Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asymmetry of the parental craniofacial skeleton in orofacial clefting.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate size-related and shape-related craniofacial skeletal asymmetries in the parents of children with orofacial clefting (OFC). DESIGN Retrospective PA cephalometric study. SETTING Glasgow/Dundee, Scotland. SUBJECTS Ninety-two parental volunteers from a completely ascertained sample of 286 children born with OFC between 1980-1984 in the West of Scotland. INTERVENTIONS None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A conventional cephalometric asymmetry analysis (CCAA) evaluated size-related right:left asymmetry comprising eight linear distance, nine angular, and three mid-facial area measurements. The right and left landmark configurations were uniformly scaled using Procrustes superimposition and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis (EDMA) evaluated shape-related right-left asymmetry. RESULTS The three linear distances, nine angles and two areas differed between the right and left sides of the craniofacial complex (P <0.05) indicate size asymmetry characterized by a wider left side of the face and a shorter vertical dimension on the right side (directional asymmetry). EDMA detected shape asymmetry [T statistic = 2.671 (P = 0.10)]. Forty per cent of the EDMA ratios were clinically importantly larger or smaller on the left and right sides respectively, involving landmarks anatomically and morphogenetically important in OFC. CONCLUSION Size and shape directional asymmetries characterize the parental craniofacial skeleton in OFC. This heritable directional craniofacial skeletal asymmetry could be of relevance in the left-sided predilection of OFC.
Discovering interactions among BRCA1 and other candidate genes associated with sporadic breast cancer

Analysis of a subset of case-control sporadic breast cancer data, [from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS) initiative], focusing on 18 breast cancer-related genes with 304 SNPs, indicates that there are many interesting interactions that form two- and three-way networks in which BRCA1 plays a dominant and central role. The apparent interactions of BRCA1 with many other genes suggests the conjecture that BRCA1 serves as a protective gene and that some mutations in it or in related genes may prevent it from carrying out this protective function even if the patients are not carriers of known cancer-predisposing BRCA1 mutations. The method of analysis features the evaluation of the effect of a gene by averaging the effects of the SNPs covered by that gene. Marginal methods that test one gene at a time fail to show any effect. That may be related to the fact that each of these 18 genes adds very little to the risk of cancer. Analysis that relates the ratio of interactions to the maximum of the first-order effects discovers significant gene pairs and triplets.
Inhibition of Intestinal Tumorigenesis in Apc Min/+ Mice by Green Tea Polyphenols (Polyphenon E) and Individual Catechins

Abstract In this work, we compared the cancer preventive activities of Polyphenon E (PPE), a standardized green tea polyphenol preparation given in diet versus drinking fluid as well as the activities of PPE versus individual catechins. We treated ApcMin/+ mice for 9 wk with 0.08% (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), 0.08% (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate, or 0.12% PPE in drinking fluid or diet. Only 0.12% dietary PPE and 0.08% EGCG in drinking fluid significantly decreased tumor multiplicity (70% and 51%, respectively). Compared to PPE in drinking fluid, dietary PPE delivered twofold more EGCG to the small intestine. Immunohistochemistry showed that adenomas in groups treated with PPE and EGCG had decreased cell proliferation, β -catenin nuclear expression, and phospho-Akt levels; higher cleaved caspase-3 levels, and partially restored retinoid X receptor α expression. The results suggest that these molecular events contribute to the cancer prevention activity of EGCG and PPE. Furthermore, diet appears to be a better route of administration for PPE than drinking fluid.
Personality disorders predict relapse after remission from an episode of major depressive disorder: a 6-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE To examine prospectively the course of major depressive disorder (MDD) and to test for the moderating effects of personality disorder (PD) comorbidity on relapse after remission from an episode of MDD. METHOD Participants were 303 patients (196 women and 107 men) with current DSM-IV-diagnosed MDD at baseline enrollment in the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. Major depressive disorder and Axis I psychiatric disorders were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, and Axis II PDs were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders. The course of MDD was assessed with the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation at 6 and 12 months and then yearly through 6 years. Survival analyses were used to analyze time to remission and time to relapse. The study was conducted from July 1996 to June 2005. RESULTS Of 303 patients, 260 (86%) remitted from MDD; life table survival analyses revealed that patients with MDD who had PDs at baseline had significantly longer time to remission from MDD than patients without PDs. Among the 260 patients whose MDD remitted, 183 (70%) relapsed. Patients with MDD with PDs-specifically those with borderline and obsessive-compulsive PDs-at baseline had significantly shorter time to relapse than patients with MDD without PDs. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses revealed that the presence of PDs at baseline (hazard ratio = 1.5) and recurrent-type MDD (hazard ratio = 2.2), but not sex (hazard ratio = 1.03) or dysthymic disorder (hazard ratio = 0.97), significantly predicted time to relapse. CONCLUSIONS Personality disorders at baseline were robust predictors prospectively of accelerated relapse after remission from an episode of MDD. Personality disorders at baseline significantly moderated eventual time to relapse in MDD among patients who remitted from an episode of MDD, even when controlling for other potential negative prognostic predictors.
A Business Model Feasibility Analysis Framework in Ubiquitous Technology Environments

