Prospective evaluation of posttransfusion hepatitis

The incidence of posttransfusion hepatitis (PTH) was determined prospectively at our institution. An active surveillance program of transfused surgical patients was set up; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were determined before transfusion and at monthly intervals for 6 months after transfusion. Patients with confirmed ALT values greater than 2.5 times the upper reference values were referred to the out-patient clinics for diagnosis. Of 4051 surgical patients who underwent transfusion between January 1986 and December 1989, 2459 (60.7%) were enrolled in the surveillance program, and 1018 (25.1%) completed the follow-up; 238 patients received autologous blood only and were used as controls. No PTH was observed in the control patients, and the incidence of the disease in patients receiving homologous blood was 10.97 percent in 1986, 6.58 percent in 1987, 5.55 percent in 1988, and 4.29 percent in 1989; the decreasing trend is significant (p = 0.018).     

Nucleotide sequences of novel HLA-B35 subtypes

In recent reports we described novel hybridization patterns (HP) corresponding to 22 potentially new HLA-B locus alleles in a panel of 547 subjects studied by PCR-SSOP. Three of them correspond to new subtypes of B35. To confirm the hybridization results we have isolated DNA from PBL and performed PCR, DNA cloning and nucleotide sequencing. One of the alleles, locally called B-3505v was found in three individuals: two Hispanic, one Caucasoid. It differs from B^*3505 by 3 nucleotide substitutions that lead to changes in residues 94 (Ile > Thr), 95 (Ile > Leu) and 103 (Val > Leu). B-3505v differs from B^*3501 in residues 97 and 103. Another allele called B-3508v, was found in 7 individuals, (6 of 122 Toba Indians, 1 of 18 Pilaga Indians). It differs from B^*3509 in two silent nucleotide substitutions (codons 135 and 138) and in one substitution in residue 156 (Arg > Leu). The new allele has a hybrid sequence between B^* 3508 and B^*4801. A third subtype, locally called B-3504v, observed in two Hispanic individuals, is identical to B^*3512. B^*3512 differs from B^*3504 by 3 nucleotides and one amino acid. Substitutions in residue 95 contribute to the structure of specificity pocket F, 97 to C and E, and 156 to pockets D and E. Therefore it is possible that some of the new alleles may have different peptide binding profiles. Since differences in residue 156 have been shown to affect allorecognition and mediate GvHD, identification of such variants may have important implications in transplantation and perhaps in studies of immune responses to peptides and pathogens.     

H4 acetylation, XIST RNA and replication timing are coincident and define x;autosome boundaries in two abnormal X chromosomes

The inactive X (Xi) differs from its active homologue (Xa) in a number of ways, including increased methylation of CpG islands, replication late in S phase, underacetylation of histone H4 and association with XIST RNA. Global changes in DNA methylation occur relatively late in development, but the other properties all change during or shortly after the establishment of Xi and may play a role in the mechanism by which an inactive chromatin conformation spreads across most of the chromosome. In the present report, we use two human X;autosome translocation chromosomes to study the spreading of inactive X chromatin across X;autosome boundaries. In one of these chromosomes, t(X;6), Xp distal to p11.2 is replaced by 6p21.1-6pter and, in the other, ins(X;16), a small fragment derived from 16p13 is inserted into the distal third of Xq. In lymphoid cells from patients carrying these translocations in an unbalanced form, Xi was shown by HUMARA assay to be derived exclusively [t(X:6)] or predominantly [ins (X;16)] from the derived X chromosome. We used a combination of immunolabelling and RNA/DNA fluorescence in situ hybridization to define the distribution of XIST RNA, deacetylated H4 and late-replicating DNA across the two derived X chromosomes in inactive form. Within the limits of the cytogenetic techniques employed, the results show complete coincidence of these three parameters, with all three being excluded from the autosomal component of the derived X chromosome.      

A scenario analysis of the future residential requirements for people with mental health problems in Eindhoven

Background  

Despite large-scale investments in mental health care in the community since the 1990 s, a trend towards reinstitutionalization has been visible since 2002. Since many mental health care providers regard this as an undesirable trend, the question arises: In the coming 5 years, what types of residence should be organized for people with mental health problems? The purpose of this article is to provide mental health care providers, public housing corporations, and local government with guidelines for planning organizational strategy concerning types of residence for people with mental health problems.     

DFNB74, a novel autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment locus on chromosome 12q14.2-q15

Autosomal recessive nonsyndromic hearing impairment (ARNSHI) segregating in three unrelated, large consanguineous Pakistani families (PKDF528, PKDF859 and PKDF326) is linked to markers on chromosome 12q14.2-q15. This novel locus is designated DFNB74 . Maximum two-point limit of detection (LOD) scores of 5.6, 5.7 and 2.6 were estimated for markers D 12 S 313, D 12 S 83 and D 12 S 75 at θ = 0 for recessive deafness segregating in these three families. Haplotype analyses identified a critical linkage interval of 5.35 cM (5.36 Mb) defined by D 12 S 329 at 74.58 cM and D 12 S 313 at 79.93 cM. DFNB74 is the second ARNSHI locus mapped to chromosome 12, but the physical intervals do not overlap with one another. A locus contributing to the early onset, rapidly progressing hearing loss of A/J mice ( ahl4 , age-related hearing loss 4) was reported to map to chromosome 10 in a region of conserved synteny to DFNB74 , suggesting that ahl4 and DFNB74 may be due to mutations of the same gene in these two species.