The effect of short or long sleep duration on quality of life and depression: an internet-based survey in Japan

BackgroundTo date, no previous studies have evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and quality of life (QOL) or depression in the general population after controlling for daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 8698 subjects aged 20–69 years. We examined the relationships between weekday sleep duration and daytime sleepiness, sleep disturbance, QOL and depression, using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (without the item for sleep duration), 8-item Short Form and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsDaytime sleepiness tended to increase in proportion to shorter weekday sleep durations. Sleep disturbances, physical and mental QOL, and CES-D scores were worse in both the shorter and longer sleep groups compared with the group with 7–8 h of sleep. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses revealed that short sleep duration but not long sleep duration was significantly associated with reduction of both physical and mental QOL, even after controlling for the presence of daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbance. Both short and long sleep duration were independently and significantly correlated with depression after controlling for daytime sleepiness; however, there was no statistically significant association after adjusting for the effects of sleep disturbance.ConclusionsThe results suggested adverse effects of short sleep but not long sleep on both physical and mental QOL. In addition, the negative impact of specific types of sleep disturbance on depression may be greater than the impact of shortening of sleep duration.     

Effects of Bisphenol A on expression of genes related to amino acid transporters,insulin- like growth factor,aquaporin and amino acid release by porcine trophectoderm cells

The peri-implantation period of pregnancy is critical for conceptus development, implantation, and signaling for establishment of pregnancy. This study evaluated the effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on proliferation, adhesion, and migration of porcine trophectoderm (pTr2) cells, expression of transporters of arginine and synthesis of amino acids. All concentrations of BPA decreased proliferation and adhesion of pTr2 cells after 96 h compared to the control group. Lower concentrations of BPA (1 × 10⁻⁹, 1 × 10^-8, 10^-7M) increased (P < 0.05), but higher concentrations of BPA (1 × 10^-5, 1 × 10^-4 M) decreased migration of pTr2 cells. BPA increased expression of SLC7A1 mRNA at lower concentrations (1 × 10⁻⁹ to 1 × 10^-6M) and SL7A6, another cationic acid transporter, at higher concentrations (1 × 10^-5, 1 × 10^-4 M). BPA also down-regulated the expression of IGF1 and IGF1 receptor at concentrations of 1 × 10^-7 to 1 × 10^-4 M compared to the control group. The expression of mRNAs for aquaporins (AQP) 3 and 4 were reduced at all concentrations of BPA, but at lower concentrations of BPA, (1 × 10⁻⁹ to 1 × 10^-8M) expression of AQP9 mRNA increased and the expression of AQP11 was not affected by BPA (P > 0.05). There was an inhibitory effect of BPA on the release of synthesis of asparagine, threonine, taurine, tryptophan, and ornithine into the culture medium by pTr2 cells. Collectively, BPA adversely affected the expression of transporters for cationic amino acids like arginine, as well as AQPs, IGF1, and IGF1R associated with proliferation, migration, and adhesion of pTr2 cells. Those adverse effects would likely increase pregnancy losses during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy.     

Non alcoholic fatty liver disease and risk of incident diabetes in subjects who are not obese

Background and aims

It is not known whether non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for diabetes in non obese, non centrally-obese subjects. Our aim was to investigate relationships between fatty liver, insulin resistance and a biomarker score for liver fibrosis with incident diabetes at follow up, in subjects who were neither obese nor centrally-obese.

Association between de novo lipogenesis susceptibility genes and coronary artery disease

