[Dynamic detection of surface blood flow in rat heart and its application in real time identification of myocardial infarction model]

Objective: To establish a method for monitoring the surface blood flow in the heart of rats, and to clarify the relationship between the degree of myocardial infarction and the blood perfusion on the surface of the heart, so as to provide a new indicator for the identification of rat myocardial infarction model. Methods: The rats were divided into control group (n=23) and model group (n=107), the rat hearts were scanned by the laser doppler perfusion imager before and after operation respectively, and the data was analyzed to acquire the rate of surface blood flow change of the heart. Myocardial infarction size of model group was detected by NBT. Model group were divided into three subgroups of mild myocardial infarction, moderate myocardial infarction and severe myocardial infarction according to the myocardial infarction size, and an analysis was made on the correlativity between rate of surface blood flow change of the heart and myocardial infarction size. Results: Myocardial infarction size was highly correlated to the rate of surface blood flow change of the heart in model group (r=0.849 6, P<0.000 1). There was no significant correlation between infarction size and heart blood flow in the mild myocardial infarction subgroup (r=-0.133 6, P>0.05), while the correlation in moderate myocardial infarction was significant (r=0.721 7, P<0.000 1), and the highest correlation was shown in severe myocardial infarction subgroup (r=0.910 2, P<0.000 1). Conclusion: The heart surface blood flow has a close relationship with the myocardial infarction size in rat, so the change of heart blood perfusion can beused as an effective reference to establish and identify rat myocardial infarction model.

[Analysis of CT perfusion imaging in chronic cerebral circulatory insufficiency and its relationship with crossed cerebellar diaschisis]

Objective: To investigate the change of cerebral microcirculation of chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency(CCCI) patients and the relationship between CCCI and crossed cerebellar diaschisis(CCD)by using 320-detector row of low-dose volume CT perfusion imaging. Methods: A total of 158 patients (103 males, 55 females, from 45 to 82 years old, the mean age was 62.9) with symptoms of CCCI were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from June 2013 to January 2016. Low-dose CTP imaging of whole brain was performed to them using 320-detector row volume CT scanner. The perfusion parameters such as cerebral blood flow(CBF), cerebral blood volume(CBV), mean transit time(MTT), time to peak(TTP) and DLY in both cerebral blood supply areas and cerebellum were got, so were the 4-dimensional CTA images, and rCBF, rCBV, rMTT and rTTP were calculated by ipsilateral/contralateral value. Comparative t-test and independent t-test were applied to analyzing these parameters quantitatively.Chi-square test and Logistic regression model were applied to analyzing the related clinical risk factors. Results: (1) All 108 patients in CCCI group showed asymmetric perfusion within two cerebral hemispheres in CTP images. The CBF, CBV of diseased side were lower than the contralateral mirror area (t(CBF)=-12.89, t(CBV)=-7.031, P(CBF, CBV)<0.001); the MTT of the diseased side was shorter than the contralateral mirror area (t(MTT) =13.310, P(MTT)<0.001); the TTP of the diseased side was longer than the contralateral mirror area (t(TTP)=-4.012, P(TTP)<0.001). The rCBF and rCBV of CCCI group were lower than that in non-CCCI group (t(rCBF)=3.079, t(rCBV)=2.760, P(rCBF, rCBV)<0.01), while the rTTP of CCCI group was longer than that in non-CCCI group (t(rTTP)=4.846, P(rTTP)<0.001). (2)The results of Chi-square test showed that the differences of gender (χ(2)=4.036, P=0.045), hyperlipidemia (χ(2)=7.687, P=0.006), as well as smoking (χ(2)=11.868, P=0.001) had statistical significance between CCCI group and non-CCCI group.Multi-factor Logistic regression analysis showed that hyperlipidemia (OR value=3.736, P=0.016) and smoking (OR value=4.641, P=0.01) were the risk factors of CCCI, while gender had no relationship with it.(3)The incidence of CCD was 18.5% in the CCCI group, and at the same time, the supratentorial corresponding blood supply areas were classified.A total of 10(34.5%) cases were in blood supply area of posterior cerebral artery, 6(20.7%) cases were in blood supply area of middle cerebral artery, 12(41.4%) cases were of anterior cerebral artery, while only 1(3.5%) case was of basal ganglia, in which 4 cases were in blood supply area of posterior cerebral artery, another 4 cases were middle cerebral artery, 7 cases were of anterior cerebral artery and no case of basal ganglia respectively leading CCD alone. Conclusions: CTP could display the microcirculation situation of abnormal brain tissue perfusion area intuitively and quantitatively. Additionally, it could reflect the degree of relationship between cerebral several blood supply areas and cerebellum.

