MTHFR, Homocysteine, and Schizophrenia

Previous studies suggest that elevated blood homocysteine levels and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism are risk factors for schizophrenia. However, the effects of gender and MTHFR C677T genotypes on blood homocysteine levels in schizophrenia have not been consistent. We first investigated whether plasma total homocysteine levels were higher in patients with schizophrenia than in controls with stratification by gender and by the MTHFR C677T genotypes in a large cohort (N = 1379). Second, we conducted a meta-analysis of association studies between blood homocysteine levels and schizophrenia separately by gender (N = 4714). Third, we performed a case-control association study between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and schizophrenia (N = 4998) and conducted a meta-analysis of genetic association studies based on Japanese subjects (N = 10 378). Finally, we assessed the effect of plasma total homocysteine levels on schizophrenia by a mendelian randomization approach. The ANCOVA after adjustment for age demonstrated a significant effect of diagnosis on the plasma total homocysteine levels in all strata, and the subsequent meta-analysis for gender demonstrated elevated blood homocysteine levels in both male and female patients with schizophrenia although antipsychotic medication might influence the outcome. The meta-analysis of the Japanese genetic association studies demonstrated a significant association between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and schizophrenia. The mendelian randomization analysis in the Japanese populations yielded an OR of 1.15 for schizophrenia per 1-SD increase in plasma total homocysteine. Our study suggests that increased plasma total homocysteine levels may be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia

Initial experience with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in follow up assessment of small breast cancer treated by cryoablation

BackgroundCryoablation (CA) is a nonsurgical focal therapy for small tumours. To detect residual or relapsed tumour after CA of renal cancer, contrast-enhanced imaging is generally used to identify tumour blood flow, but no definitive criteria are established for such follow-up after CA of breast cancer.AimsThe aim of this study was to compare the usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for assessing residual tumours and local relapse following CA of small breast cancers.Methods We enrolled 4 patients treated by CA at our institution between January 2015 and December 2016 for luminal A breast cancer with maximum tumour size of 1.5cm and neither distant metastasis nor metastatic findings in sentinel lymph node biopsy, who underwent CEUS and MR imaging before CA. In addition to our standard postoperative follow-up for breast cancer, these patients underwent CEUS every 3 months and MR imaging every 6 months after CA.Results Six months after CA, no patient showed enhancement at the lesion site on MR imaging, but there were two with continued enhancement on CEUS. They underwent vacuum-assisted breast biopsy under US guidance followed by histopathological examination of tissue that identified no malignancy.ConclusionOur findings of focal enhancement within ablated breast tissue in CEUS after CA is likely attributable to the much higher sensitivity of CEUS to that of other modalities to even slight vascularization. Further investigation in more patients is needed to clarify the utility of CEUS to detect residual or relapsed tumour after CA of small breast cancer

Background Factors Affecting Visual Acuity at Initial Visit in Eyes with Central Retinal Vein Occlusion : Multicenter Study in Japan

Purpose: To determine the baseline characteristics of patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) that were significantly associated with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the initial examination. Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter study using the medical records registered in 17 ophthalmological institutions in Japan. Patients with untreated CRVO (≥20-years-of-age) who were initially examined between January 2013 and December 2017 were studied. The patients’ baseline factors that were significantly associated with the BCVA at the initial examination were determined by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Results: Data from 517 eyes of 517 patients were analyzed. Univariate analyses showed that an older age (r = 0.194, p < 0.001) and the right eye (r = −0.103, p < 0.019) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Multivariate analyses also showed that an older age (β = 0.191, p < 0.001) and the right eye (β = −0.089, p = 0.041) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Conclusions: The results indicate that an older age, a known strong factor, and the right eye were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit to the hospital. These results suggest that functional and/or anatomical differences between the right and left eyes may be involved in these results

Dynamical LEED analysis of Ni2P (0001)-1 x 1 : Evidence for P-covered surface structure

Nickel phosphide (Ni2P) is an emerging catalyst for hydrodesulfurization and other important environment- and energy-related catalytic reactions. To understand its high performance, the surface structure of a Ni2P (0 0 0 1) single crystal surface was investigated using dynamical LEED analysis. The obtained surface structure for Ni2P (0 0 0 1)-1 x 1 is a P-covered Ni3P2 structure (Ni3P_P structure) as opposed to the expected bulk terminated surface structures. This Letter discusses the driving force for the formation of the Ni3P_P surface, which involves the minimization of dangling bonds

STM studies on the reconstruction of the Ni2P (101[-]0) surface

The surface structure of Ni2P (101[-]0), a model for highly active hydrodesulfurization catalysts, was studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and low energy electron diffraction (LEED) in order to understand the reconstruction of the surface layers. Annealing at 573 K revealed a (1 x 1) LEED pattern which changed to a c(2 x 4) arrangement by further heating to 723 K. Atomic scale STM images were obtained for both the (1 x 1) and c(2 x 4) structures. Bright spots observed in the STM images were interpreted to be due to surface phosphorus atoms and this was supported by a density functional theory (DFT) simulation. Several possible models for the c(2 x 4) reconstructed structures were proposed including a P-dimer defect model, a missing-row model and a missing-row + added row model. The last model gave the best explanation for the c(2 x 4) structure. The mechanism for the c(2 x 4) reconstruction on the Ni2P (101[-]0) surface is discussed