Stealthy progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus due to impaired ketone production in an adult patient with multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

Background: Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) is an inherited metabolic disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in genes related to the flavoprotein complex. Dysfunction of the complex leads to impaired fatty acid oxidation and ketone body production which can cause hypoketotic hypoglycemia with prolonged fasting. Patients with fatty acid oxidation disorders (FAODs) such as MADD are treated primarily with a dietary regimen consisting of high-carbohydrate foods and avoidance of prolonged fasting. However, information on the long-term sequelae associated with this diet have not been accumulated. In general, high-carbohydrate diets can induce diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), although few patients with both MADD and T2DM have been reported. Case: We present the case of a 32-year-old man with MADD who was on a high-carbohydrate diet for >30 years and exhibited symptoms resembling diabetic ketoacidosis. He presented with polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss with a decrease in body mass index from 31 to 25 kg/m2 over 2 months. Laboratory tests revealed a HbA1c level of 13.9%; however, the patient did not show metabolic acidosis but only mild ketosis. Discussion/conclusion: This report emphasizes the potential association between long-term adherence to high-carbohydrate dietary therapy and T2DM development. Moreover, this case underscores the difficulty of detecting diabetic ketosis in patients with FAODs such as MADD due to their inability to produce ketone bodies. These findings warrant further research of the long-term complications associated with this diet as well as warning of the potential progression of diabetes in patients with FAODs such as MADD.

Genetic etiology of truncus arteriosus excluding 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and identification of c.1617del, a prevalent variant in TMEM260, in the Japanese population.

Truncus Arteriosus (TA) is a congenital heart disease characterized by a single common blood vessel emerging from the right and left ventricles instead of the main pulmonary artery and aorta. TA accounts for 4% of all critical congenital heart diseases. The most common cause of TA is 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, accounting for 12-35% of all TA cases. However, no major causes of TA other than 22q11.2 deletion have been reported. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 11 Japanese patients having TA without 22q11.2 deletion. Among five patients, we identified pathogenic variants in TMEM260; the biallelic loss-of-function variants of which have recently been associated with structural heart defects and renal anomalies syndrome (SHDRA). In one patient, we identified a de novo pathogenic variant in GATA6, and in another patient, we identified a de novo probably pathogenic variant in NOTCH1. Notably, we identified a prevalent variant in TMEM260 (ENST00000261556.6), c.1617del (p.Trp539Cysfs*9), in 8/22 alleles among the 11 patients. The c.1617del variant was estimated to occur approximately 23 kiloyears ago. Based on the allele frequency of the c.1617del variant in the Japanese population (0.36%), approximately 26% of Japanese patients afflicted with TA could harbor homozygous c.1617del variants. This study highlights TMEM260, especially c.1617del, as a major genetic cause of TA in the Japanese population.

Progress report of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study: Study profile of the repeated center-based survey during second period in Miyagi Prefecture.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to report the basic profile of the Miyagi Prefecture part of a repeated center-based survey during the second period (2nd period survey) of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study (TMM CommCohort Study), as well as the participants' characteristics based on their participation type in the baseline survey. METHODS: The 2nd period survey, conducted from June 2017 to March 2021, included participants of the TMM CommCohort Study (May 2013 to March 2016). In addition to the questionnaire, blood, urine, and physiological function tests were performed during the 2nd period survey. There were three main ways of participation in the baseline survey: Type 1, Type 1 additional, or Type 2 survey. The 2nd period survey was conducted in the same manner as the Type 2 survey, which was based on the community support center (CSC). RESULTS: In Miyagi Prefecture, 29,383 (57.7%) of 50,967 participants participated in the 2nd period survey. The participation rate among individuals who had visited the CSC was approximately 80%. Although some factors differed depending on the participation type in the baseline survey, the 2nd period survey respondents in the Type 1 and Type 2 survey groups at baseline had similar traits. CONCLUSIONS: The 2nd period survey of the TMM CommCohort Study provided detailed follow-up information. Following up on the health conditions of the participants will clarify the long-term effects of disasters and contribute to personalized prevention.

