Homozygous KIDINS220 loss-of-function variants in fetuses with cerebral ventriculomegaly and limb contractures

Heterozygous mutations in KIDINS220 were recently suggested a cause of spastic paraplegia, intellectual disability, nystagmus and obesity. All patients carried terminal nonsense de novo mutations that seemed to escape nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. The mechanism for pathogenicity is yet unexplained, as it seems that heterozygous loss-of-function variants of KIDINS220 are generally well tolerated. We present a consanguineous couple who experienced four pregnancy terminations due to repeated findings in the fetuses comprising enlarged cerebral ventricles and limb contractures. Exome sequencing in two of the aborted fetuses revealed a shared homozygous frameshift variant in exon 24 in KIDINS220. Sanger sequencing of the variant in available family members showed complete segregation with the affection status, resulting in a LOD score of 2.5 under an autozygous inheritance model. mRNA studies revealed destruction of the original splice site, resulting in an out-of-frame transcript and introduction of a premature termination codon in exon 25. Premature termination codons in this position are likely to cause activation of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and result in complete absence of KIDINS220 protein in individuals homozygous for the variant. The phenotype of the presented fetuses overlaps with findings in functional studies of knockout Kidins220 mice embryos that are non-viable with enlarged cerebral ventricles. The human fetuses also exhibit several similarities to the milder phenotype described in patients with heterozygous KIDINS220 mutations. We hence propose that the identified homozygous loss-of-function variant in KIDINS220 causes the phenotype in the presented fetuses, and that this represents a hitherto undescribed severe autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder.

Comparative analysis of ferroelectric domain statistics via nonlinear diffraction in random nonlinear materials

We present an indirect, non-destructive optical method for domain statistic characterization in disordered nonlinear crystals having homogeneous refractive index and spatially random distribution of ferroelectric domains. This method relies on the analysis of the wave-dependent spatial distribution of the second harmonic, in the plane perpendicular to the optical axis in combination with numerical simulations. We apply this technique to the characterization of two different media, Calcium Barium Niobate and Strontium Barium Niobate, with drastically different statistical distributions of ferroelectric domains.

Colonic microbiota can promote rapid local improvement of murine colitis by thioguanine independently of T lymphocytes and host metabolism

OBJECTIVE

Mercaptopurine (MP) and pro-drug azathioprine are 'first-line' oral therapies for maintaining remission in IBD. It is believed that their pharmacodynamic action is due to a slow cumulative decrease in activated lymphocytes homing to inflamed gut. We examined the role of host metabolism, lymphocytes and microbiome for the amelioration of colitis by the related thioguanine (TG).

DESIGN

C57Bl/6 mice with or without specific genes altered to elucidate mechanisms responsible for TG's actions were treated daily with oral or intrarectal TG, MP or water. Disease activity was scored daily. At sacrifice, colonic histology, cytokine message, caecal luminal and mucosal microbiomes were analysed.

RESULTS

Oral and intrarectal TG but not MP rapidly ameliorated spontaneous chronic colitis in Winnie mice (point mutation in Muc2 secretory mucin). TG ameliorated dextran sodium sulfate-induced chronic colitis in wild-type (WT) mice and in mice lacking T and B lymphocytes. Remarkably, colitis improved without immunosuppressive effects in the absence of host hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (Hprt)-mediated conversion of TG to active drug, the thioguanine nucleotides (TGN). Colonic bacteria converted TG and less so MP to TGN, consistent with intestinal bacterial conversion of TG to so reduce inflammation in the mice lacking host Hprt. TG rapidly induced autophagic flux in epithelial, macrophage and WT but not Hprt^-/- fibroblast cell lines and augmented epithelial intracellular bacterial killing.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment by TG is not necessarily dependent on the adaptive immune system. TG is a more efficacious treatment than MP in Winnie spontaneous colitis. Rapid local bacterial conversion of TG correlated with decreased intestinal inflammation and immune activation.

Transcriptome analysis of peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) during the late stage of fruit ripening

Fruit ripening is a complex developmental process, the details of which remain largely unknown in fleshy fruits. In this paper, the fruit flesh of two peach varieties, "Zhongyou9" (a nectarine; Prunus persica L. Batsch) and its mutant "Hongyu", was analyzed by RNA-seq technology during two stages of ripening at 20-day intervals. One hundred and eighty significant upregulated and two hundred and thirty-five downregulated genes were identified in the experiment. Many of these genes were related to plant hormones, chlorophyll breakdown, accumulation of aroma and flavor volatiles, and stress. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first transcriptome analysis of peach ripening, and our data will be useful for further studies of the molecular basis of fruit ripening.

