The effect of paternal psoriasis on neonatal outcomes: a nationwide population-based study

BackgroundPsoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease involving both environmental and genetic risk factors. Maternal psoriasis often results in poor pregnancies that influence both mothers and newborns. However, the influence of paternal psoriasis on the newborn remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether paternal psoriasis is associated with increased risk of adverse neonatal outcomes, within a nationwide population-based data setting.MethodsSingleton pregnancies were identified in the Taiwan National Health Insurance database and National Birth Registry between 2004-2011 and classified into four study groups according to whether mothers and spouses had psoriasis (paternal(−)/maternal(−), paternal(+)/maternal(−), paternal(−)/maternal(+), and paternal(+)/maternal(+)). Data were analyzed retrospectively. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) or hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated to evaluate the risk of neonatal outcomes between groups.ResultsA total of 1,498,892 singleton pregnancies were recruited. Newborns of fathers with psoriasis but not of mothers with psoriasis were associated with an aHR (95% CI) of 3.69 (1.65–8.26) for psoriasis, 1.13 (1.06–1.21) for atopic dermatitis and 1.05 (1.01–1.10) for allergic rhinitis. Newborns of mothers with psoriasis but not of fathers with psoriasis were associated with an aOR (95% CI) of 1.26 (1.12-1.43) for low birth weight (<2500 g) and 1.64 (1.10–2.43) for low Apgar scores, and an aHR of 5.70 (2.71–11.99) for psoriasis.ConclusionNewborns of fathers with psoriasis are associated with significantly higher risk of developing atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and psoriasis. Caution is advised for adverse neonatal outcomes when either or both parents have psoriasis

A long non-coding RNA protects the heart from pathological hypertrophy

The role of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in adult hearts is unknownalso unclear is how lncRNA modulates nucleosome remodeling. An estimated 70% of mouse genes undergo antisense transcription, including myosin heavy chain 7 (Myh7) that encodes molecular motor proteins for heart contraction. Here, we identify a cluster of lncRNA transcripts from Myh7 loci and show a new lncRNA–chromatin mechanism for heart failure. In mice, these transcripts, which we named Myosin Heavy Chain Associated RNA Transcripts (MyHEART or Mhrt), are cardiac-specific and abundant in adult hearts. Pathological stress activates the Brg1-Hdac-Parp chromatin repressor complex to inhibit Mhrt transcription in the heart. Such stress-induced Mhrt repression is essential for cardiomyopathy to develop: restoring Mhrt to the pre-stress level protects the heart from hypertrophy and failure. Mhrt antagonizes the function of Brg1, a chromatin-remodeling factor that is activated by stress to trigger aberrant gene expression and cardiac myopathy. Mhrt prevents Brg1 from recognizing its genomic DNA targets, thus inhibiting chromatin targeting and gene regulation by Brg1. Mhrt binds to the helicase domain of Brg1, and this domain is crucial for tethering Brg1 to chromatinized DNA targets. Brg1 helicase has dual nucleic acid-binding specificities: it is capable of binding lncRNA (Mhrt) and chromatinized—but not naked—DNA. This dual-binding feature of helicase enables a competitive inhibition mechanism by which Mhrt sequesters Brg1 from its genomic DNA targets to prevent chromatin remodeling. A Mhrt-Brg1 feedback circuit is thus crucial for heart function. Human MHRT also originates from MYH7 loci and is repressed in various types of myopathic hearts, suggesting a conserved lncRNA mechanism in human cardiomyopathy. Our studies identify the first cardioprotective lncRNA, define a new targeting mechanism for ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors, and establish a new paradigm for lncRNA–chromatin interaction

