| 1. |
- Wang, CH, et al.
(författare)
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Consensus statement on standard of care for congenital muscular dystrophies
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of child neurology. - : SAGE Publications. - 1708-8283 .- 0883-0738. ; 25:12, s. 1559-1581
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Congenital muscular dystrophies are a group of rare neuromuscular disorders with a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Recent advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of congenital muscular dystrophy have enabled better diagnosis. However, medical care for patients with congenital muscular dystrophy remains very diverse. Advances in many areas of medical technology have not been adopted in clinical practice. The International Standard of Care Committee for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy was established to identify current care issues, review literature for evidence-based practice, and achieve consensus on care recommendations in 7 areas: diagnosis, neurology, pulmonology, orthopedics/rehabilitation, gastroenterology/ nutrition/speech/oral care, cardiology, and palliative care. To achieve consensus on the care recommendations, 2 separate online surveys were conducted to poll opinions from experts in the field and from congenital muscular dystrophy families. The final consensus was achieved in a 3-day workshop conducted in Brussels, Belgium, in November 2009. This consensus statement describes the care recommendations from this committee.
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| 2. |
- Acar, C, et al.
(författare)
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Mutation screening of patients with Leber congenital amaurosis or the enhanced S-cone syndrome reveals a lack of sequence variations in the NRL gene
- 2003
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Ingår i: Molecular Vision. - 1090-0535. ; 9:3-4, s. 14-17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To determine if mutations in the retinal transcription factor gene NRL are associated with retinopathies other than autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP). Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples obtained from 50 patients with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), 17 patients with the Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome (ESCS), and a patient with an atypical retinal degeneration that causes photoreceptor rosettes with blue cone opsin. The 5' upstream region (putative promoter), untranslated exon 1, coding exons 2 and 3, and exon-intron boundaries of the NRL gene were analyzed by direct sequencing of the PCR-amplified products. Results: Complete sequencing of the NRL gene in DNA samples from this cohort of patients revealed only one nucleotide change. The C->G transversion at nucleotide 711 of NRL exon 3 was detected in one LCA patient; however, this change did not alter the amino acid (L237L). Conclusions: No potential disease causing mutation was identified in the NRL gene in patients with LCA, ESCS, or the atypical retinal degeneration. Together with previous studies, our results demonstrate that mutations in the NRL gene are not a major cause of retinopathy. To date, only missense changes have been reported in adRP patients, and sequence variations are rare. It is possible that the loss of NRL function in humans is associated with a more complex clinical phenotype due to its expression in pineal gland in addition to rod photoreceptors.
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| 3. |
- Iacomino, G., et al.
(författare)
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The association of circulating miR-191 and miR-375 expression levels with markers of insulin resistance in overweight children: an exploratory analysis of the I.Family Study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Genes and Nutrition. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1555-8932 .- 1865-3499. ; 16:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In recent years, the exciting emergence of circulating miRNAs as stable, reproducible, and consistent among individuals has opened a promising research opportunity for the detection of non-invasive biomarkers. A firm connection has been established between circulating miRNAs and glycaemic as well as metabolic homeostasis, showing that levels of specific miRNAs vary under different physio-pathological conditions. Objective: In this pilot study, we investigated the expression of candidate miRNAs, hsa-miR-191-3p and hsa-miR-375, in relation to biomarkers associated with insulin sensitivity in a subgroup (n=58) of subjects participating to the European I.Family Study, a project aimed to assess the determinants of eating behaviour in children and adolescents and related health outcomes. The sample included overweight/obese children/adolescents since overweight/obesity is a known risk factor for impaired glucose homeostasis and metabolic disorders. Biological targets of candidate miRNAs were also explored in silico. Results: We observed a significant association of the two miRNAs and early changes in glycaemic homeostasis, independent of covariates including country of origin, age, BMI z-score, puberty status, highest educational level of parents, total energy intake, energy from fats, energy from carbohydrates, and energy from proteins. Conclusion: Identification of circulating miRNAs associated with insulin impairment may offer novel approaches of assessing early variations in insulin sensitivity and provide evidence about the molecular mechanisms connected to early changes in glycaemic homeostasis. Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN62310987. Retrospectively registered, http://isrctn.com/ISRCTN62310987 © 2021, The Author(s).
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| 4. |
- Branham, Kari, et al.