Risk of Major Congenital Malformations Associated with the Use of Japanese Traditional (Kampo) Medicine Containing Ephedra During the First Trimester of Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Japanese traditional (Kampo) medicines containing ephedra may be used to treat colds during pregnancy. There are reports that ephedrine, a component of ephedra, has a risk of teratogenicity; however, the evidence remains equivocal. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs) associated with exposure to Kampo medicines containing ephedra during the first trimester of pregnancy using the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study). METHODS: To 23,730 mother-infant pairs who participated in the TMM BirThree Cohort Study from July 2013 to March 2017, questionnaires in early and middle pregnancy were distributed approximately at weeks 12 and 26 of pregnancy, respectively. Infants' risk of MCMs in women who used Kampo medicines containing ephedra or acetaminophen during the first trimester was assessed, and the odds ratios (ORs) were estimated with unadjusted and adjusted analyses. RESULTS: Among 20,879 women, acetaminophen and Kampo medicines containing ephedra were used in 665 (3.19%) and 376 (1.80%) women, respectively, in the first trimester. Among the infants born to the mothers who used acetaminophen or Kampo medicine containing ephedra during the first trimester, 11 (1.65%) and 8 (2.13%), respectively, had overall MCMs. OR of overall MCMs was higher in women who used Kampo medicines containing ephedra than in those who used acetaminophen in the first trimester (adjusted OR, 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CIs), 0.57-3.71); however, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, there was no statistically significant association between the use of Kampo medicines containing ephedra during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of MCMs. Although some point estimates of ORs exceeded 1.00, the absolute magnitude of any increased risks would be low.

Tohoku Medical Megabank Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study: Rationale, Design, and Background.

The Tohoku Medical Megabank Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study (TMM Brain MRI Study) was established to collect multimodal information through neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments to evaluate the cognitive function and mental health of residents who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and associated tsunami. The study also aimed to promote advances in personalized healthcare and medicine related to mental health and cognitive function among the general population. We recruited participants for the first (baseline) survey starting in July 2014, enrolling individuals who were participating in either the TMM Community-Based Cohort Study (TMM CommCohort Study) or the TMM Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study). We collected multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, including 3D T1-weighted sequences, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL), and three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. To assess neuropsychological status, we used both questionnaire- and interview-based rating scales. The former assessments included the Tri-axial Coping Scale, Impact of Event Scale in Japanese, Profile of Mood States, and 15-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, whereas the latter assessments included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Japanese version. A total of 12,164 individuals were recruited for the first (baseline) survey, including those unable to complete all assessments. In parallel, we returned the MRI results to the participants and subsequently shared the MRI data through the TMM Biobank. At present, the second (first follow-up) survey of the study started in October 2019 is underway. In this study, we established a large and comprehensive database that included robust neuroimaging data as well as psychological and cognitive assessment data. In combination with genomic and omics data already contained in the TMM Biobank database, these data could provide new insights into the relationships of pathological processes with neuropsychological disorders, including age-related cognitive impairment.

A Case Series of Patients With MYBPC1 Gene Variants Featuring Undulating Tongue Movements as Myogenic Tremor.

Myosin-binding protein C1 (MYBPC1) encodes myosin-binding protein C, slow type (sMyBP-C), an accessory protein that regulates actomyosin cross-linking, stabilizes thick filaments, and modulates contractility in muscle sarcomeres and has recently been linked to myopathy with tremor. The clinical features of MYBPC1 mutations manifesting in early childhood bear some similarities to those of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), such as hypotonia, involuntary movement of the tongue and limbs, and delayed motor development. The development of novel therapies for SMA has necessitated the importance of differentiating SMA from other diseases in the early infancy period. We report the characteristic tongue movements of MYBPC1 mutations, along with other clinical findings, such as positive deep tendon reflexes and normal peripheral nerve conduction velocity testing, which could help in considering other diseases as differential diagnoses.

Neonatal developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with movement disorders and arthrogryposis: A case report with a novel missense variant of SCN1A.