[Application of spontaneous acrosome reaction of sperm in prediction of outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical application of spontaneous acrosome reaction (AR) rate of sperm in predicting the outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).

METHODS

The spontaneous AR rate of the sperm of patients who underwent IVF-ET treatment in our center during the period from November to December 2014 were studied. The cut-off value from 6% to 12% were set and analyzed its association between the IVF-ET outcomes (including fertility rates, normal fertilization rates and high-quality embryo rates). For those who underwent fresh embryo transplantation, the rates of chemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy were calculated, and compared the spontaneous AR rates and quantity of acrosomal enzyme according to the pregnancy outcome.

RESULTS

There were 202 patients in this study and the mean spontaneous AR rate was 5.99%±5.18%. For patients with the spontaneous AR rate ≥9% versus <9%, the fertility rate, normal fertilization rate and high-quality embryo rate were 81.33% vs 83.85%, 60.53% vs 60.99%, and 51.10% vs 59.67%, respectively, with statistically significant difference in the high-quality embryo rate (P=0.02). For patients who underwent fresh embryo transplantation, when comparison was made between those with spontaneous AR rate ≥8% and those <8%, the rate of chemical pregnancy and clinical pregnancy were 48.57% (17/35) vs 69.64% (78/112) and 37.14% (13/35) vs 63.39% (71/112), respectively, both with statistically significant difference (P=0.02 and P<0.01). The patients with clinical pregnancy had lower spontaneous AR rate than those without clinical pregnancy (5.41%±3.87% vs 7.40%±6.79%, P=0.04), while the quantity of acrosomal enzyme showed no significant difference [(131.79±68.50) vs (153.62±59.59) μU/10(6,) P=0.06]. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated association between spontaneous AR rates and clinical pregnancy (OR=0.93, 95%CI: 0.87-0.99, P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The spontaneous AR rate of sperm may have clinical significance in predicting the outcome of IVF-ET, as it is reversely correlated with IVF high-quality embryo rate and pregnancy rate. The quantity of acrosomal enzyme may not have significant predictive value for the outcome of IVF.

[Clinical application of adult comorbidity evaluation-27 in endometrial cancer]

Objective: To investigate the significant role of the clinical application of adult comorbidity evaluation-27 (ACE-27) in endometrial cancer (EC). Methods: A total of 847 EC patients were included during Jan. 1985 to Dec. 2015 from Tianjin Medical University General Hospital. The clinical data of the patients were collected and analyzed retrospectively. All of the patients were received operation with no chemotherapy and radiotherapy before operation. The average age was 57.6 years old (range from 25 to 85 years old). The average follow-up period was 59.0 months (range from 2 to 312 months). The comorbidity of the patients was evaluated by ACE-27. EC patients survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier survival curve. The relationship between the prognosis of EC and ACE-27, age, body mass index (BMI) , pathological characteristic were showed by Cox modeling. Results: (1) The patient number of score 0, 1, 2 and 3 of ACE-27 in EC patients were respectively 311 (36.7%), 263 (31.1%), 132 (15.6%) and 141 (16.6%) cases. (2) Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that overall survival time of EC patients was gradually decreased as increased score of ACE-27 (χ²=19.003, P=0.000) . In the patients of BMI<25 kg/m² and BMI 25-<30 kg/m², International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage Ⅰ, endometrial adenocarcinoma type and the overall survival time of those EC patients were gradually decreased as increased score of ACE-27 (P<0.05) . However, there was no statistically significant difference in overall survival time for patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m², FIGO stage with Ⅱ-Ⅳand non-endometrial adenocarcinoma type (P>0.05). Per unvariate logistic modeling showed that the risk of death in score 3 of ACE-27 was increased compared with score 0 of ACE-27 (OR=2.53, P=0.000) . The overall survival time in EC patients with aged 50-59, 60-69 and ≥70 years old, BMI 25-<30 kg/m² and ≥ 30 kg/m², G₃, FIGO stage Ⅱ-Ⅳ and non-endometrial adenocarcinoma type were significantly decreased compared with those aged <50 years old, BMI < 25 kg/m², G₁, FIGO stage Ⅰ and endometrial adenocarcinoma type (all P<0.05) . Further we found that postoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy rate were decreased for EC patients with FIGO staging Ⅲ or Ⅳ as the increase of ACE-27 score, but there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). (3) Per multivariate logistic modeling showed that the risks of death in score 3 of ACE-27 was increased compared with score 0 of ACE-27 among age-adjusted, BMI, histological grade, FIGO stage and pathologic type (OR=2.40, P=0.000) . Per multivariate logistic modeling showed that, the overall survival time in EC patients with aged 60-69 and ≥70 years old, BMI 25-<30 kg/m² and ≥30 kg/m², FIGO stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ and non- endometrial adenocarcinoma type remain significantly decreased compared with those aged <50 years old, BMI<25 kg/m², FIGO stage Ⅰ and endometrial adenocarcinoma type (P<0.05) , but there was no statistically significant difference in histological grade (P>0.05). Conclusions: ACE-27 may become one of the factors of predictive therapy and the prognosis for EC patients. The detailed clinical data of comorbidity should be collected to evaluate prognosis and therapy plan.