Frequent exercise: A healthy habit or a behavioral addiction?

It is well known that regular physical activity helps improve overall health and fitness and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. However, excessive exercise might be harmful. Exercise addiction (EA) is a pattern of uncontrolled exercise that involves a craving for overwhelming exercise with addictive attributes. So far, little is known about this unique behavioral addiction. The aim of the current study is to introduce the diagnosis and assessment of EA, and to summarize several developing theoretical models. Eating disorders, body image disorder, low self-esteem, and high narcissism are related to high risk of EA. The paper also discusses the distinction between EA and highly involved physical activity.

First-principle study of CO adsorption influence on the properties of ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Based on first principles calculations, we systematically investigated the structural, electronic and ferroelectric properties of Pt-BaTiO₃-Pt ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) with CO adsorbed on the surface of the top electrode. Changes of electrode/barrier thickness and different adsorption sites were considered. We found that although the CO molecule is not directly adsorbed on the surface of the ferroelectric thin film (FTF), the local properties of the BaTiO₃ FTFs were still significantly changed by CO adsorptions, e.g. the change of polarization bistability. Furthermore, by simulating isolated geometry, we found that the orientation of polarization induced by CO adsorptions exhibited sensitive dependence on the thickness of the adsorbed electrode. The adsorption energy was found to change with the change of both the thickness of the electrodes and the polarization orientation in the barrier, which provides a modifiable effect by virtue of the surface ambient chemicals controlling the bulk ferroelectric properties. An electronic structure analysis reveals that the work function of the adsorbed electrode is altered by the adsorption, and the effect can be reversed as the electrode thickness changes. Our findings should provide a new method to tailor the magnitude and bistability of polarization in ferroelectric thin films (FTF) as well as the top electrode surface reactivity in FTJs, which has a significant prospect of application in FTJ-based nanoscale multifunctional devices.

The conceptual design of interferometer/polarimeter system on HL-2M

HL-2M is a new medium-sized tokamak with major radius of 1.78 m, minor radius of 0.65 m, and aspect ratio of 2.8 and will be finished soon. In the conceptual design, a double-pass, horizontal view, multi-channel far-infrared (FIR) laser interferometer/polarimeter system (at 432 μm) is proposed to simultaneously measure the phase change and the Faraday rotation for density and current profile reconstruction. A vertical CO₂ dispersion interferometer system (with wavelength of 10.6 μm and 5.3 μm) is designed to measure the line density, which will mainly be used for density feedback. The performance of the system is expected to meet the requirement of the measurements on HL-2M, with phase accuracy ∼0.1°, time resolution ∼1 μs, spatial resolution ∼7.2 cm, and density measurement range of 1 × 10 ¹⁸-1 ×10²¹ m^-3.

[Coronary Angiography in Isolated Hearts and Its Forensic Application]

OBJECTIVES

To check the isolated heart by coronary angiography to discover the location, nature and degree of the coronary artery lesions more accurately and increase the comprehensive evaluation ability of cardiovascular disease.

METHODS

Ten fresh isolated hearts with different causes of death were extracted and injected with barium sulphate as contrast substance by ring injector, then developed under Xper FD20 angiography equipment. The obtained pictures and image data were handled by three-dimensional angiography images with the software attached to the angiography equipment. The coronary artery tissues were HE stained and observed by microscope. The HE staining results were compared with the angiographic results.

RESULTS

The imaging data obtained from the 10 cases for examination showed 8 cases without coronary artery stenosis and 2 cases with Ⅲ, Ⅳ coronary artery stenosis, which were consistent with HE staining results of coronary artery organization and the both results were confirmed.

