Selective and Sustainable Production of Sub-terminal Hydroxy Fatty Acids by a Self-Sufficient CYP102 Enzyme from Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens

Enzymatic hydroxylation of fatty acids by Cytochrome P450s (CYPs) offers an eco-friendly route to hydroxy fatty acids (HFAs), high-value oleochemicals with various applications in materials industry and with potential as bioactive compounds. However, instability and poor regioselectivity of CYPs are their main drawbacks. A newly discovered self-sufficient CYP102 enzyme, BAMF0695 from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DSM 7, exhibits preference for hydroxylation of sub-terminal positions (ω-1, ω-2, and ω-3) of fatty acids. Our studies show that BAMF0695 has a broad temperature optimum (over 70 % of maximal enzymatic activity retained between 20 to 50 °C) and is highly thermostable (T50 >50 °C), affording excellent adaptive compatibility for bioprocesses. We further demonstrate that BAMF0695 can utilize renewable microalgae lipid as a substrate feedstock for HFA production. Moreover, through extensive site-directed and site-saturation mutagenesis, we isolated variants with high regioselectivity, a rare property for CYPs that usually generate complex regioisomer mixtures. BAMF0695 mutants were able to generate a single HFA regiosiomer (ω-1 or ω-2) with selectivities from 75 % up to 91 %, using C12 to C18 fatty acids. Overall, our results demonstrate the potential of a recent CYP and its variants for sustainable and green production of high-value HFAs.

Molecular diagnostics of Salmonella and Campylobacter in human/animal fecal samples remain feasible after long-term sample storage without specific requirements

Rapid advances in the development of sequencing technologies, numbers of commercial providers and diminishing costs have made DNA-based identification and diagnostics increasingly accessible to doctors and laboratories, eliminating the need for local investments in expensive technology and training or hiring of skilled technicians. However, reliable and comparable molecular analyses of bacteria in stool samples are dependent on storage and workflow conditions that do not introduce post-sampling bias, the most important factor being the need to keep the DNA at a stable detectable level. For that reason, there may remain other prohibitively costly requirements for cooling or freezing equipment or special chemical additives.

This study investigates the diagnostic detectability of Salmonella and Campylobacter DNA in human, pig and chicken stool samples, stored at different temperatures and with different preservation methods. Stool samples were spiked with 10⁶ CFU/mL of both Salmonella and Campylobacter strains stored at −20 °C, 5 °C and 20 °C (Room temperature, RT) and treated with either RNAlater, EDTA or Silica/ethanol. DNA was extracted at 9 different time points within 30 days and quantified by Qubit (total DNA) and qPCR (Salmonella and Campylobacter DNA). We found no statistically significant differences among the different preservation methods, and DNA from both species was easily detected at all time points and at all temperatures, both with and without preservation. This suggests that infections by these bacteria can be diagnosed and possibly also analysed in further detail simply by taking a stool sample in any suitable sealed container that can be transported to laboratory analysis without special storage or preservation requirements. We briefly discuss how this finding can benefit infection control in both developed and developing countries.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma with intracaval extension at initial presentation

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is a rare uterine neoplasm. Tumor involvement of the large vessels is extremely rare. This is a case report of ESS with tumor invasion of the inferior vena cava at initial presentation.

Multiorgan thrombotic disorder in a young patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and ovarian tumor

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a life-threatening condition with high mortality rate besides aggressive multimodal treatment. Underlying triggers of "thrombotic and cytokine storm" include pregnancy, inflammation, trauma, surgery, and infection. The authors present a case of a young female patient with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) who was admitted to the hospital due to abdominal pain caused by ovarian tumor with elevated tumor markers. After the prophylactic anticoagulants and antibiotic treatment, surgery was performed. Suddenly after treatment, her clinical status deteriorated and she died regardless of intensive immunosupresive and anticoagulant therapy attempts. This condition requires all clinical awareness, timely diagnosis, and therapeutical approach, including a better understanding of the pathophysiology that leads to CAPS.

