CNVs in Three Psychiatric Disorders

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine the similarities and differences in the roles of genic and regulatory copy number variations (CNVs) in bipolar disorder (BD), schizophrenia (SCZ), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: Based on high-resolution CNV data from 8708 Japanese samples, we performed to our knowledge the largest cross-disorder analysis of genic and regulatory CNVs in BD, SCZ, and ASD. RESULTS: In genic CNVs, we found an increased burden of smaller (500 kb) exonic CNVs in SCZ/ASD. Pathogenic CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders were significantly associated with the risk for each disorder, but BD and SCZ/ASD differed in terms of the effect size (smaller in BD) and subtype distribution of CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. We identified 3 synaptic genes (DLG2, PCDH15, and ASTN2) as risk factors for BD. Whereas gene set analysis showed that BD-associated pathways were restricted to chromatin biology, SCZ and ASD involved more extensive and similar pathways. Nevertheless, a correlation analysis of gene set results indicated weak but significant pathway similarities between BD and SCZ or ASD (r = 0.25–0.31). In SCZ and ASD, but not BD, CNVs were significantly enriched in enhancers and promoters in brain tissue. CONCLUSIONS: BD and SCZ/ASD differ in terms of CNV burden, characteristics of CNVs linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, and regulatory CNVs. On the other hand, they have shared molecular mechanisms, including chromatin biology. The BD risk genes identified here could provide insight into the pathogenesis of BD

Effect of boron on post irradiation tensile properties of reduced activation ferritic steel (F-82H) irradiated in HFIR

Reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel, F-82H (Fe-8Cr-2W-V-Ta), was irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to doses between 11 and 34 dpa at 400 and 500 C. Post irradiation tensile tests were performed at the nominal irradiation temperature in vacuum. Some specimens included {sup 10}B or natural boron (nB) to estimate the helium effect on tensile properties. Tensile properties including the 0.2% offset yield stress, the ultimate tensile strength, the uniform elongation and the total elongation were measured. The tensile properties were not dependent on helium content in specimens irradiated to 34 dpa, however {sup 10}B-doped specimens with the highest levels of helium showed slightly higher yield strength and less ductility than boron-free specimens. Strength appears to go through a peak, and ductility through a trough at about 11 dpa. The irradiation to more than 21 dpa reduced the strength and increased the elongation to the unirradiated levels. Ferritic steels are one of the candidate alloys for nuclear fusion reactors because of their good thermophysical properties, their superior swelling resistance, and the low corrosion rate in contact with potential breeder and coolant materials

Utilization of Paper Sludge Wastes for Treatment of Wastewater from Food Processing Industries

The food processing industries usually produced large amount of wastewater containing fine and small particles. It takes long time for complete settlement of the fine and small particles in the wastewater. The coagulation method appears to become one of the useful treatments. New inorganic coagulant named “Agoclean‒P” has been developed from paper sludge ash. The treatment by coagulation and flocculation were carried out for the wastewater from three different food processing industries namely soup, tofu, and natto. “Hi‒Biah‒System”, which is an in‒situ solidification system, was used for the continuous treatment of wastewater. The parameters for the water quality were pH, five‒day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). These parameters after the treatment became much lower values relative to those obtained before the treatment

Long-Term Management of Recurrent Cholecystitis after Initial Conservative Treatment: Endoscopic Transpapillary Gallbladder Stenting

Background. Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (ETGBS) is an effective procedure for treating high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis and severe comorbidities. However, the efficacy of ETGBS for recurrent cholecystitis (RC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore its efficacy in patients with RC for whom cholecystectomy is contraindicated because of its high surgical risk. Methods. Data on 19 high-risk patients who had undergone ETGBS for RC after initial conservative therapy in our institution between June 2006 and May 2012 were retrospectively examined. The primary outcome was the clinical success rate, which was defined as no recurrences of acute cholecystitis after ETGBS until death or the end of the follow-up period. Secondary outcomes were technical success rate and adverse events (AEs). Results. The clinical success rate of ETGBS was 100%, the technical success rate 94.7%, and AE rate 5%: one patient developed procedure-related mild acute pancreatitis. The clinical courses of all patients were as follows: four died of nonbiliary disease, and the remaining 15 were subsequently treated conservatively. The median duration of follow-up was 14.95 months (range 3–42 months). Conclusions. ETGBS is an effective alternative for managing RC in high-risk patients with severe comorbidities