Identification of viral and atypical bacterial pathogens in children hospitalized with acute respiratory infections in Hong Kong by multiplex PCR assays

Acute respiratory tract infection is a leading cause of hospital admission of children. This study used a broad capture, rapid and sensitive method (multiplex PCR assay) to detect 20 different respiratory pathogens including influenza A subtypes H1, H3, and H5; influenza B; parainfluenza types 1, 2, 3, and 4; respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) groups A and B; adenoviruses; human rhinoviruses; enteroviruses; human metapneumoviruses; human coronaviruses OC43, 229E, and SARS‐CoV; Chlamydophila pneumoniae; Legionella pneumophila; and Mycoplasma pneumoniae; from respiratory specimens of 475 children hospitalized over a 12‐month period for acute respiratory tract infections. The overall positive rate (47%) was about twice higher than previous reports based on conventional methods. Influenza A, parainfluenza and RSV accounted for 51%, and non‐cultivable viruses accounted for 30% of positive cases. Influenza A peaked at March and June. Influenza B was detected in January, February, and April. Parainfluenza was prevalent throughout the year except from April to June. Most RSV infections were found between February and September. Adenovirus had multiple peaks, whereas rhinovirus and coronavirus OC43 were detected mainly in winter and early spring. RSV infection was associated with bronchiolitis, and parainfluenza was associated with croup; otherwise the clinical manifestations were largely nonspecific. In general, children infected with influenza A, adenovirus and mixed viruses had higher temperatures. In view of the increasing concern about unexpected outbreaks of severe viral infections, a rapid multiplex PCR assay is a valuable tool to enhance the management of hospitalized patients, and for the surveillance for viral infections circulating in the community. J. Med. Virol. 81:153–159, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

A multiplex immunoassay demonstrates reductions in gingival crevicular fluid cytokines following initial periodontal therapy

Thunell DH, Tymkiw KD, Johnson GK, Joly S, Burnell KK, Cavanaugh JE, Brogden KA, Guthmiller JM. A multiplex immunoassay demonstrates reductions in gingival crevicular fluid cytokines following initial periodontal therapy. J Periodont Res 2009; doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0765.2009.01204.x. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: Cytokines and chemokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the effect of initial periodontal therapy on gingival crevicular fluid levels of a comprehensive panel of cytokines and chemokines, including several less extensively studied mediators. Material and Methods: Clinical examinations were performed and gingival crevicular fluid samples obtained from six subjects with generalized severe chronic periodontitis prior to initial periodontal therapy and at re‐evaluation (6–8 weeks). Four diseased and two healthy sites were sampled in each subject. Twenty‐two gingival crevicular fluid mediators were examined using a multiplex antibody capture and detection platform. Statistical analyses were performed by fitting mixed effects linear models to log‐transformed gingival crevicular fluid values. Results: Gingival crevicular fluid interleukin (IL)‐1α and IL‐1β were the only cytokines to differ in initially diseased vs. initially healthy sites. Following initial therapy, 13 of the 16 detectable cytokines and chemokines decreased significantly in diseased sites, including IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐3, IL‐6, IL‐7, IL‐8, IL‐12 (p40), CCL5/regulated on activation, normally T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), eotaxin, macrophage chemotactic protein‐1, macrophage inflammatory protein‐1α and interferon‐γ. At healthy sites, only three of the 16 mediators were significantly altered following therapy. Conclusion: This is the first study, to our knowledge, to evaluate such an extensive panel of gingival crevicular fluid mediators within the same sample prior to and following initial therapy. The results confirm that periodontal therapy effectively reduces pro‐inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including less well‐described mediators that may be important in initiation and progression of periodontitis. The multiplex assay will prove useful for future gingival crevicular fluid studies.     

Frequency of partial D in Western India

summary .  Partial D is of clinical importance as the partial D-positive individuals who lack some epitopes of D antigen can develop anti-D if exposed to normal D antigen. The frequency of partial D varies in different populations. The majority of molecular studies on D variants have been reported in European, African and some East Asian populations, but no study has been reported in the Indian population so far. The aim of the study was to screen Indian population for detection of partial D by serology and classify them by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR). The study population, consisting of 10 000 RhD-positive individuals from West India, was screened for detection of partial D using the partial D kit. In addition to these, blood samples referred because of serological RhD discrepant results from blood banks of West India were also investigated. The samples identified as partial D from these two groups were further characterized by M-PCR. Fifteen partial D cases were identified by population screening and 45 were identified from referred samples. Population screening revealed that one third of partial D was DFR when tested by partial D kit. We were able to classify 63·4 and 76·6% of partial D by partial D kit and M-PCR, respectively. The incidence of partial D in West India was found to be at least 0·15% when tested with partial D kit. DFR partial D was found to be predominant in the present study.     