Variants of SCN1A represent the archetypal channelopathy associated with several epilepsy syndromes. The clinical phenotypes have recently expanded from Dravet syndrome. CASE REPORT: We present a female patient with the de novo SCN1A missense variant, c.5340G > A (p. Met1780Ile). The patient had various clinical features with neonatal onset SCN1A epileptic encephalopathy, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, thoracic hypoplasia, thoracic scoliosis, and hyperekplexia. CONCLUSION: Our findings are compatible with neonatal developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with movement disorders and arthrogryposis; the most severe phenotype probably caused by gain-of-function variant of SCN1A. The efficacy of sodium channel blocker was also discussed. Further exploration of the phenotype-genotype relationship of SCN1A variants may lead to better pharmacological treatments and family guidance.

Human RELA dominant-negative mutations underlie type I interferonopathy with autoinflammation and autoimmunity.

Inborn errors of the NF-κB pathways underlie various clinical phenotypes in humans. Heterozygous germline loss-of-expression and loss-of-function mutations in RELA underlie RELA haploinsufficiency, which results in TNF-dependent chronic mucocutaneous ulceration and autoimmune hematological disorders. We here report six patients from five families with additional autoinflammatory and autoimmune manifestations. These patients are heterozygous for RELA mutations, all of which are in the 3' segment of the gene and create a premature stop codon. Truncated and loss-of-function RelA proteins are expressed in the patients' cells and exert a dominant-negative effect. Enhanced expression of TLR7 and MYD88 mRNA in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and non-pDC myeloid cells results in enhanced TLR7-driven secretion of type I/III interferons (IFNs) and interferon-stimulated gene expression in patient-derived leukocytes. Dominant-negative mutations in RELA thus underlie a novel form of type I interferonopathy with systemic autoinflammatory and autoimmune manifestations due to excessive IFN production, probably triggered by otherwise non-pathogenic TLR ligands.

A method for phenylalanine self-monitoring using phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and a pre-existing portable ammonia detection system.

Phenylketonuria is an inborn error of phenylalanine metabolism caused by a phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency. To prevent the occurrence of neurological symptoms and maternal complications resulting from phenylketonuria, patients must adhere to a strict diet therapy, tetrahydrobiopterin supplementation, or pegvaliase injection to maintain blood phenylalanine levels within a recommended range throughout their lives. Therefore, monitoring blood phenylalanine levels is necessary to determine the recent metabolic status of phenylalanine in patients with PKU; however, there are no available instruments for individuals to monitor their own blood phenylalanine levels using whole fingertip blood. We developed a phenylalanine monitoring system (designated as PheCheck) that included a pre-existing portable ammonia detection device and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, which converts phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid and ammonia. This system was able to remove 86.7% ± 0.03% of the ammonia contained in fingertip blood and successfully reduce background ammonia levels. A good correlation was found between the estimated plasma phenylalanine levels detected by PheCheck and plasma phenylalanine levels detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (R2 0.97). The entire PheCheck process for measuring blood phenylalanine takes only 20 min. PheCheck can lay the foundation for home phenylalanine monitoring with high feasibility because all the components are easily accessible. Further studies with a more user-friendly PheCheck optimized for practice are needed to improve blood phenylalanine control, reduce the burden on patients and/or caregivers, and prevent the sequelae associated with phenylketonuria.

Association between maternal psychological distress and children's neurodevelopment in offspring aged 4 years in Japan: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

AIM: An association between maternal psychological distress and children's development has been reported, but  reports from Japan are limited. This study aimed to examine the association of maternal psychological distress with children's neurodevelopment in Japan. METHODS: The study assessed data of 7646 mother-infant pairs in the Japanese population. We used Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, a screening tool for psychological distress, to assess maternal psychological distress in early pregnancy and 2 years postpartum and divided it into four categories: none in both the pre-natal and post-natal periods, only the pre-natal period, only the post-natal period and both the pre-natal and post-natal periods. Children's neurodevelopment was assessed using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires Third Edition (ASQ-3) at 4 years of age. ASQ-3 comprises five domains (communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal-social), and the score of less than -2 standard deviation relative to the mean in reference was defined as having developmental delay. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine the association between maternal psychological distress and children's neurodevelopment. RESULTS: The prevalence of developmental delay of communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal-social were 4.0%, 4.3%, 4.9%, 3.8% and 4.6%, respectively. Maternal psychological distress in only the postpartum period and both pre-natal and postpartum periods were associated with risks of developmental delay in all domains. Maternal psychological distress in only the pre-natal period was associated with developmental delay in communication. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal psychological distress is associated with risks of children's developmental delay.