Prediction of fetal macrosomia with ultrasound parameters and maternal glycemic controls in gestational diabetes mellitus

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION

Evaluation of ultrasound measurements of fetal adipose subcutaneous tissue (ASCT), abdominal circumference (AC), liver length (LL), and amniotic fluid index (AFI) in prediction of fetal macrosomia (FM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In a prospective clinical trial, 280 pregnant women underwent 100 g oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) at 28th week of gestation (wg) and measurements ofAC, LL, AFI, and ASCT at 32nd, 34th, 36th, and 38th wg.

RESULTS

For GDM, the best sensitivity was achieved by ACST at 32nd and 34th wg, the best specificity by LL at 32nd wg (90.6%), the best area under the curve (AUC) by LL at 34th wg (0.944). For FM the best sensitivity was achieved by AC at 32th, 34th, 36th, and 38th wg and by ASCT at 34th wg (94.2%), and the best AUC at 38th wg for AC (0.974).

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound parameters of glycemic control were good predictors of FM and GDM.

Intramuscular fetal corticosteroid therapy: short-term effects on the fetus

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to assess the short-term effects of direct intramuscular (i.m.) corticosteroid therapy on fetal biophysical profile, baseline fetal heart rate and the nonstress test, which indicate the degree of fetal hypoxia.

METHOD

We evaluated the effect of direct i.m. fetal single-dose dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) on the fetal biophysical profile 2 h before and 2-4 h after corticosteroid therapy in 41 fetuses in the 32nd week of gestation at risk of preterm delivery. Risk factors for preterm delivery included pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia.

RESULT

There was a statistically significant difference between fetal breathing movements before and after corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.019; 95% confidence interval for difference -11.75, -1.12). No significant changes were observed between baseline fetal heart rate before and after corticosteroid therapy (p = 0.99; 95% confidence interval for difference -4.81, +4.81), biophysical profile before and after fetal corticosteroid therapy, p = 0.235 as well as the nonstress test before and after therapy (p = 0.564).

CONCLUSION

Direct corticosteroid i.m. fetal therapy results in increasing profound short-term fetal breathing movements. There are no changes in baseline fetal heart rate, biophysical profile score, and nonstress test.

Increased activity of interleukin-23/interleukin-17 proinflammatory axis in obese women

OBJECTIVE

To compare the concentrations of cytokines belonging to Th17 axis (interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23) and Th1 axis (IL-12 and interferon (IFN)-gamma) in obese and lean women, and to investigate their relationships with the proinflammatory adipokine leptin, proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and anthropometric and metabolic parameters of obesity.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS

Twenty-six obese women (age 20-52 years, body mass index (BMI): 30-48 kg/m(2)) and 20 healthy lean women (age 23-46 years, BMI: 18-25 kg/m(2)).

MEASUREMENTS

Plasma levels of cytokines and leptin, BMI, waist circumference (WC) and insulin resistance index HOMA (homeostatic model assessment).

RESULTS

Blood concentrations of IL-17, IL-23, MIF and leptin, but not IL-12 or IFN-gamma, were higher in obese compared with lean women (P=0.002, 0.046, 0.006 and 0.002, respectively). There was a positive correlation between IL-17 and IL-23 (r(s)=0.530), which was at the border of statistical significance (P=0.065). Neither IL-17 nor IL-23 correlated with leptin or MIF, and there was no association between IL-17 and IL-23 levels with BMI, WC or HOMA index.

CONCLUSION

Interleukin-23/IL-17 axis is stimulated in obese women independently of the increase in abdominal fat, insulin resistance, leptin and MIF levels.

Cold-knife conization versus the loop electrosurgical excision procedure for treatment of cervical dysplasia

INTRODUCTION

Classical conization is a standard procedure for treatment of cervical lesions. Conization with loop diathermy is well established and lesions can be excised in more than 90% of cases.

OBJECTIVE

To compare two methods of conization for the treatment of cervical dysplasia.

METHOD

The study included 172 patients who had conization for diagnosed cervical dysplasia. A retrospective analysis was conducted on incidence of complications and presence of dysplasia on the specimen edges after classical conization compared to conization with loop diathermy. The possibilities for analyzing specimen edges were reviewed.

