Association study of essential tremor genetic loci in Parkinson's disease

A recent genome-wide association study identified variants associated with essential tremor (ET). The present study aimed to examine potential genetic overlap between ET and Parkinson's disease (PD). The top 22 variants identified by the ET genome-wide association study and 4 additional variants from previous studies were genotyped in a cohort of French and French-Canadian PD patients (n = 717) and controls (n = 595). Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex, was used to test for association between genotype and PD. None of the variants tested in the present study was significantly associated with PD. Our results do not support a role of ET-associated genetic variants in PD.

The incidence of military training-related injuries in Chinese new recruits: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Training-related injuries are the main reason for disability, long-term rehabilitation, functional impairment and premature discharge from military service. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of injuries in the training of Chinese new recruits via a systematic review of the literature.

METHOD

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the combined incidence of military training-related injuries in Chinese new recruits. The electronic databases of full-text journals were searched, and the Loney criteria were used to assess the quality of eligible articles. Summary estimates were obtained using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses and publication bias tests were performed.

RESULTS

Fifty-five eligible articles representing 109 611 Chinese new recruits met the inclusion criteria, of which 21 253 recruits were clinically diagnosed with military training-related injuries. The combined incidence of military training-related injuries in Chinese new recruits was found to be 21.04%.

CONCLUSIONS

An increased incidence of training injuries was found in more recent years, underscoring the need for further research on the risk factors associated with their causation.

Identification of novel risk loci for restless legs syndrome in genome-wide association studies in individuals of European ancestry: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Restless legs syndrome is a prevalent chronic neurological disorder with potentially severe mental and physical health consequences. Clearer understanding of the underlying pathophysiology is needed to improve treatment options. We did a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) to identify potential molecular targets.

METHODS

In the discovery stage, we combined three GWAS datasets (EU-RLS GENE, INTERVAL, and 23andMe) with diagnosis data collected from 2003 to 2017, in face-to-face interviews or via questionnaires, and involving 15 126 cases and 95 725 controls of European ancestry. We identified common variants by fixed-effect inverse-variance meta-analysis. Significant genome-wide signals (p≤5 × 10-8) were tested for replication in an independent GWAS of 30 770 cases and 286 913 controls, followed by a joint analysis of the discovery and replication stages. We did gene annotation, pathway, and gene-set-enrichment analyses and studied the genetic correlations between restless legs syndrome and traits of interest.

FINDINGS

We identified and replicated 13 new risk loci for restless legs syndrome and confirmed the previously identified six risk loci. MEIS1 was confirmed as the strongest genetic risk factor for restless legs syndrome (odds ratio 1·92, 95% CI 1·85-1·99). Gene prioritisation, enrichment, and genetic correlation analyses showed that identified pathways were related to neurodevelopment and highlighted genes linked to axon guidance (associated with SEMA6D), synapse formation (NTNG1), and neuronal specification (HOXB cluster family and MYT1).

INTERPRETATION

Identification of new candidate genes and associated pathways will inform future functional research. Advances in understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie restless legs syndrome could lead to new treatment options. We focused on common variants; thus, additional studies are needed to dissect the roles of rare and structural variations.

FUNDING

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Helmholtz Zentrum München-Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, National Research Institutions, NHS Blood and Transplant, National Institute for Health Research, British Heart Foundation, European Commission, European Research Council, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, and UK Medical Research Council.

Progress in Genetic Studies of Tourette's Syndrome

Tourette's Syndrome (TS) is a complex disorder characterized by repetitive, sudden, and involuntary movements or vocalizations, called tics. Tics usually appear in childhood, and their severity varies over time. In addition to frequent tics, people with TS are at risk for associated problems including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, depression, and problems with sleep. TS occurs in most populations and ethnic groups worldwide, and it is more common in males than in females. Previous family and twin studies have shown that the majority of cases of TS are inherited. TS was previously thought to have an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. However, several decades of research have shown that this is unlikely the case. Instead TS most likely results from a variety of genetic and environmental factors, not changes in a single gene. In the past decade, there has been a rapid development of innovative genetic technologies and methodologies, as well as significant progresses in genetic studies of psychiatric disorders. In this review, we will briefly summarize previous genetic epidemiological studies of TS and related disorders. We will also review previous genetic studies based on genome-wide linkage analyses and candidate gene association studies to comment on problems of previous methodological and strategic issues. Our main purpose for this review will be to summarize the new genetic discoveries of TS based on novel genetic methods and strategies, such as genome-wide association studies (GWASs), whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS). We will also compare the new genetic discoveries of TS with other major psychiatric disorders in order to understand the current status of TS genetics and its relationship with other psychiatric disorders.