Associations between the Combined Fat Mass Index and Fat-Free Mass Index with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in a Japanese Population: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study.

AIM: Although many epidemiological studies have shown that obesity assessed by body mass index is associated with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), few studies have evaluated fat-free mass, which is a component of body composition. We investigated the associations between the combined fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) with cIMT. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3,873 men and 9,112 women aged 20 years or older who lived in Miyagi prefecture, Japan. The FMI and FFMI were calculated as fat mass and fat-free mass divided by height squared, respectively. The indices were classified into sex-specific quartiles and were combined into 16 groups. The maximum common carotid artery was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. An analysis of covariance was used to assess associations between the combined FMI and FFMI with cIMT adjusted for age and smoking status. The linear trend test was conducted by stratifying the FMI and FFMI, scoring the categories from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest), and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. RESULTS: In multivariable models, a higher FMI was not related to higher cIMT in men and women in most FFMI subgroups. Conversely, a higher FFMI was related to higher cIMT in all FMI subgroups (p＜0.001 for linear trend). CONCLUSIONS: FMI was not associated with cIMT in most FFMI subgroups. Conversely, FFMI was positively associated with cIMT independently of FMI.

A novel variant in the transmembrane 4 domain of ANO3 identified in a two-year-old girl with developmental delay and tremor.

ANO3 encodes Anoctamin-3, also known as TMEM16C, a calcium-activated chloride channel. Heterozygous variants of ANO3 can cause dystonia 24, an adult-onset focal dystonia. Some pediatric cases have been reported, but most patients were intellectually normal with some exceptions. Here, we report a two-year-old girl who showed mild to moderate developmental delay, tremor, and ataxic gait, but no obvious dystonia. Trio exome sequencing identified a heterozygous de novo missense variant NM_031418.4:c.1809T>G, p.(Asn603Lys) in the ANO3 gene. Three cases with ANO3 variants and intellectual disability have been reported, including the present case. These variants were predicted to face in the same direction on the same alpha-helix (the transmembrane 4 domain), suggesting an association between these variants and childhood-onset movement disorder with intellectual disability. In pediatric cases with developmental delay and movement disorders such as tremor and ataxia, specific variants in the transmembrane 4 domain of ANO3 may be a cause, even in the absence of dystonia.

Design and Progress of Child Health Assessments at Community Support Centers in the Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study of the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project.

The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project (TMM) has been conducting a birth and three-generation cohort study (the BirThree Cohort Study). We recruited 73,529 pregnant women and their family members for this cohort study, which included 23,143 newborns and 9,459 of their siblings. We designed and are in the process of conducting three-step health assessments for each newborn at approximately ages of 5, 10 and 16. These health assessments are administered at seven community support centers. Trained genome medical research coordinators conduct physical examinations of and collect biological specimens from each participant. The Sendai Children's Health Square has been established as the headquarters for these child health assessments and is utilized to accumulate knowledge that can facilitate the proper practice of child health assessments. We designed all the relevant health assessments facilities to allow parents and their children to participate in the health assessments concomitantly. Our centers serve as places where child participants and their parents can feel at ease as a result of the implementation of safety measures and child hospitality measures. The TMM BirThree Cohort Study is in the process of conducting strategically detailed health assessments and genome analysis, which can facilitate studies concerning the gene-environment interactions relevant to noncommunicable diseases. Through these operations, our study allows for a significant depth of data to be collected in terms of the number of biospecimens under study and the comprehensiveness of both basic and clinical data alongside relevant family information.

Familial Paget's disease of bone with ocular manifestations and a novel TNFRSF11A duplication variant (72dup27).

