Longitudinal analyses of the DNA methylome in deployed military servicemen identify susceptibility loci for post-traumatic stress disorder

In order to determine the impact of the epigenetic response to traumatic stress on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this study examined longitudinal changes of genome-wide blood DNA methylation profiles in relation to the development of PTSD symptoms in two prospective military cohorts (one discovery and one replication data set). In the first cohort consisting of male Dutch military servicemen (n=93), the emergence of PTSD symptoms over a deployment period to a combat zone was significantly associated with alterations in DNA methylation levels at 17 genomic positions and 12 genomic regions. Evidence for mediation of the relation between combat trauma and PTSD symptoms by longitudinal changes in DNA methylation was observed at several positions and regions. Bioinformatic analyses of the reported associations identified significant enrichment in several pathways relevant for symptoms of PTSD. Targeted analyses of the significant findings from the discovery sample in an independent prospective cohort of male US marines (n=98) replicated the observed relation between decreases in DNA methylation levels and PTSD symptoms at genomic regions in ZFP57, RNF39 and HIST1H2APS2. Together, our study pinpoints three novel genomic regions where longitudinal decreases in DNA methylation across the period of exposure to combat trauma marks susceptibility for PTSD

Incidence of thrombocytopenia in hyperbilirubinemic neonates during phototherapy

Thrombocytopenia has been reported as a complication of phototherapy. In this study the effect of conventional phototherapy on platelet count was studied in 101 newborns with indirect hyperbilirubinemia, out of whom 50 patients (49.5%) had decreased levels of platelets; 20 (19.8%) of the latter had a platelet count of below 100000/mm3. Decreased platelet count was maximum during the first 24 hours of phototherapy. Ultrviolet light may increase plateled turnover and injury during phototherapy by and unkown mechanism

Incidence and complication of multifetal pregnancy in the hospitals affliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Background: The neonates who are products of multifetal gestations have higher mortality rate than the singltons, besides they are prone to complications such as: asphyxia, prematurity, low birth weight, birth trauma, septicemia and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). We studied the incidence of multifetal pregnancies, neonatal complications and mortality rate in this group of neonates in a prospective study in the hospitals affiliated to the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: We evaluated these neonates and their mothers during hospital admissions for the maternal risk factors such as maternal age, history of infertility, pregnancy related complications and drug histories, hazardous factors related to delivery such as the method of delivery and its complications and neonatal problems in neonates who were the product of multifetal pregnancy, the rate and cause of mortality, and other complications such as birth asphyxia, RDS and congenital anomalies. Finally all of the data were statistically analyzed by software package social science (SPSS).Results: The incidence of twins was 232:10000, triplets 7: 10000. Mean gestational age in twin pregnancies was 35±3.5 weeks and mean birth weight 2184.9±606 gr; in triplets mean gestational age was 31±4 weeks and mean birth weight 1598.3±687 gr. The most common neonatal complication consisted of RDS (46.4%) which was also the leading (69%) cause of death in these neonates. There was inverse relation between the neonatal complications and birth weight, especially in asphyxic patients (p<0.001). Congenital anomalies were observed in 3% of neonates. Postnatal mortality rate was higher in normal vaginal deliveries compared to caesarean sections (p=0.04). There was no seasonal difference in the incidence of multifetal pregnancies.Conclusion: In this study the incidence of multiple pregnancies was higher than in other studies. The mortality rate was higher in the neonates born by vaginal delivery

DC-PC Technique for Crack Length Measurements at Elevated Temperatures

NRC publication: Ye