As ubiquitous technology is emerging as a new paradigm of information technology industry, business environment has been more complicated. According to this change, many enterprises have focused establishing a business model (BM) for creating a new value. Therefore, the importance of developing a suitable business model has been increasing more and more. In this research, we suggested the business model feasibility analysis (BMFA) framework for evaluating a BM. Also, in order to suggest methodology applications, it was applied to portable internet, called Wibro business model. This study is meaningful in suggesting integrated perspective analyzing business model in technology, strategy and market view in ubiquitous technology environments and concretizing the application of framework by case study for portable internet business models.
Factors associated with compliance to thiazide diuretics among 8551 Chinese patients

What is known and Objective: Good compliance to anti‐hypertensive medications has been recognized as a crucial factor to achieve optimal blood pressure control, but there were few studies addressing this issue among ethnic Chinese patients. This study aims to evaluate the factors associated with compliance to thiazide diuretics in a Chinese hypertensive population.
Novel PPAR‐gamma Agonists Identified from a Natural Product Library: A Virtual Screening, Induced‐Fit Docking and Biological Assay Study

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma (PPAR‐gamma) plays an essential role in lipid and glucose homeostasis. It is recognized as the receptor of the thiazolidinediones—a synthetic class of anti‐diabetic drugs—and is the target of many drug discovery efforts because of its role in disease states, such as type II diabetes mellitus. In this study, structure‐based virtual screening of the PPAR‐gamma ligand binding domain against a natural product library has revealed 29 potential agonists. In vitro testing of this list identified six flavonoids to have stimulated PPAR‐gamma transcriptional activity in a transcriptional factor assay. Of these, flavonoid—psi‐baptigenin—was classed as the most potent PPAR‐gamma agonist, possessing low micromolar affinity (EC50 = 2.9 μM). Further in vitro testing using quantitative RT‐PCR and immunoblotting experiments demonstrated that psi‐baptigenin activated PPAR‐gamma mRNA (4.1 ± 0.2‐fold) and protein levels (2.9 ± 0.4‐fold) in THP‐1 macrophages. Moreover, psi‐baptigenin’s‐induced PPAR‐gamma enhancement was abolished in the presence of a selective PPAR‐gamma antagonist, GW9662. Induced‐fit docking investigations provide a detailed understanding on the ligands’ mechanism of action, suggesting five of the active flavonoids induce significant conformational change in the receptor upon binding. Overall, these results offer insight into various naturally derived flavonoids as leads/templates for development of novel PPAR‐gamma ligands.
Bandwidth and Efficiency Enhancement of Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna Using a Substrate Removal

A technique for enhancement of bandwidth and efficiency of a cavity-backed slot antenna is proposed. The bandwidth of the cavity-backed slot antenna depends on the Q of the slot and the cavity. The proposed technique removes the substrate under the slot to decrease the capacitance of the slot. Because a half-wavelength slot is considered a parallel resonant circuit at resonant frequency, lowered capacitance increases the bandwidth of the antenna. Antenna efficiency also can be enhanced by the proposed technique. The dielectric loss, which is produced by the E-field across the slot, is effectively decreased by removing the substrate under the slot. Various simulation results of demonstration of the proposed technique are given. The proposed antenna, which was fabricated on a 2-mm-height FR-4 substrate, shows 6.2% higher antenna efficiency and 24% wider bandwidth compared to the conventional cavity-backed slot antenna, which has a whole substrate. The proposed technique is effective in enhancing the efficiency and bandwidth of a cavity-backed slot antenna.
Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance in Closed Head Injury Patients in a Rehabilitation Unit

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability in young people in the United States. Disorders of arousal and attention are common in closed head injury (CHI). Daytime drowsiness impairs participation in rehabilitation, whereas nighttime wakefulness leads to falls and behavioral disturbances. Sleep disturbances in TBI reported in the literature have included excessive daytime somnolence, sleep phase cycle disturbance, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea. Although well known to the clinician treating these patients, the extent and prevalence of disrupted sleep in patients in an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit has not been described. Objective. To determine the prevalence of sleep wake cycle disturbance (SWCD) in patients with CHI in a TBI rehabilitation unit. Design. Prospective observational. Setting. Inpatient specialized brain injury rehabilitation unit. Patients. Thirty-one consecutive admissions to a brain injury rehabilitation unit with the diagnosis of CHI. Results. Twenty-one patients (68%) had aberrations of nighttime sleep. There was no significant difference in Glasgow Coma Score on admission to trauma nor was there any significant difference in age between the affected and unaffected groups. Patients with SWCD had longer stays in both the trauma center (P < .003) and the rehabilitation center (P < .03). Conclusions. There is a high prevalence of SWCD in CHI patients admitted to a brain injury rehabilitation unit. Patients with SWCD have longer stays in both acute and rehabilitation settings and may be a marker for more severe injury.
I nuovi mercati e le strategie di entrata delle medie imprese: evidenze e miti

