Breastfeeding as a positive factor of health forming children of early age

A special role in child health promotion belongs to the preventive work of pediatricians to promote breastfeeding among nursing mothers. The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship of the duration of breastfeeding to the health of the child before applying to a preschool educational institution. A cohort study among 100 breastfed children was conducted in which were included, up to 6 months (46%), up to 12 months (51%), more than 1 year (3%). The influence of the nature of delivery, the body weight of the newborn, the number of children in the family on the duration of breastfeeding was established. The duration of breastfeeding is longer among children of the first health group than children of the second and third health groups.Особая роль в формировании здоровья детей принадлежит профилактической работе педиатров по пропаганде грудного вскармливания. Цель работы – изучить взаимосвязь между продолжительностью грудного вскармливания и группой здоровья ребенка перед оформлением в дошкольное образовательное учреждение. Проведено пилотное исследование, в которое были включены 100 детей, находившихся на грудном вскармливании, в том числе до 6 месяцев (46%), до 12 месяцев (51%), более года (3%). Установлено влияние характера родоразрешения, массы тела новорожденного, количества детей в семье на продолжительность кормления грудью. Дети с первой группой здоровья имели более продолжительный период грудного вскармливания, чем дети со второй и третьей группами здоровья

Copy number variation analysis detects novel candidate genes involved in follicular growth and oocyte maturation in a cohort of premature ovarian failure cases

Can spontaneous premature ovarian failure (POF) patients derived from population-based biobanks reveal the association between copy number variations (CNVs) and POF? CNVs can hamper the functional capacity of ovaries by disrupting key genes and pathways essential for proper ovarian function. POF is defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 40 years. POF is a major reason for female infertility, although its cause remains largely unknown. The current retrospective CNV study included 301 spontaneous POF patients and 3188 control individuals registered between 2003 and 2014 at Estonian Genome Center at the University of Tartu (EGCUT) biobank. DNA samples from 301 spontaneous POF patients were genotyped by Illumina HumanCoreExome (258 samples) and HumanOmniExpress (43 samples) BeadChip arrays. Genotype and phenotype information was drawn from the EGCUT for the 3188 control population samples, previously genotyped with HumanCNV370 and HumanOmniExpress BeadChip arrays. All identified CNVs were subjected to functional enrichment studies for highlighting the POF pathogenesis. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to validate a subset of CNVs. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on six patients carrying hemizygous deletions that encompass genes essential for meiosis or folliculogenesis. Eleven novel microdeletions and microduplications that encompass genes relevant to POF were identified. For example, FMN2 (1q43) and SGOL2 (2q33.1) are essential for meiotic progression, while TBP (6q27), SCARB1 (12q24.31), BNC1 (15q25) and ARFGAP3 (22q13.2) are involved in follicular growth and oocyte maturation. The importance of recently discovered hemizygous microdeletions of meiotic genes SYCE1 (10q26.3) and CPEB1 (15q25.2) in POF patients was also corroborated. This is a descriptive analysis and no functional studies were performed. Anamnestic data obtained from population-based biobank lacked clinical, biological (hormone levels) or ultrasonographical data, and spontaneous POF was predicted retrospectively by excluding known extraovarian causes for premature menopause. The present study, with high number of spontaneous POF cases, provides novel data on associations between the genomic aberrations and premature menopause of ovarian cause and demonstrates that population-based biobanks are powerful source of biological samples and clinical data to reveal novel genetic lesions associated with human reproductive health and disease, including POF. This study was supported by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research (IUT20-43, IUT20-60, IUT34-16, SF0180027s10 and 9205), Enterprise Estonia (EU30020 and EU48695), Eureka's EUROSTARS programme (NOTED, EU41564), grants from European Union's FP7 Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP, SARM, |EU324509) and Horizon 2020 innovation programme (WIDENLIFE, 692065), Academy of Finland and the Sigrid Juselius Foundation.Peer reviewe

Natural speech communication in non-linguistic environment

The article is devoted to the actual problem of intercultural communication, dialogue of cultures. The idea of the interrelation between culture and language is implemented in practice through innovative educational materials representing anthropocentric educational paradigm. The cultural approach helps to enhance the motivation of foreign language learning in non-linguistic environment. The authors show the importance of dialogue of cultures in the process of selecting educational materials designed to motivate students to communicate, exchange information and emotions. The materials are used to teach Russian to foreigners who do not have the natural language environment for communication

