GestaltMatcher Database - A global reference for facial phenotypic variability in rare human diseases

The most important factor that complicates the work of dysmorphologists is the significant phenotypic variability of the human face. Next-Generation Phenotyping (NGP) tools that assist clinicians with recognizing characteristic syndromic patterns are particularly challenged when confronted with patients from populations different from their training data. To that end, we systematically analyzed the impact of genetic ancestry on facial dysmorphism. For that purpose, we established the GestaltMatcher Database (GMDB) as a reference dataset for medical images of patients with rare genetic disorders from around the world. We collected 10,980 frontal facial images - more than a quarter previously unpublished - from 8,346 patients, representing 581 rare disorders. Although the predominant ancestry is still European (67%), data from underrepresented populations have been increased considerably via global collaborations (19% Asian and 7% African). This includes previously unpublished reports for more than 40% of the African patients. The NGP analysis on this diverse dataset revealed characteristic performance differences depending on the composition of training and test sets corresponding to genetic relatedness. For clinical use of NGP, incorporating non-European patients resulted in a profound enhancement of GestaltMatcher performance. The top-5 accuracy rate increased by +11.29%. Importantly, this improvement in delineating the correct disorder from a facial portrait was achieved without decreasing the performance on European patients. By design, GMDB complies with the FAIR principles by rendering the curated medical data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. This means GMDB can also serve as data for training and benchmarking. In summary, our study on facial dysmorphism on a global sample revealed a considerable cross ancestral phenotypic variability confounding NGP that should be counteracted by international efforts for increasing data diversity. GMDB will serve as a vital reference database for clinicians and a transparent training set for advancing NGP technology.</p

NMR-Based Molecular Ruler for Determining the Depth of Intercalants Within the Lipid Bilayer. Part IV: Studies on Ketophospholipids

In our companion paper, we described the preparation and intercalation of two homologous series of dicarbonyl compounds, methyl n-oxooctadecanoates and the corresponding n-oxooctadecanoic acids (n = 4–16), into DMPC liposomes. 13C NMR chemical shift of the various carbonyls was analyzed using an ET(30) solvent polarity–chemical shift correlation table and the corresponding calculated penetration depth (in Å). An iterative best fit analysis of the data points revealed an exponential correlation between ET(30) micropolarity and the penetration depth (in Å) into the liposomal bilayer. However, this study is still incomplete, since the plot lacks data points in the important area of moderately polarity, i.e., in the ET(30) range of 51–45.5 kcal/mol. To correct this lacuna, a family of ketophospholipids was prepared in which the above n-oxooctadecanoic acids were attached to the sn-2 position of a phosphatidylcholine with a palmitic acid chain at sn-1. To assist in assignment and detection several derivatives were prepared 13C-enriched in both carbonyls. The various homologs were intercalated into DMPC liposomes and give points specifically in the missing area of the previous polarity–penetration correlation graph. Interestingly, the calculated exponential relationship of the complete graph was essentially the same as that calculated in the companion paper based on the methyl n-oxooctadecanoates and the corresponding n-oxooctadecanoic acids alone. The polarity at the midplane of such DMPC systems is ca. 33 kcal/mol and is not expected to change very much if we extend the lipid chains. This paper concludes with a chemical ruler that maps the changing polarity experienced by an intercalant as it penetrates the liposomal bilayer

NMR-Based Molecular Ruler for Determining the Depth of Intercalants Within the Lipid Bilayer: Part III: Studies on Keto Esters and Acids

The development of “molecular rulers” would allow one to quantitatively locate the penetration depth of intercalants within lipid bilayers. To this end, an attempt was made to correlate the 13C NMR chemical shift of polarizable “reporter” carbons (e.g., carbonyls) of intercalants within DMPC liposomal bilayers – with the polarity it experiences, and with its Angstrom distance from the interface. This requires families of molecules with two “reporter carbons” separated by a known distance, residing at various depths/polarities within the bilayer. For this purpose, two homologous series of dicarbonyl compounds, methyl n-oxooctadecanoates and the corresponding n-oxooctadecanoic acids (n = 4–16), were synthesized. To assist in assignment and detection several homologs in each system were prepared 13C-enriched in both carbonyls. Within each family, the number of carbons and functional groups remains the same, with the only difference being the location of the second ketone carbonyl along the fatty acid chain. Surprisingly, the head groups within each family are not anchored near the lipid–water interface, nor are they even all located at the same depth. Nevertheless, using an iterative best fit analysis of the data points enables one to obtain an exponential curve. The latter gives substantial insight into the correlation between polarity (measured in terms of the Reichardt polarity parameter, ET(30)) and penetration depth into the liposomal bilayer. Still missing from this curve are data points in the moderate polarity range