Obiettivo del paper : I Paesi emergenti stanno offrendo importanti opportunita di sviluppo e, in alcuni casi, performance al di fuori del normale, ma un’impresa che decide di intraprendere un percorso di internazionalizzazione deve affrontare molti problemi, soprattutto se non grande, come la maggioranza delle imprese del Made in Italy. L’obiettivo dell’articolo e analizzare i nuovi mercati e le strategie di entrata delle medie imprese, adottando un approccio critico fondato sul raffronto tra “evidenze” e “miti”. Metodologia : Si fa ricorso al metodo quali-quantitativo basato sia su una survey sulle medie imprese del Made in Italy in Campania sia sui case studies. Risultati : I risultati possono essere cosi sintetizzati: 1. la definizione di un framework teorico che integra le principali teorie ed esplora il modo in cui queste interagiscono reciprocamente suggerendo differenti modalita di entrata e mercati, 2. l’identificazione dei percorsi evolutivi che le medie imprese devono compiere per avere successo all’estero, in termini di estensione dell’approccio internazionale e del mercato, 3. il posizionamento delle medie imprese campane alla luce del suddetto modello analitico ed interpretativo. Originalita del lavoro e limiti della ricerca : Il framework teorico e in grado di rappresentare la multidimensionalita del fenomeno indagato aprendo la strada alla costruzione di una teoria sull’internazionalizzazione di successo delle medie imprese del Made in Italy. Tuttavia, ulteriori studi empirici sono oltremodo necessari per testare meglio il modello proposto. Implicazioni pratiche : Lo studio puo aiutare i manager a compiere scelte di entrata finalizzate a sfruttare al meglio le opportunita offerte dai nuovi mercati considerando i principali fattori che influenzano le strategie di entrata di successo. Parole chiave: modalita di entrata; paesi emergenti; medie imprese; Made in Italy
Jun N‐terminal kinase pathway enhances signaling of monocytic differentiation of human leukemia cells induced by 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3

Recent studies revealed that the MEK/ERK module of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades is up‐regulated in the early stages of 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3)‐induced monocytic differentiation of human leukemia cells HL60. In the present study, we investigated whether another MAPK module, the JNK pathway, also participates in this form of differentiation. We found that the dependence on the concentration of the inducer, the vitamin‐hormone 1,25D3, in two types of human leukemia cells, HL60 and U937, and the kinetics of monocytic differentiation in HL60 cells, parallel the degree of the activation of the JNK pathway. A blockade of JNK signaling by a stable expression of dominant negative (dn) JNK1 mutant in U937 cells resulted in reduced c‐jun phosphorylation, and the differentiation of these cells was markedly decreased. Similarly, inhibition of JNK1 and JNK2 activities by the selective inhibitor SP600125 led to both dose‐dependent reduction of c‐jun and ATF‐2 phosphorylation, and of the differentiation of HL60 cells. In addition, we found that JNK activity is essential for the AP‐1 DNA binding induced by 1,25D3 in HL60 and U937 cells. The results indicate that in cultured human leukemia cells, the JNK pathway participates in the induction of monocytic differentiation by 1,25D3, probably by activating the AP‐1 transcription factor. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synectin‐dependent regulation of arterial maturation

Synectin, a ubiquitously expressed PDZ scaffold protein, has been shown to be a key regulator in the formation of arterial vasculature. Examination of the retinal vasculature in synectin−/− mice demonstrated poor mural cell coverage of and attachment to the forming arterial tree, a defect reminiscent of retinal abnormalities observed in platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) ‐B−/− mice. Primary cultures of synectin−/− smooth muscle cells had normal expression of PDGFR‐β and migrated normally in response to PDGF‐BB. However, expression of PDGF‐BB protein, but not mRNA, was reduced in lysates from arterial, but not venous, primary synectin−/− endothelial cells (EC), that was restored by inhibition of proteosomal degradation. Transduction of synectin−/− and +/+ EC with a bicistronic Pdgfb/gfp construct, resulted in comparable expression of green fluorescent protein in both EC populations while PDGF‐BB expression was severely reduced in synectin−/− EC. Finally, synectin expression in synectin−/− arterial EC restored PDGF‐BB protein levels. These results suggest that synectin deficiency results in increased degradation of PDGF‐BB protein in arterial EC and, consequently, reduced recruitment of mural cells to newly forming arteries. This observation may explain the selective reduction in arterial morphogenesis observed in synectin knockout mice. Developmental Dynamics 238:604–610, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recent Advances in Metal-Organic Framework-Based Electrochemical Biosensing Applications