Background and aimsCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the principal cause of death in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to use genetic epidemiology to study the association between de novo lipogenesis (DNL), one of the major pathways leading to NAFLD, and CAD risk.Methods and resultsDNL susceptibility genes were used as instruments and selected using three approaches: 1) genes that are associated with both high serum triglycerides and low sex hormone-binding globulin, both downstream consequences of DNL (unbiased approach), 2) genes that have a known role in DNL (biased approach), and 3) genes that have been associated with serum fatty acids, used as a proxy of DNL. Gene-CAD effect estimates were retrieved from the meta-analysis of CARDIoGRAM and the UK Biobank (～76014 cases and ～264785 controls). Effect estimates were clustered using a fixed-effects meta-analysis. Twenty-two DNL susceptibility genes were identified by the unbiased approach, nine genes by the biased approach and seven genes were associated with plasma fatty acids. Clustering of genes selected in the unbiased and biased approach showed a statistically significant association with CAD (OR:1.016, 95%CI:1.012; 1.020 and OR:1.013, 95%CI:1.007; 1.020, respectively), while clustering of fatty acid genes did not (OR:1.004, 95%CI:0.996–1.011). Subsequent exclusion of potential influential outliers did reveal a statistically significant association (OR:1.009, 95%CI:1.000; 1.018).ConclusionsDNL susceptibility genes are associated with an increased risk of CAD. These findings suggest that DNL may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAD and favor further development of strategies that target NAFLD through DNL.     

极速实时荧光聚合酶链反应与常规方法对新型布尼亚病毒检测的评价

目的探讨极速实时荧光聚合酶链反应(polymerase chain reaction,PCR)、实时荧光PCR、酶联免疫吸附测定(enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,ELISA)和胶体金免疫层析法(gold immunochromatography assay,GICA)4种方法检测新型布尼亚病毒的特异度和灵敏度,为发热伴血小板减少综合征的早期诊断提供依据。方法采集2017年6月1日至9月30日山东大学附属济南市传染病医院86例临床诊断为发热伴血小板减少综合征患者的血清样本,分别应用极速实时荧光PCR、实时荧光PCR、ELISA和GICA 4种方法进行检测。统计学分析采用χ^2检验。结果86份患者血清标本中,极速实时荧光PCR、实时荧光PCR、IgM-ELISA、IgG-ELISA、IgM-GICA、IgG-GICA的新型布尼亚病毒阳性分别为82份(95.34%)、79份(91.86%)、41份(47.67%)、8份(9.3%)、19份(22.09%)和3份(3.49%)。极速实时荧光PCR特异度为100%,灵敏度达到1×103拷贝/mL,3次重复扩增试验显示其Ct值变异系数均<2%。在发热伴血小板减少综合征进展的1期、2期、3期病程中,极速实时荧光PCR的阳性检出率为41份(97.62%)、34份(94.44%)、7份(87.50%),实时荧光PCR的阳性检出率为39份(92.86%)、33份(91.67%)、7份(87.50%),在1期和2期两个病程,极速实时荧光PCR阳性检出率略高;IgM-ELISA阳性检出率从1期(28.57%)到3期(87.50%)显著增高,2期、3期与1期相比,差异均有统计学意义(χ^2=8.347、7.561,均P<0.01);IgM-GICA的阳性检出率从1期(14.29%)到2期(33.33%)也有增高,差异有统计学意义(χ^2=3.962,P<0.05),但与其他方法相比,其检出率偏低。1期,实时荧光PCR阳性检出率显著高于ELISA(IgM和IgG)和GICA(IgM和IgG),差异均有统计学意义(χ^2=33.740、55.080、49.010、64.340,均P<0.01)。2期,实时荧光PCR的阳性检出率高于ELISA(IgM和IgG)和GICA(IgM和IgG),差异均有统计学意义(χ^2=7.700、46.720、23.700、50.630,均P<0.01)。3期,极速实时荧光PCR、实时荧光PCR和IgM-ELISA表现出同样高的阳性检出率,远高于IgG-ELISA和GICA(IgM和IgG)。实时荧光PCR阳性检出率和IgG-ELISA、IgM-GICA、IgG-GICA之间差异均有统计学意义(均χ^2=6.250,P<0.05)。结论极速实时荧光PCR在新型布尼亚病毒的早期检测中有更高的灵敏度和特异度,且重复性好、稳定度高,与传统实时荧光PCR相比大大缩短了扩增时间,对发热伴血小板减少综合征的早期快速诊断具有重要价值。     