Open Right Hemicolectomy Is a Safe and Suitable Procedure for Surgical Training: A Comparative Study With 133 Patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

A right hemicolectomy is a technically demanding procedure and the quality of the operation influences the short- and long-term outcomes. An increasing number of certified centers employ surgeons who are specialized in this procedure. Residency training is obligatory, but trainee surgeons often cannot perform technically demanding procedures because of economical and certification requirements imposed on the center. This study was performed to evaluate the suitability of right hemicolectomy as a training procedure.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Between 2009 and 2013, 133 patients received a right hemicolectomy during cancer treatment. Patient data were analyzed in two cohorts: cohort 1 contained 90 patients who were operated by a resident under supervision, and cohort 2 included 43 patients who were operated by a specialized senior surgeon. Outcome and safety were evaluated by mortality rate, anastomotic leakage, complication rate, and operation time. The resection status and the number of resected lymph nodes were surrogate parameters for oncological quality. Gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, body mass index, and general risk factors were compared in both cohorts.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the rate of anastomotic leakage between the two groups (p = 0.799). Oncological criteria were met in both cohorts and the oncological quality was similar between groups. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in risk factors, operating time, postoperative complications, and mortality between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Oncological open right hemicolectomy is a safe and suitable training procedure for residency training under standardized conditions.

[Efficacy and safety of tiotropium Respimat in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: systematic review]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tiotropium Respimat in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) according to the Cochrane systematic evaluation. Methods: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, VIP and CBM, Wanfang Data were searched(from the foundation date to Jan. 2016) for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of tiotropium Respimat in the treatment of patients with COPD. Two reviewers independently retrieved the RCTs according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, assessed the methodological quality of the included trials.and performed statistical analysis on the data using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: Totally 11 RCTs on efficacy were finally included.The results of the combined analysis showed that FEV(1) was significantly improved in the tiotropium Respimat group than that in the placebo group[MD=0.12, 95%CI(0.10-0.14), P<0.000 01], while FEV(1) was similar between the tiotropium Respimat group and the tiotropium HandiHaler group[5 μg: MD=0.00, 95%CI(-0.04-0.04), P=0.94; 2.5 μg: MD=-0.04, 95%CI(-0.10-0.01), P=0.12; 10 μg: MD=0.02, 95%CI(-0.06-0.09), P=0.66]. FVC was significantly improved in the tiotropium Respimat group than that in the placebo group[MD=0.18, 95%CI(0.09-0.28), P=0.0002], while FVC was similar between the tiotropium Respimat group and the HandiHaler group[2.5 μg: MD=-0.06, 95%CI(-0.16-0.04), P=0.24; 5 μg: MD=-0.00, 95%CI(-0.08-0.08), P=1.00; 10 μg: MD=0.02, 95%CI(-0.14-0.19), P=0.78]. The risk of acute exacerbations was lower in the tiotropium Respimat group (5 μg / kg) than in the placebo group [OR=0.72, 95%CI(0.60-0.86), P=0.000 3]. It was similar in the tiotropium Respimat group (5 μg) and the HandiHaler group[OR=1.01, 95%CI(0.94-1.09), P=0.71]. The SGRQ total score of the tiotropium Respimat group (5 μg) was significantly different from that of the placebo group[MD=-3.6, 95%CI(-3.88--3.32), P<0.000 01]. C(max, ss) and AUC(0-6 h, ss) were also similar between the tiotropium Respimat group and the HandiHaler group[MD=0.2, 95%CI(-5.1-5.5), P=0.94]; MD=-1.01, 95%CI(-11.78-9.77), P=0.85]. Nine RCTs were included in the evaluation of the incident rates of adverse drug reactions(ADR). There was no significant difference between the tiotropium Respimat group HandiHaler group and the placebo group[RR=0.95, 95%CI(0.89-1.00), P=0.05], [OR=1.07, 95%CI(1.00-1.16), P=0.06]. Conclusions: The efficacy and safety of tiotropium Respimat was similar to tiotropium HandiHaler in the treatment of COPD. They can effectively improve the pulmonary function and clinical symptoms of patients. But the long-term efficacy and safety of tiotropium Respimat still need to be confirmed by higher quality and larger RCTs with long-term follow-up.

Phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates of softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae) inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes

The softshell turtles (Trionychidae) are one of the most widely distributed reptile groups in the world, and fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica. The phylogenetic relationships among members of this group have been previously studied; however, disagreements regarding its taxonomy, its phylogeography and divergence times are still poorly understood as well. Here, we present a comprehensive mitogenomic study of softshell turtles. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 10 softshell turtles, in addition to the GenBank sequence of Dogania subplana, Lissemys punctata, Trionyx triunguis, which cover all extant genera within Trionychidae except for Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma. These data were combined with other mitogenomes of turtles for phylogenetic analyses. Divergence time calibration and ancestral reconstruction were calculated using BEAST and RASP software, respectively. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Trionychidae is the sister taxon of Carettochelyidae, and support the monophyly of Trionychinae and Cyclanorbinae, which is consistent with morphological data and molecular analysis. Our phylogenetic analyses have established a sister taxon relationship between the Asian Rafetus and the Asian Palea + Pelodiscus + Dogania + Nilssonia + Amyda, whereas a previous study grouped the Asian Rafetus with the American Apalone. The results of divergence time estimates and area ancestral reconstruction show that extant Trionychidae originated in Asia at around 108 million years ago (MA), and radiations mainly occurred during two warm periods, namely Late Cretaceous-Early Eocene and Oligocene. By combining the estimated divergence time and the reconstructed ancestral area of softshell turtles, we determined that the dispersal of softshell turtles out of Asia may have taken three routes. Furthermore, the times of dispersal seem to be in agreement with the time of the India-Asia collision and opening of the Bering Strait, which provide evidence for the accuracy of our estimation of divergence time. Overall, the mitogenomes of this group were used to explore the origin and dispersal route of Trionychidae and have provided new insights on the evolution of this group.

Pharmacokinetics of valnemulin after intravenous, intramuscular, and oral administration in layer chickens

The pharmacokinetic characteristics of valnemulin in layer chickens were studied after single intravenous, intramuscular, and oral administration at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight. Plasma samples at certain time points were collected and the drug concentrations in them by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS). The concentration-time data for each individual were plotted by noncompartmental analysis for the whole three routes. Following intravenous administration, the plasma concentration showed tiny fluctuation. The elimination half-life (T1/2λz), total body clearance (Cl), and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) were 1.85 ± 0.43 h, 2.2 ± 0.9 L/h, and 7.52 ± 2.46 μg·h/mL, respectively. Following intramuscular administration, the peak concentration (C_max , 1.40 ± 0.43 μg/mL) was achieved at the time of 0.34 h. A multiple-peak phenomenon existed after oral administration, and the first peak and secondary peak were at 10 min and during 2-4 h, respectively, while the tertiary peak appeared during 5-15 h. The bioavailability (F %) for intramuscular and oral administration was 68.60% and 52.64%, respectively. In present study, the detailed pharmacokinetic profiles showed that this drug is widely distributed and rapidly eliminated, however has a low bioavailability, indicating that valnemulin is likely to be a favorable choice in the clinical practice.