Transverse single-shot cross-correlation scheme for laser pulse temporal measurement via planar second harmonic generation

We present a novel single-shot cross-correlation technique based on the analysis of the transversally emitted second harmonic generation in crystals with random distribution and size of anti-parallel nonlinear domains. We implement it to the measurement of ultrashort laser pulses with unknown temporal duration and shape. We optimize the error of the pulse measurement by controlling the incident angle and beam width. As novelty and unlike the other well-known cross correlation schemes, this technique can be implemented for the temporal characterization of pulses over a very wide dynamic range (30 fs-1ps) and wavelengths (800-2200 nm), using the same crystal and without critical angular or temperature alignment.

New generalized poisson mixture model for bimodal count data with drug effect: An application to rodent brief-access taste aversion experiments

Pharmacodynamic (PD) count data can exhibit bimodality and nonequidispersion complicating the inclusion of drug effect. The purpose of this study was to explore four different mixture distribution models for bimodal count data by including both drug effect and distribution truncation. An example dataset, which exhibited bimodal pattern, was from rodent brief-access taste aversion (BATA) experiments to assess the bitterness of ascending concentrations of an aversive tasting drug. The two generalized Poisson mixture models performed the best and was flexible to explain both under and overdispersion. A sigmoid maximum effect (Emax ) model with logistic transformation was introduced to link the drug effect to the data partition within each distribution. Predicted density-histogram plot is suggested as a model evaluation tool due to its capability to directly compare the model predicted density with the histogram from raw data. The modeling approach presented here could form a useful strategy for modeling similar count data types.

[Effects of cystectomy for ovary benign cyst on ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycle]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of previous cystectomy for ovary benign cyst on ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcome in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) cycles.

METHODS

Totally 622 infertility patients were retrospectively investigated who underwent first IVF/ICSI-ET cycle in Reproductive Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from January 2013 to June 2014. There were 153 cases who had been removed ovarian cyst by cystectomy surgeries recruited as study group, in which 44 cases of ovarian endometriosis cyst, 35 cases of benign ovarian teratomas, 67 cases of simple ovarian cyst and 7 cases of ovarian mucinous cystadenoma. In contrast, 469 infertility patients with tubal-factor infertility or male factor were included as control group. The age-matched women in the control group had no ovarian surgery previously. The indicators of ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcome were analyzed between two groups. The influence of different types of ovarian cysts on ovarian reserve and pregnancy outcome in IVF/ICSI-ET cycles were also studied, ovarian endometriosis cyst was studied as Group A, and Group B consisted of benign ovarian teratomas, simple ovarian cyst and mucinous cystadenoma.

RESULTS

(1) The significantly lower serum antimullerian hormone (AMH) level (median: 1.92 versus 2.90 mg/L), antral follicle count (AFC; median: 12.0 versus 13.0), retrieved oocytes (12±5 versus 13±6) and the number of embryo cryopreserved (median: 1.0 versus 3.0) were found in study group compared with control group (all P<0.05). There was no statistical difference between two group for the following parameters, such as basal FSH level, the total dosage of gonadotropin duration and the total dosage of gonadotropin (all P>0.05). A better clinical pregnancy rate was achieved in control group (61.6%, 241/391) than that in study group (61.4%, 81/132), but no significant difference was existed (P=0.96). (2) Compared to Group B, Group A had fewer AFC, lower serum AMH level, retrieved oocytes and the number of embryo cryopreserved (11±4 versus 13±5; 1.65 versus 2.15 mg/L; 9±4 versus 13±5; 0 versus 2.0; all P< 0.01). There was a lower clinical pregnancy rate in Group A than that in Group B [50.0% (19/38) versus 66.0% (62/94)], accompanying with higher abortion rate [3/19 versus 9.7% (6/62)], but no differences were observed (all P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Ovarian reserve declines after the cystectomy for ovarian benign cysts and the cystectomy has a negative impact on IVF/ICSI-ET cycle, resulting in a decrease of the number of retrieved oocytes and the number of embryo cryopreserved, but do not influence clinical pregnancy outcome. Ovarian reserve is impaired more seriously by cystectomy for ovarian endometriosis cyst than other ovarian benign cyst.

