Association study of polymorphisms between DISC1 and schizophrenia in a Korean population

To further clarify schizophrenia (SCZ), disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is a promising candidate gene expressed predominantly within the hippocampus. Several lines of evidence suggest that DISC1 may be involved in susceptibility to SCZ. In this study, we investigated whether genetic polymorphisms in the coding region of DISC1 were associated with several SCZ clinical phenotypes in a Korean population. To examine any association between DISC1 and SCZ, we genotyped three clinical single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs3738401, R264Q; rs3738402, L465L; rs821616, S704C) in the coding region of the DISC1 gene using the Illumina Sentrix Array Matrix chip and direct sequencing in 303 patients with SCZ and 300 healthy controls. Our case-control analysis showed that none of these SNPs was associated with SCZ. In further endophenotype stratification, however, we found a significant association between rs821616 and the poor concentration subgroup of SCZ, determined using the Operational Criteria Checklist (codominant model, p=0.015). Our results suggest that DISC1 may be a susceptibility gene for poor concentration among Korean patients with SCZ.     

Maintenance of serum immunoglobulin G antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 2 in healthy individuals from different age groups in a Japanese population with a high childhood incidence of asymptomatic primary EBV infection

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigens 2 and 1 (EBNA-2 and EBNA-1, respectively) were studied using sera from healthy individuals of a population with a high incidence of asymptomatic primary EBV infections during infancy or childhood in Japan. Two CHO-K1 cell lines expressing EBNA-2 and EBNA-1 were used for anticomplement and indirect immunofluorescence assays. The positivity rate for EBNA-2 IgG rose in the 1- to 2-year age group, increased and remained at a plateau ( approximately 45%) between 3 and 29 years of age (3- to 4-, 5- to 9-, 10- to 14-, and 15- to 29-year age groups), and then reached 98% by age 40 (>/== 40-year age group). Both seropositivity for EBNA-1 and seropositivity for EBNAs in Raji cells (EBNA/Raji) were detected in the 1- to 2-year age group, remained high, and finally reached 100% by age 40. The geometric mean titer (GMT) of EBNA-2 IgG reached a plateau in the 5- to 9- and 10- to 14-year-old groups and remained elevated in the older age groups (15 to 29 and >/== 40 years). The GMT of EBNA-1 IgGs increased to a plateau in the 1- to 2-year-old group and remained unchanged in the older age groups. The GMT of EBNA/Raji IgGs also reached a plateau in the 1- to 2-year-old group, remained level throughout the 3- to 14-year age groups, and decreased in the 15- to 29-year-olds. EBNA-2 IgGs emerged earlier than EBNA-1 IgGs in 8 of 10 patients with infectious mononucleosis, who were between 1 and 27 years old, and declined with time in three of eight cases. These results suggest that EBNA-2 IgG antibodies evoked in young children by asymptomatic primary EBV infections remain elevated throughout life, probably because of reactivation of latent and/or exogenous EBV superinfection.     

Methylprednisolone induces reversible clinical and pathological remission and loss of lymphocyte reactivity to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of human multiple sclerosis (MS). EAE, induced by immunisation with myelin-associated autoantigens, is characterised by an inflammatory infiltrate in the central nervous system (CNS) associated with axonal degeneration, demyelination and damage. We have recently shown in an experimental mouse model of autoimmune gastritis that methylprednisolone treatment induces a reversible remission of gastritis with regeneration of the gastric mucosa. Here, we examined the effect of oral methylprednisolone on the mouse EAE model of human MS induced by immunisation with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG(35-55)). We examined the clinical scores, CNS pathology and lymphocyte reactivity to MOG(35-55) following treatment and withdrawal of the steroid. Methylprednisolone remitted the clinical signs of EAE and the inflammatory infiltrate in the CNS, accompanied by loss of lymphocyte reactivity to MOG(35-55) peptide. Methylprednisolone withdrawal initiated relapse of the clinical features, a return of the CNS inflammatory infiltrate and lymphocyte reactivity to MOG(35-55) peptide. This is the first study to show that methylprednisolone induced a reversible remission in the clinical and pathological features of EAE in mice accompanied by loss of lymphocyte reactivity to the encephalitogen. This model will be useful for studies directed at a better understanding of mechanisms associated with steroid-induced disease remission, relapse and remyelination and also as an essential adjunct to an overall curative strategy.     

欠发达地区贫困大学生心理健康与应对方式、社会支持的调查研究

目的 了解欠发达地区贫困大学生心理健康状况与社会支持、应对方式的关系,为高校贫困大学生心理卫生工作提供依据.方法 采用症状自评量表(SCL-90)、领悟社会支持评定量表、简易应对方式问卷对安顺学院大学生进行问卷调查,对276份有效问卷进行分析.结果 贫困大学生心理健康水平与朋友支持相关较高,应对方式影响大学生的心理健康水平;80后和90后贫困大学生在抑郁、焦虑、人际关系和敌对因子存在显著差异(t值分别为-2.20,-2.50,2.40,-2.22;P＜0.05);多元逐步回归分析发现,朋友支持、积极应对和消极应对能够预测心理健康.结论 社会支持、应对方式与心理健康存在关联.需改善贫困大学生的社会支持系统,引导他们采用积极的应对方式.     

