Catalytic reduction of N2 to NH3 by a Ti complex has been achieved, thus now adding an early d‐block metal to the small group of mid‐ and late‐d‐block metals (Mo, Fe, Ru, Os, Co) that catalytically ...produce NH3 by N2 reduction and protonolysis under homogeneous, abiological conditions. Reduction of TiIV(TrenTMS)X (X=Cl, 1A; I, 1B; TrenTMS=N(CH2CH2NSiMe3)3) with KC8 affords TiIII(TrenTMS) (2). Addition of N2 affords {(TrenTMS)TiIII}2(μ‐η1:η1‐N2) (3); further reduction with KC8 gives {(TrenTMS)TiIV}2(μ‐η1:η1:η2:η2‐N2K2) (4). Addition of benzo‐15‐crown‐5 ether (B15C5) to 4 affords {(TrenTMS)TiIV}2(μ‐η1:η1‐N2)K(B15C5)22 (5). Complexes 3–5 treated under N2 with KC8 and R3PHI, (the weakest H+ source yet used in N2 reduction) produce up to 18 equiv of NH3 with only trace N2H4. When only acid is present, N2H4 is the dominant product, suggesting successive protonation produces {(TrenTMS)TiIV}2(μ‐η1:η1‐N2H4)I2, and that extruded N2H4 reacts further with R3PHI/KC8 to form NH3.
Catalytic reduction of N2 to NH3 by a Ti complex has been achieved, thus now adding an early d‐block metal to the small group of mid‐ and late‐d‐block metals (Mo, Fe, Ru, Os, Co) that catalytically produce NH3 by N2 reduction and protonolysis under homogeneous, abiological conditions.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Fetal structural anomalies, which are detected by ultrasonography, have a range of genetic causes, including chromosomal aneuploidy, copy number variations (CNVs; which are detectable by chromosomal ...microarrays), and pathogenic sequence variants in developmental genes. Testing for aneuploidy and CNVs is routine during the investigation of fetal structural anomalies, but there is little information on the clinical usefulness of genome-wide next-generation sequencing in the prenatal setting. We therefore aimed to evaluate the proportion of fetuses with structural abnormalities that had identifiable variants in genes associated with developmental disorders when assessed with whole-exome sequencing (WES).
In this prospective cohort study, two groups in Birmingham and London recruited patients from 34 fetal medicine units in England and Scotland. We used whole-exome sequencing (WES) to evaluate the presence of genetic variants in developmental disorder genes (diagnostic genetic variants) in a cohort of fetuses with structural anomalies and samples from their parents, after exclusion of aneuploidy and large CNVs. Women were eligible for inclusion if they were undergoing invasive testing for identified nuchal translucency or structural anomalies in their fetus, as detected by ultrasound after 11 weeks of gestation. The partners of these women also had to consent to participate. Sequencing results were interpreted with a targeted virtual gene panel for developmental disorders that comprised 1628 genes. Genetic results related to fetal structural anomaly phenotypes were then validated and reported postnatally. The primary endpoint, which was assessed in all fetuses, was the detection of diagnostic genetic variants considered to have caused the fetal developmental anomaly.
The cohort was recruited between Oct 22, 2014, and June 29, 2017, and clinical data were collected until March 31, 2018. After exclusion of fetuses with aneuploidy and CNVs, 610 fetuses with structural anomalies and 1202 matched parental samples (analysed as 596 fetus-parental trios, including two sets of twins, and 14 fetus-parent dyads) were analysed by WES. After bioinformatic filtering and prioritisation according to allele frequency and effect on protein and inheritance pattern, 321 genetic variants (representing 255 potential diagnoses) were selected as potentially pathogenic genetic variants (diagnostic genetic variants), and these variants were reviewed by a multidisciplinary clinical review panel. A diagnostic genetic variant was identified in 52 (8·5%; 95% CI 6·4–11·0) of 610 fetuses assessed and an additional 24 (3·9%) fetuses had a variant of uncertain significance that had potential clinical usefulness. Detection of diagnostic genetic variants enabled us to distinguish between syndromic and non-syndromic fetal anomalies (eg, congenital heart disease only vs a syndrome with congenital heart disease and learning disability). Diagnostic genetic variants were present in 22 (15·4%) of 143 fetuses with multisystem anomalies (ie, more than one fetal structural anomaly), nine (11·1%) of 81 fetuses with cardiac anomalies, and ten (15·4%) of 65 fetuses with skeletal anomalies; these phenotypes were most commonly associated with diagnostic variants. However, diagnostic genetic variants were least common in fetuses with isolated increased nuchal translucency (≥4·0 mm) in the first trimester (in three 3·2% of 93 fetuses).
