Histone deacetylase inhibitors augment doxorubicin-induced DNA damage in cardiomyocytes

Histone deacetylase inhibitors have emerged as a new class of anticancer therapeutics with suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (Vorinostat) and depsipeptide (Romidepsin) already being approved for clinical use. Numerous studies have identified that histone deacetylase inhibitors will be most effective in the clinic when used in combination with conventional cancer therapies such as ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic agents. One promising combination, particularly for hematologic malignancies, involves the use of histone deacetylase inhibitors with the anthracycline, doxorubicin. However, we previously identified that trichostatin A can potentiate doxorubicin-induced hypertrophy, the dose-limiting side-effect of the anthracycline, in cardiac myocytes. Here we have the extended the earlier studies and evaluated the effects of combinations of the histone deacetylase inhibitors, trichostatin A, valproic acid and sodium butyrate on doxorubicin-induced DNA double-strand breaks in cardiomyocytes. Using γH2AX as a molecular marker for the DNA lesions, we identified that all of the broad-spectrum histone deacetylase inhibitors tested augment doxorubicin-induced DNA damage. Furthermore, it is evident from the fluorescence photomicrographs of stained nuclei that the histone deacetylase inhibitors also augment doxorubicin-induced hypertrophy. These observations highlight the importance of investigating potential side-effects, in relevant model systems, which may be associated with emerging combination therapies for cancer.     

Frequency-dependent survival in natural guppy populations

The maintenance of genetic variation in traits under natural selection is a long-standing paradox in evolutionary biology. Of the processes capable of maintaining variation, negative frequency-dependent selection (where rare types are favoured by selection) is the most powerful, at least in theory; however, few experimental studies have confirmed that this process operates in nature. One of the most extreme, unexplained genetic polymorphisms is seen in the colour patterns of male guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Here we manipulated the frequencies of males with different colour patterns in three natural populations to estimate survival rates, and found that rare phenotypes had a highly significant survival advantage compared to common phenotypes. Evidence from humans and other species implicates frequency-dependent survival in the maintenance of molecular, morphological and health-related polymorphisms. As a controlled manipulation in nature, this study provides unequivocal support for frequency-dependent survival--an evolutionary process capable of maintaining extreme polymorphism.     

上海市百岁老人的谱系及其分析

本文调查了上海市百岁老人的性别、职业和谱系,并绘制了57个完整的寿命谱系图,其中男性10名(占总数的17.5%),女性47名(占82.5%).男性中脑力劳动者4名(占男性总数的40%),体力劳动者6名(占60%);女性中脑力劳动者1人(占女性总数的2.1%),体力劳动者3人(占6.4%),操持家务者43人(占91.5%).有长寿家族史者40人(占寿命家族史清楚者的70.2%),无长寿家族史者17人(占29.8%).百岁老人配偶寿长≥70岁者,其已故子女的平均寿命高于配偶<70岁的.作者认为长寿是遗传的,并着重从遗传和环境两方面分析了女寿星数明显多于男寿星数的原因.     

协方差矩阵的MINQUE和简单估计的比较

在二次损失函数下,作者研究了多元线性模型协方差矩阵的MINQUE估计和简单估计的比较问题,其中多元线性模型的设计矩阵和离散矩阵可以不满秩,得到了一个充分和必要条件。     

心肌宁冲剂对抗垂体后叶素所致大鼠急性心肌缺血实验研究

心肌宁冲剂按1.75g/kg,0.875g/kg剂量,每天早晚分两次灌胃给药,连续7天,均能明显对抗垂体后叶素所诱发的大鼠急性心肌缺血的心电图改变。     

宇航员头部冲击的模拟创伤实验研究

该文通过３４只罗猴头颈实验研究，从中决定罗猴的颅脑损伤容限．当颅脑受到冲击时，颅壳发生局部变形瞬间，大脑亦发生变形，致使颅内压升高．利用这些结果来确定它的损伤机制，以模拟宇航员在冲击载荷下的创伤分析模型，将有助于进行临床创伤治疗和宇航弹射时的防护．