CONCLUSIONS

Isolated coronary angiography has an unique advantage for accurate grading of classification of coronary artery stenosis, examination of vascular malformation and tiny lesions, which can provide reference for the localization of small lesions and basis during the autopsy for identification conclusion.

[Isolation and biological characteristics on Yersinia pestis phage YP060]

OBJECTIVE

To isolate and identify the characteristics of Yersinia pestis phage YP060 from mice nests in Yunnan plague focus.

METHODS

Phage YP060 was isolated from Yunnan plague focus by double-layer agar plate method with attenuated vaccine Yersinia pestis strain EV76 as the host bacterium. Phage particle was observed under the electron microscope while biological properties of phage YP060 including lytic capacity, host spectrum, optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), one-step growth curve, sensitivity to temperature, pH, ultraviolet ray and chloroform etc. were identified.

RESULTS

The particles of phage YP060 presented tadpoles-like features, with optimal multiplicity of infection as 0.1. Latent period and burst period appeared as 50 min and 80 min, respectively. The phage endured the temperature between 30-50 ℃, and it contained a stronger lysis activities in a range of pH 5 to 10. Phage YP060 was sensitive to ultraviolet rays but insensitive to chloroform while presented special lysic ability to Yersinia pestis.

CONCLUSION

Yersinia pestis phage YP060 was isolated for the first time from mice nests in plague natural focus in China. Our findings related to narrow host spectrum and stronger lysis activities.

Aberrant expression of microRNAs as biomarker for schizophrenia: from acute state to partial remission, and from peripheral blood to cortical tissue

Based on our previous finding of a seven-miRNA (hsa-miR-34a, miR-449a, miR-564, miR-432, miR-548d, miR-572 and miR-652) signature as a potential biomarker for schizophrenia, this study aimed to examine if hospitalization could affect expressions of these miRNAs. We compared their expression levels between acute state and partial remission state in people with schizophrenia (n=48) using quantitative PCR method. Further, to examine whether the blood and brain show similar expression patterns, the expressions of two miRNAs (hsa-miR-34a and hsa-miR-548d) were examined in the postmortem brain tissue of people with schizophrenia (n=25) and controls (n=27). The expression level of the seven miRNAs did not alter after ~2 months of hospitalization with significant improvement in clinical symptoms, suggesting the miRNAs could be traits rather than state-dependent markers. The aberrant expression seen in the blood of hsa-miR-34a and hsa-miR-548d were not present in the brain samples, but this does not discount the possibility that the peripheral miRNAs could be clinically useful biomarkers for schizophrenia. Unexpectedly, we found an age-dependent increase in hsa-miR-34a expressions in human cortical (Brodmann area 46 (BA46)) but not subcortical region (caudate putamen). The correlation between hsa-miR-34a expression level in BA46 and age was much stronger in the controls than in the cases, and the corresponding correlation in the blood was only seen in the cases. The association between the miRNA dysregulations, the disease predisposition and aging warrants further investigation. Taken together, this study provides further insight on the candidate peripheral miRNAs as stable biomarkers for the diagnostics of schizophrenia.

Exponential size-dependent tunability of strain on the transport behavior in ZnO tunnel junctions: an ab initio study

It is an interesting issue if the transport behavior of a piezoelectric tunnel junction is sensitive to external strain or stress, and it implies a prospect for developing novel mechanical sensors, transducers, piezotronic devices, etc. Many studies paid attention to this issue, yet how the strain and stress tunable transport behavior of a tunnel junction depends on the barrier thickness is still rarely known. Using the first principles calculations, we investigate the size-dependent and strain-tunable transport behavior in the tunnel junctions. It was confirmed that external strain has strong control over the transport properties of ZnO tunnel junctions, with several times amplification of tunnel conductance obtained by strain reversal. More importantly, the conductance amplification by strain reversal exponentially changes with the barrier thickness, indicating the size-dependent strain tunability of the transport behavior. The electrostatic quantities (i.e., built-in field, depolarization field, polarization, interfacial dipoles and potential barrier) and the transport properties of tunnel junctions were comprehensively analyzed to reveal the relationships between these quantities and their size dependence. The exponential size-dependence of strain tunable transport behavior in ZnO tunnel junctions is attributed to the linear change in the potential barrier with the barrier thickness. Our simulations provide an insight of how to maximize the strain tunability of transport behavior of piezoelectric tunnel junctions by thickness design and strain engineering.