Immunosuppressive human anti-CD83 monoclonal antibody depletion of activated dendritic cells in transplantation

Current immunosuppressive/anti-inflammatory agents target the responding effector arm of the immune response and their nonspecific action increases the risk of infection and malignancy. These effects impact on their use in allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation and other forms of transplantation. Interventions that target activated dendritic cells (DCs) have the potential to suppress the induction of undesired immune responses (for example, graft versus host disease (GVHD) or transplant rejection) and to leave protective T-cell immune responses intact (for example, cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunity). We developed a human IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), 3C12, specific for CD83, which is expressed on activated but not resting DC. The 3C12 mAb and an affinity improved version, 3C12C, depleted CD83(+) cells by CD16(+) NK cell-mediated antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and inhibited allogeneic T-cell proliferation in vitro. A single dose of 3C12C prevented human peripheral blood mononuclear cell-induced acute GVHD in SCID mouse recipients. The mAb 3C12C depleted CMRF-44(+)CD83(bright) activated DC but spared CD83(dim/-) DC in vivo. It reduced human T-cell activation in vivo and maintained the proportion of CD4(+) FoxP3(+) CD25(+) Treg cells and also viral-specific CD8(+) T cells. The anti-CD83 mAb, 3C12C, merits further evaluation as a new immunosuppressive agent in transplantation.

Neuropsychological characteristics of individuals with mild cognitive impairment

Introduction

As the population ages, cognitive impairment is prevalent among older adults and this may cause a huge burden to society. In order to take precautions effectively, we need to understand the characteristics of cognitive function of older adults, especially the individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Objectives

To explore the characteristics of cognitive function changes in individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

Methods

A total of 108 individuals with MCI as MCI group and 108 volunteers as control group were recruited in the study. The age, gender and years of schooling were matched between the two groups. The cognitive function was evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Results

Individuals of MCI group performed poorer than those of control group on executive function, attention, calculation, language and delayed memory. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The cognitive impairment in participants with MCI were delayed memory (100%), language (75%), executive function (66.7%), attention (44%) and calculation (20.4%).

Conclusions

The impairment of memory, language and executive function is the primary characteristics in individuals with MCI. Individuals with MCI have similar characteristics with early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). We should take preventive measures to improve or delay AD.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

A founder mutation p.H701P identified as a major cause of SPG7 in Norway

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

SPG7 is one of the most common forms of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia. The phenotype has been shown to be heterogeneous, varying from a complex spastic ataxia to pure spastic paraplegia or pure ataxia. The aim of this study was to clinically and genetically characterize patients with SPG7 in Norway.

METHODS

Six Norwegian families with a clinical diagnosis of hereditary spastic paraplegia were diagnosed with SPG7 through Sanger sequencing and whole-exome sequencing. Haplotypes were established to identify a possible founder mutation. All patients were thoroughly examined and the clinical and molecular findings are described.

RESULTS

The core phenotype was spastic paraparesis with ataxia, bladder disturbances and progressive external ophthalmoplegia. The variant p.H701P was identified in homozygous state in one family and in compound heterozygous state in three families. Haplotype analysis of seven surrounding single nucleotide polymorphisms supports that this variant resides on a founder haplotype. Four of the families were compound heterozygous for the previously well-described p.A510V variant.

CONCLUSION

SPG7 is a common subgroup of hereditary spinocerebellar disorders in Norway. The broad phenotype in the Norwegian SPG7 population illustrates the challenges with the traditional dichotomous classification of hereditary spinocerebellar disorders into hereditary spastic paraplegia or hereditary ataxia. A Norwegian founder mutation p.H701P was identified in four out of six families, making it a major cause of SPG7 in Norway.