INTRODUCTION: Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a skeletal disorder characterized by disorganized bone remodeling due to abnormal osteoclasts. Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 11A (TNFRSF11A) gene encodes the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), which has a critical role in osteoclast function. There are five types of rare PDB and related osteolytic disorders due to TNFRSF11A tandem duplication variants so far, including familial expansile osteolysis (84dup18), expansile skeletal hyperphosphatasia (84dup15), early-onset familial PDB (77dup27), juvenile PDB (87dup15), and panostotic expansile bone disease (90dup12). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed a Japanese family with PDB, and performed whole-genome sequencing to identify a causative variant. RESULTS: This family had bone symptoms, hyperphosphatasia, hearing loss, tooth loss, and ocular manifestations such as angioid streaks or early-onset glaucoma. We identified a novel duplication variant of TNFRSF11A (72dup27). Angioid streaks were recognized in Juvenile Paget's disease due to loss-of-function variants in the gene TNFRSF11B, and thought to be specific for this disease. However, the novel recognition of angioid streaks in our family raised the possibility of occurrence even in bone disorders due to TNFRSF11A duplication variants and the association of RANKL-RANK signal pathway as the pathogenesis. Glaucoma has conversely not been reported in any case of Paget's disease. It is not certain whether glaucoma is coincidental or specific for PDB with 72dup27. CONCLUSION: Our new findings might suggest a broad spectrum of phenotypes in bone disorders with TNFRSF11A duplication variants.

Association of maternal psychological distress and the use of childcare facilities with children's behavioral problems: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Childcare facilities are a factor that lowers the established association of mother's postnatal psychiatric symptoms with children's behavioral problems. However, no studies have considered the prenatal psychiatric symptoms yet. This study examined whether the use of childcare facilities moderates the association of maternal psychological distress in early pregnancy and at two years postpartum with behavioral problems in children aged four years. METHODS: The present study was based on the data from 23,130 mother-child pairs participating in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. K6 was used to classify maternal psychological distress in early pregnancy and at two years postpartum into four categories: none in both prenatal and postnatal periods (none), only the prenatal period (prenatal only); only the postnatal period (postnatal only); both prenatal and postnatal periods (both). The children's behavioral problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½-5 (CBCL) aged four years. The clinical range of the externalizing, internalizing, and total problem scales of the CBCL was defined as having behavioral problems. To examine whether availing childcare facilities moderates the association between maternal psychological distress and children's behavioral problems, we conducted a stratified analysis based on the use of childcare facilities or not, at two years of age. The interaction term between maternal psychological distress and use of childcare facilities was included as a covariate in the multivariate logistic regression analysis to confirm the p-value for the interaction. RESULTS: The prevalence of the clinical ranges of externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and clinical range of total problems were 13.7%, 15.4%, and 5.8%, respectively. The association of maternal psychological distress with a high risk of children's behavioral problems was significant; however, the association between prenatal only psychological distress and externalizing problems in the group that did not use childcare facilities was not significant. Interactions between the use of childcare facilities and maternal psychological distress on behavioral problems in children were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Use of childcare facilities did not moderate the association of maternal psychological distress in early pregnancy and at two years postpartum with behavioral problems in children aged four years.

Successful pregnancy and childbirth without metabolic abnormality in a patient with holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency.

Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency (HSD), an autosomal recessive biotin cycle disorder, is caused by holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) genetic variants, resulting in multiple carboxylase deficiency. Catabolic stress can induce metabolic crises in patients with HSD. Although pharmacological doses of biotin have improved HLCS enzyme activity and HSD prognosis, the prolonged life expectancy has gradually highlighted novel issues in adult patients with HSD. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one report on a case of HSD during pregnancy and childbirth, and the metabolic profile was not well defined. In this report, we present the history and metabolic profile of a woman with HSD who had an uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth. A high pharmacological dose of biotin, 100 mg/day, had no effect on the fetus. Even during the emergency cesarean section, the detailed metabolic assessments revealed no significant laboratory findings, such as ketolactic acidosis, hyperammonemia, and remarkable acylcarnitine change. This report suggests that a woman with HSD who regularly takes biotin can conceive and give birth safely, and biotin doses of 100 mg/day may not influence the growth and development of the fetus. Further research and case studies on pregnant women with HSD are required to determine an acceptable maximum dosage of biotin for human fetuses.

Genome-wide Association Study of Axial Length in Population-based Cohorts in Japan: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization Eye Study.