Association of older paternal age with earlier onset among co-affected schizophrenia sib-pairs

BACKGROUND

Advanced paternal age is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia. This study aimed to explore whether older paternal age is associated with earlier onset among co-affected schizophrenia sib-pairs with the same familial predisposition.

METHOD

A total of 1297 patients with schizophrenia from 630 families, which were ascertained to have at least two siblings affected, throughout Taiwan were interviewed using the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies. Both inter-family comparisons, a hierarchical regression model allowing for familial dependence and adjusting for confounders, and within-family comparisons, examining the consistency between onset order and birth order, were performed.

RESULTS

An inverted U shape was observed between paternal age and onset of schizophrenia. Affected offspring with paternal age of 20-24 years had the oldest onset. As paternal age increased over 25 years, older paternal age exhibited a linear decrease in the onset of schizophrenia. On average, the onset was lowered by 1.5 years for paternal age of 25-29 years and by 5.5 years for paternal age ⩾50 years (p = 0.04; trend test). The proportion of younger siblings with earlier onset (58%) was larger than that of older siblings with earlier onset (42%) (p = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that paternal age older than 25 years and younger than 20 years were both associated with earlier onset among familial schizophrenia cases. The associations of advanced paternal age with both increased susceptibility to schizophrenia and earlier onset of schizophrenia are consistent with the rate of increases in spontaneous mutations in sperm as men age.

Minor physical anomalies and craniofacial measures in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Schizophrenia patients have higher rates of minor physical anomalies (MPAs) than controls, particularly in the craniofacial region; this difference lends support to the neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia. Whether MPAs are associated with treatment response in schizophrenia remains unknown. The aim of this case-control study was to investigate whether more MPAs and specific quantitative craniofacial features in patients with schizophrenia are associated with operationally defined treatment resistance.

METHOD

A comprehensive scale, consisting of both qualitatively measured MPAs and quantitative measurements of the head and face, was applied in 108 patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) and in 104 non-TRS patients. Treatment resistance was determined according to the criteria proposed by Conley & Kelly (2001; Biological Psychiatry 50, 898-911).

RESULTS

Our results revealed that patients with TRS had higher MPA scores in the mouth region than non-TRS patients, and the two groups also differed in four quantitative measurements (facial width, lower facial height, facial height, and length of the philtrum), after controlling for multiple comparisons using the false discovery rate. Among these dysmorphological measurements, three MPA item types (mouth MPA score, facial width, and lower facial height) and earlier disease onset were further demonstrated to have good discriminant validity in distinguishing TRS from non-TRS patients in a multivariable logistic regression analysis, with an area under the curve of 0.84 and a generalized R 2 of 0.32.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that certain MPAs and craniofacial features may serve as useful markers for identifying TRS at early stages of the illness.

Infections of nervous necrosis virus in wild and cage-reared marine fish from South China Sea with unexpected wide host ranges

The concerns about the impact of the nervous necrosis virus (NNV) infections in wild fish have been raised. This paper presents the results of quarterly surveys of NNV in wild and cage-reared marine fish from South China Sea. Samples of 892 wild fish belonging to 69 species and 381 cage-reared fish belonging to 11 species were collected and were detected by seminested PCR and nested PCR. In the case of seminested PCR, the positive signal was detected in 3.0% and 3.1% samples of wild and cage-reared fish, respectively. However, by nested RT-PCR, the positive signal was observed in 42.3% and 63.0% samples of wild and cage-reared fish, respectively. If the fish species were considered, the positive signal was detected in 21.7% and 72.7% species of wild and cage-reared fish by seminested PCR assay, respectively. However, by nested RT-PCR, the positive signal was observed in 65.2% and 100% species of wild and cage-reared fish, respectively. The nucleotide sequences of the nested PCR products were determined. Phylogenetic tree showed that all the obtained viral isolates belonged to the red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) genotype. Thirty-five species of the marine fish were the new hosts of NNV.