一腓骨肌萎缩症家系临床及基因分析

目的分析一腓骨肌萎缩症家系的临床表现及不同基因检测方法的特点。方法收集一CMT家系8名成员临床资料,并应用等位基因特异性PCR-双酶切方法及多重连接依赖的探针扩增技术(MLPA)检测PMP22基因突变情况,同时选择60名性别、年龄无明显差异的健康人做为对照组。结果该家系中患病者以行走不稳、跨阈步态,伴有弓形足为主要临床表现。该家系中5名成员经等位基因特异性PCR-双酶切及MLPA方法均检测出PMP22基因重复序列,其中出现临床症状的有4名(Ⅱ3、Ⅱ9、Ⅱ11、Ⅲ7),未出现临床症状但基因检测结果示PMP22基因重复序列的为携带者有1名(Ⅲ5),家系中余3名成员及对照组60名均未见重复序列。结论基因检测在明确CMT诊断中起重要作用,且MLPA法筛查基因时操作更简便、灵敏度更高、特异性更好。     

C端带Myc和多聚组氨酸双重标签基因的改构体J-HNP-1在COS-7细胞的转染表达

目的改构α-防御素-1(HNP-1)使其成为一端带J链的改构体J-HNP-1分子,并探索建立能有效表达和分泌J-HNP-1,其表达产物又易于被检测和分离纯化的哺乳动物细胞表达系统。方法利用重组PCR技术,使HNP-1一端带上J链;将J-HNP-1 DNA片段插入哺乳动物细胞表达载体pcDNA3.1(-)/Myc-HisC中,构建出C端带Myc和6×His的rpcDNA3.1(-)/Myc-HisC/J-HNP-1;将此重组真核表达载体导入COS-7细胞,分别从mRNA和蛋白质水平分析J-HNP-1的表达情况,并同步检测细胞可溶性蛋白及培养上清的抗菌活性。结果采用RT-PCR法从被转染的细胞中扩增出1条约786bp的片段,其大小与预测相符;采用Western印迹法,用抗His抗体检测到细胞可溶性蛋白及培养上清在相对分子质量约24×103处有强反应条带显示;细胞可溶性蛋白及培养上清的抗菌活性检测显示,经rpcDNA3.1(-)/Myc-HisC/J-HNP-1转染的COS-7细胞的可溶性蛋白和培养上清均有明显的抗菌活性。结论α-防御素-1(HNP-1)被成功改构成杀菌肽J-HNP-1;所建立的J-HNP-1哺乳动物细胞表达载体系统能有效表达和分泌活性J-HNP-1。     

Analysis of the strain relatedness of oral Candida albicans in patients with diabetes mellitus using polymerase chain reaction‐fingerprinting

To increase our understanding of Candida pathogenicity, the identification of those strains most frequently associated with infections is of paramount importance. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐based methods are extremely effective in differentiating and determining reproducibility, they require minimum starting material and are rapid and simple to perform. In this study, the genetic relatedness of Candida albicans was assessed for two geographically different patient groups (London, UK and Parma, Italy) affected by diabetes mellitus. C. albicans samples from the oral cavities of non‐diabetic healthy subjects were also examined by PCR fingerprinting to evaluate the possible genetic differences among endogenous strains in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus. PCR fingerprinting, with subsequent phylogenetic analysis of C. albicans isolates from the diabetic patients from London and Italy and from the non‐diabetic subjects, revealed that there were significant differences (P < 0.0001) between C. albicans isolates indicative of the distinct ecological niches that occur in the oral cavities of these patient cohorts. The most diverse group comprised the isolates from the diabetic patients in the UK, possibly reflecting the antifungal treatment that these patients had received. Further studies that include isolates from patient cohorts with systemic diseases other than diabetes mellitus, and from more diverse geographic localities are required to explain the relatedness of C. albicans isolates in the mouth.     

An experimentally supported, mathematical explanation of the gas chromatographic elution behaviour of the long-chain carbon members of the homologous series

By substituting the saturated vapour phase tension of the pure normal hydrocarbons described by the Clausius-Clapeyron law into the accepted expression of the specific retention volume (V_g,T), a theoretically coherent and relatively simple mathematical evidence of the elution behaviour of the homologous members has been deduced. It gives exponential retention time dependence on carbon number for isothermal, and nearly equidistant (i.e., approximately linear retention-time dependence on carbon number) elution for linear temperature programmed gas chromatographic runs. The final equations are in close correlation with the experimental results. Special emphasis is placed on the fact that a good approximation—not strict physical laws—have been found.