RESULTS

A significantly higher incidence of complications was found among patients who underwent classical conization compared to those who had the loop diathermy procedure. The loop procedure is sufficient for treatment of cervical dysplasias.

CONCLUSION

The authors suggest loop diathermy conization as the method of choice for treatment of cervical dysplasia.

Molecular profiling of cervical cancer progression

Most cancer patients die of metastatic or recurrent disease, hence the importance to identify target genes upregulated in these lesions. Although a variety of gene signatures associated with metastasis or poor prognosis have been identified in various cancer types, it remains a critical problem to identify key genes as candidate therapeutic targets in metastatic or recurrent cancer. The aim of our study was to identify genes consistently upregulated in both lymph node micrometastases and recurrent tumours compared to matched primary tumours in human cervical cancer. Taqman Low-Density Arrays were used to analyse matched tumour samples, obtained after laser-capture microdissection of tumour cell islands for the expression of 96 genes known to be involved in tumour progression. Immunohistochemistry was performed for a panel of up- and downregulated genes. In lymph node micrometastases, most genes were downregulated or showed expressions equal to the levels found in primary tumours. In more than 50% of lymph node micrometastases studied, eight genes (AKT, BCL2, CSFR1, EGFR1, FGF1, MMP3, MMP9 and TGF-beta) were upregulated at least two-fold. Some of these genes (AKT and MMP3) are key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer. In recurrent tumours, almost all genes were upregulated when compared to the expression profiles of the matched primary tumours, possibly reflecting their aggressive biological behaviour. The two genes showing a consistent downregulated expression in almost all lymph node metastases and recurrent tumours were BAX and APC. As treatment strategies are very limited for metastatic and recurrent cervical cancer, the upregulated genes identified in this study are potential targets for new molecular treatment strategies in metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer.

Survival rate and prognostic factors for patients who underwent surgical procedures for invasive carcinoma of the vulva in Serbia

OBJECTIVES

To determine five-year survival rate and prognostic factors for patients who underwent radical surgery for carcinoma of the vulva.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

94 women were operated on from 1989 to 1996 at the Clinical Centre of Serbia.

RESULTS

Five-year survival was 78.56% for Stage I, 73.5% for Stage II, for Stage III--14.28%, and for Stage IV--7.14%. Five-year survival rate for tumor size between 2 cm and 5 cm was 57.14%, and for tumors larger than 5 cm, 28.57%. Five-year survival rate was 64.28% if no lymph nodes were involved, 21.43% if there were unilateral metastatic lymph nodes and 14.28% if bilateral lymph nodes had metastatic disease. Histologic grades of the tumor showed that for grade 1, five-year survival was 64.28%, for grade 2, 35.71% and there were no survivors five years after surgery among patients with grade 3 tumor.

CONCLUSION

FIGO stage, size of tumor, lymph node involvement and grade of tumor are significant prognostic factors for survival of patients after surgery.

A comparison of cytology and cervicography in cervical screening

The sensitivity and specificity of cervical cytology and of cervicography in the detection of CIN and invasive cancer of the cervix were determined in a screening programme of an asymptomatic population of 418 women. Because all of the subjects were examined colposcopically and biopsies were taken from any suspicious areas, the presence or absence of disease was determined by the histology of directed cervical biopsies independently of the screening methods being tested. Cervicography correctly identified 24 of the 27 women with CIN or invasive cancer, whereas cytology detected only 14 (sensitivity of 0.89 vs. 0.52; P < 0.01). Cervicography detected CIN in 11 women with negative smears, six having CIN III. Only one case of CIN I was detected by cytology when cervicography was negative. Two cases of CIN II were not detected by either method. Inclusion in the analysis of the results from 23 women with technically defective cervigrams reduced the size of the difference in sensitivity, but it remained significant (0.74 vs. 0.48; P < 0.05). Cervicography was only slightly less specific than cytology (0.92 vs. 0.94; NS). Cervicography appears to be more effective than cytology in screening for cervical premalignancy but may be more demanding of those who perform the test.