Purpose: To elucidate the differences in ocular biometric parameters by generation and gender and to identify axial length (AL)-associated genetic variants in Japanese individuals, we analyzed Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) Eye Study data. Design: We designed the ToMMo Eye Study, examined AL variations, and conducted genome-wide association studies (GWASs). Participants: In total, 33 483 participants aged > 18 years who were recruited into the community-based cohort (CommCohort) and the birth and three-generation cohort (BirThree Cohort) of the ToMMo Eye Study were examined. Methods: Each participant was screened with an interview, ophthalmic examinations, and a microarray analysis. The GWASs were performed in 22 379 participants in the CommCohort (discovery stage) and 11 104 participants in the BirThree Cohort (replication stage). We evaluated the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with AL using a genome-wide significance threshold (5 × 10-8) in each stage of the study and in the subsequent meta-analysis. Main Outcome Measures: We identified the association of SNPs with AL and distributions of AL in right and left eyes and individuals of different sexes and ages. Results: In the discovery stage, the mean AL of the right eye (23.99 mm) was significantly greater than that of the left eye (23.95 mm). This difference was reproducible across sexes and ages. The GWASs revealed 703 and 215 AL-associated SNPs with genome-wide significance in the discovery and validation stages, respectively, and many of the SNPs in the discovery stage were replicated in the validation stage. Validated SNPs and their associated loci were meta-analyzed for statistical significance (P < 5 × 10-8). This study identified 1478 SNPs spread over 31 loci. Of the 31 loci, 5 are known AL loci, 15 are known refractive-error loci, 4 are known corneal-curvature loci, and 7 loci are newly identified loci that are not known to be associated with AL. Of note, some of them shared functional relationships with previously identified loci. Conclusions: Our large-scale GWASs exploiting ToMMo Eye Study data identified 31 loci linked to variations in AL, 7 of which are newly reported in this article. The results revealed genetic heterogeneity and similarity in SNPs related to ethnic variations in AL.

Pathological variants in genes associated with disorders of sex development and central causes of hypogonadism in a whole-genome reference panel of 8380 Japanese individuals.

Disorders of sex development (DSD) comprises a congenital condition in which chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex development is atypical. In this study, we screened for pathogenic variants in 32 genes associated with DSDs and central causes of hypogonadism (CHG) in a whole-genome reference panel including 8380 Japanese individuals constructed by Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization. Candidate pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants were extracted from the ClinVar, InterVar, and Human Gene Mutation databases. Ninety-one candidate pathological variants were found in 25 genes; 28 novel candidate variants were identified. Nearly 1 in 40 (either ClinVar or InterVar P or LP) to 157 (both ClinVar and InterVar P or LP) individuals were found to be carriers of recessive DSD and CHG alleles. In these data, genes implicated in gonadal dysfunction did not show loss-of-function variants, with a relatively high tendency of intolerance for haploinsufficiency based on pLI and Episcore, both of which can be used for estimating haploinsufficiency. We report the types and frequencies of causative variants for DSD and CHG in the general Japanese population. This study furthers our understanding of the genetic causes and helps to refine genetic counseling of DSD and CHG.

Effectiveness of third vaccine dose for coronavirus disease 2019 during the Omicron variant pandemic: a prospective observational study in Japan.

The administration of a third booster dose of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has progressed worldwide. Since January 2022, Japan has faced a nationwide outbreak caused by the Omicron variant, which occurred simultaneously with the progression of mass vaccination with the third booster dose. Therefore, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the third dose of vaccine by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test using nasopharyngeal swab samples from adults aged ≥ 18 years tested after having close contact with COVID-19 cases between January and May 2022. Participants who completed only one dose were excluded from the study. Among the 928 enrolled participants, 139 had never been vaccinated, 609 had completed two doses, 180 had completed three doses before the swab test, and the overall RT-PCR test positivity rate in each group was 48.9%, 46.0%, and 32.2%, respectively. The vaccine effectiveness of the third dose to prevent infection after close contact was approximately 40% (95% confidence interval: 20-60%), which was the highest at 10-70 days after receiving the third dose. In conclusion, the effectiveness of the three-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine after close contact during the Omicron outbreak is approximately 40%.