The DSM5/RDoC debate on the future of mental health research: implication for studies on human stress and presentation of the signature bank

In 2008, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced that in the next few decades, it will be essential to study the various biological, psychological and social "signatures" of mental disorders. Along with this new "signature" approach to mental health disorders, modifications of DSM were introduced. One major modification consisted of incorporating a dimensional approach to mental disorders, which involved analyzing, using a transnosological approach, various factors that are commonly observed across different types of mental disorders. Although this new methodology led to interesting discussions of the DSM5 working groups, it has not been incorporated in the last version of the DSM5. Consequently, the NIMH launched the "Research Domain Criteria" (RDoC) framework in order to provide new ways of classifying mental illnesses based on dimensions of observable behavioral and neurobiological measures. The NIMH emphasizes that it is important to consider the benefits of dimensional measures from the perspective of psychopathology and environmental influences, and it is also important to build these dimensions on neurobiological data. The goal of this paper is to present the perspectives of DSM5 and RDoC to the science of mental health disorders and the impact of this debate on the future of human stress research. The second goal is to present the "Signature Bank" developed by the Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal (IUSMM) that has been developed in line with a dimensional and transnosological approach to mental illness.

RNF213 Is Associated with Intracranial Aneurysms in the French-Canadian Population

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are the result of focal weakness in the artery wall and have a complex genetic makeup. To date, genome-wide association and sequencing studies have had limited success in identifying IA risk factors. Distinct populations, such as the French-Canadian (FC) population, have increased IA prevalence. In our study, we used exome sequencing to prioritize risk variants in a discovery cohort of six FC families affected by IA, and the analysis revealed an increased variation burden for ring finger protein 213 (RNF213). We resequenced RNF213 in a larger FC validation cohort, and association tests on further identified variants supported our findings (SKAT-O, p = 0.006). RNF213 belongs to the AAA+ protein family, and two variants (p.Arg2438Cys and p.Ala2826Thr) unique to affected FC individuals were found to have increased ATPase activity, which could lead to increased risk of IA by elevating angiogenic activities. Common SNPs in RNF213 were also extracted from the NeuroX SNP-chip genotype data, comprising 257 FC IA-affected and 1,988 control individuals. We discovered that the non-ancestral allele of rs6565666 was significantly associated with the affected individuals (p = 0.03), and it appeared as though the frequency of the risk allele had changed through genetic drift. Although RNF213 is a risk factor for moyamoya disease in East Asians, we demonstrated that it might also be a risk factor for IA in the FC population. It therefore appears that the function of RNF213 can be differently altered to predispose distinct populations to dissimilar neurovascular conditions, highlighting the importance of a population's background in genetic studies of heterogeneous disease.

Antioxidant metallothionein alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced myocardial apoptosis and contractile dysfunction

AIMS

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress exerts myocardial oxidative stress, apoptosis, and contractile anomalies, although the precise interplay between ER stress and apoptosis remains elusive. This study was designed to examine the impact of the cysteine-rich free radical scavenger metallothionein on ER stress-induced myocardial contractile defect and underlying mechanisms.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Wild-type friendly virus B and transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of metallothionein were challenged with the ER stress inducer tunicamycin (1 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, 48 h) prior to the assessment of myocardial function, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Our results revealed that tunicamycin promoted cardiac remodeling (enlarged left ventricular end systolic/diastolic diameters with little changes in left ventricular wall thickness), suppressed fractional shortening and cardiomyocyte contractile function, elevated resting Ca(2+), decreased stimulated Ca(2+) release, prolonged intracellular Ca(2+) clearance, and downregulated sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase levels, the effects of which were negated by metallothionein. Treatment with tunicamycin caused cardiomyocyte mitochondrial injury, as evidenced by decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (∆Ѱm, assessed by JC-1 staining), the effect of which was negated by the antioxidant. Moreover, tunicamycin challenge dramatically facilitated myocardial apoptosis as manifested by increased Bax, caspase 9, and caspase 12 protein levels, as well as elevated caspase 3 activity. Interestingly, metallothionein transgene significantly alleviated tunicamycin-induced myocardial apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, our data favor a beneficial effect of metallothionein against ER stress-induced cardiac dysfunction possibly associated with attenuation of myocardial apoptosis.