Statistical Significance of Precisely Repeated Intracellular Synaptic Patterns

Can neuronal networks produce patterns of activity with millisecond accuracy? It may seem unlikely, considering the probabilistic nature of synaptic transmission. However, some theories of brain function predict that such precision is feasible and can emerge from the non-linearity of the action potential generation in circuits of connected neurons. Several studies have presented evidence for and against this hypothesis. Our earlier work supported the precision hypothesis, based on results demonstrating that precise patterns of synaptic inputs could be found in intracellular recordings from neurons in brain slices and in vivo. To test this hypothesis, we devised a method for finding precise repeats of activity and compared repeats found in the data to those found in surrogate datasets made by shuffling the original data. Because more repeats were found in the original data than in the surrogate data sets, we argued that repeats were not due to chance occurrence. Mokeichev et al. (2007) challenged these conclusions, arguing that the generation of surrogate data was insufficiently rigorous. We have now reanalyzed our previous data with the methods introduced from Mokeichev et al. (2007). Our reanalysis reveals that repeats are statistically significant, thus supporting our earlier conclusions, while also supporting many conclusions that Mokeichev et al. (2007) drew from their recent in vivo recordings. Moreover, we also show that the conditions under which the membrane potential is recorded contributes significantly to the ability to detect repeats and may explain conflicting results. In conclusion, our reevaluation resolves the methodological contradictions between Ikegaya et al. (2004) and Mokeichev et al. (2007), but demonstrates the validity of our previous conclusion that spontaneous network activity is non-randomly organized

[[alternative]]The Effect of Transformation leadership, Organizational Cultural, Organizational Commitment, Internal Marketing and Job performance--An Example of Insurance Salespersons

[[abstract]]　　由於壽險業是屬於員工彈性較高的組織型態，且工作性質不同於其他服務行業，員工需要有較高的自我要求能力，因此本研究以轉換型領導、組織文化、組織承諾與內部行銷對工作績效之影響，以探討組織的管理與行為，對於員工與組織發展現況之影響。 　　　　本研究以問卷調查方式蒐集資料，以中部地區壽險業從業人員為研究對象，進行SPSS迴歸分析與中介驗證，其結果如下：（一）組織文化、轉換型領導與內部行銷皆對組織承諾有顯著影響。（二）組織承諾與內部行銷對工作績效有顯著影響。（三）轉換型領導對內部行銷有顯著影響。（四）組織文化與工作績效間，組織承諾的中介效果部分成立。（五）轉換型領導與工作績效間，組織承諾存在的中介效果僅有部分成立。（六）轉換型領導與工作績效間，內部行銷的中介效果僅有部分成立。[[abstract]]　　This study was explored the effect of transformation leadership, organizational culture, organizational commitment, internal marketing and job performance. The research used Insurance salesperson as the researching objects. The research adopted the method of questionnaire inquiry. The returned questionnaires were analyzed by simple regression and Mediating Test. The research has shown as below:　　　1. The transformation leadership, organizational culture had positive significant effect on organizational commitment.　2. The organizational commitment, internal marketing had positive significant effect on job performance.　3. The transformation leadership had positive significant effect on internal marketing.　4. The organizational commitment did have a part of the mediating effect on organizational culture and job performance.　5. The organizational commitment did have a part of the mediating effect on transformation leadership and job performance.　6. The internal marketing did have a part of the mediating effect on transformation leadership and job performance

Synthesis of (+/-)-trans-Indolizidine-8-carboxylic Acid

A facile synthesis of a novel amino acid, trans-indolizidine-8-carboxylic acid, is described

Alkyne-mediated domino hydroformylation/double cyclization: mechanistic insight and synthesis of (+/-)-tashiromine

A novel domino reaction, alkyne-mediated domino hydroformylation/double cyclization, has been developed for rapid preparation of indolizidine type alkaloids. DFT calculations were applied for rationales of reactivity and selectivity. A concise synthesis of tashiromine as the application of the methodology is also reported

Three examples of repeats found using the PHRI detector from a 190 second long cat <i>in vivo</i> current clamp recording.

<p>Each motif-repeat example is labeled with its respective PHRI and its length. The PHRI values are a subset of those that make up the full set of PHRI values for this recording that are displayed in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0003983#pone-0003983-g008" target="_blank">Fig. 8c</a>.</p