第2骶椎骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道的分析

目的　利用数字化仿真技术确定并测量第二骶椎骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道参数。 方法　将2011年4月至2011年7月入院的8例无骨盆病变患者（男性4例,女性4例,年龄25~53岁）的CT数据集导入Mimics10.01进行三维重建,利用数字化仿真技术生成骶椎阴模,利用透视骶椎阴模确定S2骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道,利用空间解析几何测量相关参数。 结果　8例共16侧资料的S2骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道均能以此方法确定。最佳进钉通道参数：最大半径男性为（6.38±0.54）mm,女性为（4.9±0.74）mm;深度男性为（68.93±3.49）mm,女性为（58.43±8.16）mm;与矢状面夹角男性为（73.48±8.57）°,女性为（79.93±　5.29）°;与横截面夹角男性为（14.07±6.22）°,女性为（6.95±4.81）°;与冠状面夹角男性为（7.12±7.11）°,女性为（5.87±5.01）°。最佳进钉点及最佳进钉终点的确定方法为：在骨盆出口位X线透视图像上,作一边长分别水平及垂直并恰好包围骨盆的矩形,以左下角顶点为原点,左上角顶点为（0,1）,右下角顶点为（1,0）建立二维直角坐标系,进钉点坐标男性为（0.5±0.26,0.52±0.04）,女性为（0.49±0.24,0.47±0.10）;进钉终点坐标男性为（0.5±0.01,0.59±0.07）,女性为（0.5±0.02,0.49±0.14）。在骨盆入口位X线透视图像上,用相同的方法作一矩形并定义坐标系,进钉点坐标男性为（0.5±0.26,0.52±0.04）,女性为（0.49±0.24,0.47±0.10）,进钉终点坐标男性为（0.5±0.01,0.78±0.01）,女性为（0.5±0.02,0.81±0.03）。S2骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道参数男女对比“最大半径”、“深度”、“与横截面夹角”、“进钉点前后相对位置”有统计学差异（P<0.05）,余无统计学差异。 结论　数字化仿真技术能精确确定S2骶髂螺钉最佳进钉通道参数。     

高血压患者血液流变学危险指标的分析

目的：探讨湛江市高血压疾病与其血液流变学危险指标的关系。方法：测量高血压患者的各项血液流变学指标,并分析其血液流变特性及危险指标。结果：男性高血压患者血液流变学指标血沉方程Ｋ值、ＥＳＲ、ＨＣＴ、ｎｂ、ｕｐ、ηｒ、ＦＡＤ、ＦＩＢ、ＥＰＴ明显高于对照组,差异非常显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）。女性高血压患者血液流变学指标：ＥＳＲ、Ｋ、ＦＩＢ、ηｐ、ＦＡＤ、ＭＷ、ＤＷ明显高于对照组,差异非常显著（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：湛江市男女高血压患者血液流变性危险指标表现不同。     

Risk Factors Predicting Severe Asthma Exacerbations in Adult Asthmatics: A Real-World Clinical Evidence

PurposeMinimizing the future risk of asthma exacerbation (AE) is one of the main goals of asthma management. We investigated prognostic factors for risk of severe AE (SAE) in a real-world clinical setting.MethodsThis is an observational study evaluating subjects who were diagnosed with asthma and treated with anti-asthmatic medications from January 1995 to June 2018. Risk factors for SAE were analyzed in 2 treatment periods (during the initial 2 years and the following 3–10 years of treatment) using the big data of electronic medical records.ResultsIn this study, 5,058 adult asthmatics were enrolled; 1,335 (28.64%) experienced ≥ 1 SAE during the initial 2 years of treatment. Female sex, higher peripheral eosinophil/basophil counts, and lower levels of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1; %) were factors predicting the risk of SAEs (P < 0.001 for all). Higher serum total immunoglobulin E levels increased the risk of SAEs among the patients having ≤ 2 SAEs (P = 0.025). Patients with more frequent SAEs during the initial 2 years of treatment had significantly higher risks of SAEs during the following years of treatment (P < 0.001, for all) (patients with ≥ 4 SAEs, odds ratio [OR], 29.147; those with 3 SAEs, OR, 14.819; those with 2 SAEs, OR, 9.867; those with 1 SAE, OR, 5.116), had higher maintenance doses of systemic steroids, and showed more gradual decline in FEV1 (%) and FEV1/forced vital capacity levels maintained during the following years of treatment (P < 0.001 for all).ConclusionsAsthmatics having risk factors for SAEs (female sex, higher peripheral eosinophil/basophil counts, and lower FEV1) should be strictly monitored to prevent future risk and improve clinical outcomes.