Predictors of proton pump inhibitor failure in non-erosive reflux disease: A study with impedance-pH monitoring and high-resolution manometry

BACKGROUND

Approximately one-third of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients have symptoms resistant to proton pump inhibitor (PPI). We used the high-resolution manometry (HRM) and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring to investigate potential predictors of PPI failure in non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) patients.

METHODS

One hundred and seventeen NERD patients were included, within which there were 44 PPI failure patients. The symptomatic questionnaire GerdQ, HRM and 24-hour MII-pH monitoring were performed before PPI therapy. PPI failure was defined as persistent reflux symptoms for more than 1 day during the last week on esomeprazole (20 mg twice daily) for continuous 4 weeks. The predictors for PPI failure were investigated by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

KEY RESULTS

Proton pump inhibitor failure patients had lower body mass index (BMI) and more concomitant functional dyspepsia (FD) symptoms. PPI failure patients had a higher percentage of type I esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology (p = 0.005), increased EGJ augmentation (p = 0.000), higher prevalence of esophageal motility disorders (p = 0.005) and a higher ratio of negative symptom index (SI, p = 0.000). Multivariable regression analysis showed that concomitance of FD symptoms, EGJ augmentation and negative SI were independent risk factors for PPI failure in NERD.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Approximately half of PPI failure patients were found to have esophageal motility disorders in HRM. The independent risk factors for PPI failure in NERD were concomitant FD symptoms, increased EGJ augmentation and negative SI.

Association between C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene and risk of male infertility: a meta-analysis

Published studies on the association between the C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and male infertility risk are controversial. To obtain a more precise evaluation, we performed a meta-analysis based on published case-control studies. We conducted an electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database for papers on MTHFR gene C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and male infertility risk. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were used to assess the strength of association in homozygote, heterozygote, dominant, recessive, and additive models. Statistical heterogeneity, test of publication bias, and sensitivity analysis were carried out using the STATA software (Version 13.0). Overall, 21 studies of C677T (4505 cases and 4024 controls) and 13 studies of A1298C (2785 cases and 3094 controls) were included in this meta-analysis. For C677T, the homozygote comparison results were OR = 1.629, 95%CI (1.215- 2.184), and the recessive model results were OR = 1.462 (1.155- 1.850). For A1298C, the homozygote comparison results were OR = 1.289 (1.029-1.616), and the recessive model results were OR = 1.288 (1.034-1.604). In conclusion, the current meta-analysis showed that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was associated with a significantly increased male infertility risk in the Asian and overall populations, but not in the Caucasian population, and there was a significant association between the A1298C polymorphism and male infertility risk in the Asian, Caucasian, and overall groups.

MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and risk of lung cancer: a comprehensive evaluation

Results from previous studies on the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms C677T and A1298C and lung cancer have been conflicting. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify the effect of MTHFR polymorphisms on the risk of lung cancer. An electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane library, and the China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database for papers on C677T and A1298C and susceptibility to lung cancer was performed. The STATA software (Version 13.0) was used for statistical analysis. Statistical heterogeneity, tests of publication bias, and a sensitivity analysis were performed. Twenty-six studies on C677T (12,324 cases and 12,532 controls) and thirteen studies on A1298C (6773 cases and 8207 controls) were included in the meta-analysis. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism showed significant pooled ORs for the homozygote comparison (TT versus CC: OR = 1.518, 95%CI = 1.220-1.890), heterozygote comparison (CT versus CC: OR = 1.053, 95%CI = 0.940-1.179), dominant model (CT + TT versus CC: OR = 1.143, 95%CI = 1.013-1.291), recessive model (TT versus CT + CC: OR = 1.435, 95%CI = 1.190-1.730), and additive model (T versus C: OR = 1.176, 95%CI = 1.066-1.298). In summary, our meta-analysis showed that the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with a significant increase in lung cancer risk in Asian and overall populations, but not in Caucasian populations. However, no significant association between the MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and lung cancer risk was found in either the Caucasian or Asian group with any genetic models.

