Magnetic resonance image findings of placental lake: report of two cases

Two cases with a large cystic mass within the placenta are reported. By ultrasonography, it was found that both women had a subchorionic hypoechoic lesion (11.0 × 4.8 × 4.0 cm and 6.6 × 3.7 × 2.2 cm, respectively) at 24 and 35 weeks of gestation, respectively. In both cases, turbulent blood flow generated by a pulsatile jet flow (pulse rate; 40 to 60 beats per minute) into the cystic lesion seen on real-time imaging and lesions being low intensity on T1-weighted and isointensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance image suggested that they contained fresh maternal blood. In both cases, the sonolucency of the lesions did not change until cesarean deliveries of females, both of whom were small-for-gestational-age infants (1940 g at 37 weeks and 2195 g at 37 weeks, respectively). Biochemical analysis of the fluid in the cystic lesion sampled during the cesarean section in the latter case confirmed that the fluid had originated from the maternal blood. These lesions histologically corresponded to large avillous areas surrounded by normal villi. Thus, a huge placental lake was diagnosed in both cases. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

全氟辛烷磺酸(PFOS)对斑马鱼卵黄蛋白原mRNA水平的影响

为了研究环境低剂量全氟辛烷磺酸（perfluorooctane sulfonate,PFOS）对水生生物的内分泌干扰效应和可能的作用机制,测定了PFOS对斑马鱼（Brachydanio rerio）肝脏中卵黄蛋白原（vitellogenin,VTG）mRNA水平的影响.将斑马鱼暴露于4个PFOS的环境低剂量浓度组（0.1、1、10、100μg.L-1）中进行21d毒性试验,收集肝脏样品,提取RNA,采用荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）分别检测VTG1和VTG3的mRNA水平.结果表明：①PFOS暴露引起雄性斑马鱼肝脏VTG1和VTG3 mRNA水平升高,VTG1 mRNA水平升高与剂量呈正相关,在100μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异;VTG3的mRNA水平变化与剂量呈倒U型曲线,呈现典型的毒物刺激荷尔蒙效应,在10和100μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异;②PFOS暴露引起雌性斑马鱼肝脏中VTG1 mRNA水平升高,在10μg.L-1暴露浓度处与对照组呈现显著性差异,但在高浓度（10和100μg.L-1）处试验结果误差较大;VTG3 mRNA水平只在10μg.L-1暴露浓度处升高,但相比于对照组均没有显著性差异.试验结果表明PFOS暴露对斑马鱼的内分泌干扰作用明显,其毒性作用机制可能是类雌激素效应,而肝脏中VTG1和VTG3mRNA水平可能作为PFOS内分泌干扰效应评价的敏感生物标志物,但VTG1和VTG3 mRNA水平的响应曲线呈现基因亚型和性别差异.     

Correlation of foliar MT2b expression with Cd and Zn concentrations in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides) grown in contaminated soil

Metal uptake and its effect on foliar metallothionein 2b (MT2b) mRNA levels were studied in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula × tremuloides) in field conditions. The trees were planted on a site contaminated with several metals, including cadmium (mean 5.1 mg kg⁻¹), chromium (80 mg kg⁻¹), copper (180 mg kg⁻¹), nickel (81 mg kg⁻¹), vanadium (240 mg kg⁻¹) and zinc (520 mg kg⁻¹). Of the ten trace elements analyzed, only Cd and Zn accumulated in the leaves with maximal foliar concentrations of 35 and 2400 mg kg⁻¹ (dry weight), respectively. There was a strong correlation between Cd and Zn concentrations and bioaccumulation factors (concentration in plant/soil) in the leaves, branches and roots, suggesting similar transport mechanisms for these two metals. The levels of MT2b correlated with Cd and Zn concentrations in the leaves, demonstrating that increased MT2b expression is one of the responses of hybrid aspen to chronic metal exposure.     

Zebrafish embryos/larvae for rapid determination of effects on hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis: mRNA expression

To identify and prioritize chemicals that may affect thyroid and adrenal/interregnal endocrine system and to reduce cost and animal use by conventional toxicity assay, an in vivo screening assay was developed using zebrafish embryos/larvae based on measurement of expression of genes that were suggested to play important roles in hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis. Model chemicals that could modulate HPT and HPI axis in adult fish were selected in assay validation, including anti-thyroid agent 6-Propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) and cytochrome P450 11B (Cyp11b) enzyme inhibitor metyrapone (MET). Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of model chemical from 4 h post-fertilization (hpf) to 5 d post-fertilization (dpf). Exposure to PTU increased mRNA expression of sodium iodide symporter (nis) and thyroglobulin (tg) involved in HPT axis, and MET treatment up-regulated all the mRNA expression tested involved in HPI axis by a compensatory mechanism. These results suggested that HPT and HPI axis were active upon chemical exposure at least at 5 dpf zebrafish. Furthermore, we studied the effects of PTU or MET on the cross-talk between HPT and HPI axis. The results demonstrated that PTU and MET could affect cross-talk responses in zebrafish embryos/larvae.