Multiplex analysis of serum hormone and cytokine in patients with cervical cOPLL: towards understanding the potential pathogenic mechanisms

Cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (cOPLL) is one of the major causes of myelopathy. However, the mechanism underlying remains elusive. In the present study, using MILLIPLEX magnetic bead panel, we investigated four serum hormones and six serum cytokines in cOPLL patients and healthy subjects. The results showed that tumor necrosis factore-α (TNF-α) were significantly increased, and DDK-1 was significantly decreased in the serum from male and female cOPLL patients compared with those from healthy controls, respectively. Osteopontin (OPN) and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) were significantly increased in male cOPLL patients compared with that in healthy male controls. Further analysis showed that FGF-23 and OPN significantly increased, dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) decreased in the extensive cOPLL group. In addition, a significant positive correlation between the OPN and FGF-23 was observed in male cOPLL patients. The results are useful for understanding the mechanism underlying cOPLL.     

Familial transmission of schizophrenia in Palau: A 20‐year genetic epidemiological study in three generations

Our genetic epidemiological studies of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (SCZ) in the isolated population of Palau have been ongoing for 20 years. Results from the first decade showed that Palau has an elevated prevalence of SCZ and that cases cluster in extended multigenerational pedigrees interconnected via complex genetic relationships after centuries of endogamous, but not consanguineous, marriages. The aim of our second decade of research, which extended data collection into a third generation of young, high‐risk (HR) Palauans, was to identify significant predictors of intergenerational transmission of illness. Our findings revealed that degree of familial loading and gender effects on reproductive fitness are important modifiers of risk for transmission of SCZ. Among 45 distinct multiplex families, we identified 10 high‐density (HD) Palauan families, each with 7–29 SCZ cases, which contain half of Palau's 260 SCZ cases and 80% of the 113 SCZ cases with one or more affected first‐degree relatives, indicating that familial loading is a major risk factor for SCZ in Palau. Cases that belong to multiply affected sibships are more common than cases with an affected parent. Furthermore, only 6/38 multiply affected sibships have an affected parent, strong evidence that many unaffected parents are obligate carriers of susceptibility genes. Although reproductive fitness is dramatically reduced in affected males, the 30% minority who do become fathers are twice as likely as affected mothers to transmit SCZ to an offspring. As they evolve, these HD families can help to elucidate the genetic mechanisms that predict intergenerational transmission of SCZ. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

多重连接探针扩增检测Williams综合征微缺失

MLPA是一种简便快速检测缺失及重复突变的方法,该技术弥补了荧光原位杂交技术的不足,可用于实验室对Williams综合征的快速检测,具有一定临床诊断价值.     

九个X染色体短串联重复基因座复合扩增体系的建立及遗传多态性

目的 发掘更多多态性高的X染色体短串联重复(X-chromsomme short tandem repeats,XSTR)基因座,以解决法医学实践中的特殊案例.方法 建立一组四色荧光复合扩增体系,同时检测DXS7133,DXS981,DXS7424,DXS6789,DXS7132,GATA165B12,DXS101,GATA31E08和DXS10011共9个X-STR基因座,采用ABI PRISM 3100遗传分析仪电泳和GeneMapper ID 3.1软件进行基因分型.结果 用此体系检测华南地区363个无关个体(251名男性,112名女性),9个基因座共检出111个等位基因,女性个体识别率为0.5837～0.9959;三联体非父排除率为0.4072～0.9511;多态性信息含量为0.4481～0.9531.结论 本体系中的基因座多态性高,高多态性的X-STR基因座复合扩增体系能为解决特殊的亲权鉴定案提供快速鉴定技术,是常染色体STR、Y-STR等鉴定方法的良好补充,在法医学实践和临床产前诊断中将有较好的实用价值.     

Surgical treatment of facial steatocystoma multiplex

Facial steatocystoma multiplex is a rare variant of steatocystoma multiplex, which is characterized by multiple disfiguring cysts on the face and is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Noninvasive treatments are only temporarily effective, but surgery of multiple lesions on the face has a risk of major complications. A 31-year-old man presented with papules distributed over his face. We used a flap method and mini-incisional capsulectomy under general anesthesia. We performed needle aspiration and CO2 laser puncture and squeezing on the man in the outpatient clinic when symptoms recurred. There have been several reports suggesting various options for the management of steatocystoma. However, long-term management remains difficult and there is no definite technique to treat facial steatocystoma multiplex. We think that combined use of these surgical methods should be applied with individual evaluation. Size, location, hardness, mobility, depth, and previous scars should be noted, and the relevant methods should be selected for each cyst.