Genome sequencing and systems biology analysis of a lipase-producing bacterial strain

Lipase-producing bacteria are naturally-occurring, industrially-relevant microorganisms that produce lipases, which can be used to synthesize biodiesel from waste oils. The efficiency of lipase expression varies between various microbial strains. Therefore, strains that can produce lipases with high efficiency must be screened, and the conditions of lipase metabolism and optimization of the production process in a given environment must be thoroughly studied. A high efficiency lipase-producing strain was isolated from the sediments of Jinsha River, identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis as Serratia marcescens, and designated as HS-L5. A schematic diagram of the genome sequence was constructed by high-throughput genome sequencing. A series of genes related to lipid degradation were identified by functional gene annotation through sequence homology analysis. A genome-scale metabolic model of HS-ML5 was constructed using systems biology techniques. The model consisted of 1722 genes and 1567 metabolic reactions. The topological graph of the genome-scale metabolic model was compared to that of conventional metabolic pathways using a visualization software and KEGG database. The basic components and boundaries of the tributyrin degradation subnetwork were determined, and its flux balance analyzed using Matlab and COBRA Toolbox to simulate the effects of different conditions on the catalytic efficiency of lipases produced by HS-ML5. We proved that the catalytic activity of microbial lipases was closely related to the carbon metabolic pathway. As production and catalytic efficiency of lipases varied greatly with the environment, the catalytic efficiency and environmental adaptability of microbial lipases can be improved by proper control of the production conditions.

Quercetin is an effective inhibitor of quorum sensing, biofilm formation and virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

AIMS

The study aimed to perform a systematic investigation of the effects of quercetin on biofilm formation and virulence factors in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Ps. aeruginosa strain PAO1 was selected as the test strain. The results indicated that quercetin did not impact the growth of PAO1 as determined by MIC and growth curve analysis. However, this compound significantly inhibited (P < 0·05) biofilm formation and production of virulence factors including pyocyanin, protease and elastase at a lower concentration than those for most previously reported plant extracts and substances. Considering the central role of quorum sensing (QS) in the regulation of biofilm and virulence factor, we further detected the transcriptional changes associated with QS and found that the expression levels of lasI, lasR, rhlI and rhlR were significantly reduced (P < 0·05) by 34, 68, 57 and 50%, respectively, in response to 16 μg ml(-1) quercetin.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that quercetin is an effective inhibitor of biofilm formation and virulence factors in Ps. aeruginosa.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This is the first study to demonstrate that quercetin is an effective inhibitor of QS, biofilm formation and virulence factors in Ps. aeruginosa. Furthermore, quercetin might have potential in fighting biofilm-related infections.

Traditional karyotyping vs copy number variation sequencing for detection of chromosomal abnormalities associated with spontaneous miscarriage

OBJECTIVES

To compare the performance of traditional G-banding karyotyping with that of copy number variation sequencing (CNV-Seq) for detection of chromosomal abnormalities associated with miscarriage.

METHODS

Products of conception (POC) were collected from spontaneous miscarriages. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected using high-resolution G-banding karyotyping and CNV sequencing. Quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction analysis of maternal and POC DNA for short tandem repeat (STR) markers was used to both monitor maternal cell contamination and confirm the chromosomal status and sex of the miscarriage tissue.

RESULTS

A total of 64 samples of POC, comprising 16 with an abnormal and 48 with a normal karyotype, were selected and coded for analysis by CNV-Seq. CNV-Seq results were concordant for 14 (87.5%) of the 16 gross chromosomal abnormalities identified by karyotyping, including 11 autosomal trisomies and three sex chromosomal aneuploidies (45,X). Of the two discordant results, a 69,XXX polyploidy was missed by CNV-Seq, although supporting STR marker analysis confirmed the triploidy. In contrast, CNV-Seq identified a sample with 45,X karyotype as a 45,X/46,XY mosaic. In the remaining 48 samples of POC with a normal karyotype, CNV-Seq detected a 2.58-Mb 22q deletion associated with DiGeorge syndrome and nine different smaller CNVs of no apparent clinical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

CNV-Seq used in parallel with STR profiling is a reliable and accurate alternative to karyotyping for identifying chromosome copy number abnormalities associated with spontaneous miscarriage.