3D device. Geometric relationships of beams and target volumes were reproducible and consistent after transfer between the devices. All relevant target volumes and doses were visualized on both devices and evaluated on both 3D and conventional devices. Conclusions: We have successfully established reliable, bi‐directional integration of a true 3D display with a treatment planning system that calculates dose in 3D. We believe that this results in enhanced understanding of anatomic, dosimetric, and geometric relationships which can in turn be used to more readily improve and/or optimize DVH and isodose distributions beyond what can be done with multiplanar 2D and pseudo 3D displays on flat CRT screens. We are in the process of confirming this impression with a prospective, multi‐institutional study designed to test this issue. Conflict of Interest: Actuality Systems Inc. provided the 3D display Perspecta used in this study.

Purpose: The goal of this study is to measure MTF of two dual‐screen CR systems, and to explain the correlation between their system resolution and the physical properties of phosphor screens. Method and Materials:Modulation transfer function(MTF) is commonly used method to characterize the performance of an imaging system. The well‐established edge method is used to quantify the MTF of digital radiographic systems. We use a sharply polished edge slanted with respect to sampling detector grid, which allows measurement of oversampled edge function profiles. The focus of this study is on the comparison of the presampled MTFs obtained for different thicknesses of phosphor screens and pixel sizes. MTFs were measured with both diagnostic and 6 MV x‐rays. The storage phosphors used in this study were two commercially available CR plates: Kodak EC‐L fast and Kodak EC‐L regular cassettes. Results: The scan times per pixel for both high (0.171 mm) and low (0.342 mm) resolution are much shorter than 558 μs of the dominant luminescence lifetime for Gd 2 O 2 S:Tb , used in this study. Consequently, the spatial resolution of KODAK 2000RT CR system is lower in the scan direction than in the moving direction due to the afterglow effect. A comparison of the MTFs with Kodak EC‐L fast and regular cassettes indicates that the spatial resolution of dual‐screen CR systems does not depend on the total thickness of phosphor screens but is determined by the thickness of the thicker phosphor screen in the dual‐screen CR system. Conclusion:MTFs in laser scan direction roll off faster than in phosphor transport direction with KODAK 2000RT CR system. The resolution is related to the thickness of individual phosphors layers.

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and efficacy of terminating life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmia by low-energy synchronous or asynchronous shocks delivered through a transesophageal catheter that had both an anode and a cathode. Forty-three episodes of ventricular fibrillation or flutter (Vf or VF) were provoked by transesophageal asynchronous random shocks occurring during the vulnerable period of the ventricular cycle in seven dogs and seven pigs that were healthy adults. The 43 episodes of Vf or VF were terminated by the transesophageal technique. The defibrillation energy thresholds were 23.11 +/- 6.28 J (range, 5-30 J). Seven episodes of ventricular tachycardia (VT) with a cycle length of 360 msec or less (330 +/- 27 msec) were provoked by ventricular pacing stimuli during acute myocardial ischemia resulting from delayed resuscitation in two dogs and three pigs. Five of the seven VTs had a duration of 31 seconds or more, and they were all terminated by transesophageal synchronous shocks, the cardioversion thresholds being 1.71 +/- 2.25 J (range, 0.25-5 J). Fourteen episodes of idioventricular tachycardia (IVT) with a cycle length of 400 msec or more (445 +/- 33.5 msec) spontaneously occurred after the use of adrenaline and after defibrillation in four dogs and five pigs. We also succeeded in terminating seven episodes of IVT with a duration of 34 seconds or more by the same means of treating VT, although IVT is not an indication for cardioversion in the clinical setting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Enzyme treatment and mechanical tearing were used to separate syncytiotrophoblast from human placentae in this study. The normal fresh placentae were digested in a collagenase solution and then forced through a stainless steel mesh (mesh no. 60 = 0.301 mm). Smears of syncytiotrophoblast suspensions were stained with Wright's as well as PAS-hemotoxylin. It has given an isolation of 90-95% pure syncytiotrophoblast as obtained by our technique. The viability of the syncytiotrophoblast in the culture at onset and at harvesting was over 90%. The supernatants from short-term cultures of pure syncytiotrophoblast suppressed remarkably the maternal and fetal lymphocyte transformation to phytohemagglutinin and the one-way mixed lymphocyte culture. This effect is not antigen-specific, non-MHC restricted, and not due to non-specific toxic effects of dying cells. Our preliminary results, similar to that reported in the literatures indicate that the direct suppression by syncytiotrophoblasts and their products might play an important role in the protection of the fetus from rejection by the maternal immune system.