Expanding the phenotypic spectrum of MBOAT7‐related intellectual disability

MBOAT7 gene pathogenic variants are a newly discovered and rare cause for intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), seizures, truncal hypotonia, appendicular hypertonia, and below average head sizes (ranging from −1 to −3 standard deviations). There have been only 16 individuals previously reported who have MBOAT7‐related intellectual disability, all of whom were younger than 10 years old and from consanguineous relationships. Thus, there is a lack of phenotypic information for adolescent and adult individuals with this disorder. Medical genetics and psychiatric evaluations in a 14‐year‐old female patient with a history of global developmental delay, intellectual disability, overgrowth with macrocephaly, metrorrhagia, seizures, basal ganglia hyperintensities, nystagmus, strabismus with amblyopia, ASD, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggressive outbursts, and hyperphagia included a karyotype, methylation polymerase chain reaction for Prader‐Willi/Angelman syndrome, chromosome microarray, and whole exome sequencing (WES), ADOS2, and ADI‐R. WES identified a homozygous, likely pathogenic variant in the MBOAT7 gene (c.855‐2A>G). This is the oldest known patient with MBOAT7‐related intellectual disability, whose unique features compared with previously described individuals include overgrowth with macrocephaly, metrorrhagia, ophthalmological abnormalities, basal ganglia hyperintensities, unspecified anxiety disorder, and ADHD; combined type; and hyperphagia with the absence of appendicular hypertonia and cortical atrophy. More individuals need to be identified in order to delineate the full clinical spectrum of this disorder.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151268/1/ajmgb32749_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/151268/2/ajmgb32749.pd

A novel fluorescence-based assay for the rapid detection and quantification of cellular deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates

Current methods for measuring deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) employ reagent and labor-intensive assays utilizing radioisotopes in DNA polymerase-based assays and/or chromatography-based approaches. We have developed a rapid and sensitive 96-well fluorescence-based assay to quantify cellular dNTPs utilizing a standard real-time PCR thermocycler. This assay relies on the principle that incorporation of a limiting dNTP is required for primer-extension and Taq polymerase-mediated 5–3′ exonuclease hydrolysis of a dual-quenched fluorophore-labeled probe resulting in fluorescence. The concentration of limiting dNTP is directly proportional to the fluorescence generated. The assay demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99) and can be modified to detect between ∼0.5 and 100 pmol of dNTP. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all dNTPs were defined as <0.77 and <1.3 pmol, respectively. The intra-assay and inter-assay variation coefficients were determined to be <4.6% and <10%, respectively with an accuracy of 100 ± 15% for all dNTPs. The assay quantified intracellular dNTPs with similar results obtained from a validated LC–MS/MS approach and successfully measured quantitative differences in dNTP pools in human cancer cells treated with inhibitors of thymidylate metabolism. This assay has important application in research that investigates the influence of pathological conditions or pharmacological agents on dNTP biosynthesis and regulation

In search of the authentic nation: landscape and national identity in Canada and Switzerland

While the study of nationalism and national identity has flourished in the last decade, little attention has been devoted to the conditions under which natural environments acquire significance in definitions of nationhood. This article examines the identity-forming role of landscape depictions in two polyethnic nation-states: Canada and Switzerland. Two types of geographical national identity are identified. The first – what we call the ‘nationalisation of nature’– portrays zarticular landscapes as expressions of national authenticity. The second pattern – what we refer to as the ‘naturalisation of the nation’– rests upon a notion of geographical determinism that depicts specific landscapes as forces capable of determining national identity. The authors offer two reasons why the second pattern came to prevail in the cases under consideration: (1) the affinity between wild landscape and the Romantic ideal of pure, rugged nature, and (2) a divergence between the nationalist ideal of ethnic homogeneity and the polyethnic composition of the two societies under consideration

Relative Efficacy of AS03-Adjuvanted Pandemic Influenza A(H1N1) Vaccine in Children: Results of a Controlled, Randomized Efficacy Trial

