A CASE OF SOTOS SYNDROME CAUSED BY A NOVEL VARIANT IN THE NSD1 GENE: A PROPOSED RATIONALE TO TREAT ACCOMPANYING PRECOCIOUS PUBERTY

Sotos syndrome is characterized by overgrowth, macrocephaly, distinctive facial features, and learning disabilities and is associated with alterations in the nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 1 (NSD1) gene. Due to the advanced bone age, the eventual adult height is usually at the upper limit of normal. In this case report, a 6-year and 10-month old boy who presented with Sotos syndrome was described. He also had increased testicular volumes with advanced bone age. The stimulated levels of gonadotropins revealed central precocious puberty and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a pineal cyst. A heterozygous duplication variant [NM_022455.4:c.4560dup; p.(His1521Thrfs*9)] in the NSD1 was identified. Triptorelin acetate treatment was started. The aim was to report the novel duplication variant in the NSD-1 in a patient with Sotos syndrome accompanied by a pineal cyst and central precocious puberty, and also to discuss the rationale for treating precocious puberty.

Bioprocess intensification in flow-through monolithic microbioreactors with immobilized bacteria

Microporous polymers (with porosity up to 90%) with a well-prescribed internal microstructure were prepared in monolithic form to construct a flow-through microbioreactor in which phenol-degrading bacteria, Pseudomonas syringae, was immobilized. Initially, bacteria was forced seeded within the pores and subsequently allowed to proliferate followed by acclimatization and phenol degradation at various initial substrate concentrations and flow rates. Two types of microporous polymer were used as the monolithic support. These polymers differ with respect to their pore and interconnect sizes, macroscopic surface area for bacterial support, and phase volume. Polymer with a nominal pore size of 100 microm with phase volume of 90% (with highly open pore structure) yielded reduced bacterial proliferation, while the polymer with nominal pore size of 25 microm with phase volume of 85% (with small interconnect size and large pore area for bacterial adhesion) yielded monolayer bacterial proliferation. Bacteria within the 25 microm polymer support remained monolayered, without any apparent production of extracellular matrix during the 30-day continuous experimental period. The microbioreactor performance was characterized in terms of volumetric utilization rate and compared with the published data, including the case where the same bacteria was immobilized on the surface of microporous polymer beads and used in a packed bed during continuous degradation of phenol. It is shown that at similar initial substrate concentration, the volumetric utilization in the microreactor is at least 20-fold more efficient than the packed bed, depending on the flow rate of the substrate solution. The concentration of the bacteria within the pores of the microreactor decreases from 2.25 cells per microm2 on the top surface to about 0.4 cells per microm2 within 3 mm reactor depth. If the bacteria-depleted part of the microreactor is disregarded, the volumetric utilization increases by a factor of 30-fold compared with the packed bed. This efficiency increase is attributed to the reduction of diffusion path for the substrate and nutrients and enhanced availability of the bacteria for bioconversion in the absence of biofilm formation as well as the presence of flow over the surface of the monolayer bacteria.

Microcellular polyHIPE polymer supports osteoblast growth and bone formation in vitro

A novel micro-cellular polymer with a well-defined and uniform micro-architecture has been developed as a three-dimensional support matrix for in vitro tissue engineering applications. This material is manufactured through a high internal phase emulsion (HIPE) polymerization route and may be modified with hydroxyapatite. The generic form of the support is known as PolyHIPE Polymer (PHP). By changing the chemical composition of the emulsion and the processing conditions, the pore size can be altered from sub-micron range to a few hundred microns and the porosity varied from 70% to 97%. Our work has investigated the use of this micro-porous polymer as a biomaterial to support the growth of osteoblasts, the bone forming cells in vitro. Three groups of polymers were used that had pore sizes of 40, 60 and 100 microm. Results demonstrated in vitro cell-polymer compatibility, with osteoblasts forming multicellular layers on the polymer surface and also migrating to a maximum depth of 1.4mm inside the scaffold after 35 days in culture. PHP was also able to support the differentiation of osteoblasts and the production of a bone-like matrix. The effect of modifying the polymer with hydroxyapatite was also studied and showed that there was a significant increase in osteoblast numbers penetrating into the polymer. There were few differences, between the pore sizes studied, on the overall penetration of osteoblasts into the polymer but the rate of movement into 100 microm PHP was significantly higher compared to the other sizes investigated. This study shows that osteoblasts seeded onto PHP demonstrate cellular attachment, proliferation and ingrowth leading to the support of an osteoblastic phenotype. Therefore this highly porous scaffold has a potential for bone tissue engineering.

HLA-DRB1 genes and disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis in Turkey

OBJECTIVE

Association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB alleles, implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is found to be different in various ethnic groups. This study aimed to investigate DRB1 alleles in RA patients in Turkey, and to examine the effect of these alleles on disease severity.

METHODS

We performed PCR-based DRBI genotyping of 104 RA patients recruited from clinical settings and 110 healthy controls. HLA DRB1 alleles frequencies in RA patients and healthy controls were determined. Phenotype frequencies of patients and controls were compared. Disease severity was assessed by radiological erosion, presence of extra-articular involvement, and functional index.

