Chromosome 1R was microdissected and collected from mitotic metaphase spreads of rye (Secale cereale L.) by using glass needles. The isolated chromosomes were amplified in vitro by Sau3A linker adaptor-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After amplification, the presence of rye-specific DNA was verified by Southern hybridization. The second-round PCR products from five 1R chromosomes were cloned into a plasmid vector to create a chromosome-specific library, which produced approximately 220,000 recombinant clones. Characterization of the microclone library showed that the 172 clones evaluated ranged in size from 300-1800 bp with an average size of 950 bp, of which approximately 42% were medium/high copy and 58% were low/unique copy clones. Chromosome in situ hybridization confirmed that the PCR products from microdissected chromosomes originated from chromosome 1R, indicating that many chromosome 1R-specific sequences were present in the library.

The initial site of smoking-induced lung disease is the small airway epithelium, which is difficult and time consuming to sample by fiberoptic bronchoscopy. We developed a rapid, office-based procedure to obtain trachea epithelium without conscious sedation from healthy nonsmokers (n=26) and healthy smokers (n=19, 27 ± 15 pack-yr). Gene expression differences (fold-change >1.5, p<0.01, Benjamini-Hochberg correction) were assessed with Affymetrix microarrays. 1,057 probe sets were differentially expressed in healthy smokers vs nonsmokers, representing >500 genes. Trachea gene expression was compared to an independent group of small airway epithelial samples (n=23 healthy nonsmokers, n=19 healthy smokers, 25 ± 12 pack-yr). The trachea epithelium is more sensitive to smoking, responding with 3-fold more differentially-expressed genes than small airway epithelium. The trachea transcriptome paralleled the small airway epithelium, with 156 of 167 (93%) genes that are significantly upand down-regulated by smoking in the small airway epithelium showing similar direction and magnitude of response to smoking in the trachea. Trachea epithelium can be obtained without conscious sedation, representing a less invasive surrogate “canary” for smoking-induced changes in the small airway epithelium. This should prove useful in epidemiologic studies correlating gene expression with clinical outcome in assessing smoking-induced lung disease.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the risk factors of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) of elective craniotomy for patients presenting with brainstem tumors or tumors adjacent to the brainstem. A total of 162 consecutive patients with a brainstem tumor or adjacent brainstem tumor undergoing elective craniotomy were included and monitored. Potential risk factors were identified by data collection and monitoring of the PPCs, as well as the performance of single factor analysis (using the χ2 test). In addition, the independent risk factors of PPCs were screened by logistic analysis. A total of 39 cases of PPC were included in the current study, with an incidence rate of 23.9%. The analysis indicated that smoking history, previous pulmonary diseases, an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification >II and partial tumor resection were risk factors of PPC following an elective craniotomy. Smoking history and partial tumor resection were identified to be independent risk factors of PPCs.