Because dysregulation and mutations of protein kinases play causal roles in human disease, this family of enzymes has become one of the most important drug targets over the past two decades. The X-ray crystal structures of 21 of the 27 FDA-approved small molecule inhibitors bound to their target protein kinases are depicted in this paper. The structure of the enzyme-bound antagonist complex is ...

BACKGROUND Cleft lip and palate (CLP) is one of the most common birth defects. Multiple factors are believed to be responsible for an unfavorable dental arch relationship in CLP. Facial growth (maxillary) retardation, which results in class III malocclusion, is the primary challenge that CLP patients face. Phenotype factors and postnatal treatment factors influence treatment outcomes in unilate...

At the synapse the specialized preand postsynaptic membranes are connected via a structure called the synaptic junction. In order to understand the nature of the synaptic junction or connection, it is necessary to determine which molecules are associated with the surfaces of the specialized preand postsynaptic membranes and which are present in the cleft itself. Cytochemical evidence indicates ...

Children with nonsyndromic oral clefts and with the CATCH 22 syndrome (acronym for cardiac defects, abnormal faces, thymus hypoplasia, clefts, and hypocalcemia) display a range of language and learning disabilities, the neurofunctional bases of which are not yet understood. This review summarizes recent event-related brain potential (ERP) studies on central auditory processing in infants and ch...

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal and dental effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in cleft patients using two types of expanders. Methods: Twenty unilateral cleft lip and palate patients were randomly divided into two groups, according to the type of expander used: (I) modified Hyrax and (II) inverted Mini-Hyrax. A pretreatment cone-beam computed tomographic ...

Cleft lip with or without cleft palate is one of the most common congenital malformations in newborns. While numerous studies on secondary palatogenesis exist, data regarding normal upper lip formation and cleft lip is limited. We previously showed that conditional inactivation of Tgf-beta type I receptor Alk5 in the ectomesenchyme resulted in total facial clefting. While the role of Tgf-beta s...

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the management of the cleft maxilla with emphasis on the controversies concerning the decisions which a cleft palate team makes with limited evidence but strong beliefs in the anticipated outcomes. The orthodontist and the surgeon need to collaborate in determining the timing and sequencing of alveolar bone grafting. Currently the emphasis on secondary bo...

BACKGROUND The ability to correctly assess the patient's bone age is an important element that allows correct diagnosis and proper planning of the start of orthodontic treatment. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to estimate bone age in children with congenital craniofacial defects - primary and secondary palate cleft. MATERIAL AND METHODS The analysis covered lateral head images of...

It is generally recognized that there is a genetic component in the cleft lip and cleft palate malformation in man. There is good evidence that this malformation is heterogeneous, and that parts of it, for example isolated cleft palate compared with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, may have different genetic origins. The types of genetic mechanisms postulated for these defects have inclu...