Progress of neutral-beam-aided diagnostics on the HL-2A tokamak

A 32/64-channel Charge eXchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS) and a 7-channel motional Stark effect (MSE) polarimeter have been developed on the HL-2A tokamak. To extract the maximum time resolution of the system, the incidence fibers of the spectrometer are pitch-controlled; and the double-slit fiber bundle can increase the spatial channels with one charge-coupled device detector. The ion temperature and plasma rotation with time and spatial resolutions up to 5 ms and 1 cm are obtained. Sawtooth oscillation, transition from intermediate phase (I phase) to high confinement mode (H mode) can be clearly observed by the CXRS. The spectrometer can be utilized as the main component of the MSE polarimeter, which can effectively overcome the weak Stark effect. The pitch angles of magnetic field are obtained for 7 spatial points covering 24 cm along major radius with time resolution of 40 ms.

High spatial and temporal resolution charge exchange recombination spectroscopy on the HL-2A tokamak

A 32/64-channel charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (CXRS) diagnostic system is developed on the HL-2A tokamak (R = 1.65 m, a = 0.4 m), monitoring plasma ion temperature and toroidal rotation velocity simultaneously. A high throughput spectrometer (F/2.8) and a pitch-controlled fiber bundle enable the temporal resolution of the system up to 400 Hz. The observation geometry and an optimized optic system enable the highest radial resolution up to ∼1 cm at the plasma edge. The CXRS system monitors the carbon line emission (C VI, n = 8-7, 529.06 nm) whose Doppler broadening and Doppler shift provide ion temperature and plasma rotation velocity during the neutral beam injection. The composite CX spectral data are analyzed by the atomic data and analysis structure charge exchange spectroscopy fitting (ADAS CXSFIT) code. First experimental results are shown for the case of HL-2A plasmas with sawtooth oscillations, electron cyclotron resonance heating, and edge transport barrier during the high-confinement mode (H-mode).

Associations between parent-reported sleep duration and adiposity in Chinese early adolescents

BACKGROUND

Short sleep duration has recently been found to be associated with obesity in children, but findings involving adolescents have been less consistent, and some have mentioned gender differences.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between parent-reported sleep duration and adiposity in early adolescence (10-12 years old) and to explore gender differences within this population.

METHODS

Participants were 1309 fifth-grade students (685 boys) from 10 primary schools in Shanghai, China. Body mass index (BMI), waist-height ratio (WHeR) and body fat percentage (BF%) were assessed. Sleep and other potential contributors were recorded by parents or self-reported.

RESULTS

Compared with adolescents in the longest sleep group (greater than or equal to +1 SD, ≥10.05 h), those in the shortest sleep group (less than -1 SD, <8.89 h) had significantly higher BMI, WHeR and BF%. Sleep was found to be closely related to increased adiposity in girls who were in the shortest and shorter sleep group (<mean, <9.45 h). No association was found in boys.

CONCLUSIONS

Short sleep duration was associated with higher adiposity indices in early adolescents from China, especially in girls. Interventions focusing on modifying adolescents' sleep habits may potentially prevent obesity and overweight.

Neuropsychological functions among adolescents with persistent, subsyndromal and remitted attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported mixed results on neuropsychological deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and only a few studies have focused on adolescents. There is also a debate about whether the executive function (EF) impairments in ADHD are primary deficits or have some contribution from the underlying non-EF processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the impairments in EF and neuropsychological function with relatively low executive demand (low-EF) in adolescents with childhood diagnosis of ADHD as a function of current ADHD status.

METHOD

Psychiatric diagnostic interviews and computerized neuropsychological tests classified into EF and low-EF tasks were completed by 435 adolescents with a childhood diagnosis of ADHD (300 adolescents classified as persistent ADHD, 109 as subsyndromal ADHD and 26 as remitted ADHD based on the current diagnosis) and 263 typically developing (TD) adolescents.

RESULTS

There were significant EF (spatial working memory, spatial planning and verbal working memory) and low-EF (signal detectability, spatial span and visual recognition memory) impairments in persistent and subsyndromal ADHD. The impairments in EF were independent of low-EF despite significant moderate correlations between any two of these tasks. Adolescents with remitted ADHD showed no deficit in either EF or low-EF.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that adolescents with persistent and subsyndromal ADHD have EF and low-EF impairments that might contribute to ADHD independently.

