Whole genome sequencing identifies associations for nonsyndromic sagittal craniosynostosis with the intergenic region of BMP2 and noncoding RNA gene LINC01428.

Craniosynostosis (CS) is a major birth defect resulting from premature fusion of cranial sutures. Nonsyndromic CS occurs more frequently than syndromic CS, with sagittal nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (sNCS) presenting as the most common CS phenotype. Previous genome-wide association and targeted sequencing analyses of sNCS have identified multiple associated loci, with the strongest association on chromosome 20. Herein, we report the first whole-genome sequencing study of sNCS using 63 proband-parent trios. Sequencing data for these trios were analyzed using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and rare variant TDT (rvTDT) to identify high-risk rare gene variants. Sequencing data were also examined for copy number variants (CNVs) and de novo variants. TDT analysis identified a highly significant locus at 20p12.3, localized to the intergenic region between BMP2 and the noncoding RNA gene LINC01428. Three variants (rs6054763, rs6054764, rs932517) were identified as potential causal variants due to their probability of being transcription factor binding sites, deleterious combined annotation dependent depletion scores, and high minor allele enrichment in probands. Morphometric analysis of cranial vault shape in an unaffected cohort validated the effect of these three single nucleotide variants (SNVs) on dolichocephaly. No genome-wide significant rare variants, de novo loci, or CNVs were identified. Future efforts to identify risk variants for sNCS should include sequencing of larger and more diverse population samples and increased omics analyses, such as RNA-seq and ATAC-seq.

The Future of Psychotherapy in Turkey: Predictions for the Next 10 Years.

Making realistic predictions about the future is important in clinical psychology as in many other disciplines. This opinion survey aimed to examine clinical psychologists' predictions for the next 10 years regarding the status of psychotherapy in Turkey in two stages, with 107 participants in one and 69 in the other. The results revealed that the techniques predicted to increase the most in the next decade were the use of eclectic therapy, mindfulness therapy, solution-focused therapy, system/family approaches, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Among the therapeutic interventions expected to increase in popularity were Internet-based programs, smartphone applications, and problem solving. In terms of type of psychotherapists, family counselors with certificate/graduate degrees and Internet-based treatment programs were expected to become more common, whereas it was considered that shorter treatment formats and crisis intervention approaches would be preferred. In sum, the present findings provide a current overview for Turkey and a comparison with other literature findings.

Impact of pH on bacterial growth and activity of recent fluoroquinolones in pooled urine.

Acidification of urine is widely recommended for prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections. We set out to describe the effect of modification of pH on bacterial growth of relevant bacteria as well as on activity of modern fluoroquinolones in urine in vitro. Bacterial growth of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Klebsiella oxytoca ATCC 700324 was determined in pooled human urine adjusted to pH levels between 5.0 and 8.0. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and time-kill curves were performed for ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin in pH-adjusted urine and Mueller-Hinton Broth (MHB). Uptake of radioactive labeled [C(14)]-ciprofloxacin into bacterial cells was investigated at different pHs. While no difference in bacterial growth of E. coli and K. oxytoca was observed at pH values between 5.0 and 8.0, acidification of urine led to major impairment of antimicrobial activity of all tested fluoroquinolones, indicated by an up to 40-fold increase in MIC compared to MHB and nearly total neutralization of activity in time-kill experiments. The most probable mechanism behind this observation may have been reduced uptake of fluoroquinolones into bacterial cells, as indicated by bacterial uptake of [C(14)]-ciprofloxacin and a reversibility of the effect. The observed reduction in activity of modern fluoroquinolones confirms previous observations from older compounds.