WES facilitates genetic diagnosis of fetal structural anomalies, which enables more accurate predictions of fetal prognosis and risk of recurrence in future pregnancies. However, the overall detection of diagnostic genetic variants in a prospectively ascertained cohort with a broad range of fetal structural anomalies is lower than that suggested by previous smaller-scale studies of fewer phenotypes. WES improved the identification of genetic disorders in fetuses with structural abnormalities; however, before clinical implementation, careful consideration should be given to case selection to maximise clinical usefulness.
UK Department of Health and Social Care and The Wellcome Trust.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This study assessed child–parent screening for familial hypercholesterolemia in primary care practices. For every 1000 children screened, 8 persons who had positive screening results for familial ...hypercholesterolemia were identified.
Population-based child–parent screening has been proposed to detect familial hypercholesterolemia.
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The method screens two generations; the child provides the screening entry point, at an age when the measurement of cholesterol is most discriminatory.
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If a child with familial hypercholesterolemia is identified, the parent with familial hypercholesterolemia may then be identified. Adults 20 to 39 years of age who were classified as having familial hypercholesterolemia were found to have a risk of a coronary heart disease event at a young age that was 100 times that of a person who did not have familial hypercholesterolemia.
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Identification of children and most parents . . .
The clinical diagnosis of inherited renal tubulopathies can be challenging as they are rare and characterized by significant phenotypic variability. Advances in sequencing technologies facilitate the ...establishment of a molecular diagnosis. Therefore, we determined the diagnostic yield of a next generation sequencing panel assessing relevant disease genes in children followed through three national networks with a clinical diagnosis of a renal tubulopathy. DNA was amplified with a kit provided by the European Consortium for High-Throughput Research in Rare Kidney Diseases with nine multiplex PCR reactions. This kit produced 571 amplicons covering 37 genes associated with tubulopathies followed by massive parallel sequencing and bioinformatic interpretation. Identified mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 384 index patients and 16 siblings were assessed. Most common clinical diagnoses were 174 patients with Bartter/Gitelman syndrome and 76 with distal renal tubular acidosis. A total of 269 different variants were identified in 27 genes, of which 95 variants were considered likely, 136 definitely pathogenic and 100 had not been described at annotation. These mutations established a genetic diagnosis in 245 of the index patients. Genetic testing changed the clinical diagnosis in 16 cases and provided insights into the phenotypic spectrum of the respective disorders. Our results demonstrate a high diagnostic yield of genetic testing in children with a clinical diagnosis of a renal tubulopathy, consistent with a predominantly genetic etiology in known disease genes. Thus, genetic testing helped establish a definitive diagnosis in almost two-thirds of patients thereby informing prognosis, management and genetic counseling.
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GEOZS, IJS, NUK, OILJ, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Motile cilia move body fluids and gametes and the beating of cilia lining the airway epithelial surfaces ensures that they are kept clear and protected from inhaled pathogens and consequent ...respiratory infections. Dynein motor proteins provide mechanical force for cilia beating. Dynein mutations are a common cause of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), an inherited condition characterized by deficient mucociliary clearance and chronic respiratory disease coupled with laterality disturbances and subfertility. Using next-generation sequencing, we detected mutations in the ciliary outer dynein arm (ODA) heavy chain gene DNAH9 in individuals from PCD clinics with situs inversus and in one case male infertility. DNAH9 and its partner heavy chain DNAH5 localize to type 2 ODAs of the distal cilium and in DNAH9-mutated nasal respiratory epithelial cilia we found a loss of DNAH9/DNAH5-containing type 2 ODAs that was restricted to the distal cilia region. This confers a reduced beating frequency with a subtle beating pattern defect affecting the motility of the distal cilia portion. 3D electron tomography ultrastructural studies confirmed regional loss of ODAs from the distal cilium, manifesting as either loss of whole ODA or partial loss of ODA volume. Paramecium DNAH9 knockdown confirms an evolutionarily conserved function for DNAH9 in cilia motility and ODA stability. We find that DNAH9 is widely expressed in the airways, despite DNAH9 mutations appearing to confer symptoms restricted to the upper respiratory tract. In summary, DNAH9 mutations reduce cilia function but some respiratory mucociliary clearance potential may be retained, widening the PCD disease spectrum.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
By moving essential body fluids and molecules, motile cilia and flagella govern respiratory mucociliary clearance, laterality determination and the transport of gametes and cerebrospinal fluid. ...Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder frequently caused by non-assembly of dynein arm motors into cilia and flagella axonemes. Before their import into cilia and flagella, multi-subunit axonemal dynein arms are thought to be stabilized and pre-assembled in the cytoplasm through a DNAAF2-DNAAF4-HSP90 complex akin to the HSP90 co-chaperone R2TP complex. Here, we demonstrate that large genomic deletions as well as point mutations involving PIH1D3 are responsible for an X-linked form of PCD causing disruption of early axonemal dynein assembly. We propose that PIH1D3, a protein that emerges as a new player of the cytoplasmic pre-assembly pathway, is part of a complementary conserved R2TP-like HSP90 co-chaperone complex, the loss of which affects assembly of a subset of inner arm dyneins.