The motional Stark effect polarimeter in the HL-2A tokamak

A 7-channel motional Stark effect polarimeter based on four polarizers and a spectrometer has been developed in the HL-2A tokamak, which is the first time successful utilizing this kind of polarimeter on a tokamak. The accuracy of the angle can reach ±0.25° in the calibration experiments. Pilot experiments of measuring the magnetic pitch angle have been successfully carried out in the weak motional Stark effect plasma discharge with toroidal magnetic field of ~1.3 T and beam energy of ~25 keV/amu. The pitch angles of magnetic field are obtained for 7 spatial points covering 24 cm along major radius with time resolution of 40 ms; the profiles of safety factor are obtained by combining with the Equilibrium and Reconstruction Fitting Code. The core value of safety factor (q) is less than 1 during the sawtooth oscillation and the position of q = 1 surface is well consistent with the results measured by soft X-ray array.

Controllability of vortex domain structure in ferroelectric nanodot: fruitful domain patterns and transformation paths

Ferroelectric vortex domain structure which exists in low-dimensional ferroelectrics is being intensively researched for future applications in functional nanodevices. Here we demonstrate that adjusting surface charge screening in combination with temperature can provide an efficient way to gain control of vortex domain structure in ferroelectric nanodot. Systematical simulating experiments have been conducted to reveal the stability and evolution mechanisms of domain structure in ferroelectric nanodot under various conditions, including processes of cooling-down/heating-up under different surface charge screening conditions, and increasing/decreasing surface charge screening at different temperatures. Fruitful phase diagrams as functions of surface screening and temperature are presented, together with evolution paths of various domain patterns. Calculations discover up to 25 different kinds of domain patterns and 22 typical evolution paths of phase transitions. The fruitful controllability of vortex domain structure by surface charge screening in combination with temperature should shed light on prospective nanodevice applications of low-dimensional ferroelectric nanostructures.

The relationship of family characteristics and bipolar disorder using causal-pie models

Many family characteristics were reported to increase the risk of bipolar disorder (BPD). The development of BPD may be mediated through different pathways, involving diverse risk factor profiles. We evaluated the associations of family characteristics to build influential causal-pie models to estimate their contributions on the risk of developing BPD at the population level. We recruited 329 clinically diagnosed BPD patients and 202 healthy controls to collect information in parental psychopathology, parent-child relationship, and conflict within family. Other than logistic regression models, we applied causal-pie models to identify pathways involved with different family factors for BPD. The risk of BPD was significantly increased with parental depression, neurosis, anxiety, paternal substance use problems, and poor relationship with parents. Having a depressed mother further predicted early onset of BPD. Additionally, a greater risk for BPD was observed with higher numbers of paternal/maternal psychopathologies. Three significant risk profiles were identified for BPD, including paternal substance use problems (73.0%), maternal depression (17.6%), and through poor relationship with parents and conflict within the family (6.3%). Our findings demonstrate that different aspects of family characteristics elicit negative impacts on bipolar illness, which can be utilized to target specific factors to design and employ efficient intervention programs.

RNA interference targeting extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (CD147) inhibits growth and increases chemosensitivity in human cervical cancer cells

Overexpression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inducer (EMMPRIN CD147) has been implicated in the growth and survival of malignant cells. However, its presence and role in cervical cancer cells has not been well-studied. In the present study, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was designed and synthesized to breakdown the expression of CD147. The present data demonstrated that 24 and 48 hours after transfecting CD147 siRNA, both the CD147 mRNA and protein expression were significantly inhibited as determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry. Meanwhile, simultaneous silencing of CD147 resulted in distinctly increasing MMP-9, VEGF, and MDR-1. Further studies demonstrated decreased CD147 expression, resulted in G1/S phase transition with flow cytometry analysis, as well as the resistance of the cells to 5-FU. These findings provide further evidence that CD147 may become a promising therapeutic target for human cervical cancer and a potential chemotherapy-sensitizing agent.

A phenotype-genotype correlation of ADAMTS13 mutations in congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patients treated in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND

ADAMTS13 mutations play a role in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) pathogenesis.

