Objective To explore the value of synchrotron radiation micro-CT(SR-pCT)and automatic marker watershed image segmentation for quantifying three-dimensional local bone tissue and blood vessels in mouse models of breast cancer tibia metastasis.Methods Mouse models with breast cancer bone metastasis in tibia were established and underwent oral Vatalanib,injection of Bevacizumab,combination of Vatalanib or Bevacizumab,or injection of placebo,respectively.On the 8th day(time point T1)and the 22nd day(time point T2)after injection of tumor cells,the tibia bone was scanned using combined vascular contrast injection and SR-pCT,and high-resolution simultaneous imaging of local bone tissue and vascular network were achieved.Then bone tissue and vessels on images were segmented using automatic marker watershed image-segmentation method,global threshold method and region growing method,respectively,and the quality of segmentations were assessed with Dice similarity coefficient(DSC).The anatomical quantitative parameters of tibia with breast cancer metastasis were obtained,including the fraction of bone volume in total volume(BV/TV),fraction of vessel volume in total volume(VV/TV),the mean thickness of bone(B.Th)and the mean thickness of vessel(V.Th).The anatomical quantitative parameters were compared among different treatments at the same time point,also between different time points under the same treatment.Results DSC for segmentation of local tibia bone tissue and vascular structures based on automatic marker watershed image segmentation method were all greater than 0.95,higher than that of other methods(all P＜0.05).No significant difference of anatomical quantitative parameters was found under different treatments at T1(all P＞0.05),and V.Th under the combined treatment were lower than that under other treatments at T2(all P＜0.05).Compared with T1,BV/TV and B.Th at T2 increased while VV/TV at T2 decreased in tibia metastasis under combination treatment(all P＜0.05),BV/TV,B.Th and V.Th at T2 increased under Vatalanib or Bevacizumab treatment(all P＜0.05),and BV/TV and B.Th at T2 increased under placebo(both P＜0.05).Conclusion The combination of SR-pCT and automatic marker watershed method could be used to initially quantify three-dimensional structures of local bone tissue and blood vessels in mouse models of breast cancer tibia metastasis.

To clarify the genetic diversity and structure of the nucleus population of F1-generation Litopenaeus vannamei, this study utilized 15 pairs of highly polymorphic microsatellite primers to analyze the simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and genetic diversity in 15 full-sib families of L. vannamei. A total of 112 alleles (N_a) and 60.453 effective alleles (N_e) were identified among the selected 15 SSR loci, with the average polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.648. The average N_e, observed heterozygosity (H_o), and expected heterozygosity (H_e) in the 15 F1 families varied from 1.925 to 2.626, 0.425 to 0.783, and 0.403 to 0.572, respectively. The 15 full-sib families were primarily clustered into three categories in the phylogenetic analysis, with the genetic distance between families ranging from 0.252 to 0.574. Additionally, the genetic differentiation coefficient (F_st) among the families varied from 0.112 to 0.278, indicating substantial genetic differentiation. Overall, this study suggested that the genetic diversity of the 15 full-sib families was moderate, providing valuable genetic insights for the subsequent breeding initiatives aimed at enhancing the tolerance of L. vannamei to high levels of soybean meal.
Penaeidae/classification* ; Microsatellite Repeats/genetics* ; Animals ; Genetic Variation ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Phylogeny ; Alleles ; Genetic Markers

Objective To report a familial steroid responsive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome,describe the clinic and pathologic features of the family and screen the potential mutations of NPHS2 in the kindred. Methods Clinopathological data of the family members were collected(including patients) . The reports on familial steroid responsive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome were reviewed. The characteristics were compared between them. NPHS2 mutation was screened through DHPLC for the patients. Resutts There were two brothers with steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome in this family,and the renal pathology was minimal change disease. One of them had massive proteinuria and hypertension,whose renal biopsy showed mild mesangial proliferative nephritis. In this family,any mutation in NPHS2 gene was not found as it was reported in other populations. Conclusions The present study is the first report of familial steroid responsive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in Chinese population. No relationship between the disease and NPHS2 gene mutation in this family is found.