RESULTS

Significant differences were in the frequencies of DRB1*04 (46.2% versus 20.9%, p < 0.001), DRB1*0401 (10.6% versus 0%, p < 0.001), DRB1*0405 (8.7% versus 0%, p = 0.001), DRB1* 0404 (15.4% versus 3.6%, p < 0.01), DRB1*01 (21.2% versus 10.9%, p < 0.05) and DRB1*0101 (16.3% versus 5.5%, p = 0.01) between RA patients and controls. HLA-DRB1 alleles did not show any association with seropositivity, extra-articular involvement, radiological erosion, or functional index.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the HLA-DRB1 alleles, particularly HLA-DRB1*04 and subtypes, were associated with RA.

Preparation of Colloidal Low-Density Polyethylene Latexes by Flow-Induced Phase Inversion Emulsification of Polymer Melt in Water

The aim of this study is to prepare colloidal polymeric latexes by using the flow-induced phase inversion emulsification method given by G. Akay [Chem. Eng. Sci. 53, 203 (1998)] of polymer melts followed by the solidification of polymer melt droplets. We also investigate the mechanism of emulsification and stabilization in polymeric dispersions which undergo a phase change after emulsification. The history of the emulsification and emulsion structure are monitored by using a process rheometer and off-line scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and particle size measurements. It is shown that the molecular structure of the surface-active material is the most important parameter in achieving phase inversion emulsificationin polymer melts. Molecular surfactants could not be used to provide surface activity in polymeric melts. Several experimental polymeric surfactants are used and their ability to form a [water-in-polymer melt] emulsion is tested. The successful polymeric surfactants are known as hydrophobically modified water-soluble polymers. It is postulated that the surface-active materials should conform at the water/polymer melt interface and not be removed from the interface by surface deformations. The ability of hydrophobically modified water-soluble polymers to remain at the interface is reduced if the hydrophobic moeties which anchor into the polymer melt have chain length approaching 18 carbons or more. After the first phase inversion and subsequent dilution of the [polymer melt-in-water], if mixing is carried out while cooling, a second phase inversion takes place from [polymer melt-in-water] to [water-in-solid polymer] despite high water content of the polymer/water system. If the water content is high (25-40% investigated) the second phase inversion yields a powdered material with encapsulated water. A third phase inversion occurs if the powdered microcapsules from the second phase inversion is heated while mixing to yield a [(water-in-polymer)-in-water] multiple emulsion which can be inverted back to [polymer melt-in-water] emulsion by increasing the temperature and subjecting the emulsion to high deformation rate flows. However, if this last phase inversion is not allowed to proceed to completion, and the [(water-in-polymer)-in-water] multiple emulsion is cooled, microporous polymeric particles are obtained. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Removal of divalent heavy metal mixtures from water by Saccharomyces cerevisiae using crossflow microfiltration

The removal of heavy metal ions, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ using yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as carriers in a crossflow microfiltration is investigated. The effects of yeast cell and electrolyte concentrations on the transient and steady-state permeate flux and metal ion rejections are established. It is found that the metal ion rejection reaches a plateau if yeast cell concentration is greater than approximately 2 g/l as a result of cell aggregation. The binding affinity of the metals to yeast cell is Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Ni2+, which is also reflected in the metal ion rejection under identical process conditions. Because of the formation of yeast cell flocks in the presence of Pb2+, permeate flux is also higher for this metal. The presence of NaCl decreases both rejection and permeate flux for Ni2+ and Cu2+ but not for Pb2+. When binary or ternary metal mixtures are used, the rejection of the individual metals is reduced except that of Pb2+. It is found that the pseudo-gel concentration is unaffected by the presence of metal ions.

The lateral separation of contacts on erythrocytes agglutinated by polylysine

The form of contact seam (whether a continuous parallel seam or membranes in spatially periodic contact) has been characterized for normal and for neuraminidase pretreated human erythrocytes following adhesion in solutions of polylysine in the molecular mass range 10-225 kDa at concentrations from 0.5 to 1.0 mg/mL. The adhesion contact seam was spatially periodic for all normal control cells in polylysine. The lateral separation of contacts decreased from 1.6 to 0.8 microns as the concentration of 225 kDa polylysine was increased threefold from the adhesion threshold value. The separation distance did not change further even at high polymer concentrations that increased the electrophoretic velocity to positive values over twice the modulus of the velocity of control cells. The probability of cell adhesion decreased at these high polymer concentrations. The lateral contact separation increased and cell adhesion decreased for cells pretreated with neuraminidase. Cell adhesion did not occur when neuraminidase reduced the cell electrophoretic velocity modulus by 30%. Following neuraminidase pretreatments that allowed a small amount of adhesion, the cell contact seam was continuous rather than spatially periodic. The results show that a procedure that increases (e.g., polymer concentration increase) or decreases (e.g., enzyme removal of polycation crosslinking site) attraction leads to shorter (to a limiting value) or longer lateral contact separation, respectively.