In the face of complex environments, considerable effort has been made to accomplish sensitive, accurate and highly-effective detection of target analytes. Given the versatility of metal clusters and ligands, high porosity and large specific surface area, metal–organic framework (MOF) provides researchers with prospective solutions for the construction of biosensing platforms. Combined with the benefits of electrochemistry method such as fast response, low cost and simple operation, the untapped applications of MOF for biosensors are worthy to be exploited. Therefore, this review briefly summarizes the preparation methods of electroactive MOF, including synthesize with electroactive ligands/metal ions, functionalization of MOF with biomolecules and modification for MOF composites. Moreover, recent biosensing applications are highlighted in terms of small biomolecules, biomacromolecules, and pathogenic cells. We conclude with a discussion of future challenges and prospects in the field. It aims to offer researchers inspiration to address the issues appropriately in further investigations.
Protein Profiling of Plastoglobules in Chloroplasts and Chromoplasts. A Surprising Site for Differential Accumulation of Metabolic Enzymes1[W]

Plastoglobules (PGs) are oval or tubular lipid-rich structures present in all plastid types, but their specific functions are unclear. PGs contain quinones, α-tocopherol, and lipids and, in chromoplasts, carotenoids as well. It is not known whether PGs contain any enzymes or regulatory proteins. Here, we determined the proteome of PGs from chloroplasts of stressed and unstressed leaves of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as well as from pepper (Capsicum annuum) fruit chromoplasts using mass spectrometry. Together, this showed that the proteome of chloroplast PGs consists of seven fibrillins, providing a protein coat and preventing coalescence of the PGs, and an additional 25 proteins likely involved in metabolism of isoprenoid-derived molecules (quinines and tocochromanols), lipids, and carotenoid cleavage. Four unknown ABC1 kinases were identified, possibly involved in regulation of quinone monooxygenases. Most proteins have not been observed earlier but have predicted N-terminal chloroplast transit peptides and lack transmembrane domains, consistent with localization in the PG lipid monolayer particles. Quantitative differences in PG composition in response to high light stress and degreening were determined by differential stable-isotope labeling using formaldehyde. More than 20 proteins were identified in the PG proteome of pepper chromoplasts, including four enzymes of carotenoid biosynthesis and several homologs of proteins observed in the chloroplast PGs. Our data strongly suggest that PGs in chloroplasts form a functional metabolic link between the inner envelope and thylakoid membranes and play a role in breakdown of carotenoids and oxidative stress defense, whereas PGs in chromoplasts are also an active site for carotenoid conversions.
Facilitators’ experience of delivering asynchronous and synchronous online interprofessional education

Abstract Introduction: Online delivery of interprofessional education (IPE) is an emerging area with very little research to date focusing on the experience of the facilitator in this process. The purpose of this article was to explore the facilitator experience of online asynchronous and synchronous IPE facilitation of pre-licensure students. Methods: Nineteen online facilitators participated in semi-structured telephone interviews to explore this experience. Results: Findings from Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis indicated that the facilitators found positives of the experience including perceiving that the students were learning, their own development as a facilitator, the flexibility of the role and feeling supported as a facilitator. Challenges of the experience were also noted including technological problems in the synchronous environment and engaging some students or teams in both the synchronous and asynchronous environments. Discussion: While this study identified positive aspects of the facilitation experience it also highlighted some key topics which need to be addressed in training for online IPE facilitators to further enhance their experience, and subsequently the experience and interprofessional learning of their students.
Novel approach to the molecular diagnosis of Marfan syndrome: application to sporadic cases and in prenatal diagnosis.

Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder affecting the skeletal, ocular, and cardiovascular systems. Defects in the gene that encodes fibrillin-1 (FBN1), the main structural component of the elastin-associated microfibrils, are responsible for the disorder. Molecular diagnosis in families with Marfan syndrome can be undertaken by using intragenic FBN1 gene markers to identify and track the disease allele. However, in sporadic cases, which constitute up to 30% of the total, DNA-based diagnosis cannot be performed using linked markers but rather requires the identification of the specific FBN1 gene mutation. Due to the size and complexity of the FBN1 gene, identification of a causative Marfan syndrome mutation is not a trivial undertaking. Herein, we describe a comprehensive approach to the molecular diagnosis of Marfan syndrome that relies on the direct analysis of the FBN1 gene at the cDNA level and detects both coding sequence mutations and those leading to exon-skipping, which are often missed by analysis at the genomic DNA level. The ability to consistently determine the specific FBN1 gene mutation responsible for a particular case of Marfan syndrome allows both prenatal and pre-implantation diagnosis, even in sporadic instances of the disease.