Mutations in Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy and their effects on emerin protein expression

Seventeen families with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) have been studied both by DNA sequencing and by emerin protein expression. Fourteen had mutations in the X-linked emerin gene, while three showed evidence of autosomal inheritance. Twelve of the 14 emerin mutations caused early termination of translation. An in-frame deletion of six amino acids from the C-terminal transmembrane helix caused almost complete absence of emerin from muscle with no localization to the nuclear membrane, although mRNA levels were normal. This shows that mutant emerin proteins are unstable if they are unable to integrate into a membrane. A 22 bp deletion in the promoter region was expected to result in reduced emerin production, but normal amounts of emerin of normal size were found in leucocytes and lymphoblastoid cell lines. This shows that DNA analysis is necessary to exclude emerin mutations in suspected X-linked EDMD. Emerin levels in female carriers often deviated from the expected 50% and this was due, in at least two families, to skewed emerin mRNA expression from the normal and mutated alleles. In one family with a novel deletion of the last three exons of the emerin gene, a carrier had a cardiomyopathy and very low emerin levels (<5% of normal) due to skewed X-inactivation. In the three autosomal cases of EDMD, emerin was normal on western blots of blood cells, which suggests that autosomal EDMD is not caused by indirect reduction of emerin levels.      

Anxiety during pregnancy and fetal attachment after in-vitro fertilization conception

The aim of this study was to compare 70 couples who had conceived by in- vitro fertilization (IVF) with 63 matched controls for the prevalence of anxiety and quality of attachment to the baby during pregnancy. Results for mothers showed no group differences using a global measure of anxiety, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. However, pregnancy-specific measures revealed significantly higher levels of anxiety in IVF mothers about the survival and normality of their unborn babies, about damage to their babies during childbirth and about separating from their babies after birth. When IVF mothers were differentiated according to the number of treatment cycles, more differences in anxiety level were revealed, with most increases occurring in mothers who had experienced two or more treatment cycles. IVF fathers did not differ from controls on the global anxiety measure. No data on pregnancy-specific anxiety were available for fathers. Neither IVF mothers nor IVF fathers differed from controls on measures of attachment to the baby during pregnancy. Results are discussed in the context of the need for researchers to employ differentiated and issue-specific measures to identify concerns that may be unique to IVF couples. Clinical implications regarding the need for psychological support during pregnancy are also discussed.      

Microglia are more susceptible than macrophages to apoptosis in the central nervous system in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through a mechanism not involving Fas (CD95)

Morphological studies have shown that macrophages and microglia undergo apoptosis in the central nervous system (CNS) in acute experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in the Lewis rat. To assess the relative levels of macrophage and microglial apoptosis, and the molecular mechanisms involved in this process, we used three-colour flow cytometry to identify CD45lowCD11b/c+ microglial cells and CD45highCD11b/c+ macrophages in the inflammatory cells isolated from the spinal cords of Lewis rats 13 days after immunization with myelin basic protein (MBP) and complete Freund's adjuvant. Simultaneously, we analyzed the DNA content of these cell populations to assess the proportions of cells undergoing apoptosis and in different stages of the cell cycle or examined their expression of three apoptosis- regulating proteins, i.e. Fas (CD95), Fas ligand (FasL) and Bcl-2. Microglia were highly vulnerable to apoptosis and were over-represented in the apoptotic population. Macrophages were less susceptible to apoptosis than microglia and underwent mitosis more frequently than microglia. The different susceptibilities of microglia and macrophages to apoptosis did not appear to be due to variations in Fas, FasL or Bcl- 2 expression, as the proportions of microglia and macrophages expressing these proteins were similar, and were relatively high. Furthermore, in contrast to T cell apoptosis, apoptosis of microglia/macrophages did not occur more frequently in cells expressing Fas or FasL, or less frequently in cells expressing Bcl-2. These results indicate that the apoptosis of microglia and CNS macrophages in EAE is not mediated through the Fas pathway, and that Bcl-2 expression does not protect them from apoptosis. Expression of FasL by macrophages and microglia may contribute to the pathogenesis and immunoregulation of EAE through interactions with Fas+ oligodendrocytes and Fas+ T cells. The high level of microglial apoptosis in EAE indicates that microglial apoptosis may be an important homeostatic mechanism for controlling the number of microglia in the CNS following microglial activation and proliferation.      

肝包虫病合并HBV感染患者Th17、CD4+细胞表面PD-1/PD-L1的表达水平及意义

目的探讨肝包虫合并乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)感染患者辅助性T细胞17(Th17)、CD4⁺细胞表面程序性死亡分子-1/程序性死亡分子1配体(PD-1/PD-L1)的表达水平及其临床意义。方法选取2014年9月一2019年9月新疆医科大学第一附属医院收治的肝包虫病患者作为研究对象﹐其中100例肝包虫病合并HBV感染患者为合并HBV感染组,肝包虫病无HBV感染患者88例为非HBV感染组﹐采用流式细胞仪检测外周血Th17,CD4⁺细胞表面PD-1,PD-L1表达水平。结果合并HBV感染组患者乙型肝炎家族史,B~C Child分级占比均高于非HBV感染组(P<0.05);肝功能指标[谷丙转氨酶(ALT)、谷草转氨酶(AST),γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(γ-GT)]水平以及Th17 PD-1、Th17 PD-L1,CD,PD-1,CD4⁺PD-L1表达水平均高于非HBV感染组(P<0.05);Child分级A级肝包虫病患者的Th17 PD-1,Th17 PD-L1,CD4⁺PD-1,CD4⁺PD-L1表达水平均低于Child分级B~C级患者(P<0.05)。结论HBV感染会影响肝包虫病患者的肝功能及外周血Th17,CD4⁺细胞表面PD-1,PD-L1表达水平,肝功能严重程度可能与外周血Th17,CD4⁺细胞PD-1,PD-L1表达存在关系。     