Background. the vaccine efficacy (VE) of 1 or 2 doses of AS03-adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccine relative to that of 2 doses of nonadjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccine in children 6 months to <10 years of age in a multinational study conducted during 2010-2011.Methods. A total of 6145 children were randomly assigned at a ratio of 1: 1: 1 to receive 2 injections 21 days apart of A/California/7/2009(H1N1)-AS03 vaccine at dose 1 and saline placebo at dose 2, 2 doses 21 days apart of A/California/7/2009(H1N1)-AS03 vaccine (the Ad2 group), or 2 doses 21 days apart of nonadjuvanted A/California/7/2009(H1N1) vaccine (the NAd2 group). Active surveillance for influenza-like illnesses continued from days 14 to 385. Nose and throat samples obtained during influenza-like illnesses were tested for A/California/7/2009 (H1N1), using reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunogenicity, reactogenicity, and safety were assessed.Results. There were 23 cases of confirmed 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (A[H1N1]pdm09) infection for the primary relative VE analysis. the VE in the Ad2 group relative to that in the NAd2 group was 76.8% (95% confidence interval, 18.5%-93.4%). the benefit of the AS03 adjuvant was demonstrated in terms of the greater immunogenicity observed in the Ad2 group, compared with the NAd2 group.Conclusion. the 4-8-fold antigen-sparing adjuvanted pandemic influenza vaccine demonstrated superior and clinically important prevention of A(H1N1)pdm09 infection, compared with nonadjuvanted vaccine, with no observed increase in medically attended or serious adverse events. These data support the use of adjuvanted influenza vaccines during influenza pandemics.GlaxoSmithKline BiologicalsUniv Melbourne, Murdoch Childrens Res Inst, Carlton, Vic 3010, AustraliaUniv Melbourne, Melbourne Sch Populat & Global Hlth, Carlton, Vic 3010, AustraliaGlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, King of Prussia, PA USANovavax, Rockville, MD USAMary Chiles Gen Hosp, Dept Pediat, Manila, PhilippinesDe La Salle Hlth Sci Inst, Dept Pediat, Dasmarinas City, PhilippinesRes Inst Trop Med, Dept Hlth, Muntinlupa, PhilippinesUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilFac Ciencias Med Santa Casa São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilAssoc Fundo Incent Pesquisa, São Paulo, BrazilInst Costarricense Invest Clin, San Jose, Costa RicaNatl Inst Publ Hlth Mexico, Cuernavaca, Morelos, MexicoUniv Autonoma Nuevo Leon, Serv Med, Monterrey, MexicoInst Nacl Pediat Mexico, Mexico City, DF, MexicoHosp Gen Durango, Durango, MexicoPhramongkutklao Hosp, Infect Dis Unit, Dept Pediat, Bangkok, ThailandKhon Kaen Univ, Dept Pediat, Fac Med, Khon Kaen, ThailandNatl Healthcare Grp Polyclin, Singapore, SingaporeCtr Estudios Infect Pediat, Cali, ColombiaGlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, Wavre, BelgiumGlaxoSmithKline Vaccines, Rixensart, BelgiumUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

High rate of subclinical chikungunya virus infection and association of neutralizing antibody with protection in a prospective cohort in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a globally re-emerging arbovirus for which previous studies have indicated the majority of infections result in symptomatic febrile illness. We sought to characterize the proportion of subclinical and symptomatic CHIKV infections in a prospective cohort study in a country with known CHIKV circulation. METHODS/FINDINGS: A prospective longitudinal cohort of subjects ≥6 months old underwent community-based active surveillance for acute febrile illness in Cebu City, Philippines from 2012-13. Subjects with fever history were clinically evaluated at acute, 2, 5, and 8 day visits, and at a 3-week convalescent visit. Blood was collected at the acute and 3-week convalescent visits. Symptomatic CHIKV infections were identified by positive CHIKV PCR in acute blood samples and/or CHIKV IgM/IgG ELISA seroconversion in paired acute/convalescent samples. Enrollment and 12-month blood samples underwent plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) using CHIKV attenuated strain 181/clone25. Subclinical CHIKV infections were identified by ≥8-fold rise from a baseline enrollment PRNT titer 50 years old. Baseline CHIKV PRNT titer ≥10 was associated with 100% (95%CI: 46.1, 100.0) protection from symptomatic CHIKV infection. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated Asian genotype closely related to strains from Asia and the Caribbean. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical infections accounted for a majority of total CHIKV infections. A positive baseline CHIKV PRNT titer was associated with protection from symptomatic CHIKV infection. These findings have implications for assessing disease burden, understanding virus transmission, and supporting vaccine development

The Resource Curse and Rentier States in the Caspian Region : A Need for Context Analysis

Although much attention is paid to the Caspian region with regard to energy issues, the domestic consequences of the region’s resource production have so far constituted a neglected field of research. A systematic survey of the latest research trends in the economic and political causalities of the resource curse and of rentier states reveals that there is a need for context analysis. In reference to this, the paper traces any shortcomings and promising approaches in the existent body of literature on the Caspian region. Following on from this, the paper then proposes a new approach; specifically, one in which any differences and similarities in the context conditions are captured. This enables a more precise exploration of the exact ways in which they form contemporary post-Soviet Caspian rentier states.Obwohl der Region am Kaspischen Meer im Zuge von Energiediskursen große Aufmerksamkeit zuteil wird, stellen die innerstaatlichen Folgen der Ressourcenproduktion in der Region ein bislang vernachlässigtes Forschungsfeld dar. Ein systematischer Überblick über die jüngsten Forschungstrends zu wirtschaftlichen und politischen Kausalzusammenhängen des Ressourcenfluchs und zu Rentierstaaten offenbart die Notwendigkeit von Kontextanalysen. Hierauf Bezug nehmend, analysiert der Aufsatz sowohl die Mängel als auch viel versprechende Ansätze in der betreffenden Literatur zur Region am Kaspischen Meer. Der Aufsatz stellt letztendlich einen neuen Ansatz vor, der Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten in den Kontextbedingungen erfasst, um zu erforschen, wie diese die gegenwärtigen post-sowjetischen Rentierstaaten in der Region am Kaspischen Meer tatsächlich prägen

The tale of a shirt; a comedy in one act.

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