Screening of 20 patients with X-linked mental retardation using chromosome X-specific array-MAPH

Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS All rights reserved.The rapid advancement of high-resolution DNA copy number assessment methods revealed the significant contribution of submicroscopic genetic imbalances to abnormal phenotypes, including mental retardation. In order to detect submicroscopic genetic imbalances, we have screened 20 families with X-linked mental retardation (XLMR) using a chromosome X-specific array-MAPH platform with median resolution of 238 kb. Among the 20 families, 18 were experimental, as they were not previously screened with any microarray method, and two were blind controls with known aberrations, as they were previously screened by array-CGH. This study presents the first clinical application of chromosome X-specific array-MAPH methodology. The screening of 20 affected males from 20 unrelated XLMR families resulted in the detection of an unknown deletion, spanning a region of 7-23 kb. Family studies and population screening demonstrated that the detected deletion is an unknown rare copy number variant. One of the control samples, carrying approximately 6-Mb duplication was correctly identified, moreover it was found to be interrupted by a previously unknown 19 kb region of normal copy number. The second control 50 kb deletion was not identified, as this particular region was not covered by array-MAPH probes. This study demonstrates that the chromosome X-specific array-MAPH platform is a valuable tool for screening patients with XLMR, or other X-linked disorders, and emerges the need for introducing new high-resolution screening methods for the detection of genetic imbalances. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All fights reserved.Ludmila Kousoulidou, Sven Parkel, Olga Zilina, Priit Palta, Helen Puusepp, Maido Remm, Gillian Turner, Jackie Boyle, Hans van Bokhoven, Arjan de Brouwer, Hilde Van Esch, Guy Froyen, Hans-Hilger Ropers, Jamel Chelly, Claude Moraine, Jozef Gecz, Ants Kurg and Philippos C. Patsalishttp://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/705239/description#descriptio

Meta-analysis of the diagnostic and clinical utility of genome and exome sequencing and chromosomal microarray in children with suspected genetic diseases

Genetic diseases are leading causes of childhood mortality. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-exome sequencing (WES) are relatively new methods for diagnosing genetic diseases, whereas chromosomal microarray (CMA) is well established. Here we compared the diagnostic utility (rate of causative, pathogenic, or likely pathogenic genotypes in known disease genes) and clinical utility (proportion in whom medical or surgical management was changed by diagnosis) of WGS, WES, and CMA in children with suspected genetic diseases by systematic review of the literature (January 2011-August 2017) and meta-analysis, following MOOSE/PRISMA guidelines. In 37 studies, comprising 20,068 children, diagnostic utility of WGS (0.41, 95% CI 0.34-0.48, I2 = 44%) and WES (0.36, 95% CI 0.33-0.40, I2 = 83%) were qualitatively greater than CMA (0.10, 95% CI 0.08-0.12, I2 = 81%). Among studies published in 2017, the diagnostic utility of WGS was significantly greater than CMA (P < 0.0001, I2 = 13% and I2 = 40%, respectively). Among studies featuring within-cohort comparisons, the diagnostic utility of WES was significantly greater than CMA (P < 0.001, I2 = 36%). The diagnostic utility of WGS and WES were not significantly different. In studies featuring within-cohort comparisons of WGS/WES, the likelihood of diagnosis was significantly greater for trios than singletons (odds ratio 2.04, 95% CI 1.62-2.56, I2 = 12%; P < 0.0001). Diagnostic utility of WGS/WES with hospital-based interpretation (0.42, 95% CI 0.38-0.45, I2 = 48%) was qualitatively higher than that of reference laboratories (0.29, 95% CI 0.27-0.31, I2 = 49%); this difference was significant among studies published in 2017 (P < .0001, I2 = 22% and I2 = 26%, respectively). The clinical utility of WGS (0.27, 95% CI 0.17-0.40, I2 = 54%) and WES (0.17, 95% CI 0.12-0.24, I2 = 76%) were higher than CMA (0.06, 95% CI 0.05-0.07, I2 = 42%); this difference was significant for WGS vs CMA (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, in children with suspected genetic diseases, the diagnostic and clinical utility of WGS/WES were greater than CMA. Subgroups with higher WGS/WES diagnostic utility were trios and those receiving hospital-based interpretation. WGS/WES should be considered a first-line genomic test for children with suspected genetic diseases