山西省高中生睡眠时间现状及其影响因素研究

目的 了解山西省高中生睡眠时间现状及其影响因素。方法 采用分层随机抽样的方法,于2021年5月从山西省117个县（区）各随机抽取一所高中,从高中一、二年级中各随机抽取一个班学生,每个班随机抽取男生女生各17名,共7 956名,采用自编电子问卷进行问卷调查。结果 山西省高中生每日睡眠时间中位数为7.9 h,睡眠不足率为54.0%。性别（OR = 1.138,95%CI:1.032～1.255）、是否近视（OR = 0.798,95%CI:0.711～0.895）、母亲学历（大专或本科:OR = 1.740,95%CI:1.429～2.119）、家庭人均月收入（1 000～1 999元:OR = 0.690,95%CI:0.594～0.802;2 000～3 999元:OR = 0.818,95%CI:0.707～0.947;≥6 000元:OR = 0.681,95%CI:0.544～0.853）、是否参加体育社团（OR = 1.356,95%CI:1.169～1.572）、是否住校（OR = 1.993,95%CI:1.799～2.208）、每周中等强度运动次数（≥5次/周:OR = 1.142,95%CI:1.031～1.264）、中等强度运动时间（31～60 min/次:OR = 0.856,95%CI:0.758～0.966）、每日写作业时间（2～3 h/d:OR = 1.592,95%CI:1.098～2.308;＞3 h/d:OR = 1.924,95%CI:1.364～2.716）会影响高中生睡眠时间（P＜0.05）。经Hosmer - Lemeshow拟合优度检验,χ2 = 9.100,P＞0.05。结论 山西省高中生睡眠不足率相对较高。学校应合理安排学生的作息时间和适当减轻学生的学习负担来保证学生有充足的睡眠时间。     

Respiratory syncytial virus genotypes and disease severity among children in hospital

OBJECTIVES: To determine the spectrum of N and G genotypes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causing respiratory tract infection and whether particular genotypes are associated with severity of infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) were obtained from 114 infants with acute respiratory tract infection due to RSV over two seasons. Viral mRNA was extracted from NPAs or cultured virus, reverse transcribed, and the cDNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction using primers directed to parts of the N and G gene respectively. Amplicons were separately digested with four different restriction endonucleases for each gene. The fragments were separated by agarose gel, electrophoresis, and the electrophoretic patterns used to assign the various genotypes. Disease severity was assessed as very mild (upper respiratory tract signs only), mild (coryza and signs of lower respiratory tract infection), moderate (requiring nasogastric or intravenous fluids), and severe (requiring oxygen or ventilation). RESULTS: Five of the six known N genotypes were detected, but NP4 and NP2 were found most frequently. There was no association between N genotype and disease severity. Six G (SHL) genotypes were detected. Significantly (p = 0.04) more of the infants infected with the SHL2 genotype had severe or moderate disease. CONCLUSIONS: During the seasonal peaks of RSV respiratory tract infection at least 10 different RSV genotypes cocirculated. While there is no association between N genotypes and disease severity, infection with the SHL2 G genotype appears to result in moderate to severe disease.     

Total but not resting energy expenditure is increased in infants with ventricular septal defects

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of left-to-right shunting on the resting energy expenditure (REE), total energy expenditure (TEE), and energy intake in a group of 3- to 5-month-old infants with moderate to large unrepaired ventricular septal defects (VSDs) compared with age-matched, healthy infants. METHODS: Eight infants with VSDs and 10 healthy controls between 3 to 5 months of age participated in the study. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure REE and the doubly-labeled water method was used to measure TEE and energy intake. An echocardiogram and anthropometric measurements were performed on all study participants. Daily urine samples were collected at home for 7 days. Samples were analyzed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Data were compared using analysis of variance. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in REE (VSD, 42.2 +/- 8.7 kcal/kg/d; control, 43.9 +/- 14.1 kcal/kg/d) or energy intake (VSD, 90.8 +/- 19.9 kcal/kg/d; control, 87.1 +/- 11.7 kcal/kg/d) between the groups. The percent total body water was significantly higher in the VSD infants and the percent fat mass was significantly lower. TEE was 40% higher in the VSD group (VSD, 87.6 +/- 10.8 kcal/kg/d; control, 61.9 +/- 10.3 kcal/kg/d). The difference between TEE and REE, reflecting the energy of activity, was 2.5 times greater in the VSD group. CONCLUSIONS: REE and energy intake are virtually identical between the two groups. Despite this, infants with VSDs have substantially higher TEE than age-matched healthy infants. The large difference between TEE and REE in VSD infants suggests a substantially elevated energy cost of physical activity in these infants. These results demonstrate that, although infants with VSDs may match the energy intake of healthy infants, they are unable to meet their increased energy demands, resulting in growth retardation.