OBJECTIVES

To establish a phenotype-genotype correlation in a cohort of congenital TTP patients.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Clinical history and ADAMTS13 activity, antigen and anti-ADAMTS13 antibody assays were used to diagnose congenital TTP, and DNA sequencing and in vitro expression were performed to identify the functional effects of the ADAMTS13 mutations responsible.

RESULTS

Seventeen (11 novel) ADAMTS13 mutations were identified in 17 congenital TTP patients. All had severely reduced ADAMTS13 activity and antigen levels at presentation. Six patients with pregnancy-associated TTP and six patients with childhood TTP were homozygous or compound heterozygous for ADAMTS13 mutations located in the metalloprotease (MP), cysteine-rich, spacer and/or distal thrombospondin type 1 domains. The adults had TTP precipitated by pregnancy, and had overall higher antigen levels (median, 30 ng mL(-1) ; range, < 10-57 ng mL(-1) ) than the children (median, 14 ng mL(-1) ; range, < 10-40 ng mL(-1)). Presentation in the neonatal period was associated with more intensive treatment requirements. The two neonates with the most severe phenotype had mutations in the first thrombospondin type 1 motif of ADAMTS13 (p.R398C, p.R409W, and p.Q436H). Using transfected HEK293T cells, we have shown that p.R398C and p.R409W block ADAMTS13 secretion, whereas p.Q436H allows secretion at reduced levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the heterogeneity of ADAMTS13 defects and an association between ADAMTS13 genotypes and TTP phenotype.

Low prevalence of major depressive disorder in Taiwanese adults: possible explanations and implications

BACKGROUND

This study examined the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), and the correlations and co-morbid conditions associated with MDD, in the adult Taiwanese population, which a previous estimate in the 1980s had found to be at the lower end of the spectrum worldwide. Possible explanations for the reported low prevalence of MDD were evaluated.

METHOD

As part of a survey of common psychiatric disorders in a nationally representative sample of individuals aged ≥ 18 years who were non-institutionalized civilians in Taiwan, a face-to-face interview using the paper version of the World Mental Health Survey of the World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI) was conducted between 2003 and 2005. Functional impairment and help-seeking behaviors were compared between Taiwanese subjects with MDD and their counterparts in the USA.

RESULTS

Among the 10 135 respondents, the lifetime prevalence of MDD was 1.20% [standard error (S.E.)=0.2%]. Individuals who were divorced or widowed, aged ≤ 40 years, and female were at increased risk, whereas rural residents were at lower risk for MDD. The proportion of MDD cases co-morbid with other psychiatric disorders in this study was much lower than in the US study. Only one-third of Taiwanese individuals with MDD sought help despite having twice the number of lost workdays compared with the US sample.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the low prevalence of MDD in Taiwanese adults, the pattern of low help-seeking behavior and profound functional impairment indicates much room for improvement in the early detection of and intervention in major depression in this population.

Depression trajectories and obesity among the elderly in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The present study aimed to (a) characterize 10-year trajectory patterns of depressive symptoms and (b) investigate the association between depressive trajectory and subsequent obesity, metabolic function and cortisol level.

METHOD

In a prospective study of Taiwanese adults aged ≥60 years (n=3922) between 1989 and 1999, depression was assessed using a 10-item short-form of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and information on body mass index (BMI) was collected by self-report. A subsample (n=445) of the original cohort in 1989 was drawn to assess metabolic variables and cortisol levels in a 2000 follow-up. After trajectory analyses were performed, multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association estimates.

RESULTS

We identified four distinctive trajectories of depressive symptoms: class 1 (persistent low, 41.8%); class 2 (persistent mild, 46.8%); class 3 (late peak, 4.2%); and class 4 (high-chronic, 7.2%). The results from both complete cases and multiple imputation analyses indicated that the odds of obesity were lower in the class 2, 3 or 4 elderly, as compared with those in class 1, while the odds of underweight were higher. The classes of older adults with more and persistent depressive symptoms showed a trend toward having both a lower BMI (p=0.01) and a higher cortisol level (p=0.04) compared with those with low depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Incremental increases in depressive symptoms over time were associated with reduced risk of obesity and higher cortisol levels.