(författare)
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Mutations in RPGR and RP2 Account for 15% of Males with Simplex Retinal Degenerative Disease
- 2012
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Ingår i: Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. - : Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). - 1552-5783. ; 53:13, s. 8232-8237
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE. To determine the proportion of male patients presenting simplex retinal degenerative disease (RD: retinitis pigmentosa [RP] or cone/cone-rod dystrophy [COD/CORD]) with mutations in the X-linked retinal degeneration genes RPGR and RP2. METHODS. Simplex males were defined as patients with no known affected family members. Patients were excluded if they had a family history of parental consanguinity. Blood samples from a total of 214 simplex males with a diagnosis of retinal degeneration were collected for genetic analysis. The patients were screened for mutations in RPGR and RP2 by direct sequencing of PCR-amplified genomic DNA. RESULTS. We identified pathogenic mutations in 32 of the 214 patients screened (15%). Of the 29 patients with a diagnosis of COD/CORD, four mutations were identified in the ORF15 mutational hotspot of the RPGR gene. Of the 185 RP patients, three patients had mutations in RP2 and 25 had RPGR mutations (including 12 in the ORF15 region). CONCLUSIONS. This study represents mutation screening of RPGR and RP2 in the largest cohort, to date, of simplex males affected with RP or COD/CORD. Our results demonstrate a substantial contribution of RPGR mutations to retinal degenerations, and in particular, to simplex RP. Based on our findings, we suggest that RPGR should be considered as a first tier gene for screening isolated males with retinal degeneration. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012;53:8232-8237) DOI:10.1167/iovs.12-11025
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| 5. |
- Del Dotto, V., et al.
(författare)
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SSBP1 mutations cause mtDNA depletion underlying a complex optic atrophy disorder
- 2020
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : American Society for Clinical Investigation. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 130:1, s. 108-125
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Inherited optic neuropathies include complex phenotypes, mostly driven by mitochondrial dysfunction. We report an optic atrophy spectrum disorder, including retinal macular dystrophy and kidney insufficiency leading to transplantation, associated with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion without accumulation of multiple deletions. By whole-exome sequencing, we identified mutations affecting the mitochondrial single-strand binding protein (SSBP1) in 4 families with dominant and 1 with recessive inheritance. We show that SSBP1 mutations in patient-derived fibroblasts variably affect the amount of SSBP1 protein and alter multimer formation, but not the binding to ssDNA. SSBP1 mutations impaired mtDNA, nucleoids, and 7S-DNA amounts as well as mtDNA replication, affecting replisome machinery. The variable mtDNA depletion in cells was reflected in severity of mitochondrial dysfunction, including respiratory efficiency, OXPHOS subunits, and complex amount and assembly. mtDNA depletion and cytochrome c oxidase-negative cells were found ex vivo in biopsies of affected tissues, such as kidney and skeletal muscle. Reduced efficiency of mtDNA replication was also reproduced in vitro, confirming the pathogenic mechanism. Furthermore, ssbp1 suppression in zebrafish induced signs of nephropathy and reduced optic nerve size, the latter phenotype complemented by WT mRNA but not by SSBP1 mutant transcripts. This previously unrecognized disease of mtDNA maintenance implicates SSBP1 mutations as a cause of human pathology.
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| 6. |
- Iacomino, G., et al.
(författare)
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Circulating miRNAs are associated with sleep duration in children/adolescents: Results of the I.Family Study
- 2020
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Ingår i: Experimental Physiology. - : Wiley. - 0958-0670 .- 1469-445X. ; 105:2, s. 347-356
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- New Findings What is the central question of this study?Are differential patterns of circulating miRNAs associated with sleep duration in normal-weight European children and adolescents? What is the main finding and its importance?Differences in the expression level of circulating miR-26b-3p and miR-485-5p are positively associated with total sleep duration in healthy normal-weight children and adolescents. It is commonly recognized that sleep is essential for children's health, and that insufficient sleep duration is associated with negative health outcomes. In humans, sleep duration and quality are influenced by genetic, environmental and social factors. Epigenetic mechanisms, likewise, regulate circadian rhythms and sleep patterns. In the present study, we aimed to identify circulating microRNAs associated with sleep duration in a subsample of normal-weight European children/adolescents (n = 111) participating in the I.Family Study. Subjects were divided into two groups based upon self-reported sleep duration, according to the recommended amount of sleep for paediatric populations. Sleep needs for children <13 years were at least 9 h per day, and for children >13 were at least 8 h per day. There were group differences (short sleepers versus normal sleepers) in circulating levels of miR-26b-3p (mean (95% CI) = 2.0 (1.3-2.7) versus 2.3 (1.9-2.7), P = 0.05) and miR-485-5p (mean (95% CI) = 0.6 (0.3-0.9) versus 0.9 (0.7 - 1.0), P < 0.001), adjusting for country of origin, age, sex, pubertal status, screen time and highest educational level of parents. Our findings show for the first time that sleep duration reflects the profile of specific circulating microRNAs in school-aged children and adolescents. It is conceivable that epigenetic modifications, mainly related to circadian rhythm control, may be modulated or interfere with sleep duration.
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| 7. |
- Mercuri, E., et al.
(författare)
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Nusinersen versus Sham Control in Later-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- 2018
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Ingår i: New England Journal of Medicine. - 0028-4793. ; 378:7, s. 625-635
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND Nusinersen is an antisense oligonucleotide drug that modulates pre-messenger RNA splicing of the survival motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene. It has been developed for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). METHODS We conducted a multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, phase 3 trial of nusinersen in 126 children with SMA who had symptom onset after 6 months of age. The children were randomly assigned, in a 2: 1 ratio, to undergo intrathecal administration of nusinersen at a dose of 12 mg (nusinersen group) or a sham procedure (control group) on days 1, 29, 85, and 274. The primary end point was the least-squares mean change from baseline in the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale-Expanded (HFMSE) score at 15 months of treatment; HFMSE scores range from 0 to 66, with higher scores indicating better motor function. Secondary end points included the percentage of children with a clinically meaningful increase from baseline in the HFMSE score (>= 3 points), an outcome that indicates improvement in at least two motor skills. RESULTS In the prespecified interim analysis, there was a least-squares mean increase from baseline to month 15 in the HFMSE score in the nusinersen group (by 4.0 points) and a least-squares mean decrease in the control group (by -1.9 points), with a significant between-group difference favoring nusinersen (least-squares mean difference in change, 5.9 points; 95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 8.1; P< 0.001). This result prompted early termination of the trial. Results of the final analysis were consistent with results of the interim analysis. In the final analysis, 57% of the children in the nusinersen group as compared with 26% in the control group had an increase from baseline to month 15 in the HFMSE score of at least 3 points (P< 0.001), and the overall incidence of adverse events was similar in the nusinersen group and the control group (93% and 100%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Among children with later-onset SMA, those who received nusinersen had significant and clinically meaningful improvement in motor function as compared with those in the control group. (Funded by Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals; CHERISH ClinicalTrials. gov number, NCT02292537.)
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| 8. |
- Fiori, G., et al.
(författare)
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Simulation of hydrogenated graphene field-effect transistors through a multiscale approach
- 2010
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Ingår i: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 82:15, s. 153404-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this work, we present a performance analysis of field-effect transistors (FETs) based on recently fabricated 100% hydrogenated graphene (the so-called graphane) and theoretically predicted semihydrogenated graphene (i.e., graphone). The approach is based on accurate calculations of the energy bands by means of GW approximation, subsequently fitted with a three-nearest neighbor sp(3) tight-binding Hamiltonian, and finally used to compute ballistic transport in transistors based on functionalized graphene. Due to the large energy gap, the proposed devices have many of the advantages provided by one-dimensional graphene nanoribbon FETs, such as large I-on and I-on/I-off ratios, reduced band-to-band tunneling, without the corresponding disadvantages in terms of prohibitive lithography and patterning requirements for circuit integration.
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| 9. |
- Iannaccone, M., et al.
(författare)
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Whole-transcriptome profiling of sheep fed with a high iodine-supplemented diet
- 2020
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Ingår i: Animal. - 1751-7311 .- 1751-732X. ; 14:4, s. 745-752
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Iodine (I) is a micronutrient that mammals need for proper functionality of thyroid gland since it is the main component of thyroid hormones. Besides studies that have investigated the role of I in livestock nutrition, it is also important to know the transcriptomics changes in small ruminants following I supplementation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of I on the whole blood transcriptome in sheep. Fifteen lactating cross-bred ewes (3 to 4-year-old, 55 to 65 kg BW) at their late lactation period were enrolled in this study. At the beginning, all the animals had a 2-week acclimation period where they were fed with a basal diet which includes an adequate level of I (2 mg I/animal per day) in the form of calcium iodate (CaI2O6). Then, the ewes were randomly divided into two groups and fed in individual troughs: the control group (n = 5) was maintained on basal diet and the experimental group (I, n = 10) was fed for 40 days with a diet containing a high I supplementation (equivalent to 30 mg I/animal per day), in the form of potassium iodide. Whole blood and milk were collected individually at the beginning (T0) and after the 40 days of supplementation (T40). Iodine quantification was assessed in serum and milk sample. Microarray gene expression analysis was performed on whole blood and, filtering data using a fold change >2 with an adjusted P < 0.05, we identified 250 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the I group (T40 v. T0). Looking for biological processes associated with our DEGs, we found significant association with cell growth regulation. Thus, our study unveils the role of I supplementation on gene expression in sheep improving the knowledge about micronutrients in animal nutrition.
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| 10. |
- Macucci, M., et al.
(författare)
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Status and perspectives of nanoscale device modelling
- 2001
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Ingår i: Nanotechnology. - : IOP Publishing. - 0957-4484 .- 1361-6528. ; 12:2, s. 136-142
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- During the meetings of the theory and modelling working group, within the MEL-ARI (Microelectronics Advanced Research Initiative) and NID-FET (Nanotechnology Information Devices-Future and Emerging Technologies) initiatives of the European Commission, we have been discussing the current status and the future perspectives of nanoscale device modelling. The outcome of such a discussion is summarized in the present paper, outlining the major challenges for the future, such as the integration of nonequilibrium phenomena and of molecular-scale properties. We believe that modelling has a growing importance in the development of nanoelectronic devices and must therefore make a move from physics to engineering, providing valid design tools, with quantitative predictive capabilities.
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| 11. |
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